It was not long before our travellers had a large space cleared of snow, its floor spread with pine-branches, a roaring fire kindled1, a couple of ptarmigan roasting and the tea-kettle bubbling, while the dogs in the background solaced2 themselves with raw birds to their heart’s content.
Then the red-man and the white man smoked a friendly pipe. They would probably have smoked even if it had been an unfriendly pipe!
“I wonder,” said Macnab, who was apt to become speculative3 and philosophical4 over his pipe after supper, “I wonder if dogs ever envy us our pipes? You look so comfortable, Big Otter5, as you sit there with half-shut eyes letting the smoke trickle6 from your mouth and nose, that I can’t help thinking they must feel envious7. I’m sure that I should if I were not smoking!”
The Indian, who was neither a speculator nor a philosopher—though solemn enough for either or both—replied, “Waugh!”
“Very true,” returned the Highlander8, “I have no doubt your opinion is quite correct, though not as clearly put as might be wished. Have you ever been at Fort Dunregan?”
“Once when Big Otter was a little boy, he stood beside the Great River,” answered the Indian, gravely; “but the white man had no tent there at that time.”
“The white man has got some pretty big tents there now—made of wood most of ’em,” returned Macnab. “In a few days you shall judge for yourself, if all goes well.”
The red-man smoked over this remark in silence for a considerable time, evidently engaged in profound thought. He was one of those children of nature whose brains admit ideas slowly, and who, when they are admitted, turn them round and round and inside out without much apparent advantage.
At last he looked earnestly at his companion and asked—“Is there fire-water at Fort Dunregan?”
“Well, no—I believe not. At least there is none for red-men. Why do you ask? Did you ever taste fire-water?”
The Indian’s dark eyes seem to gleam with unwonted light as he replied in tones more solemn than usual:—
“Yes. Once—only once—a white brother gave some fire-water to Big Otter.”
“Humph!” ejaculated Macnab, “and what did you think of it!”
“Waugh!” exclaimed the red-man, sending a cloud out of his mouth with such energy that it seemed like a little cannon10-shot, while he glared at his friend like a superannuated11 owl9. “Big Otter thought that he was in the happy hunting-grounds with his fathers; his heart was so light and his limbs were so strong, but that was only a dream—he was still in this world. Then he took a little more fire-water, and the dream became a reality! He was away with his fathers on the shining plains; he chased the deer with the lightness of a boy and the strength of a bear. He fought, and his foes13 fell before his strong arm like snowflakes on the river, but he scalped them not. He could not find them—they were gone. Big Otter was so strong that he had knocked both their lives and bodies into the unknown! He saw his father and his mother—and—his wife and the little one who—died. But he could not speak to them, for the foes came back again, and he fought and took some more fire-water to make him fight better; then the world went on fire, the stars came down from the sky like snow when the wind is high. The Big Otter flew up into the air, and then—forgot—”
“Forgot what?” asked Macnab, much interested in his red friend’s idea of intoxication15.
“Forgot everything,” replied the Indian, with a look of solemn perplexity.
“Well, I don’t wonder; you must have had a good swig, apparently16. How did ye feel next morning?”
If the Indian’s looks were serious before, they became indescribably solemn now.
“Big Otter felt,” he replied with bated breath, “like bags of shot—heavy like the great stones. He could scarcely move; all his joints17 were stiff. Food was no longer pleasant to his tongue. When he tried to swallow, it would not remain, but came forth18 again. He felt a wish to drink up the river. His head had an evil spirit inside which squeezed the brain and tried to burst open the skull19. His eyes, also, were swelled20 up so that he could hardly see, and his nose was two times more big than the day before.”
“That must have been an awful size, Big Otter, considering the size of it by nature! And what d’ye think was the cause of it all?”
As this question involved thought, the Indian smoked his pipe in silence for some time, staring for inspiration into the fire.
“It must have been,” he at length replied, “hunting with his fathers before the right time had come. Big Otter was not dead, and he chased the deer too much, perhaps, or fought too much. It may be that, having only his earth-body, he ate too much.”
“Don’t ye think it’s just possible,” suggested Macnab, “that, having only your earth-body, you drank too much?”
“Waugh!” replied the red-man. Then, after a few minutes’ devotion to the pipe, he added, “Big Otter would like very much to taste the fire-water again.”
“It’s well for you, my boy,” returned the other, “that you can’t get it in these regions, for if you could you’d soon be in the happy hunting-grounds (or the other place) without your earth-body.”
At this point the Highlander became more earnest, and treated his companion to what would have passed in civilised lands for a fair temperance lecture, in which he sought to describe graphically22 the evils of strong drink. To this the Indian listened with the most intense attention and an owlish expression, making no audible comment whatever—with the exception, now and then, of an emphatic23 “Waugh!” but indicating his interest by the working of his features and the glittering of his great eyes. Whether the reasoning of Macnab had much influence at that time could not be ascertained24, for he was yet in the middle of one of his most graphic21 anecdotes25 when the Indian’s owlish eyes shut with a suddenness that was quite startling, and he roused himself just in time to prevent his chin from dropping on his chest.
“Waugh!” he exclaimed with a slightly-confused look.
“Just so,” replied Macnab with a laugh, “and now, boy, we’ll turn in, for it strikes me we’re going to have warmish weather, and if so, we shall have to make the most of our time.”
Soon the blankets were spread; the fire was replenished26 with mighty27 logs; the travellers lay down side by side and in a few minutes snored in concert; the flames leaped upwards28, and the sparks, entangling29 themselves on the snow-encrusted branches of bush and tree, gleamed there for an instant, or, escaping, flew gaily30 away into the wintry sky.
While the two men were sleeping, a change came over the scene—a slow, gentle, scarce perceptible change, which, however, had a powerful influence on the prospects31 of the sleepers32. The sky became overcast33; the temperature, which had been down at arctic depth for many months, suddenly rose to that of temperate34 climes, and snow began to fall—not in the small sharp particles to which the fur-traders of the great northern wilderness35 are accustomed, but in the broad, heavy flakes14 that one often sees in England. Softly, silently, gently they fell, like the descent of a sweet influence—but steadily36, persistently37, continuously, until every object in nature became smothered38 in the soft white garment. Among other objects the two sleepers were buried.
The snow began by powdering them over. Had any one been there to observe the process, he would have seen by the bright light of the camp-fire that the green blankets in which they were wrapt became piebald first; then assumed a greyish-green colour, which speedily changed into a greenish-grey, and finally into a pure white. The two sleepers might thus have represented those figures in chiselled39 marble on the tombs of crusaders, had it not been that they lay doubled up, for warmth—perhaps also for comfort—with their knees at their chins, instead of flat on their backs with their hands pressed together. By degrees the correct outline of their forms became an incorrect outline, and gradually more and more rotund—suggesting the idea that the buried ones were fat.
As the night wore on the snow accumulated on them until it lay several inches deep. Still they moved not. Strong, tired and healthy men are not easily moved. The fire of course sank by degrees until it reached that point where it failed to melt the snow; then it was quickly smothered out and covered over. The entire camp was also buried; the tin kettle being capped with a knob peculiarly its own, and the snow-shoes and other implements40 having each their appropriate outline, while some hundredweights, if not tons, of the white drapery gathered on the branches overhead. It was altogether an overwhelming state of things, and the only evidence of life in all the scene was the little hole in front of each slumberer’s nose, out of which issued intermittent41 pufflets of white vapour.
So the night passed by and the morning dawned, and the wintry sun arose like a red-hot cannon ball. Then Macnab awoke with a start and sat up with an effort.
“Hallo!” was his first exclamation42, as he tried to clear his eyes, then he muttered something in Gaelic which, being incomprehensible, I cannot translate, although the worthy43 man has many a time since the day of which I write tried to explain it to me!
It may have been his action, or it may have been indignant northern fairies, I know not, but certain it is that the Gaelic was instantly followed by an avalanche44 of snow from the branch over the Highlander’s head, which knocked him down and reburied him. It also knocked Big Otter up and drew forth the inevitable45 “Waugh!”
“Humph!” said Macnab, on clearing himself a second time, “I was half afraid of this. We’ve got our work cut out for us.”
The Indian replied not, but proceeded to light the fire and prepare breakfast, while his companion cleared the camp of some of its snow. The wolfish dogs took a lively interest in these proceedings46, but lent no assistance beyond wagging their tails, either in approval or in anticipation47 of breakfast.
Of course breakfast was a repetition of the previous supper, and was soon disposed of both by men and dogs. Then the latter were harnessed to their sledge48, the snow-shoes were put on, and the journey was resumed—Macnab manfully leading the way.
And let not the reader imagine that this leadership involved little or no manhood. Northern snow-shoes are about five feet long, and twelve or fifteen inches broad. The netting with which the frames are filled up—somewhat like the bottom of a cane49 chair—allows fine well-frozen snow to fall through it like dust and the traveller, sinking it may be only a few inches in old well-settled-down snow, progresses with ease. But when a heavy fall such as I have described takes place, especially in spring, and the weather grows comparatively warm, the traveller’s circumstances change greatly for the worse. The new snow being light permits him to sink deep into it—perhaps eight or ten inches—at every step; being also soft, that which falls upon the shoes cannot pass through the netting, but sticks there, giving him many extra pounds weight to lift as he goes heavily along. Add to this that his thick winter garb50 becomes oppressive in mild weather, and you will perceive that Macnab’s duties as beater of the track were severe.
At first their progress was very slow, for it was through the thick woods, where fallen trees and bushes obstructed51 them as well as deep snow, but towards noon they came out on a more open country—in summer a swamp; at that time a frozen plain—and the travelling improved, for a slight breeze had already begun to make an impression on the new snow in exposed places.
“Now, Big Otter,” said Macnab, coming to a halt, “we’ll have some grub here, and then you will take a turn in front.”
The Indian was ready for anything. So were the dogs—especially for “grub.” Indeed it was obvious that they understood the meaning of that word, for when Macnab uttered it they wagged their tails and cocked their ears.
It was a cold dinner, if I may describe the meal by that name. The work was too hard, and the daylight in which to do it too brief, to admit of needless delay. A frozen bird thrown to each of the dogs, and a junk of equally frozen pemmican cut out of the bag with a hatchet52 for the travellers, formed the repast. The latter ate it sitting on a snow-wreath. They, however, had the advantage of their canine53 friends in the matter of hard biscuits, of which they each consumed two as a sort of cold pudding. Then they resumed the march and plodded54 heavily on till near sunset, when they again selected a suitable spot in the woods, cleared away the snow, and encamped as before.
“It’s hard work,” exclaimed Macnab with a Celtic sigh, as he sipped55 his tea that night in the mellow56 light of the log fire.
“Waugh! Big Otter has seen harder work,” returned the Indian.
“No doubt ye have, an’ so have I,” returned Macnab; “I mind, once, when away on a snow-shoe trip on the St. Lawrence gulf57, bein’ caught by a regular thaw58 when the snow turned into slush, an’ liftin’ the snow-shoes was like to tear one’s legs out o’ their sockets59, not to mention the skinning of your toes wi’ the snow-shoe lines, an’ the wet turning your moccasins into something like tripe60. Yes, it might be worse, as you say. Now, boy, I’ll turn in.”
The next day travelling was no better, and on the next again it became worse, for although the temperature was still below the freezing point, snow continued to fall all day as well as all night, so that our travellers and their dogs became like animated61 snowballs, and beating the track became an exhausting labour.
But difficulties cannot finally stop, though they may retard62, a “Nor’-wester.” On the sixth day, however, they met with a foe12 who had power to lay a temporary check on their advance. On the night of the fifth day out, another change of temperature took place. A thermometer, had they carried one, would probably have registered from ten to twenty below zero of Fahrenheit63. This, however, was so familiar to them that they rather liked the change, and heaped up fresh logs on the roaring fire to counteract64 the cold; but when a breeze sprang up and began to blow hard, they did not enjoy it so much, and when the breeze increased to a gale65, it became serious; for one cannot face intense cold during a gale without the risk of being frost-bitten. In the shelter of the woods it was all right, but when, towards noon, they came out on an extended plain where the wild winds were whirling the wilder snow in blinding drifts, they halted and looked inquiringly at each other.
“Shall we try it?” asked Macnab.
The Indian shook his head and looked solemn.
“It’s a pity to give in without—”
A snow-drift caught the Highlander full in the mouth and literally66 shut him up! The effect was not to subdue67, but to arouse.
“Yes,” he said in a species of calm ferocity, when the gale allowed him the power of utterance68, “we’ll go on.”
He went on, followed by the obedient native and the unhappy dogs, but he had not taken half a dozen steps when he tripped over a concealed69 rock and broke a snow-shoe. To walk with a broken snow-shoe is impossible. To repair one is somewhat difficult and takes time. They were compelled, therefore, to re-enter the sheltering woods and encamp.
“You’re better at mending than I am,” said Macnab to the Indian. “Set to work on the shoe when the camp is dug out, an’ I’ll go cut some firewood.”
Cutting firewood is not only laborious70, but attended with danger, and that day ill-fortune seemed to have beset71 the Highlander; for he had barely cut half a dozen logs, when his axe72 glanced off a knot and struck deep into the calf73 of his left leg.
A shout brought Big Otter to his side. The Indian was well used to such accidents. He bound up the wound securely, and carried his comrade into camp on his back. But now Macnab was helpless. He not only could not walk, but there was no hope of his being able to do so for weeks to come.
“Lucky for us we brought the dogs,” he remarked when the operation was completed.
It was indeed lucky, for if they had dragged the provision-sled themselves, as Macnab had once thought of doing, it would have fallen to Big Otter’s lot to haul his comrade during the remainder of the journey. As it was, the dogs did it, and in the doing of it, despite the red-man’s anxious and constant care, many a severe shake, and bump, and capsize in the snow did the unfortunate man receive before that journey came to a close. He bore it all, however, with the quiet stoicism characteristic of the race from which he sprang.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
kindled
|
|
| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
solaced
|
|
| v.安慰，慰藉( solace的过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
speculative
|
|
| adj.思索性的，暝想性的，推理的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
philosophical
|
|
| adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
otter
|
|
| n.水獭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
trickle
|
|
| vi.淌，滴，流出，慢慢移动，逐渐消散 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
envious
|
|
| adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
highlander
|
|
| n.高地的人，苏格兰高地地区的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
owl
|
|
| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
cannon
|
|
| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
superannuated
|
|
| adj.老朽的，退休的；v.因落后于时代而废除，勒令退学 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
foe
|
|
| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
foes
|
|
| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
flakes
|
|
| 小薄片( flake的名词复数 )； （尤指）碎片； 雪花； 古怪的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
intoxication
|
|
| n.wild excitement;drunkenness；poisoning | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
joints
|
|
| 接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
skull
|
|
| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
swelled
|
|
| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
graphic
|
|
| adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
graphically
|
|
| adv.通过图表；生动地，轮廓分明地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
emphatic
|
|
| adj.强调的，着重的；无可置疑的，明显的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
ascertained
|
|
| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
anecdotes
|
|
| n.掌故，趣闻，轶事( anecdote的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
replenished
|
|
| 补充( replenish的过去式和过去分词 )； 重新装满 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
mighty
|
|
| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
upwards
|
|
| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
entangling
|
|
| v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
gaily
|
|
| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
prospects
|
|
| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
sleepers
|
|
| n.卧铺（通常以复数形式出现）；卧车( sleeper的名词复数 )；轨枕；睡觉（呈某种状态）的人；小耳环 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
overcast
|
|
| adj.阴天的，阴暗的，愁闷的；v.遮盖，（使）变暗，包边缝；n.覆盖，阴天 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
temperate
|
|
| adj.温和的，温带的，自我克制的，不过分的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
wilderness
|
|
| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
steadily
|
|
| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
persistently
|
|
| ad.坚持地；固执地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
smothered
|
|
| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
chiselled
|
|
| adj.凿过的，凿光的； （文章等）精心雕琢的v.凿，雕，镌( chisel的过去式 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
implements
|
|
| n.工具( implement的名词复数 )；家具；手段；[法律]履行（契约等）v.实现( implement的第三人称单数 )；执行；贯彻；使生效 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
intermittent
|
|
| adj.间歇的，断断续续的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
exclamation
|
|
| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
worthy
|
|
| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
avalanche
|
|
| n.雪崩，大量涌来 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
inevitable
|
|
| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
proceedings
|
|
| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
anticipation
|
|
| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
sledge
|
|
| n.雪橇，大锤；v.用雪橇搬运，坐雪橇往 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
cane
|
|
| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
garb
|
|
| n.服装，装束 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
obstructed
|
|
| 阻塞( obstruct的过去式和过去分词 )； 堵塞； 阻碍； 阻止 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
hatchet
|
|
| n.短柄小斧；v.扼杀 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
canine
|
|
| adj.犬的，犬科的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
plodded
|
|
| v.沉重缓慢地走（路）( plod的过去式和过去分词 )；努力从事；沉闷地苦干；缓慢进行（尤指艰难枯燥的工作） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
sipped
|
|
| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
mellow
|
|
| adj.柔和的；熟透的；v.变柔和；(使)成熟 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
gulf
|
|
| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
thaw
|
|
| v.（使）融化，（使）变得友善；n.融化，缓和 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
sockets
|
|
| n.套接字，使应用程序能够读写与收发通讯协定(protocol)与资料的程序( Socket的名词复数 )；孔( socket的名词复数 )；（电器上的）插口；托座；凹穴 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
tripe
|
|
| n.废话，肚子, 内脏 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
animated
|
|
| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
retard
|
|
| n.阻止，延迟；vt.妨碍，延迟，使减速 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
Fahrenheit
|
|
| n./adj.华氏温度；华氏温度计(的) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
counteract
|
|
| vt.对…起反作用，对抗，抵消 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
gale
|
|
| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
literally
|
|
| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
subdue
|
|
| vt.制服，使顺从，征服；抑制，克制 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
utterance
|
|
| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
concealed
|
|
| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
laborious
|
|
| adj.吃力的，努力的，不流畅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
beset
|
|
| v.镶嵌；困扰，包围 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
axe
|
|
| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
calf
|
|
| n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
assent
|
|
| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |