Ilatsiak - 22
Agayuq was forced to travel north of a direct line towards the strange objects he could see on the shore. In doing so he was better able to see the five strangers moving about and talking among themselves. It was obvious to him that they had seen him as one of them began to point in his direction. He continued towards them, determined to act bravely. He would have a good story to tell the others. Hopefully these strangers would have many interesting objects to give away much like those who had come so long ago.
Agayuk stopped short of the jumbled shore ice and hobbled one of his two dogs by sticking it’s left fore-leg through the part of its sled harness that acted like a collar. This forced the dog to hop on a single front leg and preventing it from dragging the make-shift sled very far if at all. Taking a single dog by its sled trace, Agayuq found his way through the piles of ice at the tide line and walked towards the five men. When he got to within 20 feet, he stopped and waited to see what they would do.
David was beside himself with excitement. Finally, after waiting nearly two years he was going to meet one of the inhabitants of this snowy world. He wracked his brain searching for some of the words he had learned back in Greenland, but now that he needed them, he could scarcely recall any words at all. He looked around at the others. Both Fairholme and Irving were checking their clothing to see if they couldn’t make themselves more presentable for this first encounter. The two crewmen were still leaning against the piled containers, peering over the top, waiting to see what the man would do.
The Eskimo was dressed in a fur jacket of some kind, perhaps deer-skin. He appeared to be very dark skinned, almost black, in fact. Now that he stood in front of them, David could see that he was about the same height as his ship-mates, roughly five and a half feet high. He wore pants made of seal-skins which had sewn patterns running up his legs from about his knees up to his jacket. Tall, brown leather boots on his feet disappeared into his pant bottoms.
They all stood staring at each other for several minutes before, David broke a big smile and said “Kimik” -dog, the word having suddenly jumped into his head. The Eskimo man looked down at his dog and then he too smiled.
“Eee, kimik.” Yes, a dog.
With that David walked up to him and removing his mitt, offered the man his hand. Together they shook, once up and once down, almost in very formal style. This action broke the cultural barrier and all the men then began to shake hands, again in the strange up and down manner. Once this had occured however, there was nothing to say or at least no words with which to say anything with. Again David’s quickness spared their awkwardness by suggesting they boil up some tea. While this was happening, Agayuq began loosening up a bit and started to examine their clothing, especially the shiny metal buttons on their outer parkas. He seemed intrigued with how they held the opening together. David could tell, he was not impressed with their boots, repeating showing David how much better his was, although why it was superior David could not understand.
The men all made an attempt to tell each other their name while tea was being handed out, but Agayuq quickly got muddled trying to pronounce their strange-sounding names. As for the tea, it was hard to tell if he liked it. He took a few sips, and kept looking into the pot as if something were missing. Finally deciding that everyone was getting the same fare, he drank the rest and handed back his cup to David. Once tea was drunk, Agayuq untied his dog, then he began saying something seemingly important and at considerable length, several times pointing dramatically to the east for some reason. Then suddenly David caught the word “umiak” - ship and realised he must be referring to their ships. He pointed back northward, the way they had just come and repeated “umiak, umiak” and at the same time held up two fingers.
This action only seemed to confuse Agayuq who seemed to agree with the two fingers, but again pointed to the southeast. It seemed pointless. There simply was too vast a barrier between them. Suddenly, as if he had forgotten something, Agayuq untied his dog from one of the containers and headed back the way he had come. He turned to smile at them several times, but was soon lost among the jumbled ice to the southeast.
Agayuk stopped short of the jumbled shore ice and hobbled one of his two dogs by sticking it’s left fore-leg through the part of its sled harness that acted like a collar. This forced the dog to hop on a single front leg and preventing it from dragging the make-shift sled very far if at all. Taking a single dog by its sled trace, Agayuq found his way through the piles of ice at the tide line and walked towards the five men. When he got to within 20 feet, he stopped and waited to see what they would do.
David was beside himself with excitement. Finally, after waiting nearly two years he was going to meet one of the inhabitants of this snowy world. He wracked his brain searching for some of the words he had learned back in Greenland, but now that he needed them, he could scarcely recall any words at all. He looked around at the others. Both Fairholme and Irving were checking their clothing to see if they couldn’t make themselves more presentable for this first encounter. The two crewmen were still leaning against the piled containers, peering over the top, waiting to see what the man would do.
The Eskimo was dressed in a fur jacket of some kind, perhaps deer-skin. He appeared to be very dark skinned, almost black, in fact. Now that he stood in front of them, David could see that he was about the same height as his ship-mates, roughly five and a half feet high. He wore pants made of seal-skins which had sewn patterns running up his legs from about his knees up to his jacket. Tall, brown leather boots on his feet disappeared into his pant bottoms.
They all stood staring at each other for several minutes before, David broke a big smile and said “Kimik” -dog, the word having suddenly jumped into his head. The Eskimo man looked down at his dog and then he too smiled.
“Eee, kimik.” Yes, a dog.
With that David walked up to him and removing his mitt, offered the man his hand. Together they shook, once up and once down, almost in very formal style. This action broke the cultural barrier and all the men then began to shake hands, again in the strange up and down manner. Once this had occured however, there was nothing to say or at least no words with which to say anything with. Again David’s quickness spared their awkwardness by suggesting they boil up some tea. While this was happening, Agayuq began loosening up a bit and started to examine their clothing, especially the shiny metal buttons on their outer parkas. He seemed intrigued with how they held the opening together. David could tell, he was not impressed with their boots, repeating showing David how much better his was, although why it was superior David could not understand.
The men all made an attempt to tell each other their name while tea was being handed out, but Agayuq quickly got muddled trying to pronounce their strange-sounding names. As for the tea, it was hard to tell if he liked it. He took a few sips, and kept looking into the pot as if something were missing. Finally deciding that everyone was getting the same fare, he drank the rest and handed back his cup to David. Once tea was drunk, Agayuq untied his dog, then he began saying something seemingly important and at considerable length, several times pointing dramatically to the east for some reason. Then suddenly David caught the word “umiak” - ship and realised he must be referring to their ships. He pointed back northward, the way they had just come and repeated “umiak, umiak” and at the same time held up two fingers.
This action only seemed to confuse Agayuq who seemed to agree with the two fingers, but again pointed to the southeast. It seemed pointless. There simply was too vast a barrier between them. Suddenly, as if he had forgotten something, Agayuq untied his dog from one of the containers and headed back the way he had come. He turned to smile at them several times, but was soon lost among the jumbled ice to the southeast.
Labels: Ilatsiak
posted by Michael | 11:20 AM
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