Turn we now to another, a more distant, and a wilder scene. Near the bleak2 shores of Hudson’s Straits there flows a river which forms an outlet3 to the superfluous4 waters of the almost unknown territory lying between the uninhabited parts of Labrador and that tract5 of desert land which borders Hudson’s Bay on the east, and is known to the fur-traders by the appellation6 of East Main. This river is called the Caniapuscaw, and discharges itself into Ungava Bay.
The scene to which we would turn the reader’s attention is upwards7 of twenty miles from the mouth of this river, at a particular bend, where the stream spreads itself out into a sheet of water almost worthy8 of being called a lake, and just below which two bold cliffs shut out the seaward view, and cause an abrupt9 narrowing of the river. The scene is peculiar10, and surpassingly grand. On each side of the stream majestic11 mountains raise their bald and rugged12 peaks almost into the clouds. Little herbage grows on the more exposed places, and nothing, save here and there a stunted13 and weather-worn pine, breaks the sharp outline of the cliffs. But in the gorges14 and dark ravines—for there are no valleys—clumps of small-sized spruce—fir and larch15 trees throw a softness over some of the details of a spot whose general aspect is one of sterility16. The mountains rise in a succession of irregular steps or terraces, whose faces are so precipitous that they cannot be ascended17. To accomplish the feat19 of scaling the mountain-tops it would be necessary to clamber up a ravine until the first terrace should be gained, then, walking along that, ascend18 the next ravine, and so on. At the upper end of the lake (as we shall hereafter call this wide part of the river) lies a low island, fringed with a scanty20 growth of willows21; and not far from this, on the eastern bank of the river, lies a small patch of level sand. This spot is somewhat peculiar, inasmuch as it is backed by a low platform of rock, whose surface is smooth as a table. At the foot of this rock bubbles a little spring, which, meandering22 through a tangled23 spot of stunted shrubbery ere it mingles24 with the sand, gives unusual green-ness and vitality25 to the surrounding herbage. On the edge of this rocky platform sat the figure of a man.
It was evening. The declining sun shot its last few rays over the brow of the opposite mountains, and bathed him in mellow26 light, as he sat apparently27 contemplating28 the scene before him. The man’s costume bespoke29 him a native of the savage30 region in the midst of which he seemed the only human being. But although an Esquimau, he exhibited several physical peculiarities31 not commonly supposed to belong to that people. To an altitude of six feet three he added a breadth of shoulder and expansion of chest seldom equalled among men of more highly-favoured climes; and his real bulk being very greatly increased by his costume, he appeared to be a very giant—no unfitting tenant32 of such giant scenery. The said costume consisted of an extremely loose coat or shirt of deerskin, having the hair outside, and a capacious hood33, which usually hung down behind, but covered his head at this time, in order to protect it from a sharp north-west breeze that whirled among the gullies of the mountains, and surging down their sides, darkened the surface of the water. A pair of long sealskin boots encased his limbs from foot to thigh34; and a little wallet or bag of sealskin, with the hair outside, hung from his shoulders. Simple although this costume was, it had a bulky rotundity of appearance that harmonised well with the giant’s frank, good-humoured countenance35, which was manly36, firm, and massive, besides being rosy37, oily, and fat. In the latter peculiarity38 he partook of the well-known characteristic of his tribe; but the effeminacy in appearance that is produced by a round, fat face was done away in the case of our giant by a remarkably39 black though as yet downy moustache and beard, of a length suitable to twenty-three winters. His hair was long, straight, and black, besides being uncommonly40 glossy—an effect attributable to the prevalence of whale-oil in these regions. On the forehead the locks were cut short, so as to afford free scope to his black eyes and sturdy-looking nose. By his side lay a long hunting spear, and a double-bladed paddle, fully41 fifteen feet long; which latter belonged to a kayak, or Esquimau canoe, that lay on the sand close to the water’s edge. Sitting there, motionless as the rocks around him, the giant looked like a colossal42 statue of an Esquimau. He was no figure of stone, however, but a veritable human being, as was proved by his starting suddenly from his reverie and hastening towards the spring before mentioned, at which he stooped and drank rapidly, like one who had to make up for lost time.
After a few hurried gulps43, the man strode towards his canoe; but as he went his restless eye became fixed44 on the branching antlers of a deer, that were tossed in the air on the summit of a neighbouring cliff. Like one who is suddenly paralysed, the Esquimau stood transfixed in the attitude in which he had been arrested. He did not even seem to breathe, as the antlers moved to and fro, clearly defined against the blue sky. At length they disappeared, and the animal to which they belonged slowly descended45 a ravine towards the river. Then, as if set free from a spell, the man glided46 into his kayak, and swept rapidly but noiselessly behind a projecting point of rock, where he waited patiently till the deer took to the water. He had not long to wait, however, for in a few minutes afterwards the deer, followed by several companions, walked out upon the patch of sand, snuffed the air once or twice, and entered the stream with the intention of crossing.
But there was an enemy near whom they little dreamed of—not an enemy who would dash excitedly into the midst of them, or awaken47 the thunders of the place with his noisy gun, but a foe48 who could patiently bide49 his time, and take cool and quiet advantage of it when it came. When the deer had proceeded about a hundred yards into the river, the Esquimau dipped his paddle twice, and the narrow, sharp-pointed canoe, which, at a short distance, seemed little more than a floating plank50, darted51 through the water and ranged alongside of the startled animals. The fattest of the herd52 was separated from its fellows and driven towards the shore from which it had started, while the others struggled across the river. Once or twice the separated deer endeavoured to turn to rejoin its comrades—an attempt which was frustrated53 by the Esquimau, who could paddle infinitely54 faster over the water in his skin canoe than the deer could swim. As they neared the shore, the giant cast on it one or two glances, and having made up his mind as to the most convenient spot for landing, he urged the point of his canoe between the antlers of the deer, and steered55 it in this manner to the sand-bank. The deer, thus directed, had no resource but to land where its persecutor56 chose; but no sooner did its foot touch ground, than it sprang convulsively forward in the vain hope to escape. The same instant its captor’s canoe shot beside it. Grasping the long lance before mentioned in his hand, he placed its glittering point on the deer’s side, tickled57 it slowly to ascertain58 that it was between two ribs59, and, with a quick thrust, stabbed it to the heart. A convulsive shudder60, as the deer’s head sank in the stream, proved that, though cold-blooded in appearance, the action was more effective and less cruel than many other more approved methods of killing61 game.
Our Esquimau thought neither of the method of slaying his deer nor of man’s opinion regarding it. His sole object was to procure62 supper, having tasted nothing since early morning; and the manner in which he ate showed at once the strength of his appetite and his total indifference63 to cookery, for he ate it raw. There was a certain appearance of haste in all his actions which, however, seemed unaccountable, considering the peaceful nature of the vast solitudes64 around him. Scarcely had he cut off and devoured65 a portion of the deer than he hastened again to his canoe, and darted like an arrow from the shore. This is no exaggerated simile66. The long, thin, sharp Esquimau kayak is highly suggestive of an arrow in its form, and much more so in its extraordinary speed. It consists of an extremely light framework of wood covered with sealskin parchment, which is stretched upon it all over as tight as a drum. The top of the canoe being covered as well as the bottom, it is thus, as it were, decked; and a small hole in the middle of this deck admits its occupant. The kayak can only hold one person. The paddle, as already said, is a long pole with a blade at each end. It is dipped alternately on each side, and is used not only to propel the kayak, but to prevent it from upsetting. Indeed, so liable is it to upset that nothing but the wonderful adroitness67 of its occupant prevents it from doing so with every swing of his body.
Quick, however, though the kayak sped over the rippling68 wave, it could not have escaped the messenger of death that seemed about to be dispatched after it by a dark-skinned, red-painted Indian, who, at the moment the vessel69 left the shore, leapt from behind a rocky point, and, levelling a long gun, took a steady aim at the unconscious Esquimau. A little puff70 of powder answered to the click of the lock, as the gun missed fire. With an exclamation71 of anger the savage seized his powder-horn to reprime, when a rude grasp was laid on his shoulder, and another Indian, who, from the eagle feather in his hair, and his general bearing, appeared to be a chief, exclaimed—
“Fool! you have the impatience72 of a woman, and you have not yet shown that you have the heart of a man. Would the scalp of yon Eater-of-raw-flesh pay us for coming so far from our hunting-grounds? If your gun had spoken among these mountains, we would have found the empty wigwams of his people, instead of fringing our belts with their scalps.”
With a frown of anger the chief turned on his heel and retraced73 his steps into the ravine from which he had emerged, followed by his abashed74 and silent companion.
Meanwhile the Esquimau, ignorant of the fate from which he had just escaped, continued to ply75 his paddle with right good will. The little craft, obedient to the powerful impulse, combined as it was with the current of the ebb-tide, flew rather than floated toward the narrows, through which it passed, and opened up a view of the ice-encumbered waters of Ungava Bay. Directing his course along the western shores of the river, the Esquimau speedily reached the coast at a point where several low, rough-built summer huts clustered near the shore. Here he ran his kayak into a little creek76, and, having lifted it beyond tide mark, betook himself to his dwelling77.
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1
slaying
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| 杀戮。 | |
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bleak
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| adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的 | |
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outlet
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| n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄 | |
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superfluous
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| adj.过多的，过剩的，多余的 | |
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tract
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| n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林) | |
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appellation
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| n.名称，称呼 | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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stunted
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| adj.矮小的；发育迟缓的 | |
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gorges
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| n.山峡，峡谷( gorge的名词复数 )；咽喉v.（用食物把自己）塞饱，填饱( gorge的第三人称单数 )；作呕 | |
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larch
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| n.落叶松 | |
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sterility
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| n.不生育，不结果，贫瘠，消毒，无菌 | |
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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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feat
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| n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的 | |
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scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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willows
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| n.柳树( willow的名词复数 )；柳木 | |
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meandering
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| 蜿蜒的河流，漫步，聊天 | |
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tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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mingles
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| 混合，混入( mingle的第三人称单数 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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vitality
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| n.活力，生命力，效力 | |
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mellow
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| adj.柔和的；熟透的；v.变柔和；(使)成熟 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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contemplating
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| 深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想 | |
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bespoke
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| adj.（产品）订做的；专做订货的v.预定( bespeak的过去式 )；订（货）；证明；预先请求 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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peculiarities
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| n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
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tenant
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| n.承租人；房客；佃户；v.租借，租用 | |
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hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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thigh
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| n.大腿；股骨 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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peculiarity
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| n.独特性，特色；特殊的东西；怪癖 | |
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remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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uncommonly
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| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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colossal
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| adj.异常的，庞大的 | |
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43
gulps
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| n.一大口（尤指液体）( gulp的名词复数 )v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的第三人称单数 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
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44
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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46
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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47
awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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49
bide
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| v.忍耐；等候；住 | |
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50
plank
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| n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目 | |
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51
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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52
herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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53
frustrated
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| adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧 | |
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infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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steered
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| v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵；控制；引导 | |
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persecutor
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| n. 迫害者 | |
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57
tickled
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| （使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐 | |
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ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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60
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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solitudes
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| n.独居( solitude的名词复数 )；孤独；荒僻的地方；人迹罕至的地方 | |
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devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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simile
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| n.直喻，明喻 | |
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adroitness
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rippling
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| 起涟漪的，潺潺流水般声音的 | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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puff
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| n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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retraced
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| v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
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abashed
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| adj.窘迫的，尴尬的v.使羞愧，使局促，使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ply
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| v.(搬运工等)等候顾客，弯曲 | |
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creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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