Master of Alaska
By Roger Seiler; True North Publishing; $17.10; 432 pages
What it's about: This is the story of Aleksandr Baranov, a charismatic Russian leader who left his family in 1790 to sail to Alaska. Shipwrecked, he survived a harsh wilderness, motivated Aleuts to help him and married a young Native woman. He also endured massacres from the Tlingit, meddling priests, the Battle of Sitka and a running duel with powerful Tlingit Chief Katlian. He built an empire and sought peace with the Tlingit, helped by his wife and teenage daughter. Alaska is part of the U.S. today, thanks in part to Baranov.
Excerpt: With driftwood, Baranov and his battered Russians made a lean-to shelter on the beach, crawled inside and went to sleep. The next morning of this cold late October day in 1790, they were awakened by a group of Native seal hunters led by a young Aleut man, Kuponek. The Aleuts fed the Russians dried salmon and then took them in large open boats that they paddled to their village a few miles away. There, Toyon (Chief) Putuguk told his men to show the Russians how to make barabara huts for shelter. That evening the chief called a meeting of the Aleut men to discuss how to deal with their visitors, who must now spend the winter with them. Obviously, the worsening fall weather meant the Russians could not continue to Kodiak until the next spring, six months hence.
Kuponek stepped into Toyon Putuguq's barabara, where the village men had gathered and solemnly sat around the central fire. Kuponek listened to Putuguq and the others speak in Aleut while all stared into the sacred flames.
"Not enough food to feed ourselves and Russians, too. Before long, they will fight us for our food," Kuponek said. "We must hunt more seals to feed them."
Putuguq answered, "Storms coming fast. In storms, we will not be able to kill enough seals."
Another man, sitting next to Kuponek, spoke up. "Then we must kill Russians before they kill us for our food. They have no hostages from us, so we can do it. We must kill them while they sleep."
"No," objected Kuponek. "With just a short break in the weather, we can hunt enough seals. Maybe the Russians will help."
Another man replied, "They are too weak! If we wait until the Russians regain strength, we will not be able to kill them. We must kill them tonight."
"If we kill them, Russians from Kodiak will come and kill us," said Kuponek. "We will drop their bodies near the wreck, so it will look like they died there."
Putuguq held his hand up for a moment, then said, "Go. I will consult the sacred fire for an answer. Then I will tell you what we will do."
Kuponek and the others got up and left, leaving Putuguq still seated, contemplating the fire.
Tatiana: Cook Inlet Alaska, Early 1800s
By Rachel Cooper and Alan Dick; Publication Consultants; $19.95; 192 pages
What it's about: Tatiana is a unique story from the early 1800s brought into the 21st century by oral tradition. Tatiana recalls the genuine romance and fearful adventures of a young girl born in Cook Inlet during a season of cultural conflict, violence, greed and hardship. She was forced to choose between the simple desires of her Dena'ina Athabaskan mother and the adamant demands of an adoring yet intensely stubborn Russian father. Her decision changed history during that era and inspires this generation with rich cultural knowledge and values. At that time, every family was its own last resort. The innocent were forced to defend themselves, often emerging less than innocent … if they emerged at all.
Excerpt: Enushen, the old man with the cane who had made Tazdlin so uncomfortable the night before, approached him the next afternoon. Tazdlin tensed.
"You kill brown bear?"
"What?"
"You spear brown bear before this?"
"No."
Enushen was quiet for a long time. He knew what he wanted to say, but hunted for the best way to say it.
"These young men, if I try to teach them how to spear brown bear, in no time they'll be dead. I thought maybe you were fast, so I tested you against the other boys. I don't want to train them or their life-partners will be lonely real quick."
"You have no worry. If you want, I will teach you."
Since he did not want an immediate answer, Enushen walked away. He wanted Tazdlin to think about it. That certainly explained the awkward event the night before. Enushen was testing him, not against his young men in wrestling, but to see if had the speed necessary to spear brown bears. Tazdlin had heard of spearing bears and knew it to be a rare skill when done by one man …
Tazdlin pondered. He was flattered, yet unsure. He had watched brown bears for hours in the past and had developed an awesome respect for them, their speed, their massive strength and their rage. Brown bears were the undisputed rulers of the land and they knew it. They had no equal. The only challenge to a large brown bear was a larger bear.
Tazdlin talked privately with Tatiana. She immediately gave a resounding "No!" She certainly did not want to lose him in some fool "man" venture, leaving her alone in the country.