THE BOOTY SECURED
The boat was soon on the river, partly on ice and partly in water, and
the struggle to reach the big ice block on which the deer lay, began.
We saw the hooks of the young men flying now to the left, now to the
right of the boat. Sometimes one end of the boat, sometimes the other,
would be raised high into the air. Now and then, as the stream carried
them further away, we could distinguish that it had become necessary
for the youths to pull or push the boat across some ice barrier. As we
strained our eyes watching them, it seemed to all of us that they could
never reach their goal.
Noontime came, and I heard my mother's call to dinner. I was so hungry
by that time, not having breakfasted, that I answered at once despite
my desire to see the end of the adventure.
I had scarcely seated myself at the table when my father and Old Skorin
entered.
"You must eat with us, Pavel Ivanovich,"[6] said my father. "You can't
go home. It's too far. Besides, it's a long time since we've had a
chance to be together."
We all understood father's kind intention of trying to keep the old
man's mind from dwelling too anxiously on his son's uncertain fate.
Besides, my older sister had just become engaged to Young Skorin and
this drew our families closer together.
Old Skorin stepped into the room with dignity, took off his fur cap,
and walking to the corner in which hung the ikon,[7] crossed himself.
Not until he had done this, did he salute my mother with: "Bread and
salt, Anna Feodorovna," this being the customary greeting when any one
is invited for a meal.
"You are welcome, dear guest, Pavel Ivanovitch," was my mother's hearty
response. "Take this seat," and she pointed to the place of honor under
the ikon and to the right of my father.
"Where is Katia?" asked Skorin.
At this question I looked around amazed to find that Katia was not in
the room. I had never before known her to be absent at meal time.
Mother answered with a trace of discontent in her voice: "I don't know.
The breaking up of the ice seems to have upset the whole village. Run,
Vanka, and find her."
I left my place at the table with great reluctance, not daring to
offer any protest in the presence of my father, whose military training
made him insist on prompt obedience.
When I reached the river's bank, I saw my sister among those yet there.
She stood shading her eyes, in order to still make out the now scarcely
visible boat. Her face expressed a peculiar mixture of admiration
and anxiety. I recalled that she had had a quarrel with Young Skorin
the night before, which had probably led to the rash undertaking.
Inexperienced though I was in such matters, I felt that this venture
had somehow resulted in her complete forgiveness.
When she understood why I had come, her first question was, "Is father
already home?" Learning that he was, she ran as fast as if her heels
were on fire, so that I could scarcely keep up with her.
When we reached home the talk turned to the appearance of the _koza_,
my father saying that it was a good omen, that we should have plenty
of deer meat that season.
These Siberian deer always move in a succession of small herds, and are
followed and preyed on not only by men but also by wolves and other
animals. For this reason our cattle were always safe during their
migration. At this time, too, we always had an abundance of deer meat
three times a day. The skins were saved either to be immediately made
into fur coats and caps or for future use. Often on account of the
abundance of these skins many of them were sold to traders who now and
then visited our part of the country.
Every boy in our village learned all about the habits of the deer in
childhood, not only from his relatives but also from the members of
the neighboring Goldi tribes, or from Manchurians who use the growing
antlers as an invigorating medicine, considering it almost as precious
as ginseng, which is also found along the Ussuri River. Sometimes
they paid as high as two or three hundred rubles[8] for a pair. I
knew several Cossacks who made a fortune hunting deer. They were also
profitable to keep as pets, the horns of the male being cut off every
summer, when just about to harden, and sold.
We were just through dinner when a shout came that Young Skorin had
been successful. We rushed out and met him bringing the big stag to our
house. My mother and sister helped him skin it and cut it into four
parts. Then I was sent around to spread the news that that evening
there would be a big feast to which the whole village was asked, this
to be followed by a dance for the young people.
Toward evening the guests began to arrive, many of the men dressed in
old uniforms, many others simply in belted, gayly embroidered red,
blue, and gray blouses. The older people seated themselves around the
table in our house, while the younger received their share of the feast
informally at our nearest neighbor's, greatly relieved at being free
for a while from the supervision of their elders.
The meal lasted a long time. There was first the traditional deer soup
of the Cossack, then roast deer, and finally an unlimited amount of
coarse rye bread, milk, and tea. Vodka, too, as an especial treat, was
offered to the older people.
When the table had been cleared and moved out of the way, the blind
musician, Foma, with his fiddle under his arm, was led into a corner.
The son of the head man of our village (the _ataman_), took his place
next to him with a harmonica. The dancing began with the rather slow
steps of "_Po Ulice Mastovoi_" (On the paved Street), and ended with
the Cossack dance, "_Kazachok_," led by an old woman named Daria, and
Old Skorin, followed by more and more active dancers, until it finally
terminated in the dancing of the liveliest Cossack present, each newly
invented stunt on his part producing an explosion of applause.
During the dance the house was packed with people. The greatest
excitement prevailed. Men sober enough in everyday life, seemed
suddenly to give expression to something wild in their natures. By
midnight every one present was so exhilarated that he was either
dancing or beating time. Even Grand-dad Matvei, who was said to be a
hundred years old, kept time with the music by shrugging his shoulders
and striking his feet against the ground.
All that evening my sister and Young Skorin were the center of
attention, their engagement having been announced immediately after
supper.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 6: In social converse in Russia, the given name of the person
addressed and the given name of the person's father are used together,
instead of a title and the surname as with us. Thus, Mr. John Smith,
the son of Mr. Karl Smith, would be addressed as John Karl-ovitch.--THE
EDITOR.]
[Footnote 7: The picture of the Savior, the Virgin, or some saint. Used
in the Russo-Greek Church and found in the home of every member of
it.--THE EDITOR.]
[Footnote 8: A ruble is a Russian coin equal to about our half dollar.]