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！
but hosts of savages。 Every anchorage among the beetling islands or
under the frowning cliffs of the mainland had meant a battle or a storm。
Either the gales blew； threatening destruction； or the war canoes came off；
manned by howling natives with the war… paint on their faces； who came
to learn the bloody virtues of the sea…rovers' gunpowder。 South； south
they had coasted； clear to the myth…land of California。 Here； it was said；
were Spanish adventurers who had fought their way up from Mexico。 He
had had hopes of those Spanish adventurers。 Escaping to them； the rest
would have been easya year or two； what did it matter more or lessand
he would win to Mexico； then a ship； and Europe would be his。 But they
had met no Spaniards。 Only had they encountered the same impregnable
wall of savagery。 The denizens of the confines of the world； painted for
war； had driven them back from the shores。 At last； when one boat was
cut off and every man killed； the commander had abandoned the quest and
sailed back to the north。
The years had passed。 He had served under Tebenkoff when
Michaelovski Redoubt was built。 He had spent two years in the
Kuskokwim country。 Two summers； in the month of June； he had
managed to be at the head of Kotzebue Sound。 Here； at this time； the
tribes assembled for barter； here were to be found spotted deerskins from
Siberia； ivory from the Diomedes； walrus skins from the shores of the
Arctic； strange stone lamps； passing in trade from tribe to tribe； no one
knew whence； and； once； a hunting…knife of English make； and here；
Subienkow knew； was the school in which to learn geography。 For he met
Eskimos from Norton Sound； from King Island and St。 Lawrence Island；
from Cape Prince of Wales； and Point Barrow。 Such places had other
names； and their distances were measured in days。
It was a vast region these trading savages came from； and a vaster
region from which； by repeated trade； their stone lamps and that steel knife
had come。 Subienkow bullied； and cajoled； and bribed。 Every far…
journeyer or strange tribesman was brought before him。 Perils
5
… Page 6…
LOST FACE
unaccountable and unthinkable were mentioned； as well as wild beasts；
hostile tribes； impenetrable forests； and mighty mountain ranges； but
always from beyond came the rumour and the tale of white… skinned men；
blue of eye and fair of hair； who fought like devils and who sought always
for furs。 They were to the eastfar； far to the east。 No one had seen
them。 It was the word that had been passed along。
It was a hard school。 One could not learn geography very well
through the medium of strange dialects； from dark minds that mingled fact
and fable and that measured distances by 〃sleeps〃 that varied according to
the difficulty of the going。 But at last came the whisper that gave
Subienkow courage。 In the east lay a great river where were these blue…
eyed men。 The river was called the Yukon。 South of Michaelovski
Redoubt emptied another great river which the Russians knew as the
Kwikpak。 These two rivers were one； ran the whisper。
Subienkow returned to Michaelovski。 For a year he urged an
expedition up the Kwikpak。 Then arose Malakoff； the Russian half…
breed； to lead the wildest and most ferocious of the hell's broth of mongrel
adventurers who had crossed from Kamtchatka。 Subienkow was his
lieutenant。 They threaded the mazes of the great delta of the Kwikpak；
picked up the first low hills on the northern bank； and for half a thousand
miles； in skin canoes loaded to the gunwales with trade…goods and
ammunition； fought their way against the five…knot current of a river that
ran from two to ten miles wide in a channel many fathoms deep。
Malakoff decided to build the fort at Nulato。 Subienkow urged to go
farther。 But he quickly reconciled himself to Nulato。 The long winter
was coming on。 It would be better to wait。 Early the following summer；
when the ice was gone； he would disappear up the Kwikpak and work his
way to the Hudson Bay Company's posts。 Malakoff had never heard the
whisper that the Kwikpak was the Yukon； and Subienkow did not tell him。
Came the building of the fort。 It was enforced labour。 The tiered
walls of logs arose to the sighs and groans of the Nulato Indians。 The lash
was laid upon their backs； and it was the iron hand of the freebooters of
the sea that laid on the lash。 There were Indians that ran away； and when
they were caught they were brought back and spread…eagled before the fort；
6
… Page 7…
LOST FACE
where they and their tribe learned the efficacy of the knout。 Two died
under it； others were injured for life； and the rest took the lesson to heart
and ran away no more。 The snow was flying ere the fort was finished； and
then it was the time for furs。 A heavy tribute was laid upon the tribe。
Blows and lashings continued； and that the tribute should be paid； the
women and children were held as hostages and treated with the barbarity
that only the fur…thieves knew。
Well； it had been a sowing of blood； and now was come the harvest。
The fort was gone。 In the light of its burning； half the fur…thieves had
been cut down。 The other half had passed under the torture。 Only
Subienkow remained； or Subienkow and Big Ivan； if that whimpering；
moaning thing in the snow could be called Big Ivan。 Subienkow caught
Yakaga grinning at him。 There was no gainsaying Yakaga。 The mark of
the lash was still on his face。 After all； Subienkow could not blame him；
but he disliked the thought of what Yakaga would do to him。 He thought
of appealing to Makamuk； the head…chief； but his judgment told him that
such appeal was useless。 Then； too； he thought of bursting his bonds and
dying fighting。 Such an end would be quick。 But he could not break
his bonds。 Caribou thongs were stronger than he。 Still devising；
another thought came to him。 He signed for Makamuk； and that an
interpreter who knew the coast dialect should be brought。
〃Oh； Makamuk；〃 he said； 〃I am not minded to die。 I am a great man；
and it were foolishness for me to die。 In truth； I shall not die。 I am not
like these other carrion。〃
He looked at the moaning thing that had once been Big Ivan； and
stirred it contemptuously with his toe。
〃I am too wise to die。 Behold； I have a great medicine。 I alone
know this medicine。 Since I am not going to die； I shall exchange this
medicine with you。〃
〃What is this medicine？〃 Makamuk demanded。
〃It is a strange medicine。〃
Subienkow debated with himself for a moment； as if loth to part with
the secret。
〃I will tell you。 A little bit of this medicine rubbed on the skin makes
7
… Page 8…
LOST FACE
the skin hard like a rock； hard like iron； so that no cutting weapon can cut
it。 The strongest blow of a cutting weapon is a vain thing against it。 A
bone knife becomes like a piece of mud； and it will turn the edge of the
iron knives we have brought among you。 What will you give me for the
secret of the medicine？〃
〃I will give you your life；〃 Makamuk made answer through the
interpreter。
Subienkow laughed scornfully。
〃And you shall be a slave in my house until you die。〃
The Pole laughed more scornfully。
〃Untie my hands and feet and let us talk；〃 he said。
The chief made the sign； and when he was