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Updated: June 29, 2025
Without any reference to what had passed, the Indian turned to his companion and said, "Why should the men of the ice fight with the men of the woods?" "Why?" asked Cheenbuk, after a few moments' profound meditation, "why should the men of the woods attack the men of the ice with their fire-spouters?"
Having come to this satisfactory conclusion, the maidens relapsed into general conversation. But a disappointment was in store which none of the party had counted on. When the village of the Fire-spouters was reached, not a soul was to be seen. The tent-poles remained, and the ashes of the hearths were still there; but the ashes were cold, and not a man, woman, or child remained not even a dog.
"Why do the young men wish to go there?" asked Mangivik. "To get food, and wood for our spear-handles and sledges, and berries, and to have a good time. Perhaps also to fight a little with the Fire-spouters." The youth glanced furtively at Mangivik as he concluded. "To get food, and wood, and berries is good," observed the old man; "but why fight with the Fire-spouters? We cannot conquer them."
"What can it be?" murmured Cheenbuk. "The very biggest bear that ever was, come to frighten the wisest people that ever lived, out of their wits," suggested Anteek. The face of the elder Eskimo underwent a sudden change, and an intelligent expression flitted over it as he said "I know now I remember I guess. You have often heard me talk of the Fire-spouters, Anteek?
"Besides," continued the magician, "what folly is it to talk of changing our customs, which have never been changed since the First Man created fish and animals! Are we not satisfied with whales and walruses, bears and seals, deer and birds? Is not our snow igloe as comfortable as the Fire-spouters' skin tent? What do we care for their ornaments or other things?
"But tell me, before I speak more, is Rinka dead?" "No, she is getting well." "That is good," he continued, in a tone of satisfaction. "Old Uleeta, I doubt not, told you of the fight I had with the Fire-spouters?" "She did," cried Anteek, with delight, "and how you gave them sore hearts!" "H'm! they gave me a sore heart too; but I don't care now!
At this Ondikik groaned whether at the contemptibly obvious character of the idea, or at ideas in general, or in consequence of pain, we cannot tell. "You said, mother, that Cheenbuk gave them a good deal of trouble?" "Ay, he gave them sore hearts and sore bodies." "They deserved it! what right had they to come with their fire-spouters to attack us?"
"I say," cried Oolalik, looking round with the air of a man who had much in his head, and meant to let it out, "I say that the man who fights if he can avoid it is a fool! Look back and think of the time gone away. Not many cold times have passed since our young men became puffed up indeed, some of our old men were little better and made a raid on the Fire-spouters of the Whale River.
But the Fire-spouters did not want to fight, and the men who lost their lives at the fight I am speaking of, threw them away for nothing. They will never more come home to provide their families with food and clothes, or to comfort them, or to play with the children and tell them of fights with the walrus and the bear when the nights are black and long.
"We shall not be long of coming back," said Gartok as he was about to leave his mother, old Uleeta, who was in the crew of one of the oomiaks. "I wish I saw you safe back, my son," returned the woman, with a shake of her head, "but I fear the Fire-spouters." "I don't fear them," returned the young man boastfully, "and it does not matter much what you fear."
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