The Giant of the North | Page 8

all
that went on.
His despair was abated, however, when, in the course of a few minutes,
the yacht swung round so as to present her stern to the shore, and
remained in that position, enabling him to observe proceedings from
the cabin windows almost as well as if he had been on deck. He was
not aware that his father, knowing his son's nature, and wishing to
temper discipline with mercy, had placed the vessel in that position for
his special benefit!
The difficulty now was, how to attract the natives, and inspire them
with confidence in the good intentions of their visitors. In any case this
would have been a difficult matter, but the firing of that unlucky gun
had increased the difficulty tenfold. When, however, Captain Vane saw
the natives cease their mad flight, and turn to gaze at the vessel, his
hopes revived, and he set about a series of ingenious efforts to attain his
end.
First of all, he sent a boat in charge of his two nephews, Leonard and

Alphonse Vandervell, to set up a small table on the ice, on which were
temptingly arranged various presents, consisting of knives, beads,
looking-glasses, and articles of clothing. Having done this, they retired,
like wary anglers, to watch for a bite. But the fish would not rise,
though they observed the proceedings with profound attention from the
distant hummock. After waiting a couple of hours, the navigators
removed the table and left an Eskimo dog in its place, with a string of
blue beads tied round its neck. But this bait also failed.
"Try something emblematic, uncle," suggested Leonard, the elder of
the brothers before mentioned.
"And get Benjy to manufacture it," said Alphonse.
As Benjy was possessed of the most fertile imagination on board, he
was released from punishment and brought on deck. The result of his
effort of genius was the creation of a huge white calico flag, on which
were painted roughly the figure of a sailor and an Eskimo sitting on an
iceberg, with a kettle of soup between them. On one side were a pair of
hands clasped together; on the other a sprig of heath, the only shrub
that could be seen on the shore.
"Splendid!" exclaimed Leo and Alf in the same breath, as they held the
flag up to view.
"You'll become a Royal Academician if you cultivate your talents,
Benjy," said the Captain, who was proud, as well as fond, of this his
only child.
The boy said nothing, but a pleased expression and a twinkle in his
eyes proved that he was susceptible to flattery, though not carried off
his legs by it.
The banner with the strange device was fixed to a pole which was
erected on an ice-hummock between the ship and the shore, and a bag
containing presents was hung at the foot of it.
Still these Eskimo fish would not bite, though they "rose" at the flag.

Oolichuk's curiosity had become so intense that he could not resist it.
He advanced alone, very warily, and looked at it, but did not dare to
touch it. Soon he was joined by Eemerk and the others. Seeing this,
Captain Vane sent to meet them an interpreter whom he had procured
at one of the Greenland settlements in passing. Just as this man, whose
name was Anders, stepped into the boat alongside, it occurred to the
Eskimos that their leader should be sent for. Oolichuk undertook to
fetch him; he ran back to the sledges, harnessed a small team, and set
off like the wind. Thus it came to pass that Chingatok and his mother
were startled by a yell, as before mentioned.
Meanwhile Anders was put on the ice, and advanced alone and
unarmed towards the canal, or chasm, which separated the parties. He
carried a small white flag and a bag containing presents.
Innocent-looking and defenceless though he was, however, the
Eskimos approached him with hesitating and slow steps, regarding
every motion of the interpreter with suspicion, and frequently stooping
to thrust their hands into their boots, in which they all carried knives.
At last, when within hearing, Anders shouted a peaceful message, and
there was much hallooing and gesticulation among the natives, but
nothing comprehensible came of it. After a time Anders thought he
recognised words of a dialect with which he was acquainted, and to his
satisfaction found that they understood him.
"Kakeite! kakeite!--come on, come on," he cried, holding up the
present.
"Nakrie! nakrie!--no, no, go away--you want to kill us," answered the
doubtful natives.
Thereupon Anders protested that nothing was further from his thoughts,
that he was a man and a friend, and had a mother like themselves, and
that he wanted to please them.
At this Eemerk approached to the