Among the Esquimaux; or, Adventures under the Arctic Circle
Page 19
CHAPTER XVIII
A NEW EXPEDITION
Docak had no children, the single son born to him ten years beforehaving died in infancy. His wife was about his age, and had noticeablylighter skin and bright brown eyes. It was evident that she had morewhite blood in her veins than her husband, who was of mixed breed.
Docak did not knock before entering. His wife was trimming the lamp atthe moment, and looked around to see whom he had brought with him. Shemust have felt surprised, but, if so, she concealed all evidence ofit. She smiled in her pleasant way, showing her fine white teeth, andsaid in a low, soft voice, "Con-ji-meet," which is the native word forwelcome.
Her first curiosity was concerning the boys, with whom she shookhands, but, when she turned to the grinning Jack, she made no effortto hide her astonishment, for he had addressed her by name.
"Crestana, I guess you haven't forgot Jack Cosgrove?"
"Oh! oh! oh! dat you--much glad! much glad!" she said, laughing moreheartily than her husband had done.
She was very vivacious, and, though she could not speak the Englishtongue as well as he, she made it up by her earnestness.
"So glad--much glad--whale kill vessel ag'in? Docak bring no ice?Where capen? How you be? Crestana glad to see you--yes, heap muchglad."
"By the great horned spoon," said Jack, holding the small hand ofCrestana in his hearty grasp, and looking around at the others withone of his broadest grins; "the women are the same the world over;they can talk faster than a Greenland harrycane, and when they're gladthey're glad all over, and clean through. Docak, you're a purty goodchap, but you aint half good enough for such a wife as Crestana, andthat reminds me we're as hungry as git out."
The wife evidently thought the sailor was a funny fellow, for shebroke into merry laughter again, and, disengaging her hand, hurriedinto the kitchen, where she had been busying herself with herhusband's supper.
The visitors, knowing how heartily welcome they were, seatedthemselves on the benches, doffed their heavy outer clothing, and madethemselves as much at home as if in the cabin of the "Nautilus." Theyleaned their rifles in the corner near the table, alongside of thelong muzzle-loader and several spears belonging to Docak.
A large supply of dry driftwood was piled near the window, and fromthis the native kept such a glow in the stove that the whole interiorwas filled with grateful warmth.
In the course of a few moments Crestana bustled in, her pretty teethshowing between her lips as she chatted with Jack and her husband. Shedrew the table out near the middle of the room, and quickly brought insome fish, "done to a turn." She furnished coffee, too, and the threeguests who partook of her hospitality insist to this day that never inthe wide world will they ever taste such fragrant coffee and suchdelicately-flavored fish as they feasted upon that night in Docak'shut. But we must not forget that they had the best sauce everknown--hunger.
The meal was enlivened by lively conversation, in which Jack managedto tell the story of the mishap that had befallen himself andcompanions. She showed less interest in the boys than in the sailor,though, as may be supposed, Rob and Fred were charmed with hersimplicity and good-nature. She placed spoons, knives and forks, cups,saucers, and plates before them, and there was a neatness aboutherself and the room which added doubly to its attractiveness, and didmuch to enlighten the youths about these people, whom they supposed tobe barely half civilized.
When the meal was finished, and the wife occupied herself in clearingaway things, Docak brought out a couple of pipes, filled with tobacco,and offered one each to Rob and Fred. They, declining with thanks, hedid the same to Jack, who accepted one, and a minute later the twowere puffing away like a couple of veteran devotees of the weed.
The boys felt some curiosity to learn how it was that Docak, whosemanner of living proved that he knew the ways of the more civilizedpeople among the settlements, made his home in this lonely place, farremoved from all neighbors. They could not learn everything thatevening but they ascertained it afterward.
Docak had lived awhile in Invernik, and then took up his residence atIvigtut, where he lived until four or five years before Rob and Fredmet him. It was in the latter place he married Crestana, and it wasthere that his only child died.
The loss of the little one made him morose for awhile, and he got intoa difficulty with one of his people, in which, in the eyes of the law,Docak was wholly to blame. He was punished, and, in resentment, hewithdrew to a place on the west coast, about sixty miles north of thefamous cryolite mines. There he lived, alone with his wife, asserenely contented as he could be anywhere. He made occasional visitsto Ivigtut, to Invernik, Julianshaab, and other settlements, but itwas only for the purpose of getting ammunition and other supplieswhich could be obtained in no other way.
Docak was not only a skilled fisherman, but, what is rare among hisclass of people, he was a great hunter. He was sometimes absent fordays at a time in the interior, traveling many miles on snow-shoes,forcing his way over the icy mountains and braving the Arctic blaststhat had driven back many a hardy European from his search for theNorth Pole.
While he was absent his wife went about her duties with calmcontentment, where a more sensitive person would have gone out of hermind from very loneliness and desolation.
Our friends having effected their escape from the iceberg, it was timeto decide what next should be done.
The most obvious course was to go to Ivigtut, where they could obtainthe means of returning to England, most likely by way of Denmark, andpossibly might hear something of the "Nautilus," if she had survivedthe gale which caused her to part company with Jack and the boys.
The kayak was strong enough to carry them, and Docak could make thevoyage in a couple of days. This Rob and Fred supposed would be theplan adopted, but the native put another idea into their heads whichcaused in a twinkling a radical change of programme, and brought anexperience to the two of which neither dreamed.
While Docak and Jack sat beside each other on the longer bench,smoking and talking, the native frequently cast admiring glances atthe rifles leaning against the wall in the corner. Finally he rose,and, walking over, examined the three weapons, taking up each in turnand holding it so the light from the lamp fell upon it. He was moststruck with Rob's, which had more ornamentation than the others. Itwas a modern loader, but not a repeater.
"He berry good," he remarked, setting it down again in the corner andresuming his place on the bench beside his friend; "why you not gohunting with me 'fore go to Ivigtut?"
Jack saw the eyes of the boys sparkle at the suggestion. Why not,indeed, go on a hunting excursion into the interior before theyreturned to the settlement? What was to prevent? It would take but afew days, and there is royal game to be found in Greenland.
Docak explained that this was the time of the year when he wasaccustomed to indulge in a long hunt. Twelve months before he hadbrought down some animals rarely ever encountered in that portion ofthe country, and he was hopeful of doing the same again, when he couldhave his friends to help.
So the matter needed only to be broached to be settled. The wholeparty would go on a hunt, and they would start the following morning,returning whenever they deemed best, and then making their way toIvigtut at a leisurely rate, set about their return home, if thatshould be deemed the best course.
The warmth and smoke in the room led the boys to decide to stepoutside a brief while, to inhale the crisp air, and, inviting Fred tofollow, Rob sprang up and hurried in a stooping posture through thelong entry-way. Fred stopped a minute in the road to peep through theopening into the kitchen, where the thrifty housewife was busy.
She smiled pleasantly at him, and he might have lingered had he notheard the voice of his friend.
"Hurry out, Fred! Here's the most wonderful sight you ever saw. Quick,or you will lose it!"
Fred lost no time in rushing after Rob, whose excitement was fullyjustified.