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Great Barrens on the musk…ox's winter trail。
And I shifted my judgment accordingly （the first revision； but by no
account the last）； and deemed him a monumental effigy of truth。 Why it
was I know not； but the spirit moved me to repeat a tale told to me by a
man who had dwelt in the land too long to know better。 It was of the
great bear that hugs the steep slopes of St Elias； never descending to the
levels of the gentler inclines。 Now God so constituted this creature for its
hillside habitat that the legs of one side are all of a foot longer than those
of the other。 This is mighty convenient； as will be reality admitted。 So I
hunted this rare beast in my own name； told it in the first person； present
tense； painted the requisite locale； gave it the necessary garnishings and
touches of verisimilitude； and looked to see the man stunned by the recital。
Not he。 Had he doubted； I could have forgiven him。 Had he
objected； denying the dangers of such a hunt by virtue of the animal's
inability to turn about and go the other wayhad he done this； I say； I
could have taken him by the hand for the true sportsman that he was。
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Not he。 He sniffed； looked on me； and sniffed again； then gave my
tobacco due praise； thrust one foot into my lap； and bade me examine the
gear。 It was a MUCLUC of the Innuit pattern； sewed together with sinew
threads； and devoid of beads or furbelows。 But it was the skin itself that
was remarkable。 In that it was all of half an inch thick； it reminded me of
walrus…hide； but there the resemblance ceased； for no walrus ever bore so
marvellous a growth of hair。 On the side and ankles this hair was well…
nigh worn away； what of friction with underbrush and snow； but around
the top and down the more sheltered back it was coarse； dirty black； and
very thick。 I parted it with difficulty and looked beneath for the fine fur
that is common with northern animals； but found it in this case to be
absent。 This； however； was compensated for by the length。 Indeed； the
tufts that had survived wear and tear measured all of seven or eight inches。
I looked up into the man's face； and he pulled his foot down and asked；
〃Find hide like that on your St Elias bear？〃
I shook my head。 〃Nor on any other creature of land or sea；〃 I
answered candidly。 The thickness of it； and the length of the hair；
puzzled me。
〃That；〃 he said； and said without the slightest hint of impressiveness；
〃that came from a mammoth。〃
〃Nonsense！〃 I exclaimed； for I could not forbear the protest of my
unbelief。 〃The mammoth； my dear sir； long ago vanished from the earth。
We know it once existed by the fossil remains that we have unearthed； and
by a frozen carcase that the Siberian sun saw fit to melt from out the
bosom of a glacier； but we also know that no living specimen exists。 Our
explorers〃
At this word he broke in impatiently。 〃Your explorers？ Pish！ A
weakly breed。 Let us hear no more of them。 But tell me； O man； what
you may know of the mammoth and his ways。〃
Beyond contradiction； this was leading to a yarn； so I baited my hook
by ransacking my memory for whatever data I possessed on the subject in
hand。 To begin with； I emphasized that the animal was prehistoric； and
marshalled all my facts in support of this。 I mentioned the Siberian sand…
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bars that abounded with ancient mammoth bones； spoke of the large
quantities of fossil ivory purchased from the Innuits by the Alaska
Commercial Company； and acknowledged having myself mined six… and
eight…foot tusks from the pay gravel of the Klondike creeks。 〃All
fossils；〃 I concluded； 〃found in the midst of debris deposited through
countless ages。〃
〃I remember when I was a kid；〃 Thomas Stevens sniffed （he had a
most confounded way of sniffing）； 〃that I saw a petrified water… melon。
Hence； though mistaken persons sometimes delude themselves into
thinking that they are really raising or eating them； there are no such
things as extant water…melons？〃
〃But the question of food；〃 I objected； ignoring his point； which was
puerile and without bearing。 〃The soil must bring forth vegetable life in
lavish abundance to support so monstrous creations。 Nowhere in the
North is the soil so prolific。 Ergo； the mammoth cannot exist。〃
〃I pardon your ignorance concerning many matters of this Northland；
for you are a young man and have travelled little； but； at the same time； I
am inclined to agree with you on one thing。 The mammoth no longer
exists。 How do I know？ I killed the last one with my own right arm。〃
Thus spake Nimrod； the mighty Hunter。 I threw a stick of firewood
at the dogs and bade them quit their unholy howling； and waited。
Undoubtedly this liar of singular felicity would open his mouth and
requite me for my St。 Elias bear。
〃It was this way；〃 he at last began； after the appropriate silence had
intervened。 〃I was in camp one day〃
〃Where？〃 I interrupted。
He waved his hand vaguely in the direction of the north…east； where
stretched a TERRA INCOGNITA into which vastness few men have
strayed and fewer emerged。 〃I was in camp one day with Klooch。
Klooch was as handsome a little KAMOOKS as ever whined betwixt the
traces or shoved nose into a camp kettle。 Her father was a full… blood
Malemute from Russian Pastilik on Bering Sea； and I bred her； and with
understanding； out of a clean…legged bitch of the Hudson Bay stock。 I
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tell you； O man； she was a corker combination。 And now； on this day I
have in mind； she was brought to pup