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Among the latter was an oomiak full of women who went along-shore to fish, and with whom were old Kannoa, Nunaga, and others. They went in a northerly direction. Rooney, Angut, and Okiok proceeded along the coast to the southward.
At this point Rooney took Tumbler on his knee, and began to tempt him with savoury morsels. Rooney also amused and somewhat scandalised his friends by insisting on old Kannoa sitting beside him. "Ho!
Kannoa seemed much pleased with the explanation. "It is strange," she said pathetically, "that I should find you so very like my husband." "Indeed!" returned the seaman, who did not feel flattered by the compliment; "is it long since he died?" "O yes; long, long very long," she answered, with a sigh. "Moons, moons, moons without number have passed since that day.
To this question some answered Yes and some No, while others shook their heads as if uncertain on the point. But the seaman was wrong. Straight as an arrow to a bull's eye the raft went at that islet and struck on its upper end with such force as to send a tongue of ice high on the shore, so that the whole party actually landed dryshod. Even old Kannoa got on shore without assistance.
At the same time he pointed to a deerskin seat on the raised floor of the hut, where Kannoa had already placed a stone dish of smoking viands. The smile which had overspread Rooney's face at the handshaking faded away as he laid his hand on the old woman's shoulder, and, stooping down, gazed at her with an expression of great tenderness. Ah!
"I would not object to be fatter," replied the wife of Simek, with perfect good-humour, for Eskimos, as a rule, do not take offence easily. "Stuff, stuff," murmured Kannoa, nodding her old head contemplatively; "that's what I'm fond of; stuff stuff stuff." "All your stuffing will never make you fat," said the stern and rather cynical mother of Arbalik.
Kannoa gave a sort of lively chuckle at the novelty of the situation, let go her hold of the sledge, and made a sudden plunge at Rooney, grasping him tight round the neck with both arms.
If they break up while we are on them we shall be lost. Will Ridroonee agree to take old Kannoa back to her friends, and I will go forward with the sledge alone?" "What say you, Kannoa?" asked Rooney, turning to the old woman with a half-humorous look. "Kannoa says she will live or die with Angut and Ridroonee," she replied firmly. "You're a trump!" exclaimed the seaman in English.
While her husband was rattling away south over the hummocky sea in his empty sledge, Nuna lighted her lamps, opened her stores, and began to cook. "Go now, Nunaga," she said, "and tell the women who are to feed with us to-night." "Who shall I invite, mother?" asked pretty little Nunaga, preparing to set forth on her mission. "Invite old Kannoa, of course. She is good."
The seaman's rendering of the word "stultified" into Eskimo was curious, and cannot easily be explained, but it was well understood by Angut, and apparently by Kannoa, for another chuckle came just then from the culinary department. Again the two men glanced at the old woman inquiringly, and again were they baffled by that look of owlish intensity at the stewing meat.
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