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Page 13
"But alas, thy nose is long, Papik," she said, shaking her head.
And the others chorused:
"Long nose, short life! Long nose--short life! Long nose--short
life!" In anger Papik struck the offending member, and drawing his
sledge after him proceeded toward his tent.
Assisted by a number of the natives, Ootah, smiling, exultant, drew
five sled-loads of blubber up over the ice toward Annadoah's tent.
With their comparatively meagre portions the others followed. To
Annadoah Ootah meant to show the spoils of his quest. To her he
desired to present the greater portion of the riches he had by his
prowess secured. Here was meat to serve them during the long winter,
and in that region the catch was a priceless fortune. Surely Annadoah
could not refuse him now. He had proved himself beyond question the
chief hunter of the tribe. His eyes filled, his temples excitedly
throbbed. He felt a greater joy than that the natives feel when the
sun dawns after the long night. In his heart pulsed the sweet song of
spring's first ineffable bird.
Not far from Annadoah's tent he paused. About him the natives,
wondering, admiring, had gathered. He turned to them; he felt a
strength, a dignity, an assertion he had never experienced before. His
voice rose in a happy, ingenuously proud chant of exultation:
"From the bosom of _Nerrvik_, queen of the sea, have I not brought food
for the long winter; yea, have I not for many moons sought to win in
the chase that I might claim Annadoah? Annadoah! Annadoah!"
"Yea, that thou mightest claim Annadoah! Thou art the strongest hunter
of the tribe," the natives rejoicingly chorused.
"Did I not win in the muscle-tapping games?" he sang. "Did I not speed
the arrow as none other--did I not speed the arrows as the birds fly?"
"Yea," they replied, "thou didst speed the arrow with the skill of the
happy dead playing in the aurora--over the earth as the birds fly didst
thou send the arrows. Strong is thy arm, Ootah."
Not far away some of the natives, joining in the chorus, began beating
drums. The white men hilariously drank from bottles and joined in the
merry dances.
"Did I not call the walrus and seal from the sea--as none other? Have
I not lured the caribou from their hidden lair? Have I not enticed the
birds, the foxes, and the bear by my calls--as none other of the
tribes?"
In succession Ootah uttered imitations of the calls of the walrus
bulls, the female caribou, and cries of the various birds.
"Have I not held converse with the animals of the land, the birds of
the air, and shall I not one day perchance comb the hair of _Nerrvik_
in the sea!"
The drums beat more loudly; the dancers hopped and leaped. The chorus
replied:
"Thou lurest the walrus and seal from the sea, thou enticest the
caribou, _ahmingmah_ and birds unto thee! Thou hast learned the
language of nature, and the happy spirits are kind to thee! Marvellous
is thy power, Ootah."
And in the chorus, deep, hoarse, sneeringly ironical rang the words of
Maisanguaq:
"Marvellous is thy power, Ootah," and his low bitter laughter followed.
The white men began to sing as they danced with the chubby women. In
couples they rocked to and fro.
"Have I not killed of all the birds of the air, the animals of the land
and sea! Have I not observed the customs of the august dead? Have I
done aught to bring misfortune to the tribe?"
In spontaneous recognition of his pre-eminence the young men freely
yielded Annadoah. Only Maisanguaq felt bitter.
Ootah summoned his helpers and the sleds of blubber were drawn to the
immediate entrance of Annadoah's tent. He seemed to step upon air.
His heart bounded.
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