Rustic Nome is bustling with activity. Prospectors pan its beaches for gold; hunters take moose and ducks; between jobs in town, Eskimos hunt otter and walrus. The town bustles with cars, trucks, and small tractor-like "tundra vehicles." Yet creature comforts are few: Many homes here are little more than trailers. Yards are strewn with piles of boards, children's toys, and rusting equipment.