CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.
FATE OF THE LOST ONES.
Leo, Anders, and timid little Oblooria, however, were not lost! Theircase was bad enough, but it had not quite come to that.
On parting from Benjy, as described in the last chapter, these threewent after a walrus, which coquetted with them instead of attacking, anddrew them a considerable distance away from the island. This would havebeen a matter of trifling import if the weather had remained calm, but,as we have seen, a sudden and violent gale arose.
When the coming squall was first observed the boat was far to leeward ofParadise Isle, and as that island happened to be one of the mostnortherly of the group over which Amalatok ruled, they were thus far toleeward of any land with the exception of a solitary sugar-loaf rocknear the horizon. Still Leo and his companions were not impressed withany sense of danger. They had been so long accustomed to calms, and tomoving about in the india-rubber boats by means of paddles with perfectease and security, that they had half forgotten the force of wind.Besides, the walrus was still playing with them provokingly--keepingjust out of rifle-shot as if he had studied fire-arms and knew theirrange exactly.
"The rascal!" exclaimed Leo at last, losing patience, "he will never letus come an inch nearer."
"Try 'im once more," said Anders, who was a keen sportsman, "push him,paddle strong. Ho! Oblooria, paddle hard and queek."
Although the interpreter, being in a facetious mood, addressed Oblooriain English, she quite understood his significant gestures, and bent toher work with a degree of energy and power quite surprising in oneapparently so fragile. Leo also used his oars, (for they had both oarsand paddles), with such good-will that the boat skimmed over the Arcticsea like a northern diver, and the distance between them and the walruswas perceptibly lessened.
"I don't like the looks o' the southern sky," said Leo, regarding thehorizon with knitted brows.
"Hims black 'nough--any'ow," said Anders.
"Hold. I'll have a farewell shot at the brute, and give up the chase,"said Leo, laying down the oars and grasping his rifle.
The ball seemed to take effect, for the walrus dived immediately with aviolent splutter, and was seen no more.
By this time the squall was hissing towards them so fast that thehunters, giving up all thought of the walrus, turned at once and madefor the land, but land by that time lay far off on the southern horizonwith a dark foam-flecked sea between it and them.
"There's no fear of the boat, Oblooria," said Leo, glancing over hisshoulder at the girl, who sat crouching to meet the first burst of thecoming storm, "but you must hold on tight to the life-lines."
There was no need to caution Anders. That worthy was already on hisknees embracing a thwart--his teeth clenched as he gazed over the bow.
On it came like a whirlwind of the tropics, and rushed right over thelow round gunwale of the boat, sweeping loose articles overboard, andcarrying her bodily to leeward. Leo had taken a turn of the life-linesround both thighs, and held manfully to his oars. These, after stoopingto the first rush of wind and water, he plied with all his might, andwas ably seconded by Oblooria as well as by the interpreter, but a veryfew minutes of effort sufficed to convince them that they laboured invain. They did not even "hold their own," as sailors have it, butdrifted slowly, yet steadily, to the north.
"It's impossible to make head against _this_," said Leo, suddenlyceasing his efforts, "and I count it a piece of good fortune, for whichwe cannot be too thankful, that there is still land to leeward of us."
He pointed to the sugar-loaf rock before mentioned, towards which theywere now rapidly drifting.
"Nothing to eat dere. Nothing to drink," said Anders, gloomily.
"Oh! that won't matter much. A squall like this can't last long. Weshall soon be able to start again for home, no doubt. I say, Anders,what are these creatures off the point there? They seem too large andblack for sea-birds, and not the shape of seals or walruses."
The interpreter gazed earnestly at the objects in question for somemoments without answering. The rock which they were quickly nearing wasrugged, barren, and steep on its southern face, against which the waveswere by that time dashing with extreme violence, so that landing therewould have been an impossibility. On its lee or northern side, howeverthey might count on quiet water.
"We have nothing to fear," said Leo, observing that Oblooria was muchagitated; "tell her so, Anders; we are sure to find a sheltered creek ofsome sort on the other side."
"I fear not the rocks or storm," replied the Eskimo girl to Anders. "Itis Grabantak, the chief of Flatland, that I fear."
"Grabantak!" exclaimed Anders and Leo in the same breath.
"Grabantak is coming with his men!"
Poor little Oblooria, whose face had paled while her whole frametrembled, pointed towards the dark objects which had already attractedtheir attention. They were by that time near enough to bedistinguished, and as they came, one after another, round the westernpoint of Sugar-loaf rock, it was all too evident that the girl wasright, and that the fleet of kayaks was probably bearing the northernsavage and his men to attack the inhabitants of Poloe.
Leo's first impulse was to seize his repeating rifle and fill itscartridge-chamber quite full. It may be well to observe here that thecartridges, being carried in a tight waterproof case, had not beenaffected by the seas which had so recently overwhelmed them.
"What's de use?" asked Anders, in an unusually sulky tone, as he watchedthe youth's action. "Two men not can fight all de mans of Flatland."
"No, but I can pick off a dozen of them, one after another, with my goodrifle, and then the rest will fly. Grabantak will fall first, and hisbest men after him."
This was no idle boast on the part of Leo. He knew that he couldaccomplish what he threatened long before the Eskimos could get withinspear-throwing distance of his boat.
"No use," repeated Anders, firmly, still shaking his head in a sulkymanner. "When you's bullets be done, more an' more inimies come on.Then dey kill you, an' me, an' Oblooria."
Leo laid down his weapon. The resolve to die fighting to the last wasthe result of a mere impulse of animal courage. Second thoughts cooledhim, and the reference to Oblooria's fate decided him.
"You are right, Anders. If by fighting to the death I could saveOblooria, it would be my duty as well as my pleasure to fight; but I seethat I haven't the ghost of a chance against such a host as isapproaching, and it would be simply revengeful to send as many as I caninto the next world before going there myself. Besides, it wouldexasperate the savages, and make them harder on the poor girl."
In saying this Leo was rather arguing out the point with himself thantalking to the interpreter, who did not indeed understand much of whathe said. Having made up his mind how to act, Leo stowed his preciousrifle and ammunition in a small bag placed for that purpose under one ofthe thwarts, and, resuming the oars, prepared to meet his fate, whateverit should be, peacefully and unarmed.
While thus drifting in silence before the gale, the thought suddenlyoccurred to Leo, "How strange it is that I, who am a Christian--in nameat least--should feel as if it were absurd to pray for God's help atsuch a time as this! Surely He who made me and these Eskimos is capableof guarding us? The very least we can do is to ask Him to guide us!"
The youth was surprised at the thought. It had flashed upon him like aray of light. It was not the first time that he had been in even moreimminent danger than the present, yet he had never before thought of thenecessity of asking help from God, as if He were really present and ableas well as willing to succour. Before the thought had passed he actedon it. He had no time for formal prayer. He looked up! It was prayerwithout words. In a few minutes more the boat was surrounded by thefleet of kayaks. There were hundreds of these tiny vessels of thenorth, each with its solitary occupant, using his double-bladed paddlevigorously.
Need we say that the strangers were at first gazed on with speechlesswonder? and that the Eskimo
s kept for some time hovering round them at arespectful distance, as if uncertain how to act, but with theirwar-spears ready? All the time the whole party drifted before the galetowards the island-rock.
"Anders," said Leo, while the natives remained in this state ofindecision, "my mind is made up as to our course of action. We willoffer no resistance whatever to these fellows. We must be absolutelysubmissive, unless, indeed, they attempt to ill-treat Oblooria, in whichcase of course we will defend her. Do you hear?"
This was said with such quiet decision, and the concluding question wasput in such a tone, that the interpreter replied, "Yis, sar," promptly.
As Leo made no sign of any kind, but continued to guide the boatsteadily with the oars, as if his sole anxiety was to round the westernpoint of the island and get into a place of shelter, the natives turnedtheir kayaks and advanced along with him. Naturally they fell into theposition of an escort--a part of the fleet paddling on each side of thecaptives, (for such they now were), while the rest brought up the rear.
"What ails Oblooria, Anders?" asked Leo in a low tone.
"What is the matter?" asked the interpreter, turning to the girl, who,ever since the approach of the Eskimos, had crouched like a bundle inthe bottom of the boat with her face buried in her hands. "There is nofear. Grabantak is a man, not a bear. He will not eat you."
"Grabantak knows me," answered the poor girl, without lifting her head;"he came to Poloe once, before the war, and wanted me to be the wife ofhis son. I want not his son. I want Oolichuk!"
The simplicity and candour of this confession caused Leo to laugh inspite of himself, while poor little Oblooria, who thought it no laughingmatter, burst into tears.
Of course the men of Flatland kept their eyes fixed in wide amazement onLeo, as they paddled along, and this sudden laugh of his impressed themdeeply, being apparently without a cause, coupled as it was with an airof absolute indifference to his probable fate, and to the presence of somany foes. Even the ruthless land-hungerer, Grabantak, was solemnised.
In a few minutes the whole party swept round the point of rocks, andproceeded towards the land over the comparatively quiet waters of alittle bay which lay under the lee of the Sugar-loaf rock.
During the brief period that had been afforded for thought, Leo had beenintently making his plans. He now proceeded to carry them out.
"Hand me the trinket-bundle," he said to Anders.
The interpreter searched in a waterproof pouch in the stern of the boat,and produced a small bundle of such trinkets as are known to be valuedby savages. It had been placed and was always kept there by CaptainVane, to be ready for emergencies.
"They will be sure to take everything from us at any rate," remarkedLeo, as he divided the trinkets into two separate bundles, "so I shalltake the wind out of their sails by giving everything up at once with agood grace."
The Grabantaks, if we may so style them, drew near, as the fleetapproached the shore, with increasing curiosity. When land was reachedthey leaped out of their kayaks and crowded round the strangers. It isprobable that they would have seized them and their possessions at thispoint, but the tall strapping figure of Leo, and his quiet manner,overawed them. They held back while the india-rubber boat was beingcarried by Leo and Anders to a position of safety.
Poor Oblooria walked beside them with her head bowed down, shrinking asmuch as possible out of sight. Everybody was so taken up with thestrange white man that no one took any notice of her.
No sooner was the boat laid down than Leo taking one of the bundles oftrinkets stepped up to Grabantak, whom he easily distinguished by hisair of superiority and the deference paid him by his followers.
Pulling his own nose by way of a friendly token, Leo smiled benignantlyin the chief's face, and opened the bundle before him.
It is needless to say that delight mingled with the surprise that hadhitherto blazed on the visage of Grabantak.
"Come here, Anders, and bring the other bundle with you. Tell thiswarrior that I am very glad to meet with him."
"Great and unconquerable warrior," began the interpreter, in the dialectwhich he had found was understood, by the men of Poloe, "we have comefrom far-off lands to bring you gifts--"
"Anders," said Leo, whose knowledge of the Eskimo tongue was sufficient,by that time, to enable him in a measure to follow the drift of aspeech, "Anders, if you don't tell him _exactly_ what I say I'll kickyou into the sea!"
As Anders stood on a rock close to the water's edge, and Leo lookedunusually stern, he thereafter rendered faithfully what the latter toldhim to say. The speech was something to the following effect:--
"I am one of a small band of white men who have come here to search outthe land. We do not want the land. We only want to see it. We haveplenty of land of our own in the far south. We have been staying withthe great chief Amalatok in Poloeland."
At the mention of his enemy's name the countenance of Grabantakdarkened. Without noticing this, Leo went on:--
"When I was out hunting with my man and a woman, the wind arose and blewus hither. We claim your hospitality, and hope you will help us to getback again to Poloeland. If you do so we will reward you well, forwhite men are powerful and rich. See, here are gifts for Grabantak, andfor his wife."
This latter remark was a sort of inspiration. Leo had observed, whileAnders was speaking, that a stout cheerful-faced woman had been pushingaside the men and gradually edging her way toward the Eskimo chief withthe air of a privileged person. That he had hit the mark was obvious,for Grabantak turned with a bland smile, and hit his wife a facetiousand rather heavy slap on the shoulder. She was evidently accustomed tosuch treatment, and did not wince.
Taking from his bundle a gorgeous smoking-cap richly ornamented withbrilliant beads, Leo coolly crowned the chief with it. Grabantak drewhimself up and tried to look majestic, but a certain twitching of hisface, and sparkle in his eyes, betrayed a tendency to laugh withdelight. Fortunately, there was another cap of exactly the same patternin the bundle, which Leo instantly placed on the head of the wife--whosename he afterwards learned was Merkut.
The chief's assumed dignity vanished at this. With that childlikehilarity peculiar to the Eskimo race, he laughed outright, and then,seizing the cap from Merkut's head, put it above his own to theamusement of his grinning followers.
Leo then selected a glittering clasp-knife with two blades, which thechief seized eagerly. It was evidently a great prize--too serious agift to be lightly laughed at. Then a comb was presented to the wife,and a string of gay beads, and a pair of scissors. Of course the usesof combs and scissors had he explained, and deep was the interestmanifested during the explanation, and utter the forgetfulness of thewhole party for the time being in regard to everything else in theworld--Oblooria included, who sat unnoticed on the rocks with her facestill buried in her hands.
When Grabantak's possessions were so numerous that the hood of his coat,and the tops of his wife's boots were nearly filled with them, he becamegenerous, and, prince-like, (having more than he knew what to do with),began to distribute things to his followers.
Among these followers was a tall and stalwart son of his own, to whom hewas rather stern, and not very liberal. Perhaps the chief wished totrain him with Spartan ideas of self-denial. Perhaps he wanted hisfollowers to note his impartiality. Merkut did not, however, act on thesame principles, for she quietly passed a number of valuable articlesover to her dear son Koyatuk, unobserved by his stern father.
Things had gone on thus pleasantly for some time; the novelty of thegifts, and the interest in their explanation having apparently renderedthese people forgetful of the fact that they might take them all atonce; when a sudden change in the state of affairs was wrought by theutterance of one word.
"We must not," said Leo to Anders, looking at his follower over theheads of the Eskimos, "forget poor little Oblooria."
"Oblooria!" roared Grabantak with a start, as if he had beenelectrified.
"Oblooria!" echoed Koyatuk, glaring round.
"Oblooria!" gasped the entire band.
Another moment and Grabantak, bursting through the crowd, leaped towardsthe crouching girl and raised her face. Recognising her he uttered ayell which probably was meant for a cheer.
Hurrying the frightened girl into the circle through which he hadbroken, the chief presented her to his son, and, with an air worthy of acivilised courtier, said:--
"Your _wife_, Koyatuk--your Oblooria!--Looria!"
He went over the last syllables several times, as if he doubted hissenses, and feared it was too good news to be true.
This formal introduction was greeted by the chief's followers with aseries of wild shouts and other demonstrations of extreme joy.