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steam； which fired upon us with great guns。 But we put sail till the
sea was over our decks and washed them clean； and lost ourselves in
a fog。
'It is said； at this time； while we fled with fear at our hearts；
that the yellow…haired sea wanderer put in to the Pribilofs； right
to the factory； and while the part of his men held the servants of the
company； the rest loaded ten thousand green skins from the salt
houses。 I say it is said； but I believe； for in the voyages I made
on the coast with never a meeting the northern seas rang with his
wildness and daring； till the three nations which have lands there
sought him with their ships。 And I heard of Unga； for the captains
sang loud in her praise； and she was always with him。 She had
learned the ways of his people； they said； and was happy。 But I knew
better… knew that her heart harked back to her own people by the
yellow beach of Akatan。
'So； after a long time； I went back to the port which is by a
gateway of the sea； and there I learned that he had gone across the
girth of the great ocean to hunt for the seal to the east of the
warm land which runs south from the Russian seas。 And I； who was
become a sailorman； shipped with men of his own race； and went after
him in the hunt of the seal。 And there were few ships off that new
land； but we hung on the flank of the seal pack and harried it north
through all the spring of the year。 And when the cows were heavy
with pup and crossed the Russian line； our men grumbled and were
afraid。 For there was much fog； and every day men were lost in the
boats。 They would not work； so the captain turned the ship back toward
the way it came。 But I knew the yellow…haired sea wanderer was
unafraid； and would hang by the pack； even to the Russian Isles； where
few men go。 So I took a boat； in the black of night； when the
lookout dozed on the fo'c'slehead； and went alone to the warm； long
land。 And I journeyed south to meet the men by Yeddo Bay； who are wild
and unafraid。 And the Yoshiwara girls were small； and bright like
steel； and good to look upon； but I could not stop； for I knew that
Unga rolled on the tossing floor by the rookeries of the north。
'The men by Yeddo Bay had met from the ends of the earth； and had
neither gods nor homes； sailing under the flag of the Japanese。 And
with them I went to the rich beaches of Copper Island； where our
salt piles became high with skins。 And in that silent sea we saw no
man till we were ready to come away。 Then one day the fog lifted on
the edge of a heavy wind； and there jammed down upon us a schooner；
with close in her wake the cloudy funnels of a Russian man…of…war。
We fled away on the beam of the wind； with the schooner jamming
still closer and plunging ahead three feet to our two。 And upon her
poop was the man with the mane of the sea lion； pressing the rails
under with the canvas and laughing in his strength of life。 And Unga
was there… I knew her on the moment… but he sent her below when the
cannons began to talk across the sea。 As I say； with three feet to our
two； till we saw the rudder lift green at every jump… and I swinging
on to the wheel and cursing； with my back to the Russian shot。 For
we knew he had it in mind to run before us； that he might get away
while we were caught。 And they knocked our masts out of us till we
dragged into the wind like a wounded gull； but he went on over the
edge of the sky line… he and Unga。
'What could we？ The fresh hides spoke for themselves。 So they took
us to a Russian port； and after that to a lone country； where they set
us to work in the mines to dig salt。 And some died； and… and some
did not die。'
Naass swept the blanket from his shoulders； disclosing the gnarled
and twisted flesh； marked with the unmistakable striations of the
knout。 Prince hastily covered him； for it was not nice to look upon。
'We were there a weary time and sometimes men got away to the south；
but they always came back。 So； when we who hailed from Yeddo Bay
rose in the night and took the guns from the guards； we went to the
north。 And the land was very large； with plains； soggy with water； and
great forests。 And the cold came； with much snow on the ground； and no
man knew the way。 Weary months we journeyed through the endless
forest… I do not remember； now； for there was little food and often we
lay down to die。 But at last we came to the cold sea； and but three
were left to look upon it。 One had shipped from Yeddo as captain；
and he knew in his head the lay of the great lands； and of the place
where men may cross from one to the other on the ice。 And he led us… I
do not know； it was so long… till there were but two。 When we came
to that place we found five of the strange people which live in that
country； and they had dogs and skins； and we were very poor。 We fought
in the snow till they died； and the captain died； and the dogs and
skins were mine。 Then I crossed on the ice； which was broken； and once
I drifted till a gale from the west put me upon the shore。 And after
that； Golovin Bay； Pastilik； and the priest。 Then south； south； to the
warm sunlands where first I wandered。
'But the sea was no longer fruitful； and those who went upon it
after the seal went to little profit and great risk。 The fleets
scattered； and the captains and the men had no word of those I sought。
So I turned away from the ocean which never rests； and went among
the lands； where the trees； the houses； and the mountains sit always
in one place and do not move。 I journeyed far； and came to learn
many things； even to the way of reading and writing from books。 It was
well I should do this； for it came upon me that Unga must know these
things； and that someday； when the time was met… we… you understand；
when the time was met。
'So I drifted； like those little fish which raise a sail to the wind
but cannot steer。 But my eyes and my ears were open always； and I went
among men who traveled much； for I knew they had but to see those I
sought to remember。 At last there came a man； fresh from the
mountains； with pieces of rock in which the free gold stood to the
size of peas； and he had heard； he had met； he knew them。 They were
rich； he said； and lived in the place where they drew the gold from
the ground。
'It was in a wild country； and very far away； but in time I came
to the camp； hidden between the mountains； where men worked night
and day； out of the sight of the sun。 Yet the time was not come。 I
listened to the talk of the people。 He had gone away… they had gone
away… to England； it was said； in the matter of bringing men with much
money together to form companies。 I saw the house they had lived in；
more like a palace； such as one sees in the old countries。 In the
nighttime I crept in through a window that I might see in what
manner he treated her。 I went from room to room； and in such way
thought kings and queens must live； it was all so very good。 And
they all said he treated her like a queen； and many marveled as to
what breed of woman she was for there was other blood in her veins；
and she was different from the women of Akatan； and no one knew her
for what she was。 Aye； she was a queen； but I was a chief； and the son
of a chief； and I had paid for her an untold price of skin and boat
and bead。
'But why so many words？ I was a sailorman； and knew the way of the
ships on the seas。 I followed to England； and then to other countries。
Sometimes I heard of them by word of mouth； sometimes I read of them
in the papers； yet never once could I come by them； for they had
much money； and traveled fast； while I was a poor man。 Then came
trouble upon them； and their wealth slipped away one day like a curl
of smoke。 The papers were full of it at the time； but after that
nothing was said； and I knew they had gone back where more gold
could be got from the ground。
'They had dropped out of the world； being now poor； and so I
wandered from camp to camp； even north to the Kootenay country；
where I picked up the cold scent。 They had come and gone； some said
this way； and some that； and still others that they had gone to the
country of the Yukon。 And I went this way； and I went that； ever
journeying from place to place； till it seemed I must grow weary of
the world which was so large。 But in the Kootenay I traveled a bad
trail； and a long trail； with a breed of the Northwest； who saw fit to
die when the famine pinched。 He had been to the Yukon by an unknown
way over the mountains； and when he knew his time was near gave me the
map and the secret of a place where he swore by his gods there was
much gold。
'After that all the world began to flock into the north。 I was a
poor man； I sold myself to be a driver of dogs。 The rest you know。 I
met him and her in Dawson。 She did not know me； for I was only a
stripling； and her life had been large； so she had no time to remember
the one who had paid for her an untold price。