The Wooing of Olga.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVI, Issue 22, 29 November 1911, Page 42

The Wooing of Olga.

By

W.E. PRIESTLEY.

An amusing little story from Alaska, shotting how a pretty young squaw, defying tribal custom, chose a husband for herself, and how a disappointed suitor sought the aid of a witch-doctor to obtain revenge.

/TTA Y introduction to Olga, to say iI | e °f ’•> was rather ,) I F startling. It was in the win- / ter-time, on the Yukon River, In Alaska. I was driving a dog-team down the river, travelling between NuJato and Kaltag. 1| was anxious to reach the station at Kaltag, and, although the dogs were making good time, I had no idea how far I had to travel before I reached my destination. As the sled turned a bend of the river I saw a squaw drawing water out of a hole in the ice. She was evidently unaware of my approach, for she never raised her head as I halted my team. Thinking that I could get some information regarding the distance, I spoke to her in the usual pidkin-Englisli style that one generally uses to the natives in that country—“ How far you eatehem Kaltag?” To my surprise she straightened herself up, and replied, with dignity, "If you will state your question In correct English, I’ll endeavour to answer you in the same language.” After asking the lady’s pardon—■ though, as a matter of fact, I was not to blame—l remodelled my request, received the information that 1 desired, and went on my way. Arrived at Kaltag, I learnt something concerning the squaw who could use such good English. I w’as told that her name was Olga, and that she was a quarter-breed Russian. She had spent several years and received her education at Holy Cross Mission, lower down the river; and she was married to Ivan, an Indian mail-driver. About a week later I arrived at Holy Press Mission and was hospitably entertained by Father Reaubieu, who was in charge there. From the Sister Superior, Sister Mary Saered Heart, I heard Olga’s full life-story, and very interesting it Was. Olga, it appeared, was born at the Indian village of Nulato, and, as her another died when she was quite a little girl, she was adopted by the kind-heart-ed Catholic Sisters and placed in the orphanage at Holy Cross. Here she stayed for several years, until she became a young woman, and the Sisters Were never tired of talking of her.wonderful intelligence. No one in the Mia-

sion could read or write like Olga; and as for her sewing, the Sisters had specimens of it on exhibition to prove her dexterity as a seamstress. - No wonder that Olga was the pride of. Holy Cross, and whenever the Sister Superior felt discouraged with her work amongst the natives, she would look at the girl and realize that her labour had not been altogether in vain. Now Olga, lake other young ladies, had a father. * True, her father had

shown very little evidence of paternal affection, for—except for an annual visit at Christmas-time —Olga never saw her father from one year’s end to another, and it is doubtful if he would have put in an appearance then were it not for the fact that his own larder was generally very lean about that time, and it was the custom of the good Fathers io feed all and sundry who visited the Mission at Christmas-tide. On the other hand, Olga did not have a very good opinion of her father. Association with the Sisters had taught her to look with disfavour upon the improvidence of the Indians, and added to this was the fact that she had imbibed certain habits of cleanliness not generally associated with people of her race.' Although it must be confessed that th® relations between father and daughter were far from cordial, the old man. nevertheless, was not unmindful of Olga’s . progress along educational lines as the result of her stay at Holy Cress. True/ he looked with suspicion and disfavour on the white man’s learning; but, on the other, hand, he realized'that Olga Would ~ soon be of marriageable age. As was a father’s right among the native's of the Yukon, he was entitled to a big dowry from the man who became his son-in-law, and, according to tribal custom,- tl;e choice of a husband for. hiq . lay entirely in his hands. Several men had already approached him with the idea of ascertaining t]ie valuation he placed upon his daughter, but to all he gave his heartiest disapproval, as lie made -a mental calculation of their, goods and chattels. “Did not old Paul . sell off his daughter for six martenskins to Little Man from Narardotilten.and was she not blind in one eye, and had never been to the Mission, like his' daughter? Olga was as sound as ar young moose, and could, rea*!, and write, and cook the same as the .Sisters at the Mission. Nil man should have Olga unless he was willing to pay the price, and the price should be one of the big yellow coins that he had seen at the trader’s store, which the trader had told hiftr Syps ',, equal to twenty big, round, white dollars.” . .

Having thus, placed a valuation upon his daughter, he informed all and .sun dry that, the.man to have Olga must give him a big yellow coin, equal to •.twenty white ones. The young meif village stood aghast. “Twentyj_4ollars. of the white man’s money! IVhp.was there in 'the village who could ever hope to marry Olga at such a figure?-’ They appraised the salmon in their caches, but it was no use; and, while mentally cursing the old man for his avarice, tliej;

endeavoured to comprotuise the matter by offering to pay the dowry on the instalment plan. Despite their pleadings, however, the old man remained obdurate, and it was left to an Indian from another village to furnish the money and claim the unconscious object of so many heartburnings. Esi, generally known as “Old Esi,” was a native from tho Koyukuk River, and was known up and down the Yukon as one of the best fur-men in Alaska. Too old to trap fur animals himself, he was an adept at doctoring furs; or, in other words, he would buy furs killed out of season, and would prepare them so as to give them the appearance of being “prime” or good skins. Such an expert was he in this line that the local traders refused to deal with him any more, and he had perforce to take his fur to St. Michael’s, where he was not known. It was upon one of these trips that he had seen Olga at Holy Cross Mission, and had then and there decided that she should soon become Mrs. Esi, or whatever name is generally bestowed upon a married squaw in Alaska. It did not take long for Esi to produce the necessary coin, and, being doubly armed with longing and the father’s authority, he hitched up his dogteam and started off for Holy Cross Mission to claim his bride. In the meantime. Olga was blissfully 'unconscious of the “trade.” As a matter of fact, she seldom thought of her father, and I regret to say that at this particular time, she was thinking very little, of the Av.es and Paternosters that formed a part of her daily round. Olga, like many young white ladies, had formed the habit of day-dreaming, and it would have shocked the good Sisters to have known that her day-dreams centred round Ivan, a young Indian mail-driver. No matter how late the hour that the hells of Ivan’s leader-dog tinkled over the trail, Olga was always ready to serve him with food, although there was little chance for conversation, for one of the Sisters was always there to act as chaperon. The affection was mutual, however, and in some mysterious way known only to lovers Ivan conveyed his thoughts to Olga, despite the watchful eve of the Sister.

Koyukulc; anff he says he has eom# marry you.” "To marry me?” eehoed Olga, in surprise. “Why, who gave him permission to marry me?” Old Esi here took part in the conversation. His knowledge of English was limited, so he addressed the group in the Indian language. “I gave her father twenty dollars,” he said, “and he told me it was all

right. Ami,” he added, defiantly, “she knows the custom of the tribe—she has to marry the man her father chooses. I have paid him what he asked, and I want her. Aly sled is ready at the door.” Olga looked at him with scorn, and, with all the indignation in hgr voice that she could assume, she replied: — "Go back to my father and tell him that he cannot sell me like a dog: I have learnt too much from the white people for that. Neither my father nor anyone else can make me marry any man that I don’t want. Besides,” she added, with rising anger, “I would never marry you, for you are old and ugly, and not even clean. Go back to the trader's store at Nulato and buy plenty of the white man’s soap before you try to marry any woman.” With that she flounced out. of the Toom, leaving poor old Esi with open mouth, staring in utter amazement. Never had such a thing happened befor#

Late one afternoon, just as the short i winter day was drawing to a close, Olga: heard the tinkle of bells in the distance; I biit .she soon realized that the team was, .coming down-stream, instead of up-, Stre'am, where Ivan was coming from Old; Woman and Raimute with the mail. She! turned away.in disappointment and resumed her work, until she was called into the aisiting room, where, sitting in company with' two of the Sisters, was an old Indian, balancing himself upon the! edge of a chair, and looking very un-comfort-able, though endeavouring to •appear at ease' -’ ■■ ■> - " “Olga;” said' one "Of the Sisters, by way 6f introduHionJ “this is Esi, from the

in all the history of tire Kleeukukliutanas, for a girl to refuse to' marry the man that her father chiSse for her. He stared at the Sisters; but’ they said nothing, for they were secretly glad that things h"ad : shaped theifiselves'’as ; well as they had. ' They’ were' anxious to keep Olga. Was slie not as a brand plucked from the burning? ' And was' if! not possible that she might stay at the Mission until she should be laid away on the hillside?- Tire Sisters ' haJ‘ ‘great hopes for Olga: ■ . A- - ' : Meanwhile, Old Esi ■ had begun io gather his wits, together.' He crawled off the chair, and, placing his fur cap firmly on his head, walked slowly out

of the room, without so much M,* lareiwell to the Suters, who, with calm demeanour and folded hands, watched his departure with evident satisfaction. No sooner had the sound of the bells on Old Ess’s team died away than the bister Superior called for Olga, and then and there received a surprise that almost shook her out of her accustomed calm. •»r am not going to marry any old man,” said Olga, defiantly; “I am going Ito marry Ivan, the mail carrier, as sooa as the salmon run in the spring."

Olga kept her word, for while the ice .was still running down the Yukon Olga was married to her beloved Ivan by (Father Reaubieu at Holy Cross Mission, «rhere she had spent so many happy years of her life. The young couple left immediately for Ivan's cabin, which was situated a few miles below Nulato, on the bank of the Yukon River, where Ivan was engaged in catching and drying salmon preparatory for his next Winter's work in driving the mailteam.

In the meanwhile Old Esi returned to Nulato with mingled feelings of rage, discomfiture, and dread of ridicule. He at once visited his wdiild-be father-in-law and demanded his money brtek, but, unfortunately, fifteen dollars had already jbeen spent in the purchase of several bottles of whisky of doubtful quality. The matter was eventually settled by the return of five dollars, several dried salmon, and a younger sister of Olga’s, iwho was not so high-priced in the matrimonial market, not having had the educational advantages enjoyed by her older sister, and further, labouring'under the disadvantage of being slightly hunchbacked. .'■ . ’ .. . It may be that, soon after her marriage Olga had forgotten all about Old Esi and his matrimonial intentions, but If this was the. case ith was . different, with Esi. Whether it was because of Abe news of Olga's marriage, or because

lie was not satisfied with the substitute (provided for him, I am not' prepared to say. In his cabin on Jlip Koyukuk he alternately beat his poor squaw and meditated upon schemes of revenge, (whereby he might avenge the insult that Siad been placed. Upon him by his sister-in-law. . A . Physical force, he knew, would lie of no avail, for Ivan was as strong as a hear, and, besides, had several friends amongst tlje white people who lived on ■the Yukon. Finally, the disappointed Bqitpr enlisted the services of No-ha-de-inn, the most ••“lebrated witch-woman on the Yukon

In joining forces with No-ha-de-lan Esi used excellent 'judgment, for I am well acquainted with the old lady. True, I can’ hardly put* her down as one of my friends, but she.is always on my visiting list‘.whenever I happen to be on the Lower Y'ukon. I may say in parentheses that’ the last tinie 1 called upon her she presented me with a lucky stone or amulet, informing me that she had got it from a place called Madzalteshshlesten, and that it would give me wonderful influence over the other sex. Unfortunately, I' lost the amulet before I had the' opportunity to test its virtues.

No-ha-de-lan is . a very old squaw, wrinkled, dirty, and with peculiar eyes. She always wears blue glasses, which she places on her nose, looking over the top of them as she carries on a conversation. She has been married several times, is one of the wealthiest squaws on the Yukon, and, in brief, is as shrewd and cunning as any witch-doctor need Im-.

What inducements Old Esi offered to No-ha-de-lan I cannot say, but I do not think she required much persuasion, owing to the fact that Olga and her husband had refused to pay her tribute, and it was imperative, from a business standpoint, that such rank heresy should be checked.

Down the river, accompanied by her. retinue, went No-ha-de-Ilin, with the idea of paying Olga a visit. Having- arrived at the cabin, she opened the door and, without invitation, walked in and sat down, much to the surprise of Olga, who was busy sewing a pair of moccasins. Rolling her eyes around in a very uncanny manner, the witch-woman began: “I see in this cabin a dead person—a female. There is no husband to mourn over the dead, for he is in the power of notsina dan (the water devil).”

Olga was visibly upset at this message, but, summoning all her courage, she made a thrust , at No-ha-de-lan with the needle, and replied, “Yes; you see a female. It is a soltan teyhen (a witchdoctor) who Kes dead.” As the needle darted in her direction No-ha-de-lan; in her efforts to avoid the weapon, lost her balance and rolled over on the floor, or tlie prophecy might have been fulfilled then and there. Her attendants were gathered round the door of the cabin, staring curiously in, and as she' rose to her feet she realized that something must be done in order to recover her prestige. Accordingly, placing tier blue glasses firmly on her nose, she delivered this parting

message: “For the insult you have placed upon me I will be fully avenged. Refore another moon shall come 1 will call the Malamutes up "the river, and they will kill you and your husband."

This was the -most terrible threat that old No-ha-de-lan could have made, and with a majestic gesture she turned to leave, saying as she departed, ‘‘l will only remove the curse on condition that you give me your husband's dog Kalth.’’ Poor Olga felt very nervous at this

threat, for, like all the Indians, she lived in mortal terror of the Malamutes, or, as we should term them, the Eskimop. On the other hand, Kalth was her husband's most valuable dog/ the leader of the team, and an animal whose intelligence had been proved time and time again. • Shortly after No-ha-de-lan’s departure Ivan arrived • home, and after hearing the story comforted his young bride, telling her the liest thing she could do was to forget the whole -business. He also took the precaution of sending a message to the old witch-doctor, to the effect that if she wished to keep her skin intact she had better stay away from his cabin. Despite his apparent show of courage, however, he was secretly troubled, for deep /town in his heart lie was afraid of the supernatural powers attributed to No-ha-de-lan, and, though he. said little to Olga, he nevertheless worried over the curse.

Upon the receipt of Ivan’s message, No-ha-de-lan, recognizing that something must be done in order to keep up her

influence over the Indian., enlisted ft help of two white trappers, who weA. going down the fiver for a short trip? The old lady gave them some fiu\ with the understanding that upon their return they were to call at the cabin of Ivan, and inform him that they had seen an immense band of Eskimos coming up the river intent on slaughter. Investigation has since proved that the white men were ignorant as to the plot, and No-ha-de lan calculated that this message, delivered by outside parties, would speedily bring Olga and her husband to terms. The white men told the’ story an agreed, and, being pressed for further particulars, enlarged upon the ferocity of the imaginary invaders. The feelings of the young couple can hardly be imagined, but Olga’s faith in the power of her white friends still held good. Next day Father Jette, a Jesuit priest, came down the river from Kokrincs Station on his way to Holy t russ Mission, and Olga poured the whole story info his ears. He was at first inclined to laugh at her. but recognizing lhe machinations of No-ha-de-lan, and seeing the terror of Olga, he resolved to do something to restore her peace of mind. Knowing in his own heart that the Eskimo story was a myth, his method of procedure was delightfully simple. Taking some ashes from the stove, he passed his crucifix over them several times, and then handed the ashes to Olga, saying, “.Sprinkle some of these on the river, and your husband will always bo protected from the Eskimos. 'Sprinkle some more round the cabin, and no Eskimo shall ever harm a hair of vour head.”

Olga faithfully obeyed the instructions, and needless to state she was never bothered with the sight of an Eskimo, for soldiers are stationed in Alaska to prevent any such outbreak. To this day, however, Olga gives all the credit to the influence of the good priest who blessed the ashes, and Father Jette has a life-long enemy in the person of No-ha-de-lan, the. witch-doctor of the Kleeukukhutana Indians, who lost power anJ prestige through his interference. As for Old Esi, he has given up all hopes'of revenge, although he still thinks regretfully of his lost twenty dollars.