Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 1.djvu/144

Rh him. As soon as they reached the Rescue, all came on board, Koojesse having with him one of the finest Esquimaux dogs I had seen. More dogs, deerskins, walrus heads and tusks, with abundance of game, such as ducks, &c., were with the party. Among the number now arrived was Kudlago's eldest daughter, Kok-er-zhun, a truly fair and beautiful young woman, already married to a young man called Shi-mer-ar-chu, otherwise Johnny Bull. She came alongside full of hope and happiness, expecting to hear of, and perhaps to meet, her father. Both herself and Tunukderlien, the wife of Koojesse, delayed approaching until they had made a change of dress, and then, when ready, on deck they came. But, alas! how sad was the blow she had to receive! Seeing Kunniu, Ugarng's wife, whom she knew, the question was put to her, "Nou-ti-ma wong-a a-tá-tá?"—Where is my father? and when Kunniu, in a calm but kindly way, communicated the painful news, it was as if a thunderbolt had riven her heart! That face, a moment before beaming with hope and happiness at the thought of meeting her father, was instantly changed to an expression of deep woe! Tears coursed down her cheeks, and, though the usual calm dignity of Esquimaux nature forbade outcries or noisy lamentation, yet it was evident she most acutely felt the sudden calamity. Her Esquimaux friends, and all who knew her father, sympathized greatly with her, as indeed did we Americans. Every thing in our power was done to alleviate her distress, but it was long before she got over the shock.

In one of the oomiens there were no less than eighteen women and children, an old "patriarch" named Ar-tark-pa-ru, who was crippled in both nether limbs, but blessed with the heaviest beard and mustache yet seen among his people—ten dogs, tents, reindeer skins in immense number, venison, seal-blubber, ducks, walrus heads and tusks, hunting instruments, and, in truth, all the worldly goods of some seven families!

Having made fast the oomiens astern, taken the kias on board, hoisted the old man up by a rope, and allowed all the rest to mount as best they could, we soon had our decks