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Whenhetriedagain,thewaterbecamemuddy.Thenhetookhistinailandbegantobailtheool.Hebailedwildlyatfirst,andsomeofthewaterranbackintotheool.Thenheworkedmorecarefully,thoughhisheartwasoundinginhischestandhishandswereshaking.Attheendofhalfanhourtheoolwasnearlydry.Buttherewasnofish.Ithadescaedbetweentherocksintoalargerool.
Defeatedinhiseffort,themansatdownuonthewetearth.Atfirsthecriedsoftlytohimself.Thenhecriedloudlyinhishoelesscondition.
Hebuiltafireandwarmedhimselfanddranksomehotwater.Hisblanketswerewetandcold,andhisanklewasstillainful,buthisworstsufferingcamefromhishunger.Hetriedtoslee,buthedreamedoffoodandmanygoodthingstoeat.
Heawokecoldandsick.Therewasnosun.Theairabouthimgrewwhitewhilehemadeafireandboiledsomewater.Itwaswetsnow,halfrain,andtheflakesmeltedquicklyandutouthisfire.
Bythistimehehadbecomehunger-mad.Hefeltthroughthesnowandulledusomegrassroots.Hechewedtherootsbuttheyweretastelessorbitter.
Hehadnofirethatnightbecausehecouldn&aos;tfindanydrywood,sohecrawledunderhisblankettosleethebrokensleeofhunger.Thesnowturnedintoacoldrain.Hefeltitonhisfaceduringthenight.
Latethenextmorningthesunbrokethroughthegraymist.Thenthemanrealizedhewaslost.Heturnednorthwardtocorrecthiscourse,hoingtofindtheriverandthecanoe.ThenhewonderedwhathadhaenedtoBill.
Thoughhishungerainswerenoworse,herealizedhewasgettingweaker.Hehadtostofrequentlytorest.Histonguefeltdryandlarge,andhismouthhadabittertaste.Hisheartgavehimagreatdealoftrouble.Hecouldfeelitsthum,thum,thum;andtheainfulbeatschokedhimandmadehimfeelfaint.
Inthemiddleofthedayhecaughttwosmallfishinaoolbyusinghisail.Heatethefishraw,butthehungerainwasnowdullandlifeless.Hisstomachhadgonetoslee.
Inthemorninghecaughtthreemoresmallfish,eatingtwoofthemandsavingoneforhisbreakfast.Anothernightassed.Inthemorninghetiedmorestrisoftheblanketaroundhisfeet,andthenheuntiedthestringofthemoose-hideouch.Fromitsoenmouthouredayellowstreamofcoarsegolddustandnuggets.Heknewhemustlightenhisload.Hehardlyhadthestrengthtocarrythelastremainingblanket.Heroughlydividedthegoldintohalves.Heouredhalfofthegoldintoaieceofblanketandrolleditintoasmallackage,whichhehidinarockledge.
Thenhewalkedon,barelyabletolaceonefootaheadoftheother.
Hefacedanotherdayofcoldfog.Halfofhislastblankethadgonetowrahisfeet.Hewasnowtooweaktocarryhissmallack.Againhedividedthegold,thistimebysillinghalfofitontheground.Intheafternoonhethrewtherestofitaway.Thereremainedonlythehalfblanket,thetinail,hisknife,andtherifle.
Heushedonforanhourbeforehefellintoafaint.Arousedbyanoise,hecouldnotbelievehiseyes.Beforehimstoodahorse.Ahorse!Rubbinghiseyes,hesuddenlyrealizedhewaslookingatagreatbrownbear.
Themanbroughthisgunhalfwaytohisshoulderbeforeheremembereditwasnotloaded.Helowereditanddrewhishuntingknife,wonderingifthebearwouldattack.Themandrewhimselfutohisfullheight,staredatthebearandwaited.Thebearadvancedafewstesandthenstoed.Themanknewifheran,thebearwouldrunafterhim.Withallhismightthemanswungtheknifeandgrowledlikeananimal.Thebeardidnotunderstandthemysteriouscreatureandwalkedaway.Themanulledhimselftogetherandwenton,afraidnowinanewway.Therewerewolves.Nowandagainthewolves,inacksoftwoandthree,crossedhisath.Theystayedclearoftheman,foritwaseasiertohuntthecaribou.
Inthelateafternoonhecameuonthebonesofacariboucalf.Hesatonthemossandgatheredthebonesintoahea,andthenhechewedthemwithhisbareteeth,tryingtogetamouthfuloftherawmeat.Thenheoundedthebonesbetweenrocks,beatingthemintoaulandswallowedit.Inhishastehealmostbrokesomeofhisfingers,yethedidnotmindthehurt.
Thencamefrightfuldaysofsnowandrain.Thewilltolivecarriedhimon.Itwasthelifeinhim,unwillingtodie,thatdrovehimon.Bythistimehehadbecomenumbtoain.Halfalive,hewalked,hestumbled,hecrawleduntilhecametoariver.HisdullsensestoldhimitwasnotthesameriverwhereheandBillhadlefttheircanoe.Hefollowedthecourseoftheriverdownstream.Hedidn&aos;tknowwherehewas-itdidn&aos;tmattermuchanyway.Buthestillhadthewilltolive,andheushedon.
Heawokeonemorning,lyingonhisbackonarockyledge.Inaainfuleffort,herolledoveronhisside.Belowhimhecouldseethattheriverflowedouttothesea.Hewasnotexcitedaboutthatfact,andthenhesawsomethingthathewassurewasatrickofthemind.Maybe,afterall,itwasadream-ashilyingatanchor.Heclosedhiseyesandthenoenedthem.Theshiwasstillthere.Themancouldnotbelieveit.
Thenthemanheardanoisebehindhim-ahalf-chokinggasorcough.Hecouldseenothingnearathand.Againcamethestrangenoises,andoutlinedagainsttherockstwentyfeetawaywasthegrayheadofawolf.Theanimalhadbloodshoteyes.Itseemedsick.Itwasnolongerabletohuntwiththeacks.Itevenfeareditsownkind,butnowitstalkedtheman,waitingforhimtodie.
Themanlookedagaintowardthesea.Hedecidedtheshiwasreal.Itwasatleastfivemilesaway,butthemanhadthewilltolive.Henolongerfeltthehunger.Hislastblanketwasgone,andhehadlosttherifle.
Thoughextremelyweak,hewascalm.Heriedoffhisantslegstothekneesandboundthemtohisfeet.Hismovementswereslow,buthewasdetermined.Hestillhadsomematchesandthetinail.Hewarmedsomewateranddrankit.Nowhefeltslightlybetter,andhewasabletostand.Hewalkedtowardtheshiuntilhisweaknessovercamehim.Thenhecrawledonallfourslikeananimal.
Inthelateafternoonhesawanemtymoose-hidesacklikehis.HerecognizeditandknewitwasBill&aos;s.Ahundredyardsfartherwerethebonesofahumanskeleton.Themandidnotneedtoguess.Billhadalmostmadeit!
Finallythemanlayquietinslee.Twoorthreetimesduringthenightthesickwolfhadcomeclosetotheman,bareditsteeth,andsniffedinhunger,butthemanflunghisarmsoutandscaredthewolfaway.
Thefirstraysofdaylightbroughtthemantolife.Hewasnolongerabletostand,sohebegantocrawltowardtheshi.Hecouldseeitnow-lyingbeyondthebreakers.Hiskneesandarmswererawandbleeding,butthemanketmoving,afootatatime,untilhereachedthebeach,wherehelayquietly-unabletomoveafootfarther.Hedreamedoffood,cleanclothing,andwarmsunshine,andthenhebegantocrawlagain.
TheshiwastheBedford,onceawhalingvessel.Onboardwerethemembersofascientificexedition.Someofthememberssawastrangeobjectcrawlingalongthebeachtowardthewater.Theywereunabletoidentifytheobject,andbeingscientificmen,theyclimbedintoashi&aos;sboatandwentashoretosee.Andtheysawsomethingthatwashardlyaliveandcouldhardlybecalledahumanbeing.Itmovedalongthegroundlikeawormandmadeheadwayaterhastwentyfeetanhour.
ThemanwasbroughtaboardtheBedford,givenfood,andcaredforbyadoctor.
Inafewdayshewasabletosituinhisbunk.Withtearsstreamingdownhischeeks,hetoldhowhehadalmostlosthislifeinthewilds.ThenhebegantotalkstrangelyofhisfamilyinsunnysouthernCalifornia,andofahomeamongtheorangetreesandtheflowers.
