The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-09-18
CHAPTER ".


ON the river where was packed trat AMI where
| Isnowshoes unnecessary the dogs averaged
six miles an hour. To keep up with them the two
men were compelled 70 run. Daylight and Kama re-
leved each other regularly al the geepOle for hene
was the hard work Of steering the flying sled and
keeping in advance OF IT, The man relieved dropped
behind the sled, occasionally leaping upon # and
resting.
1t was severe work, bat Of the sort that was ex-
hilarating. They were flying, getting the ground,
making the most Of the packed tran. Later they
would come TO the unbroken trail where three miles
hour would constitute good going. Then there
were be no riding and resting and no running. Then
the gee-pole would be the easier task and a man
would come back 70 It TO rest after having completed
his spell to the fore, breaking tran with the snow
shoes for the dogs. Such work was FAR from ex-
hlarating Also they must expect places where FOR
miles time they must toll chaotic ice jams,
where they would be fortunate II they made two
miles hour. And there would be the Inevitable
bad Jams short ones, 1t true, but so bad that
mile an hour would require terrific effort
Kama and Daylight did not talk. IN the nature OF
the work they could not, IN their OWE natures
were they given 10 talking while they worked. At
rare intervals, when necessary they addressed each
other In monosyllabes. Kama for the most part con-
tenting himself with grunts. Occasionally dog
whned snarled, but in the main they too kept
silent Only could be heard the sharp, jsrTing CRATE
OF the steel runners over the hard surface and the
c.eak Of the stratning sled.
AS If through a wall Daylight had passed from the
hum and Of The TivOll into another wOrid-a
world Of silence and immobility. Nothing stirred.
The Yukon slept under coat Of ice three feet thick
No breath OF wind blew Nor I'D the sap move in
the hearts OF the spruce that foresed the river
banks on either hand The trees, burdened with the
last nfnitesimal pennyweigh OF snow their branches
could hold stood In absolute petrfacton. The slight
est tremor would have cislodged the snow and 10
snow was dlsIodged The sled the point Of
life and motion in the midst Of the solemn quietude.
and the harsh churn OF its runners bur emphasized
the silence through which It moved.
II WAS dead world and furthermore a gray world
The weather was sharp and clear; there
moisture IN the atmosphere, fog haze vet the
sky was a gray pall The reason for this was thar
though there was no cloud in the sky 10 dim the
brightness OF day there sun 10 give bright
ness. Ear 20 the south the climbed steadily to
meridian but between it and the frozen Yukon inter
vened the bulge Of the earth. The Yukon lay IN a
mighty shadow, and the day itself was IN reality
long twilight AZ quarter before twelve where q
wide bend Of the river gave long vista south the
showed its upper rim above the sky line But II
did not rise perpendicusrly. Instead il rose on
slant, that by high It had barely lifted its
lower rim clear of the horizon. 1t WAS a dim wan
sun. There heat 10 It's rays aud man could
gaze squarely into the full orb Of It without hurt
his eyes. No had It reached meridian than II
began it's slant back beneath the horizon and at a
quarter past twelve the earth threw its shadow again
the land.
The men and the dogs raced on. Daylight and
Kama were both sAV3ges so far their stOmachs
were concerned. They could eat irreguary in time
and quantity, gOrging hugely occasion and on &C.
casion going long stretches without eating M all As
for the dogs they ate but day and then rarely
didsthey receive than pound each Of dried fish
They always rayenousy hungry and ar the
same time splendidly In condition. Like the wolves
their forebears their nut4ive processes we're rgidy
economical and perfect. There waste. The
last least particle Of what they consumed was trans
formed into energy. And Kama and Daylight were
like them. Descended themselves from the genera
lions that had endured they, too. endured. Theirs
was the simple, elemental economy. \ little food
equipped them with prodgious energy Nothing was
lost man Of soft civilization, sitting ar a desk
would have grown lean and Woebegone on the fare
that kept Kama and Daylight at the top notch Of
physical efficiency. They knew, as the man at the
desk never knows what II is 10 be normally hungry all
petites were always with them and edge, so that
they bit voraciousy into whatever offered and with
an entire innocence OF indigestion.
By three in the afternoon the long twilight faded
into night The stars came out very and sharp
and bright and by their light dogs and men sti kept
the trail They were indefaugabe. And this was no
record run of single day, but the first day Of sixty
such days Though Daylight had passed night with
out sleep night OF dancing and Carouse, II seemed
10 have left no effect For this there were two ex-
plantations. First, his remarkable vitality, and next
the fact that such nights in his experience
Again enters the man at the desk, whose physical
efficiency would be more hurt by a cup Of coffee at
bedtime than could Daylights by a whole night long
Of strong drink and excitement
Daylight travelled without a watch feeling the
passage Of time and largely estimating IL by sub
conscious processes. by what he considered must
be six O'Clock he began looking Cor camping place
The trail at bend, plunged out across the river.
Not having found likely spot, they held for the
opposite bank mile away. But midway they
countered an ice jam, which took al hour OF heavy
work TO cross At last Daylight glimpsed what he
was looking for dead tree eAse by the bank The
sled run IN and up. Kama grunted with salts
faction, and the work Of making camp was begun.
The division Of labor was excellent Each knew
what he must do With one Daylight chopped
down the dead pine Kama, with snowshoe aud
the other axe cleared away the two feet Of snow above
the Yukon ice and chopped supply of ice for cook
Ing purposes piece OF dry birch bark started the
fire, and Daylight went ahead with the cooking while
the Indian unloaded the sled and fed the dogs their
ration OF dried fish The food sacks he slung high in
the trees beyond leaping reach OF the huSkes Next
he chopped down a young spruce tree and trimmed
of the boughs Close TO the fire he tramped down
the soft snow and covered the packed space with
the boughs. On this flooring he tossed his own and
Daylghts gear bags, containing dry socks and under
wear and their sleeping robes. Kama. however. had
two robes of rabbit skin In DavIi0bts ono