For no man knew of Kamo-tah, sick and
groaning and hungry; and did I fight with Ivan, and die, then would
my brother die, too. So it was, Oona, that thou sawest me beaten
like a dog.
"Then I heard the talk of the shamans and chiefs that the Russians
had brought strange sicknesses upon the people, and killed our men,
and stolen our women, and that the land must be made clean. As I
say, I heard the talk, and I knew it for good talk, and I knew that
in the night the Russians were to be killed. But there was my
brother, Kamo-tah, sick and groaning and with no meat; so I could
not stay and fight with the men and the boys not yet hunters.
"And I took with me meat and fish, and the lash-marks of Ivan, and
I found Kamo-tah no longer groaning, but dead. Then I went back to
Nulato, and, behold, there was no Nulato - only ashes where the
great fort had stood, and the bodies of many men. And I saw the
Russians come up the Yukon in boats, fresh from the sea, many
Russians; and I saw Ivan creep forth from where he lay hid and make
talk with them. And the next day I saw Ivan lead them upon the
trail of the tribe.
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