Our Little Eskimo Cousin Read online

  She was ready now to cut out the various garments with her oddscissors,--but, after all, it is wrong to call the queer knife sheuses by the name of scissors. She speaks of it as an "oodlo," and itis useful in so many ways, she really could not keep house without it.It is shaped much like your mother's meat-chopper. It is made of boneedged with iron, and when Etu's mother cuts with it, she moves it awayfrom her in a way which looks very awkward to us. It not only takes theplace of scissors, but is the hatchet, the knife, and also scraper withwhich the flesh is removed from the skins.

  CHAPTER III.

  PLAY-DAYS.

  MONTH after month passed by with baby Etu. The little round ball grewinto a sturdy boy, who delighted in rough plays outdoors, as well asmany indoor games, when the storms raged too greatly for him to leavethe house.

  His mother never refused him anything possible to get. He was neverscolded or punished, so it is no wonder he grew up kind and honest andtruthful. And laugh? Why, you can't imagine how many things there arefor Eskimo children to laugh about. In that cold and dreary land onewould expect to see long faces, and hear people constantly groaningand complaining; but, instead of that, these people of the far northmay be said to be ever "on the grin," as travellers there have oftenexpressed it.

  And Etu was like the rest of his people. He was always finding somenew source of fun and pleasure. When he was still a tiny baby, left toamuse himself on the platform inside the house, he would watch for thedogs to appear in the passageway, and throw his ivory toys at them.Then he would laugh and shake his sides as they dodged the play-thingsand scampered away.

  Sometimes one of the older children would bring him a ball of snow orice and teach him to kick it into the air again and again, withouttouching it with his hands, yet keeping it in motion all the time.

  When he grew older and braver he allowed himself to be tossed up in theair in a blanket of walrus hide. He must keep on his feet all the time,and not tumble about in the blanket. After awhile he could go almostto the roof and back again, holding himself as straight as a littlesoldier.

  "HE WHO HITS THE GREATEST NUMBER WINS THE GAME"]

  Of course he slid down-hill and had any amount of sport, but thesled was generally the seat of his own deerskin trousers. He and hisplaymates liked to start from the top of an icy hill, and vie with eachother in reaching the foot.

  Sometimes the little fellows would double themselves up so they lookedlike balls of fur, then down the hill they would roll, over and over,one after another. And when they reached the bottom and jumped upontheir feet, what a shouting there would be as they shook themselves andbrushed off the snow!

  Now that Etu is a big boy, he plays still another game on the snowyhillsides. His father has killed a great number of reindeer, and theboy is allowed to have all the antlers he wishes. When the boys want toplay the reindeer game, as we may call it, they set up the antlersin the snow, a short distance apart from each other. Then they climbthe hill again, and, seating themselves on their sleds, slide down pastthe antlers. They must steer clear of them and reach the foot withoutrunning into a single one. At least, that is the game, and the ones whodo so successfully are the winners.

  But what kind of a sled do you think Etu uses? It is simply a cake ofice; if you stop to think a moment, you can imagine how swiftly andsmoothly it travels along.

  There is a still different game of reindeer-hunting which requires moreskill.

  This time Etu and his playfellows arm themselves with bows and arrows.As they coast rapidly past the reindeer antlers, they shoot at themand try to leave their arrows fixed in as many as possible. Of course,he who hits the greatest number wins the game. This is exciting sportindeed, and Etu will go home afterward ready to eat such a quantity offrozen seal blubber as to make the eyes of any one but an Eskimo openwide with wonder.

  Eskimo, I just said; but Etu does not call himself by that name. Hewill tell you that he is one of the Innuits, as his father has taughthim. The word "Innuit" means "people."

  Etu's mother has told him of an old, old legend of her race, about thecreation of the world. At first human beings were made white, but theywere not worthy of their Maker. Then others were created who were thetrue people, or the Innuits.

  The word Eskimo means "eater of raw fish." It was given to thesenatives of the far north by the travellers who came among them andobserved their queer ways of living and eating.

  "Raw meat! Raw fish!" they exclaimed among themselves. "These areindeed queer people who enjoy such food in a freezing climate."

  So it came about that they spoke of them as Eskimos, and the name hasclung to Etu's people ever since.

  The boy remembers well his first candy. He had been ill, but wasgetting strong once more. His good patient mother wished to bringa smile to his pale face, so while he was sleeping she prepared asurprise.

  She took the red feet of a bird called the dovekie, and, drawing outthe bones, blew into the skin until it was puffed out as full aspossible. Then she poured melted reindeer fat into these bright-coloredpouches, and the candy-bags were finished.

  Etu's eyes grew suddenly bright when they opened upon the surpriseprepared for him. It did not take many minutes, you may well believe,for every bit of this odd candy to disappear. You may like chocolatecreams and cocoanut cakes, and think them the greatest treat in theworld, but in Etu's opinion there is nothing better than a big lump ofseal blubber or the marrow from the inside of a deer's bones.

  When he had his first bow and arrow, it was a very tiny one. He learnedto shoot at a target inside his winter home. His mother would hang uppieces of fat meat across the room where he sat, and he would try veryhard to pierce them. If he succeeded, he could have the meat to eat, soof course he tried very hard.

  At other times he would sit watching for a dog to push his head upthrough the doorway, and let fly the arrow at him. At first this seemslike a very cruel sport, but the arrow was blunted and very small; itcould not do much harm, even if it struck the dog, who would bound awayout of sight only to appear again in a few moments.

  Of course, Etu has played ball all his life, but his ball is of adifferent kind from yours. It is made of sealskin. Sometimes he willtry with other boys to knock it about so continually that it is keptin the air for a long, long time without falling. At other times allengage in a grand game of football, but, according to their ideas, thechildren must on no account touch the ball with their hands. That wouldbe a "foul play," as you boys would say. By their rules it can only bekicked.

  In the long winter evenings there is still more fun. In Etu's bighousehold old and young gather around the dim, smoky lamp and tellstories. There are such wonderful adventures to relate of daring deedson sea and land. Etu listens breathless to tales of the white bearsurprised in his den, of long tramps after prey, when life dependedon fresh supplies, and King Frost was striving to seize the weakenedbodies of the hunters.

  Then there are quaint legends and fairy tales, besides stories ofwondrous beings in the unseen world around. Some of these beings aregood, and some bad. Etu does not like to hear about these last, andtries to put them out of his mind when he is travelling alone.

  But the evenings are not wholly given to story-telling, for the peopleare fond of music. They like dancing, also, for it makes them feeljolly and gay. They pass many an hour singing monotonous songs whichthey think very sweet, but which we would think tiresome.

  Sometimes when Etu's mother has finished her work for the day, shegathers the children of the house around her, and shows them how tomake wonderful figures with strings of deer's sinews. You all know thegame of cat's cradle; well, it is something like that, only very muchharder.

  The woman fastens the string back and forth on her son's hands, thenweaves it quickly in and out; before one knows it, she has shaped itinto the body of a musk ox. A few more changes are made, when, behold!it is no longer a musk ox, but has become a reindeer or a seal. Itrequires a great deal of skill to do this, but Etu can make nearlyas many figures as his mo
ther, although she has had so many years ofpractice.

  CHAPTER IV.

  DOG TEAM AND SLEDGE.

  WHEN he was three years old, our little northern cousin had his firstand only pets. They were two little puppies left without any mother.They looked like baby wolves with their sharp, pointed noses, erectears, and furry backs; but they were very cunning, and amused theirlittle master all day long. When night came they crept under the heavycovers, and lay close to Etu's feet while he slept, keeping him as warmand comfortable as he could possibly desire to be.

  But, like all other pets, these puppies _would_ grow up, and then theirwork in life began as well as Etu's. They must be trained to draw asledge, for they must be able to carry their young master on longjourneys over the snowy plains.

  Etu's mother made him some reins to be fastened to the dogs' necks.She placed the ends in the hands of her little boy, who sat on theplatform, holding a whip. He must learn to manage the team, he mustteach the dogs to obey his voice, to move to the right or the left, ashe directed; in short, to understand that he was truly their master.

  Every new birthday two more dogs were given to Etu, and it became hisduty to feed and train them to be in readiness when he was old enoughto hunt with his father.

  Do not imagine for a moment that this was an easy matter. No white manhas ever yet, I believe, found himself able to manage a pack of Eskimodogs. Each one is fastened to the sledge by a single cord, and, as theyhurry onward at the sound of their master's voice, it seems as thoughthere were the most dreadful confusion. One dog, wiser and clevererthan the rest, is always chosen as the leader; his rein is a littlelonger than the others. He is always the one that listens most closelyto the directions given, turning his head backward from time to timeto look at his master, and make sure that he is right. Then onward hedashes, the other dogs following close at his heels.

  "ETU HAD BECOME QUITE SKILFUL"]

  Etu spent some time in deciding which dog was the best out of his ownpack, but when he was quite sure of Vanya's strength and brightness hegave him the greatest care and attention of all.

  But the whip! It was far harder to learn its use than to master all hisother lessons. The handle was only six inches long, while the lash wasat least sixteen feet. To throw it out and then bring it back withoutletting it become entangled among the legs of two or three dogs was adifficult task. But to be sure of striking only the one for whom itwas intended, was a far harder thing to learn. Even when Etu had becomequite skilful, it seemed as though every time he rode away he must comehome with at least one broken bone. For as the dogs gradually gained inspeed, and one or another received a stroke of the whip to remind himof his duty, he would jump wildly around. Perhaps he would upset twoor three others in an instant. Then there would be such a yelping, andsuch a breaking of reins would follow, it seemed impossible for Etu tostraighten them out again, and harder still it must have been for himto keep his seat, and not be thrown off.

  But the boy loves the work, and nothing pleases him more than to besent twenty miles to a neighbouring village on an errand for his father.

  In the winter season, when the dogs are not working, they are sometimesallowed to stay in the passageway leading to the house. And youalready know that they try again and again to make their way inside.The burning lamp gives such pleasant warmth, and the smell of the sealor reindeer meat is so tempting that they are willing to run the chanceof the blows they are almost sure to get for being so daring.

  They are warmly clothed, however, and can bear the most terribleweather without harm coming to them. Beneath the long hair a heavy softwool grows in the winter time, and protects their bodies from the icycold.

  It is Etu's duty to feed all the dogs of the household. It does nottake a great amount of his time, for the poor hard-working creatureshave only one meal in two days! If there is danger of a famine, andprovisions are scarce, they are fed but once in three days. This isduring the winter, moreover, for in summer they are expected to providefor themselves, getting fish from the shallow beds of the rivers,killing birds as they alight on the shore, catching baby seals, andgetting reindeer moss or lichens from the rocks.

  It is fun to watch Etu on feeding day. He gathers the dogs around himin a wide circle, and tosses first to one, then to another, his stripof sealskin. If a dog moves from his place or jumps out of turn toreceive his food, he is only rewarded by a lash of the whip, instead ofthe longed-for meat. So by long experience they have learned to waitpatiently.

  These Eskimo dogs must have wonderful stomachs to digest the tough foodon which they live. It is simply impossible to chew the strips of skin,so they are swallowed whole. Sometimes a young dog chokes over his hardwork, and coughs up his precious bit, only to have it snatched awayfrom him by one of his neighbours.

  We feel like pitying these dogs of the cold lands. They are deeplydevoted to their masters, yet a word of kindness is rarely spoken tothem. Their work is hard, and their food is scant. In winter they mustdraw the sledges, and in summer, as their masters travel from place toplace, they are laden with heavy packs which they carry cheerfully.

  This reminds me that when Etu played "horse" in his early days, itwasn't _horse_, after all; it was _dog_, instead, for the Eskimo dog isthe only horse of the far north.

  When Etu was old enough to drive a team of a dozen dogs, he had reachedhis tenth birthday. His father said to him then:

  "Now, Etu, you are old enough to make your own sledge. You have oftenhelped me, but now you are able to do the work alone."

  Our little cousin set manfully to work at once. It was so nice to thinkof having a sledge for his very own, and one that he had made himself,too. It was not a very hard task, once he had gathered his materialstogether. The jawbones of a whale were used for the framework andrunners. Sealskin was fitted over this framework, and a little seatmade from which Etu's legs hung over in front when he was driving.

  "But will the bone runners travel swiftly enough over the snow?" someone asks.

  "Not unless they are properly iced," Etu would answer.

  Every time the boy starts out on a journey, he must prepare the runnersafresh by squirting water upon them from his mouth. A coating of smoothice is formed almost instantly, which will last for a short distance.Then it must be renewed.

  Soon after Etu's sledge was completed, he was sent by his father tolook for seal-holes along the coast. It was a bright, clear day, and,although it was fifty degrees below zero, the boy enjoyed his ride; hehad no thought of cold, as there was only a slight wind blowing.

  He journeyed on and on, his bright eyes watching for signs of sealsbeneath the snow-covered ice. He did not realise how far he was fromhome. He was many miles away, when a strong wind suddenly arose. How itcut his cheeks and bit his nose! He knew he must turn back at once orhe might be overcome.

  Brave boy as he was, there would keep entering his mind the thought ofa neighbour who was frozen while travelling in just such weather. Whenhis sledge arrived at his own doorway, there sat the man in his seat,straight and stiff; but the reins were tightly held in dead hands. Thedogs had kept on their way unharmed, while the driver gradually lostall knowledge of them, and of this world.

  Etu put his gloved hand to his nose again and again, to make sure itwas all right; it was such an easy thing for it to freeze without hisknowledge. And now his hands began to grow numb, and then his feet,although he often sprang from his sledge to run with the dogs and jumpin the snow.

  Ah, that icy wind! Would it never stop? The boy's eyes became blinded,and at last he thought:

  "It is of no use. I don't care very much, anyway. I begin to feel soqueer and stupid. What does it mean?"

  That was the last he knew till he awoke in his own home to find hismother bending over him; she was rubbing him with balls of snow, andlooking very, very anxious. How the blood tingled through his body, asit began to move freely once more! But he was safe now, and could nolonger feel the terrible wind blowing against him.

  It was a narrow es
cape for Etu. It was well for him that he was withina mile of the village when he lost the power to think. The dogs kept ontheir way, and brought him quickly to his own home.

  CHAPTER V.

  KAYAK AND HARPOON.

  WHEN Etu was only nine years old he began to go out upon the ocean,fishing and shooting with his father. Of course he was allowed to goon calm days only. Years of practice would be needed before he couldbe trusted to manage his boat in winter storms, or risk his life inseal hunting. When he was eleven years old, however, he had learned topaddle very well, and, besides, he had grown to be such a big boy thathis father said:

  "You must have a new kayak, Etu; your mother will help you make it. Youhave outgrown the other, and it is not safe."

  It was one of Etu's duties to watch for all the driftwood floatingin toward shore. Every piece is more precious to these people ofthe north than we can imagine. They have no money, but if they couldexpress the value of the bits of driftwood in dollars and cents,we would be amazed. Some of us, I fear, would feel like carrying ashipload of lumber to Etu's people and making a fortune very easily.

  When our little Eskimo wished to begin the making of his boat, hewent first to the family treasure house. Of course you can guess whatwas stored there. Not diamonds and pearls, nor gold and silver; butsimply--driftwood.