08-an odyssey of the north-第5章

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which　were　to　come　should　fight　the　battles　of　those　that　were　gone；

and　in　it　I　could　see　no　right。　But　the　people　said　it　must　be；　and

I　was　only　a　stripling。

　　'And　they　said　I　must　hurry；　that　my　blood　might　be　the　older　and

grow　strong　before　hers。　This　was　easy；　for　I　was　head　man；　and　the

people　looked　up　to　me　because　of　the　deeds　and　the　laws　of　my

fathers；　and　the　wealth　which　was　mine。　Any　maiden　would　come　to　me；

but　I　found　none　to　my　liking。　And　the　old　men　and　the　mothers　of

maidens　told　me　to　hurry；　for　even　then　were　the　hunters　bidding

high　to　the　mother　of　Unga；　and　should　her　children　grow　strong　before

mine；　mine　would　surely　die。

　　'Nor　did　I　find　a　maiden　till　one　night　coming　back　from　the

fishing。　The　sunlight　was　lying；　so；　low　and　full　in　the　eyes；　the

wind　free；　and　the　kayacks　racing　with　the　white　seas。　Of　a　sudden　the

kayak　of　Unga　came　driving　past　me；　and　she　looked　upon　me；　so；　with

her　black　hair　flying　like　a　cloud　of　night　and　the　spray　wet　on　her

cheek。　As　I　say；　the　sunlight　was　full　in　the　eyes；　and　I　was　a

stripling；　but　somehow　it　was　all　clear；　and　I　knew　it　to　be　the

call　of　kind　to　kind。　As　she　whipped　ahead　she　looked　back　within

the　space　of　two　strokes…　looked　as　only　the　woman　Unga　could　look…

and　again　I　knew　it　as　the　call　of　kind。　The　people　shouted　as　we

ripped　past　the　lazy　oomiaks　and　left　them　far　behind。　But　she　was

quick　at　the　paddle；　and　my　heart　was　like　the　belly　of　a　sail；　and

I　did　not　gain。　The　wind　freshened；　the　sea　whitened；　and；　leaping

like　the　seals　on　the　windward　breech；　we　roared　down　the　golden

pathway　of　the　sun。'

　　Naass　was　crouched　half　out　of　his　stool；　in　the　attitude　of　one

driving　a　paddle；　as　he　ran　the　race　anew。　Somewhere　across　the

stove　he　beheld　the　tossing　kayak　and　the　flying　hair　of　Unga。　The

voice　of　the　wind　was　in　his　ears；　and　its　salt　beat　fresh　upon　his

nostrils。

　　'But　she　made　the　shore；　and　ran　up　the　sand；　laughing；　to　the　house

of　her　mother。　And　a　great　thought　came　to　me　that　night…　a　thought

worthy　of　him　that　was　chief　over　all　the　people　of　Akatan。　So；　when

the　moon　was　up；　I　went　down　to　the　house　of　her　mother；　and　looked

upon　the　goods　of　Yash…Noosh；　which　were　piled　by　the　door…　the

goods　of　Yash…Noosh；　a　strong　hunter　who　had　it　in　mind　to　be　the

father　of　the　children　of　Unga。　Other　young　men　had　piled　their

goods　there　and　taken　them　away　again；　and　each　young　man　had　made　a

pile　greater　than　the　one　before。

　　'And　I　laughed　to　the　moon　and　the　stars；　and　went　to　my　own　house

where　my　wealth　was　stored。　And　many　trips　I　made；　till　my　pile　was

greater　by　the　fingers　of　one　hand　than　the　pile　of　Yash…Noosh。

There　were　fish；　dried　in　the　sun　and　smoked；　and　forty　hides　of　the

hair　seal；　and　half　as　many　of　the　fur；　and　each　hide　was　tied　at

the　mouth　and　big　bellied　with　oil；　and　ten　skins　of　bear　which　I

killed　in　the　woods　when　they　came　out　in　the　spring。　And　there　were

beads　and　blankets　and　scarlet　cloths；　such　as　I　got　in　trade　from　the

people　who　lived　to　the　east；　and　who　got　them　in　trade　from　the

people　who　lived　still　beyond　in　the　east。　And　I　looked　upon　the

pile　of　Yash…Noosh　and　laughed；　for　I　was　head　man　in　Akatan；　and　my

wealth　was　greater　than　the　wealth　of　all　my　young　men；　and　my　fathers

had　done　deeds；　and　given　laws；　and　put　their　names　for　all　time　in

the　mouths　of　the　people。

　　'So；　when　the　morning　came；　I　went　down　to　the　beach；　casting　out　of

the　corner　of　my　eye　at　the　house　of　the　mother　of　Unga。　My　offer

yet　stood　untouched。　And　the　women　smiled；　and　said　sly　things　one

to　the　other。　I　wondered；　for　never　had　such　a　price　been　offered；　and

that　night　I　added　more　to　the　pile；　and　put　beside　it　a　kayak　of

well…tanned　skins　which　never　yet　had　swam　in　the　sea。　But　in　the

day　it　was　yet　there；　open　to　the　laughter　of　all　men。　The　mother　of

Unga　was　crafty；　and　I　grew　angry　at　the　shame　in　which　I　stood　before

my　people。　So　that　night　I　added　till　it　became　a　great　pile；　and　I

hauled　up　my　oomiak；　which　was　of　the　value　of　twenty　kayaks。　And　in

the　morning　there　was　no　pile。

　　'Then　made　I　preparation　for　the　wedding；　and　the　people　that

lived　even　to　the　east　came　for　the　food　of　the　feast　and　the　potlatch

token。　Unga　was　older　than　I　by　the　age　of　four　suns　in　the　way　we

reckoned　the　years。　I　was　only　a　stripling；　but　then　I　was　a　chief；

and　the　son　of　a　chief；　and　it　did　not　matter。

　　'But　a　ship　shoved　her　sails　above　the　floor　of　the　ocean；　and

grew　larger　with　the　breath　of　the　wind。　From　her　scuppers　she　ran

clear　water；　and　the　men　were　in　haste　and　worked　hard　at　the　pumps。

On　the　bow　stood　a　mighty　man；　watching　the　depth　of　the　water　and

giving　commands　with　a　voice　of　thunder。　His　eyes　were　of　the　pale

blue　of　the　deep　waters；　and　his　head　was　maned　like　that　of　a　sea

lion。　And　his　hair　was　yellow；　like　the　straw　of　a　southern　harvest　or

the　manila　rope　yarns　which　sailormen　plait。

　　'Of　late　years　we　had　seen　ships　from　afar；　but　this　was　the　first

to　come　to　the　beach　of　Akatan。　The　feast　was　broken；　and　the　women

and　children　fled　to　the　houses；　while　we　men　strung　our　bows　and

waited　with　spears　in　hand。　But　when　the　ship's　forefoot　smelled　the

beach　the　strange　men　took　no　notice　of　us；　being　busy　with　their

own　work。　With　the　falling　of　the　tide　they　careened　the　schooner

and　patched　a　great　hole　in　her　bottom。　So　the　women　crept　back；　and

the　feast　went　on。

　　'When　the　tide　rose；　the　sea　wanderers　kedged　the　schooner　to　deep

water　and　then　came　among　us。　They　bore　presents　and　were　friendly；　so

I　made　room　for　them；　and　out　of　the　largeness　of　my　heart　gave　them

tokens　such　as　I　gave　all　the　guests；　for　it　was　my　wedding　day；　and　I

was　head　man　in　Akatan。　And　he　with　the　mane　of　the　sea　lion　was

there；　so　tall　and　strong　that　one　looked　to　see　the　earth　shake

with　the　fall　of　his　feet。　He　looked　much　and　straight　at　Unga；　with

his　arms　folded；　so；　and　stayed　till　the　sun　went　away　and　the　stars

came　out。　Then　he　went　down　to　his　ship。　After　that　I　took　Unga　by　the

hand　and　led　her　to　my　own　house。　And　there　was　singing　and　great

laughter；　and　the　women　said　sly　things；　after　the　manner　of　women

at　such　times。　But　we　did　not　care。　Then　the　people　left　us　alone

and　went　home。

　　'The　last　noise　had　not　died　away　when　the　chief　of　the　sea

wanderers　came　in　by　the　door。　And　he　had　with　him　black　bottles；　from

which　we　drank　and　made　merry。　You　see；　I　was　only　a　stripling；　and

had　lived　all　my　days　on　the　edge　of　the　world。　So　my　blood　became

as　fire；　and　my　heart　as　light　as　the　froth　that　flies　from　the　surf

to　the　cliff。　Unga　sat　silent　among　the　skins　in　the　corner；　her

eyes　wide；　for　she　seemed　to　fear。　And　he　with　the　mane　of　the　sea

lion　looked　upon　her　straight　and　long。　Then　his　men　came　in　with

bundles　of　goods；　and　he　piled　before　me　wealth　such　as　was　not　in　all

Akatan。　There　were　guns；　both　large　and　small；　and　powder　and　shot　and

shell；　and　bright　axes　and　knives　of　steel；　and　cunning　tools；　and

strange　things　the　like　of　which　I　had　never　seen。　When　he　showed　me

by　sign　that　it　was　all　mine；　I　thought　him　a　great　man　to　be　so　free；

but　he　showed　me　also　that　Unga　was　to　go　away　with　him　in　his　ship。

Do　you　understand？…　that　Unga　was　to　go　away　with　him　in　his　ship。　The

blood　of　my　fathers　flamed　hot　on　the　sudden；　and　I　made　to　drive

him　through　with　my　spear。　But　the　spirit　of　the　bottles　had　stolen

the　life　from　my　arm；　and　he　took　me　by　the　neck；　so；　and　knocked　my

head　against　the　wall　of　the　house。　And　I　was　made　weak　like　a　newborn

child；　and　my　legs　would　no　more　stand　under　me。　Unga　screamed；　and

she　laid　hold　of　the　things　of　the　house　with　her　hands；　till　they

fell　all　about　us　as　he　dragged　her　to　the　door。　Then　he　took　her　in

his　great　arms；　and　when　she　tore　at　his　yellow　hair　laughed　with　a

sound　like　that　of　the　big　bull　seal　in　the　rut。

　　'I　crawled　to　the　beach　and　called　upon　my　people；　but