the faith of men(人们的信任)-第3章
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had stretched was a slimy； bloody depression in the soft earth； all of a yard
in diameter； and around the edges a few scattered hairs。〃
I measured three feet on the snow； threw about it a circle； and glanced
at Nimrod。
〃The beast was thirty long and twenty high；〃 he answered； 〃and its
tusks scaled over six times three feet。 I couldn't believe； myself； at the
time； for all that it had just happened。 But if my senses had played me；
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there was the broken gun and the hole in the brush。 And there wasor；
rather； there was notKlooch and the pups。 O man； it makes me hot all
over now when I think of it Klooch！ Another Eve！ The mother of a
new race！ And a rampaging； ranting； old bull mammoth； like a second
flood； wiping them； root and branch； off the face of the earth！ Do you
wonder that the blood…soaked earth cried out to high God？ Or that I
grabbed the hand…axe and took the trail？〃
〃The hand…axe？〃 I exclaimed； startled out of myself by the picture。
〃The hand…axe； and a big bull mammoth； thirty feet long； twenty feet〃
Nimrod joined me in my merriment； chuckling gleefully。 〃Wouldn't
it kill you？〃 he cried。 〃Wasn't it a beaver's dream？ Many's the time I've
laughed about it since； but at the time it was no laughing matter； I was that
danged mad； what of the gun and Klooch。 Think of it； O man！ A brand…
new； unclassified； uncopyrighted breed； and wiped out before ever it
opened its eyes or took out its intention papers！ Well； so be it。 Life's
full of disappointments； and rightly so。 Meat is best after a famine； and a
bed soft after a hard trail。
〃As I was saying； I took out after the beast with the hand…axe； and
hung to its heels down the valley； but when he circled back toward the
head； I was left winded at the lower end。 Speaking of grub； I might as
well stop long enough to explain a couple of points。 Up thereabouts； in
the midst of the mountains； is an almighty curious formation。 There is no
end of little valleys； each like the other much as peas in a pod； and all
neatly tucked away with straight； rocky walls rising on all sides。 And at
the lower ends are always small openings where the drainage or glaciers
must have broken out。 The only way in is through these mouths； and they
are all small； and some smaller than others。 As to grubyou've slushed
around on the rain…soaked islands of the Alaskan coast down Sitka way；
most likely； seeing as you're a traveller。 And you know how stuff grows
therebig； and juicy； and jungly。 Well； that's the way it was with those
valleys。 Thick； rich soil； with ferns and grasses and such things in
patches higher than your head。 Rain three days out of four during the
summer months； and food in them for a thousand mammoths； to say
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nothing of small game for man。
〃But to get back。 Down at the lower end of the valley I got winded
and gave over。 I began to speculate； for when my wind left me my
dander got hotter and hotter； and I knew I'd never know peace of mind till
I dined on roasted mammoth…foot。 And I knew； also； that that stood for
SKOOKUM MAMOOK PUKAPUKexcuse Chinook； I mean there was
a big fight coming。 Now the mouth of my valley was very narrow； and
the walls steep。 High up on one side was one of those big pivot rocks； or
balancing rocks； as some call them； weighing all of a couple of hundred
tons。 Just the thing。 I hit back for camp； keeping an eye open so the
bull couldn't slip past； and got my ammunition。 It wasn't worth anything
with the rifle smashed； so I opened the shells； planted the powder under
the rock； and touched it off with slow fuse。 Wasn't much of a charge； but
the old boulder tilted up lazily and dropped down into place； with just
space enough to let the creek drain nicely。 Now I had him。〃
〃But how did you have him？〃 I queried。 〃Who ever heard of a man
killing a mammoth with a hand…axe？ And； for that matter； with anything
else？〃
〃O man； have I not told you I was mad？〃 Nimrod replied； with a slight
manifestation of sensitiveness。 〃Mad clean through； what of Klooch and
the gun。 Also； was I not a hunter？ And was this not new and most
unusual game？ A hand…axe？ Pish！ I did not need it。 Listen； and you
shall hear of a hunt； such as might have happened in the youth of the
world when cavemen rounded up the kill with hand…axe of stone。 Such
would have served me as well。 Now is it not a fact that man can outwalk
the dog or horse？ That he can wear them out with the intelligence of his
endurance？〃
I nodded。
〃Well？〃
The light broke in on me； and I bade him continue。
〃My valley was perhaps five miles around。 The mouth was closed。
There was no way to get out。 A timid beast was that bull mammoth； and
I had him at my mercy。 I got on his heels again hollered like a fiend；
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pelted him with cobbles； and raced him around the valley three times
before I knocked off for supper。 Don't you see？ A race…course！ A man
and a mammoth！ A hippodrome； with sun； moon； and stars to referee！
〃It took me two months to do it； but I did it。 And that's no beaver
dream。 Round and round I ran him； me travelling on the inner circle；
eating jerked meat and salmon berries on the run； and snatching winks of
sleep between。 Of course； he'd get desperate at times and turn。 Then I'd
head for soft ground where the creek spread out； and lay anathema upon
him and his ancestry； and dare him to come on。 But he was too wise to
bog in a mud puddle。 Once he pinned me in against the walls； and I
crawled back into a deep crevice and waited。 Whenever he felt for me
with his trunk； I'd belt him with the hand…axe till he pulled out； shrieking
fit to split my ear drums； he was that mad。 He knew he had me and didn't
have me； and it near drove him wild。 But he was no man's fool。 He
knew he was safe as long as I stayed in the crevice； and he made up his
mind to keep me there。 And he was dead right； only he hadn't figured on
the commissary。 There was neither grub nor water around that spot； so
on the face of it he couldn't keep up the siege。 He'd stand before the
opening for hours； keeping an eye on me and flapping mosquitoes away
with his big blanket ears。 Then the thirst would come on him and he'd
ramp round and roar till the earth shook； calling me every name he could
lay tongue to。 This was to frighten me； of course； and when he thought I
was sufficiently impressed； he'd back away softly
