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With a quiet patronising smile, he bent down in quite a lover-like way, and asked Nunaga if the seal-flesh was good. "Yes, it is good; very good," answered the maiden, looking modestly down, and toying with the end of her tail. You see she had no scent-bottle or fan to toy with. To be sure she had gloves thick sealskin mittens but these were not available at the moment.
Now it happened that Ujarak, although strong and courageous enough, was not over-confident of his dexterity. With a tried comrade, he would readily have faced any bear in the Arctic regions, but on this occasion he felt he had to depend entirely on himself. Seizing a spear quickly, he looked at the approaching animal, and glanced uneasily at Nunaga.
She was seventeen years of age, black-eyed, healthily-complexioned, round-faced, sweet-expressioned, comfortably stout, and unusually graceful for an Eskimo. Among her other charms, modesty and good-nature shone conspicuous. She was in all respects a superior counterpart of her mother, and her name was Nunaga. Nuna was small, Nunaga was smaller.
"But the men will be angry," suggested the mother of Ippegoo. "Let them be angry bo-o-o!" returned the reckless Kabelaw. "Nunaga," said Nuna, looking eagerly over the side, "there goes another a big one; poke it." Nunaga poked it, but missed, and only brought up a small flat-fish, speared by accident.
"But how can that be," returned the pupil, with a puzzled look, "when your heart is warmed by Nunaga?" "Because because," rejoined the wizard slowly, with some hesitation and a look of profound wisdom, "because men of strong mind do not love as other men. They are quite different so different that you cannot understand them." Ippegoo felt the reproof, and was silent.
"Pussi!" exclaimed Nunaga, pointing wildly to the water. "Where where did she go in?" cried Rooney. "She must have gone under the ice!" gasped the poor girl. As she spoke a bubble of air rose to the surface. Next moment the seaman cleft the cold black water and disappeared.
Egede spoke now in the language of the Eskimos, having long before that time learned to speak it sufficiently well to be understood. "Angut," said Ujarak, after a few moments, "listen to me. I cannot live long. Before I go, let me tell you that Nunaga is good good good! She is true to you, and she has been very, very good to me.
"So there is nothing left for us but to go on by water," said Angut, with decision. "Nunaga must be rescued." "And so must Tumbler," said Okiok. "And so must Pussi," said Simek. "What are you fellows consulting about?" shouted Red Rooney, coming up at that moment with the others in the oomiak. "We are talking of the danger of the ice breaking up," answered Angut.
Besides Nuna and Nunaga there was a baby boy a fat, oily, contented boy without a name at that time, and without a particle of clothing of any sort, his proper condition of heat being maintained when out of doors chiefly by being carried between his mother's dress and her shoulders; also by being stuffed to repletion with blubber.
"What is the danger that threatens, think you?" asked Rooney; "you must have some notion about it." "I know not, but I guess," answered Angut, with a sternness that surprised his companion. "Ippegoo is a poor tool in the hands of a bad man. He comes from Ujarak, and he asks too earnestly for Nunaga. Ujarak is fond of Nunaga." Rooney looked pointedly and gravely at Angut.
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