GHOSTLY CulKlKCF
Lonely in i‘s solitude, stern and
forbidding, wrapped in eternal mie*s,
frowning' and sullen, about SO miles
to the southwest of Kodiak stands
Chirikof, the island of ghost *lir
rounded by dangerous reefs and
s'ormy sen. it is at, best an uninvit
ing place and is s i loin visited unless
gtres* of storm make a landing there
imperative.
Na^lire has made the plftoe n»pul
sive and ledgend has added toils ter
rors. Natives passing: givetli" plaeea
wide torth. and nothing short of dire
extremity would cause them to land
there, preferring to take the mostdea
porate i.hances with storm ami sea
rather than set foot on its inhospit
able shores, for, legend has peopled
the island with gh st*. whose wail
ings ami moaning* and the clanking
„f whose chains strike terror to the
stoutest heart Those whom neces
sity have compelled to stop there
tel! harrowing tales of the unseen in
habit m*8 of that des dae place, of the
moans and cries which filled the air
during the hours of darkness, and
dr .e them at the drst opportunity
to seek other shelter. For Chirikof,
a inline to the legends of the Na
tives, was the prison of the early
Russian inhabitants of Iv 'diak lo
this bleak and desolate island were
banish'd the offenders against the
Russian law or the edicts of the of
ti 'i iU iu command trie Kuaaian set
tiein nt.
Tiles of horrible cruel'ies visited
upon these unfortunates are handed
do vn in the Native legends; how the
olfanders, loaded tvi h chains, were
landed at Chirikot and left to their
own resources. There v, is no escape,
and the unfortunates, prey tolhehor
ri»>!♦• s\:tf»rui;s from hunger and »■>.
posurt* eked out a terrible existent
until death relieved them of their
sufferings. Many years have pas-u '
since the list of these unfortunate
p issed away, but their restb *«*• spirits
still roam, according to the tales of
the Xativ. 9, this bleak and desolab
island, filling the Kir with their la
ment.ttions and tbe. clan kit g of their
chains. So vivid are these stories ttiat
even the w bite men shudder as tb* \
piss the in .halloaed spot, and. hk»
the Natives, they pass it by with* ui
landing. No line of possible mineral
wealth induces the hardy prospe r, r
to visit this awesome place, it is shun
ned by all, ami so dark and sul • n if
lies untennanted except by the \\ i .1
fowl and its ghostly inhabitants.
— Wuilt’z Mini)
Our Missionary Collection
{Condmicifrom page /)
to receipt* the missionary offering
Every chiM that had even a uii
kle wauled to g i v e it, Mini tin
thafc Lad none were most woeW
gone, until some small change was
distributed amongst them which tin?
recipient* eagerly assured would l •
returned as soon as it could be earned
One boy badHocis all of which he
said he wanted to give except that hr
wanted to keep dels, with which fi
lmy twine for Ins kite.
A collection plate had to be iinpr >
vised for the occasion. It was a now
tin plate the bottom of which wn
covered with a bit of red plush. The
taking of the collection was r ah
Hii «.« , n* W*« w ore surprised <•'
counting the ott< riiig to find that it
amounted to £7. do.