smoke bellew(史沫克·贝罗)-第4章
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and afflicted with hangnails； were never cleaned。 His shoulders and
chest； galled by the pack…straps； made him think； and for the first time
with understanding； of the horses he had seen on city streets。
One ordeal that nearly destroyed him at first had been the food。 The
extraordinary amount of work demanded extraordinary stoking； and his
stomach was unaccustomed to great quantities of bacon and of the coarse；
highly poisonous brown beans。 As a result； his stomach went back on
him； and for several days the pain and irritation of it and of starvation
nearly broke him down。 And then came the day of joy when he could eat
like a ravenous animal； and； wolf…eyed； ask for more。
When they had moved the outfit across the foot…logs at the mouth of
the Canyon； they made a change in their plans。 Word had come across
the Pass that at Lake Linderman the last available trees for building boats
were being cut。 The two cousins； with tools； whipsaw； blankets； and grub
on their backs； went on； leaving Kit and his uncle to hustle along the outfit。
John Bellew now shared the cooking with Kit； and both packed shoulder
to shoulder。 Time was flying； and on the peaks the first snow was falling。
To be caught on the wrong side of the Pass meant a delay of nearly a year。
The older man put his iron back under a hundred pounds。 Kit was
shocked； but he gritted his teeth and fastened his own straps to a hundred
pounds。 It hurt； but he had learned the knack； and his body； purged of all
softness and fat； was beginning to harden up with lean and bitter muscle。
Also； he observed and devised。 He took note of the head…straps worn by
the Indians； and manufactured one for himself； which he used in addition
to the shoulder…straps。 It made things easier； so that he began the practice
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of piling any light； cumbersome piece of luggage on top。 Thus； he was
soon able to bend along with a hundred pounds in the straps； fifteen or
twenty more lying loosely on top the pack and against his neck； an axe or
a pair of oars in one hand； and in the other the nested cooking…pails of the
camp。
But work as they would； the toil increased。 The trail grew more
rugged； their packs grew heavier； and each day saw the snow…line
dropping down the mountains； while freight jumped to sixty cents。 No
word came from the cousins beyond； so they knew they must be at work
chopping down the standing trees； and whipsawing them into boat…planks。
John Bellew grew anxious。 Capturing a bunch of Indians back…tripping
from Lake Linderman； he persuaded them to put their straps on the outfit。
They charged thirty cents a pound to carry it to the summit of Chilcoot；
and it nearly broke him。 As it was； some four hundred pounds of clothes…
bags and camp outfit was not handled。 He remained behind to move it
along； dispatching Kit with the Indians。 At the summit Kit was to remain；
slowly moving his ton until overtaken by the four hundred pounds with
which his uncle guaranteed to catch him。
V。
Kit plodded along the trail with his Indian packers。 In recognition of
the fact that it was to be a long pack； straight to the top of Chilcoot； his
own load was only eighty pounds。 The Indians plodded under their loads；
but it was a quicker gait than he had practised。 Yet he felt no apprehension；
and by now had come to deem himself almost the equal of an Indian。
At the end of a quarter of a mile he desired to rest。 But the Indians
kept on。 He stayed with them； and kept his place in the line。 At the half
mile he was convinced that he was incapable of another step； yet he gritted
his teeth； kept his place； and at the end of the mile was amazed that he was
still alive。 Then； in some strange way； came the thing called second wind；
and the next mile was almost easier than the first。 The third mile nearly
killed him； and； though half delirious with pain and fatigue； he never
whimpered。 And then； when he felt he must surely faint； came the rest。
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Instead of sitting in the straps； as was the custom of the white packers； the
Indians slipped out of the shoulder… and head… straps and lay at ease；
talking and smoking。 A full half hour passed before they made another
start。 To Kit's surprise he found himself a fresh man； and 'long hauls and
long rests' became his newest motto。
The pitch of Chilcoot was all he had heard of it； and many were the
occasions when he climbed with hands as well as feet。 But when he
reached the crest of the divide in the thick of a driving snow… squall； it was
in the company of his Indians； and his secret pride was that he had come
through with them and never squealed and never lagged。 To be almost as
good as an Indian was a new ambition to cherish。
When he had paid off the Indians and seen them depart； a stormy
darkness was falling； and he was left alone； a thousand feet above timber
line； on the back…bone of a mountain。 Wet to the waist； famished and
exhausted； he would have given a year's income for a fire and a cup of
coffee。 Instead； he ate half a dozen cold flap… jacks and crawled into the
folds of the partly unrolled tent。 As he dozed off he had time only for
one fleeting thought； and he grinned with vicious pleasure at the picture of
John Bellew in the days to follow； masculinely back…tripping his four
hundred pounds up Chilcoot。 As for himself； even though burdened with
two thousand pounds； he was bound down the hill。
In the morning； stiff from his labours and numb with the frost； he
rolled out of the canvas； ate a couple of pounds of uncooked bacon；
buckled the straps on a hundred pounds； and went down the rocky way。
Several hundred yards beneath； the trail led across a small glacier and
down to Crater Lake。 Other men packed across the glacier。 All that day
he dropped his packs at the glacier's upper edge； and； by virtue of the
shortness of the pack； he put his straps on one hundred and fifty pounds
each load。 His astonishment at being able to do it never abated。 For
two dollars he bought from an Indian three leathery sea…biscuits； and out
of these； and a huge quantity of raw bacon； made several meals。
Unwashed； unwarmed； his clothing wet with sweat； he slept another night
in the canvas。
In the early morning he spread a tarpaulin on the ice； loaded it with
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three…quarters of a ton； and started to pull。 Where the pitch of the glacier
accelerated； his load likewise accelerated； overran him； scooped him in on
top； and ran away with him。
A hundred packers； bending under their loads； stopped to watch him。
He yelled frantic warnings； and those in his path stumbled and staggered
clear。 Below； on the lower edge of the glacier； was pitched a small tent；
which seemed leaping toward him； so rapidly did it grow larger。 He left
the beaten track where the packers' trail swerved to the left； and struck a
patch of fresh snow。 This arose about him in frosty smoke； while it
reduced his speed。 He saw the tent the instant he struck it； carrying away
the corner guys； bursting in the front flaps； and fetching up inside； still on
top of the tarpaulin and in the midst of his grub…sacks。 The tent rocked
drunkenly； and in the frosty vapour he found himself face to face with a
startled young woman who was sitting up in her blanketsthe very one
who had called him chechaquo at Dyea。
〃Did you see my smoke？〃 he queried cheerfully。
She regarded him with disapproval。
〃Talk about your magic carpets！〃 he went on。
〃Do you mind removing that sack from my foot？〃 she said coldly。
He looked； and lifted his weight quickly。
〃It wasn't a sack。 It was my elbow。 Pardon me。〃
The information did not perturb her； and her coolness was a challenge。
〃It was a mercy you did not overturn the stove；〃 she said。
He followed her glance and saw a sheet…iron stove and a coffee…pot；
attended by a young squaw。 He sniffed the coffee and looked back to the
girl。
〃I'm a chechaquo；〃 he said。
Her bored expression told him that he was stating the obvious。 But
he was unabashed。
〃I've shed my shooting…irons；〃 he added。
Then she recognized him； and her eyes lighted。
〃I never thought you'd get this far；〃 she informed him。
Again； and greedily； he sniffed the air。
〃As I live； coffee！〃 He turned and directly addressed her。 〃I'll give
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you my little fingercut it right off now； I'll do anything； I'll be your slave
for a year and a day or any other odd time； if you'll give me a cup out of
that pot。〃
And over the coffee he gave his name and learned hersJoy Gastell。
Also； he learned that she was an old…timer in the country。 She had been
born in a trading post on the Great Slave； and as a child had crossed the
Rockies with her father and come down to the Yukon。 She was going in；
she said； with her father； who had been delayed by business in Seattle； and
who had then been wrecked on the ill…fated Chanter and carried back to
Puget Sound by the rescuing steamer。
In view of the fact that she was still in her blankets； he did not make it
a long conversation； and； heroically declining a second cup of coffee； he
removed himself and his quarter of a ton of baggage from her tent。
Further； he took several conclu
