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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 his tusks and sleep comfortably。 Barring
the fact that I had run most of the juices out of him； he was fair
eating； and his four feet； alone； roasted whole； would have lasted
a man a twelvemonth。 I spent the winter there myself。〃
〃And where is this valley？〃 I asked
He waved his hand in the direction of the north…east； and said：
〃Your tobacco is very good。 I carry a fair share of it in my
pouch； but I shall carry the recollection of it until I die。 In
token of my appreciation； and in return for the moccasins on your
own feet； I will present to you these muclucs。 They commemorate
Klooch and the seven blind little beggars。 They are also souvenirs
of an unparalleled event in history； namely； the destruction of the
oldest breed of animal on earth； and the youngest。 And their chief
virtue lies in that they will never wear out。〃
Having effected the exchange； he knocked the ashes from his pipe；
gripped my hand good…night； and wandered off through the snow。
Concerning this tale； for which I have already disclaimed
responsibility； I would recommend those of little faith to make a
visit to the Smithsonian Institute。 If they bring the requisite
credentials and do not come in vacation time； they will undoubtedly
gain an audience with Professor Dolvidson。 The muclucs are in his
possession； and he will verify； not the manner in which they were
obtained； but the material of which they are composed。 When he
states that they are made from the skin of the mammoth； the
scientific world accepts his verdict。 What more would you have？
A HYPERBOREAN BREW
＇The story of a scheming white man among the strange people who
live on the rim of the Arctic sea＇
Thomas Stevens's veracity may have been indeterminate as X； and his
imagination the imagination of ordinary men increased to the nth
power； but this； at least； must be said： never did he deliver
himself of word nor deed that could be branded as a lie outright。 。
。 He may have played with probability； and verged on the extremest
edge of possibility； but in his tales the machinery never creaked。
That he knew the Northland like a book； not a soul can deny。 That
he was a great traveller； and had set foot on countless unknown
trails； many evidences affirm。 Outside of my own personal
knowledge； I knew men that had met him everywhere； but principally
on the confines of Nowhere。 There was Johnson； the ex…Hudson Bay
Company factor； who had housed him in a Labrador factory until his
dogs rested up a bit； and he was able to strike out again。 There
was McMahon； agent for the Alaska Commercial Company； who had run
across him in Dutch Harbour； and later on； among the outlying
islands of the Aleutian group。 It was indisputable that he had
guided one of the earlier United States surveys； and history states
positively that in a similar capacity he served the Western Union
when it attempted to put through its trans…Alaskan and Siberian
telegraph to Europe。 Further； there was Joe Lamson； the whaling
captain； who； when ice…bound off the mouth of the Mackenzie； had
had him come aboard after tobacco。 This last touch proves Thomas
Stevens's identity conclusively。 His quest for tobacco was
perennial and untiring。 Ere we became fairly acquainted； I learned
to greet him with one hand； and pass the pouch with the other。 But
the night I met him in John O'Brien's Dawson saloon； his head was
wreathed in a nimbus of fifty…cent cigar smoke； and instead of my
pouch he demanded my sack。 We were standing by a faro table； and
forthwith he tossed it upon the 〃high card。〃 〃Fifty；〃 he said； and
the game…keeper nodded。 The 〃high card〃 turned； and he handed back
my sack； called for a 〃tab；〃 and drew me over to the scales； where
the weigher nonchalantly cashed him out fifty dollars in dust。
〃And now we'll drink；〃 he said； and later； at the bar； when he
lowered his glass： 〃Reminds me of a little brew I had up Tattarat
way。 No； you have no knowledge of the place； nor is it down on the
charts。 But it's up by the rim of the Arctic Sea； not so many
hundred miles from the American line； and all of half a thousand
God…forsaken souls live there； giving and taking in marriage； and
starving and dying in…between…whiles。 Explorers have overlooked
them； and you will not find them in the census of 1890。 A whale…
ship was pinched there once； but the men； who had made shore over
the ice； pulled out for the south and were never heard of。
〃But it was a great brew we had； Moosu and I；〃 he added a moment
later； with just the slightest suspicion of a sigh。
I knew there were big deeds and wild doings behind that sigh； so I
haled him into a corner； between a roulette outfit and a poker
layout； and waited for his tongue to thaw。
〃Had one objection to Moosu；〃 he began； cocking his head
meditatively〃one objection； and only one。 He was an Indian from
over on the edge of the Chippewyan country； but the trouble was；
he'd picked up a smattering of the Scriptures。 Been campmate a
season with a renegade French Canadian who'd studied for the
church。 Moosu'd never seen applied Christianity； and his head was
crammed with miracles； battles； and dispensations； and what not he
didn't understand。 Otherwise he was a good sort； and a handy man
on trail or over a fire。
〃We'd had a hard time together and were badly knocked out when we
plumped upon Tattarat。 Lost outfits and dogs crossing a divide in
a fall blizzard； and our bellies clove to our backs and our clothes
were in rags when we crawled into the village。 They weren't much
surprised at seeing usbecause of the whalemenand gave us the
meanest shack in the village to live in； and the worst of their
leavings to live on。 What struck me at the tim