SCENE 6 NOME 1900

CAST:
JARED: 15-year-old begins every scene with family basket.
DR. LEE: art director hearing stories about basket.
PETER: 14-year-old sails north leaving his mother Annarovia and Uncle Taku (in scene 5).
CAPTAIN CLANCY: runs cargo ship with crew (Sailor Buck, Other Crewman).
WAGON DRIVER: man in a horse-drawn wagon.
STELLA: waitress in caf�???�??�?�©.

FADE ONTO FAIRBANKS UNIVERSITY MUSEUM OFFICE

INT. DR. LEE'S OFFICE -LATE AFTERNOON IN 2015

JARED
(Gets pinch of sand from a bag in Basket)
Goldminers came from far-away. Exploring for the wealth changed many lives.

DR. LEE
Yes, flakes of gold were discovered beneath sand along rivers. Amazing that it was richly found on the ocean beach of Nome.

JARED
Annarovia's husband was a man from Sweden. He left the family to get into the gold rush.

DR. LEE
She and their children were left alone in Sitka?

JARED
Yes, but Uncle Taku stayed and he tried to stop Peter from sailing away.

EXT: SITKA VILLAGE BY TOTEM POLE -LATE EVENING IN 1900

Uncle Taku stands with gaze on totem pole images. Peter stands beside his mother, Annarovia.

PETER
I have passed fourteen winters. I'm strong. I can explore.

ANNAROVIA
Sitka is a good place with our family. Hunting and fishing keep us well. Why does my son seek more?

PETER
Captain Clancy tells of wonders. None can be seen from here.


UNCLE TAKU
(frowns)
Your father of far-away Sweden was like that captain. Six years-ago he sailed away looking for nuggets of gold. Never returned.

ANNAROVIA
(eyes squeezed close)
The priest at church warns that travel is pitted with evil.

PETER
(Wraps arm around mother)
Mother, I want to see the land of my great, great grandparents. If I go north with gold seekers, it will give me that chance.

ANNAROVIA
(eyes brighten)
Perhaps you could carry the labret and bits of bone that holds the spirits of Angeyuk and Machxisa? That would fulfill my father's promise to have it returned to the island of their birth.

UNCLE TAKU
(Looks startled. Pulls bag from carved hole in totem pole)
That is how it will be.

ANNAROVIA
My son will carry our ancestor's spirits to Attu.

EXT: HARBOR DOCK IN SITKA - EARLY MORNING

Peter carries a pouch and family basket. His mother accompanies him to the dock.

ANNAROVIA
Carry our special basket well, Peter. My heart follows you far away to Attu.

PETER
(Embraces mother)
I will keep it safe on-board Columbia.

ANNAROVIA
(Wipes at tears)
Then go. Leave me with only my daughters.

PETER
(Jumping aboard, he calls back)
You will always be in my heart, Mother.

CAPTAIN CLANCY
Hey Lad, did you tell your mom you'll be back in half a year? That we'll head right back after Nome?

PETER
I did, Captain Clancy.

CAPTAIN CLANCY
Good family you got for letting you sign on. You're younger than anyone I ever had aboard, but you know the sea. Need that. And, Kid, you won't jump off ship in Skagway and run with all those fools looking for gold.

PETER
You can count on me, Sir.

View ship sailing until it comes to port in Skagway. Town shows harbor crowded with fishermen, wood buildings, and many men carrying packs for train travel. Crowd watches train rolling into town.

EXT: ONBOARD SHIP AT SKAGWAY PORT - AFTERNOON

CAPTAIN CLANCY
(Stands on deck)
Okay, men, take a break but be back here by four o'clock. Cargo for Nome will be ready to load up then.

Loud whistle blasts, steel wheels echo sounds in nearby mountains. Crew leaves the Captain and Peter on deck.

PETER
(hands over his ears)
Big engine is louder than moose, bear, ravens. Louder than anything.

CAPTAIN CLANCY
(Chuckles)
Come on Kid, let's go take a close look.

Captain and Peter go off dock into crowded street that is bordered by homes and stores.

PETER
That train is big as a whole pod of whales. Someday I want to ride it to the top of the mountain.

CAPTAIN CLANCY
Don't doubt you will, Peter. But not today. Can't stay here long.

EXT: COLUMBIA SHIP BACK AT SEA -EVENING

PETER
(At wheel beside Captain)
Our eighth day. Soon the Aleutians will be close. That is where I promised Mother I'll stop on the shore?

CAPTAIN CLANCY
(Frowning)
Firing wind blasting this way. Waves might mount up and give us a twist. Kid, we got to stay afloat.

Ship twists off course, plummets down a steep wave. Crew fights for balance, wrestle ropes to secure cargo. Sailors shout in the wind.

SAILOR BUCK
(hanging on)
Miserable storm like I never seen before.

OTHER CREWMAN
(yells)
Waves high as clouds. Peter, this ship needs Indian hocus-pocus right now.

PETER
(Shouts)
My grandfather said storms by Aleutian Islands can tear into ships. I see black water, foam raging, dark cliffs.

CAPTAIN CLANCY
(Shouts from pilothouse door)
All of you, get down board. Hang on. Let me know what you see.

INT: INSIDE PILOTHOUSE -MID DAY

Inside, crewmen take falls as ship plunges down then up over high waves. Foam sweeps in. Wind-gusts bang the door open. Captain stays upright, holding tight onto the wheel.

PETER
(Grabs hold of wheel)
See, above cliff? There, off to right. A fjord. Glacier.

CAPTAIN CLANCY
I see nothing, not a thing. So, I'm turning it the way you say.

Another hard wave tumbles then water begins to settle. Tall slopes border on a fjord.

SAILOR BUCK
Kid, you got the eyes of an eagle.

PETER
(Points out his hand)
Sunlight glistened off the glacier. Black waves splashed into the fjord.

Crew stare at Peter in silence.

CAPTAIN CLANCY
Good going, Peter. The Columbia's better off chopping here around icebergs. Storm should pass in a few days. Now, we can get to fixing up.

EXT: OUTDOORS WITH CREW -EARLY MORNING

CAPTAIN CLANCY
(Announces to Crew)
Repairs look good. Been three whole days. Time to fire up and get moving.
(Puts hand on Peter's shoulder)
Sorry, we got no time getting to shore. Don't worry, Kid, your mother's wish can be done when we head on back from Nome.

PETER
(Eyes up at the glacier)
I understand, Captain Clancy. Nome, here we come!

EXT: SHIP SAILS TO NOME ANCHOR POINT -MORNING

SAILOR BUCK
Look ahead, Captain. Ain't that the shore in Nome?

CAPTAIN CLANCY
We're here, Men. Took us sixteen days. You're free to boat into shore after cargo is unloaded.

Ship anchors a distance from the beach as there is no port. The shore is lined with a string of tents and equipment.

PETER
Nome looks strange. Are all those men working on sand trying to catch fish?

CAPTAIN CLANCY
Not fish. Those men are diggers for gold nuggets.

PETER
Hard to believe. I want to see everything in that town.

CAPTAIN CLANCY
(looking over Peter)
Kid, you better watch out there. Don't brush too close to their junk stacked around. You're an Indian, but you do have light skin from your Swede dad. Be better if you don't wear that deer-hide on your back. I got a jacket for you.

PETER
I understand. My people carry hate too. I don't see why.

EXT: WALKWAY IN TOWN STREET -MORNING

PETER
(Hands over his ears)
They screech shovels in sand and bang into sluice boxes. Horse wagons noisy too. And music plays loud.
(Sneezes)
Worse is stinky air.

CAPTAIN CLANCY
The sewer runs in the alley. Town looks bigger than Sitka or Skagway, but mighty rough.
(Turns toward a tent-covered store)
Wait here while I get some tobacco.

Peter stares at people walking, donkey loaded with bags, and one horse-drawn wagon stuck in a mud hole.

WAGON DRIVER
Hey, Boy, get over here and put your shoulder to the wheel. Get me out of the hole. I'll pay you for it.

PETER
(Pushes shoulder on wagon. Shouts)
Come on, Horse. Pull, get wheels rolling.

WAGON DRIVER
(Reaches into a pouch)
That's it, Boy. We made it. You're a strong Boy. Catch this.

PETER
(Catches tiny stone, calls out)
Yes, Sir.

CAPTAIN CLANCY
Hey. Saw you push on that wagon. What did the man give you?

PETER
A rock about the size of a cranberry.

CAPTAIN CLANCY
(Rolls tobacco in cigarette paper)
Hey, what you got is your first gold nugget in Nome.

INT: DEXTER SALOON & CAFE --MID MORNING

Captain and Peter enter Dexter Saloon and Cafe. Sit on bench at crowded table filled with gold miners. Menu on a chalk board shows reindeer stew with fried fish scribbled off.

CAPTAIN CLANCY
(To waitress, holds up 2 fingers)
Peter, I keep thinking about your rare talent. You spotted that fjord. Because you got us out of a rough spot. I'm treating you to some of this stew.

PETER
Thank you, Captain Clancy.
(Gazes around room)
This is a different town. Many men working out there to get gold.

CAPTAIN CLANCY
It's tempting to stay here most of the summer. Been hearing ways to find a big gold pot around here.

PETER
(Eyes wide)
You want to pan or dig for gold?

CAPTAIN CLANCY
To get back home you could sign on to a vessel heading south. Or, you could stay the summer with me?

PETER
I'm in no hurry to leave if I can find someplace to work.

STELLA
(Waitress setting bowls of stew on table)
Young boy, we have a job for you. If you work cleaning up in here, you can earn meals. And to top that off, just sweep up a little gold now and then.
(smiles and winks)
Many times, a drunk opens his poke to pay for a drink, a sprinkle of gold dust flies to the floor. Your broom could collect it.

PETER
You mean sweep up with dirt.

STELLA
(Nods)
Just pan through it. Gold is heavier than dirt. It sinks to the bottom. We need someone cleaning here right away.

CAPTAIN CLANCY
Sound good, Peter?

PETER
I'm ready to start today, Mam. Thank you.

EXT: ON DECK OF COLUMBIA THREE MONTHS LATER--EVENING

PETER
(Looking up at darkening sky)
Summer daylight is over, Captain Clancy. Fall is here. Don't you think we need to head south?

CAPTAIN CLANCY
You been sifting through dirt all summer long. Stella let you sweep enough gold so you can exit now?

PETER
Miners talk of moving out for winter. When ice freezes up the bay, they can't get gold.

CAPTAIN CLANCY
Well, you know what, some men are going up-river for even better gold mining. I hear about streams that flow a lot of gold into the river. If I trade the Columbia for a paddle-wheeler, we can go up the Yukon River.

PETER
(Gasps, hand on chest)
That beats in my heart. I want to go with you, Captain Clancy.

INT: INSIDE SAILORS CABIN ON BOAT -- EVENING

Alone in the bunk area Peter kneels beside his family basket.

PETER
(From basket pulls bowl of sacred spirits)
A day will sometime come when I return your ash to sacred land.
This I shall do.
(Closes eyes)
Great Grandfather's words would be, "Taga quiliin."