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brought their warmest furs； their strongest dogs； their best meats； but I
sold the hooch with discretion； and only those were favoured that brought
flour and molasses and sugar。 And such stores poured in that I set Moosu
to build a cache to hold them； for there was soon no space in the igloo。
Ere three days had passed Tummasook had gone bankrupt。 The shaman；
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who was never more than half drunk after the first night； watched me
closely and hung on for the better part of the week。 But before ten days
were gone； even the woman Ipsukuk exhausted her provisions； and went
home weak and tottery。
〃But Moosu complained。 'O master；' he said； 'we have laid by great
wealth in molasses and sugar and flour； but our shack is yet mean； our
clothes thin； and our sleeping furs mangy。 There is a call of the belly for
meat the stench of which offends not the stars； and for tea such as
Tummasook guzzles； and there is a great yearning for the tobacco of
Neewak； who is shaman and who plans to destroy us。 I have flour until I
am sick； and sugar and molasses without stint； yet is the heart of Moosu
sore and his bed empty。'
〃'Peace！' I answered； 'thou art weak of understanding and a fool。 Walk
softly and wait； and we will grasp it all。 But grasp now； and we grasp
little； and in the end it will be nothing。 Thou art a child in the way of the
white man's wisdom。 Hold thy tongue and watch； and I will show you
the way my brothers do overseas； and； so doing； gather to themselves the
riches of the earth。 It is what is called 〃business；〃 and what dost thou
know about business？'
〃But the next day he came in breathless。 'O master； a strange thing
happeneth in the igloo of Neewak； the shaman； wherefore we are lost； and
we have neither worn the warm furs nor tasted the good tobacco； what of
your madness for the molasses and flour。 Go thou and witness whilst I
watch by the brew。'
〃So I went to the igloo of Neewak。 And behold； he had made his
own still； fashioned cunningly after mine。 And as he beheld me he could
ill conceal his triumph。 For he was a man of parts； and his sleep with the
gods when in my igloo had not been sound。
〃But I was not disturbed； for I knew what I knew； and when I returned
to my own igloo； I descanted to Moosu； and said： 'Happily the property
right obtains amongst this people； who otherwise have been blessed with
but few of the institutions of men。 And because of this respect for
property shall you and I wax fat； and； further； we shall introduce amongst
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them new institutions that other peoples have worked out through great
travail and suffering。'
〃But Moosu understood dimly； till the shaman came forth； with eyes
flashing and a threatening note in his voice； and demanded to trade with
me。 'For look you；' he cried； 'there be of flour and molasses none in all
the village。 The like have you gathered with a shrewd hand from my
people； who have slept with your gods and who now have nothing save
large heads； and weak knees； and a thirst for cold water that they cannot
quench。 This is not good； and my voice has power among them； so it
were well that we trade； you and I； even as you have traded with them； for
molasses and flour。'
〃And I made answer： 'This be good talk； and wisdom abideth in thy
mouth。 We will trade。 For this much of flour and molasses givest thou
me the caddy of 〃Star〃 and the two buckets of smoking。'
〃And Moosu groaned； and when the trade was made and the shaman
departed； he upbraided me： 'Now； because of thy madness are we； indeed；
lost！ Neewak maketh hooch on his own account； and when the time is
ripe； he will command the people to drink of no hooch but his hooch。
And in this way are we undone； and our goods worthless； and our igloo
mean； and the bed of Moosu cold and empty！'
〃And I answered： 'By the body of the wolf； say I； thou art a fool； and
thy father before thee； and thy children after thee； down to the last
generation。 Thy wisdom is worse than no wisdom and thine eyes blinded
to business； of which I have spoken and whereof thou knowest nothing。
Go； thou son of a thousand fools； and drink of the hooch that Neewak
brews in his igloo； and thank thy gods that thou hast a white man's wisdom
to make soft the bed thou liest in。 Go！ and when thou hast drunken； return
with the taste still on thy lips； that I may know。'
〃And two days after； Neewak sent greeting and invitation to his igloo。
Moosu went； but I sat alone； with the song of the still in my ears； and the
air thick with the shaman's tobacco； for trade was slack that night； and no
one dropped in but Angeit； a young hunter that had faith in me。 Later；
Moosu came back； his speech thick with chuckling and his eyes wrinkling
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with laughter。
〃'Thou art a great man；' he said。 'Thou art a great man； O master； and
because of thy greatness thou wilt not condemn Moosu； thy servant； who
ofttimes doubts and cannot be made to understand。'
〃'And wherefore now？' I demanded。 'Hast thou drunk overmuch？
And are they sleeping sound in the igloo of Neewak； the shaman？'
〃'Nay； they are angered and sore of body； and Chief Tummasook has
thrust his thumbs in the throat of Neewak； and sworn by the bones of his
ancestors to look upon his face no more。 For behold！ I went to the igloo；
and the brew simmered and bubbled； and the steam journeyed through the
gooseneck even as thy steam； and even as thine it became water where it
met the ice； and dropped into the pot at the far end。 And Neewak gave us
to drink； and lo； it was not like thine； for there was no bite to the tongue
nor tingling to the eyeballs； and of a truth it was water。 So we drank； and
we drank overmuch； yet did we sit with cold hearts and solemn。 And
Neewak was perplexed and a cloud came on his brow。 And he took
Tummasook and Ipsukuk alone of all the company and set them apart； and
bade them drink and drink and drink。 And they drank and drank and
drank； and yet sat solemn and cold； till Tummasook arose in wrath and
demanded back the furs and the tea he had paid。 And Ipsukuk raised her
voice； thin and angry。 And the company demanded back what they had
given； and there was a great commotion。'
〃'Does the son of a dog deem me a whale？' demanded Tummasook；
shoving back the skin flap and standing erect； his face black and his brows
angry。 'Wherefore I am filled； like a fish…bladder； to bursting； till I can
scarce walk； what of the weight within me。 Lalah！ I have drunken as
never before； yet are my eyes clear； my knees strong； my hand steady。'
〃'The shaman cannot send us to sleep with the gods；' the people
complained； stringing in and joining us； 'and only in thy igloo may the
thing be done。'
〃So I laughed to myself as I passed the hooch around and the guests
made merry。 For in the flour I had traded to Neewak I had mixed much
soda that I had got from the woman Ipsukuk。 So how could his brew
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ferment when the soda kept it sweet？ Or his hooch be hooch when it
would not sour？
〃After that our wealth flowed in without let or hindrance。 Furs we
had without number； and the fancy…work of the women； all of the chief's
tea； and no end of meat。 One day Moosu retold for my benefit； and sadly
mangled； the story of Joseph in Egypt； but from it I got an idea； and soon I
had half the tribe at work building me great meat caches。 And o