The Wilderness Castaways Part 5

But it's a short run for the power boat to the head of that bay, and unless I'm mistaken there'll be plenty of huskies there, sir. Yes, sir, plenty of 'em. I'll send Tom Hand. Tom Hand speaks their lingo.

Tom! Tom Hand!" he called.

"Aye, aye, sir."

"Go ash.o.r.e, Tom. We wants a husky pilot; a good one. A good husky, now! Dan! Here, you rascal! Go ash.o.r.e with Tom, and help him look after things!"

"Come, fellows, we'll go along," suggested Remington to Ainsworth and Paul. "We'll not be in the way, will we, Captain."

"No, no! Go ash.o.r.e if you likes. Better take some grub with you. Dan, tell the cook to put up some grub! Look sharp, now!"

Presently they were off, pointing toward the head of the inner bay.

Paul took three or four shots at harbor seals which raised their heads now and again above the water, but always missed them.

"'Tis wonderful hard t' hit un from a boat," said Tom.

Soon they discovered a column of smoke rising from the north sh.o.r.e.

"There un is! Turn she int' th' smoke, Dan," directed Tom. "Th'

huskies is camped in there. Th' smoke is a signal t' call us t' un.

They's seen us."

Dan swung the boat in, and upon rounding a point and entering a cove two skin tents or wigwams were discovered, and several people gathered upon the sh.o.r.e as if expecting them.

"There's th' huskies, an' their families; leastways they has two tupeks," commented Tom.

"Tupeks?" asked Paul.

"Aye--skin tents. In summer they lives in skin tents, an' in winter in snow igloos."

"They seem to be all men and boys," said Paul.

"No, they's women too, but husky women wears trousers. You'll see th'

difference when we comes closter."

"Well, they are a rocky looking crowd!" exclaimed Paul.

There were two men, three women and four children, one a half-grown girl. All wore skin garments and were bareheaded, their long black hair, coa.r.s.e and straight, reaching to the shoulders. One of the women carried an infant in her hood, and its round, bright eyes peered wonderingly over the mother's shoulders at the intruders.

"Oksunae," greeted Tom upon stepping ash.o.r.e.

"Oksunae," answered the Eskimos, who came forward laughing to shake hands with their visitors, their round, greasy faces beaming good nature and welcome.

Tom began his negotiations at once, conversing with the Eskimos in their native tongue, for they could understand no English.

"Ainsworth and I are going up this stream a little way to try the salmon. Want to go along, Paul?" asked Remington.

"No, I'll get fis.h.i.+ng enough later. Guess I'll stay and look this crowd over."

"All right. Don't make eyes at that young Eskimo girl."

"No fear!"

Skulking about were several big, vicious looking dogs, which reminded Paul of timber wolves he had seen at the Zoo.

"I don't like the looks of those beasts," said he. "Are they dangerous?"

"They're cowards so long as you keeps on your feet an' has somethin'

handy to beat un with," rea.s.sured Dan. "Your gun'll do for that. But let un get th' best o' you once, an' they'll just rip you up like wolves. They is wolves."

"They look it," agreed Paul.

The lads wandered about the encampment, examining the kayaks and crude hunting implements and paraphernalia of the Eskimos. Upon approaching the tupeks a stench met their nostrils, which they found came from half putrid seal meat and fish within.

"They eats wonderful bad meat," remarked Dan.

"Why, they don't eat that stuff!" exclaimed Paul.

"Yes they does," said Dan.

"What pigs they must be!"

"No, 'tis just th' way they always been used to doin'. They has wonderful hard times t' get things t' eat sometimes."

At the end of an hour Remington and Ainsworth returned.

"Not a strike," said Remington, "though I'm certain there are plenty of salmon in the stream. We're a little far north for them to take the fly. But Ainsworth got our dinner. That's something."

"Ran into a bunch of ptarmigans," said Ainsworth, holding up a half dozen birds.

"How are you making out with the huskies, Tom?" asked Remington of Tom, who had joined them.

"Kuglutuk, th' old un, sir, will go with us. He's ready to start any time, sir. We has t' land him at Cape Smith or Cape Wolstenholm, sir, when we comes back."

"All right, Tom. Can't we get brush enough around here to broil these grouse and make some coffee? I'm famished."

"Yes, sir. Dan, get th' axe, b'y, an' put on a fire, whilst I dresses th' birds."

When Tom drew the birds, to Paul's amazement the Eskimos gathered up the entrails, placed them on the end of a stick, broiled them slightly over the fire Dan had lighted, and ate them as they might a delicacy.

"Well, I never!" exclaimed Paul. "I'd starve before I'd do that!"

"Maybe," said Tom, "but I'm thinkin' you'd eat un an' like un if you was hungry enough. They's no tellin' what a man'll eat. Th' huskies eats un because they likes un, an' entrails ain't so bad, an' you gets used t' un, though I'm hopin' you'll never have t' eat un, lad."

"I never would," positively a.s.serted Paul. "I'd die first."

Luncheon eaten, they bade adieu to the Eskimos, shaking hands again all around. Kuglutuk, his kayak in tow, took his place in the power boat, "Oksunae" was shouted by those afloat and those on land, and the little settlement was quickly lost sight of around the point at the entrance of the cove.

On board the _North Star_ again, a conference was held as to the most probable point at which salmon and trout could be found, Tom acting as interpreter. It was at length decided, upon Kuglutuk's recommendation, to visit the rivers flowing into Richmond Gulf, which, considerably farther south, offered greater promise that salmon would take the fly, though Kuglutuk a.s.sured them that both varieties of fish abounded in all the streams of the coast.