|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 44
Standing before his igloo, musing upon these things, Ootah espied in
the semi-light a dark speck moving on the ice.
"_Nannook_! (_Bear_)" he called, and the men rushed from their houses.
Without pausing to get his gun Ootah ran down to the ice-sheeted shore.
Nature, as if repenting of her bitterness, had sent milder weather, and
the bear, emerging from its winter retreat, made its way over the ice
in search of seal. Lifting his harpoon, Ootah attacked the bear. It
rose on its haunches and parried the thrusts. A half-dozen lean dogs
came dashing from the shelters and jumped about the creature. The bear
grunted viciously--the dogs howled. The bear was lean and faint from
hunger, and its fight was brief--the lances of four natives pierced the
gaunt body. The bear meat was divided after the communal custom of the
tribe, and the gnawing of their stomachs was again somewhat appeased.
Some days later three bears were killed near the village. The hearts
of the tribe arose, for spring was surely dawning.
Early in March Arnaluk, skirmishing along the shore, saw a bear
disappearing in the distance. The animal was making its direction
seaward, and this indicated to the astute native that its quick senses
had detected the presence of seal.
"Ootah! Ootah!" he called. "Attalaq! Attalaq!" The two tribesmen
responded. With harpoons and lances they followed the trail of the
bear. Less than a mile from shore they found it sitting near a seal
blow hole in the ice. At the sight of the men it fled. A close
inspection resulted in the discovery of a half dozen blow holes--or
open places to which the seal rise under the ice and come to the
surface to breathe. For a long while the men waited. Standing near
the holes, their weapons ready to strike, they imitated the call of
seals. Finally there was a snorting noise beneath one of the holes.
Ootah detected a slight rise of vapor. Attalaq's harpoon descended. A
joyous cry arose. Breaking open the ice about the hole a seal was
drawn to the surface. Daily visits were thereafter made to the
vicinity and the hunters, patiently watching near the holes, succeeded
in catching several seals. Other blow holes were later detected along
the ice, then they disappeared and for a period no seal rewarded the
hunters.
The weather continued to moderate, and these excursions on the sea ice
became more and more dangerous. One day Attalaq and Ootah, while
walking along the shore, heard a familiar call in the far distance, out
toward the open sea.
"Walrus," said Ootah, the zest of the hunt tingling in his veins.
"But the danger is great--the ice splits," said Attalaq.
"But we need food." Ootah thought of Annadoah. She had not been well,
she needed food--that was sufficient. Moreover, he thought of the
children; three were dying of lack of food. So he called the tribesmen
and gave the signal for preparations to depart. A selection had to be
made of the best dogs for the dangerous trip. Few dogs remained in the
village; many had been frozen by the bitter cold; others had to be
killed as food for their companions; some had occasionally been
devoured by the famished natives. And this the desperate people had
done with reluctance and great sorrow--for, as I have said, a native
loves his dog but little less than his child.
Ootah in the lead, with five others, started on the hunt, with three
sledges, each of which was drawn by a team of five lean, hungry dogs.
After some urging Maisanguaq had sullenly consented to accompany the
party.
Joy flushed the natives' skin, for a thin film of sunlight trembled low
over the eastern horizon. As they sped northward past great
promontories they saw several auks. Later two ptarmigan were spotted,
and still later an eider duck. They began chanting songs of the race.
Quickly, however, the brief sunlight faded, heavy grey clouds piled
along the sky-line, the atmosphere became perceptibly warmer, and
intermittent gusts of wind blew downward from the inland mountains.
They directed their steps over the ice to a distant black spot,
somewhat more than a mile distant, which they knew to be open water.
There, if there were any, the walrus would be found. As they were
marching, a very faint crackling noise vibrated through the ice under
their feet. They ceased singing. Four of the party paused and would
have turned back. Ootah urged them onward. They paced off half a
mile. The wind increased in volume and whined dolefully. Their steps
lagged. Suddenly they heard the harsh nasal bellow they knew so well.
The hearts of all expanded with the joy of the hunt.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|