Зов предков
The Toil of Trace and Trail
TheyhadseenothersledsdepartoverthePassforDawson,orcomeinfromDawson,butneverhadtheyseenasledwithsomanyasfourteendogs. InthenatureofArctictraveltherewasareasonwhyfourteendogsshouldnotdragonesled,andthatwasthatonesledcouldnotcarrythefoodforfourteendogs. ButCharlesandHaldidnotknowthis. Theyhadworkedthetripoutwithapencil,somuchtoadog,somanydogs,somanydays,Q.E.D.Mercedeslookedovertheirshouldersandnoddedcomprehensively,itwasallsoverysimple.
LatenextmorningBuckledthelongteamupthestreet. Therewasnothinglivelyaboutit,nosnaporgoinhimandhisfellows. Theywerestartingdeadweary. FourtimeshehadcoveredthedistancebetweenSaltWaterandDawson,andtheknowledgethat,jadedandtired,hewasfacingthesametrailoncemore,madehimbitter. Hisheartwasnotinthework,norwastheheartofanydog. TheOutsidesweretimidandfrightened,theInsideswithoutconfidenceintheirmasters.
Buckfeltvaguelythattherewasnodependinguponthesetwomenandthewoman. Theydidnotknowhowtodoanything,andasthedayswentbyitbecameapparentthattheycouldnotlearn. Theywereslackinallthings,withoutorderordiscipline. Ittookthemhalfthenighttopitchaslovenlycamp,andhalfthemorningtobreakthatcampandgetthesledloadedinfashionsoslovenlythatfortherestofthedaytheywereoccupiedinstoppingandrearrangingtheload. Somedaystheydidnotmaketenmiles. Onotherdaystheywereunabletogetstartedatall.
