The Call of the Wild: Selected Short Stories by Jack London

Chapter 12 The Call of the Wild (8)
Booker didn't like Messesa.But if you want to resist, you don't have the strength.So, I had to let her hug me.

Such a miserable scene, even the onlookers couldn't stand it anymore.One of them said, "I'm not interested in knowing what's going on. But if I keep watching, I can't do it. If you still want to go, pack up that sledge first. Look at it." The logs on it are all snow and they're all frozen. You give the rudder stick a few hard pushes and the ice falls off. Then the dogs can pull the sled."

Hal scoffed at this.He is very stubborn, still go his own way.Under his whipping, Buck and they also exhausted all their strength, but the sled still showed no sign of moving forward.

More than once they tried to pull the sled, but all with the same result.In the end, Hal had to compromise.Under the persuasion of others, he shook the slide a few times vigorously, the snow that was frozen on it fell off, and the sled started to move, and then, it slid forward bit by bit.

The whips continued to whip, falling on Booker and his companions as densely as raindrops.Booker and the others ran crazily on the winding steep slope, and when they turned to the main road, an accident appeared.The sled overturned and half of its contents fell out.As to why this happened, that's for Hal to ask.This is all due to his ignorance.Because the sled had to be straightened when turning, and Hal didn't know that.

After the sled overturned, they didn't stop, but ran forward.Everything on the sled was gone, but the sled was still there, bouncing up and down as they ran.

"Don't run away! Stop!" Hal yelled.Booker and the others didn't pay any attention to his yelling, and continued to run wildly until they reached the main road.

Hal fell and sat down on the ground.Just then the sled came and ran right over him.

The things that were originally piled on the sled were scattered on the ground.Booker, how far they run, how far these things fall.

Hal and the others looked very embarrassed now, and the people in Skagui City couldn't help but laugh when they saw it.Some of them were very kind, and when they saw their situation, they ran over to help.While restraining the dogs, they also picked up the fallen things, and by the way, they persuaded Hal and the others: "Before reaching Dawson, if you want to have a smooth journey, you should reduce the weight on the sled by half." , and double the number of dogs."

This experience taught Hal a lesson, and he is no longer stubborn.So, the three of them set up the tent again, and then checked the scattered things on the ground, not missing a single one.

The onlookers couldn't help laughing when they saw the cans falling to the ground, and there were so many of them.On a long road trip, it would be a crime to carry cans because they are so heavy.

"You have so many blankets. It's more than enough to open a hotel." Someone couldn't help laughing.He was helping them pack their things.

"In my opinion, even half of these things are a little too much, so let's have a little less. Don't take the tents with you. Throw away the dishes, and don't keep a single one. God bless! Even if you keep them , but what can you use to clean it? What are you doing here? Traveling?”

They followed through on all the suggestions.In the end, they were left with only the necessities, and the rest were thrown away.

Mercesa has a big bag full of luggage.Hal dropped the bag on the floor and began picking through its contents.Seeing her luggage being thrown away one by one by Hal, Messesa felt very uncomfortable, and she couldn't control her tears.Just when her things were running out, suddenly, she rushed up like a whirlwind and threw away their luggage one by one.

In the end, there was only a small part of their luggage left, but even these, piled up together, were terrifying like a hill.

In the evening, Charis and Hal brought back six more dogs.Booker, there are eight of them in total.In this way there were fourteen dogs in the team.

None of the six dogs were born and bred, three of them were hounds with very short coats, one was a Newfoundland, and the remaining two were mixed dogs, it is impossible to know what kind of mixed blood.They have been trained before, but even so, their hands and feet are not very flexible.So Booker and his mates don't like them.

As the team leader, Booker has always been very capable.In a very short time, it taught the dogs where to stand and the rules to follow.But for the work of pulling sleds, these new dogs did not have much enthusiasm.

They have few rights to enjoy, so their mood is very depressed, and they can't do anything else.In this way, the burden on Booker and the others did not lighten at all.However, Hal and the others knew nothing about this situation, and they were still enjoying themselves there.Look how big our dog team is. There are fourteen dogs.

(Second Section) Hungry and Tired

The next day, Booker and the others didn't go on the road until the sun rose high.Booker led the long dog team, walking slowly towards the road.

Although the dog team is huge, its members are listless.Buck and his companions were exhausted, but the new dogs could not exert their strength.

This is the fifth time Booker has run on this snow track.It has experienced all the hardships and hardships along the way.Now even though the body is exhausted to the extreme, it still has to move forward with overload.For this reason, it is extremely painful.then.It can't concentrate on work anymore.And the other companions are the same.

Those new dogs were not only listless, but timid and cowardly.Although Booker has rich experience, he has no confidence in his new owner.Because they are flustered when they do things.In this way, the whole team cannot be united as one.This is destined to be full of hardships on their way forward.

Booker was very puzzled by the panic and slow speed with which Hal and the others were doing things.In order to set up the tent, they need half the night, and set up carelessly.By the time they packed up the tent and loaded the sledge, the morning was half past.In spite of all the time they had spent, the sledge was not only not loaded, but was falling to and fro.During the day, they walk on the road and stop from time to time to tidy up.Invisibly, their trip was delayed.

It is common for them to be unable to drive ten miles a day. What's more, they sometimes can't even go on the road.Frankie and the others walked thirty or forty miles a day.What a world of difference.

Time passed day by day, and their journey was delayed day by day.Whether the dog food can be supplied normally is something they worry about.And this worry finally became a reality, and it came earlier than expected.

Hal and the others have always held the view that food intake determines the running speed of the sled dogs. If they eat a lot, their running speed will naturally increase accordingly.As a result, the food intake of the sled dogs has doubled, but this way, the dog food is even less.Hal and the others had no idea what Booker and the others really needed.Little do they know, rest is what these dogs need most.

One day, Hal suddenly found out that there was only half of the dog food left, and they were still more than three quarters away from their destination.So he decided to speed up the march while reducing the dog's food supply.But to his disappointment, this plan fell through.Their luggage was too heavy, and their abilities alone were not enough to make this plan a reality.

Every morning, they would spend a lot of time just packing their luggage.They are still like this about their own affairs, let alone leading the dog team.What method can be used to achieve the greatest effect?They simply don't know how to solve this problem.While reducing the food supply to dogs is easy, trying to speed them up is a bit impractical.

The current situation is very bad.Dab's shoulder blade was already injured, and it was getting worse every day under Hal's whipping and long-term exertion.In desperation, Hal shot and killed it.

Dog food became less and less, and the next six dogs starved to death one by one.

Real life is too cruel.The scenery of the North Pole is very beautiful, but Hal and the others are not interested in watching it.Now, they only have one thing in mind, and that is to hurry to Daosheng City.God bless!Don't expect any surprises during this time.

This journey made them exhausted.They become irritable, and the previous rapport is gone.

In Messesa's eyes, Booker and them are not so pitiful anymore, and the one who really deserves sympathy is herself.Therefore, she often cried secretly.

Charis and Hal's mood became increasingly irritable, taunting each other, speaking barbarously, and being cruel to others.They would make a lot of noise when they got the chance.

Whenever this happened, Messesa didn't know what to do.With her husband on one side and her brother on the other, she had to sway from side to side, sided with Charis for a while, and helped Hal for a while.No matter what she did, the ending would be the same, just a family comedy, and it was always going on.

They quarreled endlessly over little things.Watching them, Booker's mind flashed images of Frankie, Brott, and the rest of the dogs.The ability of those people to endure pain is very different from that of ordinary people.Even under the difficult living and working conditions, their temperament has not changed in the slightest, and they are still as gentle as ever.And the few people in front of them have no gentleness at all, even if they have patience, they don't have it, even a little bit.

In the past, Messesa was very considerate of others, but under the torment of exhaustion, her temper also turned sour, not only willful, but also unreasonable.She wanted to sit on the sledge, but she was so stubborn that she climbed on it even though Hal and Charis discouraged her.The sled was already overwhelmed, and despite her handsome appearance, Messessa weighed 120 pounds.Now, the weight was on the bodies of the tired and hungry dogs through the sled.

Days passed and Messesa sat on the sled.The dogs were so tired that they pulled on the reins and fell to the ground.Then the sled stopped.

Although Charis and Hal begged Messessa to get off the sledge and walk on her own feet, even though they were sincere and repeatedly asked.But Messesa went her own way, instead of coming down, she cried and scolded them for being cruel and ruthless.

There was no way, Charis and Hal had to hold her down forcibly, and told her that such things could not happen again in the future.

But Messesa just sat on the snowy road, splashed like a child, and said nothing.

Charis and Hal ignored it and walked on without looking back.On the snowy road behind her, Messesa was still sitting there and continued to play tricks.

After three miles, Charis and Hal unloaded the sled and came running back.Still can't leave herself there.So together they carried her on the sled.It wasn't until then that Messesa stopped crying and smiled instead, and went on the road with them.

When they reached Wuzhi Mountain, there was no more dog food.Now, they couldn't move on anymore.

There is no unparalleled road, and they met an old woman.The old woman was an Indian, and when she learned of their situation, she showed that she had some frozen horse hides, and it weighed more than a pound.If they wanted it, it would be Hal's pistol in exchange.The pistol was fired in bursts, and to be honest, Hal was very reluctant.After weighing again and again, Hal finally agreed to the exchange condition.

Now, they have dog food again, and those horse hides are it.These horse hides come from horses on the ranch that died of starvation six months ago.In the freezer, they are as hard as a sheet of iron.If there is no way, they will never use this kind of thing as dog food.

When Booker and the others ate those horse hides, they all frowned, because these horse hides were very thin and had no meat at all, and the wax tasted better than it.Booker and their stomachs have already been starved.Although these foods irritate the stomach, it is impossible to digest them.

Under the double oppression of hunger and fatigue, Booker's bodies slowly weakened.Whenever the sled stopped, they collapsed to the ground.They lie under the reins, and the spark of life gradually dims, and it seems to be going out.At this moment, the leather whip in Hal's hand flicked, and the whip hit them, and the spark that symbolized life flickered again in an extremely weak way.So, Booker and the others continued on their way, walking slowly and staggeringly.

The sled continued to move forward slowly.Billy has always been obedient, and one day, he fell to the ground forever.After Hal dropped it by the side of the road, he urged Booker and the others to get back on the road.

This unexpected incident allowed Booker and the others to see their end.

The next morning, just as the team was leaving, Guna died again.

The number of sled dogs dropped sharply from fourteen to five.

The irritable Joey has only one breath left, even if he wants to lose his temper, he has no strength to support it.Pike, who likes to use his lameness as an excuse to be lazy, has a real lame foot. He walks with a limp and looks in a trance every day. Even if he tries his best, he can only follow the team, let alone avoid hard labor.

Now, the only one who can do his duty faithfully is Thorocks. This one-eyed dragon has an unpredictable temper, but he is also a little discouraged because he has no strength.

It was the first time for Tik, the newcomer, to run so far. Compared with other companions, he was whipped the most times.

Booker is the leader and is still at the forefront.As for the dog team's rules, it no longer insists on everyone obeying.Because most of the time, even itself, under the gradual decline of physical fitness, can't see the situation in front of it clearly, and the snow track under its feet becomes faintly visible.If it wants to maintain its forward direction, it can only rely on its feet, and this can only barely maintain it.

(Section [-]) Stubbornness

Their daily lives are the same, and they don't care about anything except traveling.It was already spring, and the surroundings were full of vitality, but they were unaware of these changes in the environment.The only thing that makes them aware is the color of the sky.They felt that the dawn seemed to be coming earlier.Just at three o'clock in the morning, there was a twilight in the sky, and it didn't get dark until nine o'clock in the evening.The day is not only long, but also sunny.The land in winter is silent, but it has slipped away quietly.In its place is spring, a season of joy and life everywhere.

The surrounding ice and snow are melting, making a gurgling sound.Weeds were crushed under the ice and snow, and animals were hibernating underground or in tree holes, and now they have regained consciousness.There are sprouts on the willow branches and poplar branches, which are very delicate and look white and hairy.The bushes and vines were all green, as if they had put on new clothes.Under the sun, those reptiles also got out, and there were rustling sounds as they crawled.In the sky, the wild geese returning from the south shouted happily.

The Yukang River is not to be outdone, and the river is about to break through the ice.The sun was shining, and there was a sound in the ear, click, and a long gap was opened in the ice layer.Then, the crack continued to spread, and many thin ice blocks appeared on the river surface, and then these ice blocks slowly sank.

The ice on the surface of the Yukang River is slowly melting, as is the case for any river.Under the urging of Hal and the others, Booker and the others continued on their way, even though the snow track under their feet was muddy and difficult to walk on.At the mouth of the White River, there is a camp near the mouth of the river, and the owner of the camp is Sandy.Hal and the others stopped and asked about the road conditions by the way.During this period, Booker and the others just happened to be able to take a break.

Sandy was whittling aspen for an ax handle.He had already heard a little about Hal's affairs, so he expected that they would come to check the road conditions.When Hal asked questions, he didn't stop what he was doing.He also gave concise answers to Hal's questions.He didn't even look up when he answered.He knew very well in his heart that even if he persuaded them by himself, they would insist on going their own way. Instead of doing this, he might as well keep silent.

Sure enough, when Hal heard it, he looked nonchalant and said, "Before, someone told us that it was impossible to walk on the river due to the melting of the bottom of the river. They told us to wait a few days and then go back to the river." Go forward. They also asserted that we will not be able to reach the mouth of the Baihe River. But, don’t you see that we are already standing here?” At the end, he shouted, his tone was full of complacency, and the corners of his mouth were still With a sneer.

"They didn't lie, it was all true," Sandy said.After a pause, he continued: "The bottom of the river melts, and the surface of the river thaws. This phenomenon happens every year, and it is at this time. People who come here must not only be stupid, but also have a little luck. Even if Give me all the gold in Alaska, and I will not walk on this kind of river, because doing so is tantamount to gambling, and the bet is my own life."

"Your approach may be wise. However, we have to reach Dawson no matter what we say. Before that, we will not stop." After Hal finished speaking, he waved the whip in his hand, He flicked his whip and shouted at Buck and them, "Get up, Buck! Pull the sled!"

Sandy said all he had to say, and seeing that they were still stubborn, he turned to his own business.

(End of this chapter)