The Giant of the North: Pokings Round the Pole

by R. M. Ballantyne

  CHAPTER NINETEEN.

  A SHOOTING TRIP TO PARADISE ISLE, AND FURTHER DISPLAY OF THE CAPTAIN'SCONTRIVANCES.

  While our explorers were thus reduced to a state of forced inaction asregarded the main object of their expedition, they did not by any meanswaste their time in idleness. On the contrary, each of the party wentzealously to work in the way that was most suitable to his inclination.

  After going over the main island of Poloe as a united party, andascertaining its size, productions, and general features, the Captaintold them they might now do as they pleased. For his part he meant tospend a good deal of his time in taking notes and observations,questioning the chief men as to the lands lying to the northward,repairing and improving the hut, and helping the natives miscellaneouslyso as to gain their regard.

  Of course Leo spent much of his time with his rifle, for the nativeswere not such expert hunters but that occasionally they were badly offfor food. Of course, also, Alf shouldered his botanical box and salliedforth hammer in hand, to "break stones," as Butterface put it. Benjysometimes followed Alf--more frequently Leo, and always carried hisfather's double-barrelled shot-gun. He preferred that, because hispowers with the rifle were not yet developed. Sometimes he went withToolooha, or Tekkona, or Oblooria, in one of the native oomiaks to fish.At other times he practised paddling in the native kayak, so that hemight accompany Chingatok on his excursions to the neighbouring islandsafter seals and wild-fowl.

  In the excursions by water Leo preferred one of the india-rubber boats--partly because he was strong and could row it easily, and partly becauseit was capable of holding more game than the kayak.

  These expeditions to the outlying islands were particularly delightful.There was something so peaceful, yet so wild, so romantic and so strangeabout the region, that the young men felt as if they had passed into anew world altogether. It is scarcely surprising that they should feelthus, when it is remembered that profound calms usually prevailed atthat season, causing the sea to appear like another heaven below them;that the sun never went down, but circled round and round the horizon--dipping, indeed, a little more and more towards it each night, but notyet disappearing; that myriads of wild birds filled the air withplaintive cries; that whales, and sea-unicorns, and walruses sportedaround; that icebergs were only numerous enough to give a certainstrangeness of aspect to the scene--a strangeness which was increased bythe frequent appearance of arctic phenomena, such as several mock-sunsrivalling the real one, and objects being enveloped in a golden haze, orturned upside down by changes in atmospheric temperature.

  "No wonder that arctic voyagers are always hankering after the farnorth," said Leo to Benjy, one magnificent morning, as they rowedtowards the outlying islands over the golden sea.

  Captain Vane was with them that morning, and it was easy to see that theCaptain was in a peculiar frame of mind. A certain twinkle in his eyesand an occasional smile, apparently at nothing, showed that histhoughts, whatever they might be, were busy.

  Now, it cannot have failed by this time to strike the intelligentreader, that Captain Vane was a man given to mystery, and rather fond oftaking by surprise not only Eskimos but his own companions. On thebright morning referred to he took with him in the boat a small flatbox, or packing-case, measuring about three feet square, and not morethan four inches deep.

  As they drew near to Leo's favourite sporting-ground,--a long flatisland with several small lakes on it which were bordered by tall reedsand sedges, where myriads of ducks, geese, gulls, plover, puffins, andother birds revelled in abject felicity,--Benjy asked his father what hehad got in the box.

  "I've got somethin' in it, Benjy,--somethin'."

  "Why, daddy," returned the boy with a laugh, "if I were an absolutelunatic you could not treat me with greater contempt. Do you suppose Iam so weak as to imagine that you would bring a packing-case all the wayfrom England to the North Pole with nothing in it?"

  "You're a funny boy, Benjy," said the Captain, regarding his son with aplacid look.

  "You're a funny father, daddy," answered the son with a shake of thehead; "and it's fortunate for you that I'm good as well as funny, elseI'd give you some trouble."

  "You've got a good opinion of yourself, Ben, anyhow," said Leo, lookingover his shoulder as he rowed. "Just change the subject and makeyourself useful. Jump into the bow and have the boat-hook ready; thewater shoals rather fast here, and I don't want to risk scraping a holein our little craft."

  The island they were approaching formed part of the extensivearchipelago of which Poloe was the main or central island. ParadiseIsle, as Leo had named it, lay about two miles from Poloe. The boatsoon touched its shingly beach, but before it could scrape thereon itsoccupants stepped into the water and carefully carried it on shore.

  "Now, Benjy, hand me the rifle and cartridges," said Leo, after the boatwas placed in the shadow of a low bank, "and fetch the game-bag. What!you don't intend to carry the packing-case, uncle, do you?"

  "I think I'd better do it," answered the Captain, lifting the case byits cord in a careless way; "it might take a fancy to have a swim on itsown account, you know. Come along, the birds are growing impatient,don't you see?"

  With a short laugh, Leo shouldered his rifle, and marched towards thefirst of a chain of little lakes, followed by Benjy with the game-bag,and the Captain with the case.

  Soon a splendid grey wild-goose was seen swimming at a considerabledistance beyond the reeds.

  "There's your chance, now, Leo," said the Captain. But Leo shook hishead. "No use," he said; "if I were to shoot that one I'd never be ableto get it; the mud is too deep for wading, and the reeds too thick forswimming amongst. It's a pity to kill birds that we cannot get hold of,so, you see, I must walk along the margin of the lake until I see a birdin a good position to be got at, and then pot him."

  "But isn't that slow work, lad?" asked the Captain.

  "It might be slow if I missed often or wounded my birds," replied Leo,"but I don't often miss."

  The youth might with truth have said he never missed, for his eye was astrue and his hand as sure as that of any Leatherstocking or Robin Hoodthat ever lived.

  "Why don't you launch the boat on the lake?" asked the Captain.

  "Because I don't like to run the risk of damaging it by hauling it aboutamong mud and sticks and overland. Besides, that would be a cumbersomeway of hunting. I prefer to tramp about the margin as you see, and justtake what comes in my way. There are plenty of birds, and I seldom walkfar without getting a goodish--hist! There's one!"

  As he spoke another large grey goose was seen stretching its long neckamongst the reeds at a distance of about two hundred yards. The crackof the rifle was followed by the instant death of the goose. At thesame moment several companions of the bird rose trumpeting into the airamid a cloud of other birds. Again the rifle's crack was heard, and oneof the geese on the wing dropped beside its comrade.

  As Leo carried his repeating rifle, he might easily have shot another,but he refrained, as the bird would have been too far out to be easilypicked up.

  "Now, Benjy, are you to go in, or am I?" asked the sportsman with a slylook.

  "Oh! I suppose _I_ must," said the boy with an affectation of beingmartyred, though, in truth, nothing charmed him so much as to act thepart of a water-dog.

  A few seconds more, and he was stripped, for his garments consisted onlyof shirt and trousers. But it was more than a few seconds before hereturned to land, swimming on his back and trailing a goose by the neckwith each hand, for the reeds were thick and the mud softish, and thesecond bird had been further out than he expected.

  "It's glorious fun," said Benjy, panting vehemently as he pulled on hisclothes.

  "It's gloriously knocked up you'll be before long at that rate," saidthe Captain.

  "Oh! but, uncle," said Leo, quickly, "you must not suppose that I givehim all the hard work. We share it between us, you know. Benjysometimes shoots and then I do the retrieving. You've no
idea how gooda shot he is becoming."

  "Indeed, let me see you do it, my boy. D'ye see that goose over there?"

  "What, the one near the middle of the lake, about four hundred yardsoff?"

  "Ay, Benjy, I want that goose. You shoot it, my boy."

  "But you'll never be able to get it, uncle," said Leo.

  "Benjy, I want that goose. You shoot it." There was no disobeying thisperemptory command. Leo handed the rifle to the boy.

  "Down on one knee, Ben, Hythe position, my boy," said the Captain, inthe tone of a disciplinarian. Benjy obeyed, took a long steady aim, andfired.

  "Bravo!" shouted the Captain as the bird turned breast up. "There'sthat goose's brother comin' to see what's the matter with him; just cook_his_ goose too, Benjy."

  The boy aimed again, fired, and missed.

  "Again!" cried the Captain, "look sharp!"

  Again the boy fired, and this time wounded the bird as it was rising onthe wing.

  Although wounded, the goose was quite able to swim, and made rapidlytowards the reeds on the other side.

  "What! am I to lose that goose?" cried the Captain indignantly.

  Leo seized the rifle. Almost without taking time to aim, he fired andshot the bird dead.

  "There," said he, laughing, "but I suspect it is a lost goose after all.It will be hard work to get either of these birds, uncle. However,I'll try."

  Leo was proceeding to strip when the Captain forbade him.

  "Don't trouble yourself, lad," he said, "I'll go for them myself."

  "You, uncle?"

  "Ay, me. D'ye suppose that nobody can swim but you and Benjy? Here,help me to open this box."

  In silent wonder and expectation Leo and Benjy did as they were bid.When the mysterious packing-case was opened, there was displayed to viewa mass of waterproof material. Tumbling this out and unrolling it, theCaptain displayed a pair of trousers and boots in one piece attached tosomething like an oval life-buoy. Thrusting his legs down into thetrousers and boots, he drew the buoy--which was covered withindia-rubber cloth--up to his waist and fixed it there. Then, puttingthe end of an india-rubber tube to his mouth, he began to blow, and thebuoy round his waist began to extend until it took the form of an oval.

  "Now, boys," said the Captain, with profound gravity, "I'm about readyto go to sea. Here, you observe, is a pair o' pants that won't let inwater. At the feet you'll notice two flaps which expand when drivenbackward, and collapse when moved forward. These are propellers--humanweb-feet--to enable me to walk ahead, d'ye see? and here are two smallpaddles with a joint which I can fix together--so--and thus make onedouble-bladed paddle of 'em, about four feet long. It will help thefeet, you understand, but I'm not dependent on it, for I can walkwithout the paddles at the rate of two or three miles an hour."

  As he spoke Captain Vane walked quietly into the water, to the wilddelight of Benjy, and the amazement of his nephew.

  When he was about waist-deep the buoy floated him. Continuing to walk,though his feet no longer touched ground, he was enabled by thepropellers to move on. When he had got out a hundred yards or so, heturned round, took off his hat, and shouted--"land ho!"

  "Ship ahoy!" shrieked Benjy, in an ecstasy.

  "Mind your weather eye!" shouted the Captain, resuming his walk with afacetious swagger, while, with the paddles, he increased his speed.Soon after, he returned to land with the two geese.

  "Well now, daddy," said his son, while he and Leo examined the dresswith minute interest, "I wish you'd make a clean breast of it, and letus know how many more surprises and contrivances of this sort you've gotin store for us."

  "I fear this is the last one, Benjy, though there's no end to theapplications of these contrivances. You'd better apply this one toyourself now, and see how you get on in it."

  Of course Benjy was more than willing, though, as he remarked, the dresswas far too big for him.

  "Never mind that, my boy. A tight fit ain't needful, and nobody willfind fault with the cut in these regions."

  "Where ever did you get it, father?" asked the boy, as the fasteningswere being secured round him.

  "I got it from an ingenious friend, who says he's goin' to bring it outsoon. Mayhap it's in the shops of old England by this time. There,now, off you go, but don't be too risky, Ben. Keep her full, and mindyour helm." (See Note.)

  Thus encouraged, the eager boy waded into the water, but, in his haste,tripped and fell, sending a volume of water over himself. He rose,however, without difficulty, and, proceeding with greater caution, soonwalked off into deep water. Here he paddled about in a state ofexuberant glee. The dress kept him perfectly dry, although he splashedthe water about in reckless fashion, and did not return to land tillquite exhausted.

  Benjamin Vane from that day devoted himself to that machine. He becameso enamoured of the "water-tramp," as he styled it--not knowing itsproper name at the time--that he went about the lakelets in itcontinually, sometimes fishing, at other times shooting. He evenventured a short distance out to sea in it, to the amazement of theEskimos, the orbits of whose eyes were being decidedly enlarged, Benjysaid, and their eyebrows permanently raised, by the constant successionof astonishment-fits into which they were thrown from day to day bytheir white visitors.

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  Note. Lest it should be supposed that the "pedomotive" here describedis the mere creature of the author's brain, it may be well to state thathe has seen it in the establishment of the patentees, Messrs. Thorntonand Company of Edinburgh.