the faith of men-第4节

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haled　him　into　a　corner；　between　a　roulette　outfit　and　a　poker

layout；　and　waited　for　his　tongue　to　thaw。



〃Had　one　objection　to　Moosu；〃　he　began；　cocking　his　head

meditatively〃one　objection；　and　only　one。　　He　was　an　Indian　from

over　on　the　edge　of　the　Chippewyan　country；　but　the　trouble　was；

he'd　picked　up　a　smattering　of　the　Scriptures。　　Been　campmate　a

season　with　a　renegade　French　Canadian　who'd　studied　for　the

church。　　Moosu'd　never　seen　applied　Christianity；　and　his　head　was

crammed　with　miracles；　battles；　and　dispensations；　and　what　not　he

didn't　understand。　　Otherwise　he　was　a　good　sort；　and　a　handy　man

on　trail　or　over　a　fire。



〃We'd　had　a　hard　time　together　and　were　badly　knocked　out　when　we

plumped　upon　Tattarat。　　Lost　outfits　and　dogs　crossing　a　divide　in

a　fall　blizzard；　and　our　bellies　clove　to　our　backs　and　our　clothes

were　in　rags　when　we　crawled　into　the　village。　　They　weren't　much

surprised　at　seeing　usbecause　of　the　whalemenand　gave　us　the

meanest　shack　in　the　village　to　live　in；　and　the　worst　of　their

leavings　to　live　on。　　What　struck　me　at　the　time　as　strange　was

that　they　left　us　strictly　alone。　　But　Moosu　explained　it。



〃'Shaman　SICK　TUMTUM；'　he　said；　meaning　the　shaman；　or　medicine

man；　was　jealous；　and　had　advised　the　people　to　have　nothing　to　do

with　us。　　From　the　little　he'd　seen　of　the　whalemen；　he'd　learned

that　mine　was　a　stronger　race；　and　a　wiser；　so　he'd　only　behaved　as

shamans　have　always　behaved　the　world　over。　　And　before　I　get　done；

you'll　see　how　near　right　he　was。



〃'These　people　have　a　law；'　said　Mosu：　　'whoso　eats　of　meat　must

hunt。　　We　be　awkward；　you　and　I；　O　master；　in　the　weapons　of　this

country；　nor　can　we　string　bows　nor　fling　spears　after　the　manner

approved。　　Wherefore　the　shaman　and　Tummasook；　who　is　chief；　have

put　their　heads　together；　and　it　has　been　decreed　that　we　work　with

the　women　and　children　in　dragging　in　the　meat　and　tending　the

wants　of　the　hunters。'



〃'And　this　is　very　wrong；'　I　made　to　answer；　'for　we　be　better　men；

Moosu；　than　these　people　who　walk　in　darkness。　　Further；　we　should

rest　and　grow　strong；　for　the　way　south　is　long；　and　on　that　trail

the　weak　cannot　prosper。'〃



〃'But　we　have　nothing；'　he　objected；　looking　about　him　at　the

rotten　timbers　of　the　igloo；　the　stench　of　the　ancient　walrus　meat

that　had　been　our　supper　disgusting　his　nostrils。　　'And　on　this

fare　we　cannot　thrive。　　We　have　nothing　save　the　bottle　of　〃pain…

killer；〃　which　will　not　fill　emptiness；　so　we　must　bend　to　the　yoke

of　the　unbeliever　and　become　hewers　of　wood　and　drawers　of　water。

And　there　be　good　things　in　this　place；　the　which　we　may　not　have。

Ah；　master；　never　has　my　nose　lied　to　me；　and　I　have　followed　it　to

secret　caches　and　among　the　fur…bales　of　the　igloos。　　Good

provender　did　these　people　extort　from　the　poor　whalemen；　and　this

provender　has　wandered　into　few　hands。　　The　woman　Ipsukuk；　who

dwelleth　in　the　far　end　of　the　village　next　she　igloo　of　the　chief；

possesseth　much　flour　and　sugar；　and　even　have　my　eyes　told　me　of

molasses　smeared　on　her　face。　　And　in　the　igloo　of　Tummasook；　the

chief；　there　be　teahave　I　not　seen　the　old　pig　guzzling？　　And　the

shaman　owneth　a　caddy　of　〃Star〃　and　two　buckets　of　prime　smoking。

And　what　have　we？　　Nothing！　　Nothing！'



〃But　I　was　stunned　by　the　word　he　brought　of　the　tobacco；　and　made

no　answer。



〃And　Moosu；　what　of　his　own　desire；　broke　silence：　　'And　there　be

Tukeliketa；　daughter　of　a　big　hunter　and　wealthy　man。　　A　likely

girl。　　Indeed；　a　very　nice　girl。'



〃I　figured　hard　during　the　night　while　Moosu　snored；　for　I　could

not　bear　the　thought　of　the　tobacco　so　near　which　I　could　not

smoke。　　True；　as　he　had　said；　we　had　nothing。　　But　the　way　became

clear　to　me；　and　in　the　morning　I　said　to　him：　　'Go　thou　cunningly

abroad；　after　thy　fashion；　and　procure　me　some　sort　of　bone；

crooked　like　a　goose…neck；　and　hollow。　　Also；　walk　humbly；　but　have

eyes　awake　to　the　lay　of　pots　and　pans　and　cooking　contrivances。

And　remember；　mine　is　the　white　man's　wisdom；　and　do　what　I　have

bid　you；　with　sureness　and　despatch。'



〃While　he　was　away　I　placed　the　whale…oil　cooking　lamp　in　the

middle　of　the　igloo；　and　moved　the　mangy　sleeping　furs　back　that　I

might　have　room。　　Then　I　took　apart　his　gun　and　put　the　barrel　by

handy；　and　afterwards　braided　many　wicks　from　the　cotton　that　the

women　gather　wild　in　the　summer。　　When　he　came　back；　it　was　with

the　bone　I　had　commanded；　and　with　news　that　in　the　igloo　of

Tummasook　there　was　a　five…gallon　kerosene　can　and　a　big　copper

kettle。　　So　I　said　he　had　done　well　and　we　would　tarry　through　the

day。　　And　when　midnight　was　near　I　made　harangue　to　him。



〃'This　chief；　this　Tummasook；　hath　a　copper　kettle；　likewise　a

kerosene　can。'　　I　put　a　rock；　smooth　and　wave…washed；　in　Moosu's

hand。　　'The　camp　is　hushed　and　the　stars　are　winking。　　Go　thou；

creep　into　the　chief's　igloo　softly；　and　smite　him　thus　upon　the

belly；　and　hard。　　And　let　the　meat　and　good　grub　of　the　days　to

come　put　strength　into　thine　arm。　　There　will　be　uproar　and　outcry；

and　the　village　will　come　hot　afoot。　　But　be　thou　unafraid。　　Veil

thy　movements　and　lose　thy　form　in　the　obscurity　of　the　night　and

the　confusion　of　men。　　And　when　the　woman　Ipsukuk　is　anigh　thee；

she　who　smeareth　her　face　with　molasses；do　thou　smite　her

likewise；　and　whosoever　else　that　possesseth　flour　and　cometh　to

thy　hand。　　Then　do　thou　lift　thy　voice　in　pain　and　double　up　with

clasped　hands；　and　make　outcry　in　token　that　thou；　too；　hast　felt

the　visitation　of　the　night。　　And　in　this　way　shall　we　achieve

honour　and　great　possessions；　and　the　caddy　of　〃Star〃　and　the　prime

smoking；　and　thy　Tukeliketa；　who　is　a　likely　maiden。'



〃When　he　had　departed　on　this　errand；　I　bided　patiently　in　the

shack；　and　the　tobacco　seemed　very　near。　　Then　there　was　a　cry　of

affright　in　the　night；　that　became　an　uproar　and　assailed　the　sky。

I　seized　the　'pain…killer'　and　ran　forth。　　There　was　much　noise；

and　a　wailing　among　the　women；　and　fear　sat　heavily　on　all。

Tummasook　and　the　woman　Ipsukuk　rolled　on　the　ground　in　pain；　and

with　them　there　were　divers　others；　also　Moosu。　　I　thrust　aside

those　that　cluttered　the　way　of　my　feet；　and　put　the　mouth　of　the

bottle　to　Moosu's　lips。　　And　straightway　he　became　well　and　ceased

his　howling。　　Whereat　there　was　a　great　clamour　for　the　bottle　from

the　others　so　stricken。　　But　I　made　harangue；　and　ere　they　tasted

and　were　made　well　I　had　mulcted　Tummasook　of　his　copper　kettle　and

kerosene　can；　and　the　woman　Ipsukuk　of　her　sugar　and　molasses；　and

the　other　sick　ones　of　goodly　measures　of　flour。　　The　shaman

glowered　wickedly　at　the　people　around　my　knees；　though　he　poorly

concealed　the　wonder　that　lay　beneath。　　But　I　held　my　head　high；

and　Moosu　groaned　beneath　the　loot　as　he　followed　my　heels　to　the

shack。



〃There　I　set　to　work。　　In　Tummasook's　copper　kettle　I　mixed　three

quarts　of　wheat　flour　with　five　of　molasses；　and　to　this　I　added　of

water　twenty　quarts。　　Then　I　placed　the　kettle　near　the　lamp；　that

it　might　sour　in　the　warmth　and　grow　strong。　　Moosu　understood；　and

said　my　wisdom　passed　understanding　and　was　greater　than　Solomon's；

who　he　had　heard　was　a　wise　man　of　old　time。　　The　kerosene　can　I

set　over　the　lamp；　and　to　its　nose　I　affixed　a　snout；　and　into　the

snout　the　bone　that　was　like　a　gooseneck。　　I　sent　Moosu　without　to

pound　ice；　while　I　connected　the　barrel　of　his　gun　with　the

gooseneck；　and　midway　on　the　barrel　I　piled　the　ice　he　had　pounded。

And　at　the　far　end　of　the　gun…barrel；　beyond　the　pan　of　ice；　I

placed　a　small　iron　pot。　　When　the　brew　was　strong　enough　（and　it

was　two　days　ere　it　could　stand　on　its　own　legs）；　I　filled　the

kerosene　can　with　it；　and　lighted　the　wicks　I　had　braided。



〃Now　that　all　was　ready；　I　spoke　to　Moosu。　　'Go　forth；'　I　said；　'to

the　chief　men　of　the　village；　and　give　them　greeting；　and　bid　them

come　into　my　igloo　and　sleep　the　night　away　with　me　and　the　gods。'



〃The　brew　was　singing　merrily　when　they　began　shoving　aside　the

skin　flap　and　crawling　in；　and　I　was　heaping　cracked　ice　on　the

gun…barrel。　　Out　of　the　priming　hole　at　the　far　end；　drip；　drip；

drip　into　the　iron　pot　fell　the　liquorHOOCH；　you　know。　　But

they'd　never　seen　the　like；　and　giggled　nervously　when　I　made

harangue　about　its　virtues。　　As　I　talked　I　noted　the　jealousy　in

the　shaman's　eye；　so　when　I　had　done；　I　placed　him　side　by　side

with　Tummasook　and　the　woman　Ipsukuk。　　Then　I　gave　them　to　drink；

and　their　eyes　watered　and　their　stomachs　warmed；　till　from　being

afraid　they　reached　greedily　for　more；　and　when　I　had　them　well

started；　I　turned　to　the　others。　　Tummasook　made　a　brag　about　how

he　had　once　killed　a　polar　bear；　and　in　the　vigour　of　his　pantomime

nearly　slew　his　mother's　brother。　　But　nobody　heeded。　　The　woman

Ipsukuk　fell　to　weeping　for　a　son　lost　long　years　agone　in　the　ice；

and　the　shaman　made　incantatio