CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.
TELLS OF MEN WHOSE ACTIONS END IN SMOKE, AND OF OTHERS WHOSE PLOTS ENDIN DEEDS OF DARKNESS.
This is a world of surprises. However long we may live, and howevermuch we may learn, the possibility of being surprised remains with us,and our capacity for blazing astonishment is as great as when first,with staggering gait, we escaped from the nursery into space and stoodirresolute, with the world before us where to choose.
These thoughts arise from the remembrance of Okiok as he stood onemorning open-mouthed, open-eyed, open-souled, and, figuratively,petrified, gazing at something over a ledge of rock.
What that something was we must learn from Okiok himself, after he hadcautiously retired from the scene, and run breathlessly back towards theEskimo village, where the first man he met was Red Rooney.
"I--I've seen it," gasped the Eskimo, gripping the seaman's armconvulsively.
"Seen what?"
"Seen a man--on fire; and he seems not to mind it!"
"On fire! A man! Surely not. You must be mistaken."
"No, I am quite sure," returned Okiok, with intense earnestness. "I sawhim with my two eyes, and smoke was coming out of him."
Rooney half-suspected what the Eskimo had seen, but there was justenough of uncertainty to induce him to say, "Come, take me to him."
"Is the man alone?" he asked, as they hurried along.
"No; Ippegoo is with him, staring at him." They soon reached the ledgeof rock where Okiok had seen the "something," and, looking cautiouslyover it, Rooney beheld his friend Kajo smoking a long clay pipe such asDutchmen are supposed to love. Ippegoo was watching him in a state ofecstatic absorption.
Rooney drew back and indulged in a fit of stifled laughter for a minute,but his companion was too much surprised even to smile.
"Is he doing that curious thing," asked Okiok in a low voice, "which youonce told me about--smookin' tibooko?"
"Yes; that's it," replied Rooney with a broad grin, "only you had bettersay `smokin' tobacco' next time."
"`Smokkin' tibucco,'" repeated the Eskimo; "well, that _is_ funny. Butwhy does he spit it out? Does he not like it?"
"Of course he likes it. At least I suppose he does, by the expressionof his face."
There could be little doubt that Rooney was right. Kajo had evidentlygot over the preliminary stages of incapacity and repugnance long ago,and had acquired the power of enjoying that mild and partialstupefaction--sometimes called "soothing influence"--which tobacco smokeaffords. His eyes blinked happily, like those of a cat in the sunshine;his thickish lips protruded poutingly as they gripped the stem; and thesmoke was expelled slowly at each puff, as if he grudged losing a singlewhiff of the full flavour.
Scarcely less interesting was the entranced gaze of Ippegoo.Self-oblivion had been effectively achieved in that youth. A compoundof feelings--interest, surprise, philosophical inquiry, eagerexpectancy, and mild alarm--played hide-and-seek with each other in hisbosom, and kept him observant and still.
"Why," asked Okiok, after gazing in silent admiration for a few minutesover the ledge, "why does he not swallow it, if he likes it, and keep itdown?"
"It's hard to say," answered Rooney. "Perhaps he'd blow up or catchfire if he were to try. It might be dangerous!"
"See," exclaimed Okiok, in an eager whisper; "he is going to let Ippegootaste it."
Rooney looked on with increased interest, for at that moment Kajo,having had enough, offered the pipe to his friend, who accepted it withthe air of a man who half expected it to bite and put the end in hismouth with diffidence. He was not successful with the first draw, forinstead of taking the smoke merely into his mouth he drew it straightdown his throat, and spent nearly five minutes thereafter in violentcoughing with tears running down his cheeks.
Kajo spent the same period in laughing, and then gravely and carefullyexplained how the thing should be done.
Ippegoo was an apt scholar. Almost immediately he learned to puff, andin a very short time was rolling thick white clouds from him like aturret-gun in action. Evidently he was proud of his rapid attainments.
"Humph! That won't last long," murmured Rooney to his companion.
"Isn't it good?" said Kajo to Ippegoo.
"Ye-es. O yes. It's good; a-at least, I suppose it is," replied theyouth, with modesty.
A peculiar tinge of pallor overspread his face at that moment.
"What's wrong, Ippegoo?"
"I--I--feel f-funny."
"Never mind that," said Kajo. "It's always the way at first. When Ifirst tried it I--"
He was cut short by Ippegoo suddenly rising, dropping the pipe, clappingone hand on his breast, the other on his mouth, and rushing into thebushes where he disappeared like one of his own puffs of smoke. At thesame moment Rooney and Okiok appeared on the scene, laughing heartily.
"You rascal!" said Rooney to Kajo, on recovering his gravity; "you havelearned to drink, and you have learned to smoke, and, not satisfied withthat extent of depravity, you try to teach Ippegoo. You pitifulcreature! Are you not ashamed of yourself?"
Kajo looked sheepish, and admitted that he had some sensations of thatsort, but wasn't sure.
"Tell me," continued the seaman sternly, "before you tasted strong drinkor tobacco, did you want them?"
"No," replied Kajo.
"Are you in better health now that you've got them?"
"I--I _feel_ the better for them," replied Kajo.
"I did not ask what you _feel_," returned Rooney. "_Are_ you better nowthan you were before? That's the question."
But Rooney never got a satisfactory answer to that question, and Kajocontinued to drink and smoke until, happily for himself, he had to quitthe settlements and proceed to the lands of thick-ribbed ice, wherenothing stronger than train oil and lamp-smoke were procurable.
As for poor Ippegoo, he did not show himself to his friends during theremainder of that day. Being half an idiot, no one could prevail on himthereafter to touch another pipe.
Now, while the Eskimos and our friends were engaged in hunting, andholding an unwonted amount both of religious and philosophicalintercourse, a band of desperadoes was descending the valleys of theinterior of Greenland, with a view to plunder the Eskimos of the coast.
Hitherto we have written about comparatively well-behaved and genialnatives, but it must not be supposed that there were no villains of anout-and-out character among those denizens of the north. It is truethere were not many--for the sparseness of the population, thesuperabundance of game on land and sea, as well as the wealth ofunoccupied hunting-grounds, and the rigour of the climate, renderedrobbery and war quite unnecessary, as well as disagreeable. Still,there were a few spirits of evil even there, to whom a quiet life seemedan abomination, and for whom the violent acquisition of other men'sgoods possessed a charm far transcending the practice of the peacefulindustries of life.
The band referred to was not remarkably strong in numbers--about thirtyor so; but these were sturdy and daring villains, led by a chief whomust have had some of the old Norse blood in his veins, he was so tall,fair of complexion, and strong.
Descending first on the little settlement of Godhaab at night, thisrobber band found that a Dutch trading-vessel had just arrived, the crewof which, added to the settlers attracted from their hunting-grounds tothe village, formed a force which they dared not venture to attackopenly. Grimlek, the robber chief, therefore resolved to wait for abetter opportunity. Meanwhile, passing himself and band off as hunters,he purchased a few things from the traders and then proceeded along thecoast, intending to hunt, as well as to wait till the vessel shoulddepart.
While the robbers were thus engaged, they came unexpectedly on anothertrading-ship--a Dutchman--part of the crew of which had landed for somepurpose or other in their boat. On seeing the Eskimos, the Dutchmen gotquickly into their boat, and pushed off; but the robbers made signs ofpeace to them, and, carrying their bows, arrows, and spears up to thewoods, left them there, r
eturning to the shore as if unarmed, though inreality they had retained their knives. Again they made signs, as ifthey wished to trade with the Dutchmen.
Deceived by appearances, the sailors once more drew in to the shore.While they were approaching, Grimlek called his men round him and gave afew hasty directions. When the sailors had landed, the Eskimos mingledwith them, and began to offer sealskins for trade--each selecting aparticular man with whom to transact business. At a given signal theydrew their knives from under their coats, and each robber stabbed hisman to the heart. The men left in the ship, seeing what had occurred,and that it was too late to attempt rescue, instantly filled her sails,and went off to sea.
The villains having thus easily slain their victims, carried off thebooty found in the boat, and hid it in the bushes, to be taken away at aconvenient opportunity.
But this deed of darkness was not done unwitnessed. Early in themorning of that day, various hunting parties had dispersed in differentdirections--some to the hills, others to the sea. Among the latter wasan oomiak full of women who went along-shore to fish, and with whom wereold Kannoa, Nunaga, and others. They went in a northerly direction.Rooney, Angut, and Okiok proceeded along the coast to the southward.
The direction taken by these last brought them near to the spot wherethe Dutch sailors had landed, at the critical moment when the robberswere mingling with their unsuspecting victims.
Although only three to thirty, it is certain that our heroes would havesprung to the aid of the sailors if they had suspected what was about tohappen, but the deed was done so promptly that there was no time foraction. Fortunately Rooney and his companions had not shown themselves.They were therefore able to draw back into the shelter of the bushes,where they held a hasty council of war.
"We must run back to camp," said Rooney, "tell what we have seen, andreturn with a band of men to punish the murderers."
"Agreed," said Okiok; "but how are we to do it? The shore is open. Wecannot take a step that way without being seen, and chased. We mightoutrun them, though I don't feel quite as supple as I used to; but weshould barely arrive before them in time to warn the camp, and shouldthen be almost unfit to fight."
To this Angut replied that they could go inland over the hills, and socome down on the camp in rear. It might not, he thought, add much tothe distance. This plan was quickly adopted and put in practice.
But there are few things more deceptive than formation and distance inmountain lands. What seemed to the trio easy, proved to be tremendouslydifficult; and the distance they had to travel in order to avoidprecipices and surmount ridges, gradually increased to many miles, sothat it was late, and twilight was deepening into night, before theyreached the camp.
Meanwhile the robbers were not idle. Although ignorant of the fact thattheir bloody work had been observed, they were not long ignorant of thenear neighbourhood of the Eskimo camp. Early in the morning they hadsent two of their swiftest young men to spy out the land ahead. Thesehad discovered the camp, entered it, professing to be wandering hunters,and had then returned to their friends with the news that many of themen had gone away hunting, and would probably remain out all night; alsothat an oomiak full of women had gone off to the southward to fish.
The runners, happening to descend to the coast on the opposite side of aridge from Rooney and his companions, just missed meeting them, andreturned to their comrades shortly after the massacre. Grimlek knewthat whatever course he should pursue must be prompt and decisive. Heat once divided his men into two bands, one of which he sent to pursueand capture the women who had gone to fish; with the other, which he ledin person, he resolved either to storm the camp or take it by surprise,as circumstances might point out.
By the straight way of the shore the distance was not great. In fact,the camp might have been seen from the spot where the massacre had beenperpetrated, but for a high promontory which concealed it. On roundingthis promontory, the party detailed to pursue the women glided into thebushes and disappeared. Grimlek, with the remaining men, advancedstraight and openly towards the camp. He saw, however, on drawing near,that the number of men in it were more than a match for his small party,and therefore approached with friendly demonstrations.
They were hospitably received by Hans Egede.
"My friends," he said, "you have arrived just as we are assembling totalk about the things that concern our souls, the future life, and theGood Spirit. Will you and your men sit down and listen?"
For a few moments Grimlek did not reply. Then he said, "You are not anEskimo?"
"No, I am a Kablunet," replied Egede; "I have been sent to tell theEskimos about the true God."
Again the robber chief was silent. Then he said that he would consultwith his men, and retired with them a short distance to do so.
"Nothing better could have happened," he said in a low tone. "TheKablunet is going to talk to them about his God. All we have to do isto mingle with them. Let each of you choose his man and sit down besidehim. When I give the signal, strike at once, and let no second blow beneeded."
A murmur of assent was all that the band returned to this speech, andGrimlek, returning to the missionary, said that he and his men wereready to hear.
In a few minutes each of the assassins was seated on the ground besidehis chosen victim.