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Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmds en commenpant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur \e dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ► signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmds d des taux de reduction diff^rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clichd, il est i\\m6 A partir de Tangle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche h drcite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m6thode. >rrata to pelure, n A D 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 Li:..- f I 1% ill THE WALRUS HUNTERS A ROMANCE OF THE REALMS OF ICE BY R M. BALLANTYNE AurnoR OF "the hot swamp;" "the buffalo runner ;" "blown to tjits;' "the coral island;" "the oarret and the garden;" blue lights, ob hot work in the SOUDAN ;" "the touno fuk traders;" "the BATTERy AND THE BOILER;" "THE DOO CR090E AND HIS master;" " post haste ;"" fiohtino THE flames ; " "THE ufeboat;" "the iron horse;" ETC. ETC. WiHh SUuetrntions LONDON JAMES NISBET & CO., 21 BEENERS STREET 1893 ^ III„.-^1.I. „.„„— ..7^ UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA LIBRARY Victoria, B. C. Avri ma loii mtmummm-" PREFACE. That this tale may, in some small degree, advance the cause of right, and tend to demolish Avrong, is the height of my ambition. That it may enable my readers to enjoy an occasional leisure hour is my earnest hope. R. M. B. Harrow, 1893. CHi CONTENTS. PAQE CHAP. I.— A SUBPRISE, A COMBAT, AND A FEED, ... 1 II.— WAUU8KEEK, 18 III.— PKACE OR WAll— WHICH ? 29 IV.- WAR PREVAILS, 39 v.— A RENCONTRE AND FLIQHT, 61 VI.— A SUBPRISE, A STRUGGLE, AND A CAPTURE, . . 62 VII.— FUGHT AND MISFORTUNE, . . . . . ' 75 VIII.— IN THE HOUR OP NEED, 88 IX.— TRYING MOMENTS AND PERPLEXING DOUDTS, . . 81 X.— A WILD CHASE AND A SAD FAILURE, . . . 104 XI.— ENCAMPED ON THE ISLET 115 XII.— HOME— SWKBT HOME— AND S.MOKE, ETC., . . .127 XIII.— DOINGS IN WARUSKKEK, 142 XIV.— IN THE WILD-WOODS AGAIN, 154 XV.— WILD DOINGS OP THE FUB-TRADKR8 AND RED MEN, 165 XVL— SORROWS AND SINfl, AND A BOLD ADVENTURE, . 179 XVIL— NAZINRED'S JOURNEY OVER THE ARCTIC SEA, . . 192 XVIII. — A SURPRISE AND A CATASTROPHE, .... 205 XIX.— THE FSKIMOS AGAIN, AND A GREAT DISCOVERT AND RESCUE 219 XX.— STRANGE CONVERSE AND DISCOVERIES, . . .229 V vi CONTENTS CHAI'. XXI. — KICKIIAI.I. AND AN IMPOIITANT MKETINO, , XXII.— TKI.1,8 OP HUNTINO KXTUAOUDINAHY, . XXIII. — A IlEAU-llUNT AND A HAD END, .... XXIV.— THi; TRADEllS AT WORK, XXV. —Tim OUTPOST, AND KKKKL'T OK A " FIIDDLK," XXVI. — A MYSTKUIOUS JOUUNKY AND A (lUHAT DISCOVIiUY, XXVII. —INTKllKSTINO, AMUSINO, AND ASTOUNDING DIS- COVKUIEH XXVIII.— THE SUIP UE- VISITED AND BE-KXI'LOBED, . XXIX. — CURIOSITY AND PIIESUMI'TION FOLLOWED BY CATASTBOI'IIE, XXX.— A DKCLAUAT'ON, AN INTERRUPTION, AND A GREAT FIOHT, XXXI. — AN EXPEDITION AND A DISAPPOINTMENT, . XXXII.— AN UNEXPECTED MEETING, XXXIII. — THE LAST, PAOI 241 262 261 877 289 303 318 845 302 876 887 896 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS NOOTKA AND ADOLAY (p. 143), . . Frontinpiece. ILLUSTRATED TITLE. RINKA PROSTRATE ON THE GROUND, to/ace page 65 "SHE BOUNDED TOWAHDS llIM," ... 247 " DRAGGED THE MONSTER OFF THE FALLEN MAN," . "TO THE RESCUE," • • 268 322 THE WALHUS HUNTERS A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD CHAPTER L A SUnPBISB, A COMBAT, AND A KEED. There is a river in America which flows to the north-westward of Great Bear Lake, and helps to drain that part of the great wilderness into the Arctic Sea. It is an insignificant stream comjiared with such well-known waterways as the Mackenzie and the Coppermine; nevertheless it is large enough to entice the white whale and the seal into its waters every spring, and it becomes a resting- place for myriads of wild-fowl while on their passage to and from the breeding-grounds of the Far North. Greygoose River was the name given to it by the Dogrib Indians who dwelt in its neighbour- hood, and who were wont, every spring and autumn, to descend its waters nearly to the sea 2 THE WALRUS HUNTERS in quest of game. The Eskimos, who, coming from the mysterious north, were in the habit of ascending it a short way during open water in pursuit of their peculiar prey, named it Whale River. The Indians and Eskimos did not often meet while on these trips. They did not like meeting, because the result was apt to be disastrous. Besides, the land was wide and the game plenti- ful enough for both, so that they were not much tempted to risk a meeting. Occasionally, how- ever, meetings and encounters did take place, and sometimes bitter feuds arose, but the possession of fire-arms by the Indians — who were supplied by the fur-traders — rendered the Eskimos wary. Their headstrong courage, however, induced the red men to keep as inuch as possible out of their way. In short, there was a good deal of the spirit of "let-be for lot-bo" between the two at the time of which we write. One morning in the spring-time of the year, soon after the floods caused by the melting snows had swept the ice clean out of Greygoose or Whale River, a sturdy young Eskimo urged his sharp kayak, or skin-covered canoe, up the stream in pursuit of a small white whale. But the creature gave him the slip, so that, after an energetic chase, ho turned his light vessel towards the left bank of the stream, intending to land. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 3 Cheeiibuk, for such was his name, was one of those sedate bemgs whose energies run calm and deep, Hke a mighty river. His feelings, whatever they might be, did not usually cause much agita- tion on the surface. Disappointment did not visibly depress, nor did success unduly elate him. The loss of the whale failed to di'.turb the placid look of grave contentment which sat on his good- looking countenance. For it must be noted here that Cheenbuk was a handsome savage — if, indeed, we are entitled to style him a savage at all. His features were good, and strongly marked. His young beard and moustache were black, though not bushy. His dark eyes were large and full of tenderness, which expression, by an ahnost imperceptible raising of eyeHd and contraction of brow, was easily trans- muted into a gaze of ferocity or indignation. His bulky frame was clothed in the seal-skin garb peculiar to his people; his hair was straight, voluminous, and unkempt, and his motions gave indication of great strength combined with agiUty. And no wonder, for a large part of our young Eskimo's life had been spent in battling with the forces of Nature, and the hardships of life as dis- played in the Arctic regions — to say nothing of frequent conflicts with the seal, the walrus and the polar bear. Running his kayak among the rushes of a small Hm THE WALRUS HUNTERS inlet, Cheenbuk stepped out of the hole in its centre into the stream. The water was ankle-deep, but the youth suffered no discomfort, for he wore what may be styled home-made waterproof boots reaching to above the knees. These had been invented by his forefathers, no doubt, in the re- mote ages of antiquity — at all events, long before india-rubber had been discovered or Macintosh was born. Drawing his little craft out of the water, the young man took some food from its interior, a,nd was about to begin his truly simple meal by eating it raw, when a distant sound arrested his hand on the way to his mouth. He turned his head slightly on one side and remained for some moments like a singularly attentive statue. Presently the voice of a wild-goose was faintly heard in the far distance. Evidently the young Eskimo desired a change of fare, for he hid down the slice of raw seal, on which he had been about to regale himself, and disengaged a long slender spear from the bow of his kayak. It is well known that wild-geese will, with pro- verbial stupidity, answer to an imitation of their cry, particularly in spring. Indeed, they will answer to a very bad imitation of it, insomuch that the poorest counterfeit will turn them out of their course and attract them towards the crier. Availing himself of this weakness, our Eskimo A ROMANCE OP THE ICE-WORLt> hid himself behind a bush, and was opening his mouth to give vent to a stentorian goose-call when ho was checked, and apparently petrified, by a loud report, which echoed among the neighbouring cliffs. The youth know the sound well. He had heard it only once before, but, once heard, it could never be forgotten. It was the gun, or, as his people called it, the fire-spouter, of an Indian. Plunging quietly into the underwood, he hastened towards the spot where a little wreath of smoke betrayed the position of what may be almost styled his hereditary foe. Cautiously, carefully, and with a catlike motion that could hardly have been excelled by an Indian brave, Cheenbuk advanced until he reached the edge of a partially clear space, in which he beheld an Indian leisurely engaged in pushing the head of a large grey goose under his belt. At his side, loaning against a tree, was the long-barrelled fowling-piece, which he had just reloaded. It was one of those common, cheap, flint-lock affairs which were supplied by the fur-traders in those days. The Indian was a tall, powerfully built middle- aged man, and, from his look and manner, was evidently unsuspicious of the presence of a foe. He seemed to be quite alone. The Eskimo poised his light spear, but hesitated to launch it. He shrank from killing a defence- ^ e THE WALRUS HUNTERS Wl less foe. The hesitation betrayed him, for at the moment the sharp ear of the red man heard, and his eye discovered him. The gun flew to the Indian's shoulder, and the Eskimo launched his spear, but by good fortune both weapons failed. The well-directed spear was cleverly dodged, and the gun missed fire. To re-cock the weapon, take a more deadly aim, and pull the trigger, was the work of three seconds ; but again the flint proved faithless. Cheenbuk, however, divined the meaning of the attempt, and sprang upon his foe to prevent a repetition of the action, though he was now practically unarmed, — for the little stone knife which ho carried in his bosom was but ill suited for deadly combat. The Indian clubbed his gun to moot the onset, but the Eskimo, evading the first blow, caught hold of the weapon with both hands, and now began a fierce and prolonged struggle for possession of the " fire-spouter." Both hands of each combatant being engaged, neither could venture to draw his knife, and, as the men were pretty equally matched, both as to size and strength, they swayed to and fro with desperate energy for a considerable time, each endeavouring to throw the other, while the sweat poured down their faces and their breathing came in fitful gasps. At length there was a pause in the conflict. It A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD the and ■1 4 seemed as if they had stopped by mutual consent to recover breath for a final effort. As they glared into each other's faces, each felt surprised to see little or nothing of the evidence of that deadly hatred which usually characterises implacable foes. Suddenly Cheenbuk relaxed his grip of the gun and stepped back a pace. In so doing he put himself, to some extent at least, at the mercy of his adversary. With quick percep- tion the Indian recognised the fact. He drew himself up and dropped the gun on the ground. " Why should we fight ? The hunting-grounds are wide enough!" he said, in the grave sententious tones peculiar to his race. " That is just what camo to my thought when I let go," answered the more matter-of-fact Eskimo. "Let us part, then, as friends," returned the red man, " and let us do it in the manner of the pale-faced traders." Ho extended his right liand as ho spoke. Cheenbuk, who had heard a rumour of the white man's customs — probably from men of his race who had met with the crews of whalers — ad- vanced, grasped the extended hand, and shook it in a way that might have done credit to any Englishman ! He smiled at the same time with a slightly humorous expression, but the other maintained his solemnity. Fun is not a prominent characteristic of the red man. THE WALRUS HUNTERS " But thero is no need that wo should part before feeding," said the Eskimo. " Waugh ! " replied the Indian, by which it is to be presumed he signified assent. The reconciled foes being both adepts in the art of cookery, and — one of them at least — in wood- craft, it was not long before a largo fire was blaz- ing under a convenient fir-tree, and the grey goose soon hissed pleasantly in front of it. Tliey were a quiet and self-contained couple, however, and went about their work in profound silence. Not that they lacked ideas or language — for each, being naturally a good linguist, had somehow acquired a smattering of the other's tongue, — but they re- sembled each other in their disinclination to talk without having something particular to say, and in their incliiiution to quietness and so- briety of demeanour. Hero, however, the resemblance ceased, for while the Eskimo was free and easy, ready to learn and to sympathise, and quick to see and appreciate a joke, the Indian was sternly con- servative, much impressed with his own reetitudo of intention, as well as his capacity for action, and absolutely devoid of the slightest tinge of humour. Thus the Eskimo's expression varied somewhat with the nature of the subjects which chased each other through his mind, while that of tho red man never changed from the calm of dignified A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD d immobility — except, of course, when, as during the recent struggle, his life was in danger. While the goose was roasting, the erstwhile foes sat doAvn to watch the process. They had not to watch long, for the fire was strong and neither of them was particular. Indeed, the Eskimo would gladly have eaten his portion raw, but waited patiently, out of deference to what he deemed his companion's prejudices. " You are alone ? " said the Eskimo interroga- tively. " Yes— alone," returned the Indian. To such men, this was mental food for at least a quarter of an hour. By the end of that time one side of the bird was sufficiently done. The Indian turned the stick on which it was impaled, drew his scalping knife, and commenced on the side that was ready while the other side was being done. Cheenbuk drew his stone knife, cut a large slice of the breast, and also fell to work. They ate vigorously, yet the process was not soon over, for the goose was large and their appetites were strong. Of course they had no time or inclination for conversation during the meaL When it was finished, the grey goose was reduced to a miserable skeleton. Then both men sighed the sigh of con- tentment, wiped their knives on the grass, and looked gravely at each other. Cheenbuk seemed as if about to speak, but was 10 THE WALRUS HUNTEItS II arrested in his intention by the strange and un- accountable proceedings of his companion, who now drew forth a gaily decorated bag which hung at his belt behind him. From this ho extracted a whitish implement with a little bowl at one end, and having leisurely filled it with a brown sub- stance, also drawn from the bag, ho put the other or small end of the instrument between his teeth. Then he took up a burning stick and applied it to the bowl. The Eskimo had been gazing at him with over- widening eyes, but at this his mouth also began to open," and he gave vent to a gentle " ho ! " of unutterable surprise, for immediately there burst from the Indian's lips a puff of smoke as if he had suddenly become a gun, or firo-spouter, and gone off unexpectedly. There was profound interest as well as astonish- ment in the gaze of our Eskimo, for he now became aware that he was about to Avitness a remarkable custom of the red men, of which he had often heard, but which he had never clearly understood. "Does it not bum?" he asked in breathless curiosity. " No," replied his friend. "Do you like it? Hi— i!" The exclamation was induced by the Indian, who at the moment sent a stream of smoke from A llOMANCK OP THE ICE-WOULD 11 [each nostril, shut his eyes as ho did so, opened his [mouth, and otherwise exhibited symptoms of [extreme felicity. " Would you like to try it ? " ho asked after one or two more whifFs. Cheenbuk accepted the oifer and the pipe, drew a voluminous whiff down into his lungs and ex- ploded in a violent fit of coughing, while the tears overflowed his eyes. " Try again," said the Indian gravely. For some minutes the Eskimo found it difficult to speak; then he returned the pipe, saying, " No. My inside is not yet tough like yours. I will look — and wonder ! " After being admired — with wonder — for a con- siderable time, the Indian looked at his companion earnestly, again offered him the pipe, and said, "Try again." The obliging Eskimo tried again, but with the caution of a child who, having been burnt, dreads the fire. He drew in a little smoke by means of the power of inhalation and choked again slightly, but, being now on his mettle, he resolved not to bo beaten. The Indian regarded him meanwhile with grave approval. Then it occurred to Cheen- buk to apply the power of suction instead of inhalation. It was successful. He filled his mouth instead of his lungs, and, in his childlike delight at the triumph, he opened his mouth to 12 THE WALUirs IIUNTERH its full extent, and sent forth a cloud with a gasp which was the combined expression of a putt' and a " ho ! " Af;;ain he tried it, and was again successful. Overjoyed at this, like a child with a now toy, ho went in for quite a broadside of puffs, looking round at his friendly foo with a "ho!" between each, and surrounding his head with an atmosphere of smoke. Suddenly he stopped, laid down the pipe, rose up, and, looking as if ho had forgotten something, retired into the bush. Tho Indian took up the discarded pipe, and for the first time displayed a few wrinkles about tho comers of his eyes as ho put it between his lips. Presently Cheenbuk returned, somewhat paler than before, and sat down in silence with a look, as if of regret, at the skeleton-gooso. Without any reference to what had passed, the Indian turned to his companion and said, " Why should the men of tho ice fight with the men of the woods ? " " Why ? " asked Cheenbuk, after a few moments' profound meditation, " why should the men of tho woods attack the men of the ice with their fire- spouters ? " This question seemed to puzzle the Indian so much that he proceeded to fill another pipe before answering it. Meanwhile the Eskimo, being more active-minded, continued — A ROMANCE OV THE ICE-WORLD 18 " Is it fair for tho mon of tho woods to como to fight us with fire-spoutors when we have only spoars ? Moot us with tho samo weapons, and then wo shall sec which are tho best men." Tho Indian looked at his companion solemnly and shook his head. " Tho strongest warriors and the best fighters," ho said, " are not always tho best men. He who hunts well, keeps his wives supplied with plenty of food and deer-skin robes, and is kind to his children, is the best man." Cheenbuk looked suddenly in the faco of his sententious companion with earnest surprise in every feature, for the sentiments which had just been expressed wore in exact accordance with his own. Moreover, they were not what he expected to hear from the lips of a Dogrib, " I never liked fighting," he said in a low voice, " though I have always been able to fight. It does nobody any good, and it always does everybody much harm, for it loses much blood, and it leaves many women and children without food-providers — which is uncomfortable for the men who have enough of Avomen and children of their own to hunt for. But," continued the youth wioh em- phasis, " I always thought that tho men of the woods loved fighting." "Some of them do, but I hate it!" said the Indian with a sudden look of such ferocity that 14 THE WALRUS HUNTERS the Eskimo might have been justified in doubting the truth of the statement. The flash, however, quickly disappeared, and a double wreath of smoke issued from his nose as he remarked quietly, " Fighting lost me ray father, my two brothers, and my only son." " Why, then, do you still come against us with fire-spouters ? " asked Cheenbuk. " Because my people will have it so," returned the red man. "I do what I can to stop them, but I am only one, and there are many against me." " I too have tried to stop my people when they would fight among themselves," returned the Eskimo in a tone of sympathy ; "but it is easier to kill a walrus single-handed than to turn an angry man from his purpose." The Indian nodded assent, as though a chord had been struck which vibrated in both bosoms. "My son," ho said, in a patronising tone, "do not cease to try. Grey hairs are beginning to show upon my head ; I have Seen and learned much, and I have come to know that only ho who tries, and tries, and tries again to do what he knows is right will succeed. To him the Great Manitou will give his blessing," " My father," replied the other, falling in readily with the fictitious relationship, " I will try," Havmg thus como to a satisfactory agreement, A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD this Arctic Peace Society prepared to adjourn. Each wiped his knife on the grass and sheathed it as he rose up. Then they shook hands again after tiie fashion of the pale-faces, and departed on their respective ways. The red man returned to the wigwams of his people, while the young Eskimo, descending the river in his kayak, con- tinued to hunt the white whale and pursue the feathered tribes which swarmed in the creeks, rivulets, and marshes that bordered the ice- encumbered waters of the polar seas. 16 THE WALRUS HUNTERS CHAPTER IL WARUSKBEK. Alas for the hopes and efforts of good men! At the very time that Cheenbuk and the Indian were expressing their detestation of war, elsewhere a young Eskimo was doing his best to bring about that unhappy and ruinous condition of things. He was an unusually strong young Arctic swashbuckler, with consi'lerably more muscle than brains, a restless spirit, and what may be styled a homicidal tendency. Ho was also tyrannical, like many men of that stamp, and belonged to the same tribe as Cheenbuk. Walrus Creek was the summer residence of the tribe of Eskimos to which Cheenbuk belonged. It was a narrow inlet which ran up into a small island lying some distance off the northern shores of America, to discover and coast along which has been for so many years the aim and ambition of Arctic explorers. How it came by its name is not difl&cult to guess. Probably in ages past A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 17 some adventurous voyagers, whose names and deeds have not been recorded in history, observing the numbers of walruses which scrambled out of the sea to sun themselves on the cliffs of the said creek, had named it after that animal, and the natives had adopted the name. Like other aborigines they had garbled it, however, and handed it down to posterity as Waniskeck, while the walruses, perhaps in order to justify the name, had kept up the custom of their forefathers, and continued to sun themselves there as in days of yore. Seals also abounded in the inlet, and multitudes of aquatic birds swarmed around its cliffs. The Eskimo village which had been built there, unlike the snow-hut villages of winter, was com- posed chiefly o2 huts made of slabs of stone, intermingled with moss and clay. It was exceed- ing dirty, owing to remnants of blubber, shreds of skins, and bones innumerable which were left lying about. There might have been about forty of these huts, at the doors of which — or the open- ings which served for doors — only women and children were congregated at the time we intro- duce them to the reader. All the men, with the exception of a few ancients, were away hunting. In the centre of the village there stood a hut which was larger and a little cleaner than the B ?5HPil«| 18 THE WALRUS HUNTERS ol' jrs around it. An oldish man with a grey beard was seated on a stone bench beside the door. If tobacco liad been Icnown to the tribe, he would probably have liccn smoking. In default of that he was thrown back upon meditation. Apparently his meditations were not satisfactory, for he frowned portentously once or twice, and shook his head. " You are not j^eased to-day, Mangivik," said a middle-aged woman who issued from the hut at the moment and sat down beside the man. " No, woman, I am not," ho answered shortly. Mangivik meant no disrespect by addressing his wife thus. " Woman " was the endearing term used by him on all occasions when in communica- tion with her. " What troubles you ? Are you hungry ?" "No. I have just picked a wabus rib clean. It is not that." He pointed, as he spoke, to a huge bone of the animal referred to. " No, it is not that," he repeated. " Wliat then ? Is it something you may not tell me ? " asked the woman in a wheedling tone, as she crossed her logs and toyed with the flap of her tail. Lest the civilised reader should be puzzled, we may here remark that the costume of the husband and wife whom we have introduced — as, indeed, 4 ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 19 of most if not ah Eskimo men and women — is very similar in dclaii as well as material. Man- givik wore a coat or shirt of sealskin with a hood to it, and his legs v.erc encased in boots of the same material, which were long enough to cover nearly the whole of each leg and meet the skirt of the coat. The feet of the boots were of tough walrus-hide, and there was a short peak to the coat behind. The only difference in the costume of the woman was that the hood of her coat was larger, to admit of infants and other things being carried in it, and the peak behind was pro- longed into a tail with a broad flap at the end. This tail varied a little in length according to the taste of the wearer — like our lad:?s' skirts ; but in all cases it was long enough to trail on the ground — perhaps we should say the ice — and, from the varied manner in which different individuals caused it to sweep behind them, it was evident that the tail, not less than the civilised skirt, served the purpose of enabling the wearers to display more or less of graceful motion. " There is nothing that I have to hide from my woman," said the amiable Eskimo, in reply to her question. " Only I am troubled about that jump- about man Gartok." "Has he been here again?" asked the wife, with something of a frown on her fat face. " He is just as you say, a jump-about like the little 20 THE WALRUS HUNTERS birds that come to us in the hot tinies, which don't seem to know what they want." " He is too big to look like them," returned the husband. " He 's more like a mad walrus. I met him on one of the old floes when I was after a seal, and he frightened it away. But it is not that that troubles me. There are two things he is after : he wants to stir up our young men to go and fight with the Fire-spouters, and he wants our Nootka for a wife." " The dirty walrus ! " exclaimed Mrs. Mangivik, with as much vigour as if she had been civilised, "he shall never have Nootka. As for fighting with the Fire-spouters, I only hope that if he does go to do so, he will get killed and never come back." " H'm ! " grunted Mangivik, " if ho does get killed he 's not likely to come back." " Who is not likely to come back ?" asked a young girl, with an affectionate expression in her pretty brown eyes, issuing from the hut at that moment and seating herself close to the old man. The girl's face, on the whole, was unusually pretty for that of an Eskimo, and would have been still more so but for the grease with which it was besmeared — for the damsel had just been having a little refreshment of white-whale blubber. Her figure was comparatively slim and graceful, and would have been obviously so but for the ill- A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 21 fitting coat and clumsy boots with which it was covered. " Your mother and I were talking of a bad man, Nootka," said Mangivik. " Ay, a very very bad man," exclaimed Mrs. Man< givik, with a decided nod of her head. "If he is so very bad," returned Nootka, "it would be good that he should never come back. Who is it?" " Gartok," answered her mother, with the air of one who has mentioned the most hateful thing in creation. Nootka laughed. " Surely you are not fond of him ! " exclaimed Mangivik, regarding his daughter with a look of anxiety. "You know that I'm not," answered the girl, playfully hitting her sire on the back with the flap of her tail. "Of course not — of course not; you could not be fond of an ugly walrus like him," said the father, replying to her pleasantry by fondly patting her knee. Just then a young man was seen advancing from the beach, where he had lett his kayak. " It is Oolalik," said Mrs. Mangivik, shading her eyes with her hand from the sun, which, in all the strength of its meridian splendour, was shining full on her fat face. " He must have made a good 22 THE WALRUS HUNTERS hunt, or he would not have come home before the others." As she spoke Nootka arose hastily and re- entered the hut, from out of which there issued almost immediately the sounds and the savoury odours of roasting flesh. Meanwhile Oolalik came up and gave vent to a polite grunt, or some such sound, which was the Eskimo method of expressing a friendly salutation. Mangivik and his wife grumped in reply. " You are soon back," said the former. "I have left a walrus and two seals on the rocks over there," answered the youth, sitting down beside the old man. "Good," returned the latter. "Come in and feed." He rose and entered the hut. The young man who followed him was not so much a hand- some as a strapping fellow, with a quiet, sedate expression, and a manly look that rendered him attractive to most of his friends. Conversation, however, was not one of his strong points. He volunteered no remarks after seating himself opposite to Nootka, who handed him a walrus rib which she had just cooked over the oil lamp. Had Nootka been a civilised girl she might have been suspected of conveying a suggestion to the youth, for she was very fond of him, but, being A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD an Eskimo of tho Far North, she knew nothing about ribs or of Mother Eve. The young man however required no delicate suggestion, for he was equally fond of Nootka, and he endeavoured to show his feelings by a prolonged stare after he had accepted the food. One is irresistibly impressed with the homo- geneity of the human race when one observes the curious similarities of taste and habit which obtain alike in savage and civilised man. For a few moments this youth's feelings were too much for him. He stared in admiration at the girl, apparently oblivious of the rib, and sighed profoundly. Then he suddenly recovered him- self, appeared to forget the girl, and applied himself tooth and nail to the rib. Could any- thing be more natural — even in a European prince ? Nootka did not speak — young women seldom do among savages, at least in the company of men, — but she looked many and very unutterable things, which it is impossible, and would not bo fair, to translate. "Will the others be back soon?" asked Man- givik. Oolalik looked over the rib and nodded. (In this last, also, there was indication of homo- geneity.) " Have they got much meat ? " 24 THE WALRUS IIUNTEllS Again tlio young man nodded. " Good. There is nothing like meat, and plenty of it." The old man proceeded to illustrate his belief in the sentiment by devoting himself to a steak of satisfying dimensions. His better-half mean- while took up the conversation. " Is Gartok with them ? " she asked. "Yes, he is with them," said the youth, who, having finished the rib, threw away the bone and looked across the lamp at Nootka, as if asking for another. The girl had one ready, and handed it to him. Again Oolalik was overcome. He forgot the food and stared so that Nootka dropped her eyes, presumably in some confusion; but once more the force of hunger brought the youth round and he resumed his meal. " Has Gartok killed much ? " continued the inquisitive Mrs. Mangivik. "I know nothing about Gartok," replied the young man, a stern look taking the place of his usually kind expression; "I don't trouble my head about him when I am hunting." He fastened his teeth somewhat savagely in the second rib at this point. " Do you know," said Mangivik, pausing in his occupation, "that Gartok has been trying to get the young men to go to the Whale River, where A ROMANCE OP THE ICE-WORLD 26 you know there are plenty birds and much wood ? He wants to fight with the Fire-spouters." " Yes, I know it. Gartok is always for fighting and quarrelling. He likes it." "Don't you think," said the old man sugges- tively, " that you could give him a chance of getting what ho likes without going so far from home?" "No, I don't choose to fight for the sake of pleasing every fool who delights to brag and look fierce." Mrs. Mangivik laughed at this, and her daughter giggled, but the old man shook his head as if ho had hoped better things of the young one. He said no more, however, and before the con- versation was resumed the voice of a boy was heard outside. "Anteek," murmured Nootka, with a smile of pleasure. "The other hunters must have arrived," said Oolalik, polishing off his last bone, "for Anteek was with them." " He always comes first to see me when he has anything to tell," remarked Mrs. Mangivik, with a laugh, "and from the noise he makes I think he has something to tell to-day." If noise was the true index of Anteek's news he evidently was brimful, for he advanced shout- ing at the top of his voice. With that unaccount- 26 THE WALRUS HUNTERS ablo ingenuity which characterises soino boys, all the world over, ho produced every sort of sound except that which was natural to him, and caused the surrounding cliffs to echo with the mooing of the walrus, the roaring of the polar bear, the shriek of the plover, the bellow of the musk-ox, and, in short, the varied cries of the whole Arctic menagerie. But ho stopped short at the door of the hut and looked at Oolalik in evident surprise. " You aro back before me ? " he said. " That is not strange : I am stronger," " Yes, but I started off" long before you." "So you thought, but you were mistaken, I saw you creeping away round the point. When you were out of sight I carried my kayak over the neck of land, and so got before you," " Have you told ? " asked the boy anxiously. " Never said a word," replied Oolalik, "Here," said Nootka, holding out a piece of half-cooked blubber to the boy, "sit down and tell us all about it. What is the news ? " "Ha!" exclaimed Anteek, accepting the food as if he appreciated it, " Well, I 've killed my first walrus — all alone too ! " " Clever boy ! how was it ? " said Mrs. Mangivik. " This was the way. I was out by myself — all alone, mind — among the cliffs, looking for eggs; but I had my spear with me, the big one that A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 27 Chccnbuk niado for mo just boforo ho wont off to the Whalo Kivor. Well, just as I was going to turn round ono of tlio clitts, 1 caught sight of a walrus — a big one — monstrous ; Uko that," ho said, drawing an imaginary circle with both arms, " fat, brown, huge tusks, and wide awake ! I knew that because his back was to mo, and ho was turning his head about, looking at something in the other direction. I was astonished, for though they climb up on the clift's a good height to sun themselves on the warm rocks, I had never seen ono climb so high as tbat. "Well, I drew back very quick, and began to creep round so as to come at him when he didn't expect me. I soon got close enough, and ran at him. Ho tried to flop aAvay at first, but when I was close he turned and looked fierce — terrible fierce ! My heart jumped, but it did not sink. I aimed for his heart, but just as I was close at him my foot struck a stone and I fell. Ho gave a frightful roar, and I rolled out of his way, and something twisted the spear out of my hand. Wlien I jumped up, what do you think ? I found the spear had gone into ono of his eyes, and that made the other ono water I suppose, for he was twisting his head about, but couldn't see me. So I caught hold of the spear, pulled it out, and plunged it into his side ; but I had not reached the heart, for he turned and made for the sea. 28 THE WALRUS HUNTERS There was a steep place just there, and he tumbled and rolled down. I lost my foothold and rolled down too — almost into his flippers, but I caught hold of a rock. He got hold at the same time with his tusks tmd held on. Then I jumped up and gave him the spear again. This time I hit the Hfe, and soon had him killed. There ! " On concluding his narrative the excited lad applied himself to his yet untasted piece of blubber, and Nootka phed him with que^jtions, while Oolalik rose and went off to assist his comrades, whose voices could now be heard as they shouted to the women and children of the colony to come and help tljem to carry up the meat. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE- WORLD 29 CHAPTER III. PEACE OR WAR -WHICH? Soon afterwards the Mangivik family received another visitor. This was the bellicose Gartok himself, whoso heart had l)cen touched by the fair Nootka. Like his rival, he sat down opposite the maiden, and stared at her impressively across the cooking- lamp. This would seem to be the usual mode of courtship among those children of the ice; but the girl's mode of receiving the attentions of the second lover varied considerably. She did not drop her eyes shyly under his gaze, but stared him full in the face by way of a slight rebuff. Neither did she prepare for him a savoury rib, so that he was obliged to help himself — which he did with much coolness, for the laws of hospitality in Eskimo-land admit of such conduct. After some desultory conversation between Gartok and his host, the latter asked if it was true that there was a talk of the tribe paying a visit to Whale River. 30 THE WALRUS HUNTERS " Yes, it is true," answered the young man. " I came to see you about that very thing, and to tell you that there is to be a meeting outside the big hut to-day. We shall Avant your advice." " Why do the young men wish to go there ? " asked Mangivik. " To get food, and wood for our spear-handles and sledges, and berries, and to have a good time. Perhaps also to fight a little with theFire-spouters." The youth glanced furtively at Mangivik as he concluded. " To get food, and wood, and berries is good," observed the old man ; " but why fight with the Fire-spouters ? We cannot conquer them." " You can ask that at the meeting. It is use- less to ask it of me." " Good, I will do so. For my part, I am too oh to go on long expeditions, either to hunt or figl.^ — but I can give advice. Is Cheenbuk to be at the meeting ? " " Did you not know ? Cheenbuk has already gone to the Whale River. We only propose to follow him. Ho may not like our business, but he '11 have to join us when we are there." Having picked his rib clean, and receiving no encouragement from Nootka to remain, Gartok rose and departed. That afternoon there was a large meeting of the heads of families in front of what was known as A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 31 the l)ig Imt. There was no formality about tho meeting. Unhko the war councils of tiio Indians, it was a sort of free-and-easy, in which blubber and other choice kinds of food did duty for tho red man's pipe. The women too were allowed to sit around and listen — but not to speak — while the hunters discussed their plans. Gartok, being the biggest, most forward, and presumptuous among them all, was allowed to speak first — though this was contrary to tho wishes, and even the custom of tho tribo. Ho did not make a set speech. Indeed, no one thought of delivering an oration. It was merely a palaver on a largo scale. "Wo want spear-handles," said Gartok, "and wood for our kayak- fiames, and deer for food, as well as birds and rabbit-skins for our under- clothing." " That is true," remarked one of tho elderly men ; " we want all these things, and a great many more things, but wo don't want fighting. There is no use in that." "Ho! ho!" exclaimed several voices in ap- proval "But we do want fighting," retorted Gartok firmly ; " we want tho pretty coloured things that the Fire-spouters sew on their clothes and shoes; also tho iron things they have for cutting wood; and we want tho spouters, which will make us 32 THE WALRUS HUNTERS more than a match for them in war ; and we can't get all these things without fighting." "Do without them, then," observed Mangivik sharply ; " why should we want things that we never had and don't need ? Listen to me, young men — for I see by your looks that some of you would like a little fighting, — even if we had the spouting things, wo could not make them spout." " That is a lie ! " exclaimed Gartok, with the simple straightforwardness peculiar to the un- civilised. " Once I met one of the Fire-spouters when I was out hunting at the Whale River, Ho was alone, and friendly, I asked him to show me his spouter. He did so, but told me to be very careful, for sometimes it spouted of its own accord. He showed me the way to make it spout — by touching a little thing under it. There was a little bird on a bush close by. ' Point at that,' he said. I pointed. ' Now,' said he, ' look along the spouter with one eye.' I put one end of it against my cheek and tried to look, but by accident I touched the little thing, and it spouted too soon ! I never saw the little bird again ; but I saw many stars, though it was broad daylight at the time." " Ho I hoo ! " exclaimed several of the younger men, who listened to tbi? narration with intense eagerness. "Yes," continued Gartok, who had the gift of A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 83 what is called " the gab," and was fond of exercising it, — " yes ; it knocked me flat on my back — " " Was it alive, then ? " asked Antcek, who mingled that day with the men as an equal, in consequence of his having slain a walrus single- handed. "No, it was not quite, but it was very nearly alive. — Well, when I fell the man laughed. You know his people are not used to laugh. They arc very grave, but this one laughed till I became angry, and I would have fought with him, but — " " Ay," interrupted Anteek, " but you were afraid, for he had the spouter." Before Gartok could reply Mangivik broke in. " Boo ! " he exclaimed contemptuously, " it is of no use your talking so much. I too have been to the Whale River, and have seen the fire-spouters, and I know they are not nearly alive. They are dead — quite dead. Moreover, they will not spout at all, and are quite useless, unless they are filled with a kind of black sand which is supplied by the white men who sell the spoutcrs. Go to the Whale River if you will, but don't fight with any one — that is my advice, and my hair is grey." " It is white, old man, if you only saw it," mur- mured Anteek, with native disrespect. He was too good-natured, however, to let his thoughts bo heard. "Come, Oolalik," said Mangivik, "you are a 84 THE WALRUS HUNTERS Stout and a wise young man, let us hear what you have got to say." " I say," cried Oolalik, looking round with the air of a man who had much in his head, and meant to let it out, " I say that the man who fights if he can avoid it is a fool ! Look back and think of the time gone away. Not many cold times have passed since our young men became puffed up — indeed, some of our old men were little better— and made a raid on the Fire-spouters of the Whale River. They met; there was a bloody fight; six of our best youths were killed, and numbers were wounded by the little things that come out of the spouters. Then they came home, and what did they bring? what had they gained? I was a boy at the time and did not understand it all ; but I understood some of it. I saw the fighters returning. Some were looking very big and bold, as if they had just come from fighting and con- quering a whole tribe of bears and walruses. Others came back limping. They went out young and strong men; they came back too soon old, helped along by their companions. Two were carried — they could not walk at all. Look at them now!" Oolalik paused and directed attention to what may be called an object-lesson — two men seated on his right hand. Both, although in the prime, of life, looked feeble and prematurely old from A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 86 wounds received in the fight referred to. One had been shot in the leg ; the bone was broken, and that rendered him a cripple for life. The other had received a bullet in the lungs; and a constitution which was naturally magnificent had become permanently shattered. "What do you tnink?" continued Oolalik. "Would not these men give much to get back their old strength and health ? " He paused again, and the men referred to nodded emphatically, as if they thought the question a very appropriate one, while some of the peacefully disposed in the assembly exclaimed " ho ! " and " hoo ! " in tones of approval 'Then," continued the speaker, "I passed by some of our huts and heard sounds of bitter weep- ing. I went in and found it was the wives and sisters of the men whose bodies lie on the banks of the Whale River. There would be reason m fighting, if we had to defend our huts against the Fire-spouters. Self-defence is right; and every one has a good word for the brave men who defend their homes, their women, and their children. But the Fire-spouters did not want to fight, and the men who lost their lives at the fight I am speaking of threw them away for nothing. They will never more come home to provide their families with food and clothes, or to comfort them, or to play with the children and tell them of fights 86 THE WALRUS HUNTERS with the walnis and the bear when the nights are black and long. Most of those poor women had sons or man-relations to care for them, but there was one who had no relation to hunt for her after her husband was killed — only a little daughter to take care of her. I speak of old Qleeta, who is — " " That is a lie ! " cried Gartok, springing up and looking fierce. " Old Uleeta is, as you all know, my mother. She had me to hunt for her when father was killed, and she has me still." " You ! " exclaimed Oolalik, with a look of scorn, " what are you ? A hunter ? No, only a fool who wants to be thought very brave, and would leave his mother and sister to the care of old men and boys while he goes away to fight with the Fire- spouters ! No," he continued, turning away from the angry young man with cool contempt, "old Uleeta has no son." Gartok was so taken aback with this behaviour of Oolalik, who was recognised as one of the gentlest and most peacefully disposed of the tribe, that he stood gaping for a moment in surprise. Then, observing the half-amused, half-contemp- tuous looks of the men around him, he suddenly caught up the unfinished handle of a spear that leaned against the wall of the hut beside him, and made a desperate blow with it at the head of Oolalik. But that youth had expected some such demon- A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 37 stration, and was prepared for it. Being very agile, ho made a step swiftly to one side, and the handle came down on the skull of a walrus which hung on the wall with a violence that would have sur- prised its original owner had it been within. Before the blow could bo repeated Oolalik sprang towards his assailant. Eskimos know nothing of a blow " straight from the shoulder," but they know how to cuft! Oolalik brought his open hand down on Gartok's cheek with a pistol-shot crack that tumbled that fire- eater head over heels on the ground. The man was too strong, however, to be knocked insensible in that way. He recovered himself, sitting-wise, with his mouth agape and his eyes astonied, Avhile the whole assembly burst into a hearty fit of laughter. High above the rest was heard the juvenile voice of the delighted Anteek. What the fire-eater thought we cannot tell, but he had the wisdom to accept his punishment in silence, and listened with apparent interest while Oolalik concluded his remarks. The effect of this belligerent episode was to advance the cause of the peace party considerably — at least for a time — and when the meeting broke up, most of the people returned to their various homes with a firm determination to leave the poor Fire-spouters alone. But Gartok, who was still smarting under the III 38 THE WALllUS HUNTERS disf^ace to which he had been subjected at the hands of Oolalik, managed to rekindle and blow up the war-spirit, so that, two days later, a strong party of the more pugnacious among the young men of the tribe set off" in their kayaks for the Whale River, taking with them a few of the women in one of their open boats or oomiaks — chiefly for the purpose of keeping their garments in repair. n^' A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WOUI.I) 39 CHAPTER IV. WAB PREVAILS. It would seem, at times, as if there were really some sort of spiritual communication between people whose physical frames are widely sun- dered. For at the very time that the Eskimos, in their remote home on the ice-encumbered sea, were informally debating the propriety of making an unprovoked attack on the Dogrib Indians — whom they facetiously styled Fire-spouters — the red men were also holding a very formal and solemn council of war as to the advisability of making an assault on those presumptuous Eskimos, or eaters-of-raw-flesh, who ventured to pay an un- called-for visit to the Greygoose River — their ancestral property — every spring. One of their chiefs, named Nazinred, had just returned from a visit to the river, and reported having met and fought with one of the Eskimos. Immediately on hearing this, the old or head chief summoned the council of war. The braves 40 THE WALRUS IIUNTEIIS fisscinbled in the council tout in solemn dif^nity, each classiciil'v onveloi)od in his blanket or leathern robe, and inflated, more or loss, with his oAvn importance. They sat down silently round the council fire with as much gravity as if the fate of nations depended on their delibera- tions, — and so, on a small scale, it did. After pap^ing round the pipe — by way of bri^htcninf ) their intellects — the old chief hold forth hand and began in a low voice and deliberate manner : — " My braves," said he, " those filthy caters- of-raw-flesh have, as you know, been in the habit of coming to Greygoose River every spring and trespassing on the borders of our hunting- grounds." He paused and looked round. " Waugh ! " exclaimed his audience, in order to satisfy him. With a dark frown the old chief went on : — " This is wrong. It is not right. It is altogether unbearable, and more than the Dogribs can stand. They won't stand it ! " " Waugh ! " again said the audience, for the old man had delivered the last sentence with con- siderable vehemence, and meant that it should tell. Being apparently destitute of a flow of ideas at that time, the speaker had recourse to a not uncommon device among civilised orators : he A IU)MANrE OF TIIK ICE-WOKI.F) 41 cleared his throat, looked preternaturully wise, and ( hiiiij^od the subject. " When the sun of spring rises over the ice-hills of the great salt lake," he continued, pointing towards the Polo, " when it melts the snow, opens the lakes and rivers, and brings the summer birds to our land, the braves of the groat Dogrib nation take their guns, and bows, and canoes, and women, and trnvol nearly as far as the icy sea, that they may himt and feed — and — sleep, and— and — enjoy the land. Nobody dares to stop us. Nobody dares '» hinder iis. Nobody dares even to look at us !" He paused again, and this flight of oratory was received with a very decided " ho ! " of assent, as it well might be, for during nearly all the year there was nobody in that uninhabited land to attempt any of those violent proceedings. Dilat- ing his eyes and nostrils with a look of super- lative wisdouj, ho continued : — " But at last the Eskimos dared to come and look at our hunting-grounds. Wo were peace- fully disposed. We warned them not to come again. They came again notwithstanding. Wo took our guns and swept them away like leaves that are swept by the winter winds. Are not their scalps drying in our lodges ? What wo did then wo will do again. Has not one of our chiefs — Nazinrcd — been attacked by one of them ? No doubt more will follow that one. My 42 THE WALRUS HUNTERS counsel is to send out a band of our braves on the war-path. But first we would like to know something. As the Eskimo did not take the scalp of Nazinred, how is it that Nazinred did not bring home the scalp of the Eskimo ? " The old chief ceased, amid many " ho's ! " and " hoo's ! " with the air of one who has propounded an unanswerable riddle, and all eyes were at once turned upon Nazinred. Accepting the challenge at once he stretched forth his hand : — " My father has spoken," he said, " but his words are not the words of wisdom. Why should we fight the Eskimos again, and lose some of our best young men, as we lost them in the last great fight? The Eskimos have come near our lands, but they have not of late hunted on them. They have only looked and gone away. And even if they did hunt, what then? The land is wide. We cannot use it all. We cannot kill all the birds and deer, and even if we could we cannot eat them alL Would it not be wise to live at peace with the Eskimos ? They have many great teeth of the walrus and skins of the seal. Might not the white traders, who take our furs and give us guns and powder, be willing to take these things too ? Thus we could buy from the one and sell to the other, and fill our lodges with tobacco, and guns, and beads, and cloth, and powder and ball, and other good things.'' -^ ha foe A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 43 The Indian stopped at this point to ascertain the effect of his remarks, but only a few faint "ho's!" greeted hira. The councillors did not feel quite sure of their own minds. His remarks about peace and war were not palatable, and his suggestions about trade were a novelty. Evidently Nazinred was born much in advance of his time. " It is true," he continued, " that I had a struggle with a young Eskimo; but he was very strong, and so was I. Before I could kill hira he caught hold of my gun, but he could not force it from me, and I could not force it from him. As we strove we looked into each other's eyes and Wkj each saw peace and good-will there! So we ceased to fight. We kindled a fire and sat down and fed together. As the light slowly increases while the sun rises, so light came into my mind. The Dogribs have always talked of the Eskimos as if they were fools. I found that this young man was not a fool — that he was wise — wiser than some of our OAvn braves. His mind was deep and wide. He did not talk only of food and sleep and hunting. He spoke of things past and present and future, and of the Great Spirit, and the world to come. Also of peace and war ; and v/o both tgrecd that peace was good and war hateful. More than that, we found that it was foolish. Then we parted. He went, I suppose, to his people on the sea of ice, and I came home. 44 THE WALRUS HUNTEllS He told mo that none of his people were with him — that he was alone. There is therefore no occasion for the young men to look fierce or go on the war-path." Having thus tried to throw oil on the troubled waters Nazinrcd came to an abrupt pause. Instantly one of the younger councillors, named Magadar, sprang to his feet. He was unusually excitable for an Indian. Indeed, he differed a good deal from his companions in other respects, being passionate, impulsive, hasty, and matter-of- fact ; in his speech-making too he scorned the use of symbol and metaphor, but went straight to the point at once in the simplest and most forcible language at his command. "Braves," he said, looking at the previous speaker with a dark frown, "the Dogribs know nothing of those strange and stupid notions that have just come out of the lips of Nazinred. He says that this dirty Eskimo is a deep thinker and a man who loves peace. How docs he know that one of that sort may not think so deeply as to deceive him ? How does he know that the young man is not a liar — that many of his warriors may not be in our hunting-grounds even at this moment, though he says there are none ? As for his talk about the Great Spirit and the future, what does he know about either the one or the other ? Is ho v» iser than the Dogribs ? V ^ A ROMANCE OF THE ICE- WORLD 45 Does his attack on Nazinred look like a lover of peace? His leaving off when he found that Nazinred was his match seems to me more like sly wisdom than the hatred of war. My advice is not to trust those dirty men of the ice, but to take our guns at once and drive them from the land." It was quite evident from the way in which this speech was received that the war party was in the ascendant, and there is no donbt that Magadar's advice would have prevailed, and a war party been organised forthwith, but for the arrival of a band of successful hunters, who had been out for some time in quest of food. For a considerable part of that winter those Indians had been in a condition of semi-starvation. They had managed with difficulty to sustain themselves and families on rabbits, which Avere scarce that year. With the return of spring and the wild-fowl, however, things had begun to im- prove, and the hunting party above referred to was the first of the season that had returned to camp heavily laden with geese, ducks, plover, and other supplies of food, so that the half-famished people gave themselves up to feasting, and had no time to think further of war. Thus many days were passed without any reference being made to a fight with the Eskimos, and Nazinred, believing that the fancy to go on the war-path had passed away, set ofi' on what 46 THE WALRUS HUNTERS was to be a long hunting expedition with three of his comrades who were like-minded with him- self. Among other plans, this party intended to visit the establishment of the fur-traders on Great Bear Lake. Thus when the belligerent party of Eskimos arrived at the mouth of Grey goose, or Whale, River, they found the place, as they had been accustomed to find it, a complete solitude. At first they expected to overtake their comrade Cheenbuk there, but he was not found, having gone a considerable way inland in pursuit of game. Being aware of his peaceful proclivities, however, the Eskimos were not sorry to miss him, and they set about making an encampment on the shore at the mouth of the river, intending to leave the women there while they should be engaged in hunting and in searching for the Fire-spouters. Meanwhile these Fire-spouters, having eaten and slept, and eaten and slept again, to the extent of their capacities, began to experience a revival of the war-spirit. In front of one of the lodges or leather tents, one morning early, there sat two squaws engaged in ornamenting moccasins and discussing the news of their little world. It was one of those bright genial mornings in spring pecuUar to Arctic lands, in which Warmth comes out with a burst victorious, and Cold shrinks A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 47 away discomfited. Everything looked as if a great revival of Nature were at hand — as in truth it was, for the long Arctic winter is always driven away with a rush by the vigour, if not the violence, of the brief Arctic spring. One of the women was young and pretty — ^yes, we might almost say beautiful. It is quite a mis- take to suppose that all savages are coarse, rough, and ugly. Many of them, no doubt — ^perhaps most of them — are plain enough, but not a few of the Indian squaws are fairly good-looking, and this one, as we have said at the risk of being doubted, was beautiful; at all events she had a fine oval face, a smooth warm-coloured skin, a neat little nose, a well-formed mouth, and jet-black hair, with large lustrous eyes, to say nothing of her teeth, which, like the teeth of most Indians, were regular and brilliantly white. Her name was Adolay — that being the Indian name for Summer. The other squaw was her mother. She was usually styled Isquay — which means woman — by her husband when he was at home, but, being a great hunter, he was not often at home. Poor Isquay might have been good-looking in her youth, but, alas ! hard work, occasional starvation, and a rough life, had prematurely dissipated her beauty, whatever it might have been; yet these condi- tions could not put to flight the lines and dimples of lundljness which played about her weatherworn 48 THE WALRUS HUNTERS eyes and checks. You see, she had a gentle, indulgent husband, and that made her happy and kept her so. " Magadar is stirring up the young men again to go on the war-path," said the younger woman, without looking up from the embroidered moccasin with which she was engaged. " Yes, I know it. I heard him as he passed our tent talking to Alizay. I don't like Alizay ; he is like gunpowder : the least thing sets him off, and he flashes up horribly." " But many of our other braves have no desire to quarrel with the Eskimos," said Adolay ; "indeed, some are even fond of them. And some of the men of the ice are very handsome. Don't you remember that one, mother, that we met when we went last spring with some of our men to shoot at the Greygoose Bivcr ? He was a fine man — big and strong, and active and kind — almost good enough to be a Dogrib." " I remember him well," returned Isquay, "for he saved my life. Have you forgotten that already ?" " No, I have not forgotten it," answered the girl, with a slight smile. " Did I not stand on the river- bank with my heart choking me when I saw the ice rushing down with the flood and closing on your canoe — for I could do nothing to help you, and none of our men were near ! And did I not see the brave man of the ice, when he heard my cry, ■^ I i A UOMANCE OF THE ICE-WOULI) 49 come running like the deer and jump into the river and swim Hke the otter till he got to you, and then ho scrambled on a big bit of ice and lifted you and the canoo out of the water as if ho had the strength of a moose-deer, after which he guided the ice-lump to the bank with one of your paddles ! Forget it ! no. I only wish the brave Eskimo was an Indian." " I think you would be offering to be his squaw if he was," said the mother with a short laugh. " Perhaps I would. But he 's only an eater- of- raw-flesh ! " Adolay sighed as gently as if she had been a civilised girl ! " But he has gone away to the great ice lake, so I suppose we shall never see him agaia" " Unless," said Isquay, " he comes back this spring with his people, and onr braves have a fight with them — then you would be likely to see his scalp again, if not himself." Adolay made no reply to this ; neither did she seem shocked at the suggestion. Indeed, Indian women are too much accustomed to real shocking to be much troubled with shocks of the imagination. Holding out her moccasin at arm's-length, the better to note the effect of her work, she expressed regret that her father had gone off with the hunters, for she felt sure he would have been able to allay the war-fever among the young braves if he had remained at home. " Ay, he would easily have put down Ahzay and 50 THE WALRUS HUNTERS Magndar; but the old chief can do nothing, ho is growing too old. The young men don't mind him now. 13esidcs, ho is warlike as well as thoy." \Vliile they were conversing thus, tho young mon referred to had finally decided to go on tho war- path—to search for tho Eskimo who had fought with their chief Nazinred, find him and kill him, and then continue the seal dh for his companions ; for they had set him down as a liar, believing that no Eskimo had the courage to visit their hunting-grounds by himself To resolve and to act were almost simultaneous proceedings with those energetic savages. In a very short time between twenty and thirty of them left tho village in single file, armed Avith the deadly gun, besides tomahawks and scali^ing-knives, and took their way to a neighbouring creek on the banks of which their canoes were lying. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 61 CHAPTER V. A RENCONTRB AND FLIGHT. Thus it naturally came to pass that the two bands of" men who had gone to the same place to meet each other met in the course of time. There was a good deal of wandering about, how- ever, before the actual meeting took place, for the Eskimos had to provide a quantity of food on landing on the Arctic shore, not only for themselves, but to supply the four women who had accom- panied them, and were to be left on the coast to fish and mend their spare garments and boots, and await their return. "We shall not be long of coming back," said Gartok as he was about to leave his mother, old Ulecta, who was in the crew of one of the oomiaks. " I wish I saw you safe back, my son," returned the woman, with a shako of her head, " but I fear the Fire-spouters." " / don't fear them," returned the young man boastfully, "and it does not matter much what you fear." 52 THE WALRUS HUNTERS " He will never come back," said one of the other women when he was gone. " I know that because I feel it. There is something inside of me that always tells me when there is going to be misfortune." The woman who thus expressed her forebodings Avas a mild young creature, so gentle and inoffensive and yielding that she was known throughout her tribe by the name of Rinka, a name which was meant to imply weakness. Her weakness, however, consisted chiefly in a tendency to prefer others before herself — in which matter Christians do not need to be told that she was perhaps the strongest of all her kin. As the weather was comparatively warm, the women contented themselves with a tent or bower of boughs for their protection. They were not long in erecting it, being well accustomed to look after themselves. In less than an hour after their men had left them they were busy with seal-steaks over the cooking-lamp, and the place was rendered somewhat home-like by several fur garments being spread on the rocks to dry, "Yes, Gartok will get himself killed at last," said old Uleeta, drawing her finger across the frizzling steak and licking it, for her appetite was sharp-set and she was impatient. " He was always a stubborn boy." " But he is strong, and a good fighter," remarked A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 63 Rinka, as she spread a sealskin boot over her knee with the intention of patching it. . " I wish all the other men were as strong as he is, and ready to fight," said one of the other women, giving the steak a turn. It must not bo supposed that, although the Eskimos are known to their Indian friends — or foes — as eaters-of-raw-flesh, they always prefer their food in the raw condition. They are only indiflforent on the point, when the procuring of fire is difficult, or the coldness of the weather renders it advisable to eat the flesh raw, as being more sustaining. " I only wish that they would not fight at all," said Rinka with a sigh, as she arranged the top- knot of her hair. " It makes the men too few and the women too many, and that is not good." The fourth woman did not express an opinion at all. She was one of those curiously, if not happily, constituted creaturos, who seem to have no particular opinion on any subject, who listen to everything with a smile of placid content, who agree with everybody and object to nothing. They are a sort of comfort and relief in a world of war- fare — especially to the obstinate and the positive. Her name Avas Cowlik. "There is no reason why we should continue to roast our seal-meat over a lamp now," observed 64 THE WALRUS HUNTERS old Ulccta. " Thcro is plenty of wood horo. Come, we will gather sticks and make a fire." The others agreeing to this, three of them rose and went into the bush, leaving Cowlik to watch the steaks. Meanwhile the young men who had followed the lead of Gartok — fifteen iu number — Avero cautiously ascending the Greygoose River, each in his kayak, armed with a throwing-spear, lance, and bow. One of their number was sent out in advance as a scout. Raventik was his name. He was chosen for the duty because of his bold, reckless nature, sharpness of vision, general intel- ligence, and his well-known love for excitement and danger. "You will always keep well out of sight in advance of us," sum Gartok to this scout, "and the first sight ) ou get of the Fire-spoutcrs, shove I'lace, Ivud, haul up your kayak, II through the bushes as quietly you were creeping up to a bear len come back and tell us what So — we will land and attack them and t" row them nil into the river." " I will do my \ .)t," ans ored Raventik gravely. " It is not likely,'' addt . lartok, " that you will find them to-day, for • seldom come doAvn as far as here, and they d> know we are coming." The scout made no re] y. Having received his in to SO' i4- tie* jr a wk you hn^ u seen A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 66 orders ho stopped into his kayak and paddled otF into tho stream, against which ho mado but slow progi'css, however, for the river happened to bo con- siderably swollen at tho time. Ho Avas also impeded at first by his comparative ignorance of river navi- gation. ]5eing accustomed to tho currentlcss waters of tho ocean, ho was not prepared by experience to copo with tho difficulty of rushing currents. Ho went too far out into the stream at first, and was nearly upset. Natural intelligence, however, and tho rcmembranco of talks to which he had listened between men of his tribe who had already visited tho place, taught him to keep close in to the banks, and make as much use of eddies and backwater as possible. Tho doid)lc-bladed paddle hampered him somewhat, as its great length, which was no disadvantage in the open sea, prevented him from keeping as close to tho banks as ho desired. De- spite these drawbacks, however, Raventik soon acquired sufficient skdl, and in a short time a curve in the river hid him from the flotilla which followed him. Now it so happened that tho Indians who were supposed to bo a considerable distance inland wore in reality not many miles from the spot where tho Eskimos had held their final conference, which ended in Raventik being sent off in advance. It was natural that, accustomed as they were to all tho arts of woodcraft, thoy should discover tho 56 THE WALRUS HUNTERS presence of the scout long before he discovered them ; and so in truth it turned out. The Indians had ten birch-bark canoes, with three warriors in most of them — all armed, as we have said, with the dreaded nre-spouters and tomahawks, ^^tc. — for, as they were out on the war-path for the express purpose of driving the dirty Eskimos off their lands, Magadar had resolved to make sure by starting with a strong and well-equipped force. Of course Magadar's canoe led the van; the others followed in single file, and, ov.iiig to the nature of their paddles, which were single-bladed, and could be dipped close to the sides of the canoes, they were able to creep along much nearer to the bank than was possible to the kayaks. At a bend in the river, where a bush-covered point jutted out into a large pool, Magadar thrust his canoe in among some reeds and landed to reconnoitre. Scarcely had he raised h:"s head above the shrubs when he caught sight of Raventik in his kayak. To stoop and retire was the work of a few seconds. The men in the other canoes, who were v.^atching him intently, at once disembarked, and, at a signal from their chief, carried their light barks into the bushes and hid them there, so that the Eskimo scout would certainly have passed the place in half an hour without perceiving any sign A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 57 of his foes,, but for an incident which enlightened him. Accidents will happen even in the. best regu- lated families, whether these be composed of red men or white. Just as the last canoe was dis- appearing behind its leafy screen, one of the young braves, who was guilty of the unpardonable oIFence of carrying his gun on full-cock, chanced to touch the trigger, and the piece exploded Tvlih, in the circumstances, an appalling report, which, not satisfied with sounding in the ears of his ex- asperated comrades like a small cannon, went on echoing from cliff to cliff, as if in hilarious dis- regard of secrecy, and to the horror of innumerable rabbits and wild-fowl, which respectively dived trembling into holes or took to the wings of terror. " Fool ! " exclaimed Magadar, scarce able to re- frain from tomahawking the brave in his wrath — " launch the canoes and give chase." The order was obeyed at once, and the flotilla dashed out into the stream. But Raventik was not to be caught so easily as thoy had expe"tcJ. He had turned on hearing the report, and swept out into the middle of the river, so as to get the full benefit of the current. His kayak, too, with its sharp form, was of better build and material for making headway than the light Indian canoes — propelled as it was with the 68 THE WALRUS HUNTERS long double-bladed paddle in the strong hands of one of the stoutest of the Eskimos. He shot down the stream at a rate which soon began to leave the Indians behind. Seeing this, Magadar laid aside his paddle for a moment, raised his gun to his shoulder, and fired. Again were the echoes and the denizens of the woods disturbed, and two other Indians fired, thus rendering confusion worse confounded. Their aims were not good, however,and Raventik was interested and surprised — though not alarmed — by the whiz- zing sounds that seemed close to his ears, and the little splashes in the water just ahead of him. Fortunately a bend in the river here concealed him for some time from the Indians, and when they once more came in sicrht of him he was almost out of range. In the meantime his conirades, amazed by the strange sounds that burst on their ears, put hastily on shore, carried their kayaks into the bushes, and climbed to the summit of a rising ground, with the double pui'pose of observing the surrounding country and of making it a place of defence if need be. " Raventik must have found our enemies," said Gartok to Ondikik, his lieutenant, as ho led his men up the slope. " That is certain," returned Ondikik, " and from the noise they are making, I think the Fire- A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 59 spouters are many. But this is a good place to fight them." " Yes, we will wait here," said Gartok. As ho spoke Raventik wps seen sweeping into view from behind a point in the middle of the most rapid part of the river, and plying his long paddle with the intense energy of one whose life depends on his exertions. The Eskimos on the knoll gazed in breathless anxiety. A few minutes later the canoe of Magadar swept into view. " The Firc-spouters ! " exclaimed Ondikik. "Three men in it!" cried Gartok. Then, as one after another of the canoes came into view, " Four ! six ! tei: of them, and three men in each ! " " And all with tire-spouters I " gasped the lieu- tenant. " Come," exclaimed Gartok, " it is time for us to go!" The Eskimos were by no means cowardly, but when they saw that the approaching foe was double their number, and reflected that there might be more behind them, all armed with guns, it was no wonder that they bethought themselves of retreat. To do them full credit, they did not move until their leader gave the word — then they sprang down the hillock, and in three minutes more were out in their kayalcs making for the mouth of tlic river at their utmost speed. On seeing this the Indians uttered a wild war- 60 THE WALRUS HUNTERf? whoop and fired a volley. But the distance between them was too great. Only a few of the balls reached the fugitives, and went skipping over the water, each wide of its mark. " Point high," said Magadar to Alizay, who had just re-charged his gua The Indian obeyed, fired, and watched for the result, but no visible result followed. "That is strange," muttered the chief; "my brother must have pointed too high — so high that it has gone into the sun, for I never yet saw a bullet fired over water without coming down and making a splash." " It may have hit a canoe," said Alizay. " I will try again." The second shot was, to all appearance, not more effective than the first. "Perhaps my brother forgot to put in the balls." " Is Alizay a squaw ? " asked the insulted brave angrily. Magadar thought it wise to make no answer to this question, and in a few seconds more the kayaks doubled round a point that jutted into the stream and were hid from view. But the two bullets had not missed their billots. One — the first fired — had dropped into Gartok's canoe and buried itself in his left thigh. With the stoicism of a bold hunter, how- A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WOULD 61 ever, he uttered no cry, but continued to wield his paddle as well as ho could. The other ball had pierced the back of his lieutenant Ondikik. Ho also, with the courage of a savage warrior, gave no sign at first that he was wounded. At this point, where the Eskimos were for a time sheltered by the formation of the land, the Grey- goose River had a double or horse-shoe bend ; and the Indians, who knew the lie of the land well, thought it better to put ashore and run quickly over a neck of land in the hope of heading the kayaks before they reached the sea. Acting on this belief they thrust their canoes in among the reeds,'and, leaping on shore, darted mto the bushes. The Eskimos, meanwhile, knowing that they could beat the Indians at paddling, and that the next bend in the stream would reveal to them a view of the open sea, kept driving ahead with all the force of their stout arms. They also knew that the firing would have alarmed their Avomen and induced them to embark in their oomiak, push off to sea, and await them. And this would have turned out as they had expected, but for an unforeseen event which delayed the women in their operations until too late — at least for one of the party. 02 THE WALRUS HUNTERS CHAPTER VI. A SURPRISE, A 8TBUG0LE, AND A CAraURB. When the Eskimo women, as before related, made up tlicir minds to discard the cooking-lamp and indulge in the luxury of a Avood iiye, tliey sent one of their number into the bush to gather sticks. The one selected for this duty was llinka, she being active and willing, besides being intelligent, which last was a matter of importance in one totally unaccustomed to traversing the pathless woods. The girl obeyed orders at once, and soon had collected a largo armful of dried branches, with which she prepared to return to the encampment. But when she looked up at the small trees by which she was surrounded, she felt considerably puzzled as to the direction in which she ouglit to walk. Of course, remembering that her back had been toward the sea when she set out, nothing seemed simpler than to turn round with her face towards it and proceed. But she had not done this for many minutes, when it occurred to -•a.v..} M A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 63 her that sho must have turned about inoro or less, several times, during her outward journey. This brought her to an abrupt halt. Sho looked up and around several times, and then, feeling quite sure that the shore must lie in a certain direction pointed out by Hope, set off in that direction at a good round pace. As the wood seemed to get thicker, however, sho concluded that she was wrong, and changed direction again. Still the undergrowth became more dense, and then, suddenly coming to the conclusion that sho was lost,, sho stood stock-still and dropped her bundle of sticks in dismay. For a few moments she was stunned, as if her position were unbelievable. Then she became horrified and shouted to her companions, but her feeble, unassertive voice was unable to travel far, and drew forth no response. Indeed, sho had wandered so far into the forest that, even if possessed of a man's voice, she might have failed to attract the attention of the women. Then the sound of distant firing began to salute her cars, and in an agony of anxiety she ran hither and thither almost blindly. But there were other ears besides those of Rinka which were startled by the guns. Sitting under a tree — all ignorant of tho pro- sencG of his brethren or of the warlike Indians — Cheenbuk was regaling himself on tho carcass of 64 THE WALUUS HUNTEKS a fat willow-grouso which he had speared a little before the firing began. Our Eskimo was making for the coast where ho had left his kayak, and had halted for a feed. The sport in the woods, after its novelty wore off, had lost interest for one whose natural game, so to speak, was bears and walruses, and he was on his way back when this rattle of nusketry arrested him. The sudden eruption of it was not more puzzling to him than its abrupt cessation. Could it be that some of his tribe had followed him to the river and fallen in with the men of the woods? He thought it not unlikely, and that, if so, his assistance, either as fighter or peacemaker, might be required. Bolting the remainder of the Avillow-grouse pre- cipitately, ho jumped up, grasped his weapons, and made for the coast, as near as he could guess, in the direction of the firing. It happened, at the same time, that one of the young Indians, who was on his first war-path, and thirsted for scalps as well as distinction, chanced to keep a more easterly direction than his fellows, when they took to the bush, as akeady related. This man, coming to an open glade whence he could see the shore, beheld the Eskimo women launching their oomiak in a state of frantic alarm. They were also signalling or beckoning eagerly as ittlo 3 llO eed. I off, ), so J on sted ding t bo the ods? , his light prc- , and >s, in f the , and meed Hows, lated. ;e he omen larin. rly as KINKA I'ROSTRATK ON THE GROUND.— I'aok (i5. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 65 m^ mr> W^ '._gjui if to some ono in tho woods. Casting a hurried glanco to his right, ho observed poor Rinka, who had just got clear of tho forest, and was running towards her companions as fast as her short legs could carry her. Without a moment's hesitation, he took aim at her and fired. The poor girl uttered a loud shriek, threw up her arms, and fell to the ground. It chanced that Cheenbuk was within a hundred yards of tho spot at tho moment, but the bushes prevented his seeing what had occurred. The report, however, followed by tho woman's shriek, was a sufficient spur to him. Darting forward at full speed, ho quickly cleared the underwood and camo suddenly in view of a sight that caused every nerve in his body to tingle — Rinka prostrate on tho ground with blood covering her face and hands, and tho young Indian standing over her about to operate with the scalping-knife. Tho howl of concentrated rage and horror ut- tered by Cheenbuk instantly checked tho savage, and made him turn in self-defence. He had run to finish his horrible work, and secure the usual trophy of war without taking time to re-load his gun, and was thus almost unarmed. Grasping his powder-horn he attempted to rectify this error — which Avould never have been committed by an experienced warrior, — but before he could ae- ration, the well-aimed spear com plish )pcri 6 66 TIIE WALRUS HUNTERS of Chconbuk went whistling through the ftir, and ontoring his chest came out at his back. Ho fell dead almost without a groan. Cheenbuk did not stop to finish the work by stabbing or scalping, but ho kneeled beside the wounded girl and gently raised her. "Rinka," ho said, softly, while ho undid her jacket and sought for tho wound, " is it bad ? Has he killed you ? " "I feel that I am dying. There is something here." Sho laid her hand upon her side, from a small wound in which blood was issuing freely. Tho heart of the man was at onco torn by tender pity and bitter indignation, when ho thought of the gentle nature of tho poor creature who had been thus laid low, and of the savage cruelty of the Indian who had dono it — feelings which were not a little complicated by the reflection that tho war-spirit — that is, tho desiro to kill for mere self- glorification — among somo of his own people had probably been the cause of it all. " It is useless. I am dying," gasped tho girl, drawing her bloody hand across her forehead. "But don't leave mo to fall into tho hands of these men. Take mo home and let mo die beside my mother." She was yet speaking when old Ulccta and her companions camo forward. Seeing that no other Indian appeared, and that tho one who had shot A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 67 Rinka was dead, thoy had quelled their alarm and come to see what had occurred. Cheenbuk, after stanching the flow of blood, availed himself of their aid to carry the wounded girl to the oouiiak more comfortably than could have been possible if he had been obliged to carry her in his own strong arms. With much care they placed her in the bottom of the boat, then the women got in, and Cheenbuk was about to follow, when the report of a gun was heard, and a bullet whizzed close past old Uleeta's head — so close, indeed, that it cut off some of her grey hair. But the old creature was by no means frightened. " Quick, jump in ! " she cried, beginning to push off with her paddle. Cheenbuk was on the point of accepting the invitation, but a thought intervened — and thought is swifter than the lightning-flash. He knew from slight, but sufficient, experience that the spouters could send only one messenger of death at a time, and that before another could be spouted, some sort of manipulation which took time was needful. If the Indian should get the manipulation over before the oomiak was out of range, any of the women, as well as himself, might be killed. " No," he cried, giving the boat a mighty shove that sent it out to sea like an arrow, "be off! — paddle ! — for life ! I will stop him ! " 68 THE WALRUS HUNTERS Old Uleeta did not hesitate. She was ac- customed to obedience — even when there were no fire-spouters astern. She bent to her paddle with Arctic skill and vigour. So did her mates, and the oomiak darted from the shore while the Indian who had fired the shot was ritill asfonisinri' with his ramrod — for, happily, breech-loaders were as yet unknown. Cheenbuk was quite alive to his danger. Ho rushed up the beach towards his foe with a roar and an expression of countenance that did not faciUtato loading. Having left his spear in the body of the first Indian, he was unarmed, but that did not matter much to one who felt in his chest and arms the strength of Hercules and Samson rolled into ons. So close was he to the Indian when the operation of priming waa reached, that the man of the woods merely gave the stock of his gun a slap in the desperate hope that it would prime itself. This hope, in the artillery used there at that time, was not often a vain hope. Indeed, after prolonged use, the " trade gun " of the " Nor'- West " got into the habit of priming itself — owing to the enlarged nature of the touch-hole — also of expending not a littlo of its force sidev/iso. The consequence was that the charge ignited when the trigger was pulled, and the echoes of the cliffs were onco more awakened ; but happily A ROMANCE Ot" THE ICE-WORLD the Eskimo had closed in time. Gnasping the barrel he turned the muzzle aside, and the ball that was meant for his heart went skipping out to sea, to the no small surprise of the women in the oomiak. And now, for the second time since he had landed on those shores, was Cheenbuk engaged in the hated work of a hand-to-hand conflict with a foe! But the conditions were very different, for Alizay was no match for the powerful Eskimo — in physique at least, though doubtless ho was not much, if at all, behind him in courage. Cheenbuk felt this the moment they joined issue, and on the instant an irresistible sensation of mercy overwhelmed him. Holding the gim with his right hand, and keeping its muzzle Avell to one side, for he did not feel quite certain as to its spouting capacities, ho grasped the Indian's throat with his left. Quick as lightning Alizay, with his free hand, drew his scalping-knife and struck at the Eskimo's shoulder, but not less quick was Cheenbuk in releasing the throat and catching the Indian's wrist with a grip that rendered it powerless. For a minute the Eskimo remained motionless, considering how best to render his adversary insensible without killing him. That minute cost him dear. Five of Alizay's 70 THE WALRUS HUNTERS comrades, led by Magadar, came upon the scene, and, as it happened, Checnbuk's back chanced to be towards them. They did not dare to fire, for fear of hitting their conu'ado, but they rushed unitedly forward with tomahawk and scalping- knife ready. " Take him alive," said Magadar. Cheenbuk heard the voice. He disposed of poor Alizay by hurlinj him away as if he had been a child, and was in the act of facing round when Magadar threw his arms round his body and held him. To be seized thus from behind is to most men a serious dithculty, but our Eskimo made short work of his assailant. He bent forward with his head to the ground so violently that the Indian was Hung completely over him, and fell Hat on his back, in which position he remained motionless. But it was impossible for Choenbuk to cope with the other four Indian's, who flung themselves on hiuv simul- taneously, and seized him by arms, legs, and throat. Of course they could have brained or stabbed him easily, but, remembering their chiefs order to take the man alive, they sought to (piell him by sheer force. Stout ar 1 sinewy though the four braves were, they had their hands full during a good many minutes^ for the Eskimo's muscles were tougher and harder than india-rubber; his sinews resembled Avhip-cord, and his bones bars A ROM\NCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 71 of iron. So completely was he overwhelmed by the men who held him down, that httle or nothing of liira could be seen, yet ever and anon, as he struggled, the four men seemed to be heaved upward by a small earthquake. Alizay, who had risen, stood looking calmly on, but rendered no assistance, first, because there was no room for him to act, and second, because his left wrist had been almost broken by the violence of the thro^v that he had received. As for Magadar, he was only beginning to recover consciousness, and to wonder where he was ! Suddenly Chcenbuk ceased to strive. He was a crafty Eskimo, and a thought had occurred to him. He would sham exhaustion, and, " dien his foes relaxed their grip, would burst away from them. Ho knew it was a forlorn hope, for ho was well aware that, even if he should succeed in getting away, tho spoutcrs would send mes- sengers to arrest him before he had run far. But Checnbuk was just the man for a forlorn hope. Ho rose to ditticultics and danufcrs as trouts to flics on a warm day. Tho Indians, however, were much too experienced warriors to be caught in that way. They eased off their grip with great caution. Moreover Magadar, having risen, and seeing how things were going, took off his bolt and made a running nooso of it. Ho passed the loop deftly rouuvl Chcenbuk's legs and drcAV it 72 THE WALRUS HUNTERS tight, while the others were still trying vainly to compress his bull- neck. The momeni that Cheenbuk felt the noose tighten on his legs ho knew that it was all over with him. To run or fight with his legs tied would bo impossible, so, like a tiue philosopher, he submitted to the inevitable and gave in. His captors, however, did not deem it wise or safe to relax their hold until they h id swathed his body with deerskin thongs; then they removed the belt from his logs and assisted him to rise. It is no^ the custom of Indians to indulge in much conversation with vanquished foes. They usually confine their attentions to scowling, tor- turing, and ultimately to killing and scalping them. The Dogribs wlio hod captured Cheenbuk could not speak the Eskiino tcnguc, and being unaware of his linguistic powers, did not think it possible to speak to him, but one of tlioir number stood by him on guard while the oth'^rs dug a grave and buried the Indian whom he had slain. We have already made reference to our young Eskimo's unusually advanced views in regard <;o several matters that do not often — as far ns we know — exercise the aboriginal mind. While ho stood the^o watching the Indians, as they silently toiled at the grave, his thoughts ran somewhat in the following groove : — " Poor man ! Sorry I killed him, but if I had A ROMANCE OF THE ICE- WORLD 73 not he would have killed me — and then, perhaps, some of the women, for they had not got far away, and I don't know how far the spouter can send its liUle arrows. I wonder if they are little. They must be surely, for I've never seen one. Hoi ! hoi ! what fools men are to kill one another ! How much better to let each other alone ! I have killed him, poor man! and they will kill me. What then ? The ice and snow will come and go all the same. No one will be the better for it when wo are gone. Some will surely be the worse. Some wife or mother may have to rub her eyes for him. No one will care much for me. But the walrus and the seal-hunt will not be so big when I am gone. I wonder if the Maker of all cares for these things ! He must — else ho would not have made us and put us here ! 1 )id ho make us to fight each other ? Surely not. Even I would not shape my spear to destroy my kayak — and ho nmst be wiser than me. Yet ho never speaks or shov\'s himself. If I had a little child, would I treat it so ? No — I mtist be wrong, and ho onast bo right. Speech is not always with the tongue. Now it comes to my mind that wo speak with the eyes when we look fierce or pleased. Perb,aps ho whispers to me inside, sometimes, and 1 have not yet learned to understand him. ' Chcenbuk had now dropped into ono of his 74 THE WALRUS HUNTERS frequent reveries, or trains of thought, in which he was apt to forget all that was going on around him, and he did not waken from it until, the burial being concluded, one of the Indians touched him on the shoulder and pointed to Magadar, Avho had shouldered his gun and was entering the bushes. Understanding this to be a command to follow, he stepped out at once. The others fell into lino behind him, and thus, bound and a captive, our Eskimo turned his back finally — as he believed — on what we may style his native homo — the great, mysterious northern sea. A ROMANCE OP THE ICE-WORLD ?5 CHAPTP]R VII. FLIOHT AND MISl-OUTUNK. While the scene we have described was being enacted, the other Indians, who had crossed the neck of land for tlie purpose of cutting off the men in the kjiyaks, failed in the attempt, partly owing to the distance being greater than their memories had assigned to it, and partly to the great speed of the kayaks when propelled by strong men fleeing for their lives. All the kayaks were well out of gunshot I'ango when the shore was reached, except one which lagged behind. At this one the Indians dis- charged several volleys, but without effect, and soon after it also was beyond range. The little vessel which thus lagged behind belonged to the unfortunate Gartok, whose leg, it will be remembered, was wounded by one of the balls discharged by Alizay. Despite his energy, and desperate though the situation was, Gartok could not overcome the depressing influence of pain and ha;morrhage. He fell gradually behind 76 The walrus hunteuS the others, each of whom was too anxious about his own safety to think much of his comrades. When the firing ceased snd the flotilla was well out of range, Gartok laid down his paddle and bound up his wounded limli with some scraps of sealskin ; at the same time, hailing the kayak nearest to him. As soon as it was discovered that their chief was wounded, all the Eskimos came clustering round him. Among them was his lieutenant Ondikik. " You also arc wounded," said Gartok, observing the pallor of his face. " Yes ; I can find no arrow, but there is blood." "Is it bad?" asked the chief, with an angry exclamation at their misfortune. "I cannot tell," replied Ondikik, "but—" He finished the sentence in the most expressive manner by fainting dead away, and falling over to one side so heavily that he would have infal- libly upset the little craft if his comrades had not been close at hand to prevent that catastrophe. " Hail the oomiak!" cried Gartok, in a voice that, for him, felt singularly feeble. " Put him into it, and let two of the women change with two of the men." In a few minutes th: Avomen's large open boat was alongside, and poor Ondikik was, with some difficulty, transferred to it. Two men then gave up their kayaks to two of the Avomen, and took their places in the oomiak. While this Avas being A ROMANCE OP THE ICE-WORLD 77 done some of the people j^ave a shout of alarm, for it was observed that Gartok himself had quietly fallen back in a state of insensibility. The men, therefore, lifted him also out of his kayak and laid hiui beside his lieutenant. This accomplished, the little fleet paddled out to sea, and they soon lost sight of the Arctic shore. They did not again pause until they reached a group of small islets, on one of which they en- camped for the night. Fortunately the weather at this time was calm and warm, so that those hardy inhabitants of the icy north required no better lodging or bed than the cold ground, with the star-spangled sky for curtains. With lamps flaring, seal steaks and wild- fowl simmering, and hot oil flowing, they quickly made themselves comfortable — with the exception, of course, of the warlike Cartok and the hot-headed Ondikik. These two, being fellow-suft'erers, were laid beside each other, in order, perhaps, to facili- tate mutual condolence. To do them justice, they did not grumble much at their fate, but enter- tained each other with a running commentary on the events of the da}'. " And that is strange news that my old mother tells me," resumed Gartok, after a short pause in the conversation. " Cheenbuk nuist have given the Fire-spouters sore heads from the way he gripped them." 78 THE WALRUS HUNTERS " I wish I had been thcro," growled Ondikik. " I 'in glad I was not there," returned Gartok. " I could not have saved him from so many, and it would not have been pleasant to go into slavery — if not to torture and death. Poor Cheenbuk ! ho was over against war — yet war has been forced on him. I fear we shall nover see him again. Hoi ! my leg is bad. I can't understand how tho Firc- spoutors could hit it without tho little thing going through my back first." " I wish all tho Fire-spoutors woro deep in tho insido of a whale's belly," growled Ondikik, whoso wound was beginning to render him feverish and rusty. " Arrows and spears can be pulled out, but when the littlo spouter things go in wo don't know where they go to. They disappear and leave an ugly hole behind them." At this point Kaventik, on whom the command had devolved, came forward with a choice pieca of juicy walrus blubber on a flat stone for a plato. " Our chiefs Avill eat," ho said, " it will do them good — make their hearts strong and ease tho wounds." "No," said Gartok decisively, "none for mo." " Take it av/ay ! " cried tho other sharply. " No ? " exclaimed Raventik in surprise. You see, ho had never in his life been w(;unded or ill, and could not understand tho possibility of re- fusing food, except when too full of it. Being a A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 79 sympathetic soul, howovor, ho pressed it on tho invalids, but received replies so very discouraging that ho was induced to forbear. Old Uleeta turned out to bo a more intelligent, if not more kindly, nurse. After she had eaten her supper and succeeded in bolting the last bite that had refused to go down when she could oat no more, sho camo forward with a bladder full of water, and somo rabbit skins, for tho purpose of dressing tho wounds. " Gently, mother," said Gartok with a suppressed groan, " you lay hold of me as if I were a seal." "You aro quite as self-willed, my son," replied tho old woman. " If you had not gone out to fight you would not have come back with a hole in your leg." " If I had not come into the world I should not have been hero to trouble you, mother." " There 's truth in that, my son," returned the woman, as if the idea were new to her. At this Ondikik groaned — whether at the con- temptibly obvious character of the idea, or at ideas in general, or in consequence of pain, wo cannot tell. " You said, mother, that Cheenbuk gave them a good deal of trouble ? " " Ay, lie gave them sore hearts and sore bodies," " They deserved it ! what right had they to come with their fire-spoutcrs to attack iis ? " Ai ^^^-w r^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) mJo m// m ^£c I i.O ^ I.I 1.8 6" IL2'5 ill U i 1.6 1 <^/ # /: y /^ Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ■^ i\ iV 4^ L1? 6^ ^^ ' 1 80 THE WALRUS HUNTERS " What right had you to go without your fire- spouters to attack them ? " demanded old Uleeta, somewhat maliciously. Gartok, who was destitute neither of intelligence nor of humour, laughed, but the laugh slid into a most emphatic " hoi ! " as his mother gave the leg a wrench. "Softly, mother, softly! Treat me as you did when I was so big," he exclaimed, indicating about one foot six between his hands. The old woman chuckled, or rather "hee! hee'd ! " a little and continued : — " Yes, Chccnbuk fought like a bear. We could not see him, for they were all on top of him at once, but hi ! how he made them heave ! I wonder they did not use their knives." "They felt sure they had him," said her son, " they wanted to drive him to their huts and kill him slowly to amuse their women." This was such a horrible idea that the old woman became unusually grave. " These Fire-spouters are worse than white bears," she said, "for these never torture other beasts, though they often kill them." "True, mother. Now I wish you would go away and leave my leg alone. Ondikik there needs your help. Go to him and hurt him as much as you please. I won't grumble." 'You wore always a thankless boy — over since A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 81 you could speak," replied the dame, reproach- fully. " Did you ever hear of any one being thankless before he could speak ? — hoi ! mother, you 've tied it too tight. Slack it a little." After comjilying with her son's request, old Uleeta went to Ondikik, to whom, however, she could render but little service, owing to the nature of his Avound. Then she paid a visit to Rinka, whose injuries, however, proved to be more alarming than severe ; after which she joined the rest of the tribe at supper. While the Eskimos were thus proceeding to their home among the islands of the Arctic sea, the captors of Cheenbuk were paddling up stream to the lands of the Dogrib Indians. At first the stout Eskimo meditated an attempt to escape. Indeed he made one vigorous crtbrt when they were leading him through the bush with his hands tied behind him. Just as they came to the place where the canoes were lying, the thought of home, and of his probable fate as a prisoner, pressed so heavily on him that he sud- denly became furious, tripped up the man beside him with his foot, kicked over the one behind him with his heel, ran his head like a battering-ram into the back of the man in front of him, and then strove to burst his bonds with a succession of mighty wriggles, but, not being quite equal to F ■■H 82 THE WALRUS IIUNTEHS Sainson, ho failed, and on sceincc that two savaj^es stood over him with drawn scalping-knivcs, wh'lo Magadar put the nuizzlc of a gun to his head, ho deemed it wise to give m and uttered the exclama- tion "hoi!" with the air of one who feels that his game is played out. He marched forward after that in submissive silence. On reaching the canoes, however, a fresh burst of indignation assailed him, and for a moment ho meditated sending his foot through the bottoni of the frail craft which was to carry him into exile, but on second thoughts he decided to delay the performance of that violent measure till they were well out in the middle of the current, when there would be the chance of drowning some of his foes as well as himself By the time the desired position was reached, however, his spirit had calmed down a little and his philosophic mind — to say nothing of his heart — had begun to suggest the uselessncss of gratifying his feelings by a revenge which he probably could not enjoy much while in the process of drowning, and, doubtless, could not enjoy at all after he was drowned. Thus it camo to pass that our hero restrained his passions, and, in process of time, found himself a prisoner in one of the lodges of the Dogrib Indians. at sui th^ tuJ call A ROMANCE OF THE ICE- WORLD 83 CHAPTER VIII IN THE HOUR OF NEED On reaching the Indian village CheenLuk was firmly bound to a tree a little way outside the camp, and left there to his meditations, while his captors went to the old chief's tent to hold a council. Meanwhile the women and children went to look at the captive. Among them were Adolay and her mother. The moment the former set eyes on Cheenbuk she recognised him as the youth who had rescued her mother from drown- ing the previous year. "Mother," she whispered, drawing her parent aside, " that is him ! Don't you remember him ? " " I think it is," returned Isquay, gazing steadily at the Eskimo, who looked at the crowd which surrounded him with a gaze of supreme contempt, though he did not by any means feel contemp- tuous. "Come, mother," said Adolay, with sudden earnestness, "he has not recognised us in the 84 THE WALRUS HUNTEllS crowd. I must go and find out what the braves are palavering." As she spoke she drew her mother towards their own lodge, and there left her while she hurried on to the council tent. In the shelter of some bushes she crept as near to it as possible. There was no difficulty in making out what was said, for the warriors made no secret of their in- tentions, and spoke in loud tones. " He shall die," was the remark of Alizay just as the girl came within hearing, "he has killed one of our braves." " Ay, and he shall die by torture," said Magadar, who was a relation of the man that had been slain. " Ho ! ho ! " exclaimed most of the warriors in tones of approval, but there were a few among them who were silent. They leaned to mercy's side. " Better to spare his life and make a slave of him," said one of these, " we can keep him always tied like a bad dog till we need him ; then we can loose his legs and make him drag our sledges." " The brave who has spoken is young," said the old chief. " He does not know much about men. Will not the Eskimo watch for his chance, get free from his bonds, kill some of us when we are off our guard, and, perhaps, escape ? " "That is so. He must be killed," remarked A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 85 Magadar, with a glance of scorn at the merciful youth, " and the sooner the bettor." " Let us do it at once," said one of the blood- thirsty. On hearing this the heart of Adolay boat anxiously, and for a few moments she was un- decided whether to run to the tree to which the Eskimo was bound and set him free by cutting his bonds, or enter the council-tent, toll the story of his having saved her mother's life, and plead that the youth's might bo spared. Both courses, she knew, were about equally desperate. If she were to follow the first, all the children would see her do it, and give the alarm, in which case the Eskimo would bo pursued and certainly recap- tured, for a fugitive in a strange country would have no chance with men well acquainted with every nook and corner of their native land. Be- sides which, she knew not what terrible punish- ment might be inflicted on herself for making such an attempt. On the other hand, for a woman to violate the sanctity of a council-tent was so unprecedented that she felt sure it would be sternly resented, and, therefore, useless. Fortunately she was saved the necessity of acting on either alternative by the arguments of the next speaker, who was ono of the blood-thirsty braves. "Let us not be in haste like women and 86 THE WALRUS HUNTERS children," ho said ; " if wo leave liim bound to the tree all night he wUl have time to think of the fate that is coming, and wg shall have good sun- light in the morning, which wiU enable even the oldest squaw to see well." After some palaver it was agreed that the exe- cution of Clieenbuk should be postponed to the following day, and that a sentinel should be posted beside him during the night to make sure that ho did not manage to undo his fastenings and escape. On hearing this decision arrived at, Adolay crept back into the bush and hastened to her mother's tent. "They have fixed to kill him, mother," she exclaimed, anxiously, on entering. "I expected that, and I'm sorry," returned Isquay, " but we cannot help it. What can women do ? The men will not mind what I say. If only Nazinred was here they would listen to hivi, but " " Yes, they always listen to father," interrupted the girl, with an anxious frown on her pretty brows, " but as father is not here you must do what you can for the man." " You are very fond of him ! " said the squaw with a keen look at her daughter. " Yes, I am very fond of him," replied Adolay with an air of unblushing candour, " and I think, mother, that you should be fond of him too." A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 87 "So I am, girl, so I am, but what can I do?" "You can go and toll tlio story to the old chief. Ho is not hard, like some of the young men. Perhaps ho may help us." Isquay shook her head, but nevertheless agreed to try her influence with the old man, and went out for that purpose. Meanwhile Adolay, who had not herself much faith in her mother's advocacy of the poor Eskimo's cause, resolved upon a separate course of action. Throwinsr a blanket over her head and shoulders, she started for the place where Cheenbuk stood, scornfully regarding the little boys who surrounded and insulted him by flourishing knives and hat- chets close to his defenceless nose. They did not, however, dare to touch him, as the time had not yet arrived for actual torture. Running forward, Adolay, who was a favourite with the young people, drove them back. "Keep clear of him," she cried with a fierce glare in her eyes — which was wonderfully realistic, considering that it was a mere piece of acting— " I want to speak to him — to terrify him — to fill him with horror ! " This was quite to the taste of the wretched little creatures, Avho fell back in a semi-circle and waited for more. " Can you understand my speech ? " she dc- 88 THE WALRUS HUNTERS mantled as she turned on Chcenbuk with flashing eyes. The Eskimo thought he had never seen such magnificent eyes before, and wished much that they Avould look on hiin more kindly. " Yes," he replied, " I understand a little." " Listen, then," cried Adolay in a loud tone, and with looks more furious than before. " You are to die to-morrow." "I expected it would bo to-night," replied Chcenbuk calmly. " And you are to be tortured to death ! " At this the boys set up a howl of delight. At the same time the girl advanced a step nearer the captive, and said in a low voice hurriedly : — " I will save you. Co ready to act — to-night." The softened look and altered tone opened the eyes of the captive. Although the blanket partially concealed Adolay's face, Chcenbuk at once recog- nised the girl whose mother he had saved the previous spring. " I am awake ! " ho said quietly, but with a glance of bright intelligence. " Yes, you are doomed to die," continued Adolay, when the boys' howling had subsided, " and if you are to be tortured, wo will all come to see how brave you are." As she said this she went close up to the A UOMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 89 captivG, as if to make her words more emphatic, and shook her Uttle fist in his face. Then — in a low voice — " You see the chff behind me, with the dead tree below it ? " "Yes." "Run for that tree when you arc free — and wait." Turning round, as though her rage was satisfied for the time being, Adolay left the spot with a dark frown on her face. "Leave him now, boys," she said in passing. " Give him time to think about to-morrow." Whether it was the effect of this advice, or the fact that the shades of evening were falling, and a feeding-time was at hand, wo cannot say, but in a short time Checnbuk was left to his meditations. He was, however, quite within sight of several of the lodges. As the daylight gradually faded a young brave left his tent, and, shouldering his gun, went to the place where the captive was bound. Examining the bonds to make sure that they were secure, the youth carefully renewed the priming of his weapon, shouldered it, and began to pace to and fro. His mode of proceeding was to walk up to the captive, take a look at him, turn round, and walk about thirty or forty yards away from him, and so on to and fro without halt or variation for upwards of two hours. During all that time ho uttered no word to the Eskimo. 90 THE WALRUS HUNTERS Checnbuk, on his part, took no notice whatever of his guard, but stood perfectly still and looked with calm, lofty indift'orenco over his head — which ho was well able to do, being a considerably taller man. As the night advanced the darkness deepened, and the poor captive began to entertain serious misgivings as to his prospects. Would the girl try to carry out the plan, whatever it was ? Yes, ho had not the slightest doubt on that head, because, somehow, she had inspired liim with a confidence that ho had never felt in woman before. But would she be able to carry out her plan? That was quite another question. Then, the dark- ness had become so intense that ho could barely sec the outline of the cliflt' towards which he was to run, and could not see the dead tree at all. Moreover, it occurred to him that it would be impossible even to walk, much less to run, over unknown and perhaps rough ground in darkness so great that he could hardly see the trees around him ; and could only make out the whites of tho sentinel's eyes when he came close up. It was therefore with a feeling of relief that he at length observed a faint glow of light in the sky, which indicated the rising of tho moon. Soon afterwards a dark figure was seen approach- ing. It was Alizay, the blood-thirsty brave, who had come to relieve guard. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 91 CHAPTER IX TRYINQ MOMENTS AND PEnPLEXINQ DOUBTS The first thing that the now sentinel did was carefully to examine the cords that bound the captive to the tree, and tie one or two additional knots to make him more secure. Then he turned to the other Indian, and asked sharply : — " Has he been quiet ? " " Quiet as the tree to which he is bound." " Has he uttered speech ? " " No." "Good. You may go. I will watch him till morn- ing : after that he will need no more watching." Alizay looked sharply at the Eskimo while he uttered these words, perhaps to ascertain whether he understood their drift, but Cheenbuk's visage was immovable, and his eyes were fixed, as if in meditation, on the moon, which just then was beginning to rise over the cliffs and shed a softened light over the Indian village. The new sentinel shouldered his gun and began his vigil, while the other left them. 92 THE WAT.RUS HUNTERS But Other ears had listened to the concluding words of Alizay. The tree to which the Eskimo was bound stood close to the edge of the bush, or underwood. In front of it was an open space, up and down which the sentinel marched. Had the Indian dreamed of a traitor in the camp he would not have deemed the captive's position as secure as it should be, but the idea of any one in the village favouring a con- temptible eater-of-raw-flesh never once entered his imagination. Nevertheless, Adolay was in the bush behind the tree, and noc only heard his words, but saw his movements. Watching her opportunity when the sentinel had just turned and was marching away from the tree, she cut, with a scalping knife, the cord that bound Cheenbuk's right arm and placed the knife in his hand. Almost at the same moment she slipped back into the bush. Cheenbuk made no attempt, however, to free himself. The sentinel's beat was too short to permit of his doing so without being observed. Ho therefore remained perfectly motionless in his former attitude. It was a trying moment Avhen the Indian approached to within a couple of feet and looked him straight in the face, as was his wont at each turn. But Cheenbuk was gifted with nerves of steel. His contemplation of the moon was so A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 93 absorbing, that a civilised observer iniglit have mistaken him for an astronomer or a lunatic, Alizay suspected nothing. He turned round, and the Eskimo allowed him to take about five paces before he moved. Then, with the speed of light- ning, he ran the sharp blade down his side, severing all his bonds at one sweep. Next moment he was froe, but he instantly resumed his former position and attitude until his guard was within a yard of him. Then he sprang upon him, dropped the knife and seized him by the throat with both hands, so tightly that he was quite incapable of uttering a cry, Alizay made a vigorous struggle for life, but he had no chance with the burly Eskimo, who quickly decided the fight by giving his adversary a blow with his fist that laid him insensible on the ground. Springing over his prostrate form he ran straight for the cliff that Adolay had pointed out to him, leaping over fallen trees, and across what looked like young chasms, in a state of reckless uncertainty as to whether ho would plunge into ponds or land at the bottom of precipices. With a feeling of absolute confidence that the girl with the lustrous eyes would not have told him to run where the feat was impossible, he held on until he reached the bottom of the cliff and stood beside the dead tree unhurt, though considerably winded. 94 THE WALRUS HUNTERS There he resolved to wait according to orders. To most ordinary men, waiting, when they are filled with anxiety, is much more trying than energetic action. But CheenbuTc was not an ordinary man, therefore he waited like a hero. Meanwhile Adolay, having seen the Eskimo fairly in grips with the sentinel, ran swiftly back towards the village, intending, before going to Cheenbuk at the cliff, to let her mother know what she hiwl done, and what she still purposed to do — namely to embark with the Eskimo in a birch-bark canoe, guide him across the small lake that lay near the village, and show him the rivulet that would lead him into the Greygoose River. But she had not gone far, when, on turning a bush, she almost ran into the arms of a young Indian girl named Idazoo, an event which upset all her plans and perplexed her not a little — all the more that this girl was jealous of her, believing that she was trying to steal from her the affections of Alizay, whom she regarded as her own young man ! "Why run you so fast?" asked the girl, as Adolay stood panting before her. " Have you seen a bad spirit ? " " Yes, I have seen a bad spirit," answered Adolay (thinking of Alizay), " I have seen two bad spirits," she added (thinking of Idazoo). " But I cannot stop to tell you. I have to — to — go to see — some- thing very strange to-night." A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 95 Now it must be told that Id.azoo was gifted with a very largo bump of curiosity, and a still larger one, perhaps, of suspicion. The bravo Alizay, she knew, was to mount guard over the Eskimo captive that night, and she had a suspicion that Adolay had taken advantage of that fact to pay the captive — not the Indian, oh dear no ! — a visit. Unable to rest quietly in her tent under the powerful influence of this idea, she resolved to take a walk herself — a sort of moonlight ramble as it were — in that direction. As we have seen, she met her friend, not imexpcctedly, on the way. " I will go with you," she said, " to see this strange thing, whatever it be. There may be danger ; two are better than one, and, you know, I am not easily frightened." Poor Adolay was dismayed by this proposition, and hurried forward, but Idazoo kept pace with her. Suddenly she made up her mind, and, changing her direction, made for the cliff at a rapid run, closely followed by her jealous friend, who was resolved to see the mystery out. She purposely led her companion round in such a way that they came suddenly upon the waiting Eskimo, whose speaking visage betrayed his sur- prise at seeing two girls instead of one. On beholding Cheenbuk standing there unbound, Idazoo stopped short, drew back, and gazed at him in alarm as well as surprise. "OPWllBHUWM mm 96 THE WALRUS HUNTERS m "You have now seen the strange sight I spoke of, but you must not tell it in the lodges," said Adolay. Without answering her, Idazoo turned to fly, but Adolay grasped her by the wrist and held her tight — at the same time motioning with her hand to Cheenbuk. The Eskimo was prompt as well as intelligent. He did not wait for explanations or allow surprise to delay him. With a bound he was beside the girls, had grasped Idazoo, and looked to Adolay for further instructions. "Hold her till I tie up her hands," she said, drawing a stout line of deerskin from a pocket in the breast of her dress. With this she proceeded to bind her inquisitive friend's wrists. Perceiving that she was to be made a captive, the girl opened her mouth and began a shriek, which, had it been allowed full play, would no doubt have reached her friends in the village, but Cheenbuk had observed the inten- tion, and before the first note had struggled into being, he clapped his hand on her mouth and quenched it. Idazoo wore round her neck a brightly coloured cotton kerchief, such as the fur- traders of those days furnished for barter with the Indians. Cheenbuk quietly plucked this off her neck and tied it firmly round her face and mouth so as to effectually gag her. This done they fastened her to the stem of the dead tree. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 97 Tho whole operation was performed without unnecessary rudeness, and with great celerity. "Now, Idazoo," said Adolay, when they had finished, "you have done me great injury this night. I am sorry to treat you in this way, but I cannot help it. You would come with rae, you know. If I could trust you even now, I would take the cloth off your mouth, but I dare not, you might yell, and everybody knows you were never good at keeping your promises. But it does not matter much. The handkerchief is not too tight to pre- vent the air getting up your nose— and it will give your tongue a rest, which it needs. Besides, the night is not cold, and as our braves pass here every morning when starting off to hunt, you will soon be set free." The Eskimo showed all his brilliant teeth from ear to ear while this little speech was being made. Then he accompanied Adolay through the bush until they reached the shores of a small lake, beside which a birch-bark canoe was lying, partly in the water. At an earlier part of that evening the girl had placed the canoe there, and put into it weapons and provisions suitable for a consider- able voyage. " You have got this ready for me ? " said Cheenbuk. "Yes, You saved my mother's life once, and I will save yours," replied the girl, pointing G 98 THE WALRUS HUNTERS to the bow of" the canoe as if ordering him to embark. "Are you going with me?" asked the youth, with a look of hopeful surprise and a very slight flutter of the heart. " You do not know the lake. I will guide you to the place where the little river runs out of it, and then, by following that, you will get into Greygoose Kiver, which I think you know." The Eskimo's heart ceased to flutter, and the hope died out of his expressive eyes as he said, still hesitating, " But — but — I am very heavy and you are very light. A canoe does not go well with its head deep in the water. Don't you think that I should sit behind and steer ? " " And where would you steer to ? " asked Ado- lay, with a somewhat pert smile. " Besides, look there," she added, pointing to the stem of the little craft, " do Eskimos not use their eyes ? " Cheenbuk used his eyes as directed, and saw that a heavy stone had been placed in the stern so as to counteract the difference of weight. With an air of humility, therefore, he stepped into his allotted place, took up a paddle and sat down. Adolay pushed the craft into deeper water, stepped hghtly in, and, giving a vigorous shove, sent it skimming out on the lake. Then the two dipped their paddles with a will, and shot over the water like an arrow, of A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 99 Profound silence was maintained until the other end of the lake was reached, when the moon came out from a bank of clouds and enabled the girl to find the reedy source of the little river without diflSculty. " We will land here and lift the canoe past the reeds," she said, steering the little craft to the side of a grassy bank. Walking along this bank, and guiding the canoe with their hands, they soon came to an open space in the forest, whence they could see the rivulet winding like a thread of silver through the land in front of them. "This is the place where we must part," said Adolay with a sudden determination of manner which surprised and puzzled the Eskimo. " You have now no further need for me. You have only to go straight on with the running of the water. There are only two falls on the way, but you will hear the noise before you come to them, and you have only to lift the canoe a short way through the bush to the still water below the falls. Our braves often do that ; you will find it quite easy." " I know something of that," returned Cheenbuk ; " we have no falls in our great salt lake, but we have plenty big lumps of ice, and when these are like to crush together we have to jump out of our kayaks and lift them out of the water — ho ! . 100 THE WALRUS HUNTERS and we do it quick too, sometimes, or wo get squeezed flat. But if I go on with the canoe how will you get home ? You cannot swim back." " I can walk round the lake. Arc the Eskimo girls not able to walk, that you ask such a ques- tion ? " said the girl, raising her dark eyes with something of an amused look to the face of her companion, who was looking anxiously down at her. "Oh yes, they can walk well. Ay, and run too Avhen needful. But — but — I 'm sorry that we must part. Must ! — why must ? " The youth said this in a meditative tone, for it had occurred to him for a moment that the girl was now in his power ; that ho could compel her to get into the bow of the canoe, and might steer her to his home at Waruskeek if he chose, whether she would or no. But Cheenbuk's soul was chivalrous. He was far in advance of his kindred and his times. He scorned himself for having even thought of such a thing for a moment ; and it Avas with an air of profound humility that he continued — " Must — of course you must. One of the young braves would have a sore heart if you did not retura" " No one that I know of," she replied quickly. " I care not for the braves ; but my mother would have a sore heart if I did not return. Yet I fear to go back, for that Idazoo will tell, and perhaps they will kill me for helping you to escape." t UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA LIBRARY Victoria, B. C. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 101 " Then you must not go back," said the Eskimo stoutly, "Como with me and I will take good care of you." " No, I cannot," returned the girl thoughtfully ; " I cannot forsake my mother and father in such a way without even a word at parting. " What is your name ? " asked the youth promptly. " Mine is Chcenbuk." " They call mo Adolay ; that, in our language, means the summer-time." "Well, Adolay, I don't know what my name, Checnbuk, means — perhaps it means winter-time. Anyhow, listen to me. If there is any chance of you being killed you must n'lt go back, I will take you to my mother's igloe and you will live with her." " Have you, too, got a mother ? " asked Adolay with interest. " Ho ! yes ; and a father too — and they 're both fat and heavy and kind. When they come to know that you have been so kind to me, they will receive you with joy." "No," said Adolay, shaking her small head decidedly, " I ivill not go. They may kill me if they like, but I will never forsake my mother." " Are you determined ? " " Yes — for sure." " Then so am I," said Cheenbuk, taking hold of the canoe and turning the bow up-stream. " Get 102 THE WALRUS HUNTERS in, Adolay, and we will return to the lodges of your people and die together." Chcenbuk had a way of saying and doing things that convinced his hearers that ho was thoroughly in earnest. The Indian girl felt this, and regretted much that she had said anything at all about her danger. She now tried to counter- act the evil. " What do you mean ? " she said, anxiously. " I mean that I am not afraid to go back and die with you." " But it is not certain," she replied, " that they will kill me. If my father was at home they would not dare to do it, and perhaps they will be afraid of his revenge when he comes back. But for you there is no chance at all. They will be sure to kill you with slow tortures." " I care not. If I go back they will not be so likely to kill you. But listen to me, Adolay. I have a thought. If you come with me to my home in Waruskeck I will take you safe to my father's igloe, and you shall live with my mother and sister. I will not ask you to be my squaw, but you will stay with them till we collect a strong band of young men, when we will go to visit your people and take you with us. If they are friendly — w^ell, and we can traffic together. If they receive us ill there will be a fight — that is all. I do not like fighting — but whatever I A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WOULD 103 happens I promise that you shall be restored to your father and mother. Now, will you go ? " Adolay looked up earnestly into the grave countenance of the young man. There could be no doubt of his thorough sincerity — she felt that — still, she hesitated. It was a bold step to take — even for an Indian heroine ! At that critical moment there broke upon their ears a distant sound that caused them both to start and look round anxiously. It was faint, and so far away that at first they could make nothing of it. A few seconds later it was repeated louder than before. Then a look of intelligence broke over Adolay's countenance. *' I know ! " she exclaimed, " Idazoo is shrieking ! We should have put the cloth over her nose ! She has got her mouth free and — " Another sharp yell rendered it needless for her to complete the sentence. "Come," she said, laying hands on the canoe. " Turn it round. We will go ! " A few minutes more and the pair were flying down the swift current of the little river as fast as they could dip their paddles in the stream. 104 THE WALRUS HUNTERS CHAPTER X. A WILD CBA8E AND A SAD FAILUnR. It does not necessarily require the influences of civilised life to make an honourable, upright man, any more than it needs the influences of savage life to make a thorough scoundrel. Of course the tendency of civilisation is to elevate, of savagery to debase, nevertheless it is certain that as we occasionally see blackguards in the highest ranks, so we sometimes find men and women with exalted conceptions of right and wrong in the lowest circles of life. The truth would seem to be that the Spirit of God is not confined to ranks or conditions of men — a fact that appears to be confirmed by the Scrip- ture statement that "in every nation ho that foareth God and worketh righteousness is accept- able to Him." Cheenbuk's mind must assuredly have been influenced by a good spirit when, after descending the little river at the utmost speed possible — so as to render recapture for a time at least impro- A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 105 bablo — ho directed his companion to run tlio canoo on the bank in an eddy formed by a flat rock, and then, against his own most earnest desires, advised Adolay to return to her people, "While wo were paddling down-stream," ho said, " I havo been thinking much, and I cannot boliovo that your people would be so hard as to kill you for only helping a poor Eskimo to escape. Now, I havo changed my mind. I havo often found that it is better to think more than once before actmg, if you have time to do so. What I think now is, that wo should hide the canoe hero, and return to your village on foot together. When we get there — or when we meet them chasing us — you will go on, and I will hide to see how they receive you, and if they receive you kindly — as I feel sure they will do — I will return here to this spot, take the canoe, and go to my home alone. I cannot bear to take you from your father and mother. I think the Great Spirit, who is the father of all, would bo angry with me. But I will not force you to return if you are afraid." " I am afraid," returned Adolay, quickly. " You do not know how angry the men will be: and you don't know how sharp their eyes are. If you Avcro to return with me they would see you long before you could see them, and would give you no chance to hide." " Then there is nothing to be done but to go on," 106 THE WALRUS HUNTERS said Cheenbuk, with a sigh which he loyally strove to vent as a sign of regret, but which insisted on issuing forth as a distinct sound of satisfaction ! "You have promised to take me safe to your mother's igloe, and to bring me back to my own home," said Adolay, with a look of confidence. " I will go on and trust you." Without another word the Eskimo pushed off the head of the canoe, which was caught by the current and swept down stream. Ere long they reached the Greygoose River, and, paddling into the centre of the current, were soon careermg towards the sea at a pace which they thought rendered their being overtaken almost impossible. To make quite sure, however, they continued the voyage far into the night, and did not land for a very brief rest until the grey dawn had begun to appear ovei the eastern tree-tops. Being both somewhat fatigued by that time they scarcely uttered a word as they encamped, but went about the work as if half asleep. Cheen- buk lifted the canoe out of the water and laid it on the bank, bottom up, in which position it formed a rough and ready tent for his companion, who, meanwhile, carried up the provisions. Seated on the grass beside it they ate a little dried veni- son, which required no cooking — uttering only a monosyUable now and then with half-closed eyes, and sometimes with an imbecile smile, which A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 107 terminated occasionally in an irresistible nod. The feebleness of the light, too, as well as the quietness of the hour, contributed not a little to this state of semi-consciousness. The frugal supper having been washed down with a draught of water, from Nature's own cup — the joined hands — Adolay lay down under the canoe. Cheenbuk retired to a neighbouring spruce- fir and stretched himself under its branches. Need we add that sleep closed their eyelids instantly ? But the Eskimo was much too experienced a hunter and warrior to allow the drowsy god to enchain him long. Like a dead log he lay for little more than two hours, then he awoke with a start and stretched himself. " Hoi ! " he exclaimed sharply, looking towards the canoo, which was distant from his lair about five or six yards. The exclamation had scarcely passed his lips when Adolay sprang up, and next moment went blinking, yawning, and stumbling down the bank with the provisions under one arm, the paddles and weapons under the other. Cheenbuk liftet' the canoe and followed her. In a few minutes they were once more out in the middle of the strong current, paddling with might and main. Now, it was well that they had used such dili- gence in their flight, for the pursuers were closer behind them than they had supposed. 108 THE WALRUS HUNTERS When the unfortunate Alizay was felled by the Eskimo, as we have described, he lay for a con- siderable time in a state of insensibility, but he was by no means killed — not even seriously dam- aged — for Cheonbuk's intense dislike to take life had not only induced him to drop the knife with which the Indian girl had supplied him to cut his cords, but inclined him to use his ponderous fist with moderation, so that Alizay, on recovering, found himself none the worse, except for a severe head- ache and an unnaturally large bridge to his nose. Gathering himself up, and gradually swelling with rage as he reflected on the treatment to which he had been subjected, ho ran at full speed to alarm the camp and begin a search. But where were they to search? — that was the question. There were four points to the compass — though they knew nothing about the compass — and the fugitive might have gone off in the direction of any of these, or between them, and it was too dark a night to permit of his trail being followed by sight, for, although the moon might aid them in the open, it would bo quite useless in the darkness of the woods. A hurried council was held, and a good deal of distracting advice given while the young braves were arming themselves. To add to their per- plexities, a lad rushed suddenly into the council tent with glaring eyes, saying that the girl A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 109 Idazoo had disappeared from the village. This Bews greatly increased the fury of Alizay, but he had scarcely realised the truth when another lad, with, if possible, still more glaring eyes and a gaping mouth, rushed in to tell that the girl Adolay was also missing. This blew up the agitation to a frenzy of excitement — not usual among the Red men of the north — because the necessity for proinpt action was great, whQe the unpossibility of doing anything definite was greater. It was just at this point, when the clamour was at its height, that a sound was heard which instantly produced dead silence, while every man and boy became as if petrified, with eyes enlarged and ears cocked to listen. Again the sound was heard — a distant yell undoubtedly, coming from the direction of the clilf. All the self-possession and promptitude of the Indians returned in a moment. In a second the braves glided out of the council-tent and dis- appeared, each making a straight lino for the sound, while the women and children left behind listened with profound attention and expectation. There was no lack of guiding sounds now, for the moment Idazoo managed to clear her mouth of the gag she began and continued a series of shrieks and yells which were intensified in vigour by the no THE WALRUS HUNTERS fact that she graduc, ..y becamo hysterical as well as wrathful. The first to reach the spot was Alizay. On beholding him the girl stopped, and, after two or three exasperated echoes had finished their remarks, a profound silence reigned. Lovers among the Dogribs are not yet very gallant. Civilisation may do something for them, as to this, in time. " You can make a noise ! * said the youth, stepping up to her. "I have reason to do so," replied the maiden, somewhat abashed. " Did Adolay go with him ? " asked Alizay as several of the other braves ran up. " Yes." " Willingly ? " "Yes — she helped to tie me and showed him the way." "Wheredid they go?" " In the direction of the lake." Instantly the whole band turned and ran off in the direction mentioned — Alizay being last, as he paused just long enough to cut the bonds of Idazoo, but left her to disentangle herself as she best could. On reaching the shores of the lake the footsteps of the fugitives showed clear in the moonlight, and the marks of launching the canoe were visible, so that there was no further doubt as to what should A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 111 be done. The Indians knew well that there was only one outlet from the lake. Their canoes were close by, and their guns and tomahawks in their hands. Nothing therefore required to be done but to embark and give chase. For this purpoF,e two canoes were deemed sufficient, with three men in each. Magadar took charge of the leading canoe. Alizay steered the other, and the rest of the braves returned to the village to gloat over the news that Idazoo had to tell, to feast on the produce of the previous day's hunt, and to clear — or obfuscate — their intellects, more or less, with their tobacco- pipes. As the six pursuers were very wrathful, and pretty strong, they caused their canoes to skim over the lake like swallows, and reached the head of the little river not very long after the fugitives had left it. A stern chase, however, is proverbially a long one, and as they overhauled the chase only inch by inch, there seemed little chance of over- taking it that night. The leaders, however, being men of great endurance, resolved to carry on without rest as long as possible. This they did until about dawn — the same hour at which the fugitives had succumbed — and both parties put ashore at last for a rest, neither being aware of the fact that their separate camping-grounds were not more than three miles apar'j ! 112 THE WALRUS HUNTERS Well was it then for Adolay that her stout pro- tector was a light sleeper, as well as a man of iron frame, and that he had aroused her fully an hour and a half sooner than the time at which the Indians left their camp to resume the chase. It was well, also, that Cheenbuk required but a short rest to recruit his strength and enable him to resume the paddle with his full vigour. The joy, also, consequent upon the discovery that he loved the Indian girl, and that she had made up her mind, without any persuasion on his part, to run away with him, lent additional power to his strong back. Perhaps, also, a sympathetic feeling in the breast of the maiden added to the strength of her well-formed and by no means feeble arm, so that many miles were soon added to the three which intervened between the chasers and the chased. To the horror of Adolay she found when she and Cheenbuk reached the mouth of the river, that the sea was extensively blocked by masses of ice, which extended out as far as the eye could reach. Although thus encumbered, however, the sea was by no means choked up with it, and to the gaze of the young Eskimo the ice presented no insurmountable obstacle, for his experienced eye could trace leads and lanes of open water as far as the first group of distant islets, which lay like scarce perceptible specks on the horizon. But to the inexperienced eye of the girl the A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 113 sea the I no eye far Uke the scene was one of hopeless confusion, and it filled her with sudden alarm and despair, though she possessed more than the usual share of the Dogrib women's courage. Observing her alarm, Cheenbuk gave her a look of encouragement, but avoided telling her not to be afraid, for his admiration of her was too profound to admit of his thinking that she could really be frightened, whatever her looks might indicate. " The ice is our friend to-day," he said, with a cheery smile, as they stood together on the sea- shore beside their canoe, surveying the magnificent scene of snowy field, fantastic hummock, massive berg, and glittering pinnacle that lay spread out before them. Adolay felt, but did not express surprise, for she was filled with a most commendable trust in the truth and wisdom as well as the courage of the man to whose care she had committed herself. " If you say the ice is our friend, it must be so," she remarked quietly, " but to the Indian girl it seems as if the ice was our foe, for she can see no escape, and my people will be sure to follow us." " Let them follow," returned Cheenbuk, with a quiet laugh, as he re-arranged the lading of the canoe before continuing the voyage. " They won't follow beyond this place ! " Lifting out the big stone, which had formed a counterpoise to his weight, he flung it on the beach. 114 THE WALRUS IIUNTEUS " Wo will change places now, Adolay," he said, " you have guided our canoe when on the inland waters; it is now my turn to steer, for I under- stand the sea of ice. Get in, we will start," When Magadar and his comrades arrived at the mouth of the Greygoose River and beheld the aspect of the sea, a cry of mingled surprise and disappointment escaped them, but when they had landed and discovered the canoe of the fugitives far away like a speck among the ice-floes, the cry was transmuted into a hoAvl of rage. " Quick ! embark ! Let us after them ! " shouted Magadar. " Death to them both ! " yelled Alizay. For a few minutes the Indians followed the lanes of open water, till their turnings began to appear somewhat complicated ; then the warlike spirit became a little subdued. Presently one of the Indians discovered — or thought he discovered — that the lead of water was narrowing, and that the ice was closing in. Promptly both canoes were put about, and the shore was regained with amazing speed. After that the Dogribs paddled quietly up the Greygoose River, and meekly returned to their woodland home. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 115 CHAPTER XI. ENCAMPED ON THE ISLET. It was with feelings of profound thankfulness and relief that Adolay landed on the first of the islets, and surveyed the chaotic though beautiful floes from which they had escaped. And in truth Cheenbuk had required all his skill and experience more than once to avoid the dangers by which they had been beset, for, although the weather was perfectly calm and the ice nearly motionless, they had frequently to pass through channels so narrow that the slightest current might have caused a nip and obliged them to take hurried refuge on the floes, while, at other times, when compelled to pass rather close to the small bergs, lumps dropped into the water perilously near to them from the overhanging ice-cUtis. "There has been some danger," remarked the girl, turning to her protector. "All is well when it ends well," replied the Eskimo, nearly, but unconsciously, quoting Shake- speare. " But the danger was not very great, for i 116 THE WALRUS HUNTERS if the ice had closed in wo could have jumped on it, and carried the canoe to the nearest open water." "But what if a lump had dropped into the canoe and sunk it ? " asked Adolay. " We should have had to scramble on the floes and wait there till — till we died together." He said this with some degree of solemnity, for it was an uncomfortable reflection. "I would prefer — " she stopped suddenly, for in the haste of the moment she was going to have said — "that we should live together rather than die together " — but maiden modesty, not unfamiliar even among savages, restrained her, and Cheenbuk, who was not observant in the matter of imperfect speech, took no notice of the abrupt pause. The evening av s far advanced, for it had taken them the whole day to reach the islet, owing to the windings of the lanes of water and the fre- quency with which they had to turn back in con- sequence of having run into what may be termed blind alleys. It was resolved, therefore, that they should rest there for the night. As there was no fear, by that time, of their being pursued by Indians, Cheenbuk resolved that they should have a good warm supper to recruit their somewhat exhausted energies. Of course Adolay was only too glad to fall in with this arrangement, and said that she would go along II A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WOULD 1:7 the shore and collect small masses of drift-wood for the fire, while her companion lifted up the canoe and made the encampment. " You will not find much drift-wood, I think," said Cheenbuk, as she was about to set oft", " for the currents don't set upon thU island much. The long point of the bigger island over there turns the currents ofi' from this one, but perhaps you may find a little." . Adolay found this to be true, for she wandered several miles along shore — indeed, went nearly round the islet, which was a low rocky one, almost devoid of verdure — before she had collected a good bundle of dry sticks. Meanwhile the Eskimo set to work with char- acteristic enthusiasm to arrange the camp. Choos- ing a spot where a low wall of rock sheltered him from the north, he laid a few stones in a heap to mark the place for the fire. Then he carried up the canoe, and laid it down bottom up, so as to face the fire. Underneath it he made a snug nest of twigs and leaves for Adolay to rest in. Then, on the opposite side of the fire, he made another lair — a sort of open-air nest — for himself, after which he collected a good many of the small dead twigs among the scrub, which he piled up in readiness around a large piece of drift timber he had the good fortune to discover not far from the spot where they landed. I 118 THE WALRUS HUNTERS This done, ho stood back a few paces and aduured his handiwork, his head on one side with quite the air of a connoisseur. Presently ho began to wish that Adolay would return, and then sat down to make fire by the slow and laborious Eskimo process of rubbing two pieces of stick rapidly together until the friction should ignite them. He was still absorbed in the work when the Indian girl returned with a bundle of wood which she threw down beside the rest. "You have had better luck than I expected," said Cheenbuk. " See, I have made you a nest to sWjk, in," he added, pointing to the canoe. " It is very nice," she observed, with an appre- ciative smile. " What are you doing ? " " Making fire," he answered, resuming his work and continuing it with such vigour that beads of perspiration stood on his brow. Without speaking, the girl went to the canoo and opened a bundle wrapped in deerskin which formed part of its lading. She drew therefrom a firebag, richly ornamented Avith beads, such as Indian chiefs and braves are wont to carry under their belts. It contained the pipe, tinder-box, flint, steel, and tobacco Avhich are usually supplied by the fur-traders to the Red men. Cheenbuk was so interested in the proceedings of his companion that he ceased to carry on his A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 119 own work, thereby allowing the sticks to cool and losing his labour. "You need not work so hard," said Adolay, taking a flint, steel, and pieco of tinder from the bag and, beginning to strike a light, to the great interest of the Eskimo. " Wo manage to get fire dififerontly and more easily," In a few seconds a spark caught on the tinder, which began to smoke, and the girl, wrapping it in a bundle of dry grass, whirled it round at arm's- length until the draught caused it to burst into flame. Thrusting the burning mass into the heart of the twigs, which had been previously pre- pared, she glanced up at her protector with a look that said plainly, " Watch, now, the result." But Checnbuk required no encouragement to do so. He had been watching all the time with mouth, as, well as eyes, wide open, and a loud " hoi ! hoi ! ho ! " burst from him as the flame leaped up, sicftusing the canoe and wall of rock and the near objects with a ruddy glow which paled everything else to a cold grey by contrast. " I 've seen that once before," exclaimed Cheen- buk with delight, taking up the fircbag tenderly, " and have often wished that I had these things for making fire." "Well, you may have them now. They be- longed to my father. All our men carry bags with these things in them." 120 THE WALRUS HUNTERS " And I Ve seen this too — once," continued the youth, smiling, as he pulled out a tobacco-pipe. Then he bent his head suddenly, put liis nose to the bag, and made a face expressive of supreme disgust. " Ho ! and I 've seen this too. I have tasted it, and after tasting it I was very miserable — so miser- able that I hope never to be as miserable again!" As he spoke he looked at Adolay with that extreme solemnity which was one of the charac- teristics of his face. The girl returned the look, but did not smile. She did not speak, but waited for more. " The man who showed me these things was a good man," continued Cheenbuk. " 1 do nc' know his name, but I liked him much. Yet I think he was not wise to fill his mouth with smoke and his inside with sickness." " Was he sick ? " asked Adclpv. " No — he was not, but — I was. While he was speaking he drew a long piece of Canada twist tobacco out of the bag, and looked at it sagaciously for some time, nodding his head as if he knew all about it. " Yes, that is the thing he put in the pipe, and, after making a small fire over it, drew the smoke into himself. At first I thought he would die or catch fire and burst — but he — he didn't, and he seemed to like it." "All our men like it," said Adolay; "they A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 121 smoke every day — sometimes all day. And some of our women like it too." " Do 2/ow like it ? " asked the Eskimo, quickly, " No, I don't like it." " Good — that is well. Now, we will cook some of your dried meat for supper." By that time the fire was blazing cheerily. As the shades of night deepened, the circle of light grew more and more ruddy until it seemed like a warm cosy chamber in the heart of a cold grey setting. A couple of small stakes were thrust into the ground in such a way that the two pieces of venison impaled on them were presented to the heart of the fire. Soon a frizzling sound was heard ; then odours of a kind dear to the hearts of hungry souls — to say nothing of their noses — began to arise, and the couple thus curiously thrown together sat down side by side to enjoy themselves, and supply the somewhat clamorous demands of Nature. They said little while feeding, but when the venison ste;iks had wellnigh disappeared, a word or two began to pass to and fro. At last Cheenbuk arose, and, taking a small cup of birch-bark, which, with a skin of water, formed part of the supplies provided by Adolay, he filled it to the brim, and the two concluded their supper with the cheering fluid. " Ah ! " sighed the girl, when she had disposed 122 THE WALRUS HUNTERS of her share, " the white traders bring us a black stuff which we mix Avith water hot, and find it very good to drink." " Yes ? What is it ? " asked Cheenbuk, applying his lips a second time with infinite zest to the water. " I know not what it is. The white men call it tee," said Adolay, dwelling with affectionate em- phasis on the ce's. " Ho ! I should like to taste that teee," said the youth, with exaggerated emphasis on the ee'a "Is it better than water?" " I 'm not sure of that," answered the girl, with a gaze of uncertainty at the fire, " but we Hke it better than water — the women do; the men are fonder of fire-water, when they can get it, but the white traders seldom give us any, and they never give us much We women are very glad of that, for the fire-water makes our men mad and wish to fight. Teee, when we take too much of it — which we always do — only makes us sick." "Strange," said Cheenbuk, with a look of profundity worthy of Solomon, " that your people should be so fond of smokes and drinks that make them sick and mad when they have so much of the sparkling water that makes us comfortable ! " Adolay made no reply to this, for her mind was not by nature philosophically disposed, though she was intelligent enout-h to admire the sagacity A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 123 of a remark that seemed to her fraught with illimitable significance. "Have you any more strange things in your bundle ? " asked the Eskimo, whose curiosity was awakened by what had already been extracted from it. " Have you some of the teee, or the fire-water, or any more of the thing that smokes — what you call it?" " Tubuko — no, I have no more of that than you saw in the firebag. The white men sometimes call it bukey, and I have no fire-water or tee. Sometimes we put a nice sweet stuff into the tee which the white men call shoogir. The Indian girls are very fond of shoogir. They like it best without being mixed with water ard tee. But we have that in our own land. We make it from the juice of a tree." The interest with which Cheenbuk gazed into the girl's face while she spoke, was doubtless due very much to the prettiness thereof, but it is only just to add that the number and nature of the absolutely new subjects which Avere thus opened up to him had something to do with it. His imperfect knowledge of her language, however, had a bamboozling effect. " Here is a thing which I think you will be glad to see," continued the girl, as she extracted a small hatchet from the bundle. "Yes indeed; that is a very good thing," said 124 THE WALRUS HUNTERS the youth, handling the implement with almost affectionate tenderness. "I had one once — and that, too, is a fine thing," he added, as she drew a scalping-knife from her bundle. " You may have them both," she said ; " I knew you Avould need them on the journey." Cheenbuk was too much lost in admiration of the gifts — which to him were so splendid — that he failed to find words to express his gratitude, but, seizing a piece of firewood and resting it on another piece, he set to work with the hatchet, and sent the chips flying in all directions for some time, to the amusement and no small surprise of his companion. Then he laid down the axe, and, taking up the scalping-knife, began to whittle sticks with renewed energy. Suddenly he paused and looked at Adolay with ineffable delight. " They are good ? " she remarked with a cheer- ful nod. " Good, good, very good ! We have nothing nearly so good. All our things are made of bone or stone." "Now," returned the girl, with a blink of her lustrous eyes, and a yawn of her pretty mouth, which Nature had not yet taught her to conceal with her little hand, "now, I ani sleepy. I Avill lie do^vn." Cheenbuk replied with a smile, and pointed to the canoe with his nose. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 125 Adolay took the hint, crept into the nest which the gallant youth had prepared for her, curled herself up like a hedgehog, and was sound asleep in five minutes. The Eskimo, meanwhile, resumed his labours with the scalping-knife, and whittled on far into the night — whittled until he had reduced every stick within reach of his hand to a mass of shavings — a beaming childlike glow of satisfaction resting on his handsome face all the while, until the embers of the fire began to sink low, and only an occasional flicker of flame shot up to enlighten the increasing darkness. Then he laid the two "mplements down and covered them carefully with a piece of deerskin, while his countenance resumed its wonted gravity of expression. Drawing up his knees until his chin rested on them, and clasping his hands round them, he sat for a long time brooding there and gazing into the dying embers of the fire ; then he rose, stretched himself, and sauntered down to the shore. The night, although dark for the Arctic regions at that time of the year, was not by any means obscure. On the contrary, it might have passed for a very fair moonlight night in more southern climes, and the flush of the coming day in the eastern sky was beginning to warm the tops of the higher among the ice-masses, thereby rendering the rest of the scene more coldly grey. The calm 126 THE WALRUS HUNTERS which had favoured the escape of our fugitives still prevailed, and the open spaces had gradually widened until the floes had assumed the form of ghostly white islets floating in a blue-black sea, in which the fantastic cliffs, lumps, and pinnacles were sharply reflected as in a mirror. There was a solemnity and profound quietude about the scene and the hour which harmonised well with the sedate spirit of the young Eskimo, as he stood there for a long time contemplating the wonders and the beauties of the world around and about him. We know not what passes through the minds of untutored men in such circumstances, but who shall dare to say that the Spirit of their Creator may not be holding intercourse with them at such times ? Turning his back at length upon the sea, Cheenbuk returned to the camp, lay down on the couch which he had made for himself on the op- posite side of the fire from the canoe, and, in a few moments more, was in the health- and strength- restoring regions of Oblivion. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 127 CHAPTER Xn. HOME— SWEET HOME— AND SMOKE, ETC. The favouring calm continued until Cheenbuk with his companion arrived at Warnskeek. It was about mid-day when theu' canoe turned round the headland and entered the inlet near the head of which lay the Eskimo village. The boy Anteck happened to be standing on the shore at the time, beside the young girl Nootka. They were looking out to sea, and observed the canoe the moment it turned the point of rocks. " Hoi — oi ! " yelled Anteek with an emphasis that caused the inhabitants of the whole village to leap out of every hut with the celerity of squirrels, and rush to the shore. Here those who had first arrived were eagerly commenting on the approaching visitors. " A kayak of the Fire-spouters ! " cried Anteek, with a look of intense glee, for nothing was so dear to the soul of that volatile youth, as that which suggested danger, except, perhaps, that which involved fun. 128 THE WALRUS HUNTERS " The kayak is indeed that of a Fire-spouter,' said old Mangivik, shaking his grey head, " but I don't think any Fire-spouter among them would be such a fool as to run his head into our very jaws." " I 'm not ready to agree with you, old man," began Gartok. " No ; you 're never ready to agree with any one ! " growled Mangivik parenthetically. " For the Fire-spouters," continued Gartok, dis- regarding the growl, " are afraid of nothing. Why should they be when they can spout wounds and death so easily ? " Poor Gartok spoke feelingly, for his wounded leg had reduced his vigour considerably, and he was yet only able to limp about with the aid of a stick, while his lieutenant Ondikik was reduced to skin and bone by the injury to his back. Suddenly Mangivik became rather excited. "Woman," he said earnestly to his wife, who stood beside him, "do you see who steers the kayak ? Look, your eyes are better than mine." " No. I do not." " Look again !" cried Anteek, pushing forward at that moment. " He is not a Fire-spouter. He is one of us ! But the one in front is a Fire- spouter woman. Look at the man ! Don't you know him ? " There was an intensity of suppressed fervour in the manner of the boy, and an unwonted ghtter in A IIOMANOE OF THE lOE- WORLD 129 his eyes, which impressed every one who noticed him. " Yes, he is one of us," said Mangivik, shading his eyes with one hand, " and he has stolen a Fire- spouting girl with her kayak !" There was a look of pride in the face of the old man as he spoke, but it was as nothing to the shout of triumph — the shriek of ecstasy — that burst from Anteok as he uttered the word — " Cheenbuk !" Just then a strong clear voice came rolling over the water to the shore, and a roar of joy burst from the whole assemblage, for there was no mis- taking the voice of their comrade and best hunter. The hearts of Nootka and her mother beat with no ordinary flutter as they heard the familiar shout, and as for Anteek, he went into a paroxysm of delight, which he sought to relieve by bounding and yelling till the canoe touched the shore. Then, by a powerful effort, he subdued himself, and turned his energies into a prolonged look of unutterable amazement at AdoLiy. Of course the eyes of the entire population were turned in the same direction — for Eskimos do not count it rude to stare — so that the poor girl felt somewhat abashed, and shrank a little behind her stout protector. Observing the action, Cheenbuk took hold of her arm gently and led her towards his mother. I 130 THE WALUUS HUNTERS " This is my mother, Adolay," he said ; "she will take care of you." " Your wife ?" asked Mrs. Mangivik, with an anxious look. "No, not ray wife," replied the youth, with a laugh. "Take her to our hut, you and Nootka, while I go and speak with the men. — She saved my life, father," he added, turning to Mangivik, " be good to her." On hearing this, Nootka and her mother took the girl affectionately by both hands and led her away. Cheenbuk meanwhile went up to the big hut, just outside of which was held a meeting of nearly the whole population, to receive an account of his adventures from the man whom they had long ago given up as lost. " My friends," he began, surveying the expectant assembly with a grave straightforward look, " when I went by myself to the Whale River, my intention was to hunt around and find out if there were many birds and beasts on lands near to it, and if many men lived or uinted there, for it came into my mind that this little island of Waruskeek is not the best place in the world to live in, for our tribe is continually increasing. I thought that if there were Fire-spouters there already, we must be con- tent with the lands we have got, for it is not right to take what belongs to other men." "V A Ur»f ANOE OF THE ICE-WOUT.D 131 Cliccnbuk paused hero and looked round, because he knew that he was treading on some- what new and delicate ground in thus asserting a principle of right ; and ho was not mistaken, for, while the most of his audience remained silent, several of thorn expressed dissent. " Besides," he continued, " it is not wise to attack men with fire-spouters, which send into their enemies heavy little things like that which was lately picked out of Gartok's log ; the same as still seems to be sticking in Ondikik's back." " Ho ! ho ! " exclaimed a number of the men, as if that truth commended itself to their under- standings. " Well, when I got to the^ river, I found plenty of white whales at the mouth of it, and great plenty of birds of all kinds, and of deer — a land good for man to dwell in, with many trees that would make sledge-runners, and much dead wood for our fires, and no one living there, nor signs of anybody. Then I thought to myself. Why should wo live ahvays among the floes and bergs ? The few Fire-spouters whom we have seen and heard of have better food, better homes, better tools of every kind. Why should not we have the same ? " Here the wise Cheenbuk drew from the breast of liis sealskin coat the axe and scalping-knifc which Adolay had given him, and held them up. 132 THE WAT.UUS HUNTERS This was a politic move, for it won over almost the entire audience to the young I^untor's views, while looks of ardent admiration were bestowed on the coveted implements. " When men find it not easy to get food," resumed Cheenbuk, in the tone and with the air of a man who has much to say and means to say it, " they change to some p'^ce where hunting is better. When fish becor larce, they do not remain still, but go to pL^ hero the fishing is better. They always seek for something that is better and better. Is this not true ? Is this not wise ? " " Ho ! ho !" exclaimed the assembly, assenting. " Why, then, should not we go to a land where there is much that is far better than we find here, and live as the Fire-spouters live ? Did the Great Maker of all things intend that we should remain content with these treeless islands among the ice, when there are lands not very far away where we may find much of all kinds of things that are far better ? If it is wise to change our hunting Jlnd fishing grounds close at hand, surely it may be wise to change to those that are far away — especially when we know that they are better, and likely to make us more comfortable and happy." This suggestion was such a tremendous innova- tion on ordinary Eskimo ideas, such a radical conception of change and upheaval of age-long A IIOMANCK OK TIIK ICK-\V()I!I,I) l.'W liabits, that the assembly j^'azcd in awc-stnick and silent wonder at the bold young man, much as the members of Parliament of the last century might have gazed if any reckless M. P. had dared to propose universal suflrago or vote by ballot, or to suggest that measures should henceforth be framed in accordance with the Golden Rule. "After I had travelled a short v.ay inland," continued Cheenl aik, " 1 met a Fire-spouter. He was all .lone. No one was with him. He pointed his spoii r at me, and it clicked but would not spout — 1 1 -n't know why. I threw my spear. It went straight — as you know it always does — but the man was quick ; he put his head to one side and escaped. Again he pointed his spouter at me, but again it only clicked. Then I rushed upon him and caught hold of it before it could spout. We wrestled — but ho was a very strong man, and I could not overcome him — and he could not overcome me. Our breath came short. The sweat poured down our faces and our eyes glared ; but when we looked steadily into each other's eyes we saw that wo were both men of peace. We let our bodies go soft, and dropped the spouter on the ground. " ' Why should we fight ? ' said he. " ' That was just in my thought,' said I. " So we stood up, and he took hold of my hand in the way that the white traders do, and squeezed it. 134 THE WALRUS HUNTERS I will show you how. — Give me jour hand, Aiiteek — no, the other one." The boy extended his hand, and Cheenbuk, grasping it, gave it a squeeze that caused the little fellow to yell and throw the assembly into convul- sions of laughter, for Eskimos, unlike the sedate Indians, dearly love a practical joke. From this point Cheenbuk related the rest of his interview with the Indian, and was particularly graphic in his description of the pipe, which he exhibited lo them, though he refrained from any reference to its effect upon himself. Then he discoursed of his subsequent exploration of the mainland, and finally came to the point where he met and rescued Rinka. — "13ut tell me, before I speak more, is Rinka dead ?" " No, she is getting well." "That is good," he continued, in a tone of satisfaction. " Old Uleeta, I doubt not, told you of the fight I had with the Fire-spouters ? " " She did," cried Anteek, with delight, " and how you gave them sore hearts ! " "H'm! they gave me a sore heart too; but I don't care now ! And they would have roasted me alive, but one of their girls had pity on me, helped me to escape, and came away with me. Adolay is her name — the girl you saw to-day." " Ho ! ho ! hoi — oi ? " broke forth the chorus of satisfaction. A ROMANCK OF THE ICE-WOULD 135 "Yes, but for her," continued Chconbuk," I should have been under the ground and my hair would have been fluttering on the dress of a Fire- spouter chief by this time. Now, I have promised this girl that I will get a large party of our young men to go back with her to Whale River and give her back to her father and mother." At this there were strong murmurs of dissent, and a man whom we have not yet introduced to the reader lifted up his voice. This man's name was Aglootook. Ho was the modicine-man of the tribe — a sort of magician ; a sharp, clever, unscrupulous, presumptuous, and rather tine locking-fellow, who held the people in some degree of subjection through their super- stitious fears, though there were some of the men among them who would not give in to his authority. As Eskimos have no regular chiefs, this man tried to occupy the position of one. He had just returned from a hunting expedition the day before, and was jealous of the interest aroused by Chcen- buk's arrival. Moreover, Cheenbuk was one of the few men of the tribe whom he disliked, and rather feared. " What folly is this that I hear ? " said Aglootook, as he frowned on the assembly. " Are we to get up a war-party and put ourselves to all this trouble for a woman — and a Fire-spouter woman ! " "It is not a war-party that I want," said 136 THE WALRUS HUNTERS Cheenbuk quietly. " It is a peace-party, and such a strong one that there will bo no fear of war. I will conduct it, and, as I know the way, will go by myself unarmed to the village of the men of the woods, tell them that I have brought back their girl, and that a largo party of my people arc waiting at the mouth of. the river with plenty of skins and walrus teeth and other things to trade with them." " liut does any one think they will believe that ?" said Aglootook with something of scorn in his looks and tone. " Will the Fire-spouters not accept the girl and roast Cheenbuk, and then meet us with their spouters and kill many of us, even though wo should beat them at last ? " "It is my opinion there is something in that," remarked Mangivik. " Besides," continued the magician, " what folly is it to talk of changing our customs, which have never been changed since the First Man created fish and animals ! Are we not satisfied with whales and walruses, bears and seals, deer and birds ? Is not our snow igloo as comfortable as the Fire- spouters' skin tent ? What do we care for their ornaments or other things ? Wliat does Cheenbuk know about the Great Maker of all things ? Has he seen him ? Has ho talked with him ? If there is such a Maker, did he not place us here, and surround us with all the things that we need, and A ROMANCE OF 'I'MK TCK-WOIU.D 137 intend us to remain hero ? Why should we go and look for better things? If ho had thought that woods and lakes and rivers had been good for us, would he not have made these things here for us, so that we should have no need to go far away to seek for them — " "Ay, and if Aglootook is right," interrupted Cheenbuk in a calm but firm voice, " why should we go far away to seek the bear, the walrus, and the seal? Why does Aglootook go hunting at all ? It the Great Maker thought these things good for us, would ho not have made them to walk up to our igloes and ask to be killed and eaten ? Why should they even do that ? why not walk straight down our throats and save all trouble ? Is it not rather quite plain that man was made with wants and wishes and the power to satisfy them, and so advance from good to better ? Does not Aglootook prove by his own conduct that he thinks so ? He might make life easy by sitting near his hut and killing for food the little birds that come about our dwellings, but ho goes on long hard journeys, and takes much trouble, for he knows that slices of fat seal and walrus- ribs are better than httle birds ! " There was a general laugh at the expense of the magician, for his mental powers were inferior to those of Cheenbuk, and he felt himself unable to see through the entanglement of his logic. 138 THE WALRUS HUNTERS " Boh ! " he ejaculated, with a sweep of his lonpf arm, as if to clear away such ridiculous arguments. " What stuff is this that I hear ? Surely Cheenbuk has been smitten with the folly of the Fire-spoutors. His words are like a lamp with a very bad wick : it makes too much smoke, and confuses every- thing near it," " Aglootook is right," said Cheenbuk, who resolved to end the dispute at this point, " many words arc like the smoke of a bad lamp: they confuse, especially when they are not well under- stood, but the Fire-sjjouters confuse themselves with real smoke as well as with words. See, here is one of their things ; the white traders call it a paip, or piop." As he spoke he opened the firebag which Adolay had given him and took out of it the clay pipe, tobacco, and materials for producing fire. The medicine-man was instantly forgotten, and the mouths as well as the eyes of the whole assembly opened in unspeakable wonder as Cheenbuk wont through the complex processes of filling and lighting the pipe. First he cut up some of the Canada twist, which, he explained, was the tubuk of the white men. Then having filled the pipe, he proceeded to strike a light with flint and steel. In this ho was not very successful at first, not yet having had much practice. He chipped his knuckles a good deal, and more than once knocked A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WOllLD 139 the flint and tinder out of his fingers. But his audience was not critical. They regarded this as part of the performance. When, however, he at last struck a succession of sparks, he also struck an equal number of short, sharp expressions of astonishment out of his friends, and when the tinder caught there Avas a suppressed grunt of surprise and pleasure ; but when he put the fire into the pipe and began to smoke, there burst forth a prolonged shout of laughter. To see a man smoking like a bad lamp was a joke that seemed to tickle those unsophisticated children of the ice immensely. "Is it good?" asked one. "Do you like it?" cried another. "Let me try it !" begged a third. Mindful of past experiences, Cheenbuk did not indulge in many whiffs. "No, no," he said, taking the pipe from his lips with solemn gravity. "Not every one who wishes it shall have a taste of this to-day. Only a great man of our tribe shall try it. Some one who has done great things above his fellows." Ho looked pointedly at Aglootook as he spoke, Avith solemnity on his face but mischief in his heart. Oolalik, however, with the reverse of mischief in his heart, mterfered unwittingly with his designs. Ho seized hold of Anteek, who chanced to be near him, and thrust him forward. 140 THE WALRUS HUNTERS "Hero," said ho, "is one of the great ones of our tribe, at least he will be one if he lives long, for he has killed a walrus all by himself — on land too !"' The boy, although pretty full of what is known among the civilised as "check," was almost overwhelmed by this public recognition of his prowess, and was about to retire with a half-shy exiiression, when the audience received the proposal with a burst of applause. " Yes, yes," they cried ; " he is a bravo boy : let him try it." Seeing that they were set upon it, Cheenbuk handed the pipe to the boy, and bade him draw the smoke in and puff it out, taking care not to swallow it. But Anteek did swallow some at first and choked a little, to the great amusement of the assembly. His pride carried him through, how- ever; he tried again, and was successful. Then his " cheek " came back and he went on, puffing out far larger volumes than his instructor had done. " You had better stop," said Cheenbuk, reaching out his hand to take the pipe; but the boy dodged him with a laugh and went on worse than ever. Seeing this, Cheenbuk smiled signifi- cantly and waited. He had not to wait long. Suddenly the face of Anteek became unusually A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 141 pale. Placing the pipe hurriedly in the hands of a man near him, he bolted out of the hut and disappeared. He was not seen again during the remainder of that conference ! 142 THE WALRUS HUNTERS CHAPTER XIII. DOINOS IN WARU8KEEK. While Chcenbuk was thus entrancing the souls of his friends near the big hut, his mother and sister were exercising hospitaUty to the Indian girl in their private residence. It was rather a dark and smoky residence, with only one hole in the roof, about eight inches square, to let in light. If truth must be told, it was also somewhat dirty, for, besides having only one large room in which living, cooking, receiving company, and sleeping were carried on, the dogs of the family were permitted to repose there — when they were good ! Anything approaching to badness ensured their summary and violent ejection. Branching from this family room was a little recess, screened off by skin curtains, which formed Nootka's private apartment or boudoir. It Avas singularly unlike the boudoirs of other lands ! Black smoke, instead of whitewash, coloured the walls and ceiling. No glass hung on the wall A IIOMANCE OF THE ICE-WORI,D 143 to reflect the visage of the Arctic beauty, but there were several pegs, from one of which hung Nootka's sealskin bad- weather jacket, the tadpole- tail of which reached to the ground, while from another depended a pair of her long waterproof boots. One half of the floor being raised about eight inches, constituted the Eskimo maiden's couch — also her chair and sofa. There was no table, but the skull of a walrus did service as a stooL To this apartment Nootka introduced her )'oung Indian friend, leaving her mother in the outer hall, and the two maidens at once began, as might have been expected, an earnest and confidential conversation. In their eagerness they had not reflected that each knew not one word of the other's language, but of course the first sentences opened their eyes to the melan- choly fact. They had, indeed, been opened already to some extent, but not so impressively as now when they longed for a good talk. "Come here," said Nootka — of course in Eskimo — as she dragged rather than led her new friend into the boudoir ; " I want you to tell me all about your saving my brother's life." " I don't understand a word you say," replied Adolay — of course in Dogrib-Indian — with a look of great perplexity in her wide-open eyes. 144 THE WALUUS HUNTKRS " Oh ! I 'm stupid and sorry. I forgot. You don't speak our language." " Wliat funny sounds ! It seems like nonsense," remarked Adolay — more to herself than to her friend, " So curious ! " soliloquised Nootka ; " what one might expect from a seal if it tried to speak. Say that over again. I like to hear it." The perplexity on the face of tho Indian maid deepened, and she shook her liead, while tho look of fun in that of the Eskimo maiden increased, and she smiled knowingly. Here at last they had hit on common ground — tapped a universal spring of human communi- cation. Adolay at once beamed an answering smile, and displayed all her brilliant teeth in doing so. This drew a soft laugh of pleasure from Nootka and an intelligent nod. Nods and smiles, however, pleasant in their way though they be, form a very imperfect means of intercourse betAveon souls which wish to unite, and the perplexed expression was begirming again to steal over both their youthful countenances, when something in the nature of a happy thought seemed to strike the Indian girl, for a gleam as of sunlight fltushed from her eyes and teeth, as she suddenly beat with her little fist three times on her own bosom, exclaim- ing, " Adolay ! Adolay ! Adolay ! " with much A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WOIM-D 145 cniiiliiisis. Then, pokinj,' her Hiigci* against hur friend's breast, she added — "You ? you i" Hero again was "a toucli of nature" which made these two damsels " kin." Although the "You? you?" was not intelligible to the Eskimo, the gaze of inquiry was a familiar tongue. With a smile of delight she nodded, struck her own bosom with her fist, and said " Nootka ! Nootka ! " Then, tapping her friend, she said — " Addi-lay ? " The Indian, nodding assent, tapped her in return and exclaimed " Nooot-ko ? " After this little sparring match they both burst into a fit of hearty laughter, which roused the curiosity of Mrs. Mangivik in the outer hall. " What is the joke ? " shouted the old lady, who was hospitably preparing a feast of steaks and ribs for her guest. " Oh, mother, she is so funny ! — Come, Addi-lay, let her hear your fun," said the girl, taking her guest's hand and leading her back to the hall. " Her name is Addi-lay. I know, for she told me herself Wo quite understand each other already, — Speak to mother, Addi-lay. Tell her some- thing." "I don't know what you want me to do, Nooot-ko," returned the Indian girl, with a bright look, " but I know that whatever you are saying must be kind, for you 've got such a nice face." By way of emphasising her opinion she took 146 THE WALIIUH HUNTKUS the faco between her hiiuds uiul laid her own against it. Wo have never been quite sure as to what Adolay did on this occasion — whether she rubbed noses or chins or touched lips. All that wo are sure of is that the operation was ccpiivalcnt to a kiss, and that it was reciprocated heartily. " Didn't I tell you, mother, that she was funny ? I'll explain to you wiiat she said when we are alone ; but Addi-lay is hungry now, and so am 1. Let us feed, mother." Without more ado the trio sat down beside the cooking lamp and began to do justice to the savoury viands, the odour of which was .so enticing that it was too much for the dogs of the family. These had to be expelled by means of old bones. Mrs. Mangivik being an expert iiwv with such artillery, the hall was soon cloi^y J. After the meal, convo 'um was reaunied, and conducted witi si. or ease, owing to the chief B' )«♦ ae Indian girl's costume, w aborate, for, being a chief s ler, her t ess was in many respects beautiful — esj^ocially ohoso portions of it, such as the leggings and the head-dress ^/hich ore pro- fusely ornamented »vith coloured bead.s n porcu- pme-quill work. The examination ot various parts occupied a considerable time. mode of ascertaining names had been aheady :iCovered, A ROMANCE Oh' THE iCE-WOULD 147 and looks of admiration require no translation, so that the three women were deeply ent^uged in a most interesting talk when Cheenbuk and his father entered the hut after the conference. "Ribs, ribs and shoes! Quick, woman," cried Manf,'ivik cheerily as ho sat down. " Cheenbuk has been talking and I have been hstening till wo are both quite hungry. — That is a pretty girl you have brought homo with you, my son," said tho old man, with a staro of approval. " Almost as pretty as some of our own girls." " Much prettier, I think," returned tho youth, as he quietly selected a rib of walrus that seemed suitable to his capacity. "Tell your mother how you got hold of her," said Mangivik, whoso teeth were next moment fastened in a steak. Cheenbuk mado no reply. Eskimo manners did not require an answer in tho circumstances. But when he had taken the edge off his appetite — and it took a good deal of dental grinding to do that — he looked across at Adolay Avith a genial expression and began to give his mother and sister a second, and much more graphic, edition of tho speech which he had just delivered to tho men. Of course tho narration served to strengthen the bonds of friendship which had already been formed between the Mangivik family and the Indian girl, 148 THE WALRUS HUNTERS who had been thus unexpectedly added to their circle. That evening Nootka bogged her brother to give her a lesson in the Dogrib language. On the same evening, during a moonlight ramble, Adolay asked him to give her a little instruction in the Eskimo tongue, and, just before he retire! for the night, his mother asked him if he intended to take the Indian girl as one of his wives, " You know, mother," was Cheenbuk s reply, " I have always differed from my friends about wives. I think that one wife is enough for one man; sometimes too much for him ! 1 also thhik that if it is fair for a man to choose a woman, it is also fair for ;,he woman to choose the man. I would gladly take Adolay for a wife, for she is good as well as prett}', but I do not know that she would take me for a husband." " Have you not asked her, then ? " persisted Mrs. Man^-ivik. " No. I have been till now her protector. I can wait. If she wants to return to her people I have promised to take her to them." "But surely my son is not bound to keep a promise given to one of our fire-spouting enemies ?" "That may seem right to you, mother, but it seem.? wrong to me. I do not understand why I disagree with you, and with most of my people, but there is something inside of mo which, I think, n- VS-E A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 149 is not me. It tells me not to do many things that I want to do, and sometimes bids mo go forward when I wish to draw back. What it is I cannot tell, but I must not disobey it, I will not dis- obey it." With this answer the old lady had to be content, for she could extract nothing more from her son after that but a smile. As for old Mangivilc, he asked and said nothing, but ho thought much. A few days after Chcenbuk's arrival, it was arranged by the heads of the village that there should be a general scattering of ihe tribe for a great hunt after seals and wild-fowl, as provisions were not so plentiful as might have been desired. An expedition of this kind was always hailed with great glee by Anteek, whoso youth and very excitable disposition were not easily satisfied with the prosaic details of village life. Previous to setting out, however, an event occurred which was wellnigh attended with disastrous consequences. It had been arranged that Chconbuk and his friends Oolalik and Anteek should keep together in their kayaks, accompanied by an oomiak to carry the game. This woman's boat was to be manned, so to speak, by yoimg Uleeta, Cowlik, and two other girls. Adolay had been ottered a place in it, but she preferred going in her o-vn 150 THE WALRUS HUNTERS bark canoe, with the management of which she was familiar. Perhaps a touch of national pride had something to do with this preference of the Indian craft. Nootka, who had made several trials of the canoe, Avas judged sufficiently expert to wield the bow paddle. While preparations were being made, Adolay and Nootka went to the bay where the canoe was lying — a short distance from the village, on the other side of a high clitf that sheltered the bay from any breeze that might blow in from the sea. The light craft was turned bottom up on the beach, and the two girls carried it down to the water's edge. Laimching it, Nootka got in first, and Adolay was preparing to follow when a boyish shout arrested her, and she saw Anteek come skimming round the point in his kayak, wielding his double-bladed paddle with great dexterity and power. In a few seconds the kayak was alongside the canoe and the boy stepped out upon the shore. " Let me try to steer your canoe," he said, point- ing eagerly to the place where the Indian girl was about to scat herself. Although Adolay did not understand the words, she had no difficulty with the boy's expressive pantomime. She nodded assent cheerfully. Anteek took the paddle, stepped into her place, find the girl pushed them off into deep water. Delighted with the novelty of their position the A RO\f ANCE OF THE ICE-WORI-D 151 two paddled away with groat vigour, and wore soon a considerable distance from the shore. Then it occurred to Ado! ay that she would have some fun on her own account, and perhaps give her new friends a surprise. With this intent she floated the kayak and pushed it alongside of a flat stone in the water from which she could step into it. But she found that stepping into a small round hole in the centre of a covered craft was not the same as stepping into her own canoe, and even when, with great care, she succeeded, she found that her garments ren- dered oho process of sitting do^vn rather difficult — not a matter of wonder when we consider that the kayak is meant only for men. However, she succeeded at last, and grasping the paddle pushed off' to sea. But the long paddle with its blade at each end perplexed her greatly, and she had not quite overcome the awkwardness and begun to feel somewhat at ease when .she chanced to touch on a ledge of rock that croj)pcd up at that place near to the surface. Fortunately the rock was quite smooth, else it would have ripped up the skin with which the vessel was covered, but the shock and the paddle together were too much for the inexperienced girl. She lost her balance, and next moment was in the water with the canoe bottom up, and she incapable of extricating hcnself from the hole into which she had squeezed. 152 THE WALRUS HUNTERS It happened that Anteck and Nootka had observed what Adolay was about, and were watch- ing her with interest, so that before the kayak had turned fairly over their paddles dipped with a flash in the water and they rushed to the rescue. And not a moment too soon, for the poor girl's power of endurance was almost exhausted when her friends turned the kayak violently up. This was well, and Adolay drew a long gasping breath ; but now the inexperience of the rescuers came into play, for, being ignorant of the cranky nature of a birch-bark canoe, they acted without the necessary caution, the canoe overturned and they all found themselves in the water. This time Adolay managed to wriggle out of her position, but being imable to swim she could only cling helplessly to the kayak. Nootka, equally helpless, clung to the canoe. Fortunately Anteek could swim like a fish, and bravely set to work to push l)oth crafts towards the shore. But they were a long way out; the weight of the two girls made them difficult to push, and, being separate, they had a tendency to diverge in diUcrcnt directions. After a few vigorous efforts, the boy, perceiving the difficulty and the extreme danger of their position, at once set up a scries of yells that awoke sympathetic echoes in the neighbourhood; but he did not for a moment relax his eflbrts to push his charge towards the shore. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 153 Startled by the sudden outburst of alarming cries, several men ran along shore in the direction whence they came. Foremost among these was the powerful and active Oolalik. On turning the point and seeing Avhat had occurred he plunged into the sea and swam like a dolphin to the rescue. Great was the size of his eyes, and intense the swelling of his heart, when he saw that Nootka was one of the swimmers. "Take care of Addi-lay and the kayak," he remarked to Anteek as he drew near, " I will look after Nootka and the canoe." What Nootka felt on hearing these words we cannot tell, but any one might have seen that, despite her impleasant position, there was a pleased expression on her wet face. A very few minutes more sufficed to bring them all safe to land, and no one was a whit the worse, but as the girls required a complete change of garments, it was finally decided that the lumting ex})cdition should bo postponed until the following day. 154 THE WALRUS HUNTERS CHAPTER XIV. IN THK WILD- WOODS AGAIN. While these events were taking place among the isl.ands of the Arctic sea, the Indian chief Nazinred was slowly pushing his canoe southward in the direction of Great Bear Lake. He was ac- companied, as we have said, by three like-minded comrades, one of whom was named Mozwa — or Moose-dccr — from some fancied resemblance in him to that uncouth animal. But Mozwa, although uncouth, was by no means ungenial. On the contrary, he was a hearty good- natured fellow, who always tried to make the best of things, and never gave Avay to despondency, however gloomy or desperate might be the nature of his circumstances. Moreover, he was a big strong man, full of courage, in the prime of life, and modest withal, so that he was usually rather inclined to take than to give advice — to be led, rather than to load. For hours together these men dipped their paddles over the side in concert, without uttering a single word, or giving more than a slight ex- A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 155 clamation when anything worthy of notice attracted their attention. The interchange of thought during the labours of the day did not seem to strike them as necessary. The mere being in company of each other was a sufficient bond of symimtliy, until an encampment was reached each evening, supper disposed of, and the tobacco-pipes in full blast. Then, at last, their native reserve gave way, and they ventured to indulge a little — sometimes a good deal — in the feast of reason and the flow of soul. Yet the nature of their voyage was such that white men might have deemed verbal intercourse an occasional necessity, as their route lay through much rugged and wild scenery, where the streams up which they had to force their way were in some places obstructed by rapids and shallows, and a mistake on their part might have brought sudden disaster and ruin. For their canoe was deeply laden with the furs which they had secured during the labours of the past winter, and on the sale of which to the fur-traders depended much of their and their families' felicity or misery during the winter which was to come. But the steersman and bow-man understood their work so well, and were so absolutely in accord, that the slightest action with the paddle on the part of either was understood and sympathetically Tnet by the other. 156 THE WALRUS HUNTERS This unity of action is much :noro important than the navigators of lakes and oceans may suppose. In those almost currentless waters a steersman in any craft is usually self-sufficient, but among turbulent rapids, where rocks and shoals lie in all directions, and the deep-water track is tortuous, Avith, it may bo, abrupt turnings here and there, a bow-man is absolutely essential, and sometimes, indccl, may become the more important steersman of the two. One evening, long after the period when they left their native encampment, the friends paddled their little vessel into the backwater at the foot of a long rapid which roared in foaming white billows right ahead of them, oflFcring what seemed an effectual barrier to their further progress — at least by water — and as the sides of the gorge through which the river rushed were almost per- pendicular, without margin and with impenetrable bush everywhere, advance by land seemed equally blocked. Looking backward, Mozwa gave his friend an interrogative glance. Nazinred replied with an affirmative nod, and, all four dipping their paddles vigorously at the same moment, they shot out into the stream. Almost before the canoe was caught by the current it swung quickly into another eddy, which carried it up a few yards close under the frowning cliffs. Here again the Indians paused, A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 157 and gazed earnestly at the Ibaining torrent ahead, which, to an unpractised eye, might have seemed a raging flood, to enter which would ensure destruction. And indeed the two guides seemed to entertain some such thoughts, for they continued to gaze for a considerable time in silent inaction. Then the bow-man threw back another glance; the steersman rei^lied with another nod, and again the canoe shot out into the stream. This time the struggle was more severe. A short distance above the point where they entered it, a largo rock reared its black head in mid-stream. Below it there was the usual long stretch of back- water. To reach the tail of this stretch was the object of the men, but the mtervening rush was so powerful that it swept them do^vn like a cork, so that they almost missed it despite their utmost efforts. " Almost," however, is a hopeful phrase. They were not quite beyond the influence of the eddy when they reached the end of the tail. A super- human effort might yet save them from being swept back to the point far below that from which they had started. Mozwa was just the man to make such an effort. Nazinred and the others were pre-eminently the men to back him up. " Ho ! " cried Mozwa. " Hoi ! " shouted Nazinred, as they bent their 158 TUE WALRUS HUNTERS backs and cracked tlioir sinews, and made the big veins stand up on their necks and foreheads, A tew seconds more and the canoo was floating under the shelter of the black-headed rock, and the Indians rested while they surveyed the battle- ground yet before them. The next reach carried them right across the river to a place where a long bend produced a considerable sweep of eddying water, up which they paddled easily. Above this, one or two short bursts into the tails caused by nearly sunken rocks brought them to a point full half-way up the rapid. But noAv greater caution was needed, because anything like a miss would send them downward, and might hurl them with destructive force against the rocks and ledges which they had already passed. A birch-bark canoo is an ex-, ceedingly tender craft, which is not only certain of destruction if it strikes a rock, but is pretty sure of being swamped if it even grazes one. With the utmost care, therefore, and consum- mate skill, they succeeded in pushing up the rapid, inch by inch, without mishap, until they reached the last shoot, when their skill or good fortune, or whatever it was, failed them, for they missed the last eddy, were swept downwards a few yards, and just touched a rock. It was a very slight touch. A boatman would have smiled at it ; nevertheless it drew from the Indians A UOMANCK OF THE ICE-WOULD 159 "ho's!" iind "hoi's!" such as they had not given vent to since the voyage began. At the same time they rushed the canoe, with all their strength, for the nearest point ul" land. They were scarcely a minute in reaching it, yet in that brief space of tinio their craft had almost sunk, a large piece of the bark having been torn from its side. The instant they touched land the two leaders stepped quickly out, and, while they held the craft close to the bank, their comrades threw out the bundles of fur as fast as possil)lo. Then the canoe was turned over to empty it, and carried up the bank. "That is good luck," said Mozwa quietly, as they stood looking at the large hole in the canoe. "I have seen better luck," remarked Nazinred, with something that might almost have been mistaken for a smile on his grave countenance. Mozwa did not explain. Nazinred knew that the luck referred to was the fact that before the accident occurred they had surmounted all the difficulties of the rapid, and that the place on which they stood was convenient for camping on, as well as for opening out and drying the furs on the following day. And Mozwa kncAv that Naz- mred knew all that. While the latter kindled a fire, arranged the camp, and prepared supper under a spreading tree, 160 THE WALRUS HUN'rEllS the former mended the canoe. The process was simple, and soon eomi)leLod. I'rom a roll of birch bark, always carried in canoes for snch emergencies, Mo>5wa cut oil' a piece a little lar<,'er than the hole it was designed to patch. With this ho covered the injured place, and sewed it to tho canoe, using an awl as a needle and tho split roots of a trco as thread. Thereafter ho plastered tho seams over with gum to make them water-tight, and the whole job was finished by the time tho other men had got supper ready. Indians are in the habit of eating supper in what may bo styled a business-like manner — they " mean business," to use a familiar phrase, when they sit down to that meal. Indeed, most savages do; it is only civilised dyspeptics who don't. When the seriousness of tho business began to wear of!', tho idea of mental effort and lingual connnumication occurred to the friends. Hitherto their eyes alone had spoken, and these expressive orbs had testified, as plainly as could tho tongue, to tho intense gratification they derived from the possession of good appetites and plenty of food " I thinl-.," said Mozwa, wiping his mouth with that fturiiUar handkerchief — the back of his hand— "that there will be trouble in the camp before long, for when you are away that beast Magadar has too much power. He will try A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WOULD 161 to nmko our young uion go with hiui to fight the Eskimos ! " It must not bo supposed that the Indian applied tho word " beast" to Magadar in that oLjectionablo and slangy way in which it is used among our- selves. Indians happily havo no slang. They are not civilised enough for that. Mozwa merely meant to express his opinion that AFagadar's nature was more allied to that of tho lower than of tho higher animals. " Yes, and Alizay will encourage him," returned Nazinrcd, with a frown. " The man is well named." This remark about tho name had reference to the word Alizay, which means gunpowder, and which had been given to the Indian in his boyhood because of his fiery and quarrelsome disposition. " The geeso and tho ducks are in plenty just now," continued Nazinred; "I hope that ho and Magadar will bo more taken up with filling their mouths than fighting till I return — and then I can hinder them." "H'm!" responded Mozwa. Ho might have said more, but was busy lighting his pipe at the moment. Nazinred made no further remark at tho time, for he was in tho full enjoyment of the first voluminous exhalation of the weed. After a few minutes the chief resumed — " Our old chief is full of the right spirit. He is L 162 THE WALRUS HUNTERS losing power with the young men, but I think he can still guide them. I will hope so, and wo will retu: n as soon as we can." Poor Nazinred ! If ho had known that his only and beloved daughter, even while he spoiio, was on her way to the mysterious icy sea in company with one of the despised Eskimos — driven away by the violence of the fire-eaters of the camp — he would not have smoked or spoken so calmly. But, fortunately for his own peace of mind, he did not know — he did not dream of the possibility of such a catastrophe; and even if he had known and returned homo at full tipccd, he would have been too late to prevent the evil. For a long time these Indian!> lay side by side on their outspread blankets, with their feet to the fire, gazing through the branches at the stars, and puffing away in profound silence, but probably d<.ep thought. At least a sudden exclamation by Mozwa warrants that conclusion. " You tiunk," ho said, " that our old chief has the right spirit. How do you know what is the right spirit? Alizay and Magadar, and many of our braves — especially the young ones — think that a fiery spirit, that flares tip like powder, and is always ready to light, is the right one. You and our old chief think that gentleness and forbear- ance and unwillingness to fight till you cannot help it is the right spirit. How do you know A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 163 which is right? You and the war-lovers cannot both bo rij,^ht ! " There was an expression of great perplexity on the Indian's face as he uttered the last sentence. " My son," replied Nazinred, who, although not much older than his companion, assumed the parental role in virtue of his chieftainship, " how do you know that you are alive ? " This was such an unexpected answer that Mozwa gazed fixedly upwards for a few minutes without making any reply. " I know it," he said at length, " because I — I — know it. I — I fed it." " How do you know," continued the chief, with perplexing pertinacity, "that the sun is not the moon ? " Again Mozwa became astronomically meditative. " Because I see it and feel it," he replied. " The sun is brighter and warmer. It cheers mo more than the moon, and gives jne more light, and warms me. It Avarms the bushes and flowers too, and makes them grow, and it draws the beasts out of their holes. Even a rabbit knows the difference between the sun and the moon." "My son," returned Nazinred, "I have not lived A'cry long yet, but I have lived long enough to see, and feel, and know that the kind spirit is the righ*^. spirit, because it warms the heart, and opens the eyes, and gives light, and it is the only spirit 164 THE WALRUS HUNTERS that can make friends of foes. Is it not better to live at peace and in goodwill with all men than to live as enemies ? " " Ho ! " responded Mozwa, by way of assent, "Then the peaceful spirit is the right one," rejoined the chief, with a long-drawn sigh that indicated a tendency to close the discussion. As Mozwa felt himself to be in a somewhat con- fused mental condition, he echoed the sigh, laid down his pipe, drew his blanket round him, and, without the formality of " Good-night," resigned himself to repose. Nazinred, after taking' a look at the weather, pondering, perchance, on the probabilities of the morrow, and throwing a fresh log on the fire, also wrapped his blanket round him and lost himself in slumber. A ROMANCE OP THE lCE-nORLt> 165 CHAPTER XV. WILD DOINGS OF THK FUR-TRADKRS AND RED MEN. In course of time, after many a hard struggle with rushing rapids and not a few narrow escapes from dangerous rocks, the Indian voyagers swept out at last upon the broad bosom of Great Bear Lake. This mighty inland sea of fresh water — about two himdred miles in diameter, and big enough to engulf the greater part of Scotland — was, at the time wo write of, and still is, far beyond the out- most verge of civilisation, in the remotest iolitudes of the Great Lone Land. Here the fur-traders had established a small trading post close to the shores of the lake. It was in charge of a Scotchman — we had almost said of course ; for it would seem as if these hardy dwellers in the north of our island have a special gift for penetrating into and inhabiting the wildest and most unlikely parts of the world. His name was MacSweenio, and ho had a few Orkneymen and half-castes to keep him company while vege- tating there. 166 The walrtjs hunters It was a sort of event, a mild excitement, a pink- ifnot a red-letter day, when our Indians arrived at that lonely outpost, and RIacSweenie, who was in the prime of life and the depths of ennui, gave the strangers a hearty and warm reception. Nazinred had been there before, and was able somewhat to subdue his feelings of admiration and not-quite-cxhausted surprise at all the wonder- ful thin^'js he saw ; but to the others it was com- parativel}' new, and Mozwa had never been a^ a trading-post in his life. Being a sympathetic man, he found it difficult to retain at all times that solemnity of manner and look which he knew was expected of him. The chief, who was also sjma pathetic, experienced deep pleasure in watching his companion's face, and observing the efforts he made to appear indifferent, knowing, as he did, from former experience, that he must in reality be full of surprise and curiosity. And, truly, in the store of the fur- traders there was a disj^lay of wealth which, to unaccustomed Indian eyes, must have seemed almost fabulous. For were there not in thip enchanted castle bales of bright blue cloth, and bright scarlet cl(ith, and various other kinds of cloth sufficient to clothe the entire Dogrib nation ? Were there not guns enough — cheap flint-lock, blue-barrelled ones — to make all the Eskimos in the polar regions look blue with envy, if not with fear ? Were there not A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 167 bright beads and brass rings, and other baubles, and coloured silk thread, enough to make the hearts of all the Dogrib squaws to dance with joy ? Were there not axes, aiid tomahawks, and scalping-knivcs enough to make the lingers of the braves to itch for war ? Were there not hooks and lines enough to capture all the fish in Great Bear Lake, and " nests " of copper kettles enough to boil them all at one tremendous culinary operation? And was there not gunpowder enough to blow the fort and all its contents into unrecognisable atoms ? Yes, there was enough in that store fully to account for the look (»!' awe-stricken wonder which overspread the visage of Mozwa, and for the re- strained tendency to laughter which taxed the solenjn Nazinred considerably. " "V ou are fery welcome,"' said MacSwcenie, as he ushered tlic chief and Mozwa into the store the day after their arrival. " We hev not seen one o' your people for i any a day ; an' it 's thinking I wa; 3 that you would be forgettin' us altogether. Tell them that, Tonal'. " Tonal' (or Donald) Mowat was MacSwoenie's intfirpreter and factotum. He was a man of middle age and middle height, but by no mc-ns middle ca})acity. Having left his native hoaie in Orkney while yet a youth, he had spent the greater part of his life in the "Nor'-W'.rft," and had proved himself to bo one of those quick learners anl 168 THE WALRUS HUNTEUS generally handy follows, who, because of their aptitude to pick up many trades, aro too com- monly supposed to be masters of none. Mowat, besides being a first-rate blacksmith, had picked up the Indian language, after a fashion, from the Crees, and French of a kind from the Canadian half-castes, and even a smattering of Gaelic from the few Scotch Highlanders in the service. He could use the axe as well as forge it, and, in short, could turn his hand to almost anything. Among other things, he could play splendidly on the violin — an instrument which he styled a fiddle, and which MacSwccnie called a "fuddle." His repertoire was neither extensive nor select. If you had asked for something of Beethoven or Mozart he would have opened his eyes, perhaps also his mouth. But at a strathspey or the Reel o' Tulloch he was almost equal to Neil Gow himself — so ad- mirable were his tune and time. In a lonesome land, Avhere anuisements are few and the nights long, the power to " fuddle " counts for nuich. Besides being MacSweenic's interpreter, Donald was also his storekeeper. " Give them both a quid, Tonal', to begin with," said MacS weenie. " It iss always politic to keep Indians in good humour." Donald cut oft" two long pieces of Canada twist and handed it to them. He cut them from a roll, which was large enough, in the estimation of \ A UOMANCE OK THE ICE-WOULt) 169 Mozwa, to liist a reasonable smoker to the crack of (loom. Tlicy received the gift with an expression of approval. It would have been beneath their dignity to have allowed elation or gratitude to appear in their manner. "Solemn humbugs!" thought the trader, — "ye know that you 're as pleased as Punch," but he was careful to conceal his thoughts. "Now, then, let us hcv a look at the furs." It took the trader and his assistant some time to examine the furs and put a price on them. The Indians had no resource but to accept their dictum on the point, for there Avere no rival markets there. Moreover, the value being fixed according to a regular and well-understood tariff, and the trader being the servant of a Company with a fixed salary, there was no temptation to unfair action on his part. When the valuation was completed a number of goose-quills were handed to the Indians — each quill representing a sum of about two shillings — whereby each man had a fair notion of the extent of his fortune. " What iss ic voi; will bo wanting now ? " said the trader, addressing himself to Nazinrod with the air of a man whoso powers of production are illimitable. But the chief did not reply for some time. It was not every day that he went shopping, and he was not to be hurried. His own personal wants 170 THE WALRUS HUNTERS had to bo considered with relation to the pile of quill-wealth at his elbow, and, what was of far greater importance and difficulty to a kind man, the wants of his squaw and Adolay had also to be thought of. Mozwa, having loft a squaw, two little daughters, and a very small son, had still greater dif^cultics to contend with. But they both faced them like men. " Pasgissegan," said both men, at length, simul- taneously. " I thought so," observed the trader, with a smile, as he selected two trade-guns — the fire-spouters of the Eskimo — and handed them across the counter. The Indians received the weapons with almost tender care ; examined them carefully ; took long and steady aim at the windows several times; snapped the flints to make sure that the steels were good, and, generally, inspected every detail connected with them. Being satisfied, they rested them against the wall, the trader withdrew tho price of the guns from the two little piles, threw the quills into an empty box under the counter, and looked — if he did not say, " What next ? " Powder, shot, and ball came next, and then the means of hunting and self-defence having been secured, beads and scarlet cloth for the women claimed their attention. It was an interesting sight to see these tall, dark-skinned sons of the forest handling the cloth and fingering \ A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 171 the various articles with all the gravity and de- liberation of experts, with now and then a low- toned comment, or a quiet question as to the price. " You '11 want that," suggested Mowat, as he threw a small thick blanket — quite a miniature blanket — towards Mozwa, "your small boy will want it," " Ho ! " exclaimed the Indian, with a look of surprise in spite of himself, " how do you know ? " "I didn't know. I only guessed; but your question shows me I 'in right. Any more ? " " Yes, two more, but bigger." " Of course bigger, for it 's not likely they were all born at the same time," returned Mowat, with a grin. "What iss this man wantin', Tonal'? I can't make him out at all," asked MacSwcjnic. It was found that Nazinrcd had been pointing with eager pertinacity at something lying on one of the shelves which had caught his eye, but the name of which he did not know. " Oh ! I see," added the trader, " it iss a cocktail feather you want." " Yes, for my daughter," exclaimed the Indian as he received the feather and regarded it with some uncertainty — as well he might, for the feather in question was a thing of brilliant scarlet made up of many feathers, — rigid and over a foot in height. 172 The waluos huntf.hs " It 's not a good plaything for a child," remarked Mowat. " My daughter is not a child — she is a woman." "Wow, man," said MacSwccnio, " tell him that feather i.s not for a woman. It iss for a man." The Indian, however, needed no explanation. That which had captivated him at a distance lost its attraction on closer examination. He rejected it with quiet indillercnco, and turned his eyes to something not less attractive, but more useful — a a web of brilliant light-blue cloth. He was very fond of Adolay,. rmd had made up his mind to take back to her a gift which she would be certain to like. Indeed, to make sure of this, ho determined to take to her a variety of presents, so that among tlicm all she would bo sure to find something to her taste. In this way the Indians spent several days at the " fort " of the traders on Great Bear Lake, and then prepared to return homo with a canoe-load of goods instead of furs. Before leaving, however, they had a specimen of one of the ways in which fur-traders in those lonely regions of the far north enjoy themselves. The whole establishment consisted of the ofilcer in charge— MacS weenie —his interpreter Donald Mowat, and seven men — two of whom wore French Canadians, two half-castes, and three Orkneymen. There were also three women, two being wives of A HOMANCE OF THE ICE-WOULD 173 the men from Orkney, and one the wife of one of the half-castes. The greater part of the day previous to that on which they were to set out on the return voyage, Nazinred and Mozwa spent in testing the quality of their new guns in company with MacS weenie, who took his faithful Donald Mowat with him, partly to assist in carrying the game, and partly for interpreting purposes. And a superb testing- ground it was, for the swampy spots and mud flats were alive with wild-fowl of all kinds, from the lively sandpiper to the great Canada grey goose, while the air was vocal with their whistling wings and trumpet cries, so that, whether they walked among the shrubs and sedges, or sat in ambush on the rocky points, ample opportunity was afforded to test the weapons as well as the skill of the owners. The beginning of the day, however, was not quite satisfactory. They had scarcely proceeded more than a few hundred yards from the fort when a flock of ducks was observed flying low and straight towards them. "Down, man, quick!" exclaimed MacS weenie, crouching behind a large bush. " You will get a goot ciiance, and the gun will kill if ye point straight, for the trade-guns are fery goot, the most of — wow ! " The sudden end of his remark was caused by Nazinred tiring, and thereafter rising with the 'iu ^>2%.%^^..% IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^ T A ^"o C/j 1.0 I.I tiit2S 12.5 i ^ IIIIIM u ,_ MUu II 1.8 11.25 111.4 11.6 °m V I' isviv.. Photographic Sdences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ^^ I 174 THE WALRUS HUNTERS shattered fragments of the gun in his hand, and a Httle blood trickling from one of his fingers, while an expression of stern perplexity overspread his visage. "Well, now, that iss most extraordinary," said the trader, examining the weapon. "I hev not seen such a thing for years. To be sure, they are cheap and made of cast-iron, but they seldom burst like that, an' they usually shoot straight, whatever ! — Tell him, Tonal', that he need not concern himself, for I will give him another." On this being translated, Nazinred seemed content, and began to examine his hurt, which by good fortune was a slight one. " It might have been worse," remarked Mowat gravely ; " I 've seen many a man in this country with a short allowance of finger-joints from the same cause." " What you observe is fery true, Tonal'," said the trader, with a serious air, "it might have been worse. There was a bit of the barrel Avent past my head that fery nearly put me on a short allowance of life. But come with nio to the store an' we will choose a better one." Half an hour sufficed to select another fowling- piece, which stood all the tests to which it was subjected, and as evening was about to close in the whole party returned well laden with game, and thorouglily pleased with the weapons. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 175 Meanwhile the men of the estabhshment had been variously employed, cutting and hauling firewood, attending the nets, etc., while the women had been busy making moccasins and mending garments. The cook — an Orkney man — had made extensive preparations for a feast, but this was a secret between him and MacSweenie; the latter being fond of occasionally giving his people a surprise-treat. It was not indeed easy to surprise them at that time with unusually good food, for the land was swarming with spring life, and they daily enjoyed the fiit of it. 13ut there were some little delicacies which were not to bo had every day in the Avilderness of the far north. Among them was a round object about the shape, size, and consistency of a large cannon ball, which was tied up in a cloth and seemed to require an hnmenso amount of boiling. The smell of this was delicious, and, when ultimately turned out of its cloth it presented a Avhitoy -brown mottled appearance which was highly suggestive. The cook also had a peculiar talent for making cakes, which no Nor'- Wester could imitate, but which any Nor'- Wester in the land could eat. There were other trifles which it would take too long to menti<-)n, and large pots of tea which it would not take very long to drink. That was all the drink they had, happily, for strong young 176 THE WALRUS HUNTERS people with high spirits do not require strong spirits to keep their spirits up ! After the feast, the tables and chairs were cleared away from the central, or reception, hall of the fort, and preparations were made for spend- ing a harmonious evening ; for, you see, stout people, in the prime of life, who have not damaged themselves with strong drink, find it difficult to exhaust their energies by means of an ordinary day's work. " Now, Tonal'," said MacSweenie, " get out your fuddle an' strike up." "The ladies have not finished their tea yet, sir," replied the interpreter. "Nefer mind that. Just let them hear the strains of Lord Macdonald's Keel, an' you '11 make them chump whether they will or no." Thus encouraged, Mowat began, and sure enough there was something so inspiriting in the tuneful tones, the vigorously indicated time, and the lively air, that the excited Highlander gave a whoop that throw Indian war-cries quite into the shade, seized one of the " ladies " by an arm and unceremoniously led her to the middle of the floor. The cook, who was used to his master's ways, led out one of the other ladies in a similar free-and-easy manner, and soon two couples were thundering on the boards in all the glorious abandon of a Scotch reel. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 177 They danced nothing but Scotch reels, for the good reason that none of them could dance any- thing else. Indeed, none of them, except Mac- S weenie, could dance even these in correct fashion; but the reel, like the Scotch character, is adaptable. It lends itself to circumstances, if we may say so, and admits of the absolutely ignorant being pushed, trundled, shoved or kicked through at least a semblance of it, which to the operators is almost as good as the reality. Nazinrcd and Mozwa had never seen anything of the kind before, or heard the strains of a "fuddle." It may well be imagined, therefore, what was the condition of their minds. Native reticence stood them in good stead for a consider- able time, though, in spite of it, their eyes opened to an extent that was unusual; but as the fun became faster and more furious, their grave features relaxed, their mouths expanded, their teeth began to show, and they looked at each other with the intent, probably, of saying "We never even dreamed of such things." But that look ^vrought a transformation, for when each beheld the other's grin of unwonted levity he burst into a short laugh, then, becoming ashamed of themselves, they suddenly resumed their ex- pressions of owlish gravity, froLi which they could not again be driven until a late period of the evening. 178 THE WALRUS IIUNTEIIS Frequent slices of the mottled cannon ball, however, and unlimited mugs of highly-sugared tea, had the effect of thawing them down a little, but nothing could induce them to dance. Next morning they were up by daybreak and ready to start for the farther north. "Now mind," said MacSweenio, through his interpreter, " don't you be fechtin' wi' the Eskimos. Dance wi' them if ye will, but don't fecht. Better try an' trade wi' them. An' be sure ye bring some more o' your people wi' you the next time you come here. We'll be gled to see you. The more the merrier." How Donald Mowat translated these words we cannot tell. Perhaps he added to them a few sentiments of his own. However that may be, it is certain that the Indians bade their enter- tainers farewell with feelings of hearty good-will, and, leaving the lonely outpost behind them, set off on the return journey to their wilderness home. ■ A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 179 CHAPTER XVI. SORROWS AND SINS, AND A BOLD ADVENTURE, It was autumn before Nazinred and Mozwa drew near to their village. They took things leisurely on the return voyage, for, as Indians have little else to do besides hunt, trap, fish, eat, and sleep, they have no particular inducement to hurry their movements. It is true that, being affectionate men, they were naturally anxious to rejoin their families, but being also steady-going, with considerable powers of self-denial, they were good men-of-businese, from a savage point of view, and gave leisurely attention to the duties in hand. On arriving at the outskirts of their village, they were surprised to see that one or two children who were playing among the bushes, and who could not have failed to see them, slunk away as if to avoid a meeting. Whatever anxiety the men might have felt, their bronzed and stern countenances betrayed no sign whatever. Land- ing near the old chief's hut they drew up their 180 THE WALRUS HUNTERS canoe and Nazinrcd and Mozwa went to announce their arrival. It was contrary to Indian etiquette to betray excitement, or to ask hasty questions. They sakitcd the old man, handed him a plug of tobacco, and sat down to smoke, and it was not till some time had elapsed that Nazinred calmly asked if Isquay was well. " Isaquay is well," replied the old chief, and a barely perceptible sigh of relief escaped Nazin- red. Then Mozwa asked about his wife and received a satisfactory answer. Still, it was obvious to both men, from the old chief's manner, that there was something wrong. " Adolay "... said the old man, and stopped. " Dead ? " asked Nazinred, Avith a look of alarm that he did not attempt to conceal. " No, not dead — but gone away," he replied, and then related in detail the circumstances of the girl's disappearance. It nuist have been a terrible blow to the poor father, all the more that he was ignorant at the time of the girl's motive for forsaking her home. But no vestige of feeling did he betray, save a slight contraction of his brows and a nervous play of his fingers about the handle of his scalping-knife. When the recital was ended he made no reply, but, rising slowly, left the hut and wont to his own home. We will not follow him thither : there are A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WOULD 181 some home-comings which are better left unde- scribed. But next day Nazinrcd relaunched his canoe, and, with a small quantity of provisions and a large supply of ammunition, set off alone for the shores of the Arctic Sea. What he told his wife is not known, but he gave no explanation what- ever to any of his comrades as to his intentions. Arrived at the coast, however, his further advance was rendered impossible by a sharp frost which created the first thin crust that was ultimately destined to turn the sea into thick ice. As even the thinnest coat of ice would be certain destruc- tion to birch bark, the canoe, he was well aware, was now useless. He therefore returned home, and quietly engaged in the ordinary hunting and fish- ing occupation of his tribe, but from that date ho sank into a state of silent despair, from which his most intimate companions failed to rouse him. Not that ho gave expression to his feelings by word or look. It was long-continued silence and want of interest in anything that told of the sorrow that crushed him. It is probable that the fact of Adolay being capable of forsaking her parents in such a way tended to increase the grief occasioned by her loss. But he spoke of his feelings to no one — not even to his wife. Mozwa, who was very fond of his friend, and pitied him sincerely, made no attempt to comfort 182 THE WALRUS HUNTEUS hi him, for he knew the nature of the man too well to think that by any words he could assuage his sorrow. All the fine things that Nazinred had brought home, and with which ho had hoped to rejoice the hearts of his wife and child, were utterly neglected. He let Isquay do what she pleased with them. The only thing that seemed to com- fort him was the tobacco, for that, he found, when smoked to excess, blunted the edge of his feelings. He therefore gave himself up to the unlimited use of this sedative, and would no doubt have become, like many others, a willing slave to the pipe, but for the fortunate circumstance that the supply of tobacco was limited. As the autumn advanced, the diminishing quantity warned him to restrain himself. He eked it out by mixing with it a kind of leaf much used by Indians for this purpose, but which, by itself, was not considered worth smoking. Even with this aid, however, he was compelled to curtail the indulgence; then the weed failed altogether, and he was finally induced to engage in philosophical meditations as to the folly of creating a needless desire which could not be gratified. The unsatisfied craving, coupled Avith the injury to his health, added considerably to the grief with which he was already oppressed. He had a powerful constitution, however. The enforced abstinence soon began to tell in his c. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 183 favour, and he actually had the courage, not to say Avisdom, to refuse occasional pipes offered him by Mozwa when he chanced to visit his friend. As that friend had not the loss of an only child to mourn, but, on the contrary, was called upon to rejoice in the addition of a new baby, the fine things that he had brought home were the cause of great satisfaction to his family. But alas! Mozwa, although almost perfect, for a savage, had one fault — one besetting sin and moral disease — ' he gambled ! We almost hear the exclamation of surprise, if not doubt, Avith which our reader receives this information. Yes; North American Indians are gamblers ; many of them are confirmed gamblers. They do not indeed affect anything so intellectual as chess or so skilful as billiards, but they have a game to the full as intellectual and scientific as that rouge et noir of Monaco with which highly cultivated people contrive to rob each other by mutual consent, and without being ashamed! Their game is not unknown to the juveniles of our own land. It goes by the name " odd-or- even." The manner of conducting the game varies a little here and there in its details, but its principle is the same everywhere : " I want your possessions, and get them 1 will, by hook or crook ! I couldn't 184 THE WALRUS I1UNTER3 think of robbing you — no ; tlicro might bo jail or penal survitiulo on the back of that ; and I won't accept your gifts — good gracious, no ! that would involve the loss of self-respect. No, no. Let us humbug each other. I will rob you if I can, and you will rob me if you can, and wo '11 nmtually agree to throw dust in each other's eyes and call it 'play' ! Nothing, surely, could be fairer than that !" Of course poor Mozwa did not reason thus. Ho was not cultured enough for that. In fact, ho did not reason at all about the matter, as far as we know, but there can be no cpiestion that the poor fellow was smitten with the disease of covetous- ness, and instead of seeking for a euro, like a manly savage, ho adopted the too civilised plan of en- couraging and excusing it. Aware of his propensities, Mrs. Mozwa was much too knowing to allow the goods and trinkets destined for herself and family to remain in his power. She at onco appropriated them, and secreted such of them as sho did not require for present use. But there were articles which she could not well treat in that way with any shadow of excuse: for instance, the gun, powder and shot, bows and arrows, tobacco and pipes, hatchets and scalping-knives, blankets and masculine gar- ments, which were in daily use. These were frequently lost and re-won before winter had fairly begun, but Mozwa was too fond of the ex- A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 185 citomont of gambling to imiko desperate ventures all at once. Ho liked to spin it out. One night ho had what is styled a " run of bad luck." Being in something of a reckless mood, ho went to visit a young friend who was as fond of gambling as himself, and took most of his worldly possessions with him. Tho friend, with a number of companions, was seated beside tho wigwam firo, and quite ready to begin. Taking a button, or somo such object, in his hand, and putting both hands behind his back, tho friend began to bob his head and shoulders up and down in an idiotic fashion, at the same time chanting in a sing-song monotone, " Ho yo, yo ho, hi ya yoho ! " for a consitterablo length of time, while Mo/wa staked his blanket, a fine thick green one, purchased at Great Bear Lake. We forgot tho friend's stake, but it was probably supposed to bo an equivalent. Suddenly tho yo-ho'ing ceased, both hands, tightly closed, were brought to tho front, and the whole party gazed at Mozwa with intense expecta- tion. Ho was not long in making up his mind. Ho pointed to tho left hand. It wios opened, and found to bo empty ! Tho blanket was lost. Back went tho hands again, and tho "yo-ho'ing" was continued. Tho now gun was tho next stake. It also was lost ; and thus the game was carried on far into tho night, with smaller stakes, until Mozwa 186 THE WALRUS HUNTERS had lost almost all that he had brought with him — gun, blanket, pipes, tobacco, flint and stcol, firo- bag, and even his coat, so that he walked home a half-naked and nearly ruined man ! But ruin in the wilderness of North America is not usually so thorough as it often is in civilised lands, owing partly to the happy circumstance that strong drink does not come into play and complete the moral destruction, as well as the physical, which gambling had begun. The char- acter therefore, although deteriorated, is not socially lost. The nature of property, also, and the means of acquiring it, render recovery more easy. When Mozwa returned home minus his new blanket and the beautiful deerskin coat which his wife had made and richly ornamented for him with her own brown hands while he was away, he found his old coat and his old blanket ready for him. The old gun, too, was available still, so that he was not altogether disabled from attending to the duties of the chase, and in a short time afterwards, " luck " being in his favour, he had won back some of his lost posscsriions. But ho was too often in that fluctuating state of alternating excitement and depression which is the invariable accompaniment, in a greater or less degree, of the gambler's sin, whether carried on in the depths of the Arctic wilderness, the well-named " hells " of London, or the gilded salons of Monaco. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 187 " You are a fool," said Nazinrcd one day to his friend — for even among savages there are plain- spoken familiar friends gifted with common sense enough to recognise folly, and spiritual honesty to point it out and warn against it. " Why does my brother say so ? " asked Mozwa, who was not in the least offended by the observa- tion. " Because you gain nothing by all your gaining except trouble and ex( itement, and sometimes you gain loss. Here you are, now, obliged to take to your old gun, whoso flint will hardly strike fire more than four times out of ten; you are obliged to wrap yourself in the old blanket full of holes ; and you come to me to borrow powder and ball." "That is true," replied Mozwa, with a look of self-condemnation. "But," he added, with a sort of brightly apologetic glance, "sometimes I win, and then I am well off, and it is Magadar who is the fool." " Does it make you less of a fool because Maga- dar is one also ? Are you comforted to-day, in your poverty, by the thought that you were well ott" yesterday ? " Mozwa's bright 'glance faded slowly. He was no match for his friend in argument, and, pos- sessing an honest spirit, the look of self-condem- nation began to creep again over his visage, but, 188 THE WALRUS HUNTERS being of a sanguine temperament and hopeful nature, the bright glance returned suddenly. "Wisdom falls from the lips of my brother," he said. "I^vas well off yesterday and I am badly off to-day, but I may be well off again to-morrow — if I have good luck." " Yes, and if Magadar has bad luck ? " returned his friend. "You cannot both have good luck. Whatever one gains the other must lose — and so it goes on. Should wise men act thus ? " Mozwa was silent. His friend had never before spoken to him in this way. Indeed, no member of the tribe had ever before given utterance to such curious opinions. He knew not what to reply, and Nazinred relapsed into the moody silence which had characterised him more or less since he became aware of his daughter's departure. The short autumn of those Hyperborean regions having passed away, the land was speedily locked in a garment of ice and snow, and the long stern winter began. It was not long before all the lakes and rivers set fast. At i rst only the lakes solidified, then the more sluggish streams, while the rapids showed out inky black by contrast. Gradually the liquid margins of these were encroached on by the irre- sistible frost, until they were fairly bridged over, and their existence was only recalled to memory by hollow rumblings below the ice. At last the A ROMANCE OF THE ICE- WORLD 189 intensity of the cold overcame the salt sea itself; the floes, hummocks, and bergs became imited into one universal mass, and every sign of liquid disappeared from the polar regions. It was when this condition of things had arrived that the heart-crushed Nazinrcd proceeded to carry out a plan over which he had been brooding ever since his return from Great Bear Lake. His in- quiries had led him to believe that the Eskimo who had carried oft' his child belonged to the tribe which had recently been pursued by his compatriots, and that they probably dwelt among the islands, some of which were seen, and others known to exist, off the Arctic coast opposite the mouth of the Grey- goose River. Moreover, a faint hope, that he would have found it difficult to define, was aroused by the fact that the kidnapper of his child had formerly been the rescuer of his wife. As we have seen, his first attempt to go off in his canoe in search of Adolay was frustrated by young ice forming on the sea, and for a consider- able tune afterwards the Arctic Sea was impass- able to any kind of craft. Now that the sea had set fast, however, his difticulty was removed, and he resolved to undertake the journey on foot. Well he knew that no man of his tribe, not even Mozwa, would agree to accompany him on such a wild-goose chase. He therefore not only refrained from making to any of them the proposal, but 190 THE WALRUS HUNTERS avoided any allusion to his intentions. Knowing also that Isquay was gifted with such an intense desire for sympathy that she could not resist com- municating whatever she knew to a few of her dearest friends — in tli strictest confidence — ho did not mention the matter to her until all his preparations were completed. Then he told her. Like a good submissive squaw, she made no objection, though the expression of her face showed that she felt much anxiety. "Who goes with you ?" she asked. " No one." "Is it wise to go alone?" she ventured to sug- gest. "It may not bo wise, but no one would go with me, I know, and I am determined to find Adolay !" " How will you travel ?" " With a sledge and four dogs. That will enable me to carry food enough for a long journey. I wiU take my gun, of course." " But what will you do for fire ?" objected Isquay ; " there are no woods on the ice." " I will do without it." The poor woman was so amazed at this reply that she gave up further questioning. " You have plenty strong moccasins ready, have you not?" asked Nazinred, "and pemmican, and dried meat?" A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 191 " Yes, plenty, And your snow-shoes are mended, and very strong." " That is well. I will take them, but I do not expect to use them much, for the snow on the Great Salt Lake is not soft like the snow in the woods." It was afternoon when this conversation was held, and very dark, for the sun had by that time ceased to rise much above the horizon, even at noon. Late in the night, however, there was bril- liant light both from the stars and the aurora. Taklrg advantage of this, Nazinrcd loft his lodge and hastened to the outskirts of the village, where a little boy awaited him with the sledge and team of dogs all ready for a start. Without saying a word the Indian put on his snow-shoes and took hold of the tail-line of the sledge, which was heavily laden, and well packed. With a slight crack of the whip he set the team in motion. "Tell the old chief," he said to the boy at parting, " that I go to seek for my daughter among the people of the Frozen Lake. When I find her I will return." Pi! 192 THE WALRUS HUNTERS CHAPTER XVII. HAZINRED'S JOUBNBY OVEU THE ARCTIC SEA. While our Indian travelled through the woods he and his dogs were on familiar ground. He en- camped at night in the way to which he had been accustomed all his life. That is to say, ho selected a spot under a spreading fir-tree, dug away the snow until he got to the ground, which he covered with a carpet of pine branches. At one end of this encampment— or hole in the snow of ten feet or so in diameter — he made a huge fire of dead logs. At the other end he spread his blanket, un- packed his sledge, fed his dogs with some willow- grouse provided for the purpose, warmed up his pemmican and dried meat, melted some snow for drink, and spent the night in comparative comfort. And it is wonderful, reader, how cosy such an encampment in the snow is, when food is plentiful and health strong. But Avhen our Indian quitted the shore, and began his daring journey on the Arctic Sea, he was surrounded by new and unfamiliar conditions. No A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 193 trees were to be had for firewood, no branches for bedding, no overhanging pines for shelter. Ho had gone there, however, prepared for the change. The sea near the shore had been set fast when in a comparatively smooth condition, so that, the first day's march over, it was easy. As he had expected, the surface of the snow had been drifted quite hard, so that he could dispense with snow- shoes altogether, and the four dogs found the sledge so light that they felt disposed now and then to run away with it ; but Nazinred checked this propensity by holding on to the tail-line, thus acting as a drag. Ere long the shore was left out of sight behind, and the first of the islets — a small group — also passed and left behind. When night was well advanced the Indian found himself on the ice of the open sea with nothing but hummocks and bergs to shelter him. Being acquainted, by hearsay at least, with some of the methods of the Eskimos, he avoided the bergs, for there was the danger of masses falling from their sides and from overhanging ice-cliffs, and selected a small hummock — a heap of masses that had been thrown or crushed up earlier in the winter, covered with snow, and formed into a solid mound. The light air that blew over the frozen plain was scarcely worth taking into account, nevertheless the Indian chose the lee side of the N 194 THE WALRUS HUNTERS hummock and then began to try his "prentice hand " at the erection of a snow hut. Nazinred had indeed some doubts as to the value of such a cold habitation without fire, but he knew that Eskimos sometimes used such, and what they could do he could dare. Besides, love is strong as death — and he meant to find Adolay or die ! His hut, as might have been expected, was not such as an Eskimo architect would have praised, but it was passable for a first attempt. He knew that the northern masons built their winter dwellings in the form of a dome, therefore he essayed the same form ; but it fell in more than once before the keystone of the arch was fixed. " Never mind," thought Nazinred ; " they have done it — I can do it." Nothing is impossible to men of this stamp. He persevered, and succeeded after a couple of hours in producing a sort of misshapen bee-hive about six feet in diameter, and four feet high. The slabs of snow of which it was composed were compact and solid, though easily cut with his scalping-knife, and formed bricks that could resist the influence of the fiercest gale. At one side of the hut he cut a hole for a doorway, and reserved the piece cut out for a door. It was just big enough to let his broad shoulders pass through, and when he got inside and lay down at full A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 195 length to test it, ho gave a shght" humph!" of satisfaction. Not that the chamber was cheerful — far from it, for it was intensely dark, — but our Indian was a practical man. He did not require light to enable him to sleep or rest. While engaged in constructing the hut, he observed that the four dogs were sitting on their tails doing nothing except gazing in curiosity, if not surprise, at his unwonted proceedings. Being a busy man, he naturally disliked idlers, and there- fore unlashed some food from his sledge and served out their supper by way of giving them something to do. They ceased idhng at once, but after supper sat down on their tails again to watch as before, though in a more languid frame of mind. When the hut was finished he sat down outside, the night being clear and comparatively warm, or rather, we should say, not bitterly cold. During the meal he kept up the interest of the dogs to a keenly hopeful point by occasionally tossing a iii'^-sel to each. When the meal was over, and they knew from long experience that nothing more was to be hoped for, they curled themselves up in the lee of the hut, and, with a glorious dis- regard of bedding and all earthly things, went to sleep. It was found rather difficult to get the sledge into the hut, as Nazinred had forgotten to make 196 THE WALRUS HUNTERS allowance for its size, but by enlarging the door and manoeuvring, the difficulty was overcome — a matter of considerable importance, for there was no knowing what Arctic monsters might take a fancy to play havoc with its contents while its owner slept. Then the Indian spread a large deerskin with the hair on over the floor of his hut, and was about to spread his blankets above that, when ho remembered that he would want water to drink in the morning — for it is well known that eating snow during the intense cold of Arctic winters is very hurtful. Ho had provided for this by taking a bladder with him, which he meant to fill with snow each night and take it to bed with him, so that his animal heat — and he had plenty of that — might melt some of it before morning. He was then on the point of closing up the doorway when it occurred to him that if the dogs were inside they might make the place warmer, but upon reflection ho feared that they might also make it suttbcating — for the dogs were large and the hut was smaE After pondering the subject for a few minutes, he decided to take only one of them inside. "Attim, come," he said quietly, as if speakmg to a human friend. Attim, without any remark save a wag of his tail, arose promptly, entered the hut, and lay A ROM/ NCE OF THE ICE-WOULD 197 down. You Kco, ho was accustomed to little attentions of the sort. At last, everything being completed, Nazinred closed the door, plastered it well with snow round the seams, so as to render the place air-tight, wrapped himself in his blankets, took the bladder of snow to his bosom, laid his wearied head on ono of his bundles, and prepared to slumber. But ere he reached the land of forgetfulness an idea struck him, which, Indian though ho was, caused him to smile even in the dark. " Attun," he murmured. " Here you are," replied Attim's tail with a flop that was quite as expressive as the tongue — and softer. "You take charge of that," said the sly man, transferring the bladder of snow from his own bosom to that of the dog ; " you have more heat than I have." Whether the Indian was right in this belief we cannot say, but the humble-minded dog received the charge as a special favour, and with an emphatic "I will" from its ever-sensitive tail again lay down to repose. Thereafter the two went to sleep, and spent six or seven hours of unbroken rest, aAvaking simul- taneously and suddenly to find that the dogs outside were also awake and wishing to get in. Indeed, ono of them had already scraped a hole in 198 THK WAMMS HUNTKUS ! i; ill the wall that would soon have admitted him had not his master given him a tap on the nose with the butt of his f^im. Of course it was still dark, for the morning was not far advanced, but the star-light and the aurora were quite sufficient to enable them to see their way, as they set out once more on their lonesome journey. Breakfast was a meal of which Nazinred made no account. Supper was his chief stand-by, on the strength of which he and his dogs slept, and also travelled during the following day. Soon after they had awakened, therefore, they were far from the hut in which the night had been spent. The Indian's plan was to travel in a straight line in the direction in which the Eskimos had been last seen. By so doing he counted upon either crossing their tracks, which he woidd follow up, or, coming to some large island which might prove to be their winter quarters, would skirt the shores of it in the hope of meeting with some of the tribes of which ho was in search. The expedition, it will be seen, was somewhat of the nature of a forlorn hope, for drifting snow quickly obliterates tracks, and if the natives, when found, should turn out to be hostile, they would proba- bly take from him his little possessions, if not also his life. But Nazinred's love for Adolay was too strong to admit of his allowing such thoughts to V.lV. A UOMANCE OF THE ICE-WOULD 199 weigh with him. Ero long, ho found himself fnr from his woodland homo, lost among tho rugged solitudes of ice, with a fast diminishing supply of provisions, and, worst of all, no sign of track or other clow to guide him. One day, as he was plodding slowly northward, guided by tho stars, his faith in tho success of his mission began to flag. Hard continuous toil and a weakening frame had no doubt something to do with his depression. His dogs, also, were in much tho same condition with himself, — growing thin, and becoming less lively. Clambering to the top of a hummock, ho surveyed the prospect before him. It was not cheering. The faint daylight of noon was spreading over the frozen sea, bringing the tops of the larger bergs out into bold relief against tho steel-blue sky, and covering the jumble of lumps and hummocks with a cold grey light. Despite his resolute purpose the poor man sat down on a lump of ice, buried his faco in his hands, and meditated. "Can it bo," he thought, "that the Great Manitou knows my grief and does not care? Surely that cannot bo. I love my child, though she has fled from me. I am a child of the Manitou. Docs Ho not love mo ? I will trust Him!" A cold object touched his hand at the moment. It was tho nosG of the faithful Attim. 200 THE WALRUS HUNTERS Nazinred regarded the touch as a good omen. He rose up and was about to resume the journey in a more hopeful frame of mind when a dark cloud on the horizon arrested his eye. After a long gaze he came to the conclusion that it was land. Two hours later he arrived at Waruskeek, and with a beating heart made straight for the huts, which could be plainly seen on the shore. But terrible disappointment was in store for him. On reaching the Eskimo village he found that it was deserted. Nevertheless the improved state of mind did not quite forsake him. It was a comfort to have made a discovery of any kind, and was it not possible that, during the brief daylight of the morrow, he might be able to distinguish the tracks made by the party when they left the place and follow them up ? With this idea in his mind he resolved to encamp on the spot, and indulge himself as well as his dogs with a good feed and sleep. With this purpose in view he collected all the bits of wood he could find, and, with a few lumps of much-decayed blubber, made a rousing fire in one of the huts. The flame cheered his canine friends as well as himself, and filled the place with a ruddy glow. As the hut was sufficiently large, he invited all the dogs to sup with him — an invita- tion which, it is needless to say, they gladly A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WOULD 201 accepted — and we may add that the humble- minded Attim was not jealous. The hut of which Nazinred thus took possession was that which belonged to old Mangivik. With his usually observant nature, our Indian looked keenly about hira while cooking his pemraican, noting every particular with an intelligent eye. Suddenly his gaze became fixed on a particular comer. Rising sloAvly, as if afraid of frightening away some living creature, he advanced step by step toward the corner with eyeballs starting nearly out of his head. Then with a light bound he sprang forward, grasped a little piece of cord, and pulled out from beneath a heap of rubbish what appeared to be an old cast-off moccasin. And such indeed it was. It had belonged to Adolay! Nazinred, hastening to the fire, ex- amined it with minute care, and a deep " hoh ! " of satisfaction escaped from him ; for he knew it well as being one of a pair made by Isquay for her daughter's little feet. Need we say that joy tilled the Indian's heart that night, and a feeling of gratitude to that mysterious ever-present yet never visible Being, who — he had come to recognise in his philo- sophical way — must be the author of all good, though his philosophy failed to tell him who was the author of evil. Nazinred was not by any means the first savage philosopher who has 202 THE WALRUS HUNTERS puzzled himself with that question, but it is due to him to add — for it proves him more scientific than many trained philosophers of the present day — that he did not plead his ignorance about his Creator as an excuse for ingratitude, much less as a reason for denying His existence alto- gether. But there was a surprise in store for our Indian chief which went far to increase his grateful feel- ings, as well as to determine his future course. On looking about the deserted village the following day for further evidences of his child having been there, he came upon a post with a piece of birch bark fastened to it. The post was fixed in the ice close to the shore, where in summer-time the land and sea were wont to meet, and from which point tracks in the snow gave clear indication that the Eskimos had taken their departure. This post with its piece of bark was neither more nor less than a letter, such as unlettered men in all ages have used for holding intercourse with absent friends. Knowing her father's love for her, and suspecting that, sooner cr later, he would organise a search- party — though it never occurred to hei that ho would be so wild as to undertake tho search alone — Adolay had erected the post when the tribe set out for winter quarters, and had fixed the bark- letter to it for his guidance. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 203 The writing on the letter, we need hardly say, was figurative, brief, and easily read. It did not give the intelligent father much trouble in the decipherment. At the top was the picture of a hand fairly, if not elegantly, drawn, with one finger pointing. Below it were several figures, the last of which was a girl in unmistakable Indian costume. The figure in front of her was meant to represent Cheenbuk; in advance of him was an Eskimo woman with her tail flowing gracefully behind, while before her was a hazy group of men, women, and children, which represented the tribe OP che march. Adolay had obviously the artistic gift in embryo, for there was a decided eftbrt to indicate form and motion, as well as to suggest an idea of perspective, for the woman and the tribal group were drawn much smaller than the foreground figures, and were placed on higher planes. The skotchiness of the group, too, also told of just ideas as to relative degrees of interest in the legend, while the undue prominence of the leading facial feature was an attempt to give that advice which is so forcibly expressed in the well- known phrase, " Follow your nose." Ten dots underneath, with a group of snow-huts at the end of them, were not so clear at first, but in the end Nazinred made out a sentence, of which the following may be given as a free-and-easy trans- lation : — 204 THE WALRUS HUNTERS "My hand points the direction in which wo have gone. Your loving daughter is following the man who ran away with her. The Eskimo women and men, and dogs, and all the rest of them, are marching before us. Follow me for ten days, and you will come to the snow-huts where we are to winter." Could anything be plainer ? The happy father thought not. He took an extra meal. His team gave themselves an extra feed of bits of old blubber picked up in the camp, and while day- light was still engaged in its brave though hope- less struggle with the Arctic night, he tied up his sledge, thrust the old moccasin into his bosom, gave Attim the order to advance, and set off with revived strength and hope on his now hopeful journey. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 205 CHAPTER XVIII. A SURPRISE AND A CATASTROPHK. The trail of the Eskimos as they traversed the frozen sea, although not always very distinct on the hard snow, was as plain as a highway to one so skilled in tracking as the Indian chief Nazinred. The weather having been clear and calm ever since he left home, the marks had not been obliterated, and he pursued his way without halt or hesitation. But on the fourth day out there came symptoms of a change. The chief had adopted the plan of travelling during every hour of the short day, or twilight, in order to make more sure of not missing the trail, and the stars with frequent aurora borealis had mode each night so brilliant that ho advanced almost as easily as during the day-time. The fourth day, however, on awaking, his ears were greeted with sounds that caused him to rise in haste and force out the door of his sleep- ing hut, when to his dismay he found that a furious gale was blowing, that the sky was black, and that ho could hardly see the poor dogs, whom 206 THE WALRUS HUNTERS he found crouching as close as possible on the sheltered side of the hut. In these circumstances, to advance without losing his way was impossible, so that he was compelled to make the most of his time by sleeping as much as he could. To do him justice he possessed a wonderful capacity in that way. Having put the sledge out- side in order to make room, he called all the dogs in, resolving thp.c the poor things should not bo exposed to the pitiless storm. Then, having fed himself and them, he lay down with them and was soon in happy oblivion. Of course he had no artificial means of measur- ing time, and, the sky being overclouded, darkness visible pervaded the region. But a healthy stomach helped in some degree to furnish a natural chronometer, and its condition when he awoke suggested that he must have slept till near day- light of the following day. Rousing the dogs, he gave them a feed, ate heartily himself, and then went out to look at the weather. The sight which the grey dawn rendered barely visible was one which caused him to return to the hut with extreme promptitude for his gim, for, about fifty yards off', were two white polar bears of, apparently, colossal size, frolicking about in a curious manner, and evidently amusing themselves with something. The something turned out to bo the chiefs sledge, which the bears had unpacked ; A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 207 eating whatever they had a fancy for, scatter- ing about what they did not want, smashing the sledge itself to pieces, and twisting the leathern wraps and cordage into unimaginable knots, Nazinred did not discover all this at once, being too much excited by the unexpected visit to note trifling details. Besides, prompt action was neces- sary, for the four dogs, on becoming aware of what was transacting outside, made a united and clamorous dash at the foe. Two of them, being too valorous, ran close up to the bears, who seemed to regard them with haughty surprise. Another movement and the two dogs rose into the air with a yell in unison, and fell back upon the snow, where they lay motionless. The other two, learning wisdom from experience, kept back and barked furiously. Nazinred, although taken by surprise, was used to sudden alarms and not easily frightened. I^owing that the two dogs were very courageous, and therefore all the more likely to run into danger, he sprang forward towards the nearer of the two bears. It rose on its hind-legs to receive him, and in this position appeared to stand at least eight feet high. Without a moment's hesi- tation the Indian pointed his gun when the muzzle was not more that a foot from the crea- ture's breast, and fired. The bear fell dead on the instant, shot through the heart, 208 THE WALRUS HUNTERS lit I'! I The loud report and flash frightened the other bear away. It was closely followed, however, by the dogs, and the chief availed himself of the opportunity to re-load. While ho was thus engaged a peculiarly loud yell told only too plainly that one of the remaining dogs was injured, if not killed. He called to the remaining one to come back. Obedient to the call it returned, and, to its master's great relief, proved to be his favourite Attim, a good deal cut about the shoulders and much crestfallen, but not seriously injured. " Down, Attim," said his master. The poor creature obeyed at once, and his master hurried forward, but the bear had retired. The result of this encounter Avas that three of the dogs were killed, many of his things destroyed, and his provisions rendered almost useless, while the sledge was irreparably broken to pieces. There was daylight enough to render the extent of his misfortune visible, and to show him that the trail which he had been following so long was drifted over and entirely obliterated. To a man of weak resolution this ipight have been overwhelming, but Nazinred was very much the reverse of weak, and his utter recklessness of life in his endeavour to recover his lost child would have rendered him a hero for the time being, even if he had not been one by nature. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WOULD 200 After collecting the remains of his property, and ascertaining that the sledge was hopelessly destroyed, ho made up his mind to carry the provisions on his back and push forward in the direction pointed out by Adolay until ho found her. If ho did not succeed, the failure of his food would soon end the struggle. It was some consolation to the unfortunate man that his favourite dog had been spared. The amount of "company" afforded even by an ordinary dog is well known, but the civilised world can but feebly understand the value of a more than usually affectionate creature in the forlorn circumstances in which our Indian was now placed. Like many other people, he had got into the habit of talking to the dog about himself and his affairs, as if it Avore human. Whether he held the opinion we have heard so often expressed that " he under- stands every word I say," we cannot tell, but the gravity of his expression and the solemnity of his tone when conversing with it, encouraged that belief, and the very earnest attention of the dog almost justified it. But the friendly feelings existing between them did not relax the chiefs notions of discipline. Attim was not permitted to follow his master as an idle companion. He was made to carry, or rather to drag, his own food, by means of a collar with two pieces of stick attached, the ends of o 210 THE WALRUS HUNTERS which trailed on the ice, thus I'onaing as it were a pair of trams without wheels. This is a siniplo contrivance, largely used by the prairie Indians with their horses as well as dogs. The two sticks or poles, being long, project a good way behind the animal, thus leaving space for a load. As the poles are suited to their size, each horse or little dog is loaded with an appropriate bundle, and it is to bo presumed does not feel overburdened. When all was arranged, Nazinred started off with a large pack on his broad shoulders, and Attim, with a small bundle, followed close at his heels. Of course the Indian shouldered his gun, and he slung upon it his snow-shoes, for the hard- driven snow rendered these unnecessary at the time. He also carried with him a bow and quiver of arrows, with the ornamented fire-' ag — made for him by Adolay — which contained his flint, steel, and tinder as well as his beloved pipe and tobacco. Things went well with him for the first few days, and although the trail was now lost, he guided himself easily by the stars, of which he had been careful to take note and make comparison with the hand in the letter before disturbing its position. But one night the sky became over- cast, and he would have been compelled to halt had he not previously laid his course by several A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WOULD 211 huge i(;cbcrgs which toworod up in the far distance. When he had passed the last of those bergs, however, ho began to hesitate in his movements, and Attim, trotting quietly by his side, looked inquiringly up into his face once or twice with the obvious question, " What' s the matter ? " ir. his soft brown eyes — or some Dogrib idiom equi- valent thereto. " I 'm afraid to go on," murmured the Indian gravely. To this Attim replied with a reassuring wag of his tail. "Without stars it Avon't be easy to keep the straight line," contipued the chief, stopping altogether and looking up at the clouds. Attim also looked up, but evidently could make nothing of it, for he turned his eyes again on his master and wagged his tail dubiously. At the moment a rift in the clouds revealed some of the stars, and the Indian, regaining his direction again, hurried forward — all the more rapidly that a pretty stiif fair wind was blowing, to speak nautically, right astern of him. By degrees the breeze increased to a gale, and then to a regular hurricane, which whirled among the bergs and hummocks, shrieked round the ice-pinnacles, and went howling over the plain of the solid sea as if all the Hyperborean fiends had 212 THE WALRUS HUNTERS been let loose and told to do their worst. Its violence was so great that the Indian was forced to scud before it, and more than onco Attini's little bundle caught the blast and whirled him rounfl ^ike a weathercock, while the drifting snow at iast became so thick that it was impossible to see anything more than a few yards ahead. In these circumstances to auvance was madness. "It won't do, pup," cried Nazinred, turning suddenly to his right round a mass of ice, and taking shelter in the lee of a towering berg ; " come, wo will encamp here." Ho had scarcely uttered the words when a tremendous rending sound was heard above the noise of the hurricane. The Indian looked up quickly, but nothing was to be seen anywhere save that wild confusion of Avhirling snow, which in more southerly lands is sometimes called a blizzard, and the back-whirl of which nearly suffocated man and dog. Suddenly there came a crash as if a mountain were being shattered near them. Then Nazinred saw, to his horror, that an ice-pinnacle as big as a church steeple was bowing forward, like some mighty giant, to its fall. To escape he saw was impossible. It was too near and too directly above his head for that. His only hope lay in crushing close to the side of the berg. He did so, on the instant, promptly followed by the dog, and happily A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 213 found that the ice-wall at the spot was slightly concave. Another moment and the stupendous mass fell with an indescribable crash, which was prolonged into sounds that bore quaint resemblance to the smashing up of gigantic crockery, as the shivered atoms shot far away over the frozen plain. But the chief heard nothing of this save the first great crash, for the avalanche, although it passed harmlessly over his head, had buried him in what seemed to him a living tomb. The chamber in which he and his dog were thus enclosed was of course absolutely dark — a dark- ness that might be felt ; and the man would have been more than human if he had not experienced a sinking of the heart as he contemplated his awful position. Once again arose in his mind the question. Docs the Maker of all care nothing about such things ? The feeling deepened in him that such could not bo true, — tht.t the All-Father must certainly care 7)iore for His children than ordinary fathers for theirs, and with that thought came also the old feeling, " I will trust Him." The poor dog, too, had the consolation of trust, for it rubbed its head against its master with a touch that implied implicit belief in his power to deal effectively with any difficulty whatever. Feeling his way carefully round the walls of his prison, the Indian ascertained that it was not much 214 THE WALRUS HUNTERS more than about twelve feet long by three or four broad. On one side was the comparatively smooth wall of the berg, but for the hollow in which he would have been crushed ; in front was the rugged heap of confused masses which had thoroughly closed him in. There was no outlet anywhere; he felt assured of that after three careful examinations of the chamber, and how many thousand tons of ice lay between him and liberty of course he could not guess. There was only one course open to him now, and that was to cut his way out Avith his hatchet. Before beginning to act he unstrapped his bundle and sat down to eat, having previously relieved Attim of his load and given him some food. Everything he did had to be done by feeling, for he could not see his hand even when held only an inch from his face. Then he set to work. It was difficult at first, for he had to strike out at random, sometimes hitting a lump of ice unexpectedly, sometimes just tipping it, and occasionally missing it altogether, when the axe would swing round behind him, to the great danger of Attim, who insisted on keep- ing close to his master's heels wherever he went. By degrees, however, he learned to guess more correctly the position of the walls, especially after he had advanced a few foet and cut a tunnel, with the shape and dimensions of Avhich he soon A ROMANCE OF THE ICE- WORLD 215 became familiar. For hours ho laboured with unflagging diligence, clearing back the ice debris into the cavern from which he had started. But no sign of open air rewarded him. At last, when almost exhausted, he made pre- parations for passing the night where he was. Before lying down he ate a hearty meal and fed the dog, who indicated his satisfaction by an occa- sional whine and the usual wag of the tail, which could be faintly heard though not seen. A pipe of course followed, and during the process of lighting it he and Attiin obtained a fleeting glimpse of their abode. As his materials could not produce a flame — only a dull red glow — the glimpse was not cheering, or of much value. Then Nazinred spread a deerskin on the ice, rolled himself in his blanket, pillowed his head on the dog, who seemed to be perfectly satisfied with the arrangement, and went to sleep till — wo cannot say morning, for pitch darkness still prevailed, but till — that ]ioint of time when the stomachic chronometer awoke them. After another feed the chief again set to work with indomitable perseverance, and extended the tunnel during many hours ; yet when he had accomplished what appeared to him a long and severe day's work, it seemed as if he were as far off as evor from deliverance. Just as he was 216 THE WALRUS HUNTERS giving way to weary disappointment, however, a rush of cold air came against his face, and with an irrepressible exclamation of satisfaction he found that his last blow with the axe had opened a way to the outer world. A few more strokes, delivered with unwonted vigour, set him free, to find that the gale was over, that a pro- found calm prevailed, and that the faint grey light of the Arctic noon was illuminating the ghostly scene. He also discovered that during his imprison- ment a heavy fall of snow had taken place, so that he sanK a full foot into it — if not more — at every step. Congratulating himself on having brought his snow-shoes with him, he at once put on those useful implements, and, having secured the pack on his back, he once more set forth on his journey, beating a track as he went on which the dog followed him with ease, though without such a track the poor thing could not have travelled at all until the surface of the snow had hardened. But although our Indian's heart was lighter after his deliverance, the toil which he had vmdergono, and the cold which he had experi- enced in the berg, had told somewhat severely even on his hardy frame, and when he built his hut that night it was with a feeling of despon- dency, for he became aware of a considerable A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 217 diminution of strength. An unusually keen frost on the following day increased this feeling, and when he was about to encamp at night, Nazinred said to himself, as well as to his dog, that he feared they would never complete their journey. But "Hope springs eternal in the human breast." On looking round for a sheltered spot on which to build the snow-hut he observed three objects in the distance which bore a strong resemblance to Eskimo dwellings. Pushing for- ward eagerly, he soon reached them, and found that they were indeed huts of these children of the ice, but that they were deserted. The disap^^ointmeut was very great, yet our chief bore up against it manfully. He made use of one of the luts as a resting-place for the night. Next mo mg he found that the prolonged strain had rendered him much weaker than he had believed to be possible. Diminishing pro- visions, also, had increased the evil, and a still further foil in the temperature induced a feeling of feebleness which the hitherto vigorous man had never before experienced. The idea of giving in, however, had never once entered his mind. To persevere in the search until success or death should arrest him had been his tixcd resolve from the beginning. "Come on, pup," he said, patting the head of 218 THE WALRUS HUNTERS his faithful friend, as he fastened on his snow- shoes and set forth. To his surprise he found that ho staggered a little at first, but as he warmed to the work his vigour increased and his powers of endurance seemed almost as strong as ever. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 219 CHAPTER XIX THE ESKIMOS AGAIN, AND A ORBAT DISCOVERT AND RESCUE. While Nazinred, under the influence of strons: affection, was thus fighting with the unfamiliar difficulties and dangers of the polar sea, Chcen- buk and his Eskimo friends were enjoying life in what may be '^alled their native element. " Will Adolay come for a drive ? " said our gallant Eskimo one day when the sun had risen near enough to the eastern horizon to almost, but not quite, extinguish the stars. "We go to seek for walruses." The Indian maiden was sitting at the time in the snow residence which belonged to Man- givik. Mrs. Mangivik was sitting opposite to her mending a sealskin boot, and Cowlik the easy-going was seated beside her, engaged with some other portion of native attire. Nootka was busy over the cooking-lamp, and old Mangivik himself was twirling his thumbs, awaiting the result of her labours. Oolalik was there too — ho was frequently there — courting Nootka in the 220 THE WALRUS HUNTERS usual way, by prolonged silent staring. The pro- cess might have been trying to some women, but Nootka did not mind. Like many young damsels, she was fond of admiration, and could stand a good deal of it, no matter how peculiar the mode in which it was expressed. " I don't care to go," said Adolay, with a sigh. Cheenbuk did not repeat the invitation or press for a reason. He was a considerate as well as a gallant youth. He knew that the poor girl was pining for her parents, and that she regretted having left them — even although remaining in her native village might have involved her being wed against her will to the hated Magadar, or subjected to his persecutions during her father's absence. Cheenbuk did his best to comfort her with the assurance that he would take her back to her home with the very first of the open water. But when Adolay began to realise what a very long time must elapse before the ice would reopen its portals and sot the waters free, her heart sank and she began to mope. " We may as well have some women with us," remarked Oolalik, with a pointed glance at Nootka, but Nootka took no notice of either the observation or the glance. Even Eskimo girls understand how to tease ! " Will Cowlik go ? " asked Cheenbuk. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WOULD 221 "Yes." Cowlik smiled, and was quite ready to go. "No, she won't," said Mrs. Mangivik, with a positivcness almost European in its tone. " Very well." Cowlik smiled, and was equally ready to remain. Mangivik himself expressed no opinion on the subject, but twirled his thumbs faster as he expressed a hope that the cooking would be soon completed. It was finally arranged that only young men should go, with sledges and teams of dogs to fetch the meat home. The little town in which this scene was being enacted was composed of between twenty and thii^y whity-brown bee-hives of snow, of the usual shape, ranged on the ice near the shore of a large island. The scene presented was a lively one, for while some of the inhabitants were creeping into the small tunnels which formed as it were porches before the doors, others were creeping out. Men and dogs were moving about — the former harnessing the latter to sledges in preparation for the approaching hunt, while hairy little balls of children were scampering about in play, or sitting on the tops of the snow bee-hives, watching the proceedings with interest. The Eskimo sledge is a contrivance of wood ■ 222 THE WALRUS HUNTEUS capable of accommodating fivo or six men, and usually drawn by a team of from six to ten dogs, each dog being fastened to it by means of a separate line of tough walrus hide. In a short time the long-lashcd, short-handled, power- ful whips cracked, the teams yelped, the men shouted, and away they all went with much noise over the frozen sea. After a short run the parties separated and went in different directions. Cheenbuk and his men drove in a southerly direction. Soon they came to a place which had been kept open by walruses as a breathing-hole. Here they got out, hid the sledge and dogs behind a hunnnock, and, getting ready their spears and harpoons, prepared for an encounter. After waiting some time a walrus thrust its ungainly head up through the young ice that covered the hole, and began to disport itself in elephantine, or rather walrusian, gambols. Tiring of this in a few minutes, it dived, and the natives ran to the edge of the hole to bo ready when it should come up again. The animal was a female, and a small one. When it reappeared harpoons and lances were at once driven into it, and it was killed almost imme- diately. This is not always the result of such an encounter, for this elephant of the polar seas is naturally a ferocious brute, and when bulls are A llOMANCE OF THE ICE-WOULD 223 attacked they are prone to show fight rather than t;iko fright. Leaving the young men to skm and cut up the meat, Cheenbuk went on, with only Antcek to keep him company, in search of another breathing-hole. " You must harpoon the next one all alone, and kill him without help," said Cheenbuk to his com- panion soon after they had started. " I '11 tiy," returned the boy, with the air of con- fidence befitting a knight who had already won his spurs, yet with the modesty of a youth who was aware of his fallibility. But Anteek was not destined to distinguish himself that day, for, about three miles beyond the place where the walrus had been slain, they came across a track so singular that, on beholding it, they were stricken dumb with surprise. Stopping the dogs, they gazed at it for a few moments in speechless wonder. " I am not an old man," said Cheenbuk at length in a solemn tone, " but I have seen most of the wonderful things in this world, yet have I never seen a track like that ! " He pointed to the track in question, and turned a look of blazing inquiry on Anteek. " And I am not an old boy," returned the other, " but I too have seen a good many of the wonder- ful things of this world, yet have I never even dreamed of the like of that !" 224 THE WALRUS IIUNTEHS It will doubtless strike tho reader here, as an ovidenco that Eskimos are under siiuiliir delusions to the rest of tho human fixmily, that these two referred to that world of theirs as equivalent to the world at large ! " Wliat can it be ? " murmured Checnbuk. " The very biggest bear that ever was, come to frighten the Avisest people that ever lived out of their wits," suggested Anteek. The face of tho older Eskimo underwent a sudden change, and an intelligent expression flitted over it as he said — "I know now — I remember — I guess. You have often heard mo talk of the Fire-spoutcrs, Anteek ? Well, tho snoAv where they live is very deep and soft — not at all like the snow here, except when our snow is new-fallen — so that they cannot travel in the cold time without great things on their feet. That" — pointing downward — "must bo the track of those great things, and there must bo a Fire-spouter not far off." "Perhaps a number of Fire-spouters — a war- party," suggested Anteek, becoming excited. " I think not, for there is only oi e track." " But they may have walked in a row — behind each other." " That is true. You notice well, Anteek. You will be a good hunter soon." He stooped as he spoke, to examine more care- A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 225 fully the track, which was indeed none other than that made by the snow-shoes of Nazinred on his weary and wellnigh hopeless journey over the frozen sea. " Look here, Cheenbuk," cried the boy, whose excitement was increasing. "Is there not here also the track of a dog, with a strange mark on each side of it, as if it were drawing two lines as it went along ? " " You are right again, boy. There is here the track of a dog, but there is only one man. Come, we will follow it up." Jumping on the sledge again, the Eskimo cracked his whip and set the dogs off at full gallop. For some time they advanced, looking eagerly forward, as if expecting every minute to come in sight of the man and dog who had made the tracks, but nothing appeared for some hours. Then they arrived at the three huts where the Indian had received such a disappointment on finding them deserted. A close examination showed that the stranger had spent a night in one of them, and, from various indications, Cheenbuk came to the conclusion that he had been much exhausted, if not starving, while there. Getting on the sledge again, he continued to follow up the trail with renewed diligence. They had not gone far when an object was seen lying on the ice not far ahead of them. p 226 THE WALRUS HUNTERS Antcok was first to catch sl^'ht of it, and point it out to his companion, who did not speak, I; 'it lot out his lash and urged tho dogs on. As they approached, tho object was seen to move, then there came towards them what sounded Uko a prolonged melancholy howl. " Tho dog is alivo," whispered Anteek. " I hopo the man is — but I fear," returned his comrade. In a few moments moro they were alon and tho dog started up with a snarl as if to defend its master, who was lying motionless on the ice; but tho snarl was feeble, and tho poor boast was obviously in a state of exhaustion. "Ho is not dead," said Choenbuk, putting his hand over tho Indian's heart, while Anteek caught poor Attim by the nose and held him gently back. It turned out as the Eskimo had said. Nazin- rod was not dead, but ho was very nearly so, and it is probable that another hour of exposure and inaction would have ended the career of both himself and his dog. Ho had walked on persistently until that peculiar feeling of an irresistible desire to lie down and sleep overcame him. No one knew better than himself tho danger of his condition, yet tho fatal lethargy is such that no resolution is sufficient to overcome it. Lying, or rather falling, down, ho had remained still for a few moments — then tho A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 227 state of quiot, but deadly repose had supervened and he would never have risen agam if succour had not been sent. As it was, the Eskimos set to work with tremen- dous energy to chafe and resuscitate him, but it seemed at first that they wore too late. By dint of untiring perseverance, however, they became successful. A slight effort to exert himself was observable in the Indian, and thm, getting him on his feet, Cheenbuk on one side and Anteek on the other, they forced h m to stagger about until vitality began to revive. " Now, boy, wo '11 get hiui into the sledge, and .away back to the igloes." Without delay they led Nazinred to the sledge, rolled him in a large white bearskin, and tied him on. While thus engaged Anteek observed that Cheenbuk gazed for a few moments intently into the Indian's face, and then became much and strangely excited. " Is he going to die ? " asked the boy anxiously. " No, it is not that — but — but, I have seen this Firc-spouter before. I know him! Quick, we must save his life ! " If the life of Nazinred had depended on the speed of the Eskimo dogs there would have been much hope of it, for Cheenbuk made them fly like the wind until he regained the three igloes. As for Attim, having, with prompt sagacity, perceived 228 THE WALRUS HUNTERS that the strangers were friendly, he resigned him- self to his fate. Indeed, his master had, in a dazed sort of way, adopted the same course, and willingly submitted to whatever was done to him. Arrived at the deserted huts, the Indian was allowed to lie in his white bearskin until the Eskimo had kindled a lamp, cooked some food, warmed some water, and prepared a comfortable couch. Then he went out to unlash the sleeper. "Now, Anteek, I'm going to send you away, and will expect you to bo quick and act like a man. Drive the sledge back to where we killed the walrus. Let the men pack the meat on it and away back to our igloes. It is not far. You will soon get there if you make the dogs yelp. When you have arrived, and told your story, get a fresh team of dogs, and two men, and come back here with a little meat and some more bearskins — and do it all, boy, as fast as you can." " I will," answered Anteok in a tone and with a look of decision that were quite satisfactory. It was difficult to rouse the Indian at first so as to get him to stagger into the snow hut, and he was more than half asleep all the time, insomuch that when inside he fell down on the couch prepared for him and again sank into profound slumber. Thon Anteek started up, jumped on the sledge, and sot off for home at full speed. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 229 CHAPTER XX. BTBANGB CONVERSE AND DISCOVEBIES. Returning to tho hut, Cheenbuk continued his culinary preparations with great diligence, gazing often and earnestly, as he did so, at the thin and careworn countenance of the sleeper. Although Nazinred was considerably altered by fatigue and suffering, the Eskimo entertained not the smallest doubt that he was the same Indian with whom ho had once struggled on the banks of the Whale, or Greygoose, River. Equally sure was ho that the Indian, o^/ing to his worn-out condition when discovered, had not recognised himself, and the fancy occurred to him that he would at first try to avoid recognition. To this end he pulled his hood a little more over his eyes, deepened the colour of his face by rubbing it with a little lamp-black and oil, and resolved to lower his voice a note or two when tho time for speaking should arrive. That time was not long of coming ; probably 'he in- creasing warmth of the hut, or the smell of the seal-steak in the nostrils of the half-starved man, 230 THE WALRUS HUNTEllS may have had something to do with it, but the meal Avas hardly ready when the Indian yawned, stretched himself, sat up and gazed solemnly around. " You are feeling better ? " said Cheenbuk in his deepened tone, and in broken Dogrib tongue. The Indian fixed a steady gaze on him for nearly a minute before replying. " Yes," he said, in a dreamy tone, " I'm better. If the Eskimo had not been sent to mo I had now been with my ancestors." " No one sent me to you," returned Cheenbuk ; " I found you lying on the snow. " The Great Manitou sent you," said the Indian gravely. It was this touch of seriousness which had originally drawn those two men together, but the Eskimo remembered that he was acting a part at the moment, and that any expression of sympathy might betray him. Ho therefore made no rejoinder, but, placing the seal-steak on a flat 'otone, bade the hungry man eat. Nazinred required no pressing; he began at once, and was ready for more almost before more was ready for him. By persevering industry, however, Cheenbuk kept his guest supplied, and when appetite began to fail ho found time to attend to his o^vn wants and keep the other company. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WOULD 231 Silence reigned at first. When the Indian had finished eating he accepted a draught of warm water, and then had recourse to his fire-bag and pipe. Cheenbuk expected this, and smiled in- wardly, though his outward visage would have done credit to an owl. At last ho looked up and asked the Indian how he came to bo travelling thus alone and so far from his native land. Nazinred puffed a voluminous cloud from his lips and two streaming cloudlets from his nose ere ho replied. " When my son," he said, " was on the banks of the Greygoose River his voice was not so deep!" Cheenbuk burst into a laugh and threw back his hood. "You know me, then, you man-of-the-woods," said he, holding out his hand in the white-trader fashion which the other had tought him. "When the men-of-the-woods sec a face once they never forget it," returned the Indian, grasping the profitercd hand heartily, but without a sign of risibility on his countenance, for in this, as wo know, ho differed considerably from his companion ; yet there was a something about the comers of his eyes which seemed to indicate that he was not quite devoid of humour. " i>ut how did you discover me i " resumed HHH 232 THE WALRUS HUNTERS Cheenbuk. "I not only spoke with a deeper voice, but I put black and oil on my face, and pulled my hood well forwai'd." " When the Eskimo wants to blind the man-of- the-woods," answered Nazinred, sententiously, " he must remember that he is a man, not a child. The cry of the grey geese is always the same, though somo of them have deeper voices than others. A face does not chnnge its shape because it is dirtied with oil and black. Men draw lioods over their faces when going out of a lodge, not when coming in. When smoking tobacco is seen for the first time, surprise is always created. — Waugh ! " " What you say is true, man-of- the- woods," re- turned Cheenbuk, smiling. " I am not equal to you at deceiving." Whether the Indian took this for a comjiliment or otherwise there was no expression on his mahogany face to tell, as he sat there calmly smoking and staring at the lamp. Suddenly he removed the pipe from his lips and looked intently at the Eskimo, Avho in turn regarded him with evident expectation. " My son," said Nazinred, " I have one or two questions to put to you. You and I agree about many things. Tell me, what A/ould you think of the fawn that would forsake its dam?" A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 233 Cheenbiik was puzzled, but replied that he thought there must be something the matter with it — something wrong. " I will tell you a story," continued the Indian, " and it is true. It did not come into my head. I did not dream it. There was a man-of-thc-woods, and he had a squaw and one child, a girl. The parents were very fond of this girl. She was graceful like the swan. Her eyes were large, brown, and beautiful like the eyes of a young deer. She was active and playful like the young rabbit. When she was at hoine the wigwam was full of light. When she was absent it was dark. The girl loved her father and mother, and never dis- obeyed them or caused them to suffer for a moment. One day, when the fiither was far away from home, a number of bad Eskimos came and fought with the men-of-tho woods, who went out and drove their enemies away. They took one prisoner, a strong fine-looking man. One night the prisoner escaped. It was discovered that the girl helped him and then went away with him." Ho paused and frowned at this point, and the startled Cheenbuk at once recognised himself and Adolay as the hero and heroine of the story. "Did the girl," he asked, "go away with the escaped prisoner of her own will, oi did he force her to go?" " She went of her own will," returned the Indian. 234 THE WALRUS HUNTERS "One of the women of the tribe followed her and. heard her speak. But the father loved his child. He could not hate her, although she for- sook her home. At first he thought of taking all his young men and going on the war-path to follow the Eskimos, slay the whole tribe, and bring back his child. But Manitou had put it in the father's mind to think that it is wrong to kill the innocent because of the guilty. Ho therefore made up his mind to set off alone to search for his child." . Again Nazinred paused, and Chcenbuk felt very uncomfortable, for although he knew that it was impossible for the Indian to guess that the Eskimo with whom he had once had a personal conflict was the same man as he who had been taken prisoner and had escaped with his daughter, still he was not sure that the astute Red man might not have put the two things together and so have come to suspect the truth. "So, then, man-of-the-woods," said Cheenbuk at last, "you are the father who has lost his daughter?" " I am," returned the Indian, " and I know not to what tribe the young man belongs with whom she has gone away, but I am glad that I have met with you, because you perhaps may have heard if any strange girl has come to stay with any of the tribes around you, and can tell mo how and where to find her. We named her Adolay, because she A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 235 reminds lis of that bright season when the sun is hot and high." Cheenbuk Avas silent for some time, as well he might be, for the sudden revelation that the Indian who had once been his antagonist, and for whom he had taken such a liking, was the father of the very girl who had run away with him against her inclination, quite took his breath away. It was not easy to determine how or Avhen the true facts should be broken to the father, and yet it was evident that something must be said, for Cheenbuk could not make up his mind to lie or to act the part of a hypocrite. " I have heard of the girl-of-the-woods you speak of," he said at last ; " I have seen her." For the first time since they met the character- istic reserve of the Indian broke down, and he became obviously excited, yet even then he curbed his tongue for a few moments, and when he again spoke it was with his habitual calmness. " Does my son know the tribe to which she has been taken ? And is it well with the girl V " Ho does. And it is well with Adolay." " Do they dwell far from here ?" asked Nazinred, anxiously in spite of himself. " Not far. I can soon take you to their igloes. But tell me, man-of-the-woods, do you think your child had no reason for leaving home in this way except fondness for the young man ?" 286 THE WALRUS HUNTERS "I know not," returned the Indian, with a doubtful, ahnost a hopeful look. "What other reason could she have ? Her mother and I loved her more than ourselves. All the young men loved her. One of them — a bad one — had sworn to his comrades that he would have her for a wife in spite of her father" — ho smiled very slightly at this point, Avith a look of inettablo contempt — "but Magadar did not venture to say that in her father's ears !" "May it not have been fear of this man, this Magadar, which drove her away?" suggested Cheenbuk. "You were not there to defend her. She may have been afraid of him, although you fear him not." "That is true," returned the Indian, with a brighter look, " though I thought that Adolay feared nothing — but she is not her father." This wise and obvious truism, or the words of the Eskimo, seemed to afford some comfort to the poor man, for he became more communicative and confidential after that. " Do you think," asked Cheenbuk, " that your daughter has married this young man ?" " I know not." "Don't you think it is likely?" " I fear it is not unlikely." " Why should you fear it ? Are not the Eskimos as strong and brave as the men-of-the-woods ?" A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 237 For a moment the Indian looked at his com- panion with high disdain, for the boastful question had aroused within him the boastful spirit; but the look quickly disappeared, and was replaced by the habitual air of calm gravity. " It may be, as you say, that your nation is as brave and strong as ours — " " I did not say that," remarked the free-and-easy Eskimo, interrupting his companion in a way that would have been d( emed very bad manners in an Indian, " I asked you the question." With a look of deeper gravity than usual the Indian replied : " To your question no true answer can be given till all the men of both nations have tried their courage and their strength. But such matters should only be discussed by foolish boys, not by men. Yet I cannot help confessing that it is a very common thing among our young braves to boast. Is it so among the Eskimos ?" The Eskimo laughed outright at this. " Yes," said he, " our young men sometimes do that — some of them ; but not all. Wo have a few young men among us who know how to hold their tongues and when to speak." " That is useful knowledge. Will my son speak now, and toll me what he knows about Adolay ?" " Ho knows that she is well spoken of, and much loved by the tribe with which she lives." 238 THE WALRUS HUNTERS "That is natural," said tho Indian, with a pleased look. " No one who sees Adoiay can help loving her. Does tho young man who took her away treat her kindly ?" " No one can tell that but herself. What if ho treated her ill?" "I would hope never to meet with hira face to face," replied Nazinred, with a frown and a nervous clenching of the fist that spoke volumes. " I have heard," continued Chcenbuk in a quiet way, " that the girl is very sad. She thinks much about her old home, and blames herself for having left it." "Good," said the Indian emphatically. "That is like the child, to be sorry when she has done wrong." " And I have heard that tho young man who took her away is very fond of her — so fond that he will do whatever she likes to please her. His name is Cheenbuk. She asked him to take her home again, and he has promised to do so when the hot sun and tho open water come back." " Good. The young man must be a good man. Will ho keep his promise ? " " Yes. I know him well. He loves truth, and he will do what he says." "It is a long time till tho open water comes. Will the young Eskimo's mind not change ? " A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 239 "Choenbuk's mind will not change. Ho loves Adolay better than himself." Nazinred pondered this statement for some time in silence, caressing the sleek head of Attim as he did so. " Will this young man, this Cheenbuk, be willing, do you think, to leave her in the lodges of her people and give her up altogether?" he asked, with a somewhat doubtful look. "If Adolay wishes to bo given up, ho will," replied the Eskimo confidently. " And you know him well ? " " Very well. No one knows him better." Again the Indian was silent for some time. Then he spoke in a low tone : " My son has made glad the heart of the man- of-the-woods. When wo met by the river and strove together, we were draAvn by a cord that anger could not snap. It is strange that you should now bo chosen by Manitou to bring me such good news." " Manitou can do stranger things than this, my father." No more was said at that time, for, as both were thoughtful men, a considerable space of time was allowed to elapse between each question and answer. Before it could be resumed the crack of a whip and loud yeli^ing were heard in the distance, and in a few minutes Antcok and two men drove 240 THE WALRUS HUNTERS up to tho igloo with the sledge and fresh team of dogs. " I sent for them," explained Chcenbuk. " My father is tired, he will lie down on tho sledge with a bearskin round him, while I take him to tho igloes of my people. After that I will take him to Adolay." "Nazinred will not lie down. He is no longer tired, for his heart is glad." A UOMANCE Ol' THE ICE-WOKIJ) 241 oain My vith the him CHAPTER XXI. iger KICK-BALL AND AN IMPORTANT MEETING. We bc},' tlio reader now to accompany us to the Eskimo viUago, whore the men and boys are having a game at kick-ball, a favourite game with those mcn-of-thc-ico, which goes far to prove their kinship with ourselves. But the details of the game are dissimilar in many ways — only the spirit is the same ; namely, an effort to rouse the bodily system to as near the bursting-point as possible without an abso- lute explosion. It was a lovely northern night. There Avas a clearness in the still frosty air which gave to the starry host a vivid luminosity, and seemed to reveal an infinite variety of deep distances instead of the usual aspect of bright spots on a black surface. Besides the light they shed, the aurora was shooting up into the zenith with a brilliancy that almost equalled that of moonlight, and with a vigour that made the beholder think there was a rustling sound. Indeed, some of the natives stoutly asserted that these lights did rustle — but 242 THE WALRUS HUNTERS among Eskimos, as among ourselves, there are highly imaginative people. Oolalik was there of course. No game was thought complete without the co-oporation of that robust Eskimo. So was Ravcntik, for the game of kick-ball suited his bold reckless nature to perfection, and there were none of the other players except himself capable of opposing Oolalik with any hope of success. Aglootook the magician also took part. The dignity of his office did not forbid his condescending to the frivolities of re- creative amusement. Gartok was also there, but, alas i only as a spectator, for his wound was not sufficiently healed to permit of his engaging in any active or violent work. His fellow-sufferer Ondikik sat beside him. He, poor .'nan, was in a worse case, for the bullet which was in him kept the wound open and drained away his strength. He was wrapped in a white beaiskin, bemg unable to withstand the cold. The whole male population, except the old men and the wounded, took part in the game, for the ball frequently bounded to the outskirts of the ice-field, where the beys of every shape and size had as good a chance of a kick as the men. As the women stood about in all directions looking on, and sending back the ball when it chanced to be kicked out of bounds, it may be said to have been an exceedingly sociable game. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 243 Old Mangivik took groat interest, though no part, in it, and Mrs. M. was not a whit behind him in enthusiastic applause whenever a good kick was given. Of course the fixir Nootka was beside them, for — was not Oolalik one of the players ? She would have scorned the insinuation that that was the reason. Nevertheless there is reason to be- lieve that that had something to do with her presence. Our friend Adolay, however, was not there. The absence of Cheenbuk may have had some- thing to do with her absence, but, as she Avas seated in Mangivik's igloe moping over the lamp, it is more charitable to suppose that a longing for home — sweet liome — was weighing down her spirits. Old and young Uleeta were looking on with great delight, so '.-as Cowlik the easy-going, and Ilinka the sympathetic; and it was aoticcable that, every now and then, the latter distracted her mind from the play in order to see that the bearskin did not slip off the shoulders of Ondikik, and to replace it if it did. Not that Rinka had any special regard for Ondikik, but it afforded her intense pleasure merely to relieve suffering in any way — so strong was the weakness for \v'liich she got credit ! The game had lasted for a considerable time, and the players were beginning to blow hard, when 244 THE WALRUS HUNTERS the ball, kicked by a surprisingly snmll boy in dis- proportionately big sealskin boots, chanced to fall between Raventik and Oolalik. " Oh ! " exclaimed Nootka to herself, Avith a gasp of hope. " Ho ! " exclaimed Oolalik, with a shout of deter- mination. Raventik exclaimed nothing, but both young men rushed at the ball with furious vigour. The active Oolalik reached it first. " Ah ! " sighed Nootka with satisfaction. "Hoh!" cried Oolalik, with a kick so full of energy that it would have sent the ball far over a neighbouring iceberg, if it had not been stopped dead by the broad face of Raventik, who went flat on his back in consequence — either from the tremendous force of the concussion, or because of a slip of the foot, or both. This incident was received with shouts of laughter and great applause, while Raventik sprang to his feet. Instead of taking it in good part, however, the reckless man allowed his temper to get the better of him, and made a rush at Oolalik, who, being naturally peaceful emperament, dodged his adversary, and, with a laugh, ran away from him; but tiio other was not to be baulked in this way. A fight he was bent on, so he gave chase at the top of his speed. The man of peace, however, was too fleet A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 245 for him. He kept just out of his reach, thereby stimulating his rage and inducing many a "spurt" which proved abortive. At last, being desirous of putting an end to the chase — or himself losing patience, who knows ? — OolaUk suddenly dropped on his hands and knees, and Raventik, plunging headlong over him, fell flat on his breast aiid went scooting over the ice for about ten or fifteen yards before he could stop himself. What would have happened after that no one can tell, ^or just then the attention of the whole party was diverted by a shout in the distance, accompanied by the cracking of a whip and the usual sounds that announced an arrival. A few seconds later and Cheenbuk drove his team into the village. Ho had warned Anteek to say nothing about the finding of the Indian, and the boy had been faithful to his trust, so that the Avholc population was thrown into a state of wide-eyed amazement, not to mention excitement, when the tall form of the Firc-spoutcr was seen to rise from the sledge and turn his grave countenance upon them with the calm dignity characteristic of his race. The dogs of the village showed not only .surprise, but also their teeth, on observing Attim among the new comers, and they made for him, but a well-directed and sweejjing cut from the 246 THE WALRUS HUNTERS a whip of the watchful Anteek scattered them right and left, and rebuked their inhospitality. Thereafter Cheenbuk began to tell how he had discovered the Indian on the ice, and in- troduced the subject with some prolixity, like not a few white men when they have a good story to tell. Moreover, the wily man had an eye to dramatic effect, and, observing that Adolay was not among the women, ho made up his mind to what is called "prolong the agony" as far as possible. Unfortunately for his purpose, there happened to be blowing at the time a gentle nor'-west breeze, which, in its direct course towards them, had to pass over the igloe that belonged to Mangivik, and the humble-minded Attim, keen of scout, recognised something there that caused him suddenly to cock his ears and tail, open his eyes, and give vent to a sharp interrogative yelp ! Next moment ho charged through the canine throi <.' — scattering them in abject terror — dashed into tiiC tunnel of Mangivik's dwelling, and dis- appeared from view. Another moment and there issued from the igloe — not a scream : Indian girls seldom or never scream — but a female ebullition of some sort, which was immediately followed by the sudden appearance of Adolay, with the dog waltzing around her, wriggling his tail as if he Ill ~y^\jti "SnE BOUXDED TOWARDS IIIM/'-Page 24T A ROMANCE OF THE ICE- WORLD 24V wished to shake oft' that member, and otherwise behaving himself like a quadrupedal lunatic. Eager inquiry was intensified in every lino of her expressive face, and, withal, a half-scared look, as if she expected to see a ghost. If she ]>ad really seen one the effect could scarcely have been more impressive when hor eyes encountered those of her father. She stood for a few moments gazing, and utterly unable to move, then, with a wild cry of joy, she bounded towards him. In like manner the Indian stood at first as if thunderstruck, for Checnbuk's informa- tion had not led him to expect this. Then his Avonted dignity utterly forsook him ; fur the first time in his life, pcrlunps, he expressed his feelings of affection with a shout, and, inccting the girl half way, enfolded her in an embrace that lifted her completely off' her legs. The Eskimos, as may well be imagined, Avcre not only surprised but profoundly interested in the scene, and Chccnbuk was constrained to draw his narrative to an abrupt conclusion b}- inforiuing them hurriedly that the Fire-spouter was the father of Adolay; that he had loft home alone and on foot to search for her ; that ho was also the v^ry man with whom, on the banks of the Whale River, ho had fought and fraternised, and that therefore it behoved them to receive him hospitably as his particular friend. 248 THE WALRUS HUNTERS lil Cheenbuk spoko tho concluding sentence with a look and tone that was meant to convey a warning to any one who should dare to feel or act otherwise; but there was little need of the Avarning, for, with the exception of Aglootook the medicine-man, tho chief leaders of the lire- eating portion of the tribe, Gartok and Ondikik, were at the time helpless. Wliilo this irrepressible display of Dogrib affection was enacting, Attim was performing a special war-dance, or rather love-dance, of his own round the re-united pair. He was an unusually wise dog, and seemed to know that ho could expect no attention just then ; he therefore con- tented himself with a variety of hind-legged pirouettes, and a little half-suppressed yelping, knowing that his turn would surely come in time. Meanwhile an incident occurred which seemed further to enhance the dramatic character of the meeting. There burst suddenly and without warning upon the amazed and horrified multi- tude a miniature thunder-clap, which, being absolutely new to their experience, shook them to their spinal marrow. Several boys of unusually inquisitive disposition, taking advantage of the pre-occupation of the tribe, ventured to poke about the sledge which had just arrived, and discovered the fire-spouter of the Indian. With awe-stricken countenances they proceeded to A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 249 examine it. Of course, when they came to the trigger it went off. So did the boys — excepting the one who had touched the trigger. He, having the butt against his chest at the moment, received a lesson which he never forgot, and was laid flat on his back — as much with fright as violence. Fortunately there was nothing in front of the gun at the time save the tip of a dog's tail. Into this one lead-drop entered. It was enough ! The owner of the tail sprang into space, howling. Every one else, including dogs and bairns, with the exception of Mrs. Mangivik — who, being as it were petrified with consternation, remained ab- solutely innnovable — fled for shelter behind the igloos, leaving Nazinred, Adolay, Cheenbuk and Antcek in possession of the field. By degrees their fears Avere calmed, and accord- ing to their courage the rest of the population returned to the scene of the explosion, some half ashamed of having run away, others more than half ready to nm again. "Do they sometimes do like that by them- selves ? " asked Cheenbuk, referring to the gun. " Never," said the Indian. " Some one must have touched it." " The boys," remarked Antcek ; " I know them ! " Adolay laughed. " Yes," she said, " I knoAv them too, and they meddln with everything." 250 TFTE WALRUS HUNTERS I II "Conic, inan-of-thc-woods," said Chccnbuk, "and seo my father's igloe. Ho is hiding inside of it since the spouter made its noise. This is my sister, Nootka, and that," ho added, pointing to Mrs. Mangivik, who was gradually becoming untransfixed, " is my mother." " Have you told my father all, Cheenbuk ? " asked Adolay as they went towards the hut. The Indian stopped abruptly and looked with a piercing glance at the Eskimo. " Cheenbuk ! " he exclaimed, in a low voice. " Yes, that is my name," said the young man, with a smile, and yet Avith a something in his face which implied that he was not ashamed to own it. For a moment the Indian frowned as if he were displeased, at the same time drawing his daughter close to him. The prejudices of race were at work within him then, and that very human weakness which shows itself in esteeming all nations inferior to one's own strove Avith his better feelings ; but as lie looked on the handsome face and brave bearing of the young man-of-the ice, and remembered his sentiments and sym- pathy, he suddenly stepped up to him and held out his hand. "The white trader has taught me," he said, " that the dift'crenco in men is only skin-deep. The same Manitou made us all. Cheenbuk, A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WOULD 251 my son, I am grateful to you for your caro of my child." "My father," said tho Eskimo, returning his grasp, " your mind is in a good state. So is mine ! You must be tired and hungry. Let us go and feed." 252 THE WALRUS HUNTERS CHAPTER XXII. TEU-a OP HUNTING KXTRAOBDINART. This advent of a male Fire-spoutcr into the little community was a source of much interest and delight to old and young — all the more that he had brought the mysterious spouter with him. Not less interesting to Nazinred was the com- munity in the midst of which he found himself, for, as we have more than once indicated, our Indian was intellectually far in advance of his fellows, and the opportunity he now had of observ- ing closely the life of the men-of-the-ico in all its details could not be otherwise than full of interest to an inquiring and large-minded man. On the day, or rather the night, of his arrival he was allowed quietly to eat his supper in the igloe of Mangivik, and go to sleep in peace, but next morning there was a crowding of relatives and friends into the hut, which rendered the meal of breakfast not quite so pleasant as it might have been, for the Indian, having been accustomed all his life to the comparatively open wigwam, did not A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WOHM) 253 relish tho stifling atmosphere of the densely crowded snow-hut. However, ho belonged to a race of Stoics, and, restraining his feelings, ato his meal with moderate appetite and becoming gravity. There is reason to believe that ho rather liked tho earnest attention with which all his move- ments wore closely and openly scrutinised ; at all events ho proceeded with his meal as calmly as if ho had been alone, and in his own wigwam with none but tho faithful Isquay and amiable Adolay to observe him. Staring, as wo have already said, is not con- sidered rude among tho Eskimos ; thoy therefore sat open-mouthed and eyed, taking mental notes in silence, till brealcfast was over, when Nazinred, according to custom, opened his lire-bag, took out his pipe, and began to fill it. This created a sensation which was expressed by hard breathing and eloquent looks. They had been waiting for this. Of course Cheenbuk had often descanted to them on the subject of smoking, besides showing them how the thing was done, but now they were going to see the amazing thing done, in tho right way, by the real Simon Pure — a live Fire-spouter ! " My father," said Cheenbuk at this point, " tho igloe is hot, and there are many more who wish to see you do that thing. Will you come outside ? " With a condescending smile the Indian rose. 264 THE WALRUS HUNTERS It was somewhat destnictivo of his dignity that he was obliged to go down on hands and Icnees, and creep out through the short snow tunnel, but as there was no other mode of egress he had to submit, and did it with the best grace possible, making up for the brief humiliation by raising himself when outside Avith ineffable dignity, and throwing his deerskin robe over one shoulder d la Roman toga. He was greeted with something like a British cheer by the entire community of men, women, children, and even cogs, who were waiting outside for him. Sitting down on a snow-clad rock he went through the process of filling the pipe, striking n, light and beginning to smoke, to the unutterable delight of the nati\es. This delight became rot only utterable but obstreperous when Chcenbuk gravely took out the pipe which Adolay had given him and began to keep him company, at the same time bestowing a look — a wink not yet being known to him — on Anteek, who forthwith went oft" into uncontrollable laughter and was promptly hustled out of the crowd. The iu^^crest aroused by the pipe, however, was aj noti liig compared with that bestowed on the fiie-spouter. For there was a mystery, noise, and 'leadhness about the latter which tended to evoke feelings of awe rather than amusement. y^. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 255 " I don't like to trouble your father too much, Adolay," whispered Cheenbuk ; " would you say to him that we wish very much to see him use the spouter ? " Nazinred was an amiable man. He at once consented, and went back to the hut for his gun, which, remembering the tendency of the boys to meddle, ho had kept close beside him all night. Loading it inside, he re-appeared with it ready. Taking up a lump of ice about the size of one's hand, he set it up on a hummock, and retired to a distance of about thirty yards. " Tell them all to keep back, out of the way of that, Cheenbuk," said Nazinred. The excitement and nervous expectation of the Eskimos had been worked up considerably by these preparations, so that they not only retired to a safe distance, but some of them even took refuge behind the igloes, and all held their breath while their guest took aim. He had loaded with shot, and when the explosion took place the piece of ice vanished, having been blown ♦o atoms. Of course a yell of admiration greeted the result, and all the dogs of the tribe fled on the wings — or paws — of terror, while Attim sat quietly looking on with somewhat of his master's dignity. But the curiosity of the Eskimos was only whetted by this. They immediately began to 25G THE WALRUS IlUNTEllS clamour for explanations, so that the Indian found himself at last obliged to undertake a lecture ou gunnery, as far as he understood it. " My father," said Cheenbuk, whose respect for the Indian was rapidly deepening, "some of my people want to know if you can kill bears with the spouter." "Yes, it will kill bears. I killed a white one not long before you found me." " And will it kill the walrus too ? " " Yes ; it will kill the walrus. It kills anything that has life." There was an expression of great astonishment at this. Some even ventured to doubt it. Then there was a noisy consultation for a few minutes, after which Cheenbuk was told to ask if their guest would go with them then and there to hunt for a walrus. "Oh yes;" the Indian was quite ready to go, whereupon the men scattered to harness the dogs and make prepa'-ation ioi* an immediate hunt. " Go and get my sledge ready," said Cheenbuk to Anteek. The boy was only too glad to obey, for the mission implied that he should have a place ou the sledge along with the Fire-spouter. In a very short time several sledges were ready. Nazinrofl seated himself on one. Cheenbuk and the others jumped in, the whips cracked, and _ A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 257 away they went amid the shouting of the drivers and the yells of children and women left behind. It did not take long to Hnd one of those giants of the frozen seas. Some miles out on the ice they came to a place which the walruses had kept open as a breathing-hole. At the time of their arrival it had not been disturbed for some hours, for the water was covered by a coat of young ice, which was quite able to bear the weight of the men singly, though scarcely suiHcieutly strong for the sledges. Just as they arrived a walrus took it into its very thick head to crasli up through the young ice and have a gambol. The party retired behind a hunmiock and prepared for action. " Will the man-of-thc-woods go tirst and try the spouter ? " asked Checnbuk. " No," replied Nazinred ; " the man-of-thc-woods prefers to Avatch hoAv the men-of-the-ice do their work. After that he will use the spouter, which we call pasgisseyan. Tlie white traders call it gun." Harpoons and lances were at once got ready. " Come, Anteek, with me ; bring a harpoon and a coil with you. We will show the man-of-the- woods what we can do." He said this with a look of self-confidence, for Cheenbuk, be'ng a noted hunter among his fellows, was naturally lathcr proud of his powers. R 258 THE WALRUS HUNTERS Waiting until tlic v/alrus dived, the Eskimo and his companion ran towards the hole of open water, and then suddenly lay down, for they knev the habits of the brute, and that ho would soon reappear. This, in fact, happened before they had lain more than a fcAv minutes. After another ^'•ambol the ungainly animal dived again. Up got the two Eskimos and ran at full speed to the very edge of the hole. On rising the third time the walrus found Cheonbuk standing with tlie harpoon raised. On<"i look of huge astonishment it gave at the man, who instantly drove the harpoon dco"^ into its side, and then ran from tlie hole as Tust as he could, uncoiling the long line of hide until ho was some distance oft'. Then he struck a piece of bone, sharp-pointed, into the ice, and put the loop at the end of the lino over it. This checiccd the dive of the walrus, which in furious rage came up '^nd smashed another hole in tlie ice, looking fiercely around as if in search of its persecutor. Antcek's opportunity had now come. He ran towards the creature, which, so far from being afraid, smashed up the ice hi vain attempts to got upon it. Another harpoon was deftly driven into it, and the boy, running back, fixed his lino as the man had done. These two now began to " play " ilio walrus, casing off' and tightening thoir lines as ro(iuircd. Meanwhile the other Eskimos ran forward, A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 259 and, taking advantage of the creature's combative disposition, fixed several more harpoons in it. besides giving it -my severe thrusts with their lances. But the h'de of a walrus is nearly an inch thick, and it was not easy to pierce it with an ett'cctive thrust. At last, however, they suc- ceeded in killing it after a battle of over three hours. " That is hard work," observed Nazinred to Cheenbuk, as they stood watching the cutting up and packing of their prize on the sledges^ "aud to,kes a long time." " Come, now, let my father show us Avhat the — the pass— pass — ^i — spouter-gun can do," said Cheoibuk, pointing to his s!edge, which Anteek had got ready, " There are more walruses yoador." He pointed to another bole, not far oft", where several were seen rolling about in the vater. The Indian stopped on the sledge, the others followed, and in a -jhort time the v/hole party was concealed behind a hummock clo?o co the hole. Nazinred now loaded l:is gun with ball. " You mnst first th."ow a harpoon for fear it should sink," he saia, when ready to start. Without a word Cheenbuk grasped his harpoon and coil and ran forward, for the walrus had dived at. that moiuent. Anteek followed, and Nazinred kept close to both. Once they lay down to let 260 THE WALRUS HUNTERS the animal come up and dive again. The moment it did so they ran at full speed as before to the edge of the hole and waited. " Send it deep in," muttered the Indian. " I will," replied the Eskimo. "So will I," thought the boy, but he was too modest to say so. The thought had barely passed when the walrus came up with a puff and snort that might have been heard a mile off. Chconbuk's weapon was succcssfidly launched in a moment. So was that of Anteek, though he missed the animal's side, but hit in the neck. Nazinred took quick but sure aim at one of its glaring eyes, and before the smoke of the shot had cleared away the walrus fell over dead with a bullet in its brain. A ROMANCE OP THE ICE-WORLD 261 CHAPTER XXIIT. A BEAR-HUNT AND A SAD END. The Indian chief was after tliis an object of almost veneration to the Eskimo men, of admira- tion to the women, and of dchght to the boys and girls, Avho highly apjireciated his kindly disposition as well as his skill with the spouter. He was taken out on all their hunting expedi- tions, and fully initiated into all the mysteries of seal, walrus, deer, and musk-ox killing. Of course the wonderful gun was brought into frequent re- quisition, but its owner was obliged to have regard to his powder and shot, and had to explain that without these the spouter would refuse to spout, and all its powers would vanish. \\'hen this was thoroughly understood, his hosts ceased to persecute him with regard to displays of his skill. One day, in the dead of the long winter, Cheen- buk proposed to Nazinred to go on a hunt after bears. The latter declined, on the ground that he had akeady arranged to go with Mangivik to m THE WALRUS HUNTERS watch at a seal-hole. Cheenbuk therefore re- solved to take Anteek with him instead. Gartok was present when the expedition was projected, and offered to accompany it. "I fear you are not yet strong enough," said Cheenbuk, whose objection, however, was delivered in pleasant tones, — for a change for the better had been gradually taking place in Gartok since the date of his wound, and his old opponent not only felt nothing of his ancient enmity towards him, but experienced a growing sensation of pity, — for the once fire-eating Eskimo did not seem to recover health after the injury ho had received from the Firc-spouter's bullet. " I am not yet stout enough to fight the bears," he said with a half-sad look, "but I am stout enough to look on, and perhaps the sight of it might stir up my blood and make mo feel stronger." Old Mangivik, who was sitting close by, heaved a deep sigh at this point. Doubtless the poor man was thinking of his own strength in other days — days of vigour which had departed for ever — at least in this life; yet the old man's hopes in regard to the life to como were pretty strong, though not well defined. "Well, you may come," said Cheenbuk, as he rose and Avcnt out with Anteek to harness the dogs. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 263 In less than half an hour they were careering over the ice in tiio direction of a bay in the Innd where fresh bear-tracks had been seen the cay before. The bay was a deejD one, extending four or five miles up into the interior of the island. We have assumed that the land in question was an island because of its being in the neighbour- hood of a largo cluster of islands which varied very considerably in size ; but there is no certainty as to this, for the region was then, and still is, very imperfectly known. Indeed, it is still a matter of dispute among geographers, we believe, whether continents or seas lie between that part of the coast of America and the North Pole. As far as appearance went the land might have been the edge of a vast continent, for the valley up which the Eskimos were driving ex- tended iuAvards and upwards until it was lost in a region where eternal glaciers mingled with the clouds, or reared their grey ridges against the dark winter sky. It was a scene of cold, wild magnificence and desolation, which might have produced awe in the hearts of civilised men, though of course it must have seemed connnon- place and tame enough to natives who had never seen anything mdch softer or loss imposing. The party had travelled about four miles up the valley, and reached a steep part, which was 264 THE WALIUJS HUNTERS l^-i tryin*,' to tlio nicttlo of tho doj^'s, when a track was observed a sliort distance to their ri<^dit. "Bear," said Gartok in a low voice, pointing towards it. Checnbuk made no reply, but at onco ran the team under the shelter of a neighbouring cliff and pulled up. Tho dogs were only too glad to obey tho order to halt, and immediately lay down, panting, with their tongues out. Fastcninr' the sled'^o to a rock, and Icavint,' it in charge of a little boy who hod been brouglit for tho purpose, the other throe set off to examine the track and reconnoitre ; intending, if they had reason to believe the bear was near, to return for tho dogs and attack it in force. Tho track was found to bo quite fresh. It led upwards in the direction of a neighbouring ridge, and towards this the party hastened. On reaching the summit they bent low and advanced after the manner of men who expected to see something on the other side. Then they dropped on hands and knees, and crawled cautiously, craning their necks every now and then to see what lay beyond. Now, the little boy who had been left in charge of tho sledge happened to be a presumptuous little boy. He was not a bad boy, by any means. Ho did not refuse to obey father, or mother, or any- body else that claimed a right to command, and he was not sly or double-tongued, but he Avas A UOMANCE OF THE ICE-WOIILD 2GI afflicted with that very evil quality, presumption: ho thought that ho know how to manage things better than anybody else, and, if not actually ordered to let things remain as they were, he was apt to go in for experimental changes on his own account. When, therefore, he was left in charge of the dogs, with no particular direction to do or to refrain from doing anything, ho found himself in the condition of being dissatisfied with the position in which the team was fastened, and at once resolved to change it only .a few yards farther to the right, near to a sheltering cliff. With this end in view he untied the cord that held the sledge, and made the usual request, in an authoritative voice, that the team Avould move on. The team began to obey, but, on feeling them- selves free, and the sledge light, they proceeded to tho left instead of the right, and, despite the agonising remonstrances of the little boy, began to trot. Then, appreciating doubtless tho Eskimo ver::jion of "Home, sweet Home," they suddenly went off down-hill at full gallop. Tho presumptuous one, i)uckering his face, was about to vent his dismay in a lamentable yell, when it suddenly occurred to him that he might thereby disturb the hunters and earn a severe flogging. He therefore restrained himself, and sat down to indulge in silent sorrow. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) /. 1.0 1." Hf |;o 1 2.0 — 6" 2.2 1.8 11-25 11111.4 IIIIII.6 V] m '^' y Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 , «■ A 266 THE WALRUS HUNTERS Meanwhile the explorers topped the ridge, and, peeping over, saw a largo white bear not more than a hundred yards off, sitting on its haunches, engaged, apparently, in contemplation of the scenery. At this critical moment they heard a noise behind them, and, glancing back, beheld their dogs careering homeward, with the empty sledge swinging Avildly in the rear. Checnbuk looked at Gartok, and then both looked at the bear. Ap- parently the ridge prevented the distant sound from reaching it, for it did not move. "We must go at it alone — without dogs," said Gartok, grasping his spear, while a flash of the old fire gleamed in his eyes. " You must not try," said Chcenbuk ; " the drive here has already tired you out. Antcek will do it Avith mo. This is not the first time that we have hunted toother." The boy said nothing, but regarded his friend with a look of gratified pride, while ho grasped his spear more firmly. "Good," returned Gartok, in a resigned tone; " I will stand by to help if there is need." Nothing more was said, but Cheenbuk looked at Anteek and gave the brief order — " Go ! " The boy knew well what to do. Grasping his spear, he ran out alone towards the bear and flourished it aloft. Turning with apparent surprise, A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 267 the animal showed no sign of fear at the challenge of such an insignificant foe. It faced him, how- ever, and seemed to await his onset. The boy moved towards the right side of the bear. At the same time Cheenbuk ran forward towards its left side, while Gartok went straight towards it at a sloAv walk, by way of further distracting its attention. As the three hunters approached from different directions, their prey seemed a good deal dis- concerted, and looked from one to the other as if undecided how to act. When they came close up the indecision became more pronounced, and it rose on its hind-legs ready to defend itself. Gartok now halted when within five or six yards of the animal, which was anxiously turning its head from side to side, while the other two ran close up. The plan was that usually followed by Eskimos in similar circumstances. Anteck's duty was to run forward and prick the bear on its right side, so as to draw its undivided attention on himself, thereby leaving its left side unguarded for the deadly thrust of Cheenbuk. Of course this is never attempted by men who arc not quite sure of their courage and powers. But Cheenbuk and Anteek knew each other well. The latter was not, perhaps, quite strong enough to give the death-dealing thrust, but he had plenty of courage. 268 THE WALRUS HUNTERS and knew well how to administer the deceptive poke. As for Gartok, besides being incapable of any great exertion, he would not on any account have robbed the boy of the honour of doing his work Avithout help. He merely stood there as a spectator. With active spring Anteck went close in and delivered his thrust. The bear uttered a savage roar and at once turned on iiim. Just at the moment the boy's foot slipped and he fell close to the animal's feet. In the same instant the two men sprang forward. Checnbuk's spear entered the bear's heart, and that of Gartok struck its breast. But the thrust of the latter was feeble. In his excitement and weakness Gartok fell, and the dying bear fell upon him. His action, however, saved Anteek, who rolled out of the way just as his preserver fell. Cheenbuk and Anteek did not hesitate, but, regardless of the few death-struggles that folloAved, rushed in, and grasping its thick hair dragged the monster off the fallen man. Gartok was insensible, and it was a considerable time before he fully recovered consciousness. Then it was found that he could not rise, and that the slightest motion gave him intolerable pain. " He will die ! " exclaimed Anteek, with a look of painful anxiety. "DRAGGED THE MONSTER OFF TUB FALLEN' MAX."-Paoe 208. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 269 " Yes, he will die if we do not quickly get him home," said Cheenbuk. "He cannot walk, and he would freeze long before we could make an igloe. I must depend on you now, Antcek. Go back as fast as you can run, and send men with a sledge and skins and something to eat. The boy will remain with mo. Away ! " Without a word Antcek leaped up, and, drop- ping his spear, ran as if his own life depended on his speed. The little boy, Avho had acted so fool- ishly, came up with anxious look on being hailed, but soon forgot himself in his anxiety to be of use to the injured man. There was a mound of snow within three yards of the spot where the combat had taken place. To the lee side of this Cheenbuk carried Gartok. Being very strong, he was able to lift him tenderly, as if he had been a child, but, despite all his care, the poor man suffered terribly Avhen moved. It was well that this mound happened to be so close, for a dark cloud which had been overspread- ing the sky for some time began to send down snow-flakes, and frequent gusts of wind gave in- dications of an approaching storm. Having placed Gartok in such a position that he was quite sheltered from the wind, Cheenbuk took off his upper sealskin coat, laid it on the snow, and lifted the injured man on to it. He then wrapped it round him and folded the hood under his head for 270 THE WALRUS HUNTERS a pillow, bidding tlic boy bank up the snow beside him in such a way as to increase the shelter. While thus engaged ho saw with some anxiety that Gartok had become deadly pale, and his com- pressed lips gave the impression that ho was sutt'ering much. " Come here," said Chcenbuk to the boy quickly ; " rub his hands and make them warm." The boy obeyed with alacrity, while the other, hastening his movements, began to skin the bear. Being an expert with the knife in such an opera- tion, he was not long of removing the thick- skinned hairy covering from the carcass, and in this, while it was still warm, he wrapped his comrade — not a moment too soon, for, despite the boy's zealous ettbrts, the intense cold had taken such hold of the poor man that he was ahnost unconscious. The warmth of the bearskin, however, restored him a little, and Cheenbuk, sitting down beside him, took his head upon his lap and tried to shelter him from the storm, which had burst forth and was raging furiously by that time — fine snow filling the atmosphere, Avhile the wind drove it in huge volumes up the valley. Cheenbuk noted this, and congratulated himself on the fact the wind would favour the progress of the rescue sledge. Sometimes the whirling snow became so suffo- cating that the little boy was compelled to cease A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 271 his labours on the sheltering wall and crouch close to it, while Cheenbuk buried his nose and mouth in the white fur of the bear until the violence of the blasts abated. By keeping the skin well over tho face of the wounded man, he succeeded in guarding him from them effectually. But his mind misgave him when ho tried to look through tho whirling confusion around, and thought of tho long tramp that Anteek would have ere ho could commence his return journey with tho sledge. It turned out, however, that this was one of those short-lived squalls, not unconmion in the Arctic regions, which burst forthwith unwonted fury.swcep madly over the plains of the frozen seas, rush up into tho valleys of the land, and then suddenly stop, as though they felt that all this energy was being spent in vain. In a short time, which how- ever seemed interminable to the watchers on the hillside, the wind began to abate and the wild gusts were less frequent. Then it calmed down ; finally it ceased altogether ; and the storm-cloud, passing away to the south-east, left the dark sky studded with the myriad constellations of the starry host. Uncovering Gartok's face to see hoAv it fared with him, and hoping that he slept, Cheenbuk found that he was wide awake, but in a condition that made him more anxious than ever. He looked up at tho face of his protector with a faint but grateful smile. 272 THE WALRUS HUNTERS " I have always been your enemy," ho said, in a low voice, " but you have been my friend." " That does not matter now," replied Cheenbuk. " I have never been your enemy. Wo will bo friends from this time on." Gartok closed his eyes for a few seconds, but did not speak. Tlicn ho looked up again earnestly. " No," he said, with more of decision in his tone ; " wo shall neither bo friends nor enemies, I am going to the country Avhere all is dark; from which no sound has ever come back ; whore there is nothing." "Our people do not talk in this way. They think that we shall all meet again in the spirit- land, to hunt the seal, tho walrus, and the bear," returned Cheenbuk. " Our people talk foolishness. They think, but they do not know" rejoined this Hyperborean agnostic, as positively and as ignorantly as if ho had been a scientific Briton. " How do you know that there is * nothing ' in the place where you are going ? " asked Cheenbuk, simply. Gartok was silent. Probably his logical faculty told him that his own thinking and coming to a conclusion without knowing was as foolish in himself as in his comrades. The subject of conversation happened to be very congenial to Cheenbuk's cast of mind. He re- A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WOULD 273 niainod thinking and gazing upwards lor a minute or two, then ho said meditatively, as if ho wore trying to work out some mental problem — " Did you ever make a sledge, or a spear, and then destroy it utterly while it was yet good and new ? " " Never. I have been bad, it may bo, but I am not a fool." " Is the great Maker of all a fool ? Ho has made you, and if He lets you die now, utterly. He destroys you in your best days. Is it not more likely that Ho is calling you to some other land where there is Avork for you to do ? " " I don't understand. I do not know," replied Gartok, somewhat doggedly. " But you do understand, and you do know, that He would be foolish to kill you now, %inless He had some work and some pleasure for you in the unknown land from Avhicli no sound ever comes back. When a father gives his son a Avork to do, he does not destroy his son Avhen the Avork is done. He gives him another piece of Avork; perhaps sends him on a long journey to another place. When the Maker of all sees that Ave have finished our work here, I ask again, is it not likely that He will send us to Avork elseAvhere, or is it more likely that He Avill utterly destroy us — and so prove Himself to be more foolish than Ave are ? " I do not knoAv," repeated Gartok, " but I do 274 THE WALRUS HUNTERS know that if tlio Maker of all is {j^ood, as I have heard sa}', then I have not dono Hh work hero — for you know, everybody knows, T have been bad !" Cheenbuk was much per()loxcd, for ho knew not " how to minister to a mind diseased." " I have often wondered," ho said at last, " why it is that some things aro wrong and somo right. The Maker of all, being good and all-powerful, could havo made things as Ho pleased — all right, nothing wrong. Perhaps men, like children, will understand things better when they aro older — when they havo reached the land from wliich no sound conies back. But I am not much troubled. Tho Maker of all must bo all-good and all-wise. If Ho Avero not, Ho could not bo tho Maker of all. I can trust Him. He will throw light into our minds when tho tiuio comes. He has already thrown somo light, for do wo not know right from wrong ? " " True, but although I havo known right I have always dono wrong," retiu'ned Gartok moodily. " I am sorry now. If you had not been kind to me, your enemy, Cheenbuk, I should never have been sorry. Ever since I was hurt by tho Firo- spouters you havo boon kind to mo, and now you Avould save my life if you could. But it is too late. You have known right, and dono it." " You mistake," rejoined Cheenbuk gravely. "Like you, I have known right but I havo not A UOMANCE Ol' THE ICE-WORLO 275 always (lono it; only .soinetimcs. It is not long since I hc'^iin to think, and it is since I have been thinking that iny spirit seems to have changed, so that I now hate wrong, and desire right. I think that the Maker of all nuist have caused the change, as He makes the ice-mountains molt, for it is not possible that I could change myself. I had no wish to change till I felt the change." " I wish," said Gartok earnestly, " that — if lie exists at all — He would change me." At that moment Chccnbuk, who was gazing up into the brilliant sky, seemed to bo moved by a sudden inspiration, for he gave utterance to tho first audible prayer that had ever passed his lips. " Maker of all," he said, " give to Gartok the spirit that loves right and hates wrong." The dying Eskimo raised his eyes to Chconbuk's face in astonishment ; then he turned them to the starry host, as if he almost expected an immediate answer. "Do you think He hears us?" ho asked in a faint voice, for the strength of his feelings and tho effort at conversation had exhausted him greatly. " I will trust Him," answered Cheenbuk. " I will trust Him," repeated Gartok. For some time they sat in profound silence, and Gartok closed his eyes as if he were falling asleep. The silence was broken by a distant sound. It was the approach of Anteok with tho sledge. He 276 THE WALRUS HUNTERS had found the runaway dogs anchored fast be- tween tAv^o masses of ice where the sledge had got jammed. Turning the team round he plied his whip with vigour, insomuch that they would have arrived much sooner if the storm nad not caused delay. Having arranged the sledge and its wraps so as to form a comfortable couch for the wounded man, they lifted him on to it, but when they removed the bearskin from his face it was found that he was beyond earthly care : he had passed over to the land from which no sound has ever come bpck. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 277 CHAPTER XXIV. THB TBADERS AT WORK. Wherever half a dozen average men are banded together and condemned to make the best of each other's society for a prolonged period, there is apt to bo a stagnation of ideas as well as of aspirations, which tends more or less to develop the physical and to stunt the spiritual part of our nature, So thought MacSweenie as ho sat one fine spring morning on a rude chair of his own making in front of the outpost on Great Jiear Lake which he had helped to build. The Scottish Highlander possessed a compara- tively intellectual type of mind. We cannot tell precisely the reach of his soul, but it was certainly " above buttons." The chopping of the firewood, the providing of food, the state of the weather, the prospects of the advancing spring, and the retrospect of the long dreary winter that was just vanishing from the scene, were not sulhcient to api^easo his intellectual appetite. They sufficed, 278 THE WALRUS HUNTERS indeed, for his square, solid, easy-going, matter-of- fact interpreter, Donald Mowat ; and for his chief fisherman, guide, and bowman, Bartong, as well as for his other men, but they failed to satisfy him- self, and he longed with a great longing for some congenial soul with whom ho might hold sweet converse on something a little higher than buttons," Besides being thus unfortunate in the matter of companionship, our Highlander was not well off as to literature. He had, indeed, his Bible, and, being a man of serious mind, he found it a great resource in what was really neither more nor less than banishment from the world ; but as for light literature, his entire library consisted of a volume of the voyages of Sir John Franklin, a few very old numbers of Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, and one part of that pioneer of cheap literature. The Penny Magazine. But poor MacSweenie was not satisfied to merely imbibe knowledge ; he wished also to discuss it; to philosophise and to ring the changes on it. Ho occasionally tried his hand on Mowat, who was undoubtedly the most advanced of his staff intellectually, but the results were not encouraging. Donald was good-natured, amiable, ready to listen and to accord unquestioning belief, but, not having at that time risen above " buttons," he was scarcely more able to discuss than an average lamp-post. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 279 Occupying the position of a sort of foreman, or confidential clerk, tlio interpreter liad frequent occasion to consult his superior on tlio details of the establishment and trade. " I 'm thinking, sir," said ho, approaching his master on the spring morning in question, " that we may as well give the boat an overhaul, for if this weather lasts the open water will soon be upon us," "You are right. Tonal'," answered the trader, knocking the ashes out of his pipe, and proceeding to refill it. "That iss just what wass in my own mind, for we must bo thinkin' about makin' pre- parations for our trip to the Ukon Ruver. We will hev to start whenever my successor arrives here. Man, it will bo a goot job when we are off, for I am seek-tired of this place. Wan hes notliin' in the world to think about but his stamik, an' that iss not intellectooal, whatever." " Are wo to use the inch or the inch-an'-a-half nails ? " asked Mowat, after a moment's pause. " Whichever you like, Toual'. There iss plenty of both in the store, an' ye are as jjoot a iudofe o' these mettcrs as I a nyi help y( man ; only see that the work is done well, for there iss a rough trup bo lore us when wo do git away. An' the load will bo heavy moreover, for tliere will be a deal of stuff needed if wo are to build an outpost fit to spend a winter in. Man, it iss 280 THE WALRUS HUNTERS pleasant to think that we will break up now gi'ound — open up a new country among savitches that scarce knows what like a white man iss. We Avill feel quite like what we felt as boys when wo was readin' Robinson Crusoe." "Wo will need two pit-saws," remarked the practical Orkneyman in a meditative tone. "No doubt, no doubt," returned MacSweenie, " and a grindstone too. Do you remember what that man Nazinred said when ho came here on his last trup, — that the Indians about his country would be fery pleased to see traders settle among thorn? He little thought — an' no more did I — that wo would be so soon sent to carry out their wishes; but our Governor is an active-minded man, an' ye never know what he '11 be at next. He 's a man of enterprise and action, that won't let the grcss grow under his feet — no, nor under the feet of anybody that he lies to do wi'. I am well pleased, whatever, that he hes ordered mo on this service. An' no doubt ye are also well pleased to go. Tonal'. It will keep your mind from gettin' rusty." " I am not ill-pleased," returned the inter2)rcter gravely. — " I 'm thinkin' there won't be enough o' pitch to go over all the seams o' the boat. I was — " " Hoot, man ! never mind the putch. Tonal'. What there iss will do fery well, an' the boat that A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 281 comes with supplies for the new post will be sure to hev plenty. By the way, I wonder if that fine man Nazinred will hev come back when we get to the Ukon River. It wass a strange notion of his the last comers told us about, to go off" to seek his daughter all by himself. I hov my doubts if he '11 ever come back. Poor man ! it wass naitural too that ho should make a desperate attempt to get back his only bairn, but it wass not naitural that a wise man like him should go off all his lone. I 'm afraid ho wass a little off his head. Did they tell you what supplies he wass supposed to have taken ? " " Yes. The wife said he had a strong sled with him, an' the best team o' dogs in the camp. — Do you think the boat will need a new false keel ? I was lookin' at it, an' it seemed to mo rather far gone for a long trup." " I will go an' hev a look at it. Tonal'. But I hev been wonderin' that Mozwa, who seemed so fond o' his frund, should hev lot him start away all by his lone on such a trup." " Ho couldn't help lottin' him," said Mowat, " for he didn't laiow he was goin' till ho was gone." "You did not tell mo that," said the trader sharply. " Well, perhaps I did not," returned the inter- preter, with an amiable smile. " It is not easy to remember all that an Indian says, an' a good deal 282 THE WALRUS HUNTERS of it is not wortli rememberin'. — "Would you like me to sot-to an' clean up tlio store to-day, or let the men go on cuttin' firewood ? " " Let them do whatever you think best, Tonal'," replied MacSweenic, with a sigh, as ho rose and re-entered his house, where he busied himself by planning and making elaborate designs for the new "fort," or outpost, which he had been in- structed to establish on the Ukon River. After- wards he solaced himself with another pipe and another dip into the well-worn pages of the Penny Magazine. Not long after the conversation just narrated, the boat arrived with the gentleman appointed to reUeve MacS weenie of his charge on Great Bear Lake, and with the supplies for the contemplated new post. Action is not usually allowed to halt in those wild regions. A few days sufficed to make over the charge, pack up the necessary goods, and arrange the lading of the expedition boat; and, soon after, MacSweenio with Donald Mowat as steersman, Bartong as guide and bowman, and eight men — some Orkneymen, some half-breeds — were rowing swiftly towards the Arctic shore. Passing over the voyage in silence, wo raise the curtain again on a warm day in summer, when animal life in the wild nor'-wcst is very lively, especially that portion of the life which resides in A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 283 mosquitoes, sand-flies, and sucli-liko tormentors of man and beast. "Wo should arrive at the TJkon to-morrow, if my calculations are right — or nixt day, whatever," said MacSweenie to his interpreter and steersman, as he sat smoking his pipe beside him. "Bartong is of the same opeenion," returned Mowat, "so between you we should come right. But Bartong is not quite sure about it himself, I think. At least ho won't say much." " In that respect the guide shows himself to be a wise man," returned MacSweenie sententiously. " It iss only geese that blab out all they think to everybody that asks them questions." "Ay, that is true," rejoined Mowat, with a cynical smile, " an' some geese manage, by sayin' nothin' at all to anybody, and lookin' like owls, to pass themselves off as wise men — for a time." Bartong, Avho was being thus freely discussed in the stern of the boat, sat in his place at the bow- oar, pulling a steady stroke and casting serious looks right and left at the banks of the river as they went along. He was a dark fine-looking stalwart man, of what may bo called mixed nationality, for the blood of Scotchmen, French- Canadians, and Indians flowed in his veins — that of Indians predominating, if one were to judge from appearance. He was what is called in the parlance of the nor'- west a " good " man — that is 284 THE WALRUS HUNTERS to say he was mentally and physically well adapted for the work ho had to do, and the scenes in the midst of which his lot had been cast. Ho pulled a good oar; he laboured hard; could do almost any kind of work ; and spoke English, French, and Indian almost equally well. He also had a natural talent for finding his way almost anywhere in the wilderness. Hence ho had been sent as guide to the expedition, though he had never been at the Ukon River in his life. But he had been to other parts of the Arctic shore, and had heard by report of the character and position of the river in question. " It iss gettin' late, Bartong ; don't you think it would be as well to camp here ?" asked Mac- Sweenie. The bowman ceased rowing, and the crew followed his example, while he glanced inquiringly up at the sky and round his limited horizon, as guides and seamen are wont to do when asked for an opinion as to professional movements, "There will yet be daylight for an hour, and there is a small lake ahead of us. If wo cross it, we come to a place where one of the Indians said he would meet us if we came to his country." " That is true. Tonal','' said the leader, turning quickly to his steersman, " I had almost forgot that, it wass so long ago since we met them. Both Nazinred and Mozwa said something about mcetin' A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 285 US, if we came to settle, though I paid little attention at the time. But are ye sure, Bartong, that this is the lake ? " " I know not. It is not unlikely. If it is the lake, it is small, and we will soon come to the end of it. If it is not the lake, an' turns out to be big, we can camp on the shore. The night will be fine." " Go ahead then, boys," cried the leader, " we will try." The oars were dipped at once, and the men pulled with a will, encouraged by the conversation, which secuied to indicate the approaching end of their voyage. The lake over the bosom of which they were soon sweeping proved to be a small one, as they had hoped, but whether it was the one referred to by the Indians remained to be scon. A sharp look-out was kept for the smoke of wigwams, but nothing of the kind was seen on either side, and the end of the lake was -finally reached without any sign of the presence of natives being observed. " No doubt Mozwa has forgotten, or it may be that he iss away to seek for his frund Nazinred among the Eskimos. No metter. We will camp here, whatever, for the night. I think on the other side o' that point will be a goot campin' ground." He pointed in the direction indicated, and there 2S6 THE WALRUS HUNTERS was just daylight enough loft to enable Mowat to steer into a narrow creek. There is something calming, if not almost solem- nising, in the quietude with which a boat glides ashore, on a dark night, under the overhanging trees of a wilderness lake. The oars are neces- sarily stopped, and the voices hushed, while tlio bowman, standing erect, with a long polo in hand, tries to penetrate the thick mysterious darkness that seems to be the very gate of Erebus. Bar- tong stood ready to thrust the head of the boat off any rocks that might suddenly appear in their course, or give the order to "back all" should the water become too shallow. But no obstacles presented themselves, and the boat forged slowly ahead until it lay alongside a ledge of rock or natural jetty. Then the spell was broken as the men leaped ashore and began to unload the things that were required for the night's bivouac. Still, the voices were moderated, for it is not easy to shake off the tranquillising effect of such a scene at such an hour, and it was not till the camp-fire was lighted, and the kettles were on, and the pipes going full blast, that the cheering effect of light chased the depressing influence of darkness away. Then, indeed, MacSweenie, dropping the role of leader, assumed that of hon camarade ; and Mowat, descending from the dignity of steersman, enlarged A UOMANCE OF THE ICE-WOHLD 287 upon his oxpcrionccs in otlior cliiys ; and Bartong, still retaining his dignity however, relaxed his anxious frown and listened witii an air of intelli- gent appreciation that charmed every speaker, and induced the belief that ho could cap every anec- dote and story if he only chose to open his mouth ; while the men divided their sympathies between the narratives, the tobacco-pipes, and the music of the frying-pan and bubbling kettle. Then, too, the darkness into which they had penetrated fled away, — not indeed entirely, but forsaking the bright spot thus created in the wilderness, it encircled the camp as with a wall of ebony. It was not long, however, ere appetites were appeased, and the voyagers sought repose ; for men who have to Avork hard all day at a healthy occupation are not addicted to late hours — at least not in the wildernesses of the nor'- west. Ere long every man was rolled in his blanket, stretched out with his feet to the fire and his head on his coat, while the blaze sank low, until at last the red embers alone remained to render darkness visible. Among the last to seek repose were the leader of the expedition, the interpreter, and the bow- man. Having the cares of state on their shoulders, these three naturally drew together for a little consultation after the others had retired. "What iss your opeenion, Bartong?" asked Mac- 288 THE WALRUS HUNTERS Swconio, pushiiit,' down tho toKacco in his pipo Avitli tho end of a very bhint and niuoh charred forefinger ; " do you think tho savitches will como here at all ?" " ^[aybe they will, and maybe they won't," answered the guide, with a caution worthy of tho Scottish portion of his blood. " Wo nivor know what Injins is goin' to do till they do it." "Umph!" ejaculated tho Highlander; "if Solomon had boon your grandliither you could scarcely hev made a wiser speech. — What think you. Tonal'?" " Weel, as ye put it to me, I nuist say that I 'm strongly of Bartong's opeenion." "Just so," remarked MacSweenio, with a thought- ful air ; " so, as I agree wi' you both, I think it iss about time for us all to turn in." He turned in accordingly, by lying back in his place and drawing his blanket over him. The other statesmen immediately followed his example, and the camp subsided into silence. A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WOHLD 289 CHAPTER XXV. THK OUTPOST, AND EFKEOT OF A " KUDDLK." Soon afterwards the expedition of the fur- traders reached the Ukon River, a comparatively insignificant stream, but, from its character and position with reference to the Indians of that region, well suited for the establishment of an outpost. At least so thought the natives who had reported upon it. " There iss no doubt," remarked MacSweenie, as he surveyed the banks of the river, " that the place is no' that bad, but in my opeonion the summer will be short, whatever, an' the winter it will be long." " Ye may be sure that you are not far wrong if it's like the rest o' this country," replied Mowat, " There now, look at that," cried MacSweenie, who was a sketcher, and an enthusiast in regard to scenery ; " did ever you see a prettier spot than that, Tonal' ? Just the place for a fort — a wee burn dancin' doon the hull, wi' a bit fa' to turn a T 290 THE WALRUS HUNTERS grindstone, an' a long piece o' flat land for the houses, an' what a grand composeetion for a pictur', — wi' trees, gress, water, sky, an' such light and shade ! Man, it 's magneeficent ! " " I 'm thinkin' that it '11 be a bad job if that keg o' screw-nails we forgot at our last camp is lost—" " Hoot, man, never mind the screw-nails. We can easy send back for it. But, wow ! there 's a far grander place we 're corain' in sight of — an' — iss that an Indian tent I see ?" "Ay, an' there's more than wan tent," said Mowat, giving his steering oar a sweep that sent the boat farther out into the stream, and enabled them better to see what lay beyond the bend of the river in front of them. " Hold on, lads ; stop pullin' !" The men lay on their oars and turned round to look ahead. The view presented there was indeed a pleasant and inspiring one, though it was scarcely entitled to the appellation " magneeficent," which MacSweenie applied to it. The river at that place made a wide sweep on the right, round a low cliff which was crowned with luxuriant foliage. The stream opened out into something like a miniature lake, and the water was so calm that the clifi" and its foliage made a clear dark reflection. The left bank was edged by a wide grass plateau some fifty yards wide, beyond A nOMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 291 which was a background of bushes and trees, with another " wee burn," which doubtless suggested to MacSweenie the useful as well as the picturesque. The distance was closed by ground varied in form as well as in character, indicating that a stream of considerable size joined the Ukon at that point. But that which interested the beholders most of all was a number of Indian wigwams, which were pitched on the grassy plateau above referred to. " Yonder are our frunds, I make no doubt," said MacSweenie in high glee. " That man Mozwa iss as goot as his word ; an' 1 do believe they have chosen the spot an' been waitin' for us. Gif way, boys ; ' an'. Tonal', make for that landin'-slup — it must either be a naitural wan, or the Redskins hev made it for us," By that time the natives, having observed the boat, had launched several of their canoes. The iirst man who came alongside was Mozwa himself. "What cheer? what cheer, Mozwa?" cried the trader as he reached over the side and shook the Indian heartily by the hand. " Watchee ! watchee ! " repeated Mozwa, return- ing the shake with equal goodwill, though undis- turbed solemnity. The trader's surmise proved to be correct. Mindful of the prospect which had been held out to him and Nazinred, that an expedition might possibly be sent to establish an outpost and open m THE WALRUS HUNTERS up the fur trade in their immediate neighbourhood on the Ukon River, Mozwa had made more than one trip to the contemplated scene of operations, after the disappearance of his friend Nazinred, with the view of making himself well acquainted with the land, and ascertaining the best site for the new fort. He did not of course suppose that the pale-faces would be guided entirely by his opinion, but he thought it not unlikely that they might weigh that opinion, and, if acted on at once, much time might be saved during the very brief summer season they had in which to place them- selves comfortably in winter quarters before the hard weather should set in. " You are a wise man, Mozwa," said MacSweenie, when the Indian had explained his views to him in the united smoke of their pij 's and the camp- fire. " Your notion of a place for a fort iss not a bad one, an' efter I hev had a look round I hev no doubt that I will agree wi' you that this is the very best site in the neighbourhood. Tell him that, Tonal', an' say that I am fery much obleeged to him for all the forethought and trouble he hes taken." Whether Donald translated all this as it was delivered we know not. From the peculiar cast of his mind, however, coupled with the moderate depth of his knowledge of the Indian tongue, it is probable that his translation was neither literal nor comprehensive. Indeed, it is not unlikely that A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WOULD 293 his subsequent remark to one of his comrades — " we told Mozwa it was very good of him to come to meet us, an' the place would do well enough " ■ — was more like the sentence to which he had reduced it. But whatever he said Mozwa seemed to be quite pleased with it. " By the way, Tonal', ask him about his friend Nazinred." The serious way in which the Indian shook his head showed that he had no good news to tell. In a short time he had related all that was known about the sudden departure of his friend. While Mozwa was thus engaged with the leader of the expedition, their guide Bartong was wander- ing among the wigwams and making himself agreeable to the natives, who, because of his mixed blood and linguistic powers, regarded him as a half-brother. " Who is this man Nazinred that our leader is always talking about?" he asked of the old chiefs while seated in his tent. " He is one of our chiefs, one of our boldest braves — " "But not so brave as he looks," interrupted Magadar, who was present ; " he is fonder of peace than of fighting." " Foolish man !" exclaimed Bartong, with a smile so peculiar that Magadar did not feel quite sure that his remark was sincere. " But has he not left 294 THE WALUUS HUNTEItS your triDe ? I heard our steersman say something about that." " He left us in the winter to seek for his daughter, who was carried off by an Eskimo and has never come back since. We don't expect to see either of them again." Magadar said this with a grave countenance, for, however httle he cared for the loss of the father, that of the daughter distressed him a little — not much, however ; for could he not console himself with another wife ? Having questioned the old chief a little more on this point, he wandered off into other subjects, and finally left — intending to visit the wife of Nazinred on his way back to camp. Isquay was sitting beside her niece Idazoo, embroidering a moccasin, when Bartong entered, squatted on a deerskin unceremoniously, and began to fill his pii^e, "What kind of a man is your husband ?" asked the guide. " A good man," replied Isquay, Avho was tender- hearted, and could not speak of him without moist eyes. " He was a good hunter. None of the young men could equal him. And ho was kind. He always had plenty of things to give mo and Adolay." " They say ho did not love war," remarked Bar- tong. A IJOMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 295 " No ; ho hated it : but he was brave, and a good fighter — the best in the tribe. None of the young men dared to touch him." " Was the young brave Alizay afraid to touch him ?" asked the guide, with a sly glance at the younger woman. At this Idazoo flushed and looked up angrily. " No," she said sharply ; " Alizay fears nothing." Bartong took no notice of the remark, but con- tinued gravely to question the other. "Was Nazinred very fond of his daughter ?" he asked. " Yes, very." " And was the girl fond of him and of you ?" "Yes," replied the poor woman, beginning to weep gently. " And she seems to have been very fond of this Eskimo, who, they tell me, saved your life once." " She was, but I did not think she would go away with him. It was not like her — she was always so good and bidablo, and told me every- thing." "Why did your husband go off alone?" " I cannot tell. I suppose he knew that none of the young men would go with him, or feared they might lose heart and turn back. No doubt he thought it best to go by himself, for he was very brave ; nothing would turn him back !" A fresh though silent dropping of tears occurred 296 THE WALRUS HUNTEIIS here, and a severe pang of remorse shot through the heart of Idazoo as she thought of her unkind report of what had taken place hesido the dead tree under the cHfi". "Don't cry, Isquay; Nazinred will come back, you may be sure of that," said the guide, in a confident tone, " and he will bring your little girl along with him, for when a man is good and brave he 'Jiever fails!" The brevity of summer near the shores of the Arctic Sea rendered it advisable that no time should be wasted in looking about too particularly for a site for the new trading post ; and as Mac- Sweenie was well pleased with Mozwa's select'on he at once adopted it and set to work. Deeming it important to open the campaign by putting a good taste in the mouths of his friends the Indians, he began by distributing a few gra- tuities to them — some coloured beads to the women, and a few lines, fish-hooks, and tobacco to the mca Then he marked out a site for the future dwelling-house and store, got out the tools and set to work to fell, saw, and shape suitable timber for the buildings. He constituted Magadar chief hunter to the establishment, supplied him with a new gun, powder and ball, and sent him off to the woods as proud as, and doubtless much happier than, a king. Mozwa he kept by him, as a counsellor to whom he could appeal in all matters A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 297 regarding the region and the people, as well as an overseer of those among his countrymen who were hired to render assistance. Alizay was sent off in a canoe — much to the satisfaction of Mowat — for that forgotten keg of screw-nails which had lain so heavy on his mind, and the old chief was supphed with unlimited tobacco, and allowed to wander about at will, under the agreeable impression that he was superintendent-general of the works. Tsquay, Idazoo, and some of the other women were furnished with moose-deer skins and needles, and employed to make moccasins for the men, as well as to do all the needful repairs to gar- ments. Thus the plateau on the banks of the Ukon River presen;:ed, during the weeks that followed, a scene of lively bustle and unfamiliar noise to the furred and feathered inhabitants of those vast solitudes, and formed to the Red men a new and memorable era in their monotonous existence. At last there came a day when the roof of the principal dwelling was completely covered, the doors were fixed up, and the glazed windows fitted in. "Now, Tonal'," remarked ^lacSweenie, on the morning of that auspicious day, " it iss a house- warming that I will be giving to-night, for the Indians will be expectin' something o' the sort, so you will be telling the cook to make the biggest lump o' plum-duff he ever putt his hands to ; an' 298 THE WALRUS HUNTEUS tell him not to spare the plums. It iss not every day we will be givin' thiss goot people a blow-out, an' it iss a matter of great importance, to my thinking, that first impressions should be good ones. It iss the duty of a new broom to sweep clean. If it continues, goot and well, but if it does not begin that way it iss not likely to come to it, whatever. There iss far more than people think in sentiment. If you fail to rouse a senti- ment of goot- will, or confidence, or whatever it may be, at a first start-off", it iss not easy to rouse it afterwards. Hev ye not noticed that. Tonal' ?" " I can't say that I have," answered the inter- preter, with a matter-of-fact frown at the ground, "but I have noticed that the pit-saw they was usin' yesterday has been allowed to saw into the holdin'-irons and damaged half o' — " "Hoots, man! never mind the pit-saw!" ex- claimed MacSweenie, with a touch of asperity. " All the planks we want are sawn, an' if they were not, surely we could mend — tut, man, I wonder ye can play the fuddle. It always seemed to me that a goot fuddler must be a man of sentiment, but ye are the exception. Tonal', that proves the rule. Away wi' you an' gic my orders to the cook, an' see that you have the fuddle in goot tune, for we will want it to-night. An' let him hev plenty of tea, for if we gain the women we 're sure o' the men." A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 299 Movvat retired with a smile on his broacl be- nignant face. Ho understood his leader, and was not ottended by his plain speaking. Besides, it was not easy to make the interpreter take offence. His spirit was of that happy nature which hopeth all things and believeth all things. It flowed calm and deep like an untroubled river. Nothing short of a knock-down blow would have induced Donald Mowat to take oftence, but that would certainly have stirred him, and as he pos- sessed vast physical strength, and was something awful to behold when roused, and his comrades were aware of these facts, the serenity of his life was not often or deeply ruffled. The cook, who was an enthusiast in his art, did his best, and was eminently successful. His plum- duft" dumpling was bigger than any gun — at least of ancient type — could have swallowed, and the plums, as Mowat afterwards said, did not need to seek for each other. He made enough of delight- fully greasy cakes to feed an army, and, accord- ing to his own statement, infused " lashin's o' tea." Before the hour for the feast arrived that night, Mowat got out his violin and went into one of the rooms of the new house to put it in order. The window of the room looked towards the back of the house, where the forest was seen just beyond the plateau. Drawing a bench to the window, he sat down 300 THE WALRUS HUNTERS and opened the ciiso. Of course ho found the first string broken, but that did not break his heart, for he had a good supply of spare st rings, and if these should fail — well, there were plenty of deer- sinews in the land. It was soon put to rights, and, leaning his back against the wall, he began to tickle the strings gently. Whatever ho was at other times, there is no doubt that the interpreter was full of genuine sentiment the moment he got the violin under his chin. Now at that moment three young Dogrib braves chanced to be passing under the window, which was about seven feet from the ground. Though equally young, and no doubt equally brave, as well as equally Dogribbcd, those three youths were not equally matched, for one was tall and thin, another was short and thick, while the third was middle- sized and fat. They had been hunting — success- fully — for the thick man carried a small deer on his lusty shoulders. On hearing the first notes of the instrument the three youths started into three different attitudes as if of petrified surprise, and remained so, waiting for more. They had not to wait long, for, after tickling the fiddle once or twice to get it in perfect tune, Mowat raised his eyes to the pine-plank ceilmg and glided softly into one of those exquisite Scottish airs by means of Avhich a first-rate per- A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 301 former on the violin can almost draw the soul out of a man's body. Wo think it was "The Flowers of the Forest." Whatever it was the three Dogribs were ravished. They turned their heads slowly, as if afraid to break the sjiell, and lOokcd at each other, showing the whites of their great eyes increasingly, while each raised a hand with spread fingers as if to keep the others from speaking. They had never heard anything approaching to it before. They had never oven imagined anything like it. It was an utterly new sensation. What could it be? They had heard of something strange in the musical way from Nazinred and Mozwa, but with the carelessness of youth they had scarce listened to the comments of those men. Now it burst upon their awakened sense like sounds from some other planet. Their mouths opened slowly as well as their eyes, and there was an expression of awe in their faces which betokened a touch of superstitious fear. Suddenly Mowat drew his bow across all the strings with a skirl that might have shamed the bagpipes, and burst into the Reel o' TuUochgorum. The effect was electrical. The thick man dropped the deer ; the thin man sloped forward ; the fat man sprang into the air, and all three made for the woods as if all the spirits of evil were after them in full cry. 302 THE WALUUS HUNTERS We ncod hardly say, after this, that those Dogrib Indians spent an excited and agreeable evening Avith the fur-traders. They appreciated the dancing, undoubtedly, though very few of thorn Avould condescend to join. They appreciated the phim-dufF and the greasy cakes highly, and they more than appreciated the tea— especially the Avomen— which MacSweonie took care to provide hot, strong, and sweet. But there is no doubt that the lion of the evening was— the " fuddle." A nOMANf'K OF THE (CE-WORLD 303 so lo Ml 111 10 ■y 10 >t CHAPTER XXVI. A MY8TKBI0US JOURNEY AND A GREAT DISCOVERT. ruiTiNO on tho wing.s of imagination, good reader, let us once more fly over the snow-fields of the lone Nor'-west and return to the regions of thick-ribbed ice. We have to apologise humbly for asking you also to fly back a little in time, and plunge once more into the dreary winter, from which, no doubt, you thought you had fairly escaped. One morning toward tho beginning of spring, referred to in last chapter, while yet the northern seas were covered with their solid garment, Cheenbuk announced to all whom it might ccd- cern that he intended to go off on a long journey to the eastward — he called it the place where the Great Light rises — for purposes which he did not see fit publicly to reveal. At that time the Great Light to which he re- ferred had begun to show symptoms of intention to return to the dark regions which it had forsaken for several months. The glimmer on tho eastern 304 THE WALRUS HUNTERS sky Lad been increasing perceptibly each day, and at last had reached the point of producing a some- what rosy twilight for two or three hours before and after noon. King Frost, however, still reigned supreme, and the dog-sledge as yet was the only mode of travelling among the islands or on the sea, " Why go you towards the rising sun ? " asked Nazinred when Cheenbuk invited him to be one of the party. " Because it is from r^y countrymeo who dwell there that we get the hard stuff that is so good for our spear-heads, and lances, and arrows. We know not where they find the stuff, and they won't tell. I shall go and fine, out for myself, and take back plenty of it to our people." The "hard stuff" referred to was hoop-iron, which, as well as nails and a few hatchets, the Eskimos of the eastern parts of the Arctic shores obtained from whuio-ships and passed on to their friends in the more remote regions of the farther north. "I can tell you how they get it," said the Indian. " White traders to whom our people go with their furs have spoken of such things, aiul Tiiy ears have been open. They say that there are white men who come over the great salt lake from far-off lands in big big canoes. They come to catch the great whales, and it is from them that the hard stuff' comes." A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WOULD 305 For some miuutes the Eskimo was silent. A new idea had entered his head and he was turning it over. " Have you ever seen these white men or their big canoes?" asked Cheenbuk with great in- terest. "Never. The salt lake where they kill the whale is too far from ray people's hunting-grounds. But the white traders I have visited have seen them. Some traders have come from the same far-off" lands in big canoes of the same sort." " Is it very far from here to the seas to which these whale-killers come ?" "Very far from the hunting-grounds of the Dogribs, but it may not be far from here." " I will go and see," said Cheenbuk, with much decision, and he went off" forthwith to make pre- parations. The expedition consisted of one large sledge with a team of twelve dogs. Being re- solved not to risk failure by taking too many com- panions, the Eskimo limited the number to seven, besides himself — namely, Nazinred, with his fire- spouter ; Oolalik, Avhom he deemed the strongest and bravest among the young men ; Anteek, the most plucky of the big boys; Aglootook, the medicine-man, whom he took " for luck ; " and Nootka, as being the most vigorous and hard- working among the women. She could repair the boots, etc., and do what little cooking might be u 306 THE WALRUS HUNTERS required. Cowlik the easy-going was also taken to keep Nootka company. It was high noon when the party set out on their mysterious journey, and a brighter glow than usual was suffusing the eastern sky, while a gleam of direct sunshine, the first seen that spring, was tipping the peaks of the higher bergs as if with burnished gold. It was merely a whim that induced Cheenbuk to throw an air of mystery over the expedition. Having no definite idea himself of what ho was going in search of, or how long he should be away, he thought it wisest to look solemn and keep his thoughts to himself; thereby impressing his kins- men with the belief that he was one of the wi..'^st men of the tribe, which in tmth he was. Being, as we have said elsewhere, a man of humour and a good-natured fellow, he thought that the presence of the magician, whom he believed to be an arrant humbug, would add mystery as well as interest to the expedition. Aglootook was himself thoroughly convinced on this point, and sought by every means to induce the leader to disclose his object and plans, but as Cheenbuk maintained hiflexible reticence on this matter, the magician made a virtue of necessity, shook his head solemnly when spoken to about it, and gave it to be understood generally that in his and the leader's minds there were rolling A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 307 about thoughts and mtentions that were far too deep for utterance. Cheenbuk would have offered a seat to Adolay, but her father thought it better to decline for her. She was therefore left in the camp in care of old Mangivik and his amiable spouse. Travelling by dog-sledge among the Eskimos is rapid and exhilarating when the ice is unbroken. AVhen the explorers left the village and made for the far east, the plain of ice before them was level and smooth as far as the eye could reach. They therefore went along at a swinging pace, the team stretching out at full gallop, a crack from the whip resounding only now and then, when one of the dogs inclined to become re- fractory. The short day soon vanished, and the long night with its galaxy of stars and shooting aurora still found them gliding swiftly over the white plain. At last a line of hummocks and icebergs rose up before them, as if to bar their further progress, and the dogs reduced their speed to a trot, until, on reaching the broken ice, they stopped altogether. " We will camp hero,' said Cheenbuk, jumping off and stretching himself. "Make the igloe there," he added, pointing to a convenient spot in the lee of a small berg. 308 THE WALRUS HUNTERS The whole party went to work, and in a wonder- fully short time had constructed one of their snow 1 ice-hives large enough to contain them all. Here they ate a hasty supper and spent several hours in a slumber so profound and motionless that it seemed as if they were all dead; not a sigh, not even a snore, broke the stillness of the night. Next morning they were up and oif long before the first glimmer of dawn proclaimed the advent of a new day. Fortunately a passage among the ridges of broken ice was found, through which the sledge was hauled with comparative ease, and before noon they had reached the open sea-ice beyond, over which they again set forth at full swing. Little food had been brought, for they depended chiefly on their weapons to supply them, and as seals abounded everywhere, as well as walruses, they had no lack. Thus they advanced for several days, sometimes being retarded a little by broken ice, but for the most part dashing at full speed over smooth surfaces. One day they came to a long stretch of land, extending to the right and left as far as the eye could reach, which seemed to be a check to their progress, for it was extensively covered with willow bushes. Cheenbuk climbed a neighbouring berg with Nazinred to have a look at it. The Eskimo A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 309 looked rather glum, for the idea of land-travelling and struggling among willows was repugnant to him, " I don't like the look of this," he said, turning to his companion ; " there seems no end to it." "Let not my son be cast down," returned the Indian ; " men-of-the-A/oods understand the nature of land. This looks like a low flat, running out from the mainland. If so, it is not likely to be very wide, and we shall be sure to find the great salt lake on the other side of it. Besides, away to the left I see something like a small lake. If we go there we may find hard snow on which the dogs can nm." "There is bad fortune here," said Aglootook, endeavouring to look oracular, as ho came up at that moment with Anteek. "We must go far away in that direction," he added, pointing to the right, and looking at his leader with the aspect as Avell as the wisdom of an owl. The fact was that from the start the magician had been thirsting for some opportunity to display his profound sagacity, and in his opinion the time had arrived, for in other men's extremity he was wont to find his opportunity. True, ho knew no more than the king of Ashantee which was the best line to take — right or left, — but nmch of the power he had acquired over his fellows was due to his excessive self-sufiicieney, coupled with reckless ■HM 310 THE WALRUS HUNTERS prompitude in taking action. If things went well he got the credit ; if wrong — well, he was ingenious in devising explanations ! "Aglootook is wise," said Cheenbuk, with gravity and a glance at Anteek ; " I will act on his advice, but first I must take just a little run to the left, to find out something that I see there." Anteek was not naturally rude, but there was a sensation in him at that moment which induced him to turn his back on the magician and become absorbed in the contemplation of a neighbouring berg. When he turned round again his face was a little flushed. Nazinred was right. There was not only a lake at the place which he pointed out, but a cnain of small lakes, over which the dogs scampered as well as if they had been on the open sea. That night, however, they were obliged to encamp among the willows, but next night they reached the other side of what was evidently a large promontory, and finally swept out again on the familiar frozen sea. The day following they arrived at an obstruction which it appeared as if neither the wisdom of Aglootook, the sagacity of Nazinred, nor the determination of Cheenbuk could enable them to surmount. This was a mighty barrier of broken ice, which had probably been upheaved by the flow of cross A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 311 currents when the sea was setting fast in autumn, or the action of conflicting bergs, many of which were imbedded in the mass, thus giving to it the appearance of a small mountain range with higher peaks rising above the general elevation. On beholding it Aglootook recovered some of his self-respect, and, with a look of wisdom quite inconceivable by those who have not seen it, expressed his solemn belief that they would have escaped this difficulty if they had only acted on his advice, and travelled to the right ! Cheenbuk admitted that he seemed to have been mistaken, in a tone Avhich again set Anteek contemplating one of the neighbouring bergs with a countenance not altogether devoid of colour, and the leader drove the team towards the least for- bidding part of the ridge. " You will never get across," said Aglootook in a low voice. " I will try," returned Cheenbuk. " It is madness," said the magician. " People have often called me mad," responded Cheenbuk, " so if they were right I am well fitted to do it." it was an exceedingly difficult crossing. In some places the blocks and masses were heaped together in such confusion that it seemed as if the attempt to pass wore useless, and the magician solaced himself by frequent undertoned references 312 THE WALRUS HUNTERS to the advantage in general of travelling right instead of left. But always when things looked most hopeless the indefatigable Cheenbuk found a passage — often very narrow and crooked, it is true, — through which they managed to advance, and when the way was blocked altogether, as it was more than once, Cheenbuk and the Indian cleared a passage with their axes, while Anteek led the dogs over the obstruction, and Oolalik guided the sledge over it. Nootka usually stood on a con- venient ice-mound and admired the proceedings, while Aglootook, who had no axe, stood beside her and gave invaluable advice, to which nobody paid the slightest attention. At last, after many a fall and slip and tremen- dous slide, they reached the other side of the ridge, and once again went swiftly and smoothly over the level plain. " We shall not find them," remarked Oolalik, becoming despondently prophetic as he surveyed the wide expanse of frozen sea, with nothing but bergs and hummocks here and there to break its uniformity. " We must find them," replied Cheenbuk, with that energy of resolution which usually assails a man of vigorous physique and strong will when difficulties accumulate. " But, my son, if we do not find them it will not matter much, for the white traders of the woods A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-AVORLD S13 have plenty of the hard stuff, and all other things also, and when we return to the Greygoose River at the opening of the waters, we may take the teeth of the walrus and the skins of the seal and begin a trade with them. I have much of their goods in my own wigwam, and Cheenbuk knows that I can guide him to the home of the trader on the great fresh lake." Oolalik glanced at Nootka while the Indian spoke, as if he felt that a splendid prospect of decorative, ornamental, and other delights was opening up to her. Nootka returned the glance as if she felt that a splendid opportunity of secur- ing such delights for her was opening up to him. Cheenbuk did not reply, being engaged in the profound abysses of thought which had been opened up by his red friend's suggestion. Before he could find words to reply, Nazinred, whose vision was keen and practised, pointed out something that appeared like a cloud on the horizon ahead of them, and which he declared to be land. "I have noticed that the eyes of the man-of- the-woods are sharper than those of the Eskimo," said Cheenbuk. The Indian received this compliment with a gaze of calm indifference, as though he heard it not. Just then an exclamation from Anteek attracted 314 THE WALRUS HUNTERS general attention. Ho pointed to a mound of snow on tho ice a short way to the left of tho track which had a peculiar shape. "Something covered over with snow," said Cheenbuk, turning the dogs in that direction by the simple but significant expedient of sending his long whip with a resonant crack to the right of the team. "It is a man," remarked Nazinred as they drew near. He was right. On clearing away the snow they found the dead body of a man, some por- tions of whose costume resembled that of a sailor, though of course none of those who discovered it were aware of that fact. "Kablunet!" exclaimed Cheenbuk, using the Eskimo terra for white man. How long the poor man had lain there it was not easy to guess, for the body was frozen stiff, so that decay was impossible, but the fact that it had not been discovered by bears argued that it could not have lain long. Its emaciated appearance and the empty sack slung across tho shoulder showed that death must have been the result of starvation. There was a short loaded carbine lying beside the body, and in a pouch a flask of powder with a few bullets. "I think," said Nazinred, after careful inspec- tion of the remains, " that this is one of the white A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 315 men who come over the salt lake in their big canoes." " If so," said Cheenbuk, " we will follow his track, and may come to the big canoe itself; perhaps some of the Kablunets may bo yet alive." The Indian shook his head. " Men do not start off alone on a journey to nowhere," ho replied. " The big canoe must have been crushed in the ice, and the men must have started off together to search for Eskimos. I think they must all have died on the way, and this one walked farthest." "The man-of-the-woods is wise," said Oolalik. " If Ave follow the track we shall soon find out." "Yes," said Aglootook, putting on his most prophetic air. "Go on the track straight as we can go — that is my advice, and we shall be quite sure to come to something." Cheenbuk acted on the advice. Having buried the body of the unfortunate sailor in a snow- grave, and taken possession of the carbine and other things, they leaped on the sledge again, and continued to advance along the track, which, though in some places almost obliterated, was easily followed. They had not advanced more than a mile when another mound was discovered, with another seaman beloAV it, whom they buried in the same way, and close to it a third, whose , 316 THE WALRUS HI'NTERS costume being in some parts a little finer, they correctly guessed to bo a chief. At last they came in sight of a large mound, and on uncovering it found a boat with four dead men lying near it. All seemed to have died of starvation, and the reason why some of them had forsaken the boat was obvious, for it was crushed ou ^f shape by ice; the bottom having been < ompletely away, so that all the provisions thu^ had to depend on had no doubt been lost. "This is not the big canoe," remarked the Indian, while they examined it. "The big one must have been sunk, and they had to try to escape in the little one." The party spent a long time in examining tl . boat, and as there was a good deal of iron about it which might be useful, they resolved to re-visit it on the homeward journey. Setting off again, they now made straight for the land discovered by Nazinred, which now lay like a dark blue line of hills in the far distance. From the abrupt termination of the land at either extremity of the range it was judged to be a large island. As the night was clear and the ice level, the party travelled all that night, and arrived at the island about daybreak the following morning. The shore was rocky and desolate, Avith high A UOMANCE OF THE ICE-WOllLD 317 1. II clirts behind it, so lliiit further progress to the eastward was evidently hnpossiblo, unless by passing round the island to tlio north or south of it. "I said you would come to somcthlmj" said the magician, sententiously, as they drew near to the forbidding coast. " You were right, Aglootook. Indeed, it would be impossible for you to bo wrong," replied Cheenbuk, with one of those glances at Anteclc Avhicli rendered it hard for the boy to preserve his gravity ; yet he was constrained to make the effort, for the magician was very sensitive on the point, and suspected the boy. They were by this time running between the headlands of a small bay, and suddenly came in sight of an object which caused them all to exclaim with surprise and excitement — for there, under the shelter of a high cliff, lay a three- masted ship, or, as the Indian termed it, the white man's big canoe. 318 THE WALRUS HUNTERS CHAPTER XXVII. INTBRESTINO, AMCSINO, AND A8TO0NDINO DISCOVEUIES. Although close under the clifts, and apparently on the rocks, the vessel was by no means a wreck, neither had it the aspect of one. There were no broken masts or tattered sails or ropes dangling from the yards. On the contrary, the masts were straight and sound ; such of the yards as had not been lowered were squared, and all the ropes were trim and taut. The deck was covered over with a roof of canvas, and the snow banked up all round so as to meet the lower edges of it and form a protection from the wind. Up one side of this bank of snow a flight of stairs had been cut, leading to the port gangway, and the prints of many feet were seen all round the ship converging towards the stairs, the steps of which were worn as if by much use. At first the natives approached the vessel with extreme caution, not being sure of what might be tiieir reception if any man should be on board, and with a sense of awe at beholding a mysterious A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 319 object which had hitherto been utterly beyond the range of their experience, though not quite un- known to them by report. By degrees, however, they drew nearer and nearer, until they reached the bottom of the snow staircase. Still there was no sound to be heard in the white man's big canoe to indicate the presence of a human being. At last Cheenbuk uttered a shout with the view of attracting attention, but there was no reply. " Make the fire-spouter speak," he said, looking at his Indian friend. Nazinred silently obeyed, pointed his gun at the clouds, and fired ; then the whole party awaited the result, listening intently. They heard much more than had been expected, for the cliffs em- braced several echoes, which, being thus rudely awakened, sent the shot crashing back with multiplied violence, to the no little surprise, as well as alarm, of the hearers. Still all was silent on board of the ship, and at last, coming to the conclusion that there was no living soul there at all, the Indian, having re- loaded his gun, began to ascend the staircase, closely followed by Cheenbuk, Oolalik, Anteek, and Aglootook — which last, being a cautious man, was careful to bring up the rear. Nootka and Cowlik remained on the ice to observe the end of it all — the former anxiously curious, the latter curiously easy. For some time these two stood in 320 THE WAT.RUS HUNTERS silent expectancy. Then Oolalik appeared at the top of the staircase, and, looking down with a face in which solemn wonder had reached its utmost limit of expression, beckoned them to come up. Nootka obeyed with alacrity; her companion, leisurely. What the party saw on entering the vessel was well fitted to arouse wonder in their unsophisti- cated minds. Whether it was one of the numerous discovery ships that have invaded those regions in the present century, or a whaler which had been driven out of its course by stress of weather or power of ice, is uncertain, for although some relics of the expedition ultimately reached the outpost of the fur-traders, nothing was brought away by the Eskimos which bore name or date or writing of any kind. Although ignorant of the meaning as well as the uses of almost everything they saw, those natives were quite sufficiently intelligent to guess that the white n\an's big canoe had been set fast in the ice the previous autumn, and laid up for the winter in this place of safety to servo as a big igloe or hut. Their examination of the ship was at first very slow, for they stepped about on tiptoe as if afraid of disturbing some of the ghosts of its former inhabitants. Then, a speculative gaze had to bo turned on each object for a few moments, followed by an inquiring glance at each other. The dock A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 321 and its accompaniments of masts rising through the canvas roof, and ropes, and blocks, hatches, skylights, companions, etc., afforded them matter for unbounded astonishment; though what they afterwards discovered below was productive of unutterable amazement. " Hoi ! " exclaimed Cheenbuk, pointing at some- thing with all his ten fingers expanded. He had discovered the binnacle, and was gazing for the first time at the mariner's compass ! " Hi ! " cried the responsive Anteek in a Avide- cyed condition. Ho had discovered the after-companion, which was partially open, and was gazing solemnly into the depths below. The unwonted nature of their surroundings developed an unsuspected vein of curiosity in Cowlik, who pushed the companion-door open, and, seeing a flight of steps with some degree of light below, she began to descend. Whether Nootka's surprise at this sudden act of self- assertion, or her curiosity, was the stronger, it would be hard to say, but she immediately went after Cowlik. The men, seeing the way thus indi- cated, did not hesitate to follow. Of course they all held tenaciously by the brass rail, being afraid to slip on the steep stair, and some of them, slewing round almost naturally, went down in true sailor fashion, backAvards. 322 THE WALRUS HUNTERS Reaching the bottom, the girls, probably by chance, turned to the left and entered the after- cabin. The men of the party turned to the right, and became absorbed in contemplation of the steward's pantry. It smelt deliciously, but that was all that remained of its native attractions, for of food or drink there was nothing left. They had just made this discovery when a loud laugh and then a wild scream from the cabin horrified them. Cheenbuk and Oolalik drew their knives, Nazinred cocked his gun, Anteek grasped a rolUng-pin that lay handy, and all four sprang to the rescue. The scream came from Cowlik. She had suddenly faced a mirror that hung in the cabin, and beheld a perfect representation of her own fat face. It was by no means an unknown face, for she had often had an imperfect view of it in pools and in calm seas, but it quite took her aback when thus unexpectedly and clearly pre- sented. The blaze of astonishment that followed the first glance caused the burst of laughter referred to, and the display of her wide mouth and white teeth in the changed expression in- duced the scream of alarm. It also made her start backward so quickly that she sent poor Nootka crashing against the starboard bulkhead. " Look ! " cried the frightened girls, pointing to the mirror. fMM "TO THE RESCUE."— Paoe 822. RffiSH A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WORLD 323 The three Eskimos sprang forward and received something like an electric shock on beholding their own faces. Cheenbuk turned to Nazinred, but that usually grave Indian was indulging in a patronising smile instead of sharing their surprise. " I know what it is," he said quietly. " I have seen it before, in the stores of the fur-traders, but never so big as that." B'amiliarity, it is said, breeds contempt. After gazing at themselves in the miraculous mirror for some time, an idea occurred to Anteek. He suddenly shot out his tongue, Avhich happened to be a very long one. Anteek's reflection did the same. Thereupon Oolalik opened his mouth wide and laughed. So did Oolalik's reflection, which had such an effect upon Cheenbuk that he also burst into a fit of laughter. The girls, pressing forward to see what it was, likewise presented grinning faces, which formed such a contrast to the grave countenance of Nazinred, as he stood there in all the dignity of superior knowledge, that the whole party went off' into uncontrollable explosions, which fed upon what they created u'^til the tears were running down the cheeks of the Eskimos, and the Indian himself was constrained at last to smile benignly. But mirth gave place to solemnity again, not unmingled with pity, as they spent hour after hour 924 THE WALRUS HUITTERS examining the various parts of tho forsaken ship. Of course they could go over only a small part of it that day. When tho short day came to a close they went to tho shore and encamped in their usual way — not daring to sleep on board a big canoe, about which as yet they know so little. On shore they found more subjects of interest and perplexity, for hero were several mounds marked by crosses, and a large mound surmounted by a pole on the top of which were fluttering a few remnants of red cloth. The shape of the smaller mounds naturally led them to infer that they were the graves of white men who had died there, but the large mound was inexplicable until Nazinred recollected having seen a flag hoisted on a pole at the fort on Great Bear Lake. " 1 remember," he said to Cheenbuk, " that the traders used to hoist a piece of cloth to the top of a pole like this, at times, when something of im- portance happened. Perhaps the chief of the big canoe died and was buried here, and they hoisted the red cloth over him to mark the place." " My father may be right," observed tho Eskimo ; " but why did they put such a heap of stones above him ? " " Perhaps to keep the bears from getting at him," returned the Indian thoughtfully, " or, it may be, to show him great respect." Resting satisfied with these surmises, tho two A ROMANCE OP THE ICE-WOULD S25 men returned to their encampment without disturbing the mound, which was, in all pro- bability, a cairn covering a record of the expedition which had come to such an untimely end. Next day, the moment there was enough of light to enable them to resume the search, the Eskimos hurried on board the ship and began to ransack every hole and comer, and they found much that caused their eyes to glitter with the delight of men who have unexpectedly discovered a mine of gold. Among other things, they found in a small room which had been used as a black- smith's forge, large quantities of hoop, bar, and rod-iron. While Cheenbuk and Oolalik were rejoicing over this find, Anteek rushed in upon them in a state of considerable excitement with something in his hand. It was a large watch of the double-cased " warming-pan " tribe. " Listen ! " exclaimed the boy, holding it up to Cheenbuk's ear, and giving it a shake ; " it speaks." " What is it ? " murmured the Eskimo. " I don't know, but it does not like shaking, for it only speaks a little when I shake it. I tried squeezing, but it does not care for that." Here again Nazinred's superior knowledge came into play, though to a limited extent. " I have seen a thing like that," he said. " The trader at the great fresh- water lake had one. He carried it in a small bag at his waist, and used 32G 1"IIE WALRtrS HUNTEItS often to pull it out and look at it. He never told mo what it was for, but onco he let mo hear it speak. It went on just like this one — tik, tik, tik, — but it did not require shaking or squeezing. I think it had a tongue like some of our squaws, who never stop speaking. One day when I went into the trader's house I saw it lying on the thing with four legs which the white men put their food on when they want to eat, and it was talking away to itself as fast as ever." They were still engaged with this mystery when a cry of delight from Nootka drew them back to the cabin, where they found the girl clothed in a pilot-cloth coat, immensely too large for her. She was standing admiring herself in the mirror — so quickly had her feminine intelligence applied the thing to its proper use; and, from the energetic but abortive efforts she made to wriggle round so as to obtain a view of her back, it might have been supposed that she had been trained to the arts of civilisation from childhood. With equal and earnest assiduity Cowlik was engaged in adorning her head with a black flannel-lined sou'-wcster, but she had some trouble with it, owing to the height of her top-knot of hair. Kidiculous though the two girls might have looked in our eyes, in those of their companions they only seemed peculiar and interesting, for A ROMANCE OF THE ICE-WOULD 327 tlio step between the sublime and ridiculous is altogether relative, in Eskimo-land as elsewhere. There was no opportunity, however, to dwell long in contemplation of any new thmg, for the dis- coveries came thick and fast. Cowlik had barely succeeded in pulling the ear-pieces of the sou'- wester well down, and tying the strings under her fat chin, when a tremendous clanking was heard, as of some heavy creature approaching the cabin door. Chccnbuk dropped forward the point of his spear, and Nazinred kept his gun handy. Not that they were actually alarmed, of course, but they felt that in such unusual circumstances the least they could do Avas to be ready for whatever might befall — or turn up. A moment later and Aglootook stalked into the cabin, his legs encased in a pair of fishermen's sea-boots, so large that they seemed quite to diminish his natural proportions. In all their discoveries, however, they did not find a single scrap of any kind of food. It was quite clear that the poor fellows had held by the ship as long as provisions lasted, in the hope, no doubt, that they might ultimately succeed in working their way out of the ice, and then, when inevitable starvation stared them in the face, they had tried to escape in their boats, but without success — at least in one case, though how many boats had thus left to undertake the forlorn hope 328 THE WALRUS HUNTERS of Storming tho strongholds of the polar seas it was impossible to tell. On tho second night, as the Eskimos sat in their igloe at supper talking over tho events of the day, Nazinred asked Cheenbuk what he intended to do, — " For," said he, " it is not possible to take back with us on one sledge more than a small part of the many good things that we have found." " The man-of-the-woods is right," interposed the magician ; " he is wise. One sledge cannot carry much. I told you that wo were sure to find some- thing. Was I not right ? Have we not found it ? My advice now is that we go back with as much as we can carry, and return with four or five sledges — or even more, — and tal