The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1918-01-18

IE4SNH no conception of the subtle
lG&A atmosphere eXhaled by the
sex feminine SO long as he bathes in
it; but let it be withdrawn, and an
ver-growing void begins to manifest
itself in his existence, and he becomes
hungry, In a vague sort of way, for a
something so indefinite that he cannot
characterize it. If his comrades have
no more experience than himself, they
will shake their heads obviously and
dose him with strong phySic. But the
hunger will continue and become
stronger; he will lose interest in the
things of his everyday life and wax
morbid; and one day, when the empti-
ness has become rnbearable, a reveia-
ton will dawn upon him.
In the Yukon country, when this
comes to pass, the man usually pro-
visions a polling boat, If it be summer,
and if winter harnesses his dogs, and
heads for the Southland. A few
months later, suppoSing him to be pos
sesSed of faith in the country, he
returns with q wife TO share with him
IN that faith, and incidentally in his
hardships. This but serves to show
the innate seltishness of man. 1t also
brings US to the trouble of "Scruff
Mackenzie, which occurred in the old
days, before the country was stamped
ed and staked by tidal wave of che
cha-quas, and when the KlOndike's
only claim to notice was its salmon
fisheries.
Of frontier birth and frontier life.
His face was stamped with twenty-five
years of incessant struggle with ma
ture in her widest moods, the last
two. the widest and hardest of all,
having been spent in cropping for the
gold which lies in the shadow of the
Arctic Circle. When the yearning
sickness came upon him he was not
surprised, for he was practical man
and had seen other men thus stricken.
But he showed no sign of his malady,
save that he worked harder. All sum-
mer he fought mosquitoes and washed
the sure-thing bars of the Stuart river
for double grub-stake. Then he
f1oated a raft of house-logs down the
Yukon to Forty Mile, and put together
as comfortable a cabin as any the
camp could boast of. In fact, it showed
such cozy promise that many men
elected to be his partner and to come
and live with him. But he crushed
their aspirations with rough speech,
peculiar for its strength and brevity,
and bought a double supply of grub
from the trading-pOst.
He was sturdy traveller, and his
wolf-dogs could work harder and trav-
ell farther on less grub than any other
team In the Yukon. Three weeks later
ne strobe into hunting camp of the
Upper Tanana Sticks. They mar
veled at his temerity; for they had a
bad name and had been known to kill
white men for as trifling thing as a
sharp ak or a broken rifle. But he
went among them single-handed, his
bearing being a delicious composite OF
humility, familiarity, sang-froid, and
insolence 1t required q left hand and
deep knowledge of the barbaric mind
effectually to handle such diverse
weapons; but he was past master
IN the art, knowing when to cOnciliate
and when to threaten with JOve-like
wrath.
He first made obeiSance to the Chief
ThIing-Tinneh, presenting him with 9
couple of pounds of black tea and to
bacco, and thereby winning his most
cordial regard. Then he mingled with
the men and maidenS, and that night
gave potlach. The snow was beaten
down in the form of an oblong, per
haps a hundred feet in length anC
quarter as many across. Down the
center a long fire was built, while
either side was carpeted with spruce
boughs. The lodges were fOrsaken
and the fveScore or so members OF
the tribe gave tongue to their folk
chants in honor Of their guests.
Scruff MackenzieS two years hat
taught him the not many hun
dred words of their vocabulary
and he had likewise conquered
their deep gutturals, their Jap
anese idioms, constructions, and hon
critic and agglutinative particles. 81
he made Grafton after their manner
satisfying their instructive poetry-lov'
with crude flights of elOQuence an,
metaphorical contortiOEs. Afte
Thling-Tinneh and the Shaman ha,
responded in kind, he made triflini
presents to the menfOlk, joined in thei
singing, and proved an expert in thei
fifty-two-stick gambling game.
1t wac slow work and a stiff game
but Scruff Mackenzie maneuvere
cunningly, with an unconcern whic
served to puzzle the Sticks. He too
great care to impress the men tina
he was sure shot and mighty hunt
err, and the camp rang with his plaudit
when he brought down a moose at ST.
hundred yards. OF night he visite
in Chief Thing Tinneh's lodge o
moose and caribOo skins, talking bi
and dispensing tobacco with LAWS
hand. Nor did he fail to likewis
honor the Shaman; for he realized tn
medicine mans influence with his pee
pie. and was anxious to make of hiI
an ally. But that worthy was hig
and mighty, refused to be propitiatet
and was unerringly marked down as
prospective enemy.
Though no opening presented for a
interview with Zarinska, Mackenzi
stole many glance to her, giving fai
warning of his intent. And well sh
knew. yet coquettishly surrounded hel
self with ring of women wheneve
the men were away and he had
chance. But he was in no hurry; b.
sides, he knew she could not help bu
think Of him, and few days Of sue
thought would only better his suit