Island Of The Blue Dolphins

An Excerpt fromIsland of the Blue Dolphins

        There are no trees on the island except the small ones stunted by the
        wind. When a log came ashore, as happened once in a long time, it was
        always carried to the village and worked on where a chance wave could
        not wash it away. That the men were sent to hollow out the log in the
        cove, and to sleep beside it during the night, meant that they were there
        to watch the Aleuts, to give the alarm should Captain Orlov try to sail
        off without paying us for the otter skins.

        Everyone was afraid he might, so besides the men in the cove who watch
        the Aleut ship, others kept watch on the camp.

        Every hour someone brought news. Ulape said that the Aleut woman spent
        a whole afternoon cleaning her skin aprons, which she had not done before
        while she had been there. Early one morning, Ramo said he had just seen
        Captain Orlov carefully trimming his beard so that it looked the way it
        did when he first came. The Aleuts who sharpened the log spears stopped
        this work and gave all their time to skinning the otter which were brought
        in at dusk.

        We in the village of Ghalas-at knew that Captain Orlov and his hunters
        were getting ready to leave the island. Would he pay us for the otter
        he had slain or would he try to sneak away in the night? Would our men
        have to fight for our rightful share?

        These questions everyone asked while the Aleuts went about their preparations
        -- everyone except my father, who said nothing, but each night worked
        on the new spear he was making.