A Curious Phenomenon beside the Trail
[89]
Under this terrible strain their feet grew sore, and the frequent dipping of the gee-poles, as the sleds dove into the hollows, gave them cruelly lame3 backs. To make matters worse, the tugging4 on the ropes, coupled with the usual dampness of their mittens5, caused the skin of their fingers to crack deeply and painfully at the joints6. Many times the sleds overturned, or jammed against stumps8 and roots. Altogether it was a severe and thorough training for the boys in patience, endurance, and perseverance9.
"What will become of Mrs. Shirley's party here, I wonder," said Roly, after a hard day's work.
"If they are wise," replied Uncle Will, "they'll stop at Pleasant Camp. The two young men can make a dash in for claims when the lame one has recovered, but those ladies can never stand this kind of work."
David declared that never before had he appreciated the picture in his room at home, of Napoleon's soldiers dragging cannon10 over the Alps. He was quite sure he would groan11 with genuine sympathy when he saw it again. In the mean time, in spite of all discomforts12, he was daily securing beautiful and interesting views of mountains and valleys, of camps and the sledding, and of all the unique phases of his outdoor life.
At one point, he photographed a curious phenomenon beside the trail. The stump7 of a tree bore upon its top a great skull-shaped mass of snow, while underneath13 on[90] every side the flakes14 had been packed against the bark by the wind, the whole forming a colossal15 figure of a human head and neck, which appeared as if carved in purest marble.
Now and then they observed traces of the company ahead. Sometimes it was a broken gee-pole, again a deserted17 camping-ground or fireplace, and frequently bits of rope, empty cracker18 boxes and tins, or a freshly "blazed" or notched19 tree to indicate the trail. But the Thirty-six themselves were as elusive20 as if they all wore seven-league boots, and the Bradfords never caught sight of them during these days, no matter how hard they worked.
In the forest through which they were travelling, spruce gum of fine quality could be picked from many of the trees, and the boys found it useful as a preventive of thirst in a country where open springs were far between. Often, too, they carried beef tablets in their pockets, and these served to alleviate21 hunger as well as thirst,—for so severe was the work, and so stimulating22 to the appetite the mountain air, that they were fairly faint between meals.
Once, while on the march, they were startled by a deep rumbling23, which seemed to come from the bowels24 of the earth. Uncle Will said that this was the sound of an avalanche25 on the high mountains across the Klaheena valley.
[91]
Porcupines26 were so numerous as to be obtainable as often as needed, but Roly one day discovered a new kind of game. He espied28 a large dark bird sitting on a low branch of a spruce near the trail, and called Uncle Will's attention to it.
"Ah!" exclaimed the latter, "that's a spruce partridge, and very good eating. Is your revolver loaded, Charles?"
The guns were packed in their cases on the sleds, but Mr. Bradford's revolver was loaded and ready. He took careful aim at the partridge and fired. The bird, not thirty feet away, merely cocked its head to one side, and calmly eyed the discomfited29 marksman.
"Missed," said Mr. Bradford. "Suppose you try a shot, Roly. I've been out of practice too long."
"Yes," said Roly, "let me try. But why didn't the partridge fly away? They're awfully30 'scary' at home."
"This is not the ruffed grouse31, or partridge, of New England," explained his father, "but a different species. It is often called the 'fool hen,' because it is so stupid. You might fire a dozen times without inducing it to fly, and you can go up quite close to it if you wish. It's more sportsmanlike, though, to give the bird a chance."
Roly accordingly stood where he was, fired, and missed. Uncle Will then brought down the bird with his revolver, and later, David and Roly plucked and dressed it, with[92] some assistance from Long Peter, and cooked it for their supper.
David awoke, one morning, to find his younger brother observing him with a curious expression in his eyes, the cause of which he was at a loss to discover.
"What in the world is the matter with your face, Dave?" said Roly, as soon as he saw that his tent-mate was awake.
"Matter with my face?" repeated David, sleepily. "Why, nothing. What makes you think so?"
"You don't look a bit natural," said Roly.
"Oh, come!" muttered David. "What are you talking about? I'm all right, I tell you;" and he gazed drowsily32 up at the canvas above him, through which the morning light filtered.
"Oh! you are, are you?" said Roly. "Well, I advise you to look in a mirror before you go outside, that's all."
But David neglected the warning. His appearance, when he crawled forth33 from the tent, was the signal for a loud burst of laughter from Long Peter, who was making the fire, and this, more than anything else, convinced the boy that something was really wrong. He retreated into the tent and consulted a small pocket looking-glass, whereby he discovered that his countenance34 was as black as the ace16 of spades.
"April Fool!" shouted the irrepressible Roly, with great glee, and dived head-first out of the tent to escape a flying shoe. "My dear brother, permit me to inform you that this is the First of April." This last explanatory speech was delivered with telling effect from a safe distance.
The Camp of the Mysterious Thirty-Six
[93]
David was at first much vexed35, but having washed his face, he joined at last in the laugh against himself.
Taking the idea from the blackened faces of the Indian women, Roly had carefully gone over his sleeping brother's face with soot36 from the bottom of a kettle. The youngster confessed, however, that, owing to anxiety lest David should awaken37 first, his fun had cost him half his night's sleep. It brought upon him, too, some words of counsel from his father, who reminded him that practical joking often provoked serious ill-feeling, and it was only owing to David's good sense that it had not done so in the present instance.
That day's march was a short one. Early in the afternoon they saw a thin blue column of smoke rising through the trees ahead, and a few minutes later, to their unbounded delight, they entered the camp of the Mysterious Thirty-six, whose tents were scattered38 through the grove39 wherever the snow was level, or a tree or bank afforded shelter. Such members of the company as they saw greeted them pleasantly, and congratulated Uncle Will on making so rapid a journey. They could far better afford to be distanced by the small Bradford party than the Bradfords by them, and showed no trace of ill-humor.[94] Uncle Will declared, however, as the Bradfords were pitching their camp in the edge of the timber, that it was too early to crow yet.
"What place is this?" asked Roly, as he fetched a kettleful of water from the one open spot in a brook40 everywhere else buried deep under the snow.
Uncle Will hung the kettle over the fire and answered, "Rainy Hollow."
"Ah!" exclaimed the boy, with sudden recollection, "this is where you wrote your letter."
"Yes," said his uncle, "and the place was well named. It storms here most of the time, consequently the crossing of the summit is usually difficult and often quite dangerous. We are close to the summit now, and this is the last of the timber."
"And how far is it across the summit?"
"About twenty miles to the timber on the other side."
After supper the boys paid a visit to the large camp, having a desire to see how the Mysterious Thirty-six looked and lived. As they entered the camp the familiar "Muck-muck" was shouted from the entrance of a large cooking-tent by a jolly, red-faced man, whose general appearance, together with a big spoon which he waved dramatically above a kettle of beans, indicated that he was the cook. The call was taken up in various directions, and repeated to the farthest tents, and presently white men and Indians appeared from every side and[95] took their places indiscriminately in a line before the tent. Each carried an aluminum41 plate and cup, with knife, fork, and spoon. As fast as they were served, the men either seated themselves on logs and boxes, or stood in groups, eating their beans, bacon, and biscuits, and drinking their hot tea with great relish42. The boys saw several sly young Indians finish their rations43 almost at a gulp44, lick their plates clean, and immediately re-enter the line, by which trick they received a double portion, the cook being evidently unable to distinguish them from new-comers.
When all had been served, a white man approached the tent and asked, "Do we get a second helping45 to-night, Jack46? I'm as hungry as I was before. Appetite's just getting whetted47."
"No, Si, my boy, there's nothing left. Only one round,—that's the orders to-night."
"H-m," said Si. "I'll bet those Indians didn't go hungry, though. I saw one of 'em go back into the line."
"Well," said the cook, "the Cap'n will have to see to it, then. I can't watch 'em all."
"I suppose not," said Si. "It's a shame, though." He looked around to satisfy himself that the leader was not within hearing. "I'd have pitched that Indian into a snowbank if it wasn't directly against orders. The Cap'n says we're to have no rows with the redskins, or[96] they'll leave us, so we've got to be sweet an' nice to the rascals48. By the way, Jack, has anybody spoken for that kettle?"
"You're first on that," replied the cook, handing out one of the bean kettles, in the bottom of which clung some half-burned scrapings. "Get all the satisfaction you can out of it, old man."
"Trust me for that," said Si, calling to a friend to come and share his prize.
Several others came up to ask for a second helping, but they were disappointed,—all except the one who followed Si. He received the other bean kettle.
"I'm glad we don't have to figure so closely," said David. "It must be pretty tough to go to bed hungry after a hard day's work."
"That's what it is!" exclaimed a young man who stood near, and overheard David's remark. "If they doubled our present rations it wouldn't be too much, considering the work we have to do in these mountains. I've had only two really satisfying meals since we left Pyramid Harbor, and those consisted of porcupine27 stew49."
"Why don't they give you more, then?" asked Roly.
"Oh! I suppose it's because we can't carry much food on these sleds, and what we have must last until June, when pack trains of horses can bring us more. Would you boys like to look around the camp?"
"Yes, indeed," answered David.
[97]
"Well," said their guide, who, as they learned, came from their own State, "let's have a look at the fireplace."
This was near the cook-tent, and consisted of a circular hollow at the foot of a tall spruce. At the bottom of the cavity a bright fire blazed, and several kettles were hung over it by forked sticks suspended from a horizontal pole, which was supported at each end at the proper height by a crotched stake.
"There was quite a hole here when we came," said the young man, "and we enlarged it with our shovels50, and deepened it until we reached the ground. The heat of the fire has made it still larger. You can get a good idea of the depth of the snow from this hole, for, as you see, the head of the man who stands in there by the fire doesn't reach within a foot of the surface. There's about twice as much snow here as there was in the valley."
They next visited the dwelling51 tents, which were exactly like the diminutive52 tent of David and Roly, each barely accommodating two men; but here in some cases four men had joined, and by spreading their two tents and the two flies over a framework of poles, they secured a sort of canvas hut which was quite roomy, and sheltered the occupants from the wind on three sides, while a fire of logs before the open fourth side made the improvised53 dwelling comfortable and cheerful,[98] and served also to dry the moccasins, coats, and blankets which had become damp on the march.
In the distance they now heard some one calling off a list of names. Their friend listened intently.
"There," said he, with a woful face, "I'm wanted. I suppose it's my turn on guard to-night."
"Do you have to stand guard?" asked David, with some surprise. "We never do. What is there to guard against?"
"I don't know, I'm sure," said the young man, replying to the latter question. "Perhaps our Indians would meddle54 with the supplies, or it may be the rule was made in the interest of the cooks, for the last guard calls them up in the morning. Then, besides, there are generally beans to be boiled at night, and the guards do that, and, of course," he added with a grimace55 and a smack56 of the lips, "we have to sample those beans to know when they are done. That's the one redeeming57 feature of guard duty."
The boys laughed, and declared the guards were not to be blamed under the circumstances.
"How long is your watch?" asked Roly.
"Two hours. We draw lots for choice of watches. There are so many of us that the turn doesn't come round to the same man oftener than once a week, but it is pretty hard then to be pulled out of the blankets in the middle of the night after a long day's labor58.[99] Well, I must leave you. Good-bye!" and he was off to see about the guard duty.
The boys returned to their camp, passing on the way the large tent of the Indians, who were singing a weird59, monotonous60 native chant, varied61 by the occasional insertion of religious hymns62 which they had picked up at Haines' Mission. Uncle Will was telling his brother the information he had gathered in the neighboring camp.
"They arrived here yesterday," he was saying, "so their leader told me, and to-day they carried part of their goods forward five miles, where they cached them. The men returned from that trip just before we came. To-morrow they plan to take another and longer journey, moving their remaining supplies ten miles and then returning here. That will be a good twenty-mile march, and it will use them up so that I think they'll have to rest one day at least. Their leader, who was willing enough to talk about his present plans, said that as soon as possible after they had made the second cache, they would take an early start from here, and try to reach the timber on the other side the same day. You see they'll have virtually nothing to carry except tents and blankets until they reach their first cache, which they will pick up, leaving the second untouched. In other words, they will travel five miles with very light loads, and then fifteen with half-loads,—twenty miles[100] in all. They will return from that advanced camp the next day to their second cache and take that forward."
"I suppose," said Mr. Bradford, "we shall have to employ the same tactics to some extent. We can't carry forward our whole outfit63 in one march."
"That's true," answered his brother. "I think it would be wise to first carry half-loads ten miles. If the boys give out before we get back, we'll draw them. I'm convinced that if we're to beat the big party, we must do it here, and work as we never worked before. One thing I'm thankful for,—our loads are lighter64 than theirs, for you see we've already taken provisions for myself and Long Peter as far as Klukshu Lake, and we two are now moving a share of yours. Besides, these fellows have an unusual amount of clothing and other truck in their clothing bags, and a great deal of heavy hardware. What did you learn from their Indians, Peter?"
Long Peter smiled and looked wise. "Injuns say they no go to-morrow. Big snow come. White men no keep together; some get lost. No wood for fire. But we go if no wind. Me know t'ail [trail]."
This was a long speech for Long Peter, and it meant much. The morrow would decide the race.
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1
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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2
ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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3
lame
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| adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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4
tugging
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| n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 ) | |
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mittens
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| 不分指手套 | |
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joints
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| 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） | |
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7
stump
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| n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走 | |
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stumps
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| （被砍下的树的）树桩( stump的名词复数 )； 残肢； （板球三柱门的）柱； 残余部分 | |
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9
perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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10
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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12
discomforts
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| n.不舒适( discomfort的名词复数 )；不愉快，苦恼 | |
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13
underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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flakes
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| 小薄片( flake的名词复数 )； （尤指）碎片； 雪花； 古怪的人 | |
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colossal
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| adj.异常的，庞大的 | |
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ace
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| n.A牌；发球得分；佼佼者；adj.杰出的 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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cracker
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| n.（无甜味的）薄脆饼干 | |
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notched
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| a.有凹口的，有缺口的 | |
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elusive
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| adj.难以表达(捉摸)的；令人困惑的；逃避的 | |
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alleviate
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| v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等) | |
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22
stimulating
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| adj.有启发性的，能激发人思考的 | |
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rumbling
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| n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词 | |
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bowels
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| n.肠，内脏，内部；肠( bowel的名词复数 )；内部，最深处 | |
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avalanche
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| n.雪崩，大量涌来 | |
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porcupines
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| n.豪猪，箭猪( porcupine的名词复数 ) | |
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porcupine
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| n.豪猪， 箭猪 | |
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28
espied
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| v.看到( espy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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discomfited
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| v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词)；使狼狈；使挫折；挫败 | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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grouse
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| n.松鸡；v.牢骚，诉苦 | |
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drowsily
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| adv.睡地，懒洋洋地，昏昏欲睡地 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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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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vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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soot
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| n.煤烟，烟尘；vt.熏以煤烟 | |
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awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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40
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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41
aluminum
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| n.(aluminium)铝 | |
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42
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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43
rations
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| 定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量 | |
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44
gulp
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| vt.吞咽，大口地吸（气）；vi.哽住；n.吞咽 | |
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45
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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46
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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47
whetted
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| v.（在石头上）磨（刀、斧等）( whet的过去式和过去分词 )；引起，刺激（食欲、欲望、兴趣等） | |
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48
rascals
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| 流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人 | |
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49
stew
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| n.炖汤，焖，烦恼；v.炖汤，焖，忧虑 | |
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50
shovels
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| n.铲子( shovel的名词复数 )；锹；推土机、挖土机等的)铲；铲形部份v.铲子( shovel的第三人称单数 )；锹；推土机、挖土机等的)铲；铲形部份 | |
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51
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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52
diminutive
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| adj.小巧可爱的，小的 | |
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53
improvised
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| a.即席而作的,即兴的 | |
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54
meddle
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| v.干预，干涉，插手 | |
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55
grimace
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| v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭 | |
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56
smack
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| vt.拍，打，掴；咂嘴；vi.含有…意味；n.拍 | |
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57
redeeming
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| 补偿的，弥补的 | |
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58
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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59
weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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60
monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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61
varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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62
hymns
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌( hymn的名词复数 ) | |
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outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
参考例句： |
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