"Yea," they replied, "thou didst speed the arrow with the skill of the
happy dead playing in the aurora--over the earth as the birds fly didst
thou send the arrows. Strong is thy arm, Ootah."

Not far away some of the natives, joining in the chorus, began beating
drums. The white men hilariously drank from bottles and joined in the
merry dances.

"Did I not call the walrus and seal from the sea--as none other? Have
I not lured the caribou from their hidden lair? Have I not enticed the
birds, the foxes, and the bear by my calls--as none other of the
tribes?"

In succession Ootah uttered imitations of the calls of the walrus
bulls, the female caribou, and cries of the various birds.

"Have I not held converse with the animals of the land, the birds of
the air, and shall I not one day perchance comb the hair of _Nerrvik_
in the sea!"

The drums beat more loudly; the dancers hopped and leaped. The chorus
replied:

"Thou lurest the walrus and seal from the sea, thou enticest the
caribou, _ahmingmah_ and birds unto thee! Thou hast learned the
language of nature, and the happy spirits are kind to thee! Marvellous
is thy power, Ootah."

And in the chorus, deep, hoarse, sneeringly ironical rang the words of