the present.

The man of Tigara, through his traditions, has known all these things
for ages past, while the man of science is only finding them out
through his patient investigations.

[Illustration: A GROUP OF INUPASH]

The visitor can now enter into an interesting train of thought while
saying to himself: "What need is there of crossing the wide ocean, with
the delusion we are visiting the old world, while there are here in our
own country the oldest Americans, a race of men who, according to their
traditions and the rude architecture of their homes, can antedate any
people to be seen by the tourist on his beaten lines of travel?"

II

THE TRAGEDY OF THE THREE BROTHERS

In the east not far from the region of the Romanzoff Mountains, toward
the land of the Cogmoliks, there lived during the early days four
brothers. The eldest had taken a trip on the ocean in his kyak or light
skin boat. As the day drew to a close he had not returned, but it
excited no attention among the members of the family, as it was a usual
thing for any of the people to stay a few days at a friendly iglo[2]
without leaving word at home where they were going, or how long they
would be absent. Some acquaintances coming along reported that they had
not seen anything of the missing man; then suspicion began to be
aroused that everything might not be right and a search was instituted,
but no trace could be found of him or his kyak; no one along the coast
seemed able to throw any light on his whereabouts, although they lent
their aid by joining in with the searching party.

[2] Iglo, a mound house.

As time went by, all hopes of the missing one's return were abandoned.
The people talked about the case as one of those mysteries which had no
solution. Then later on, a second brother, venturing on a trip,
disappeared as completely as did the first. The remaining brothers were
much alarmed and did not know what to do. A third brother started out
determined if possible, to make a more thorough investigation, but
disappeared the same as the others.

There now remained only Ahvooyoolach[=a], the youngest of the four. He
was bowed down with grief at the great loss he had sustained, but it
remained for him to solve the mystery. He went out in his kyak and had
not proceeded far from shore when his attention was attracted by what
appeared to be a whale in the distance. It was a common sight so he
gave it no heed, and even when the suppos