08-an odyssey of the north-第2章

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coast　wondered　about　him　eight　years　ago。　Sort　of　mysterious；　you

know。　He　came　down　out　of　the　North　in　the　dead　of　winter；　many　a

thousand　miles　from　here；　skirting　Bering　Sea　and　traveling　as

though　the　devil　were　after　him。　No　one　ever　learned　where　he　came

from；　but　he　must　have　come　far。　He　was　badly　travel…worn　when　he

got　food　from　the　Swedish　missionary　on　Golovin　Bay　and　asked　the

way　south。　We　heard　of　all　this　afterward。　Then　he　abandoned　the　shore

line；　heading　right　across　Norton　Sound。　Terrible　weather；

snowstorms　and　high　winds；　but　he　pulled　through　where　a　thousand

other　men　would　have　died；　missing　St。　Michaels　and　making　the　land　at

Pastilik。　He'd　lost　all　but　two　dogs；　and　was　nearly　gone　with

starvation。

　　'He　was　so　anxious　to　go　on　that　Father　Roubeau　fitted　him　out

with　grub；　but　he　couldn't　let　him　have　any　dogs；　for　he　was　only

waiting　my　arrival；　to　go　on　a　trip　himself。　Mr。　Ulysses　knew　too　much

to　start　on　without　animals；　and　fretted　around　for　several　days。　He

had　on　his　sled　a　bunch　of　beautifully　cured　otter　skins；　sea

otters；　you　know；　worth　their　weight　in　gold。　There　was　also　at

Pastilik　an　old　Shylock　of　a　Russian　trader；　who　had　dogs　to　kill。

Well；　they　didn't　dicker　very　long；　but　when　the　Strange　One　headed

south　again；　it　was　in　the　rear　of　a　spanking　dog　team。　Mr。　Shylock；

by　the　way；　had　the　otter　skins。　I　saw　them；　and　they　were

magnificent。　We　figured　it　up　and　found　the　dogs　brought　him　at

least　five　hundred　apiece。　And　it　wasn't　as　if　the　Strange　One

didn't　know　the　value　of　sea　otter；　he　was　an　Indian　of　some　sort；　and

what　little　he　talked　showed　he'd　been　among　white　men。

　　'After　the　ice　passed　out　of　the　sea；　word　came　up　from　Nunivak

Island　that　he'd　gone　in　there　for　grub。　Then　he　dropped　from　sight；

and　this　is　the　first　heard　of　him　in　eight　years。　Now　where　did　he

come　from？　and　what　was　he　doing　there？　and　why　did　he　come　from

there？　He's　Indian；　he's　been　nobody　knows　where；　and　he's　had

discipline；　which　is　unusual　for　an　Indian。　Another　mystery　of　the

North　for　you　to　solve；　Prince。'

　　'Thanks　awfully；　but　I've　got　too　many　on　hand　as　it　is；'　he

replied。

　　Malemute　Kid　was　already　breathing　heavily；　but　the　young　mining

engineer　gazed　straight　up　through　the　thick　darkness；　waiting　for　the

strange　orgasm　which　stirred　his　blood　to　die　away。　And　when　he　did

sleep；　his　brain　worked　on；　and　for　the　nonce　he；　too；　wandered

through　the　white　unknown；　struggled　with　the　dogs　on　endless

trails；　and　saw　men　live；　and　toil；　and　die　like　men。



　　The　next　morning；　hours　before　daylight；　the　dog　drivers　and

policemen　pulled　out　for　Dawson。　But　the　powers　that　saw　to　Her

Majesty's　interests　and　ruled　the　destinies　of　her　lesser　creatures

gave　the　mailmen　little　rest；　for　a　week　later　they　appeared　at　Stuart

River；　heavily　burdened　with　letters　for　Salt　Water。　However；　their

dogs　had　been　replaced　by　fresh　ones；　but；　then；　they　were　dogs。

　　The　men　had　expected　some　sort　of　a　layover　in　which　to　rest　up；

besides；　this　Klondike　was　a　new　section　of　the　Northland；　and　they

had　wished　to　see　a　little　something　of　the　Golden　City　where　dust

flowed　like　water　and　dance　halls　rang　with　never…ending　revelry。

But　they　dried　their　socks　and　smoked　their　evening　pipes　with　much

the　same　gusto　as　on　their　former　visit；　though　one　or　two　bold

spirits　speculated　on　desertion　and　the　possibility　of　crossing　the

unexplored　Rockies　to　the　east；　and　thence；　by　the　Mackenzie　Valley；

of　gaining　their　old　stamping　grounds　in　the　Chippewyan　country。　Two

or　three　even　decided　to　return　to　their　homes　by　that　route　when

their　terms　of　service　had　expired；　and　they　began　to　lay　plans

forthwith；　looking　forward　to　the　hazardous　undertaking　in　much　the

same　way　a　city…bred　man　would　to　a　day's　holiday　in　the　woods。

　　He　of　the　Otter　Skins　seemed　very　restless；　though　he　took　little

interest　in　the　discussion；　and　at　last　he　drew　Malemute　Kid　to　one

side　and　talked　for　some　time　in　low　tones。　Prince　cast　curious　eyes

in　their　direction；　and　the　mystery　deepened　when　they　put　on　caps　and

mittens　and　went　outside。　When　they　returned；　Malemute　Kid　placed

his　gold　scales　on　the　table；　weighed　out　the　matter　of　sixty

ounces；　and　transferred　them　to　the　Strange　One's　sack。　Then　the　chief

of　the　dog　drivers　joined　the　conclave；　and　certain　business　was

transacted　with　him。　The　next　day　the　gang　went　on　upriver；　but　He

of　the　Otter　Skins　took　several　pounds　of　grub　and　turned　his　steps

back　toward　Dawson。

　　'Didn't　know　what　to　make　of　it；'　said　Malemute　Kid　in　response　to

Prince's　queries；　'but　the　poor　beggar　wanted　to　be　quit　of　the

service　for　some　reason　or　other…　at　least　it　seemed　a　most

important　one　to　him；　though　he　wouldn't　let　on　what。　You　see；　it's

just　like　the　army：　he　signed　for　two　years；　and　the　only　way　to　get

free　was　to　buy　himself　out。　He　couldn't　desert　and　then　stay　here；

and　he　was　just　wild　to　remain　in　the　country。　Made　up　his　mind　when

he　got　to　Dawson；　he　said；　but　no　one　knew　him；　hadn't　a　cent；　and　I

was　the　only　one　he'd　spoken　two　words　with。　So　he　talked　it　over　with

the　lieutenant…governor；　and　made　arrangements　in　case　he　could　get

the　money　from　me…　loan；　you　know。　Said　he'd　pay　back　in　the　year；

and；　if　I　wanted；　would　put　me　onto　something　rich。　Never'd　seen　it；

but　he　knew　it　was　rich。

　　'And　talk！　why；　when　he　got　me　outside　he　was　ready　to　weep。

Begged　and　pleaded；　got　down　in　the　snow　to　me　till　I　hauled　him　out

of　it。　Palavered　around　like　a　crazy　man。　Swore　he's　worked　to　this

very　end　for　years　and　years；　and　couldn't　bear　to　be　disappointed

now。　Asked　him　what　end；　but　he　wouldn't　say。　Said　they　might　keep　him

on　the　other　half　of　the　trail　and　he　wouldn't　get　to　Dawson　in　two

years；　and　then　it　would　be　too　late。　Never　saw　a　man　take　on　so　in　my

life。　And　when　I　said　I'd　let　him　have　it；　had　to　yank　him　out　of

the　snow　again。　Told　him　to　consider　it　in　the　light　of　a　grubstake。

Think　he'd　have　it？　No　sir！　Swore　he'd　give　me　all　he　found；　make　me

rich　beyond　the　dreams　of　avarice；　and　all　such　stuff。　Now　a　man　who

puts　his　life　and　time　against　a　grubstake　ordinarily　finds　it　hard

enough　to　turn　over　half　of　what　he　finds。　Something　behind　all

this；　Prince；　just　you　make　a　note　of　it。　We'll　hear　of　him　if　he

stays　in　the　country…'

　　'And　if　he　doesn't？'

　　'Then　my　good　nature　gets　a　shock；　and　I'm　sixty　some　odd　ounces

out。'



　　The　cold　weather　had　come　on　with　the　long　nights；　and　the　sun　had

begun　to　play　his　ancient　game　of　peekaboo　along　the　southern　snow

line　ere　aught　was　heard　of　Malemute　Kid's　grubstake。　And　then；　one

bleak　morning　in　early　January；　a　heavily　laden　dog　train　pulled

into　his　cabin　below　Stuart　River。　He　of　the　Otter　Skins　was　there；

and　with　him　walked　a　man　such　as　the　gods　have　almost　forgotten　how

to　fashion。　Men　never　talked　of　luck　and　pluck　and　five…hundred…dollar

dirt　without　bringing　in　the　name　of　Axel　Gunderson；　nor　could　tales

of　nerve　or　strength　or　daring　pass　up　and　down　the　campfire　without

the　summoning　of　his　presence。　And　when　the　conversation　flagged；　it

blazed　anew　at　mention　of　the　woman　who　shared　his　fortunes。

　　As　has　been　noted；　in　the　making　of　Axel　Gunderson　the　gods　had

remembered　their　old…time　cunning　and　cast　him　after　the　manner　of　men

who　were　born　when　the　world　was　young。　Full　seven　feet　he　towered

in　his　picturesque　costume　which　marked　a　king　of　Eldorado。　His　chest；

neck；　and　limbs　were　those　of　a　giant。　To　bear　his　three　hundred

pounds　of　bone　and　muscle；　his　snowshoes　were　greater　by　a　generous

yard　than　those　of　other　men。　Rough…hewn；　with　rugged　brow　and　massive

jaw　and　unflinching　eyes　of　palest　blue；　his　face　told　the　tale　of　one

who　knew　but　the　law　of　might。　Of　the　yellow　of　ripe　corn　silk；　his

frost…incrusted　hair　swept　like　day　across　the　night　and　fell　far　down

his　coat　of　bearskin。　A　vague　tradition　of　the　sea　seemed　to　cling

about