LET US GO AFIELD 



It never occurred to me at that time to look in 

 the dictionary or the encyclopedia to learn about 

 this mysterious critter. Never, indeed, until long 

 after I had first met the inconnu in mortal combat 

 did I consult the encyclopedia. Since that time I 

 have never touched my forelock, as was once my 

 wont, whenever passing in front of my encyclopedia 

 because, in good sooth, the encyclopedia knows no 

 more about the inconnu than any of the rest of us. 



All the way north from the edge of the Rocky 

 Mountains in the Athabasca system we heard the 

 swarthy voyageurs you yourself would be swarthy 

 if you used soap no oftener than they do speak 

 in hushed tones of the inconnu, which, they said, 

 we were sure to meet in our dangerous voyage in 

 the extreme northern country. 



Each time they spoke of it I grasped my trusty 

 rifle tighter, resolved to sell my life as dearly as 

 possible if attacked by one of these ferocious crea- 

 tures. We had men with us who had killed big 

 game all the way from New Zealand to New Jersey ; 

 but none of them had ever met the inconnu. 



On deck at night, under the paling Northern sun, 

 we held councils of war discussing questions of 

 proper equipment; and, new to that land, we re- 

 solved to do our best to uphold the traditions of 

 American sportsmanship, though then under the 



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