Of all the people at Fort Chimo no one was more interested in the Esquimaux than little Edith. She not only went fearlessly among them, and bestowed1 upon them every trinket she possessed2, but, in her childlike desire for the companionship and sympathy of human beings of her own age and sex, she took forcible possession of two little girls who happened to be cleaner, and, therefore, prettier than the others, and led them away to her own ravine, where she introduced them to her favourite berries and to her dog Chimo. At first the dog did not seem to relish3 the intrusion of these new favourites, but seeing that they did not induce his mistress to caress4 him less than before, he considerately tolerated them. Besides, the Esquimaux had brought their dogs along with them; and Chimo, being of an amicable5 disposition6, had entered into social fellowship with his own kind. We have said that Chimo was sagacious, and it is quite possible he may have felt the propriety7 of granting to Edith that liberty which he undoubtedly8 claimed for himself.
But Edith’s intercourse10 with her little Esquimau protégées was necessarily confined to looks—the language of the eye making up for the absence of that of the tongue. There were many things, however, in which language was not required as a medium of communication between the children. When the berries were good, the brightening eyes and smacking11 lips spoke12 a language common to all the human race. So, also, when the berries were sour or bitter, the expression of their faces was peculiarly emphatic14. The joyous15 shout, too, as they discovered a new scene that pleased their eyes, while they roved hand in hand through the ravines, or the shrinking glance of fear as they found themselves unexpectedly on the edge of a precipice16, was sufficiently17 intelligible18 to the trio. The little friends presented a striking and grotesque19 contrast. It would have been difficult to say whether the little Esquimaux were boys or girls. If anything, the costume seemed more to indicate the former than the latter. Like their mothers, they wore loose deerskin shirts with the hair on the outside, which gave them a round, soft, burly appearance—an appearance which was increased by their little boots, which were outrageously20 wide, and quite as long as their legs. The frocks or shirts had hoods21 and tails, which latter, according to fashion, were so long that they trailed on the ground. The inconvenience of the tail is so great that the women, while travelling on a journey, get rid of it by drawing it between their legs, and, lifting up the end, fastening it in front to a button sewed to their frock for the purpose. In travelling, therefore, Esquimau women seem to be destitute22 of this appendage23; but, on arriving at camp, they undo9 the fastening, and walk about with flowing tails behind them!
Edith’s costume consisted of a short frock made of dark blue cloth, and a head-dress peculiar13 to the Indian women among the Crees. It was preferred by the little wearer to all other styles of bonnet24, on account of the ease with which it could be thrown off and on. She also wore ornamented25 leggings and moccasins. Altogether, with her graceful26 figure, flaxen curls, and picturesque27 costume, she presented a strong contrast to the fat, dark, hairy little creatures who followed her by brook28 and bush and precipice the livelong day.
One morning, about two weeks after the arrival of the Esquimaux, Edith went down to the camp after breakfast, and found her two companions engaged in concluding their morning meal. The elder, whose name was Arnalooa, was peering with earnest scrutiny29 into the depths of a marrowbone, from which she had already extracted a large proportion of the raw material. The younger, Okatook, seized a lump of raw seal’s flesh, as Edith entered their hut, and, cutting therefrom a savoury morsel30, put it into her mouth as she rose to welcome her visitor.
“Oh! how can you?” said Edith, with a look of disgust at this ravenous31 conduct on the part of her friend. But Edith had said, “Oh! how can you?” and “Oh! shocking!” and “Oh! why don’t you give up eating it raw?” and “Oh! why won’t you have it cooked?” nearly every day for the last two weeks, without producing any other effect than a gleeful laugh from the little Esquimaux; for, although they did not comprehend her words, they clearly understood her looks of disapproval32. But although they would not give up the habit of eating raw flesh, which they had been accustomed to from their infancy33, they were prevailed on so far to break through the habits of their people as to wash their hands and faces before going out to play. This they did because Edith positively34 refused to go with them unless they did so.
Lifting up the end of her tail and wiping her mouth therewith, Arnalooa smiled at Edith’s look of reproach, and ran laughing towards the shore, where she and Okatook washed their hands, after which they followed Edith and Chimo to their favourite ravine. Although she knew that they did not understand a word of what she said, Edith invariably kept up a running fire of small talk, in reference chiefly to the objects of nature by which they were surrounded. To this the little hairy creatures listened intently with smiling faces, and sometimes they laughed prodigiously35, as though they understood what was said, so that their companion felt as if she were really conversing36 with them, although she was sadly perplexed37 at the utter impossibility of obtaining an intelligible reply to a question when she chanced to put one.
“Oh, what a lovely glen!” cried Edith, her eyes beaming with delight, as, on turning the point of a projecting crag, she and her companions found themselves in a spot which they had not before seen during their rambles38. It was a wild, savage39 gorge40, full of fallen rocks, hemmed41 in with high cliffs, fringed here and there with willows42 and mosses43, among which were a few brilliant wild-flowers. The lights and shadows of the spot were thrown into powerful contrast by a gleam of sunshine which flashed down among the rugged44 masses, lighting45 up peaks and sharp edges in some spots, while in others they were thrown into the profoundest gloom.
“Oh! is it not a delightful46 place?” cried Edith, as she bounded up the rugged path, followed by Chimo, while the two Esquimau girls buttoned up their tails, and followed her as fast as their more cumbrous habiliments would permit.
For a quarter of an hour the party toiled47 up the steep ascent48, pausing now and then to pluck a flower, or to look back on the wild path by which they had come, until they reached a ridge49 of rock, beyond which lay a small lake or pool. So dark and still did it lie within the shadow of the overhanging cliffs that it resembled a pool of ink. Here the adventurous50 explorers sat down to recover breath, and to gaze in childish delight, not unmixed with awe51, at the wild scene around them.
The peculiar wildness of the spot seemed to exercise an unusual influence over the dog; for, instead of lying down, as it was wont52 to do, at the feet of its young mistress, it moved about uneasily, and once or twice uttered a low growl53.
“Come here, Chimo,” said Edith, when these symptoms of restlessness had attracted her attention; “what is the matter with you, my dear dog? Surely you are not frightened at the appearance of this wild place! Speak, dog; see, Arnalooa is laughing at you.”
Edith might have said with more propriety that Arnalooa was laughing at herself, for the little Esquimau was much amused at the serious manner in which her Kublunat friend spoke to her dog. But Chimo refused to be comforted. He raised his snout, snuffed the air once or twice, and then, descending54 the gorge a short distance, put his nose close to the ground and trotted55 away.
“That is very odd of Chimo,” said Edith, looking into Arnalooa’s face with an expression of perplexity.
As she spoke Okatook pointed56, with an eager glance, up the ravine. Turning her eyes hastily in the direction indicated, Edith beheld57 a deer bounding towards them. It was closely followed by a savage wolf. The deer seemed to be in the last stage of exhaustion58. Its flanks were wet with moisture, its eyes starting from their sockets59, and its breath issued forth60 in deep sobs61, as it bounded onwards, seemingly more by the force of its impetus62 than by any voluntary exertion63. More intent on the danger behind than on that which lay before it, the deer made straight for the pass in which the three girls stood, and scarcely had they time to spring to the sides of the cliff, when it swept by like an arrow. Instantly after, and ere it had taken two bounds past them, the wolf sprang forward; caught it by the throat, and dragged it to the ground, where in a few seconds it worried the noble animal to death. It is probable that the chase now terminated had begun at early dawn that day, for deer being fleeter than wolves they prolong the chase until overcome by the superior strength and dogged perseverance64 of their ravenous enemies. Over mountain and hill they had bounded along together, through glen and gorge, across river and lake, bursting headlong through bush and brake, or under the shadow of frowning cliffs, and toiling65, at a foot pace and with panting sides, up the steep hills, in the fierce blaze of the sun, the one impelled66 by hunger, the other by fear, until at length the scene closed in the wild pass, almost at the feet of the three children.
But retribution was in store for the savage destroyer. Ere yet the life’s blood had teased to flow from the throat of the dying deer, and while the wolf’s fangs67 were still dripping with its gore68, a fierce bark, followed by a terrific growl, rang among the cliffs, and Chimo, with his ears laid back and his formidable row of teeth exposed, rushed up the gorge and seized the wolf by the neck! Thus assailed69, the wolf returned the bite with interest, and immediately a fight of the most energetic character ensued.
The wolf was much larger and more powerful than Chimo, but was greatly exhausted70 by its long chase, while the dog was fresh and vigorous. Once or twice Chimo tossed his huge adversary71 by main strength, but as often he was overturned and dreadfully shaken, while the long fangs of the wolf met in his neck, and mingled72 the blood of the deer, which bespattered his black muzzle73, with the life’s blood that began to flow copiously74 from Chimo’s veins75. At this moment a shout was heard farther up the ravine. The three girls turned hastily, and saw, on a point of rock which projected from the mountain side and overhung the dark pool, the figure of a man, of such immense proportions that they instinctively76 shrank back with terror. The position in which he stood made him appear larger than he really was. The scattered77 gleams and slant78 rays of sunshine that played around the spot invested him as with a supernatural halo, while a bright glow of light on the cliff behind detached him prominently from the surrounding shadows. He poised79 a spear in his right hand, and, while Edith gazed at him in terror, the weapon flew whistling through the air and was buried in the side of the wolf. But so close did the spear pass, that Edith involuntarily stepped back as she heard it whiz. In doing so she lost her balance and fell over the cliff. Fortunately, Arnalooa caught her by the dress and partially80 broke her fall, but the descent was sufficiently steep and rugged to render the child insensible.
When Edith recovered consciousness, her first emotion was that of terror, on beholding81 a large, dark-bearded face bending over her; but a second glance showed her that the eyes of the stranger gazed upon her with a look of tenderness, and that Arnalooa and Okatook were kneeling beside her with an expression of anxiety. Had anything further been wanting to allay82 her fears, the sight of Chimo would have done it. It is true the sturdy dog panted heavily, and occasionally licked his wounds, as he sat on his haunches at her feet; but he was wonderfully calm and collected after his recent mortal conflict, and regarded his young mistress from time to time with an air of patronising assurance.
As Edith opened her eyes, the stranger muttered some unintelligible83 words, and, rising hastily, went to a neighbouring spring, at which he filled a rude cup with water. In doing this, he revealed the huge proportions of the gigantic Esquimau whom we introduced to our reader in a former chapter. He was dressed in the same manner as when we first saw him, but his face was somewhat altered, and his black eyebrows84 were marked by that peculiar curve which is expressive85 of deep melancholy86. Returning quickly from the spring, he kneeled beside the little girl, and, raising her head on his broad hand, held the goblet87 to her lips.
“Thank you,” said Edith faintly, as she swallowed a few drops; “I think I had better go home. Is Chimo safe? Chimo!” She started up as the recollection of the fight with the wolf flashed upon her; but the fall had stunned88 her rather severely89, and scarcely had she risen to her feet when she staggered and fell back into the arms of the Esquimau.
Seeing that she was quite unable to walk, he raised her in his powerful arm as if she had been a young lamb. Catching90 the dead wolf by the neck as he passed, and springing from rock to rock with catlike agility91, he bore his burden down the ravine, and strode towards the fort under the guidance of Okatook and Arnalooa.
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1
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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2
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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3
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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caress
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| vt./n.爱抚，抚摸 | |
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amicable
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| adj.和平的，友好的；友善的 | |
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6
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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7
propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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8
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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9
undo
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| vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销 | |
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10
intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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11
smacking
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| 活泼的，发出响声的，精力充沛的 | |
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12
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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13
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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14
emphatic
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| adj.强调的，着重的；无可置疑的，明显的 | |
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15
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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16
precipice
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| n.悬崖，危急的处境 | |
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17
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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18
intelligible
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| adj.可理解的，明白易懂的，清楚的 | |
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19
grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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outrageously
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| 凶残地； 肆无忌惮地； 令人不能容忍地； 不寻常地 | |
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21
hoods
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| n.兜帽( hood的名词复数 )；头巾；（汽车、童车等的）折合式车篷；汽车发动机罩v.兜帽( hood的第三人称单数 )；头巾；（汽车、童车等的）折合式车篷；汽车发动机罩 | |
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22
destitute
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| adj.缺乏的；穷困的 | |
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appendage
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| n.附加物 | |
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24
bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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25
ornamented
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| adj.花式字体的v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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26
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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27
picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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28
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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29
scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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30
morsel
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| n.一口，一点点 | |
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31
ravenous
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| adj.极饿的，贪婪的 | |
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32
disapproval
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| n.反对，不赞成 | |
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33
infancy
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| n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期 | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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35
prodigiously
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| adv.异常地，惊人地，巨大地 | |
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36
conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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37
perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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38
rambles
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| （无目的地）漫游( ramble的第三人称单数 )； （喻）漫谈； 扯淡； 长篇大论 | |
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39
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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40
gorge
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| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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41
hemmed
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| 缝…的褶边( hem的过去式和过去分词 )； 包围 | |
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42
willows
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| n.柳树( willow的名词复数 )；柳木 | |
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43
mosses
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| n. 藓类, 苔藓植物 名词moss的复数形式 | |
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44
rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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45
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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46
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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47
toiled
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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48
ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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49
ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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50
adventurous
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| adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的 | |
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51
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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52
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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53
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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54
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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55
trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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56
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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57
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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58
exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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59
sockets
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| n.套接字，使应用程序能够读写与收发通讯协定(protocol)与资料的程序( Socket的名词复数 )；孔( socket的名词复数 )；（电器上的）插口；托座；凹穴 | |
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60
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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61
sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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62
impetus
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| n.推动，促进，刺激；推动力 | |
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63
exertion
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| n.尽力，努力 | |
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64
perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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65
toiling
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的现在分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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66
impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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67
fangs
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| n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座 | |
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68
gore
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| n.凝血，血污；v.（动物）用角撞伤，用牙刺破；缝以补裆；顶 | |
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69
assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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70
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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71
adversary
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| adj.敌手，对手 | |
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72
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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73
muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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74
copiously
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| adv.丰富地，充裕地 | |
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75
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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77
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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slant
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| v.倾斜，倾向性地编写或报道；n.斜面，倾向 | |
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79
poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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80
partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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81
beholding
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| v.看，注视( behold的现在分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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allay
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| v.消除，减轻(恐惧、怀疑等) | |
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83
unintelligible
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| adj.无法了解的，难解的，莫明其妙的 | |
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84
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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85
expressive
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| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
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86
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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goblet
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| n.高脚酒杯 | |
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88
stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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90
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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agility
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| n.敏捷，活泼 | |
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