Canada, Eastern -- Description and travel -- Fiction; Outdoor life -- Canada, Eastern -- Fiction
Upon rounding Cape Wolstenholm, which occupies the northwestern
extremity of the Labrador peninsula, the ship swung in close to the
coast, and, proceeding with great care, the leadsman calling his
fathoms, felt its way between several small islands, until, the
following morning, a safe anchorage was found outside a large island
near the head of Mosquito Bay.
“We’ll be sure to find huskies up this bay, sir,” assured Captain
Bluntt. “We can’t risk the ship any farther, sir. It won’t do, sir.
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 ashore, Tom. We wants a husky pilot; a good one. A good husky,
now! Dan! Here, you rascal! Go ashore 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 ashore 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 shore.
“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 shore 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, coarse 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 ashore.
“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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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