A carefully
made observation placed the island of Poloe in latitude 88 degrees 30
minutes 10 seconds, about 90 geographical, or 104 English statute miles
from the Pole.

There was no help for it, however. To have ventured on Grabantak's
territory while war was impending would have been to court destruction.
Captain Vane saw therefore that the only way of advancing his own cause
was to promote peace between the tribes. With a view to this he sought
an interview with the old chief Amalatok.

"Why do you wish to go to war?" he asked.

"I do not wish to go to war," answered the chief, frowning fiercely.

"Why do you go then?" said the Captain in a soothing tone, for he was
very anxious not to rouse the chief's anger; but he was unsuccessful,
for the question seemed to set the old man on fire. He started up,
grinding his teeth and striding about his hut, knocking over pots, oil
cans, and cooking-lamps somewhat like that famous bull which got into a
china shop. Finding the space too small for him he suddenly dropped on
his knees, crept through the low entrance, sprang up, and began to
stride about more comfortably.

The open air calmed him a little. He ceased to grind his teeth, and
stopping in front of the Captain, who had followed him, said in a low
growl, "Do you think I will submit to insult?"

"Some men have occasionally done so with advantage," answered the
Captain.

"Kablunets may do so, Eskimos _never_!" returned the old man, resuming
his hurried walk to and fro, and the grinding of his teeth again.

"If Amalatok were to kill all his enemies--all the men, women and
children," said the Captain, raising a fierce gleam of satisfaction in
the old man's face at the mere suggestion, "and if he were to knock down
all their huts, and burn up all their kayaks and oomiaks, the insult
would still remain, because an insult can only be wiped out by one's
enemy confessing his sin and repenting."

For a few seconds Amalatok stood silent; his eyes fixed on the ground as
if he were puzzled.

"The white man is right," he said at length, "but if I killed them all I
should be avenged."

"Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord," leaped naturally to the Captain's
mind; but, reflecting that the man before him was a heathen who would
not admit the value of the quotation, he paused a moment or two.

"And what," he then said, "if Grabantak should kill Amalatok and all his
men, and carry away the women and children into slavery