Ever since arriving in the Yukon, you've wondered where that prospector stashed the gold you hunted down for him. It's rumored to be in a dangerous area, under water near a place you must not enter. At least that's what that Scotsman told you after his monkey handed you this sheaf of papers. The two of them walked away with a rather ugly woman before you could find out more.
It’s my birthday already. It was a fine day for it all in all, and I was in good
spirits throughout, as my friends did all the chores and muck work. In camp
that night, under the starry sky, we celebrated. Ted passed around something he
called Conyak. It’s no whisky, but it’ll do I suppose. Squirrelfoot, made me a
coonskin hat. Nice thought, but you’d think a injun would do a better job- I’ll
have to accidentally lose it I think, before it starts to smell. Last but not
least, Jeremiah bought me a spyglass while he was away getting the dynamite. He
even tried to show me some famous planet with it, but I wasn’t able focus quite
right by then.
It’s a sad day when one of your best friends dies. We were hiking out of the
mountains when a mountain lion runs across the trail. The dogs chased after it,
Theo catches one dog but I just get a handful of white fur. Squirrelfoot
advises caution in that strange accent of his- you’d think a mountain chief’s
son could talk more proper like. By then, there’s a terrible howl and roar- we
rush over to find a splatter of blood and torn up underbrush, Theo yells that
he sees it and fires his Colt, but it was just a trick of the light, we find
nary a sign of dog nor cat. We called and called, but it was to no avail.
It all started when we were trying to start a fire for the night. Squirrelfoot was having trouble getting
it lit, due to all the wood being so water logged. Jeremiah, being the helpful
critter he is, offered to help. 'Ah don need yur wee paws messin up my
work'he said, brushing Jeremiah aside.
Well, of course what happens next is Jeremiah pushed screams a challenge and
pushes back. Squirrelfoot takes a swing and then proceeds to get beaten like a
red headed step-child. It weren't pretty. After, Ted pulled out a sewing kit to
get a needle- in the quick glance of it that I had, I'd nearly swear on my
mother's grave he had some frilly stuff in that kit too. He was deft enough sewing
up S-foot where he needed it. I'll bet his face is totally black and blue
tomorrow.
One thing that makes traveling way the hell and gone away in the wilderness is times like today. The trail’d
been following a rocky creek for a while, when the stream opens up to a wide
pool, and into this pool at the far end is a fine, fine waterfall- falling 25
ft into a rocky, foggy bottom. Theodore says in his grandiose way 'The beauty
of the American wilds never ceases to amaze my wondering eyes'. And some more
pansy crap that I used to just take for aristocratic styling. Now I know
better. Still, we broke for lunch next to the pool, eating some soup, enjoying the scenery and the pleasant weather
that has followed us thus far. The Indian fellow even competently showed Jeremiah how to spear salmon in the pool.
I’m glad my impression of Theo from our time in Cuba is holding up. He’s been a
rock solid companion and a real gentleman, though he didn’t seem to approve of
my dalliance with that barmaid last night (I must admit, I can’t remember her
name, so maybe he has a point..) His good nature and charisma came in real
handy when we meet the mountain Indians- I thought we was goners for sure, and
me with my birthday coming up so soon. But Theo just gave them primitives a big
smile and his spare rifle as a gift to their chief, and we were saved.
Got everyone down for some poker. Took a bit of wrangling, but convinced them that winning at poker is
quite better way to get even than tussling again. In any case, we all had a
grand time, especially after some South Virginia moonshine was produced. I'm
pretty sure I won some money, got some good hands all night- though I'm not
entirely sure. My vision was a bit blurry there at the end. I'm pretty sure I
had 5 jacks at one point, and the diamond one wanted to kill me. I folded that
hand. I'm pretty sure Santa Claus was going to win anyway. He was there, I
swear.
Jeremiah’s been gone only the past couple of hours, but I already miss his good humor. And
here I was hoping to teach the newbie some poker, but ain’t much fun without
enough folks playing. Anyway, lord knows we need what he’s there for, so I
forgive the little guy his absence. I just hope he behaves himself at that
little Fort he’s heading to, but knowing the scum that hangs out in outposts,
he’ll get into petty-ass little fights for implied insults to people near him.
He’s got to remember that Fangs isn’t there to watch his back no more Damn I
miss that dog.
The day dawns clear, though my hangover is fierce. While Jeremiah prepares coffee,
bacon, and grits, the dogs starting barking something fierce as a well dressed
man enters my camp. Seems Theodore has finally arrived- just a day after his
reply letter said he would. It’s unlike him to be late, but he says he was
delayed by a run in with some bears. I can only imagine what this run in was,
he won’t talk about it.
The four of us walked into a little trading post. Theo went off with Squirrelfoot, telling of his plans to
be president of the US some day. I walked with Jeremiah a bit, looking for
news. We found this one eyed, one legged man with a colorful bird on his
shoulder- claims to have just come from the gold boom town on the Klondike.
Says the roads there are paved in gold, showed us his 12 gold teeth to prove
how common it was. Used the letter ‘r’ to much I reckon.
Everything is gloomy. The dog's lonely without his litter mate- nothing's more pitiful than a sad, wet dog. And
by wet, I mean absolutely soaked from this sudden, incessant rain. I ain't seen
anything like this downpour since I was caught in that hurricane in New Orleans
21 years ago. Don't want to write too much, a wet diary don't last to long.
I seen a truly disturbing thing today. We was breaking camp after breakfast,
Jeremiah doing dishes like usual and me packing the sleeping rolls. Theo’s off
doing his usual morning ablutions. I finish up and climb hillock to see what I
can see of the trail ahead. What a surprise it was to see a flash of pink in a
little clearing we passed on the trail not long before finding our campsite.
Taking a closer look with, I see the pink is in truth a pink dress, and a
purple ladies umbrella and what I believe to be a mirror. Looking closer, I
recoil- nearly dropping my ‘scope in surprise. This ‘lady’ has a rather
familiar looking pistol by her side- not to mention a distinctive bushy mustache.
Seems Ted’s luckier at Hold’em than I’d expect. Claims he’s going to spend his winnings on some right lady
from Tennessee he knows. Jeremiah found a what looks to me like a fish skeleton
in a rock. He’s really into fish now I guess. It’s called a fosill or
something. Squirrelfoot thinks it’s bad mojo, but I don’t really trust his
instincts. Ain’t no sense writing around it anymore, today I almost fell down a
gulch that’s what I did. Was hanging by a sapling over a 100 foot drop, before
Grips pulled me out. I can still see it, second by second, as I’m crawling back
on the ridge, and Grips is slipping and falling down the cliff instead. I’ll
miss him.