the faith of men(人们的信任)-第3节
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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 and try to make a sneak
for the creek。 Sometimes I'd let him get almost thereonly a couple of
hundred yards away it waswhen out I'd pop and back he'd come；
lumbering along like the old landslide he was。 After I'd done this a few
times； and he'd figured it out； he changed his tactics。 Grasped the time
element； you see。 Without a word of warning； away he'd go； tearing for
the water like mad； scheming to get there and back before I ran away。
Finally； after cursing me most horribly； he raised the siege and deliberately
stalked off to the water…hole。
〃That was the only time he penned me；three days of it；but after that
the hippodrome never stopped。 Round； and round； and round； like a six
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days' go…as…I…please； for he never pleased。 My clothes went to rags and
tatters； but I never stopped to mend； till at last I ran naked as a son of earth；
with nothing but the old hand…axe in one hand and a cobble in the other。
In fact； I never stopped； save for peeps of sleep in the crannies and ledges
of the cliffs。 As for the bull； he got perceptibly thinner and thinnermust
have lost several tons at leastand as nervous as a schoolmarm on the
wrong side of matrimony。 When I'd come up with him and yell； or lain
him with a rock at long range； he'd jump like a skittish colt and tremble all
over。 Then he'd pull out on the run； tail and trunk waving stiff； head over
one shoulder and wicked eyes blazing； and the way he'd swear at me was
something dreadful。 A most immoral beast he was； a murderer； and a
blasphemer。
〃But towards the end he quit all this； and fell to whimpering and
crying like a baby。 His spirit broke and he became a quivering jelly…
mountain of misery。 He'd get attacks of palpitation of the heart； and
stagger around like a drunken man； and fall down and bark his shins。
And then he'd cry； but always on the run。 O man； the gods themselves
would have wept with him； and you yourself or any other man。 It was
pitiful； and there was so I much of it； but I only hardened my heart and hit
up the pace。 At last I wore him clean out； and he lay down； broken…
winded； broken…hearted； hungry； and thirsty。 When I found he wouldn't
budge； I hamstrung him； and spent the better part of the day wading into
him with the hand…axe； he a…sniffing and sobbing till I worked in far
enough to shut him off。 Thirty feet long he was； and twenty high； and a
man could sling a hammock between
