ing any of our modern strong men's feats and well
earning for him the name of Whalebone Luke.

XIX

INTRODUCTION OF TOBACCO

There is always a pleasure in recording the deeds of great men, and
although they may have been taking their long sleep for many a year,
yet those innovations they introduced still live on. So I take pleasure
in introducing "Nanoona" for the first time, and leave it to the
historian to record his name along with that of "Bobo," the introducer
of roast pork, or to place this story with that of Sir Walter Raleigh's
involuntary bath.

The inhabitants of the Arctic Circle are as fond of their smoke as any
other race of men, but the high price of the first tobacco necessitated
the invention of the small pipe, and also the method of smoking which
is peculiar to the Inupash. The tobacco is first cut fine, then the
bowl of the pipe, which holds about as much as a thirty-two cartridge
shell, has a pellet of fine wood shavings crowded into its base. A
small amount of tobacco is then introduced, about enough to give one or
two puffs, and a piece of tinder being placed at the edge, fire is
struck with a flint and steel. The smoker is now ready to enjoy
himself; he takes a long pull and then tries to swallow the smoke, but
lower down there is an objection; the stomach refuses to be considered
a smoke bag, and, puckering up, does all in its power to repel the
intrusion, while above the act of swallowing is persisted in. At last
the stomach gains the victory and the smoke is expelled, the smoker
coughs, wipes his eyes and puts the pipe away. He has had a good smoke.

[Illustration: NANOONA'S DESCENDANTS]

It was during the earlier days of the past century that a small amount
of the strong Russian tobacco found its way through Siberia and across
the Behring Straits. "Nanoona" was a great traveler for those days, and
had ventured as far south as what is now known as the Seward Peninsula.
Obtaining some of the tobacco, he returned to his home, and the news
soon spread that "Nanoona" could actually swallow fire and then belch
forth smoke. The thing seemed incredible; it even surpassed the doings
of the wonderful "Ongootkoot" who was very successful in driving off
eclipses, thereby saving the villagers from some terrible catastrophes.
At the appointed time the people gathered, filling "Nanoona's" iglo;
even the roof was packed. The seal-gut window having been removed, the
people gathered there several