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my people。 So that night I added till it became a great pile； and I
hauled up my oomiak； which was of the value of twenty kayaks。 And in
the morning there was no pile。
'Then made I preparation for the wedding； and the people that
lived even to the east came for the food of the feast and the potlatch
token。 Unga was older than I by the age of four suns in the way we
reckoned the years。 I was only a stripling； but then I was a chief；
and the son of a chief； and it did not matter。
'But a ship shoved her sails above the floor of the ocean； and
grew larger with the breath of the wind。 From her scuppers she ran
clear water； and the men were in haste and worked hard at the pumps。
On the bow stood a mighty man； watching the depth of the water and
giving commands with a voice of thunder。 His eyes were of the pale
blue of the deep waters； and his head was maned like that of a sea
lion。 And his hair was yellow； like the straw of a southern harvest or
the manila rope yarns which sailormen plait。
'Of late years we had seen ships from afar； but this was the first
to come to the beach of Akatan。 The feast was broken； and the women
and children fled to the houses； while we men strung our bows and
waited with spears in hand。 But when the ship's forefoot smelled the
beach the strange men took no notice of us； being busy with their
own work。 With the falling of the tide they careened the schooner
and patched a great hole in her bottom。 So the women crept back； and
the feast went on。
'When the tide rose； the sea wanderers kedged the schooner to deep
water and then came among us。 They bore presents and were friendly； so
I made room for them； and out of the largeness of my heart gave them
tokens such as I gave all the guests； for it was my wedding day； and I
was head man in Akatan。 And he with the mane of the sea lion was
there； so tall and strong that one looked to see the earth shake
with the fall of his feet。 He looked much and straight at Unga； with
his arms folded； so； and stayed till the sun went away and the stars
came out。 Then he went down to his ship。 After that I took Unga by the
hand and led her to my own house。 And there was singing and great
laughter； and the women said sly things； after the manner of women
at such times。 But we did not care。 Then the people left us alone
and went home。
'The last noise had not died away when the chief of the sea
wanderers came in by the door。 And he had with him black bottles； from
which we drank and made merry。 You see； I was only a stripling； and
had lived all my days on the edge of the world。 So my blood became
as fire； and my heart as light as the froth that flies from the surf
to the cliff。 Unga sat silent among the skins in the corner； her
eyes wide； for she seemed to fear。 And he with the mane of the sea
lion looked upon her straight and long。 Then his men came in with
bundles of goods； and he piled before me wealth such as was not in all
Akatan。 There were guns； both large and small； and powder and shot and
shell； and bright axes and knives of steel； and cunning tools； and
strange things the like of which I had never seen。 When he showed me
by sign that it was all mine； I thought him a great man to be so free；
but he showed me also that Unga was to go away with him in his ship。
Do you understand？… that Unga was to go away with him in his ship。 The
blood of my fathers flamed hot on the sudden； and I made to drive
him through with my spear。 But the spirit of the bottles had stolen
the life from my arm； and he took me by the neck； so； and knocked my
head against the wall of the house。 And I was made weak like a newborn
child； and my legs would no more stand under me。 Unga screamed； and
she laid hold of the things of the house with her hands； till they
fell all about us as he dragged her to the door。 Then he took her in
his great arms； and when she tore at his yellow hair laughed with a
sound like that of the big bull seal in the rut。
'I crawled to the beach and called upon my people； but they were
afraid。 Only Yash…Noosh was a man； and they struck him on the head
with an oar； till he lay with his face in the sand and did not move。
And they raised the sails to the sound of their songs； and the ship
went away on the wind。
'The people said it was good； for there would be no more war of
the bloods in Akatan； but I said never a word； waiting till the time
of the full moon； when I put fish and oil in my kayak and went away to
the east。 I saw many islands and many people； and I； who had lived
on the edge； saw that the world was very large。 I talked by signs； but
they had not seen a schooner nor a man with the mane of a sea lion；
and they pointed always to the east。 And I slept in queer places；
and ate odd things； and met strange faces。 Many laughed； for they
thought me light of head； but sometimes old men turned my face to
the light and blessed me； and the eyes of the young women grew soft as
they asked me of the strange ship； and Unga； and the men of the sea。
'And in this manner； through rough seas and great storms； I came
to Unalaska。 There were two schooners there； but neither was the one I
sought。 So I passed on to the east； with the world growing ever
larger； and in the island of Unamok there was no word of the ship； nor
in Kadiak； nor in Atognak。 And so I came one day to a rocky land；
where men dug great holes in the mountain。 And there was a schooner；
but not my schooner； and men loaded upon it the rocks which they
dug。 This I thought childish； for all the world was made of rocks； but
they gave me food and set me to work。 When the schooner was deep in
the water； the captain gave me money and told me to go； but I asked
which way he went； and he pointed south。 I made signs that I would
go with him； and he laughed at first； but then； being short of men；
took me to help work the ship。 So I came to talk after their manner；
and to heave on ropes； and to reef the stiff sails in sudden
squalls； and to take my turn at the wheel。 But it was not strange； for
the blood of my fathers was the blood of the men of the sea。
'I had thought it an easy task to find him I sought； once I got
among his own people； and when we raised the land one day； and
passed between a gateway of the sea to a port； I looked for perhaps as
many schooners as there were fingers to my hands。 But the ships lay
against the wharves for miles； packed like so many little fish； and
when I went among them to ask for a man with the mane of a sea lion；
they laughed； and answered me in the tongues of many peoples。 And I
found that they hailed from the uttermost parts of the earth。
'And I went into the city to look upon the face of every man。 But
they were like the cod when they run thick on the banks； and I could
not count them。 And the noise smote upon me till I could not hear； and
my head was dizzy with much movement。 So I went on and on； through the
lands which sang in the warm sunshine； where the harvests lay rich
on the plains； and where great cities were fat with men that lived
like women； with false words in their mouths and their hearts black
with the lust of gold。 And all the while my people of Akatan hunted
and fished； and were happy in the thought that the world was small。
'But the look in the eyes of Unga coming home from the fishing was
with me always； and I knew I would find her when the time was met。 She
walked down quiet lanes in the dusk of the evening； or led me chases
across the thick fields wet with the morning dew； and there was a
promise in her eyes such as only the woman Unga could give。
'So I wandered through a thousand cities。 Some were gentle and
gave me food； and others laughed； and still others cursed； but I
kept my tongue between my teeth； and went strange ways and saw strange
sights。 Sometimes I； who was a chief and the son of a chief； toiled
for men… men rough of speech and hard as iron； who wrung gold from the
sweat and sorrow of their fellow men。 Yet no word did I get of my
quest till I came back to the sea like a homing seal to the rookeries。
But this was at another port； in another country which lay to the
north。 And there I heard dim tales of the yellow…haired sea
wanderer； and I learned that he was a hunter of seals； and that even
then he was abroad on the ocean。
'So I shipped on a seal schooner with the lazy Siwashes； and
followed his trackless trail to the north where the hunt was then
warm。 And we were away weary months； and spoke many of the fleet；
and heard much of the wild doings of him I sought； but never once
did we raise him above the sea。 We went north； even to the
Pribilofs； and killed the seals in herds on the beach； and brought
their warm bodies aboard till our scuppers ran grease and blood and no
man could stand upon the deck。 Then were we chased by a ship of slow
steam； which fired upon us with great guns。 But we put sail till the
sea was over our decks and washed them clean； and los