SARGASSO SAILS

CHAPTER 8

IROGATORS



   The port side of the lagoon was fed by a magnificent waterfall, perhaps six stories tall. The other side featured two thin cascades that slid down the rock face like a natural waterslide. Visually checking my depth, I dropped anchor and floated contentedly, taking in all nature's splendour. The beach in the middle of the lagoon was pure white sand resplendently fringed with coconut palms. The lagoon itself was only about a quarter of a mile long, crystal clear, but with an uncanny resemblance to the 'eye' that greeted me in the Mist.
   I was not long for company. From behind the waterfall emerged a flotilla of dugout canoes. Two creatures with enormous toothy grins paddled each. I was soon surrounded by curious stares until one stood up and announced:
   -I am Kayaya. We are Irogators.
   As if on cue, the music started. I had become used to musical greeting in all the islands so far. Theirs was a curious blend of percussion that was accentuated by the clacking of their teeth. Although the Irogators looked reptilian, their teeth were perfectly flat unlike crocodilians. When the music ended, I said:
   -Wonderful. May I come ashore now?
   In my eagerness to show off my paddling skills, I forgot to untie the Great Gitchegoomi's painter and was making no headway with Sargasso in tow. This generated enough humour to break the proverbial ice.
   Untied, we made a steady course into the waterfall, that was guarded by a formidable looking Irogator with huge eyes.
   -The sentry is known as Al Eyegator, Kayaya informed me. He has tremendous vision and can warn us if there are intruders present.
   Behind the waterfall was a glittering cavern. Rubies festooned the roof of the cavern that was reflected onto the water. It was a spectacular entranceway. Emerging from the cavern, I was treated to a magnificent vista of numerous canals that honeycombed their way to the distant hills. Pineapples and pumpkins, cornfields and canefields...as far as the eye could see. Was this the garden of Eden? Atalantoll was by far the largest of the Summerland islands.
   All of their huts were like Polynesian fares...open on one side and with thatched roofs. Everything was constructed naturally and there was no sign of garbage or refuse of any kind. They had community composters off the shell strewn pathways.
   We pulled up to a dock where a number of larger fares had been erected and I was finally able to peruse the residents. the Irogators were perhaps three feet tall, with short legs and a tail that looked more like a baby kangaroo's than a cayman's. It came as a surprise to me that they too, were indeed vegans. Their flat teeth had something to do with breaking down fibres that went into their whiskteas. This was similar to the process of making kava in the south Pacific, or cheecha in the Andes.
   -So when will the whisktea be ready? I inquired.
   -Why today of course. Kayaya pointed to a cylindrical shell in which a fibrous material ran down to the vat. When the crockodial turns green, then the whistea is ready.
   Baskets of fruits and nuts were offered as well as a variety of intoxicants. They entertained me by splitting coconuts with their tremendous jaws. As well as whisktea, they made a cane liquor and a concoction of corn liquor that they mixed with Bam and called Bourbam. Conversation centered on agriculture for the most part. This and music were their main occupations. They had constructed all the canals themselves. The water here was fresh, although a little brackish near the lagoon. Kaya told me that it was faster for them to paddle than to walk, but that they were excellent swimmers as well. Unfortunately for me, in this horn of plenty, they had never heard of rhubarb. How does one describe a taste. All our senses seem to center around sight, which can be reasonably described and accurately duplicated.
   The Irogators were fascinated by Larry's canoe. They had never seen aluminum or any metals before. They were especially interested in the oarlocks and immediately began rigging a system on their dugouts to match this.
   More feasting and drinking and music followed, with the result of a lot of Irogators falling down. All this drinking couldn't be healthy, but I was yet to see a sick creature on any of the islands. I was hoping for a tour but Kayaya informed me that we had to wait for Akviro. In the meantime I asked her if they had met with any problems from the Konkers.
   -A few of our young have gone missing in the lagoon but it remains to be proven if this was an act of the Konkers. The Konkers can't survive in fresh water so we are safe here. They can't handle the richness of our soil either. They live on a barren lava field and the soil here would moult their shells.
   -Do you think that they could have invaded your lagoon? I asked. It seems a long way from Konkerland.
   -I have asked Akviro to check it out. He will be back to to tell us his findings, Kaya said.
   -You've mentioned Akviro before. Who is he? I asked.
   -He is the last of a race called the Aquanauts. Before the Great Flood, there was the White City in the valley where the lagoon is now. Akviro was the only Aquanaut to survive and he has lived with us ever since, she finished.
   -And when was this Great Flood? I eagerly asked.
   -Why today, of course.
   It was obvious that the Irogators had no sense of time either. But why should they? By now I was convinced that time would be an extra burden in these carefree islands.
   At this point, the music stopped as a new arrival swam ashore. This was Akviro, the Aquanaut. At first look, I thought he was a homo sapien. He had blond hair and stood close to six feet tall, with no flings, roots, or tails. However, he had webbed hands and feet and his ears were pulled back and much smaller than a human's. He came right up to Kayaya and myself and said:
   -There is no doubt that the Coners have been in the lagoon. You must be the Skipper. I saw your boat so I know you didn't arrive from above. In the old days, there was lots of traffic by air. After the flood, nobody came by air or by sea until now.
   -You said the old days. does that mean you understand the concept of time? I asked.
   -Yes but it is of no use anymore. When I was young, I came to live with the Irogators, and after the boom and the flood, the sun refused to set. I have not seen the moon since I was a child, and that might be hundreds of years ago. There's no use trying to explain certain things that are of no use to them. I'm not sure I remember much anyhow, he finished.
   Through my conversation with Akviro, I came to learn that the Summerlands were apart of one big island before the volcano exploded. He told me I could snorkel in the lagoon and see the remains of the White City. He would take me himself, but he had to organize a meeting of all the islanders to see what could be done to protect themselves against the Konkers.
   It was agreed that we should all meet in Mangroville because the Jahstamoments could not be transported. I said that for my part, I would try again to communicate with the Konkers on my way to Mangroville. Of all the islands in the archipelago, I would have loved to stay here and explore. However, time was of the essence.
   When I returned to Sargasso, I was again surprised by some Coners. Fortunately, they were not very swift and I safely got on board. This was not a good time to be snorkelling in the lagoon. Before Atalantoll, I had felt some trepidation about approaching Konkerland again. Now I was furious. I was getting more involved with this than I had originally planned. I had become confrontational. I had to meet this Oopslop.

ON TO CHAPTER 9 "KONKERLAND "
GET ME OUTTA HERE...SEE YOU LATER IROGATOR