They traveled this way for many days and nights, until at last they could hear a faint, rumbling noise like distant thunder. The sound lent renewed strength to Ivango’s mighty paddle. So powerfully did he wield it that they went faster than the ducks, who were leading them straight to their sister.
Nearer and nearer they came to the strange sound, and louder and louder it grew, until it seemed as though mountains of rock were being hurled together by the hands of some mighty giant.
Soon they could see two great cliffs drawing swiftly together through the ocean. They met with a mighty crash that seemed to shake the sea and sky. Ivango had trouble in keeping the boat upright, so high were the waves made by the rocks when they came together.
As the boat came nearer, the cliffs slowly drew apart, and some sea parrots and seals tried to pass through the opening, but the rocks rushed together and the birds and seals were caught and crushed to death.
Ivango felt his heart fail within him. Could they ever pass through alive, or must they all be crushed like the animals and birds? It did not seem possible that they could ever reach the other side of the cliffs. Oh! if they only might fly over in the sky like the ducks were doing! Then they would be safe.
Ivango, however, had not time to think about it. He must act quickly, or the ducks soon would be out of sight and then they would have no one to show them the way to their sister. So when the cliffs parted again, Ivango wielded his mighty paddle and the little boat shot into the foaming pass. It seemed as though they must be drawn down into the whirling waters and be drowned, but Ivango gathered his strength into one mighty effort just as the towering walls started to come together, and when they met with a deafening roar, Ivango and his little boat were safe in the quiet waters beyond.
At last they had reached their journey’s end and passed safely through the great danger. How happy and thankful they were to leave the menacing rocks behind!
They landed near a sandy cliff and walked carefully behind one another so as to make only one track in the sand with their mukluks. Their mukluks are their seal boots. Then they dug a hole in the ground, put the boat in it and hid.