按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
he hated it； as though it had done him some terrible wrong。 Then
he returned and shouldered his pack。
As the day wore along he came into valleys or swales where game was
more plentiful。 A band of caribou passed by； twenty and odd
animals； tantalizingly within rifle range。 He felt a wild desire
to run after them； a certitude that he could run them down。 A
black fox came toward him； carrying a ptarmigan in his mouth。 The
man shouted。 It was a fearful cry； but the fox； leaping away in
fright； did not drop the ptarmigan。
Late in the afternoon he followed a stream； milky with lime； which
ran through sparse patches of rush…grass。 Grasping these rushes
firmly near the root； he pulled up what resembled a young onion…
sprout no larger than a shingle…nail。 It was tender； and his teeth
sank into it with a crunch that promised deliciously of food。 But
its fibers were tough。 It was composed of stringy filaments
saturated with water； like the berries； and devoid of nourishment。
He threw off his pack and went into the rush…grass on hands and
knees； crunching and munching； like some bovine creature。
He was very weary and often wished to rest … to lie down and sleep；
but he was continually driven on … not so much by his desire to
gain the land of little sticks as by his hunger。 He searched
little ponds for frogs and dug up the earth with his nails for
worms； though he knew in spite that neither frogs nor worms existed
so far north。
He looked into every pool of water vainly； until； as the long
twilight came on； he discovered a solitary fish； the size of a
minnow； in such a pool。 He plunged his arm in up to the shoulder；
but it eluded him。 He reached for it with both hands and stirred
up the milky mud at the bottom。 In his excitement he fell in；
wetting himself to the waist。 Then the water was too muddy to
admit of his seeing the fish； and he was compelled to wait until
the sediment had settled。
The pursuit was renewed； till the water was again muddied。 But he
could not wait。 He unstrapped the tin bucket and began to bale the
pool。 He baled wildly at first； splashing himself and flinging the
water so short a distance that it ran back into the pool。 He
worked more carefully； striving to be cool； though his heart was
pounding against his chest and his hands were trembling。 At the
end of half an hour the pool was nearly dry。 Not a cupful of water
remained。 And there was no fish。 He found a hidden crevice among
the stones through which it had escaped to the adjoining and larger
pool … a pool which he could not empty in a night and a day。 Had
he known of the crevice； he could have closed it with a rock at the
beginning and the fish would have been his。
Thus he thought； and crumpled up and sank down upon the wet earth。
At first he cried softly to himself； then he cried loudly to the
pitiless desolation that ringed him around； and for a long time
after he was shaken by great dry sobs。
He built a fire and warmed himself by drinking quarts of hot water；
and made camp on a rocky ledge in the same fashion he had the night
before。 The last thing he did was to see that his matches were dry
and to wind his watch。 The blankets were wet and clammy。 His
ankle pulsed with pain。 But he knew only that he was hungry； and
through his restless sleep he dreamed of feasts and banquets and of
food served and spread in all imaginable ways。
He awoke chilled and sick。 There was no sun。 The gray of earth
and sky had become deeper； more profound。 A raw wind was blowing；
and the first flurries of snow were whitening the hilltops。 The
air about him thickened and grew white while he made a fire and
boiled more water。 It was wet snow； half rain； and the flakes were
large and soggy。 At first they melted as soon as they came in
contact with the earth； but ever more fell； covering the ground；
putting out the fire； spoiling his supply of moss…fuel。
This was a signal for him to strap on his pack and stumble onward；
he knew not where。 He was not concerned with the land of little
sticks； nor with Bill and the cache under the upturned canoe by the
river Dease。 He was mastered by the verb 〃to eat。〃 He was hunger…
mad。 He took no heed of the course he pursued； so long as that
course led him through the swale bottoms。 He felt his way through
the wet snow to the watery muskeg berries； and went by feel as he
pulled up the rush…grass by the roots。 But it was tasteless stuff
and did not satisfy。 He found a weed that tasted sour and he ate
all he could find of it； which was not much； for it was a creeping
growth； easily hidden under the several inches of snow。
He had no fire that night； nor hot water； and crawled under his
blanket to sleep the broken hunger…sleep。 The snow turned into a
cold rain。 He awakened many times to feel it falling on his
upturned face。 Day came … a gray day and no sun。 It had ceased
raining。 The keenness of his hunger had departed。 Sensibility； as
far as concerned the yearning for food； had been exhausted。 There
was a dull； heavy ache in his stomach； but it did not bother him so
much。 He was more rational； and once more he was chiefly
interested in the land of little sticks and the cache by the river
Dease。
He ripped the remnant of one of his blankets into strips and bound
his bleeding feet。 Also； he recinched the injured ankle and
prepared himself for a day of travel。 When he came to his pack； he
paused long over the squat moose…hide sack； but in the end it went
with him。
The snow had melted under the rain； and only the hilltops showed
white。 The sun came out； and he succeeded in locating the points
of the compass； though he knew now that he was lost。 Perhaps； in
his previous days' wanderings； he had edged away too far to the
left。 He now bore off to the right to counteract the possible
deviation from his true course。
Though the hunger pangs were no longer so exquisite； he realized
that he was weak。 He was compelled to pause for frequent rests；
when he attacked the muskeg berries and rush…grass patches。 His
tongue felt dry and large； as though covered with a fine hairy
growth； and it tasted bitter in his mouth。 His heart gave him a
great deal of trouble。 When he had travelled a few minutes it
would begin a remorseless thump； thump； thump； and then leap up and
away in a painful flutter of beats that choked him and made him go
faint and dizzy。
In the middle of the day he found two minnows in a large pool。 It
was impossible to bale it； but he was calmer now and managed to
catch them in his tin bucket。 They were no longer than his little
finger； but he was not particularly hungry。 The dull ache in his
stomach had been growing duller and fainter。 It seemed almost that
his stomach was dozing。 He ate the fish raw； masticating with
painstaking c