Some spirits had been brought to the settlement, obtained probably by way of traffic from other tribes in the interior, on the borders of the Ochotsk Sea. When the "fire water" arrived at the settlement, it happened to be in the night time; and before much, if any, of it was drunk, the head man came to Captain Norton, called him up, and wanted he should "take a little," as a token of his respect for the captain, as was supposed. By morning, many of the natives who had drank to excess were laid away as those who belong to the class of quiet ones; but others were noisy, confident, and brave—full of their gabble—rich—possessing the whole creation, and a little more.
Under these circumstances they endeavored to display their agility and strength, and perform wonderful feats; such, for instance, as climbing the pole in the hut. This the head man attempted to do, who was, as we should judge, "three quarters over," and after repeated efforts succeeded in climbing up the pole six or eight feet.
His wife, being actuated by the same impulse, concluded she would follow her husband, and climb up after him. This she did, and had got up only a few feet, when her husband's strength, under these circumstances more quickly developed than lasting, gave out; and yielding to the simple force of gravity which he could not well resist, came down upon the head and shoulders of his wife; and by his accelerated momentum both were brought to the ground in double compound confusion, to the great merriment of those of us who were looking on and observing the progress of the scene. It was one of the most laughable incidents we ever witnessed in our lives.
Again, the natives would display, in the most boisterous manner, their skill in harpooning or lancing the whale, or walrus, and thus brandish their weapons with uplifted arms, as if they were about to strike their prey.
One of this class was so stimulated with alcoholic strength and courage, that suiting his action to the word or impulse, he threw his spear with all his might into the broadside of one of the huts, and it passed within a short distance of the captain's head. He at once concluded it was time for him to seek a place of safety a little farther off, out of the reach of such dangerous missiles thrown by irresponsible hands. He was careful, however, as it was necessary for our protection, not to exhibit any signs of fear in their presence. They had a regular, thorough-going drunken time.
Allow us to say, that excessive, moderate, or occasional drinking of alcoholic stimulants from love to the "dear creature," makes fools not only of the poor natives inhabiting the shores of the Arctic, but also fools, and greater ones too, of those dwelling in the more civilized, and even Christianized, portions of the earth.
In the month of May Captain Norton took a short cruise into the interior, about one hundred miles, with the head man and several others, accompanied by their dog teams. The settlement he visited was called Souchou. The principal food among the natives there was deer meat. Articles of traffic carried from the coast were whalebone, whale, walrus, and seal's blubber; in return the natives bring to the coast deer meat, tobacco, spirits, &c.
In order to while away our time at East Cape before ships would make their appearance, or the ice break up, we would frequently go bird's-egging.
The cliffs facing the ocean were high and steep, and various kinds of birds would make their nests and lay their eggs in the crevices and holes of the rocks. No one could ascend them unaided from the bottom, nor would any one dare descend them from the top of the cliff.
We would, therefore, lower down one and another from the top by means of ropes, or walrus cord, fastened around his body; with this precaution, he could penetrate into recesses in the cliff, and obtain as many eggs as were wanted, and then those at the top would draw him up again. This exercise furnished a source of amusement, emulation, and personal daring; and the last, though not the least, the eggs thus obtained gave an agreeable variety to our "bill of fare."