O Rugged Land of Gold

About this book

In O Rugged Land of Gold share the triumph of a woman -- alone injured pregnant -- on a remote Alaskan island in winter. "I was furious. If I had a gun Id have shot them dead. Those lazy stupid men kept right on going and left me alone. Not once had they looked in my direction and me needing help so bad. I was so mad at them that I cussed. I screamed cusses at them until I was hoarse. I said all the bad words I had ever heard in all my life and I invented some new ones too. I wished the tow-line would break and they would lose every last log; wished their old logs would go to China. I stood up and shook my fist at the disappearing boat. When it had gone from sight I dropped down and cried. I shed tears of helpless rage and of utter defeat." ... "An old bear came and sniffed me. He really did. It was in the first gray of dawn. I had dozed and the sound of him coming roused me. I kept perfectly still hardly breathing and straining my ears and eyes to learn what and where the sound was. Then I smelled him and knew for certain it was a bear. All the primitive instincts of fear within me were aroused. My heart pounded in my throat and I could feel my flesh creep. I drew myself up and made myself little and tight. I kept still as death."