Escape from Archangel: An American Merchant Seaman at War

The Sea!

The Sea! Long after he had lost count of the endless changes of guides, each handoff a repetition of the one before,Jac was brought to his first family setting in Norway. He and the guide were moving southwesterly now on slopes that descended through heavy forests. He followed his guide into a clearing, and there it was, a real home with out buildings and farm animals. It was built of heavy timbers, similar to the pioneer cabins of the American frontier. A man came out to greet them, speaking loud and clear and makingno attempt to conceal their arrival. He apparently recognized Jac's guide and welcomed him warmly.He nodded genially at Jac and invited the two into the house. The house was laid out so that the adults slept in a room which was partitioned off from the rest of the cabin, which was a combination kitchen and living area with a large fireplace . Over the adults' bedroom there was a loft, where the children slept. Jac was impressed by their abundance of -141- warm clothing and covers made from furs. The furniture was beautifully and sturdily built, the seats of the chairs covered with skins. Everything seemed to be hand made. The house itself, as well as small items, was decorated with carvings of animals and birds, sometimes employing real animal horns, claws, or teeth. A woman worked at the stove. A small boy and a little blond girl stared at him from their perch in the loft. Shortly the woman brought over two hot bowls of broth and fresh bread. It was the first hot food Jac had tasted in a long time. The cabin owner and the guide talked for a while, and then the guide rose and put on his coat and pack, now full offresh food. He shook Jac's hand and gave a bear hug to the owner. Jac walked out with him and watched as he climbed the hill in the direction from which they had come. Jac sensed a feeling of safety around him. The family was friendly, there was no detectable presence of fear. The children laughed and romped. That evening they had a fine supper of wild game and potatoes. Then a soft pallet with warm blankets was laid for Jac in front of the fireplace. Completely exhausted, he fell asleep, too tired to dream of Germans or the dead from the trains orfloatingbodies in the sea.The next day, the little girl took a wooden bucket with a leather strap on it and went out to the small stable to milk the cow.When she brought the fresh milk into the house, her mother made thick cakes, like pancakes only much thicker. They were hearty and delicious. Later in the morning a young man came for Jac. ToJac he seemed hardly more than a boy, but when they compared ages in sign language it turned out that he was about Jac's age. But Jac had by then forgotten that he was a youngman himself. He felt old and worn. -742- His new guide was a husky handsome fellow with brilliant blue eyes, light blond hair, and cheeks like polished apples. All the other guides had appeared at least twice this boy's age. Did he know what he was doing? They walked all day and into the night, skirting downwind of the scattered farms that began to appear, so their dogs would not bark. They never used roads. The weather was getting better, warmer during daylight. Just before dawn they stopped in a grove of fir trees, where they rested and ate a snack. This was the first person that Jac had run across who could speak a few words of English. "Come," "yes," and "no" was about all he could manage, but it was wonderful to hear nonetheless. The boy told Jac to stay where he was and left for a long time. Jac slept. It was nearly noon before the guide returned and motioned for Smith to follow him. They came over a ridge and could see a small trading settlement in the valley below, just a handful of houses and outbuildings. It was the site of a monthly market or trading day for people who lived in the surrounding area. They walked down to the settlement , trying to appear calm and natural, and arrived at the back door of one...