02-the son of the wolf-第1章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
THE SON OF THE WOLF。
MAN RARELY PLACES A PROPER valuation upon his womankind; at least
not until deprived of them。 He has no conception of the subtle
atmosphere exhaled by the sex feminine; so long as he bathes in it;
but let it be withdrawn; and an ever…growing void begins to manifest
itself in his existence; and he becomes hungry; in a vague sort of
way; for a something so indefinite that he cannot characterize it。
If his comrades have no more experience than himself; they will
shake their heads dubiously and dose him with strong physic。 But the
hunger will continue and become stronger; he will lose interest in the
things of his everyday life and wax morbid; and one day; when the
emptiness has become unbearable; a revelation will dawn upon him。
In the Yukon country; when this comes to pass; the man usually
provisions a poling boat; if it is summer; and if winter; harnesses
his dogs; and heads for the Southland。 A few months later; supposing
him to be possessed of a faith in the country; he returns with a
wife to share with him in that faith; and incidentally in his
hardships。 This but serves to show the innate selfishness of man。 It
also brings us to the trouble of 'Scruff' Mackenzie; which occurred in
the old days; before the country was stampeded and staked by a
tidal…wave of the che…cha…quas; and when the Klondike's only claim
to notice was its salmon fisheries。
'Scruff' Mackenzie bore the earmarks of a frontier birth and a
frontier life。 His face was stamped with twenty…five years of
incessant struggle with Nature in her wildest moods;… the last two;
the wildest and hardest of all; having been spent in groping for the
gold which lies in the shadow of the Arctic Circle。 When the
yearning sickness came upon him; he was not surprised; for he was a
practical man and had seen other men thus stricken。 But he showed no
sign of his malady; save that he worked harder。 All summer he fought
mosquitoes and washed the sure…thing bars of the Stuart River for a
double grubstake。 Then he floated a raft of houselogs down the Yukon
to Forty Mile; and put together as comfortable a cabin as any the camp
could boast of。 In fact; it showed such cozy promise that many men
elected to be his partner and to come and live with him。 But he
crushed their aspirations with rough speech; peculiar for its strength
and brevity; and bought a double supply of grub from the trading…post。
As has been noted; 'Scruff' Mackenzie was a practical man。 If he
wanted a thing he usually got it; but in doing so; went no farther out
of his way than was necessary。 Though a son of toil and hardship; he
was averse to a journey of six hundred miles on the ice; a second of
two thousand miles on the ocean; and still a third thousand miles or
so to his last stamping…grounds;… all in the mere quest of a wife。
Life was too short。 So he rounded up his dogs; lashed a curious
freight to his sled; and faced across the divide whose westward slopes
were drained by the head…reaches of the Tanana。
He was a sturdy traveler; and his wolf…dogs could work harder and
travel farther on less grub than any other team in the Yukon。 Three
weeks later he strode into a hunting…camp of the Upper Tanana
Sticks。 They marveled at his temerity; for they had a bad name and had
been known to kill white men for as trifling a thing as a sharp ax
or a broken rifle。 But he went among them single…handed; his bearing
being a delicious composite of humility; familiarity; sang…froid;
and insolence。 It required a deft hand and deep knowledge of the
barbaric mind effectually to handle such diverse weapons; but he was a
past…master in the art; knowing when to conciliate and when to
threaten with Jove…like wrath。
He first made obeisance to the Chief Thling…Tinneh; presenting him
with a couple of pounds of black tea and tobacco; and thereby
winning his most cordial regard。 Then he mingled with the men and
maidens; and that night gave a potlach。 The snow was beaten down in
the form of an oblong; perhaps a hundred feet in length and quarter as
many across。 Down the center a long fire was built; while either
side was carpeted with spruce boughs。 The lodges were forsaken; and
the fivescore or so members of the tribe gave tongue to their
folk…chants in honor of their guest。
'Scruff' Mackenzie's two years had taught him the not many hundred
words of their vocabulary; and he had likewise conquered their deep
gutturals; their Japanese idioms; constructions; and honorific and
agglutinative particles。 So he made oration after their manner;
satisfying their instinctive poetry…love with crude flights of
eloquence and metaphorical contortions。 After Thling…Tinneh and the
Shaman had responded in kind; he made trifling presents to the
menfolk; joined in their singing; and proved an expert in their
fifty…two…stick gambling game。
And they smoked his tobacco and were pleased。 But among the
younger men there was a defiant attitude; a spirit of braggadocio;
easily understood by the raw insinuations of the toothless squaws
and the giggling of the maidens。 They had known few white men; 'Sons
of the Wolf;' but from those few they had learned strange lessons。
Nor had 'Scruff' Mackenzie; for all his seeming carelessness; failed
to note these phenomena。 In truth; rolled in his sleeping…furs; he
thought it all over; thought seriously; and emptied many pipes in
mapping out a campaign。 One maiden only had caught his fancy;… none
other than Zarinska; daughter to the chief。 In features; form; and
poise; answering more nearly to the white man's type of beauty; she
was almost an anomaly among her tribal sisters。 He would possess
her; make her his wife; and name her… ah; he would name her
Gertrude! Having thus decided; he rolled over on his side and
dropped off to sleep; a true son of his all…conquering race; a
Samson among the Philistines。
It was slow work and a stiff game; but 'Scruff' Mackenzie maneuvered
cunningly; with an unconcern which served to puzzle the Sticks。 He
took great care to impress the men that he was a sure shot and a
mighty hunter; and the camp rang with his plaudits when he brought
down a moose at six hundred yards。 Of a night he visited in Chief
Thling…Tinneh's lodge of moose and cariboo skins; talking big and
dispensing tobacco with a lavish hand。 Nor did he fail to likewise
honor the Shaman; for he realized the medicine…man's influence with
his people; and was anxious to make of him an ally。 But that worthy
was high and mighty; refused to be propitiated; and was unerringly
marked down as a prospective enemy。
Though no opening presented for an interview with Zarinska;
Mackenzie stole many a glance to her; giving fair warning of his
intent。 And well she knew; yet coquettishly surrounded herself with
a ring of women whenever the men were away and he had a chance。 But he
was in no hurry; besides; he knew she could not help but think of him;
and a few days of such thought would only better his suit。
At last; one night; when he deemed the time to be ripe; he
abruptly left the chief's smoky dwelling and hastened to a neighboring
lodge。 As usual; she sat with squaws and maidens about her; all
engaged in sewing moccasins and beadwork。 They laughed at his
entrance; and badinage; which linked Zarinska to him; ran high。 But
one after the other they were unceremoniously bundled into the outer
snow; whence they hurried to spread the tale through all the camp。
His cause was well pleaded; in her tongue; for she did not know his;
and at the end of two hours he rose to go。
'So Zarinska will come to the White Man's lodge? Good! I go now to
have talk with thy father; for he may not be so minded。 And I will
give him many tokens; but he must not ask too much。 If he say no?
Good! Zarinska shall yet come to the White Man's lodge。'
He had already lifted the skin flap to depart; when a low
exclamation brought him back to the girl's side。 S