Now it was to these ice-cliffs that the somewhat reckless giant betook himself. Although not well acquainted with that region, or fully alive to the extent of the danger incurred, his knowledge was sufficient to render him cautious in the selection of the position which should form his outlook.
And a magnificent sight indeed presented itself when he took his stand among the glittering pinnacles. Far as the eye could reach, the sea lay stretched in the sunshine, calm as a mill-pond, and sparkling with ice-jewels of every shape and size. An Arctic haze, dry and sunny, seemed to float over all like golden gauze. Not only was the sun encircled by a beautiful halo, but also by those lovely lights of the Arctic regions known as parhelia, or mock-suns. Four of these made no mean display in emulation of their great original. On the horizon, refraction caused the ice-floes and bergs to present endless variety of fantastic forms, and in the immediate foregroundat the giants feettremendous precipices of ice went sheer down into the deep water, while, away to the right, where a bay still retained its winter grasp of an ice-field, could be seen, like white bee-hives, the temporary snow-huts of these wandering Eskimos.
Well might the eye, as well as the head, of the so-called savage rise upwards while he pondered the great mystery of the Maker of all! As he stood on the giddy ledge, rapt in contemplation, an event occurred which was fitted to deepen the solemnity of his thoughts. Not twenty yards from the point on which he stood, a great ice-cliffthe size of an average housesnapped off with a rending crash, and went thundering down into the deep, which seemed to boil and heave with sentient emotion as it received the mass, and swallowed it in a turmoil indescribable.
Chingatok sprang from his post and sought a safer but not less lofty outlook, while the new-born berg, rising from the sea, swayed majestically to and fro in its new-found cradle.
It is not understandable, muttered the giant as he took up his new position and gazed with feelings of awe upon the grand scene. I wonder if the pale-faced men in the floating islands think much about these things. Perhaps they dwell in a land which is still more wonderful than this, and hunt the walrus and the seal like us. It is said they come for nothing else but to see our land and find out what is in it. Why should I not go to see their land? My kayak is large, though it has no wings. The land may be far off, but am I not strong? They are pale-faced; perhaps the reason is that they are starved. That must be so, else they would not leave their home. I might bring some of the poor creatures to this happy land of ours, where there is always plenty to eat. They might send messengers for their relations to come and dwell with us. I will speak to mother about that; she is wise!
Like a dutiful son, the giant turned on his heel, descended the cliffs, and went straight home to consult with his mother.
Chapter Two.
Unexpected Meetings, Alarms, and Confidences
Mother, I have been thinking, said Chingatok, as he crept into his hut and sat down on a raised bench of moss.
That is not news, my son; you think much. You are not like other men. They think little and eat much.
The stout little woman looked up through the smoke of her cooking-lamp and smiled, but her big son was too much absorbed in his thoughts to observe her pleasantry, so she continued the cooking of a walrus chop in silence.
The Kablunets are not to be seen, mother, resumed Chingatok. I have looked for them every day for a long time, and begin to weary. My thought is now to launch my kayak when we come to open water, load it with meat, take four spears and more lines than a strong hunter needs for a whole season; then paddle away south to discover the land of the Kablunets. They must be poor; they may be starving. I will guide them to our home, and show them this land of plenty.
He paused abruptly, and looked at his mother with solemn anxiety, for he was well aware that he had given her food for profound reflection.
We feel tempted here to repeat our remark about the strong resemblance between different members of the human family, but refrain.
This untutored woman of the Arctic lands met her sons proposition with the well-known reply of many civilised persons.
Of what use would it be, my son? No good can come of searching out these poor lands. You cannot benefit the miserable Kablunets. Perhaps they are savage and fierce; and you are sure to meet with dangers by the way. Worseyou may die!
Mother, returned Chingatok, when the white bear stands up with his claws above my head and his mouth a-gape, does my hand tremble or my spear fail?
No, my son.
Then why do you speak to me of danger and death?
Toolooha was not gifted with argumentative powers. She relapsed into silence and lamp-smoke.
But her son was not to be so easily dissuaded. He adopted a line of reasoning which never failed.
Mother, he said, sadly, it may be that you are right, and I am of too fearful a spirit to venture far away from you by myself; I will remain here if you think me a coward.
Dont say so, Chingatok. You know what I think. Go, if you must go, but who will hunt for your poor old mother when you are gone?
This was an appeal which the astute little woman knew to be very powerful with her son. She buried her head in the smoke again, and left the question to simmer.
Chingatok was tender-hearted. He said nothing, but, as usual, he thought much, as he gazed in a contemplative manner at his oily parent, and there is no saying to what lengths of self-sacrifice he would have gone if he had not been aroused, and his thoughts scattered to the winds, by a yell so tremendous that it might well have petrified him on the spot. But it did nothing of the kind. It only caused him to drop on his knees, dart through the tunnel like an eel, spring into the open air like an electrified rabbit from its burrow, and stand up with a look of blazing interrogation on his huge countenance.
The cry had been uttered by his bosom friend and former playmate Oolichuk, who came running towards him with frantic gesticulations.
The Kablunets! he gasped, the white-faces have come!on a floating island!alive!smoking!it is all true!
Where? demanded our giant, whose face blazed up at once.
There! cried Oolichuk, pointing seaward towards the ice-hummocks with both hands, and glaring up at his friend.
Without another word Chingatok ran off in the direction pointed out, followed hotly by his friend.
Oolichuk was a large and powerful man, but, his legs were remarkably short. His pace, compared with that of Chingatok, was as that of a sparrow to an ostrich. Nevertheless he kept up, for he was agile and vigorous.
Have you seen themhave you spoken? asked the giant, abruptly.
Yes, all the tribe was there.
No one killed?
No, but terribly frightened; they made me run home to fetch you.
Chingatok increased his speed. So did Oolichuk.
While they run, let us leap a little ahead of them, reader, and see what had caused all the excitement.
The whole party had gone off that morning, with the exception of Chingatok and his mother, to spear seals in a neighbouring bay, where these animals had been discovered in great numbers. Dogs and sledges had been taken, because a successful hunt was expected, and the ice was sufficiently firm.
The bay was very large. At its distant southern extremity there rose a great promontory which jutted far out into the sea. While the men were busy there making preparations to begin the hunt, Oblooria, Chingatoks little sister, amused herself by mounting a hummock of ice about thirty feet high.
No one killed?
No, but terribly frightened; they made me run home to fetch you.
Chingatok increased his speed. So did Oolichuk.
While they run, let us leap a little ahead of them, reader, and see what had caused all the excitement.
The whole party had gone off that morning, with the exception of Chingatok and his mother, to spear seals in a neighbouring bay, where these animals had been discovered in great numbers. Dogs and sledges had been taken, because a successful hunt was expected, and the ice was sufficiently firm.
The bay was very large. At its distant southern extremity there rose a great promontory which jutted far out into the sea. While the men were busy there making preparations to begin the hunt, Oblooria, Chingatoks little sister, amused herself by mounting a hummock of ice about thirty feet high.
When there, she chanced to look towards the promontory. Instantly she opened her eyes and mouth and uttered a squeal that brought her friends running to her side.
Oolichuk was the first to reach her. He had no need to ask questions. Obloorias gaze directed his, and there, coming round the promontory, he beheld an object which had never before filled his wondering eyes. It was, apparently, a monstrous creature with a dark body and towering wings, and a black thing in its middle, from which were vomited volumes of smoke.
Kablunets! white men! he yelled.
Kablunets!huk! huk! echoed the whole tribe, as they scrambled up the ice-hill one after another.
And they were right. A vessel of the pale-faces had penetrated these northern solitudes, and was advancing swiftly before a light breeze under sail and steam.
Despite the preparation their minds had received, and the fact that they were out in search of these very people, this sudden appearance of them filled most of the Eskimos with alarmsome of them with absolute terror, insomuch that the term pale-face became most appropriate to themselves.
What shall we do? exclaimed Akeetolik, one of the men.
Fly! cried Ivitchuk, another of the men, whose natural courage was not high.
No; let us stay and behold! said Oolichuk, with a look of contempt at his timid comrade.
Yes, stay and see, said Eemerk sternly.
But they will kill us, faltered the young woman, whom we have already mentioned by the name of Tekkona.
Nono one would kill you, said Eemerk gallantly; they would only carry you off and keep you.
While they conversed with eager, anxious looks, the steam yachtfor such she wasadvanced rapidly, threading her way among the ice-fields and floes with graceful rapidity and ease, to the unutterable amazement of the natives. Although her sails were spread to catch the light breeze, her chief motive power at the time was a screw-propeller.
Yes, it must be alive, said Oolichuk to Akeetolik, with a look of solemn awe. The white men do not paddle. They could not lift paddles big enough to move such a great oomiak,1, and the wind is not strong; it could not blow them so fast. See, the oomiak has a tailand wags it!
Oh! do let us run away! whispered the trembling Oblooria, as she took shelter behind Tekkona.
No, no, said the latter, who was brave as well as pretty, we need not fear. Our men will take care of us.
I wish that Chingatok was here! whimpered poor little Oblooria, nestling closer to Tekkona and grasping her tail, he fears nothing and nobody.
Ay, assented Tekkona with a peculiar smile, and is brave enough to fight everything and everybody.
Does Oblooria think that no one can fight but the giant? whispered Oolichuk, who stood nearest to the little maid.
He drew a knife made of bone from his boot, where it usually lay concealed, and flourished it, with a broad grin. The girl laughed, blushed slightly, and, looking down, toyed with the sleeve of Tekkonas fur coat.
Meanwhile the yacht drew near to the floe on which our Eskimos were grouped. The ice was cracked right across, leaving a lane of open water about ten feet wide between its inner edge and the shore ice. The Eskimos stood on the land side of this crack, a hundred yards or so from it. On nearing the floe the strange vessel checked her speed.
It moves its wings! exclaimed Eemerk.
And turns its side to us, said Akeetolik.
And wags its tail no more, cried Oolichuk.
Oh! do, do let us run away, gasped Oblooria.
No, no, we will not run, said Tekkona.
At that moment a white cloud burst from the side of the yacht.
Hi! hee! huk! shouted the whole tribe in amazement.
A crash followed which not only rattled like thunder among the surrounding cliffs, but went like electric fire to the central marrow of each Eskimo. With a united yell of terror, they leaped three feet into the airmore or lessturned about, and fled. Tekkona, who was active as a young deer, herself took the lead; and Oblooria, whose limbs trembled so that she could hardly run, held on to Oolichuk, who gallantly dragged her along. The terror was increased by a prolonged screech from the steam-whistle. It was a wild scramble in sudden panic. The Eskimos reached their sledges, harnessed their teams, left their spears on the ice, cracked their whips, which caused the dogs to join in the yelling chorus, and made for the land at a furious gallop.
But their fear began to evaporate in a few minutes, and Oolichuk was the first to check his pace.
Ho! stop, he cried.
Eemerk looked back, saw that they were not pursued, and pulled up. The others followed suit, and soon the fugitives were seen by those on board the yacht grouped together and gazing intently at them from the top of another ice-hummock.
The effect of the cannon-shot on board the yacht itself was somewhat startling. The gun had been loaded on the other side of the promontory for the purpose of being fired if Eskimos were not visible on the coast beyond, in order to attract them from the interior, if they should chance to be there. When, however, the natives were discovered on the ice, the gun was, of course, unnecessary, and had been forgotten. It therefore burst upon the crew with a shock of surprise, and caused the Captain, who was in the cabin at the moment, to shoot up from the hatchway like a Jack-in-the-box.
Who did that? he demanded, looking round sternly.
The crew, who had been gazing intently at the natives, did not know.
I really cannot tell, sir, said the chief mate, touching his cap.
Two strapping youthsone about sixteen, the other eighteenleaned over the side and paid no regard to the question; but it was obvious, from the heaving motion of their shoulders, that they were not so much absorbed in contemplation as they pretended to be.
Come, Leo, Alf, you know something about this.
The Captain was a large powerful man of about forty, with bushy iron-grey curls, a huge beard, and an aquiline nose. The two youths turned to him at once, and Leo, the eldest, said respectfully, We did not see it done, uncle, butbut we think
Well, what do you think?
At that moment a delicate-looking, slender lad, about twelve years of age, with fair curly hair, and flashing blue eyes, stepped out from behind the funnel, which had hitherto concealed him, and said boldly, though blushingly
I did it, father.
Ha! just like you; why did you do it? eh!
I can hardly tell, father, said the boy, endeavouring to choke a laugh, but the Eskimos looked so funny, and II had a box of matches in my pocket, andandI thought a shot would make them look so very much funnier, andandI was right!