The SealEaters, 20,000 BC

by Bonnye Matthews

  “Well, we were run out of one village because of him.”

  “No surprise there. We never seemed to realize that we could take him on if we did it as a group. We are as guilty of some of his evil as he was, because we did nothing to stop it.”

  “Do you think that’s how the gods measure it?”

  “I have no idea how they measure anything. I know how I measure, and I’d call me partly guilty by fear. Fear is a terrible thing, Wapa.”

  “Well, I think all that is past, Father. I, too, am convinced he no longer breathes. It was he who was pushing to accomplish the exploration so we could start the migration. If he could’ve been there at the cache site for this return, I’m sure he would’ve.”

  “Strange man, Son. He lacked control over the formation of his own body, as all men do, and for him, he strove to control everything. In all aspects, very unreasonable. Now, tell me about the girl.”

  “I was still horribly shy when I arrived there. Yotuimoa was also very shy. She has long black hair that shines blue and eyes the color of a clouded over sky. She is kind and gentle. She made a backpack for Urch at the chief’s request. Urch had speared a giant lizard. Giant lizards called alligators live on land and water and are about twice as long as I’m tall. They can catch and eat a horse.”

  “You think we should live with creatures like that?”

  “Father!” Wapa said, “Those beasts live only in certain places, not in the villages,” he paused. “Oh, giant lizard meat is very tasty,” Wapa said grinning. “Yotuimoa needed an estimate on Urch’s size, so she had to ask me. That’s how we came to know each other. Just think, I’d still be without a wife, if Urch hadn’t speared a giant lizard!”

  “Son, you have grown.”

  “Yes, Father. I have grown. I’m glad. I’m eager for you and Mother to meet Yotuimoa.”

  “I am eager, also, Son, but I wish we could travel across the water without the boat trip.”

  “It offers some things to see that you cannot imagine. Once is enough though. Father, I need to go black.”

  “Here, your sleeping place is right over there.”

  Wapa laid himself on his sleeping place, rolled over, and went black.

  The next morning there was a great deal of activity at the Cove. Urch was with Whug and Amoroz trying to determine whether they had enough boats for the people. Urch had to laugh, for it appeared they had three boats more than needed. Necessities for the trip were already being stored in the boats.

  Just outside Whug’s home, Amegulatuga was having a difficult time with Sted.

  “I’m not going, and that’s how it is, Woman!”

  “Don’t talk to me like that, Sted!” she barked back.

  Sted had no fear of her, and he replied, “You sniveling Woman, I don’t have to listen to any more of your yelling at me.” He walked off not recognizing the incongruity of his comment with the fact that Amegulatuga was known for her soft-spoken ways.

  Amegulatuga grabbed him by the arm to stop him. He swiped at her, scratching her face with his nails, leaving a nasty set of three parallel lines. He hadn’t meant to scratch her face. Amegulatuga let go of him and stood bent over with her hand protecting her face. It stung.

  Fluga, Amoroz’s wife, ran down to Whug and Urch. “You need to see to your wife,” she told Whug.

  Whug moved quickly to the hut where he could see Amegulatuga holding her face, seemingly stunned.

  “What happened here?” he asked as Urch arrived.

  She explained. Urch, realizing who did the damage to a woman left. He saw Sted by the boats and walked to bring him back. What he saw troubled him more. Sted was bent over a boat. He had a sliver of stone flaked from a tool. He was using the sliver to slice the hide on a boat. Seeing that, Urch went to the boy and slapped him on the side of his face hard enough that the boy fell to the ground. Urch seized him by the upper arms from the back and forced him back home.

  “Thanks to Sted, we have a disabled boat. He cut a hole in the bottom,” Urch announced.

  Whug looked at Urch in total disbelief. “I knew we were having trouble with him, but I didn’t know it had gone this far. Tie him up, Urch, please. I need to tend to the scratches he made in Amegulatuga’s face. Then, I’ll deal with him.”

  Urch shoved the boy into the hut and took some strong cordage. He tied the boy’s hands tightly behind his back. Then, he tied his feet together. Using the long end of the cord that tied his feet together, Urch tied his hands to his feet. His back was arched just a small amount more than was comfortable. Urch was outraged. He wanted the boy to feel some pain. The boy was certainly complaining.

  Sted no longer could control himself, and words began to pour out, words Whug couldn’t help but hear. “I hate you brother. I didn’t want to go on this voyage. I don’t have to go. I am a man. I will do what I will. By Mother Earth and Father Sky, I curse you from this day forward. I hope your boat sinks in the sea and all with you. You stinking pus-filled sore, traveling across a sea where you were not designed by the gods to go. You would take us all with you to drown in cold water far from home. Who are you to decide where we should live. Arrogant whelp of dogs!”

  Whug had finished with his wife’s injury. He went to where Urch sat with his foot on Sted’s back.

  “Son, what you’ve done is unacceptable. You will remain here tied up. Learn this. Be careful what you ask for in life. You might receive it. You will not travel with us. You will be on your own after we leave. You want to be like Reg. You may do all you like after we leave. Until then, I gag you and keep you tied so that you cannot free yourself. You’ll receive exactly what you asked for—only it’ll be in my time, not yours. You’ve had too many opportunities to improve your behavior. You have failed each time, becoming worse instead of better. It is you who is a sore upon this people. So we shall cut you off when we leave tomorrow.”

  Urch’s stomach knotted up when he realized his father had just cut off his brother. He could understand the need to do so, but it still came as a shock. It would, he reasoned, be foolhardy to take someone so bent on a suicidal course of action on a trip across the sea. He could injure himself, but he could cause injury or death to others, something that could not be tolerated. Urch had been confident that the SealEaters had seen the last of Reg, only to come home and find him here. Urch wondered whether a group of people always had a Reg. He hoped not. The Hoomuhu certainly didn’t have anyone like Reg.

  Urch realized his father had said they would leave the very next day. He looked up and said, “Father, your plan is to leave tomorrow?”

  “Yes. I think we need give SealEaters no more time than necessary to think about the voyage. We just need to do it.”

  “Son, help me carry him outside so I can keep an eye on him while we work. I want to be certain he remains tied up until we leave. I’m not sure I’ll untie him then.”

  They each took part of Sted and laid him outside the hut so Whug could keep a watch over him. Sted was furious, but there was absolutely nothing he could do to change anything.

  Urch showed Whug the damage to the boat and both agreed the boat was ruined. They took the boat and dragged it to the sea. They set it adrift after walking it out as far as possible. The people gathered after it was set loose, waiting for Whug and Urch to return from the sea.

  Whug addressed them, “My son, Sted, cut a hole in the boat earlier. He doesn’t want to join the migration, so apparently he resorted to sabotage. For that, he will have his wish. He will not join us on the voyage, which will start in the morning tomorrow. All who will leave will be on the beach at sunrise. We’ll load the last of the things and leave. You each know your boats. Have them loaded today so there is no stalling tomorrow. When you pass my hut, ignore Sted.”

  The people on shore were shocked. Sted might have caused the death of people. That was horrifying. He’d always been a child they avoided, but Whug was right—he was a danger to the people on the voyage and they had to separate him out. Egorgo felt a small am
ount of sympathy for him. She had been through a tough time growing up and she had behaved very badly, for which she still felt shame, though she had changed her ways. But to endanger the lives of others, that was something she’d never done. It was unthinkable. She shuddered to consider what Sted must be inside his thinking place.

  Cattu and Nip were glad they no longer would have to put up with their brother’s harassment. He treated them terribly when their parents were not around.

  Knowing they had little time to prepare, the people were busily preparing the boats. The assignments to boats had already been made by the SealEaters before Urch and Wapa returned. The boat Sted was cutting belonged to his father.

  Forth came to Whug by the boats. “Brother, my family and I plan to remain here.”

  Whug looked at him, tired. “Forth, you cannot do that. The ice advances rapidly. You’ll be pushed to sea.”

  “I have thought through this. There are just too many of us. I want to remain here.”

  “Brother, we wouldn’t be leaving, if staying were an option. Stop the silly talk.”

  “I have made up my mind.”

  “And your wife says?”

  “She thinks we should go. I have authority to keep us here, and that’s what I choose to do.”

  “How many others are in agreement with you?”

  “I know of no others.”

  “Well, do this for me, Brother. Prepare your boats as if you were going. That way you won’t trouble others.”

  “If that’ll make you leave me alone, I’ll do it,” he said and went about preparing his boats.

  Whug met with Amoroz, Urch, and Wapa. He explained the dilemma that Forth had just presented. He shared his plan. It would take place just after the evening meal. All continued working hard. It was late and almost dark when the evening meal was ready. The people ate, an edge of nervousness tinging the group.

  Late, when it was fully dark and many had gone black in their sleeping places, Whug’s plan began. Whug arrived at Forth’s home and asked to see him outside. Forth went out, followed by Wapa. Outside, Urch hit Forth in the back of the head, rendering him unconscious. The men carried Forth to his boat, gagged him, tied him up tightly, and put him in the boat. They tied him to the boat and made it appear that the man had gone black in his boat. They returned to their homes. Back at home, Wapa explained that his father would likely be busy most of the night.

  The next morning, there was no morning meal. All people were to prepare the boats for departure. Sted still lay outside Whug’s hut, tied and gagged. Whug explained to Trupo, Forth’s wife, what they had done to make the migration take place as planned. They told Trupo to climb into the boat and act like Forth didn’t feel well and she was caring for him. The trick worked.

  Before they shoved off, Urch reminded them to stay together and, if any were separated, to look for signs along the coast to point them to where they should go.

  All the boats going on the trip were fully filled with necessities and the people were arranged as planned, except, of course, it would be a while until Forth would be prepared to row. With all the preparation and excitement of the launch, everyone including Whug had forgotten to untie Sted. They were well at sea before anyone remembered. Sted managed to free himself after a long time. It would have surprised all to know that he crossed the mountains and became part of a warring tribe. He lived for seven more years and was considered an effective warrior. Sted would be buried with his spears and shield hundreds of miles inland from where he was born.

  The voyage began in clear skies with a gentle sea. Urch was grateful that they had good weather at the start. He wanted them well into the trip, so that turning back became less and less an option. There were about eighty-five people migrating in some twenty-five boats. To keep that many boats together was extremely difficult.

  Forth had partially regained consciousness that morning but was very groggy as they put to sea. By the first night he was fully conscious, totally frustrated to find himself at sea, but resigned to making the crossing since he had no other choice. He rowed along with the others.

  For ten days the weather held. They had made a stop to oil the boat skins and capture some seals primarily for food and making additional oil. The stop went very well. So far, they had lost no boats.

  The tenth night brought them great wind. It blew from the northwest, hard but without rain or snow. It lasted for a couple of days and as suddenly as it arrived, it ceased. One boat was missing after the wind.

  The SealEaters saw whale killers attacking a young right whale they had separated from its mother, and the children were frightened. After that they were careful to keep their hands in the boats. They could see the size of the teeth of the whale killers.

  After they’d traveled for over a moon, there was a great storm that tossed the huge chunks of ice about. It was terrifying after the smooth seas they’d experienced to that point. Many wept and shook in terror. They tried to keep the front of the boat pointed toward the waves, and most were very successful. After the storm, they found they were missing two more boats. They pressed on, not knowing whether the missing boats had capsized or were simply blown away from the others.

  Day after day of the sea crossing brought them closer to the new land, but it hardly seemed that they did anything but bob up and down on the sea. Many found the boats somewhat distressing since there was no way to move about. Legs would cramp from lack of use.

  Their diet of seals was not tiresome, for it was their normal food. They preferred the organ meat and they included blubber because it was known to build fat on their bodies to keep them warm.

  Finally, their direction changed slightly so that they were heading southwest. There was no land in sight and those who were not mariners wondered when they heard of the change. It wasn’t significant, for they had many days to go before they would see land. The people knew the ways of the sun, and they began to grow hope of finding the journey’s end soon.

  Urch thought of how much quicker the voyage was when it was a single boat with the wind behind them. He smiled. There was no interest in his mind to turn about so those conditions would exist.

  Women, boys, and girls would all row with the men. Their arm muscles expanded greatly on the trip. They tried to move their leg muscles, but it was difficult on the boats. Children who had been free of any real responsibility suddenly learned what responsibility meant. They participated by scooping water from the bottom of their boat and returning it to the sea.

  Eventually, they saw land. All were ready to leap from the boats to the land, but Urch pushed them onward. He knew where the people were the last time he was there. He wanted them to reach land where there would be no temptation to refuse to enter into the boats to continue to their place.

  Finally, Urch reached the beach he remembered that had no convenient rivers. He guided the boats to land. They definitely needed to oil the boat skins. People needed to know that they were near their new home. He didn’t plan for the biting bugs on this beautiful sunny, almost windless day. They stayed long enough to oil the boats and rest. Then all were glad to return to the sea to go to their new home and to escape the biting bugs. By the time they reached this point, they had a total of twenty boats. Urch felt that was a wonderful accomplishment. The others were very disturbed over the loss. Urch told them that for a long time they could not assume they were lost. It was possible that the boats were still heading their way.

  They traveled for many more days watching the coast filled with marsh grasses. Occasionally they’d see a mammoth or a mastodon. They saw birds the like of which they’d never seen. The children were fascinated. Sometimes they’d see fins in the water, either swimming steadily or curving into the water only to surface again and dive back down. They looked a bit like whales, only smaller.

  Older children sought the signs that Urch and Wapa had put along the coast. A shout went up when the children sighted the sign that pointed to what they now thought of as their river. They began t
he trip upstream. They stopped at their old camp site. The little hut was still standing where they smoked their jerky. They constructed lean-to structures and set up a basic camp for the present. They had arrived in the evening and the sunset was of colors they’d never seen in the sky: deep purple, reds, yellows. Some of those colors were in the night lights, which they rarely saw, but these brilliant colors were new, more vivid than any sunset they’d ever seen.

  Urch and Whug took on the responsibility of organizing the establishment of the temporary village. Wapa was missing along with his brothers Dupa and Seq and sister Gi from the same boat. Many were also missing, but Urch felt that Wapa had the knowledge to make it back. He refused to consider the worst until he had given it plenty of time.

  “Are you going to go upriver to let the Hoomuhu know we’re here?”

  “No, Father,” he said quietly. “I want to wait until Wapa has had plenty of time to arrive. I don’t want his wife worried needlessly.”

  “I understand,” Whug said. “I wouldn’t have thought Wapa’s boat would have been lost.”

  “That’s why I want to wait.”

  “Look what I found,” Cattu said, carrying a turtle.

  “Be careful that it doesn’t bite you,” Urch said.

  “They can bite?”

  “Yes. Pretty hard bites, too.”

  People were running about gathering wood and dry grass for fire starters. Hunters were discovering that not having used their legs for so long, they were weaker than normal. They began to run along the river bank looking into the distance to see what food walked about on four legs. Begalit and Lowat, sons of Amoroz, took their spears and headed for a wooded area across the open land. They hoped to eat something other than seal. It was becoming dark, so they knew they needed to move quickly. Begalit noticed something move and pointed it out to Lowat. It was a camel. They were much more careful in their movement, trying to make the most progress while the animal’s head was lowered. Lowat and Begalit, despite weakened knees, bent their legs significantly to lower their profiles to avoid detection. As they came closer, Lowat pointed with his head to let Begalit know he’d go after the one on the right. There were two camels.