loved grandmother at home, we may be permitted to guess. From that hour
he took a tender interest in that little old woman, and somehow--from
the expression of his eye, perhaps, or the touch of his strong hand--the
old creature seemed to know it, and chuckled, in her own peculiar style,
immensely. For old Kannoa had not been overburdened with demonstrative
affection by the members of her tribe, some of whom had even called her
an old witch--a name which had sent a thrill of great terror through her
trembling old heart, for the doom of witches in Eskimo land in those
days was very terrible.
Next day, being that of the great feast, the entire village bestirred
itself with the first light of morning. Men and women put on their best
garments, the lamps were kindled, the cooking-kettles put on, and
preparations generally commenced on a grand scale.
Awaking and stretching himself, with his arms above his head and his
mouth open, young Ermigit yawned vociferously.
"Hah! how strong I feel," he said, "a white bear would be but a baby in
my hands!"
Going through a similar stretch-yawny process, his brother Norrak said
that he felt as if he had strength to turn a walrus inside out.
"Come, boys, turn yourselves out o' the house, and help to cut up the
meat. It is not wise to boast in the morning," said Okiok.
"True, father," returned Norrak quietly, "but if we don't boast in the
morning, the men do it so much all the rest of the day that we'll have
no chance."
"These two will be a match for you in talk before long," remarked Nuna,
after her sons had left.
"Ay, and also in body," returned the father, who was rather proud of his
well-grown boys. "Huk! what is Tumbler putting on?" he asked in
astonishment.
"The dress that the Kablunet made for him," said Nunaga, with a merry
laugh. "Doesn't it fit well? My only fear is that if Arbalik sees him,
he will pierce him with a dart before discovering his mistake."
"What are you going to begin the day with?" asked Nuna, as she stirred
her kettle.
"With a feed," replied Okiok, glancing slyly at his better half.
"As if I didn't know that!" returned the wife. "When did Okiok ever do
anything before having his morning feed?"
"When he was starving," retorted the husband promptly.
This pleasantry was received with a giggle by the women.
"Well, father, and what comes after the morning feed?" asked Nunaga.
"Kick-ball," answered Okiok.
"That is a hard game," said the wife; "it makes even the young men blow
like walruses."
"Ay, and eat like whales," added the husband.
"And sleep like seals," remarked Nunaga.
"And snore like--like Okioks," said Nuna.
This was a hard hit, being founded on some degree of truth, and set
Okiok off in a roar of laughter.
Becoming suddenly serious, he asked if anything had been seen the day
before of Ujarak the angekok.
"Yes, he was in the village in the evening," replied Nuna as she
arranged the food on platters. "He and Ippegoo were found in the green
cave yesterday by the Kablunet. He was out about the ice-heaps, and
came on them just as Tumbler saved Pussi, and Ippegoo saved them both."
"Tumbler saved Pussi!" exclaimed the Eskimo, looking first at his
daughter and then at his wife.
"Yes; Pussi was tumbling over an ice-cliff," said Nunaga, "and Tumbler
held on to her."
"By the tail," said Nuna. "So Ippegoo rushed out of the cave, and saved
them both. Ujarak would have been too late. It seems strange to me
that his torngak did not warn him in time."
"Torngaks must be very hard-hearted," said Okiok, with a look and tone
of contempt that he did not care to conceal. "But what were they doing
in the cave?"
"Who knows?" replied Nuna. "These two are always plotting. Ridroonee
says they looked as if worried at having been discovered. Come,
fall-to. You must be strong to-day if you would play kick-ball well."
Okiok glanced with a look of care upon his brow at Nunaga, shook his
head gravely once or twice in silence, and began breakfast.
After the meal was over he sallied forth to join in the sports, which
were soon to begin. Going first to the hut of Angut, he found the most
of his countrymen and women surrounding Red Rooney, who, having finished
breakfast, was seated on a sledge conversing with Angut and Simek, and
others of the chief men of the tribe. All the rest were gazing and
listening with greedy eyes and ears.
"Hi! Okiok," exclaimed the sailor heartily, as he rose and held out his
hand, which his former host shook heartily, to the great surprise and
delight of the crowd; "have you joined the gluttons, that you take so
long to your morning feed? or have you slept longer than usual, to make
you a better match for the young men?"
"No; I was in dreamland," answered the Eskimo, with profound gravity,
which his countrymen knew quite well was pretended; "and I met a torngak
there, who told me that the Kablunet needed much sleep as well as food,
and must not be roused by me, although other fools might disturb him."
"How kind of the torngak!" returned Rooney. "But he was not polite, for
if he spoke to you of `other' fools, he must have thought of you as
_one_ fool. Was he your own torngak?"
"No; I have no torngak. He was my grandmother's. And he told me that
the Kablunet was a great angekok, and would have a torngak of his own
soon. Moreover, he said the games must begin at once--so come along,
Ippegoo."
As he spoke, Okiok caught the slender youth in his powerful arms, laid
him gently on his back, flung some snow in his face, and then ran away.
Ippegoo, entering at once into the spirit of the fun, arose and gave
chase. Excelling in speed as much as his opponent did in strength, the
youth soon overtook him, managed to trip him up, and fell on the top of
him. He was wildly cheered by the delighted crowd, and tried to punish
Okiok; but his efforts were not very successful, for that worthy put
both his mittened hands over his head, and, curling himself up like a
hedgehog, lay invulnerable on the ice. Poor Ippegoo had not strength
either to uncoil, or lift, or even move his foe, and failed to find a
crevice in his hairy dress into which he might stuff snow.
After a few minutes Okiok straightened himself out, jumped up, and
scurried off again over the ice, in the direction of the berg of the
green cave, followed by the entire village.
It was on a level field of ice close to the berg referred to that the
game of kick-ball was to be played. As Rooney was not yet strong enough
to engage in rough play, a pile of deerskins was placed on a point of
the berg, slightly higher than the heads of the people, and he was
requested to mount thereon. There, as on a throne, he presided over the
games, and became the gazing-stock of the tribe during the intervals of
play. But these intervals were not numerous or prolonged, for most of
the players were powerful men and boys, so thoroughly inured, by the
nature of their lives, to hardship and vigorous action in every possible
position of body that their muscles were always in the condition of
those of a well-trained athlete. Even Ippegoo, with all his natural
defects of mind and body, was by no means contemptible as a player, in
those games, especially, which required agility and powers of endurance.
First they had a game of hand-ball. It was very simple. The players,
who were not selected, but entered the lists at their own pleasure,
divided themselves into two parties, which stood a little apart from
each other. Then an ordinary hand-ball was tossed into the air by
Okiok, who led one of the parties. Simek, the mighty hunter, led the
other. These men, although approaching middle age, were still at the
height of their strength and activity, and therefore fitting leaders of
the younger men in this as well as the more serious affairs of life.
It seemed to Rooney at first as if Okiok and his band were bent on
having all the fun to themselves, for they began to toss the ball to
each other, without any regard to their opponents. But suddenly Simek
and some of his best men made a rush into the midst of the other party
with shouts and amazing bounds. Their object was to catch or wrest the
ball from Okiok's party, and throw it into the midst of their own
friends, who would then begin to amuse themselves with it until their
opponents succeeded in wresting it from them.
Of course this led to scenes of violent action and wild but
good-humoured excitement. Wrestling and grasping each other were
forbidden in this game, but hustling, tripping up, pushing, and charging
were allowed, so that the victory did not always incline either to the
strong or the agile. And the difficulty of taking the ball from either
party was much greater than one might suppose.
For full half an hour they played with the utmost energy, insomuch that
they had to pause for a few seconds to recover breath. Then, with one
accord, eyes were turned to the president, to see how he took it.
Delight filled every bosom, for they saw that he was powerfully
sympathetic. Indeed Rooney had become so excited as well as interested
in the game, that it was all he could do to restrain himself from
leaping into the midst of the struggling mass and taking a part. He
greeted the pause and the inquiring gaze with a true British cheer,
which additionally charmed as well as surprised the natives. But their
period of rest was brief.
Simek had the ball at the time. He suddenly sent it with a wild "Huk!
hoo-o-o!" whirling into the air. The Kablunet was instantly forgotten.
The ball came straight down towards a clumsy young man, who extended his
hands, claw-like, to receive it. At that moment lppegoo launched
himself like a thunderbolt into the small of the clumsy youth's back,
and sent him sprawling on the snow amid shouts of laughter, while Norrak
leaped neatly in, and, catching the ball as it rebounded, sent it up
again on the same side. As it went up straight and came down
perpendicularly, there was a concentric rush from all sides. Ujarak
chanced to be the buffer who received the shock, and his big body was
well able to sustain it. At the same moment he deftly caught the ball.
"Ho! his torngak helps him!" shouted Okiok ironically.
"So he does," cried the wizard, with a scoffing laugh, as he hurled the
ball aloft; "why does not your torngak help _you_?"
There was a loud titter at this, but the laugh was turned in favour of
the other side when Ermigit caught the ball, and sent it over to the
Okiok band, while their leader echoed the words, "So he does," and spun
the ball from him with such force that it flew over all heads, and
chanced to alight in the lap of Red Rooney. It could not have landed
better, for that worthy returned it as a point-blank shot which took
full effect on the unexpectant nose of Ermigit.
The spirited lad was equal to the occasion. Although water rose
unbidden to his eyes, he caught the ball, and with a shout of laughter
flung it into the midst of his own side. Thus the play went on fast and
furious, until both sides were gasping. Then with one consent they
stopped for a more prolonged rest--for there was no winning or losing at
this game. Their only aim was to see which side could get hold of the
ball oftenest and keep it longest until all were exhausted.
But the fun did not cease although the game did, for another and quieter
game of strength was instituted. The whole party drew closer round
their president, and many of them mounted to points of vantage on the
berg, on the sides of which groups of the women and children had already
taken up positions.
It may be remarked here that the snow-covered ice on which the game of
ball had been played was like a sheet of white marble, but not so hard,
for a heavy stamp with a heel could produce an indentation, though no
mark was left by the ordinary pressure of a foot.
The competitors in the game of strength, or rather, of endurance, were
only two in number. One was Okiok's eldest son, Norrak, the other the
clumsy young man to whom reference has been already made. The former,
although the smaller and much the younger of the two, was remarkably
strong for his age.
These two engaged in a singular style of boxing, in which, strange to
say, the combatants did not face each other, nor did they guard or jump
about. Stripped to the waist, like real heroes of the ring, they walked
up to each other, and the clumsy youth turned his naked back to Norrak,
who doubled his fist, and gave him a sounding thump thereon. Then
Norrak wheeled about and submitted to a blow, which was delivered with
such good-will that he almost tumbled forward. Again he turned about,
and the clumsy one presented his back a second time; and thus they
continued to pommel each other's backs until they began to pant
vehemently. At last Norrak hit his adversary such a whack on the right
shoulder that he absolutely spun him round, and caused him to roll over
on his back, amid the plaudits of the assembly.
The clumsy one rose with a somewhat confused look, but was not allowed
to continue the battle. There was no such thing as fighting it out "to
the bitter end" among these hilarious Eskimos. In fact, they were
playing, not fighting.
At this point Simek approached Rooney with a smiling countenance, and
said--
"There is another game of strength which we sometimes play, and it is
the custom to appoint a man to choose the players. Will the Kablunet
act this part to-day?"
Of course our seaman was quite ready to comply. After a few moments'
consideration, he looked round, with a spice of mischief in his heart,
but a smile on his countenance, and said--
"What could be more agreeable than to see the striving of two such good
friends as Angut my host and Ujarak the angekok?"
There was a sudden silence and opening of eyes at this, for every one
was well aware that a latent feeling of enmity existed between these
two, and their personal strength and courage being equally well-known,
no one up to that time had ventured to pit these two against each other.
There was no help for it now, however. They were bound in honour, as
well as by the laws of the community, to enter into conflict. Indeed
they showed no inclination to avoid the trial, for Angut at once stepped
quietly into the space in front of the president, and began to strip off
his upper garments, while Ujarak leaped forward with something of a
bounce, and did the same.
They were splendid specimens of physical manhood, both of them, for
their well-trained muscles lay bulging on their limbs in a way that
would have gladdened the sculptors of Hercules to behold. But there was
a vast difference in the aspect of the two men. Both were about equal
in height and breadth of shoulder, but Angut was much the slimmer and
more elegant about the waist, as well as considerably lighter than his
adversary. It was in the bearing of Angut, however, that the chief
difference lay. There was a refinement of physiognomy and a grace of
motion about him of which the other was utterly destitute; and it was
plain that while the wizard was burning to come off victorious, the
other was only willing, in a good-humoured way, to comply with the
demands of custom. There was neither daring, defiance, contempt, nor
fear in his countenance, which wore its wonted aspect of thoughtful
serenity.
After this description of the champions, we feel almost unwilling to
disappoint the reader by saying that the game or trial was the reverse
of martial or noble. Sitting down on the hard snow, they linked their
legs and arms together in a most indescribable manner, and strove to
out-pull each other. There was, indeed, much more of the comic than the
grand in this display, yet, as the struggle went on, a feeling of
breathless interest arose, for it was not often that two such stalwart
frames were seen in what appeared to be a mortal effort. The great
muscles seemed to leap up from arm and thigh, as each made sudden and
desperate efforts--right and left--sometimes pulling and sometimes
pushing back, in order to throw each other off guard, while perspiration
burst forth and stood in beads upon their foreheads.
At last Ujarak thrust his opponent back to the utmost extent of his long
arms, and, with a sudden pull, raised him almost to his feet.
There was a gasp of excitement, almost of regret, among the onlookers,
for Angut was a decided favourite.
But the pull was not quite powerful enough. Angut began to sink back to
his old position. He seemed to feel that now or never was his chance.
Taking advantage of his descending weight, he added to it a wrench which
seemed to sink his ten fingers into the flesh of Ujarak's shoulders; a
momentary check threw the latter off his guard, and next instant Angut
not only pulled him over, but hurled him over his own head, and rolled
him like a porpoise on the snow!
A mighty shout hailed the victory as the wizard arose and retired
crestfallen from the scene, while the victor gravely resumed his coat
and mingled with the crowd.
Ujarak chanced, in retiring, to pass close to Okiok. Although naturally
amiable, that worthy, feeling certain that the wizard was playing a
double part, and was actuated by sinister motives in some of his recent
proceedings, could not resist the temptation to whisper--
"Was your torngak asleep, that he failed to help you just now?"
The whisper was overheard by some of the women near, who could not
suppress a subdued laugh.
The wizard, who was not at that moment in a condition to take a jest
with equanimity, turned a fierce look upon Okiok.
"I challenge you," he said, "to a singing combat."
"With all my heart," replied Okiok; "when shall it be?"
"To-morrow," said the wizard sternly.
"To-morrow let it be," returned Okiok, with the cool indifference of an
Arctic hunter, to the immense delight of the women and others who heard
the challenge, and anticipated rare sport from the impending duel.
CHAPTER ELEVEN.
THE HAIRY ONES FEAST AND ARE HAPPY.
Lest the reader should anticipate, from the conclusion of the last
chapter, that we are about to describe a scene of bloodshed and
savagery, we may as well explain in passing that the custom of duelling,
as practised among some tribes of the Eskimos, is entirely intellectual,
and well worthy of recommendation to those civilised nations which still
cling fondly and foolishly to the rapier and pistol.
If an Eskimo of the region about which we write thinks himself aggrieved
by another, he challenges him to a singing and dancing combat. The idea
of taking their revenge, or "satisfying their honour," by risking their
lives and proving their courage in mortal combat, does not seem to have
occurred to them--probably because the act would be without significance
among men whose whole existence is passed in the daily risk of life and
limb and proof of courage.
Certainly the singing combat has this advantage, that intellect triumphs
over mere brute force, and the physically weak may prove to be more than
a match for the strong.
But as this duel was postponed to the following day, for the very good
reason that a hearty supper and night of social enjoyment had first to
be disposed of, we will turn again to the players on the ice-floe.
"Come, Angut," said Rooney, descending from his throne or presidential
chair, and taking the arm of his host; "I'm getting cold sitting up
there. Let us have a walk together, and explain to me the meaning of
this challenge."
They went off in the direction of the sea-green cave, while Simek
organised a game of kick-ball.
"Okiok tells me," continued Rooney, "that there is to be no fighting or
bloodshed in the matter. How is that?"
Angut expounded, as we have already explained, and then asked--
"Have they no singing combats in your land?"
"Well, not exactly; at least not for the purpose of settling quarrels."
"How, then, are quarrels settled?"
"By law, sometimes, and often by sword--you would call it spear--and
pistol. A pistol is a thing that spouts fire and kills. Nations
occasionally settle their quarrels in the same way, and call it war."
Angut looked puzzled--as well he might!
"When two men quarrel, can killing do any good?" he asked.
"I fear not," answered the seaman, "for the mere gratification of
revenge is not good. But they do not always kill. They sometimes only
wound slightly, and then they say that honour is satisfied, and they
become friends."
"But--but," said the still puzzled Eskimo, "a wound cannot prove which
quarreller is right. Is it the one who wounds that is thought right?"
"No."
"Is it then the wounded one?"
"O no. It is neither. The fact is, the proving of who is right and who
is wrong has nothing to do with the matter. All they want is to prove
that they are both very brave. Often, when one is slightly wounded--no
matter which--they say they are satisfied."
"With what are they satisfied?"
"That's more than I can tell, Angut. But it is only a class of men
called _gentlemen_ who settle their quarrels thus. Common fellows like
me are supposed to have no honour worth fighting about!"
The Eskimo looked at his companion, supposing that he might be jesting,
but seeing that he was quite grave and earnest, he rejoined in an
undertone--
"Then my thoughts have been wrong."
"In what respect, Angut?"
"It has often come into my mind that the greatest fools in the world
were to be found among the Innuit; but there must be greater fools in
the lands you tell of."
As he spoke the sound of child-voices arrested them, and one was heard
to utter the name of Nunaga. The two men paused to listen. They were
close to the entrance to the ice-cave, which was on the side of the berg
opposite to the spot where the games were being held, and the voices
were recognised as those of Pussi and Tumbler. With the indomitable
perseverance that was natural to him, the latter had made a second
attempt to lead Pussi to the cave, and had been successful.
"What is he goin' to do?" asked Pussi, in a voice of alarm.
"Goin' to run away vid sister Nunaga," replied Tumbler. "I heard
Ippegoo say dat to his mudder. Ujarak is goin' to take her away, an'
nebber, nebber come back no more."
There was silence after this, silence so dead and prolonged that the
listeners began to wonder. It was suddenly broken. Evidently the
horrified Pussi had been gathering up her utmost energies, for there
burst from the sea-green depths of the cave a roar of dismay so
stupendous that Angut and our seaman ran hastily forward, under the
impression that some accident had occurred; but the children were
sitting there all safe--Tumbler gazing in surprise at his companion,
whose eyes were tight shut and her mouth wide-open.
The truth is that Pussi loved and was beloved by Nunaga, and the boy's
information had told upon her much more powerfully than he had expected.
Of course Tumbler was closely questioned by Angut, but beyond the scrap
of information he had already given nothing more was to be gathered from
him. The two friends were therefore obliged to rest content with the
little they had learned, which was enough to put them on their guard.
Ere long the sinking of the sun put an end to the games, but not before
the whole community had kick-balled themselves into a state of utter
incapacity for anything but feeding.
To this process they now devoted themselves heart and soul, by the light
of the cooking-lamps, within the shelter of their huts. The feast was
indeed a grand one. Not only had they superabundance of the dishes
which we have described in a previous chapter, but several others of a
nature so savoury as to be almost overpowering to the poor man who was
the honoured guest of the evening. But Red Rooney laid strong
constraint on himself, and stood it bravely.
There was something grandly picturesque and Rembrandtish in the whole
scene, for the smoke of the lamps, combined with the deep shadows of the
rotund and hairy figures, formed a background out of which the animated
oily faces shone with ruddy and glittering effect.
At first, of course, little sound was heard save the working of their
jaws; but as nature began to feel more than adequately supplied, soft
sighs began to be interpolated and murmuring conversation intervened.
Then some of the more moderate began to dally with tit-bits, and the
buzz of conversation swelled.
At this point Rooney took Tumbler on his knee, and began to tempt him
with savoury morsels. It is only just to the child, (who still wore his
raven coat), to say that he yielded readily to persuasion. Rooney also
amused and somewhat scandalised his friends by insisting on old Kannoa
sitting beside him.
"Ho! Ujarak," at last shouted the jovial Simek, who was one of those
genial, uproarious, loud-laughing spirits, that can keep the fun of a
social assembly going by the mere force and enthusiasm of his animal
spirits; "come, tell us about that wonderful bear you had such a fight
with last moon, you remember?"