Поклик предків
Into the Primitive
"Dave"hewascalled,andheateandslept,oryawnedbetweentimes,andtookinterestinnothing,notevenwhentheNarwhalcrossedQueenCharlotteSoundandrolledandpitchedandbuckedlikeathingpossessed. WhenBuckandCurlygrewexcited,halfwildwithfear,heraisedhisheadasthoughannoyed,favoredthemwithanincuriousglance,yawned,andwenttosleepagain.
Dayandnighttheshipthrobbedtothetirelesspulseofthepropeller,andthoughonedaywasverylikeanother,itwasapparenttoBuckthattheweatherwassteadilygrowingcolder. Atlast,onemorning,thepropellerwasquiet,andtheNarwhalwaspervadedwithanatmosphereofexcitement. Hefeltit,asdidtheotherdogs,andknewthatachangewasathand. Francoisleashedthemandbroughtthemondeck. Atthefirststepuponthecoldsurface,Buck’sfeetsankintoawhitemushysomethingverylikemud. Hesprangbackwithasnort. Moreofthiswhitestuffwasfallingthroughtheair. Heshookhimself,butmoreofitfelluponhim. Hesniffeditcuriously,thenlickedsomeuponhistongue. Itbitlikefire,andthenextinstantwasgone. Thispuzzledhim. Hetrieditagain,withthesameresult. Theonlookerslaugheduproariously,andhefeltashamed,heknewnotwhy,foritwashisfirstsnow.
