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Updated: June 14, 2025
Raventik exclaimed nothing, but both young men rushed at the ball with furious vigour. The active Oolalik reached it first. "Ah!" sighed Nootka with satisfaction.
He suddenly shot out his tongue, which happened to be a very long one. Anteek's reflection did the same. Thereupon Oolalik opened his mouth wide and laughed. So did Oolalik's reflection, which had such an effect upon Cheenbuk that he also burst into a fit of laughter.
By slow degrees they drew near, and then the oomiaks hung back, with the exception of that steered by Nazinred, who had got his fire-spouter ready, while Oolalik stood in the bow, harpoon in hand, and lance ready by his side. The women were not expected to take part in the action only to look on, but all the men in kayaks advanced.
But always when things looked most hopeless the indefatigable Cheenbuk found a passage often very narrow and crooked, it is true, through which they managed to advance, and when the way was blocked altogether, as it was more than once, Cheenbuk and the Indian cleared a passage with their axes, while Anteek led the dogs over the obstruction, and Oolalik guided the sledge over it.
This incident was received with shouts of laughter and great applause, while Raventik sprang to his feet. Instead of taking it in good part, however, the reckless man allowed his temper to get the better of him, and made a rush at Oolalik, who, being naturally peaceful in temperament, dodged his adversary, and, with a laugh, ran away from him; but the other was not to be baulked in this way.
"Have you told?" asked the boy anxiously. "Never said a word," replied Oolalik. "Here," said Nootka, holding out a piece of half-cooked blubber to the boy, "sit down and tell us all about it. What is the news?" "Ha!" exclaimed Anteek, accepting the food as if he appreciated it. "Well, I've killed my first walrus all alone too!" "Clever boy! how was it?" said Mrs Mangivik. "This was the way.
As she spoke Nootka arose hastily and re-entered the hut, from out of which there issued almost immediately the sounds and the savoury odours of roasting flesh. Meanwhile Oolalik came up and gave vent to a polite grunt, or some such sound, which was the Eskimo method of expressing a friendly salutation. Mangivik and his wife grumped in reply. "You are soon back," said the former.
Suddenly the magician exclaimed "I know! I always knew that I would know, if I only thought hard enough. It is a club for fighting with. When the white men go to war they always use these things." Grasping it in both hands, he swung it round his head, and made as though he would knock Oolalik down with it, causing that young Eskimo to shrink back in feigned alarm.
No," he continued, turning away from the angry young man with cool contempt, "old Uleeta has no son." Gartok was so taken aback with this behaviour of Oolalik, who was recognised as one of the gentlest and most peacefully disposed of the tribe, that he stood gaping for a moment in surprise.
"We shall not find them," remarked Oolalik, becoming despondently prophetic as he surveyed the wide expanse of frozen sea, with nothing but bergs and hummocks here and there to break its uniformity. "We must find them," replied Cheenbuk, with that energy of resolution which usually assails a man of vigorous physique and strong will when difficulties accumulate.
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