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As Amalatok had arrived that very day on a visit from Poloeland with his prime minister and several chiefs, and Grabantak was residing on the spot, with a number of chiefs from the surrounding islands, who had come to behold the famous Kablunets, there was a sort of impromptu gathering of the northern clans which lent appropriate dignity to the wedding.
"Well, then," continued Rooney, "after I'd been two winters with these Kablunets, another big kayak came to the settlement, not to trade, nor to teach about God, but to go as far as they could into the ice, and try to discover new lands." "Poor men!" remarked Okiok pitifully; "had they no lands of their own?" "O, yes; they had lands at home," replied the sailor, laughing.
"Leave her to die also," said the wizard carelessly; "she is not worth much." "Never!" cried Nunaga, with emphasis. "I will save her, I will save you all. Did you not tell me that the village of the Kablunets is only two suns from here?" "That is so, Nunaga." "Can you creep to the sledge?" asked the girl quickly. "I think I can." "Try, then."
"Who are these, my son?" asked the old man, pointing to the Englishmen, who, standing in a group with amused expressions, watched the meeting above described. "These are the Kablunets, father. I met them, as I expected, in the far-off land. The poor creatures were wandering about in a great kayak, which they have lost, searching for nothing!" "Searching for nothing! my son, that cannot be.
"He can feed when he wakens," returned the man, admiring his guest as a collector might admire a foreign curiosity which he had just found. "Kablunets sleep sounder than Eskimos," remarked the woman. "Stupid one! Your head is thick, like the skull of the walrus," said the man. "Don't you see that it is because he is worn-out?" Eskimos are singularly simple and straightforward in their speech.
"Some men have occasionally done so with advantage," answered the Captain. "Kablunets may do so, Eskimos never!" returned the old man, resuming his hurried walk to and fro, and the grinding of his teeth again.
"I know not," replied Chingatok humbly, "but I know not everything. They have showed me much. One thing they have showed me that behind all things there is something else which I do not see. The Kablunets are wonderful men. Yet I pity them. As Blackbeard has said, some of them are too fond of killing themselves, and some are too fond of killing each other.
It consisted chiefly of a running commentary by the man on the Kablunets and their ways, and appreciative giggles on the part of the woman; but they were interrupted at the very commencement by the sudden appearance of one of the Kablunets sauntering towards them. They rose instantly and rambled away in opposite directions, absorbed in contemplation the one of the earth, and the other of the sky.
There he was found by old Makitok, and for some time the giant and the wizard held converse together. "I love these Kablunets," said Chingatok. "They are a strange race," returned the wizard. "They mingle much folly with their wisdom. They come here to find this Nort Pole, this nothing, and they find it. Then they go away and leave it! What good has it done them?"
I have never seen the Kablunets fight with men, but they fight well with the bear and the walrus and the ice. They are not such fools as you seem to think. True, about this nothing this Nort Pole they are quite mad, but in other matters they are very wise and knowing, as you shall see before long."
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