Chapter 24 Chapter 9 Moose Hunting

There is a bend on the left bank of the Rube River, about 100 meters from the passage to the chimney of the crater.The canal was dug from the top corner of the bend, and it took 300 feet to dig. The work started on the morning of July 9th. After each pickaxe digs down, you will know: digging does not take much effort.The seven or eight feet below the ground are all fragile soil.This depth is enough, plus almost the same width on the line.There is no need to use armor steel brazing, otherwise, the gunpowder reserves will be used up. Everyone worked very hard.The goal is almost reached, which doubles the enthusiasm of everyone.Everyone knows about Ben Lado's plan.No one doubted that the Gold Volcano would soon be spitting out gold, although a few did not understand why.

Patrick's performance is even more outstanding.He is so strong that one person can do the work of 10 people. Canal work progressed rapidly.Everyone worked in shifts, took advantage of the longer evening hours, and worked for a while at night.Ben Rado oversaw the quality of the work, and took care to strengthen the embankment of the canal; while watching to see if a vein of gold had been dug, he found nothing. "This river is not as good as the Bonanza," said the scout, "but it doesn't matter if there are no gold nuggets in the river, as long as the river can make the gold volcano spew out gold nuggets!"

8 days have passed. On July 16, the canal was essentially complete.There are still a few meters to be dug, and then it is only necessary to cut a hole five or six feet wide in the bank of the river and open the partition wall that exists between the channel and the chimney, and the water will immediately flow itself into the belly of the volcano. How long does it take for a vapor buildup to cause a volcanic eruption?No one can accurately answer this question.However, according to the observation of engineers, the activity of the volcano is getting more and more intense.In the thicker cloud of smoke that hung over the summit, the flames rose higher, illuminating the vast surrounding area in the dark hours.Therefore, it is hoped that the water poured into the volcano's center will immediately turn into steam, causing a sudden and powerful eruption.

One day, towards the end of the afternoon, Neruto came to see Sammy Skin.He came running, so he said out of breath: "Ah! . . . Mr. Skinning! . . . Mr. Skinning! . . . " "What's wrong? Neruto." "There's . . . there's a moose, Mr. Skinner!" "Moose!" Sammy yelled. "Yes... there is a group... maybe five or six... or more... or..." "Or less," went on Sammy, "I know your old tune, my boy. Where are these moose?" "over there." The Indians pointed to the plains to the west of the Gold Volcano.

"Is it far?" "Eh!...about a mile...or half a mile..." "Or 200 kilometers, okay." Sammy said with a smile. The wild hunter's strongest desire is to meet a moose and get a pair.After coming to Klondike, this wish has not been realized.Only two or three of these animals have been found in the Dawson City suburbs and the Forty Mile River area.The news Neruto brought naturally strongly stimulated his hunting instinct. "Come on!" he said to the Indian. The two left the camp and walked several hundred steps along the foot of the Golden Volcano.After turning the last ridge on the south side, Sammy was able to watch a herd of moose move quietly across the vast plains to the northwest.

In spite of his eagerness to begin the pursuit at once, he had wisely decided to postpone the plan until tomorrow.It's too late to go hunting today.And, the point is that these ruminants were around.They can be found tomorrow. After returning to the camp, Sami immediately told Ben Rado of his intentions.Since there was no shortage of manpower to complete the canal, the engineer felt that Neruto's absence for a day would not matter.Therefore, he agreed with the two hunters to start chasing the moose at 5 o'clock tomorrow morning. "However," Ben Rado urged, "Sami, you have to promise me not to go too far..."

"You should tell the moose not to go too far," Sammy replied with a smile. "No, Sammy, I advise you to do so. Always be on your guard in this deserted place." "It's safe because it's deserted." Sammy retorted. "All right, Sammy. Promise I'll be back in the afternoon, though." "Come back this afternoon...or evening, Ben." "It can be up to half in the evening... so I didn't say it," said the engineer. "No, Sammy, let's say six o'clock. You know, if you don't come back before six o'clock, I'm really in a hurry."

"Agreed, Ben," Sammy Skin went on, "agreed to be back at six o'clock . . . spare a quarter of an hour!" "I accept an extra quarter of an hour on condition that the quarter of an hour does not exceed 15 minutes." Ben Rado was always worried that once his cousin went hunting, he would not be bound by what he had agreed.Today, no Indians have been found in the estuary of the Mackenzie River, which is something to be thankful for.The possibility remained open, though, that Ben Rado had been pondering the smoke above the forest that Neruto thought he saw.Although fifteen days had passed without incident since then, he still harbored some apprehension and hoped that the day would come soon when the operation would be over, well-concluded, and return to Dawson.

Sami Skin and Neruto left the camp just before 5 o'clock the next day.The two of them each carried a shotgun with a longer range, two meals of dry food and a dog.This dog was chosen among the few dogs in the team.The dog named Stopper was a guard dog, not a hunting dog.However, Sami believes that it has a keen sense of smell and likes to be close to people, so he often takes it with him and trains it systematically.He is often quite proud of the results he achieves. The weather is sunny and cool.The sun has been drawing a long arc over the horizon for a long time.The two hunters moved quickly away, the dogs bouncing and barking around them.

All in all, Sammy Skinn's hunts near Dawson City and around the Forty Mile River had brought him only small catches: thrush, grouse, partridge, or other small game of the same kind, except for the three bears, two of which were killed in rather dangerous circumstances.He was therefore ecstatic at the thought of even greater prey soon before the muzzle of his gun. The moose, a deer with beautiful large antlers, was once common in the Yukon and its tributaries, when the ruminant was semi-domesticated.After the discovery of gold in the Klondike, they dispersed and fled further north, tending to re-wild.

It is very difficult to get close to them, and they can only be hit under extremely favorable conditions.This is a great pity, as the skin is prized and the meat is as delicious as beef. Sammy Skin knew all too well that moose are very alert, with a keen sense of smell and hearing, and they can run extremely fast.There is a little trouble, although it can weigh up to 500 kilograms, no one can catch up with it when it runs wild.Therefore, the two hunters approached with extreme caution to come within range. At this time, the herd of moose staying on the edge of the forest was about a mile and a half away. Here and there are bushes from which it is possible, if necessary, to slip, or rather climb, into another bush, without being noticed, in order to get closer.But this was not the case at the edge of the forest, and the two hunters could not move forward without revealing themselves, and once the moose had gone, all hope of finding their tracks was abandoned. Sammy Skin and Neruto decided after discussion: continue south into the forest.From there, hiding behind trees, they might be able to approach the herd tree by tree, attacking them from behind. Three quarters of an hour later, Sammy Skin and the Indians entered the forest about 3 kilometers from where the deer were grazing.Neruto restrained the impatient, trembling Stoop with the collar. "Now, let's walk along the edge of the wood in the woods," said Sammy Skinn. "My God, don't let the dog go!" "Yes, Mr. Skinning," replied the Indian, "but you must restrain yourself, too, and it is not superfluous!" Sammy Skinn laughed.Indeed, it was really difficult for him to control himself. It is not difficult to move forward under the cover of trees.The aspens, birches, and pine trees were crowded together one by one, and the dense thorns made it difficult to advance.You have to be careful not to step on the dead branches all over the ground.There is no wind in the air, and the noise is more likely to startle the moose.Hotter sunlight fell on the still branches and leaves.Not a single bird song was heard, nor was there any sound from the depths of the forest. It was past 9 o'clock when the two hunters stopped within 300 feet of the moose.Some moose were grazing and drinking in the streams that flowed from the woods; others were lying in the grass, presumably asleep.The herd showed no signs of being disturbed.Still, there was no doubt that the slightest movement would send them fleeing, probably southward, up the Porcupine River. Although Sammy Skin and Neruto needed a break, they didn't.A great shooting opportunity presents itself and they won't let it go. They were loaded, their fingers were on the trigger, and they crawled along the edge of the forest and among the bushes.Although it was not a beast or a dangerous thrill, Sammy later admitted that he had never been as excited as he was then.His heart was beating faster and faster, and his hands were shaking, worried that he might not be able to beat.Really, he'd be dead of shame if he missed the chance to kill a moose he'd longed for. Sammy Skin and Neruto, one behind the other, quietly crawled across the grass and approached.After several minutes of silent crawling, they came within 60 paces of the herd.They're within range.Stoop, who was held by Neruto, gasped, but didn't cry. The moose herd didn't seem to notice the approach of the two hunters.The moose lying on the ground did not get up, and the other moose continued to eat grass. However, at this time, a beautiful moose raised its head, and the horns on its head were spread out like the branches of a young tree.It shook its ears and stretched its nose towards the edge of the woods, as if to sniff the scent coming from there. Did it see danger?Was it trying to run away, taking the other deer with it? Sammy Skin had this premonition, and all the blood in his body rushed to his heart.However, he collected himself and whispered to Neruto: "Two men aiming at a moose! Sure hit." Suddenly, hearing the dog barking violently, Neruto let go of the dog in order to shoot with his gun, and the dog ran towards the deer. Soon, a group of young partridges took flight, and the moose galloped away, not much slower than the birds.Neither of them had time to shoot. "Damn dog!" cried Sammy, rising angrily. "I should hold him by the neck!" said the Indian. "Even strangle it!" added a furious Sammy Skin. Indeed, if the moose is still there, it will not easily escape bad luck.No, when they walked out of the forest, the dog had already run 200 meters away.The dog went after the moose, and they called it back at the top of their voices, without success. The deer fled north, outrunning the dog, though it was a fast, strong dog.Do the deer return to the forest, or flee east across the plains?This prospect was ideal, since they were then close to the Gold Volcano, whose smoke was swirling up a mile and a half away.However, they may also turn southeast, towards the Peel River, to seek shelter in the valleys of the Rocky Mountains.If so, there is no way to catch them. "Follow me!" Sammy Skin called to the Indians. "Be careful not to lose sight of them." The two men ran along the edge of the forest and started chasing the moose, which was already nearly a kilometer away.The irresistible urge to get their dog to run went over their heads too and did not allow them to think. A quarter of an hour later, Sammy Skin was very excited.The moose stopped running, seemingly undecided what to do.What will they do?It is impossible for them to continue to run north, and the coast will soon force them to stop.Running southeast?If that's all, Sami Skin and Neruto have to give up. After a moment's hesitation, the moose decided to go back to the forest and hide behind the dense trees.The leader of the deer herd jumped into the forest with one stride, and the other deer followed. "That's the best we can hope for," exclaimed Sammy Skin. "We can't get close to them on the plains. They can't go as fast in the woods, and we might be able to." Catch them, this time..." Whether this reasoning is correct or not, the result is that the hunters enter a forest they do not know how big and completely unfamiliar. The dog was ahead of them.It jumped among the trees, its cry could be heard, but it was no longer seen. The dog is very agile and can jump over any obstacle, and now it has caught up with the moose.Moose's huge horns make them have trouble traveling through brambles and bushes.If so, it is possible to chase them to exhaustion. The two hunters entered the dense forest, only listening to the sound of dogs barking, and were exhausted after running for two hours.Driven by an unwise desire, they ventured farther and farther west.They didn't even consider: when they return, whether they can successfully find the way to go. The farther you are from the edge of the forest, the sparser the trees.Always the same tree species: birch, aspen and pine.However, the distance between the trees has widened, and there are fewer roots and bushes on the ground. They couldn't see the herd.The dogs did not lose track of the deer.Its barking continued, and it must not be very far away from its owner. Shortly after noon, Sammy Skin and Neruto continued walking deeper into the forest when suddenly the barking of the dogs ceased. At this time, they were in a clearing in the forest where the sun could shine in at will.How far were they from the edge of the forest?Sami, who can only be estimated by the elapsed time, thinks there are 8 to 10 kilometers.After their much-needed rest, there was still time to return to camp.Tired and hungry, they sat down under a tree.They took their rations from their hunting-bags and devoured them, and it was a pity that roast venison was missing from their menu. After eating and drinking, they hesitated: which direction to go.Reason told them they should return to camp, but Sammy Skin had no intention of doing so.It is dishonorable for a hunter to return empty-handed, but it is even more disreputable to lose the dogs.Because, the dog has never appeared. "Where's the dog?" asked Sammy Skin. "Going after the moose, apparently," replied the Indian. "That's clear, Neruto, but where did the moose go?" As if to answer this question, the dog's barking sounded again less than 600 meters away. Reason and prudence were thrown to the winds, and Sammy Skin and Neruto ran again out of breath. In this way, they can travel great distances.Sure enough, the direction of the moose was not northwest.Now, the direction of the moose is southwest, the dogs are chasing desperately behind the moose, and the owners of the dogs are also chasing desperately behind the dogs.They will turn their backs on the Gold Volcano and the camp completely. In any case, the sun was just beginning to set towards the western horizon, and if the hunters did not return to camp at 6 o'clock as they promised, they would return at seven or eight o'clock, which means it was still early before dark. Sammy Skin and Neruto did not linger long in these considerations.They ran as fast as they could without thinking of anything, not even trying to call their dog. They don't feel the passage of time, and they don't feel tired.Sammy Skin had forgotten where he was.He hunted in the far north as he hunted in the suburbs of Montreal. Once or twice, he and Neruto thought they were going to succeed.Several large horns emerged above the bushes less than 500 meters away, but disappeared again; they had no time to shoot at a closer range. Hours passed in the fruitless chase, and the barking of the dogs died down, indicating that the moose had gone ahead.Later, the barking stopped, either because the dog had run farther, or because he had run such a long distance, he had no strength to bark. Sammy Skinner and Neruto slumped to the ground like mud from exhaustion.It was 4 o'clock in the evening. "It's over!" said Sammy Skin, when he was able to speak. Neruto nodded in agreement. "Where are we?" Sammy Skine said again. The Indian made a gesture of knowing nothing, and looked around. The two hunters were on the edge of a rather open glade in the middle of which ran a small stream, which flowed southwestward into a branch of the Porcupine River, probably.The sun generously illuminates this clearing, and beyond the clearing there are clusters of trees, which seem to be closed to traffic. "We've got to hurry," said Sammy Skin. "Go back to camp, I think." Neruto replied, knowing he was exhausted. "Of course!" cried Sammy Skin, shrugging his shoulders. "Let's go, then!" The Indian agreed with a struggle, and walked along the edge of the clearing. Before he had taken ten steps, he stopped, his eyes fixed on the ground under his feet. "Look, Mr. Skinn," he said. "What?" Sammy asked. "There are traces of using fire!" "There is fire!" "At least used fire." Sammy Skinn walked over and saw a small pile of ashes; the Indian stood motionless and thoughtful in front of the ashes. "There are hunters in this forest?" Sammy asked. "Hunter...or someone else," Neruto replied. Sammy bent over to examine the suspicious ashes carefully. "Anyway, the ashes are not from yesterday." He straightened up and said. Indeed, the damp, white ashes had been here for quite some time. "It seems so," Neruto admitted, "but there is something that will allow us to date the Ashes." The searching eyes of the Indian spotted something shiny in the grass a few paces from the ashes.He walked quickly toward it, and stooped to pick up the thing, giving a cry of surprise. This is a flat-bladed dagger with a copper handle. After examining the dagger carefully, Neruto declares: "We can't exactly date the ashes, but the dagger was lost for less than 10 days." "Yes," Sammy Skinn answered, "the blade is still shiny, with only a thin layer of rust. It hasn't been in the grass long." Neruto recognized the Spanish-made weapon after turning it over and over.An initial letter M is engraved on the handle, and Austin, the capital of Texas, is engraved on the blade. "That means," went on Sammy Skin, "that strangers have encamped in this clearing a few days ago, maybe a few hours ago! . . . " "Not the Indians," Neruto said. "The Indians don't have such weapons." Sammy looked around uneasily. "Who knows," he went on, "whether they're headed for Gold Volcano?" In any case, the idea is acceptable.If the owner of this dagger was a member of a large gang, Ben Rado and his companions could be in great danger.Perhaps, at this very moment, the gang is wandering near the mouth of the Mackenzie River! "Come on," said Sammy Skin. "Let's go now." Neruto replied. "Where's our dog?" Sammy called out. The Indian called out in every direction, but the dogs did not hear his call, and the dogs did not appear. The problem now was not to hunt the moose, but to get back to camp as quickly as possible so the team could be ready to defend themselves. "Come on, don't miss a minute," Sammy Skine ordered. At this moment, at a distance of 300 paces from the clearing, a shot was fired.