our Eskimos were
grouped. The ice was cracked right across, leaving a lane of open water
about ten feet wide between its inner edge and the shore ice. The
Eskimos stood on the land side of this crack, a hundred yards or so from
it. On nearing the floe the strange vessel checked her speed.

"It moves its wings!" exclaimed Eemerk.

"And turns its side to us," said Akeetolik.

"And wags its tail no more," cried Oolichuk.

"Oh! do, _do_ let us run away," gasped Oblooria.

"No, no, we will not run," said Tekkona.

At that moment a white cloud burst from the side of the yacht.

"Hi! hee! huk!" shouted the whole tribe in amazement.

A crash followed which not only rattled like thunder among the
surrounding cliffs, but went like electric fire to the central marrow of
each Eskimo. With a united yell of terror, they leaped three feet into
the air--more or less--turned about, and fled. Tekkona, who was active
as a young deer, herself took the lead; and Oblooria, whose limbs
trembled so that she could hardly run, held on to Oolichuk, who
gallantly dragged her along. The terror was increased by a prolonged
screech from the steam-whistle. It was a wild scramble in sudden panic.
The Eskimos reached their sledges, harnessed their teams, left their
spears on the ice, cracked their whips, which caused the dogs to join in
the yelling chorus, and made for the land at a furious gallop.

But their fear began to evaporate in a few minutes, and Oolichuk was the
first to check his pace.

"Ho! stop," he cried.

Eemerk looked back, saw that they were not pursued, and pulled up. The
others followed suit, and soon the fugitives were seen by those on board
the yacht grouped together and gazing intently at them from the top of
another ice-hummock.

The effect of the cannon-shot on board the yacht itself was somewhat
startling. The gun had been loaded on the other side of the promontory
for the purpose of being fired if Eskimos were not visible on the coast
beyond, in order to attract them from the interior, if they should
chance to be there. When, however, the natives were discovered on the
ice, the gun was, of course, unnecessary, and had been forgotten. It
therefore burst upon the crew with a shock of surprise, and caused the
Captain, who was in the cabin at the moment, to shoot up from the
hatchway like a Jack-in-the-box.

"Who did that?" he demanded, looking round sternly.

The crew, who had been gazing intently at the