“I will be thinkin’,” said MacSweenie to Mowat, “that it will be safer for our two canoes to go first to the fort an’ leave the Eskimos behind the point till we warn the Indians o’ their arrival; for there iss no knowin’ what these fiery1 savitches may do if their old enemies come on them all of a sudden. Tell Nazinred that.”
The interpreter obeyed, and as the chief was of the same opinion, a halt was called; Cheenbuk was consulted, and ultimately the Eskimos in their kayaks were left concealed2 behind the nearest point below the fort, while the two canoes advanced side by side.
“We will take them by surprise, Tonal’. I’m fond o’ givin’ people a surprise,” said MacSweenie in an undertone as they drew near to the little wharf3 that had been run out from the land in front of the main building. A few Indians were watching the arrival with some curiosity.
But there was one passenger in Nazinred’s canoe who cared little for interfering4 with human plans—namely, Attim, whose shaggy head rested on the gunwale as he gazed and snuffed anxiously.
The moment the canoes came within a few yards of the shore, the excited dog plunged5 over the side with a huge bound. He was a magnificent swimmer, and reached the land in a few seconds. Springing up the bank, he shook a shower from his sides and bounded into the bushes, with the certain knowledge, no doubt, that he had reached home at last, and that his faithful nose would not fail to guide him to the tent of Isquay.
“O ye rascal6!” growled7 MacSweenie, “you’ve let the cat out o’ the bag—for I make no doubt that every man an’ wummin o’ the tribe knows you by sight.”
And the Highlander8 was right, for in a few minutes the whole camp was roused, and the sight of the dog told them that Nazinred had come back. But had he found his daughter? That was a point which every one who could walk, run, or hobble, hurried to the wharf to ascertain9.
But the point was cleared up sooner than they expected, for, before they reached the wharf, a graceful10 figure was seen to be bounding through the bushes, apparently11 in hot pursuit of the dog.
Immediately after that a treble scream was heard to issue from a coppice behind the fort. It was followed by an equally treble squeal13, with a bass14 accompaniment of barking. No one took the trouble to inquire the cause of this, for they knew, somehow, intuitively.
As we have said more than once, it is unusual for North American Indians to demonstrate, but Isquay and Adolay were, like Nazinred, in advance of their times, and were in the habit of snapping their fingers in the hideous15 face of the Red Indian Mrs Grundy!
Meanwhile, MacSweenie and his man were informing the Indians at the wharf that a band of their old foes16, the eaters-of-raw-flesh, were at that moment lying on the other side of the point in their kayaks.
The news was received with surprise, not unmingled with frowns. Every one looked at Nazinred inquiringly, but that astute17 Red man was engaged in profound contemplation of the clouds.
“Moreover,” said the trader, “your old prisoner who gave you the slip and ran away with Adolay is among them.”
“Then,” cried Magadar, starting forward, “we will get our guns and go after them. The young men have long wished for a chance of revenge.”
“The young men hev wished for nothing o’ the sort,” cried MacSweenie, with a fierce expression in his blue eyes that was very impressive. “There iss no wan18 here wants to fecht but yourself, Magadar; but I will not disappoint ye. If you must fecht wi’ some wan, ye shall fecht wi’ me. But it iss jokin’ ye are.—Come now, men; these Eskimos hev come here on a veesit, an’ full well do I know that there’s not an Indian tribe in all the land equal to the Dogribs for hospitality; so you’ll go and get ready a feast for our veesitors, an’ I’ll gie you some goot things out o’ the store to help it.”
Whatever Magadar thought about this address he shrouded19 his feelings behind an air of impenetrable and stern reserve; for he saw that the young men sympathised with the trader. Nazinred also, in a few words, helped to confirm their sympathy by telling them that the eaters-of-raw-flesh were not a war-party, but had brought some of their women and old people along with them. The end of it was that a shot was fired as a preconcerted signal for the Eskimos to advance. In a few minutes the kayaks and oomiaks came sweeping20 round the point and made straight for the landing-place.
The reception of the men-of-the-ice by the traders was of course hearty21 and sincere, but the hereditary22 ill-will of the Indians was not quite overcome at the first. It was not until there had been several meetings, and a feast in the fort, and Donald Mowat’s violin had exercised its soothing23 influence on the savage24 breasts, that harmony was produced in some degree between the two parties.
At length MacSweenie began to see his way to the establishment of a permanent peace, and he made arrangements to have a great palaver25, a solemn treaty, and a grand feast in connection with it.
“You must know, Tonal’,” he said one evening when in consultation26 with his interpreter in the privacy of his own room, “I hev got a plan in my head which iss calcoolated to make things go smooth, if anything will.”
He paused rather a long time, and as Mowat looked at him in expectation of hearing more, it struck him that the deepened bronze on his chief’s face, and the slight motion of his shoulders, indicated suppressed laughter. But the Orkney-man was much too sedate27 a character to express undue28 curiosity. He waited patiently.
“Yes, Tonal’,” said the trader, taking a few whiffs of the long clay pipe which was his usual evening comforter, “I hev a plan, and, strange as it may seem to an unsentimental man like you, love is at the bottom of it.”
“Well, you might have a worse foundation,” returned Mowat, with something of good-natured cynicism on his rugged29 face.
“Yes,” continued MacSweenie, “that iss at the bottom of it—at least weemen are, an’ that’s the same thing.”
Mowat shook his head doubtfully. “I’m not so sure o’ that,” he said; “no doubt women have a good deal to do wi’ love—but they’re hardly the same thing.”
“Weel, Tonal’, we will not fall out on that point to-night, for I hev got no leisure to dispute. Another time we may tackle it, but I hev other fish to fry just now, an’ we must begin this very night wi’ a grand palaver.”
After a few more vigorous whiffs, and a frown indicative of intense thought, the trader continued—
“I hev no doubt, Tonal’, that you hev observed the curious and, if I may say so, extensive variety of love-makin’ that has broken out in the camp since the arrival o’ these Eskimos?”
“I can’t say that I have,” returned Mowat, gravely.
“Wow, man! for a fuddler ye exhibit a most extraordinary want o’ perception in the more delicate affairs o’ human life. Well, well, it is strange. But I hev observed it, an’ I’m goin’ to turn it to account, if I can.
“You must know that I hev been troubled in my thoughts about that warlike fellow Magadar, for, as you know, he was sweet upon the girl Adolay before she was carried off by the Eskimo; an’ Cheenbuk is such a strong and bold lad that I felt sure there would be mischief30 between the two about her; but to my surprise an’ satisfaction Magadar hes gone over head an’ ears wi’ that little Eskimo girl Cowlik, who must, I think, hev been born in an easy-going frame of mind, which seems to hev stuck to her ever since, and to hev gone on increasing with her years. Then, as we all know, our Indian Alizay has for long been efter the girl Idazoo. There’s no accountin’ for taste, Tonal’. I would sooner be married to a ship’s figure-head myself, but that’s his look-out, whatever. I hev also observed—’deed it would be difficult not to observe—that the man Oolalik iss castin’ sheep’s-eyes at that girl Nootka. All this hes impressed me so much that I hev set myself to observe more closely than I’m used to do in such matters, and I hev discovered two more cases—namely, that poor young Eskimo that was wounded in the last fecht, but seems to be slowly recovering. They call him Ondikik, and he would hev kicked altogether if it had not been for the nursin’—so they say—o’ that nice little craitur they call Rinka, or something like that. The other case is that lively stripling Anteek. He’s scarcely more than a boy yet, but young Uleeta, as they call the girl, seems to think that no great objection.
“Now, Tonal’, my plan iss to marry them all off-hand on the same day! You know that by virtue31 of my poseetion in the Service I am empowered to perform the marriage ceremony. Of course, as a Christian32 man, I would not fail to impress them with the fact that no real marriage can take place without the blessin’ o’ their Manitou, but I think that the readin’ o’ the marriage service over them may impress them favourably33, an’ help in the caause of peace and goot-will. It shall be tried, whatever, so you had better go an’ get your fuddle in order, an’ send the cook to me.”
That night MacSweenie had the central hall of his fort lighted up, and called together a united council of the Indians and Eskimos.
“My friends,” he said, after passing the pipe of peace round among the former, and offering it to the latter, who each took a whiff out of courtesy, “this is a great night, for we hev met to join ourselves together in a bond of friendship which I trust will not soon be broken.—Tell them that, Tonal’.”
When the interpreter had done his duty, Cheenbuk was asked to translate it into the Eskimo tongue. The process was rather slow, but as natives and traders alike had plenty of time on their hands, and the proceedings34 were a great novelty, no one felt impatient.
Then MacSweenie continued:
“We pale-faces, as you call us, believe that our God, our Manitou, takes a great interest in all our affairs, from the least to the greatest, and in the book in which some of us hev written down our prayers, we ask, among many other things, that ‘there may be peace in our time.’ (For myself, I may give my opeenion that the prayer would hev seemed less selfish if it had run ‘peace in all time’—but that iss by the way, whatever).—Now, Tonal’, go ahead.”
Donald went ahead, but he took the liberty of omitting what he deemed the irrelevant35 commentary.
“Peace, then, iss the thing that I am drivin’ at,—peace and goot-will between the pale-faces and the men-o’-the-woods and the men-of-the-ice also. There are many things that make for peace. The first an’ most important thing iss goot feelin’. Another thing is trade—commerce, barter36, or exchange. (I don’t see how the Eskimo will translate these words, Tonal’, but he will hev to do his best.) Then there iss common sense; and, lastly, there is marriage. Now, I hev said my say, for the time, whatever, and Nazinred will continoo the discourse37.”
Thus directly appealed to, our Indian rose, and, looking calmly round on the assembly, said—
“Every word that our white father has said is true; and a great many more words that he has not said are also true.”
“Waugh!” from the Red men, who evidently regarded the last remark as a self-evident proposition.
Dispensing38 with the services of Mowat, Nazinred turned to the Eskimos and acted the part of his own interpreter. They received his words with an emphatic39 “Hoh!” as if they were equally clear on the subject of the last words being indisputable.
“Our white father has said,” continued the chief, “that the first and most important thing in producing peace is good-feeling. That is true. It was good-feeling in my child that led her to save the life of Cheenbuk. It was good-feeling in Cheenbuk that made him care for my child, and treat her well, and bring her back here to her mother and her tribe. It was good-feeling in the Eskimos that made them kind to the Indian chief, and receive him hospitably40, when they might have taken his scalp and kept his daughter. It is good-feeling, very strong good-feeling, that makes the young Eskimo wish to make Adolay his squaw, and it is the same good-feeling that now makes Nazinred willing that he should have her.”
“Hoh!” exclaimed the Eskimos at this point, with evident satisfaction, and “Ho!” exclaimed the Indians, with equally evident surprise, for it was contrary to all their notions of propriety41 that an Indian chief’s daughter should wed12 an eater-of-raw-flesh! However, they said nothing more, and after gazing a few moments at each other in silent solemnity, they turned their eyes again on Nazinred.
Changing his tone somewhat, that wily Red man went on in a persuasive42 manner to expatiate43 on the advantages of peace in general, and of peace with the Eskimos in particular. He also enlarged on the great comforts to be derived44 from trade—which could be carried on with the white traders on the one hand and the Eskimos on the other, so that, between the two, the men-of-the-woods could not fail to obtain a double benefit. As to common sense being favourable45 to peace, he did not quite understand what his white father meant by that, for there was only one kind of sense among the Dogribs—though perhaps there might be two or three kinds where the traders came from! But in regard to marriage, there could be no doubt of his opinion on that point, seeing that he was going to give his daughter to Cheenbuk. Having finished what he had to say, Nazinred sat down, after expressing a desire to hear the opinions of his people on these matters.
For some time nothing was said, and it seemed as if the Indians were not quite sure of their own minds, when Magadar arose suddenly.
“Braves,” he began, in his brusque manner, “I like fair-play. If Cheenbuk is going to carry off one of our maidens46, it seems to me reasonable that an Eskimo maid should be left in her place. There is one of their girls who is named Cowlik. I am willing to take Cowlik and make her my squaw. Waugh!”
Magadar sat down with the prompt air of a man who has conferred a favour at great personal sacrifice.
Then Mozwa rose and delivered himself of an oration47 full of wise remarks and poetical48 allusions49, in which he backed his friend Nazinred. After him came Cheenbuk, who said that he was much gratified by the speeches of Mozwa and Nazinred; that from the latter he had learned his first lesson of good-feeling towards the men-of-the-woods, on the day when he strove with him on the banks of the Greygoose River; that his second lesson was taught him by Adolay—a lesson that he would never forget and could never repay, for she had not only saved his life but made him happy.
At this point MacSweenie broke in with, “Yes, my friends, an’ there iss a goot many more people here besides Cheenbuk that wants to be made happy. For instance, there’s the young brave Alizay an’ that pleasant craitur Idazoo that’s thinkin’ about marriage just now; an’ there’s Magadar and Cowlik, and Oolalik and Nootka, and Ondikik and Rinka, and Anteek and young Uleeta; an’ I’m not sure that there may not be some more of you in the same case. If so, all right; the more the merrier. Ay, ye may look surprised, my friends, but I’ve got a way o’ findin’ out these things that is not known to every wan.—Now, Tonal’, gif them that as best ye can, and look sherp, for there iss more to come.
“Now, my fruends, I want to explain to ye that when white people get married they go through a kind of ceremony, an’ put gold rings on the weemen’s fingers—by way o’ makin’ it all shipshape an’ secure, you know. Now, I understand how to go about this matter, an’ we hev plenty o’ brass50 curtain-rings in the store that’s as goot as gold any day—in this country, whatever. So if it iss agreeable to the chiefs and the braves around me, I’m quite willin’ to marry ye all off at the same time, and will gif ye as much baccy as ye can smoke in wan night; an’ we’ll hev a glorious feast on the back o’t, an’ a dance that’ll keep my fuddler’s fingers goin’ as long as they can wag.—Now, Tonal’, if ye tell them all that, ye’re a cliverer man than I take ye for.”
Whether Mowat told them all that as faithfully as might be desired we cannot tell, but he addressed himself to the task with a genial51 fluency52 that at all events had the desired effect, for after Nazinred had translated it to the Eskimos, it was found that they, as well as the Indians, were quite disposed to fall in with the eccentric trader’s views. Arrangements were accordingly made without delay for carrying them into execution.
Of course the ladies concerned had no objections to offer; and it is generally believed to this day, in those regions, that the interest aroused by the promised ceremonial, not to mention the brass curtain-rings, as well as the tobacco, and the feast and fiddle53, had much to do with the ready assent54 of all parties to this somewhat violent innovation on ancient custom.
Be this as it may, the wholesale55 wedding eventually took place; the feast came off; Tonal’ Mowat charmed the souls of the Eskimos with his violin, even more powerfully than he had charmed those of the Indians; and Aglootook, almost carried out of himself with delight, volunteered an oration in which he reminded his hearers that he had told them that something would certainly happen.
They all heartily56 admitted the fact, and solemnly proclaimed him the most wonderful magician in the land.
From that day to this, as far as we know, nothing has occurred to interrupt the flow of kindly57 intercourse58 that was at this time established. The Eskimos returned to their icy fastnesses laden59 with some of the wealth of the white traders.
But every spring they came back to barter for more of it, as well as for the purpose of seeing the friends whom they had left behind them.
For Cheenbuk, being unable to tear himself away from Nazinred, took up his permanent abode60 at the fort as one of the hunters to the establishment. He did not however forsake61 his people, but frequently visited old Mangivik and his mother at Waruskeek, and the old folk sometimes returned the visit by spending a few months on the banks of the Ukon River. Anteek also elected to stay with the men-of-the-woods, being unable to forsake Cheenbuk, and of course young Uleeta remained with him. Every year Nootka found it quite impossible to exist without seeing her brother Cheenbuk in his own home, and having a satisfactory gossip with her dear friend Adolay. As Oolalik agreed with Nootka in all things, there was no difficulty in arranging the matter. In the course of time Cheenbuk’s youngsters and Nootka’s progeny62 insisted on keeping up the intercourse that had been so auspiciously63 begun, and even the easy-going Cowlik became uneasy unless the fire-eating Magadar went with her occasionally to Waruskeek.
As for the unselfish and tender-hearted Rinka, she of course returned with Ondikik to the realms of ice, and made that fortunate savage happy. Indeed, she made every one happy who came within her benign64 influence, and if the truth had been spoken out by every one, we suspect it would have been found that to her attractive powers was due much of the enthusiasm for intercommunication that existed between the Red men and the walrus-hunters, for the principle still holds good, in savage not less than in civilised lands, that “love is the fulfilling of the law.”
The End.
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1
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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wharf
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| n.码头，停泊处 | |
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interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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8
highlander
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| n.高地的人，苏格兰高地地区的人 | |
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ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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10
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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wed
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| v.娶，嫁，与…结婚 | |
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squeal
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| v.发出长而尖的声音；n.长而尖的声音 | |
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bass
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| n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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astute
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| adj.机敏的，精明的 | |
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wan
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| (wide area network)广域网 | |
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shrouded
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| v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 )；保密 | |
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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hereditary
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| adj.遗传的，遗传性的，可继承的，世袭的 | |
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soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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palaver
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| adj.壮丽堂皇的；n.废话，空话 | |
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consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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sedate
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| adj.沉着的，镇静的，安静的 | |
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undue
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| adj.过分的；不适当的；未到期的 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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favourably
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| adv. 善意地，赞成地 =favorably | |
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proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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irrelevant
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| adj.不恰当的，无关系的，不相干的 | |
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barter
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| n.物物交换，以货易货，实物交易 | |
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discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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dispensing
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| v.分配( dispense的现在分词 )；施与；配（药） | |
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emphatic
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| adj.强调的，着重的；无可置疑的，明显的 | |
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hospitably
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| 亲切地，招待周到地，善于款待地 | |
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propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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42
persuasive
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| adj.有说服力的，能说得使人相信的 | |
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expatiate
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| v.细说，详述 | |
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44
derived
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| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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46
maidens
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| 处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球 | |
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47
oration
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| n.演说，致辞，叙述法 | |
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48
poetical
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| adj.似诗人的；诗一般的；韵文的；富有诗意的 | |
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49
allusions
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| 暗指，间接提到( allusion的名词复数 ) | |
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50
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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51
genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
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52
fluency
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| n.流畅，雄辩，善辩 | |
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53
fiddle
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| n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动 | |
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54
assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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55
wholesale
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| n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售 | |
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56
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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57
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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58
intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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59
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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60
abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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61
forsake
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| vt.遗弃，抛弃；舍弃，放弃 | |
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62
progeny
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| n.后代，子孙；结果 | |
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63
auspiciously
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| adv.吉利； 繁荣昌盛； 前途顺利； 吉祥 | |
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64
benign
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| adj.善良的，慈祥的；良性的，无危险的 | |
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