smoke bellew(史沫克·贝罗)-第4章
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Smoke Bellew
III。
Kit's first pack was a success。 Up to Finnegan's Crossing they had
managed to get Indians to carry the twenty…five hundred…pound outfit。
From that point their own backs must do the work。 They planned to
move forward at the rate of a mile a day。 It looked easyon paper。
Since John Bellew was to stay in camp and do the cooking； he would be
unable to make more than an occasional pack； so； to each of the three
young men fell the task of carrying eight hundred pounds one mile each
day。 If they made fifty…pound packs； it meant a daily walk of sixteen
miles loaded and of fifteen miles light〃Because we don't back…trip the
last time；〃 Kit explained the pleasant discovery； eighty…pound packs meant
nineteen miles travel each day； and hundred…pound packs meant only
fifteen miles。
〃I don't like walking；〃 said Kit。 〃Therefore I shall carry one hundred
pounds。〃 He caught the grin of incredulity on his uncle's face； and added
hastily： 〃Of course I shall work up to it。 A fellow's got to learn the
ropes and tricks。 I'll start with fifty。〃
He did； and ambled gaily along the trail。 He dropped the sack at the
next camp…site and ambled back。 It was easier than he had thought。 But
two miles had rubbed off the velvet of his strength and exposed the
underlying softness。 His second pack was sixty…five pounds。 It was
more difficult； and he no longer ambled。 Several times； following the
custom of all packers； he sat down on the ground； resting the pack behind
him on a rock or stump。 With the third pack he became bold。 He
fastened the straps to a ninety…five… pound sack of beans and started。 At
the end of a hundred yards he felt that he must collapse。 He sat down
and mopped his face。
〃Short hauls and short rests；〃 he muttered。 〃That's the trick。〃
Sometimes he did not make a hundred yards； and each time he
struggled to his feet for another short haul the pack became undeniably
heavier。 He panted for breath； and the sweat streamed from him。
Before he had covered a quarter of a mile he stripped off his woollen shirt
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Smoke Bellew
and hung it on a tree。 A little later he discarded his hat。 At the end of
half a mile he decided he was finished。 He had never exerted himself so
in his life； and he knew that he was finished。 As he sat and panted； his
gaze fell upon the big revolver and the heavy cartridge…belt。
〃Ten pounds of junk；〃 he sneered； as he unbuckled it。
He did not bother to hang it on a tree； but flung it into the underbush。
And as the steady tide of packers flowed by him； up trail and down； he
noted that the other tender…feet were beginning to shed their shooting
irons。
His short hauls decreased。 At times a hundred feet was all he could
stagger； and then the ominous pounding of his heart against his ear… drums
and the sickening totteriness of his knees compelled him to rest。 And his
rests grew longer。 But his mind was busy。 It was a twenty…eight mile
portage； which represented as many days； and this； by all accounts； was
the easiest part of it。 〃Wait till you get to Chilcoot；〃 others told him as
they rested and talked； 〃where you climb with hands and feet。〃
〃They ain't going to be no Chilcoot；〃 was his answer。 〃Not for me。
Long before that I'll be at peace in my little couch beneath the moss。〃
A slip； and a violent wrenching effort at recovery； frightened him。 He
felt that everything inside him had been torn asunder。
〃If ever I fall down with this on my back I'm a goner；〃 he told another
packer。
〃That's nothing；〃 came the answer。 〃Wait till you hit the Canyon。
You'll have to cross a raging torrent on a sixty…foot pine tree。 No guide
ropes； nothing； and the water boiling at the sag of the log to your knees。
If you fall with a pack on your back； there's no getting out of the straps。
You just stay there and drown。〃
〃Sounds good to me；〃 he retorted； and out of the depths of his
exhaustion he almost half meant it。
〃They drown three or four a day there；〃 the man assured him。 〃I
helped fish a German out there。 He had four thousand in greenbacks on
him。〃
〃Cheerful； I must say；〃 said Kit； battling his way to his feet and
tottering on。
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Smoke Bellew
He and the sack of beans became a perambulating tragedy。 It
reminded him of the old man of the sea who sat on Sinbad's neck。 And this
was one of those intensely masculine vacations； he meditated。 Compared
with it； the servitude to O'Hara was sweet。 Again and again he was nearly
seduced by the thought of abandoning the sack of beans in the brush and
of sneaking around the camp to the beach and catching a steamer for
civilization。 But he didn't。 Somewhere in him was the strain of the
hard； and he repeated over and over to himself that what other men could
do； he could。 It became a nightmare chant； and he gibbered it to those
that passed him on the trail。 At other times； resting； he watched and
envied the stolid； mule…footed Indians that plodded by under heavier packs。
They never seemed to rest； but went on and on with a steadiness and
certitude that was to him appalling。
He sat and cursedhe had no breath for it when under wayand fought
the temptation to sneak back to San Francisco。 Before the mile pack was
ended he ceased cursing and took to crying。 The tears were tears of
exhaustion and of disgust with self。 If ever a man was a wreck； he was。
As the end of the pack came in sight； he strained himself in desperation；
gained the camp…site； and pitched forward on his face； the beans on his
back。 It did not kill him； but he lay for fifteen minutes before he could
summon sufficient shreds of strength to release himself from the straps。
Then he became deathly sick； and was so found by Robbie； who had
similar troubles of his own。 It was this sickness of Robbie that braced
him up。
〃What other men can do； we can do；〃 Kit told him； though down in his
heart he wondered whether or not he was bluffing。
IV。
〃And I am twenty…seven years old and a man；〃 he privately assured
himself many times in the days that followed。 There was need for it。 At
the end of a week； though he had succeeded in moving his eight hundred
pounds forward a mile a day； he had lost fifteen pounds of his own weight。
His face was lean and haggard。 All resilience had gone out of
