The White Man's Way Page #4

"The White Man's Way" is a novella by Jack London that explores themes of colonialism, race, and cultural clash. Set in the early 20th century, it follows the story of a white man who travels to the South Pacific and confronts the complexities of indigenous cultures in contrast to Western civilization. Through vivid storytelling, London critiques the moral implications of imperialism and examines the impacts of Western values on native societies. The narrative reflects London's characteristic blend of adventure and social commentary, highlighting the tensions between progress and preservation.

								

the things he hears. One night, after Yamikan has gone home, Bidarshik
stands up, so, very tall, and he strikes his chest with his fist, and
says, 'When I am a man, I shall journey in far places, even to the land
where there is no snow, and see things for myself.'"

"Always did Bidarshik journey in far places," Zilla interrupted proudly.

"It be true," Ebbits assented gravely. "And always did he return to sit
by the fire and hunger for yet other and unknown far places."

"And always did he remember the salt lake as big as the sky and the
country under the sun where there is no snow," quoth Zilla.

"And always did he say, 'When I have the full strength of a man, I
will go and see for myself if the talk of Yamikan be true talk,'" said
Ebbits.

"But there was no way to go to the white man's country," said Zilla.

"Did he not go down to the salt lake that is big as the sky?" Ebbits
demanded.

"And there was no way for him across the salt lake," said Zilla.

"Save in the white man's fire-boat which is of iron and is bigger than
twenty steamboats on the Yukon," said Ebbits. He scowled at Zilla,
whose withered lips were again writhing into speech, and compelled her
to silence. "But the white man would not let him cross the salt lake in
the fire-boat, and he returned to sit by the fire and hunger for the
country under the sun where there is no snow.'"

"Yet on the salt lake had he seen the fire-boat of iron that did not
sink," cried out Zilla the irrepressible.

"Ay," said Ebbits, "and he saw that Yamikan had made true talk of the
things he had seen. But there was no way for Bidarshik to journey to
the white man's land under the sun, and he grew sick and weary like an
old man and moved not away from the fire. No longer did he go forth to
kill meat--"

"And no longer did he eat the meat placed before him," Zilla broke in.
"He would shake his head and say, 'Only do I care to eat the grub of
the white man and grow fat after the manner of Yamikan.'"

"And he did not eat the meat," Ebbits went on. "And the sickness of
Bidarshik grew into a great sickness until I thought he would die. It
was not a sickness of the body, but of the head. It was a sickness of
desire. I, Ebbits, who am his father, make a great think. I have no
more sons and I do not want Bidarshik to die. It is a head-sickness,
and there is but one way to make it well. Bidarshik must journey across
the lake as large as the sky to the land where there is no snow, else
will he die. I make a very great think, and then I see the way for
Bidarshik to go.

"So, one night when he sits by the fire, very sick, his head hanging
down, I say, 'My son, I have learned the way for you to go to the white
man's land.' He looks at me, and his face is glad. 'Go,' I say, 'even
as Yamikan went.' But Bidarshik is sick and does not understand. 'Go
forth,' I say, 'and find a white man, and, even as Yamikan, do you kill
that white man. Then will the soldier white men come and get you, and
even as they took Yamikan will they take you across the salt lake to
the white man's land. And then, even as Yamikan, will you return very
fat, your eyes full of the things you have seen, your head filled with
wisdom.'

"And Bidarshik stands up very quick, and his hand is reaching out for
his gun. 'Where do you go?' I ask. 'To kill the white man,' he says.
And I see that my words have been good in the ears of Bidarshik and
that he will grow well again. Also do I know that my words have been
wise.

"There is a white man come to this village. He does not seek after gold
in the ground, nor after furs in the forest. All the time does he seek
after bugs and flies. He does not eat the bugs and flies, then why does
he seek after them? I do not know. Only do I know that he is a funny
white man. Also does he seek after the eggs of birds. He does not eat
the eggs. All that is inside he takes out, and only does he keep the
shell. Eggshell is not good to eat. Nor does he eat the eggshells, but
puts them away in soft boxes where they will not break. He catch many
small birds. But he does not eat the birds. He takes only the skins and
puts them away in boxes. Also does he like bones. Bones are not good to
eat. And this strange white man likes best the bones of long time ago
which he digs out of the ground.

"But he is not a fierce white man, and I know he will die very easy; so
I say to Bidarshik, 'My son, there is the white man for you to kill.'
And Bidarshik says that my words be wise. So he goes to a place he
knows where are many bones in the ground. He digs up very many of these
bones and brings them to the strange white man's camp. The white man is
made very glad. His face shines like the sun, and he smiles with much
gladness as he looks at the bones. He bends his head over, so, to look
well at the bones, and then Bidarshik strikes him hard on the head,
with axe, once, so, and the strange white man kicks and is dead.

"'Now,' I say to Bidarshik, 'will the white soldier men come and take
you away to the land under the sun, where you will eat much and grow
fat.' Bidarshik is happy. Already has his sickness gone from him, and
he sits by the fire and waits for the coming of the white soldier men.

"How was I to know the way of the white man is never twice the same?"
the old man demanded, whirling upon me fiercely. "How was I to know
that what the white man does yesterday he will not do to-day, and that
what he does to-day he will not do to-morrow?" Ebbits shook his head
sadly. "There is no understanding the white man. Yesterday he takes
Yamikan to the land under the sun and makes him fat with much grub.
To-day he takes Bidarshik and--what does he do with Bidarshik? Let me
tell you what he does with Bidarshik.

"I, Ebbits, his father, will tell you. He takes Bidarshik to Cambell
Fort, and he ties a rope around his neck, so, and, when his feet are no
more on the ground, he dies."

"Ai! ai!" wailed Zilla. "And never does he cross the lake large as the
sky, nor see the land under the sun where there is no snow."

"Wherefore," old Ebbits said with grave dignity, "there be no one to
hunt meat for me in my old age, and I sit hungry by my fire and tell
my story to the White Man who has given me grub, and strong tea, and
tobacco for my pipe."

"Because of the lying and very miserable white people," Zilla
proclaimed shrilly.

"Nay," answered the old man with gentle positiveness. "Because of the
way of the white man, which is without understanding and never twice
the same."
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