the faith of men(人们的信任)-第2章
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The Faith of Men
bars that abounded with ancient mammoth bones； spoke of the large
quantities of fossil ivory purchased from the Innuits by the Alaska
Commercial Company； and acknowledged having myself mined six… and
eight…foot tusks from the pay gravel of the Klondike creeks。 〃All
fossils；〃 I concluded； 〃found in the midst of debris deposited through
countless ages。〃
〃I remember when I was a kid；〃 Thomas Stevens sniffed （he had a
most confounded way of sniffing）； 〃that I saw a petrified water… melon。
Hence； though mistaken persons sometimes delude themselves into
thinking that they are really raising or eating them； there are no such
things as extant water…melons？〃
〃But the question of food；〃 I objected； ignoring his point； which was
puerile and without bearing。 〃The soil must bring forth vegetable life in
lavish abundance to support so monstrous creations。 Nowhere in the
North is the soil so prolific。 Ergo； the mammoth cannot exist。〃
〃I pardon your ignorance concerning many matters of this Northland；
for you are a young man and have travelled little； but； at the same time； I
am inclined to agree with you on one thing。 The mammoth no longer
exists。 How do I know？ I killed the last one with my own right arm。〃
Thus spake Nimrod； the mighty Hunter。 I threw a stick of firewood
at the dogs and bade them quit their unholy howling； and waited。
Undoubtedly this liar of singular felicity would open his mouth and
requite me for my St。 Elias bear。
〃It was this way；〃 he at last began； after the appropriate silence had
intervened。 〃I was in camp one day〃
〃Where？〃 I interrupted。
He waved his hand vaguely in the direction of the north…east； where
stretched a TERRA INCOGNITA into which vastness few men have
strayed and fewer emerged。 〃I was in camp one day with Klooch。
Klooch was as handsome a little KAMOOKS as ever whined betwixt the
traces or shoved nose into a camp kettle。 Her father was a full… blood
Malemute from Russian Pastilik on Bering Sea； and I bred her； and with
understanding； out of a clean…legged bitch of the Hudson Bay stock。 I
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tell you； O man； she was a corker combination。 And now； on this day I
have in mind； she was brought to pup through a pure wild wolf of the
woodsgrey； and long of limb； with big lungs and no end of staying
powers。 Say！ Was there ever the like？ It was a new breed of dog I
had started； and I could look forward to big things。
〃As I have said； she was brought neatly to pup； and safely delivered。
I was squatting on my hams over the litterseven sturdy； blind little
beggarswhen from behind came a bray of trumpets and crash of brass。
There was a rush； like the wind… squall that kicks the heels of the rain； and
I was midway to my feet when knocked flat on my face。 At the same
instant I heard Klooch sigh； very much as a man does when you've planted
your fist in his belly。 You can stake your sack I lay quiet； but I twisted
my head around and saw a huge bulk swaying above me。 Then the blue
sky flashed into view and I got to my feet。 A hairy mountain of flesh was
just disappearing in the underbrush on the edge of the open。 I caught a
rear…end glimpse； with a stiff tail； as big in girth as my body； standing out
straight behind。 The next second only a tremendous hole remained in the
thicket； though I could still hear the sounds as of a tornado dying quickly
away； underbrush ripping and tearing； and trees snapping and crashing。
〃I cast about for my rifle。 It had been lying on the ground with the
muzzle against a log； but now the stock was smashed； the barrel out of line；
and the working…gear in a thousand bits。 Then I looked for the slut； and
and what do you suppose？〃
I shook my head。
〃May my soul burn in a thousand hells if there was anything left of her！
Klooch； the seven sturdy； blind little beggarsgone； all gone。 Where she
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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