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Updated: June 2, 2025
"What! does he sing?" asked Rooney. "Yes; he is our maker of songs, and sings a little." "Then he must sing to me," cried the sailor. "In my land the man who sings last has the right to say who shall sing next. I demand a song from Okiok." As the company approved highly of the demand, and Okiok was quite willing, there was neither difficulty nor delay.
Possibly the voice of Okiok was familiar to him. It may be that relations or friends of that bear had mysteriously disappeared after the sounding of that voice. Perhaps the animal in whose skin Rooney was encased had been a brother.
"Ippegoo," he said, at last breaking silence, "we must not be beaten." "No, that must not be," replied his pupil firmly. "This time we have failed," continued the wizard, "because I did not think that Okiok would leave his guest." "I thought," said Ippegoo, somewhat timidly, "that your torngak told you everything." "You are a fool, Ippegoo."
Red Rooney delivered these remarks fluently in a curious sort of Eskimo language; but we have rendered it into that kind of English which the wrecked seaman was in the habit of using chiefly because by so doing we shall give the reader a more correct idea of the character of the man. "We are very glad to see you," returned Okiok. "We have heard of you for many moons.
The wizard said this somewhat tartly, and Okiok, feeling that he had gone far enough, turned away his sharp little eyes, and gazed at the lamp-smoke with an air of profound humility. "You have got seal-flesh?" said Ujarak, glad to change the subject. "Yes; I killed it yesterday. You are hungry? Nuna will give you some." "No; I am not hungry. Nevertheless I will eat.
Gradually, as appetite was satisfied, tongues were loosened, and information about the wonderful foreigner, which had been fragmentary at first, flowed in a copious stream. Then commentary and question began in right earnest. "Have some more mikiak?" said Mrs Okiok to Pussimek. "No," replied Mrs P, with a sigh.
She is a pleasant little woman." "But father said we were to ask liars," remarked Nunaga, with a sweet look. "I'm coming to them, child," said Mrs Okiok, with a touch of petulance the result of a gulp of lamp-smoke; "yes, you may ask Pussimek also. The wife of Simek is always full of wise talk, and her baby does not squall, which is lucky, for she cannot be forced to leave Pussi behind."
"He did," cried Okiok, with the sudden animation of one who has conceived an idea. "Run, Arbalik, Ippegoo, Ermigit, Norrak, and seek for the kayak." The youths named ran off to obey, with the alacrity of well-trained children, and in half an hour returned in triumph with the kayak on their shoulders.
"Neither do I," said Simek. "The season is far advanced, and if there should be a general break-up of the ice while we are out among the floes, we should be lost." "But it is impossible for us to travel by land," said Okiok. "No man knows the land here. The sea runs so far in that we might spend many moons in going round the bays without advancing far on our journey."
"Yes," replied Okiok. While the mysterious foreigner was speaking, Angut gazed at him with looks and feelings of awe, but when he stepped forward, and frankly held out his hand, the Eskimo looked puzzled. A whispered word from his host, however, sufficed to explain.
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