Our Little Eskimo Cousin, Page 3

  Etu chose with much care the pieces from which to make a stoutframework for his boat. It was important that he should take light woodthat had not lost its strength by drifting about in the water too long.He cut the strips with a bone knife and bound them into shape withstrong cords of seal sinew. The ends of the boat were sharply pointed.

  His mother's work began now. She took the skins of seals which herhusband had just killed and scraped away all the scraps of blubber andflesh left on the hides. Then, rolling them tightly together, she leftthem for some days. When they were again unrolled, it was quite easy toscrape off the hairs with a mussel shell. After this, the skins werewell washed in sea water.

  A very important step must be taken next. The skins must be stretched.Etu's first boat must be a fine one and there must be no wrinkles inthe covering. The safest way was to stretch them over the framework ofthe boat itself. Then they would be sure to fit well. An Eskimo womanfeels very much ashamed if any part of the boat's covering is loose orwrinkled. People will think she is a poor worker, and that would be asad disgrace.

  How did Etu's mother manage to make the boat water-tight? It was donethrough her careful sewing. She worked with her coarse bone needle, andthe sinews of seal and deer were the only thread; yet when the kayakwas finished, not a single drop of water could enter. It was a cleverpiece of work.

  Where was Etu to sit in this wonderful boat? The deck was entirelycovered excepting the small hole in the centre. The boy had measuredthis hole with great care when he made the framework of the kayak.It was just large enough for him to squeeze through. His feet andlegs must be underneath the deck, and his thighs should fill up thehole exactly. Now you understand why the boy's father spoke of hisoutgrowing the old boat.

  Do you also see why there was no larger hole? Think for a moment of thewaters through which he must ride. Our rough seas would seem calm toEtu. If the deck were not covered, the dashing waves would swamp hisboat almost instantly. His people had found this out for themselves; sothey cleverly planned a boat different from that of any other in theworld.

  Etu made a stout paddle with two blades. It is a pleasure for hismother and her friends to watch him use it. He is very skilful, andnow, at twelve years of age, he can make the kayak skim over the waterlike the wind. How straight he always sits! He balances the boatexactly and first bends the right blade into the water, then the left,without seeming to work hard, either. And in some wonderful way, onecan hardly understand how, he speeds onward. No wonder it is such apleasure to watch him.

  Etu is very proud of his paddle; not because he made it, but becauseof the time his mother spent in decorating it. It is inlaid with bitsof stone and ivory set in a pretty pattern. Surely, his mother is afine worker. She has just made him a present of a new pair of gloves.They are to be worn while he is out in his boat, and reach above hiselbows. They will protect his arms and keep them dry, even if the wavessweep clear over him. But they are not like common gloves, for they areembroidered in a fine pattern. She cut out bits of hide and dyed themdifferent colours. Then she sewed them together in a neat design on thearm pieces of the gloves. Shouldn't you call that embroidery?

  While Etu's boat was being made, his mother had a party. Perhaps itwould be better to call it a "sewing-bee." Etu was sent around to thedifferent women in the village. He told them his mother was ready tosew the covering on his boat. Would they like to help her?

  Now there is nothing Eskimo women like better than to come togetherfor a friendly chat. So the invitation was accepted, and one morning,bright and early, a party of women could be seen gathered around thesealskins. Their fingers worked swiftly, but I fear their tongues movedstill faster. There was a great deal of laughter, for they seemed tohave many funny stories to tell. And I don't believe there was a bit ofunkind gossip; at least, their faces didn't show it.

  It was amusing to see how much their teeth were used. They were likeanother hand to these Eskimo women, for, as they sewed, they held thepiece of skin in its place with their teeth. When the covering must bestretched over this hard place or that edge, it was the teeth againthat gave the needed help. Etu knows one old woman whose teeth are wornalmost down to the gums. She must have worked very hard all the yearsof her life. She must have sewed on many boat-coverings and made manysuits of clothes before this could have been done.

  When Etu's kayak was finished, his mother invited the workers up to thehouse, where they were treated to a dish of seal-blood soup and a pipeof tobacco. It was a grand surprise. In the first place, the heatedblood of the seal is always a dainty; and then, they seldom had theprivilege of smoking tobacco. It was a great rarity, for it could onlybe obtained through trade with the white people.

  When night came, all were in great good humour as they left for theirown homes. But, as they stepped outdoors, what a beautiful sight mettheir eyes! The northern lights were shooting across the heavens inglorious colours. Have you never noticed on cold winter nights lines oflight shooting upward into the sky? It is always in the north that wesee them, and we wonder and exclaim as we look.

  Your mother tells you, "It is the _Aurora Borealis_." It is not fullyknown what causes the strange light. It is thought, however, to beelectricity.

  In Etu's land the aurora is far more wonderful and beautiful than withus. The visitors were used to such sights, yet they called to the boyand his mother to come outdoors and look.

  "The lights are brighter than I ever saw them in my life," exclaimedone of the women. At first it seemed as though there were a great cloudof light just above the horizon, but it suddenly changed till theheavens appeared to be alive. The very air around the people quivered,as long, bright lines shot upward across the sky. They changed soquickly, it seemed as though a mighty power was directing them about,now here, now there. It made one dizzy to watch them. Now there wouldbe streamers of green and red and blue darting from the sky-line wayto the very zenith. There they would meet in a purplish crown of glory.

  Again the sky would change in its appearance, and a red light wouldspread over all. It was so bright that the snow in every direction wastinted a rosy colour.

  "What makes it, mother?" whispered Etu. "Is it the work of goodspirits, or are evil ones trying to show us their power?"

  "I do not know, my child," was the answer. "We are not wise, and cannotunderstand these things. Come, let us go back into the house. The sightmakes me fearful."

  Etu had many finishing touches to put on his boat after it was covered.A wooden hoop must be fitted around the hole in which he was to sit.Several thongs of seal hide must be fastened on the deck, under whichhis spear and harpoon should rest while he paddled. Still other strapswere bound to the sides of the deck, for, unless the birds or sealscould be fastened to the boat in some way after they had been killed,how could they be towed home?

  Then Etu began to work on his harpoon. His father had to help him now,for it needed skill and care to fit it exactly to the throwing-stick.The Eskimos long ago found that the bow and arrow were not useful intheir narrow, dangerous boats. Only a one-handed weapon can be used insuch a place, so they invented the harpoon and the bird dart.

  The harpoon is a long piece of wood pointed with bone or iron. Itis fastened into a handle of wood called a throwing-stick. A cordof seal hide is attached to it at the other end. You should see ourstout little Etu riding the waves in his kayak, and balancing thethrowing-stick on his shoulder to send the harpoon flying straight tothe mark. But suppose the harpoon lodges fast in the seal's body; ifthe hunter still holds the other end of the cord attached to it, thecreature in his fury may make such plunges as to drag the boat and alldown under the water and destroy them. Something else must be invented.This was the buoy or float. So it was that Etu had to make a buoy tocomplete his hunting outfit.

  He took the skin of a young seal, from which his mother had scraped offall the hairs, and tied up the holes made by the head and legs. Througha small tube fastened in the skin he could blow up his queerly shapedbuoy to its fullest size.


  Now the float was completed. Do you understand what help it would give?If the float is attached to the other end of the line when the harpoonis thrown, the hunter can let everything go. He does not need to haveany part fastened to the boat. For the float cannot sink, and willshow him where to follow the game, and where to throw next; yet he ishimself in no danger of being pulled after the animal.

  Even now Etu would not be safe to go hunting in rough waters. He musthave a special coat prepared. This, again, was his mother's work. Theskin of the seal was used after all the hair was removed. The jacketwas made to fit closely over his other garments. It had a hood to bedrawn tightly over his head, long sleeves, and drawing-strings aroundthe neck and lower edge.

  When Etu gets into his boat he must fit his jacket around the hoop ofthe sitting-hole, and draw the cord tightly. And now he seems a part ofthe boat itself. No water can enter, and although the waves may dashcompletely over him he will keep dry, and the boat will not sink.

  No boy could be happier than Etu was when his outfit was complete. Heran to meet his father to tell him the joyful news. Now he could belooked upon as a man, no longer a child. He would hereafter be allowedto take part in the dangers of his father's life. He was very glad.

  This happy, good-natured boy, who disliked to say a cross word to anyone, who would not fight with other boys, was certainly no coward. Forhis heart was set upon war,--not war with his fellows, but war with thewinds and waves, and the powerful creatures of sea and land. He wasready for battle. Time would show that courage was not wanting when hecame face to face with danger.

  CHAPTER VI.

  THE SEAL HUNT.

  IT was about this time that Etu's father bored holes in his son's lips.These holes were made at each end of the mouth. Ivory buttons werefitted into them, and now Etu felt that he was more of a man than everbefore. It was a proud moment when he looked in the bit of mirror hisfather had bought for ten seal hides, and gazed on his queer ornaments.He thought they were very beautiful, and then they fitted so well! Thepain of having the holes bored, and the unpleasant feeling before theflesh healed, were of little matter to him. It was not worth thinkingabout.

  It was a terrible winter, and food was scarce. There was a very smallsupply of meat on hand in the village. The first pleasant morning afterEtu's fishing outfit was finished, he started off for a day's hunt onthe ocean. Very early in the morning he and his father went out on therocks to look for the weather signs. Yes, it would be a clear day; itwould be safe to venture on the waves. The other men of the villagewere already out, and soon all were busy launching their boats. Nobreakfast was eaten; they could work better and shoot straighter ifthey waited to eat until they came back.

  Each one of the party carefully arranged his harpoon, spear, and floaton the deck of his boat; then, shoving it into the icy water, sprang inafter it and quickly fitted himself into the small seat. The sea jacketmust be drawn carefully around the hoop, for, if water should enter,the boat would soon sink.

  As the hunters paddled merrily along, the waves kept dashing over thedecks. But the men sang and shouted gaily to each other as though itwere the finest sport in the world. Yet it was a lonely scene aboutthem; we should even call it fearful. Cakes of ice jostled against theboats here and there, and far out in the dim light a floating field ofice could be seen by the watchful Eskimos. Sometimes they hunted forthe seals on such fields, for these creatures often gather in herds onthe ice to bask in the sun and to sport together. But to-day they wouldsearch for them in the ocean itself.

  The boats skimmed onward over the waves till the land lay far behind.Three hours passed before the seal ground was reached. Etu paddledsteadily and kept up with the men who had so much more experience thanhimself.

  As his father watched him from time to time, he thought, "My boy willbe a leader for his people when I grow old and weak. I have neverbefore seen one so young show such strength."

  "WHIZZ! SOUNDS THE HARPOON AS IT SPEEDS FROM ETU'SSHOULDER"]

  Etu's father was held to be the best huntsman of the village, andfor this very reason was looked upon as the chief. The Eskimos shareeverything in common, but one man in a settlement is chosen as theleader. He settles the disputes and gives advice when it is needed. Hedirects the hunt and judges the wrong-doer. When he fails in strengthit is but right that another should be chosen in his place.

  When the seal ground was reached at last, the men moved away from eachother in different directions; the singing and shouting stopped as theyrested on their paddles and watched for seals' heads to appear abovethe water. Etu's father kept quite near him; he might be needed to helphis son in case he was successful.

  Ten minutes passed, then twenty, thirty, but the boy did not growimpatient. His bright eyes watched closely, scanning the water in alldirections. At last he was rewarded, for look! there is a brown headrising into view. The seal is easily frightened, and darts out of sightwhen he sees the boy in the boat. But Etu does not move a muscle tillthe seal has disappeared. Then he paddles rapidly toward the spot wherethe creature sank out of sight and once more quietly waits, but thistime with harpoon in hand.

  Seals are able to stay under water for twenty minutes at a time. Theycan close their nostrils whenever they choose, and they breathe veryslowly at all times. But they must come to the surface after a time forfresh air. Etu knows this and watches.

  Ah! the water moves again. The prey is to be seen and is but a shortdistance away. Whizz! sounds the harpoon as it speeds from Etu'sshoulder and goes straight to the mark. Quick as a flash the float isthrown from the boat, and the coil of rope fastened to it runs out asthe seal drags it along. He throws himself about in agony, but cannotfree himself from the cruel harpoon lodged in his side. The water isstained with blood.

  Now the float can be seen on the surface of the waves, now it isdragged below as the seal dives out of sight; but Etu does not worry.He must paddle far enough away from the seal, however, to keep out ofdanger. For although it is usually a timid and gentle creature, yet,when it is attacked, it grows daring and dangerous.

  Etu knows of several hunters whose boats have been ripped open byseals; they would have been killed by their angry foes if theircomrades had not come to their rescue. The boy has listened to storiesof such narrow escapes ever since he was old enough to understandthese things. So he is very quick and watchful. He does not notice thathis father has drawn quite close, and sits, spear in hand, ready to endthe seal's life if his son should fail.

  And now the wounded animal appears again directly in front of the boat.A good chance must not be lost, and Etu, seizing his spear, drives itstraight through one of the flippers. It pierces the seal's lungs, andafter a few gasps the beautiful soft eyes close in death.

  "Well done, my boy," shouted his father. "You have won the first prizeof the day. You shall treat our friends."

  Now it is a custom among these people of the cold lands that when aseal is killed the successful hunter at once cuts away a portion ofblubber, and divides it among the rest of the party. Etu, therefore,pulled the dead seal close to his boat, drew out the spear andharpoon, and coiled the cord attached to it. After putting these intheir proper places on the deck of the kayak, he cut away the blubber,and proudly distributed the treat among the men, who by this time haddrawn near. It was at least noontime, and was the first food tastedthat day. Every one praised the boy's skill, and then all drew off oncemore to their different stations.

  Before the afternoon was over, Etu's father had secured two seals,and two more were killed by others of the party. It had been a mostsuccessful hunt, although several accidents had occurred. One of theseals captured by Etu's father had succeeded in tearing the floatinto shreds before he was finally killed. Another of the hunters wasoverturned and almost drowned. This was because the cord attached tothe harpoon had caught in a strap on the deck as it was running out.The wounded seal dragged him along as it plunged, before he had achance to free his boat.

  Over they went, man and boat, and only the keel o
f the kayak couldbe seen. The seal, too, was out of sight. Did it see the man? was itattacking him below the surface of the water?

  Three of the man's companions paddled rapidly toward the overturnedboat. One of them reached his arm down under the water and, giving askilful jerk to the man's arm, brought him up suddenly on even keel.Another of the party cut the cord with his spear. Still a third foundthe paddle, of which he had lost hold, and gave it into his hands. Thenall started off in pursuit of the seal as though nothing had happened.

  You must ask Etu to tell you more of the wonderful doings of that firstocean hunt. He will never forget even the smallest thing which happenedon that day.

  It was near night when the party started homeward, and three good hoursof paddling were before them. At length, however, the shore came intoview. Nearer and nearer it looked to the tired workers. And yes! therewere the women waiting and watching, ready for the good news.

  Etu was not the first to land, for you remember he had a seal in tow,and those who are so burdened cannot travel as quickly over the wateras others who have no extra weight. He travelled homeward beside hisfather's still more heavily laden boat; while both the man and his sonpictured the mother's delight at Etu's success.

  As the boats landed, one by one, the men jumped out, and started forhome with their weapons. The women would draw up the boats into safeplaces. They would also dispose of the seals. The men's work was done,and nothing was left for them now except to sit around the oil lamp,eat, and tell stories of the day's adventures. This very night therewould be a seal feast at Etu's home, and hours would be given up toeating and making merry.