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and tell a tale besides。'
As they cut his garments from him； near his right breast could be
seen two unhealed； hard…lipped knife thrusts。
III
'I will talk of the things which were in my own way； but you will
understand。 I will begin at the beginning； and tell of myself and
the woman； and； after that； of the man。'
He of the Otter Skins drew over to the stove as do men who have been
deprived of fire and are afraid the Promethean gift may vanish at
any moment。 Malemute Kid picked up the slush lamp and placed it so its
light might fall upon the face of the narrator。 Prince slid his body
over the edge of the bunk and joined them。
'I am Naass； a chief； and the son of a chief； born between a
sunset and a rising； on the dark seas； in my father's oomiak。 All of a
night the men toiled at the paddles； and the women cast out the
waves which threw in upon us； and we fought with the storm。 The salt
spray froze upon my mother's breast till her breath passed with the
passing of the tide。 But I… I raised my voice with the wind and the
storm； and lived。
'We dwelt in Akatan…'
'Where？' asked Malemute Kid。
'Akatan； which is in the Aleutians； Akatan； beyond Chignik； beyond
Kardalak； beyond Unimak。 As I say； we dwelt in Akatan； which lies in
the midst of the sea on the edge of the world。 We farmed the salt seas
for the fish； the seal； and the otter； and our homes shouldered
about one another on the rocky strip between the rim of the forest and
the yellow beach where our kayaks lay。 We were not many； and the world
was very small。 There were strange lands to the east… islands like
Akatan； so we thought all the world was islands and did not mind。
'I was different from my people。 In the sands of the beach were
the crooked timbers and wave…warped planks of a boat such as my people
never built； and I remember on the point of the island which
overlooked the ocean three ways there stood a pine tree which never
grew there； smooth and straight and tall。 It is said the two men
came to that spot； turn about； through many days； and watched with the
passing of the light。 These two men came from out of the sea in the
boat which lay in pieces on the beach。 And they were white like you；
and weak as the little children when the seal have gone away and the
hunters come home empty。 I know of these things from the old men and
the old women； who got them from their fathers and mothers before
them。 These strange white men did not take kindly to our ways at
first； but they grew strong； what of the fish and the oil； and fierce。
And they built them each his own house； and took the pick of our
women； and in time children came。 Thus he was born who was to become
the father of my father's father。
'As I said； I was different from my people； for I carried the
strong； strange blood of this white man who came out of the sea。 It is
said we had other laws in the days before these men； but they were
fierce and quarrelsome； and fought with our men till there were no
more left who dared to fight。 Then they made themselves chiefs； and
took away our old laws； and gave us new ones； insomuch that the man
was the son of his father； and not his mother； as our way had been。
They also ruled that the son； first…born； should have all things which
were his father's before him； and that the brothers and sisters should
shift for themselves。 And they gave us other laws。 They showed us
new ways in the catching of fish and the killing of bear which were
thick in the woods； and they taught us to lay by bigger stores for the
time of famine。 And these things were good。
'But when they had become chiefs； and there were no more men to face
their anger； they fought； these strange white men； each with the
other。 And the one whose blood I carry drove his seal spear the length
of an arm through the other's body。 Their children took up the
fight； and their children's children； and there was great hatred
between them； and black doings； even to my time； so that in each
family but one lived to pass down the blood of them that went
before。 Of my blood I was alone； of the other man's there was but a
girl。 Unga； who lived with her mother。 Her father and my father did
not come back from the fishing one night； but afterward they washed up
to the beach on the big tides； and they held very close to each other。
'The people wondered； because of the hatred between the houses；
and the old men shook their heads and said the fight would go on
when children were born to her and children to me。 They told me this
as a boy； till I came to believe； and to look upon Unga as a foe；
who was to be the mother of children which were to fight with mine。
I thought of these things day by day； and when I grew to a stripling I
came to ask why this should be so。 And they answered； 〃We do not know；
but that in such way your fathers did。〃 And I marveled that those
which were to come should fight the battles of those that were gone；
and in it I could see no right。 But the people said it must be； and
I was only a stripling。
'And they said I must hurry； that my blood might be the older and
grow strong before hers。 This was easy； for I was head man； and the
people looked up to me because of the deeds and the laws of my
fathers； and the wealth which was mine。 Any maiden would come to me；
but I found none to my liking。 And the old men and the mothers of
maidens told me to hurry； for even then were the hunters bidding
high to the mother of Unga； and should her children grow strong before
mine； mine would surely die。
'Nor did I find a maiden till one night coming back from the
fishing。 The sunlight was lying； so； low and full in the eyes； the
wind free； and the kayacks racing with the white seas。 Of a sudden the
kayak of Unga came driving past me； and she looked upon me； so； with
her black hair flying like a cloud of night and the spray wet on her
cheek。 As I say； the sunlight was full in the eyes； and I was a
stripling； but somehow it was all clear； and I knew it to be the
call of kind to kind。 As she whipped ahead she looked back within
the space of two strokes… looked as only the woman Unga could look…
and again I knew it as the call of kind。 The people shouted as we
ripped past the lazy oomiaks and left them far behind。 But she was
quick at the paddle； and my heart was like the belly of a sail； and
I did not gain。 The wind freshened； the sea whitened； and； leaping
like the seals on the windward breech； we roared down the golden
pathway of the sun。'
Naass was crouched half out of his stool； in the attitude of one
driving a paddle； as he ran the race anew。 Somewhere across the
stove he beheld the tossing kayak and the flying hair of Unga。 The
voice of the wind was in his ears； and its salt beat fresh upon his
nostrils。
'But she made the shore； and ran up the sand； laughing； to the house
of her mother。 And a great thought came to me that night… a thought
worthy of him that was chief over all the people of Akatan。 So； when
the moon was up； I went down to the house of her mother； and looked
upon the goods of Yash…Noosh； which were piled by the door… the
goods of Yash…Noosh； a strong hunter who had it in mind to be the
father of the children of Unga。 Other young men had piled their
goods there and taken them away again； and each young man had made a
pile greater than the one before。
'And I laughed to the moon and the stars； and went to my own house
where my wealth was stored。 And many trips I made； till my pile was
greater by the fingers of one hand than the pile of Yash…Noosh。
There were fish； dried in the sun and smoked； and forty hides of the
hair seal； and half as many of the fur； and each hide was tied at
the mouth and big bellied with oil； and ten skins of bear which I
killed in the woods when they came out in the spring。 And there were
beads and blankets and scarlet cloths； such as I got in trade from the
people who lived to the east； and who got them in trade from the
people who lived still beyond in the east。 And I looked upon the
pile of Yash…Noosh and laughed； for I was head man in Akatan； and my
wealth was greater than the wealth of all my young men； and my fathers
had done deeds； and given laws； and put their names for all time in
the mouths of the people。
'So； when the morning came； I went down to the beach； casting out of
the corner of my eye at the house of the mother of Unga。 My offer
yet stood untouched。 And the women smiled； and said sly things one
to the other。 I wondered； for never had such a price been offered； and
that night I added more to the pile； and put beside it a kayak of
well…tanned skins which never yet had swam in the sea。 But in the
day it was yet there； open to the laughter of all men。 The mother of
Unga was crafty； and I grew angry at the shame in which I stood before
my people。 So that night I added till it became a great pile； and I
h