Krónika, 1980 (6. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1980-02-01 / 2. szám
Vezér Sándor: Although I fell infuriatingly left out. I took a liking to this part of the Arctic, which has much communication in silence. Inuit children looked at me with such curiosity, as if expecting something that they themselves could not, perhaps, formulate into words. A gang of them hung around simply observing me. The suspiciousness of the children seemed to increase more and more. In their eyes too, I was not like other visitors to their settlement. “Have you really come from -er- Toronto?", the eldest girl in the group, asked me. What she really wanted to know was the difference between Toronto. Vancouver, and her settlement. I was scarecly listening to her and had hardly anything to say. Not fully conscious. I answered her without thought as though trying to remember something: “Nothing at all”. I made a wry face and was silent for the moment. "All I wanted to say is that one city is not much different from the other, but your settlement is." But good Heavens! Why did 1 say that? From embarassment. I lowered my head, and turned to go away. Suddenly she volunteered: "Why did you say that?" I was saved. 1 was thoughtless and unpredictable, but not secretive. I looked absently before myself, probably, in a cloud. I had no doubt forgotten my remark. "Tell me. how long are you going to stay?" she asked. "For a few days only, until the assigned cargo has been taken off the ship to the shore." 1 told her. She listened quietly but had flashing eyes. She was not a beauty, her kind and innocent eyes were her one grace. Next day, after my shift, I had barely time to wash and make myself a little more presentable, when my cabin door was opened wide and the steward looked in to announce! “A barge will leave soon and take people ashore to attend the Dance tonight." I had a moment of indecision when 1 chose my outfit. “Oh Hell! I suppose it is alright". I just tumbled hurriedly towards the barge and observed the sailors waving their hands out and calling "We shall be late if we wait any longer!" As the engine started, I hopped onto the barge in safety. The breeze was cold and had a feeling of the Arctic that brought with it the freshness of unpolluted land and sea. June had passed us by. We were already in the middle of July. The summer had. arrived a bit late. The ice with snow was still visible all around. "How sad" I thought, "summer here means only ice with less snow." Even while f mourned the missing seasons, I tried to pull my hat on tightly. I walked to the front of the barge not only because it was less windy, but also because 1 would not have to listen to the barge operator’ swearing. He was huge, as were most of the men on the barge. He came from Newfoundland. I observed that he would only swear if it helped him manoeuvre the barge around a good chunk of ice. At one time he raced against a black seal. Seals are very quick and can always swim circles around a speeding barge. For a second, he kept up with the seal. However, when he fell behind, he rumbled something unintelligible about the ice in his way. At the end of the ride, we got off the barge and headed towards the house with the party. This house was one of the biggest in the settlement. Like all other houses there, it was prefabricated and supported by bricks at the corners, which The Arctic Dance One of the many cargo ships of the Arctic voyage The ship proceeds slowly in ice fields, in July.