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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 through a pure wild wolf of the
woodsgrey； and long of limb； with big lungs and no end of staying
powers。 Say！ Was there ever the like？ It was a new breed of dog I
had started； and I could look forward to big things。
〃As I have said； she was brought neatly to pup； and safely delivered。
I was squatting on my hams over the litterseven sturdy； blind little
beggarswhen from behind came a bray of trumpets and crash of brass。
There was a rush； like the wind… squall that kicks the heels of the rain； and
I was midway to my feet when knocked flat on my face。 At the same
instant I heard Klooch sigh； very much as a man does when you've planted
your fist in his belly。 You can stake your sack I lay quiet； but I twisted
my head around and saw a huge bulk swaying above me。 Then the blue
sky flashed into view and I got to my feet。 A hairy mountain of flesh was
just disappearing in the underbrush on the edge of the open。 I caught a
rear…end glimpse； with a stiff tail； as big in girth as my body； standing out
straight behind。 The next second only a tremendous hole remained in the
thicket； though I could still hear the sounds as of a tornado dying quickly
away； underbrush ripping and tearing； and trees snapping and crashing。
〃I cast about for my rifle。 It had been lying on the ground with the
muzzle against a log； but now the stock was smashed； the barrel out of line；
and the working…gear in a thousand bits。 Then I looked for the slut； and
and what do you suppose？〃
I shook my head。
〃May my soul burn in a thousand hells if there was anything left of her！
Klooch； the seven sturdy； blind little beggarsgone； all gone。 Where she
had stretched was a slimy； bloody depression in the soft earth； all of a yard
in diameter； and around the edges a few scattered hairs。〃
I measured three feet on the snow； threw about it a circle； and glanced
at Nimrod。
〃The beast was thirty long and twenty high；〃 he answered； 〃and its
tusks scaled over six times three feet。 I couldn't believe； myself； at the
time； for all that it had just happened。 But if my senses had played me；
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there was the broken gun and the hole in the brush。 And there wasor；
rather； there was notKlooch and the pups。 O man； it makes me hot all
over now when I think of it Klooch！ Another Eve！ The mother of a
new race！ And a rampaging； ranting； old bull mammoth； like a second
flood； wiping them； root and branch； off the face of the earth！ Do you
wonder that the blood…soaked earth cried out to high God？ Or that I
grabbed the hand…axe and took the trail？〃
〃The hand…axe？〃 I exclaimed； startled out of myself by the picture。
〃The hand…axe； and a big bull mammoth； thirty feet long； twenty feet〃
Nimrod joined me in my merriment； chuckling gleefully。 〃Wouldn't
it kill you？〃 he cried。 〃Wasn't it a beaver's dream？ Many's the time I've
laughed about it since； but at the time it was no laughing matter； I was that
danged mad； what of the gun and Klooch。 Think of it； O man！ A brand…
new； unclassified； uncopyrighted breed； and wiped out before ever it
opened its eyes or took out its intention papers！ Well； so be it。 Life's
full of disappointments； and rightly so。 Meat is best after a famine； and a
bed soft after a hard trail。
〃As I wa