HELEN'S DIARY CONTINUED.
"Restigouche River, Feb. ----.
Four more days' journey without writing a line: and then the long, long
nights. The same old story; riding all morning, then helping the women
to fix things for dinner in the woods. Then riding all afternoon till
nearly sundown, followed by the excitement and turmoil among the men, in
building camps for the night. It is a strange life to lead. Three weeks
since we left Halifax, and only once inside a house during all that
time. Just think of it. Camping in the woods among the hills every night
no matter how it snows or how it freezes. Still, as long as it has to
be, the woods are better than an open plain; and the denser, the kinder,
for they break the cold winds from the icy northland. There is always a
big fire before each shanty when we retire for the night; but after you
get into bed, the soughing of the winds through the trees of the forest
sounds very weird. Down in the valley where the men pitch the tents may
be still; but away in the tops of the tall pines, a whole legion of
elfs are sounding their harps and scampering through the branches. How
often when you lie still with eyes wide open, waiting for sleep that
will not come, you can see the glittering stars through the chinks above
you, while the fairy imps go by in myriads, blowing their tiny whistles
and twanging their lutes in tune to the elfish music of the night.
By-and-bye, tired nature whiles you to the silent land; but the dirge
goes with you even to the world of dreams.
"Then by the break of day the bugle sounds. Up you start to make a crude
toilet. You stow away your little bits of goods and chattels, eat your
breakfast of biscuit and bacon and tea, and while men are tearing your
bunk to pieces and packing it for the journey, you in turn take your
place in the caravan, counting the days of the fathomless past and the
inevitable days of the future.
"But how lucky it is that there are incidents to note. It keeps one
thinking, so I watch the officers and men in their strange methods.
Sunday, Monday and Saturday are alike to them; except that the Chaplain
holds a short service after breakfast every Sunday morning. Just as
battles are fought more frequently on Sunday than any other day, so
soldiers when marching want to cover more ground on that day than any
other. I wonder if it is because they want to follow our Saviour's
teaching?
"Then all seem to have forgotten the past. They live in the actual
present. Even the Chaplain, whom one would expect to find as grave as a
judge, is, I verily believe, the jolliest man in the whole party. He
doesn't seem to have a single care. One day as we halted for dinner, a
big black squirrel got cornered among some logs; and he was the first to
jump from his sleigh to try and catch him. Of course others followed to
join in the chase. But the squirrel was not to be caught, and he chirped
merrily as he scampered up a beech tree. Captain Cummings was for
shooting him.
"'Let the poor beggar alone,' cried the Chaplain with a hearty laugh.
'When we run it's our fun, when he runs it's his.'
"Another time when it was his turn to ride in our sleigh, I happened to
say as we neared the camping ground that I would dearly love to have
venison for supper again.
"'Do you hear that, Bateese?' he cried to the driver, giving him a punch
in the back. 'Madam says she won't eat a bite of supper unless you
provide her with venison steak.'
"I looked at him in astonishment; but before I could speak, Bateese
exclaimed:
"'All right, Padre, we'll get it, me an' you. 'Alf hour early dis time.
Bateese know place well. Pat tend horses, you bring rifle, an' come wid
me. Sacre! Big fonne.'
"'It's a go,' replied the Chaplain, and jumping from the sleigh, he had
a word with the Colonel. In another minute he was back again.
"'And what shall be your choice, Madam?' was his question. 'Rump steak,
devilled kidneys, or sirloin?'
"'When you shoot your deer, Chaplain, I will tell you,' was my laughing
answer, for I had not the remotest idea that the suggestion would be
carried out.
"But in another minute, Mr. Evans and Bateese, each with a rifle over
his shoulder, plunged into the forest along the winding of the
Wapskeheden river. I was almost sorry then over my suggestion, for I did
not know what might happen before they returned, and, woman-like, felt
nervous. Half an hour later when the sun was setting, and the trees
beginning to snap and crack with the frost of the coming night, we heard
a couple of shots, but they were far away.
"'They've found their game at last,' said Sir George. 'I suppose Bateese
is a good shot, though I never heard of the Chaplain distinguishing
himself in that line."
"'He was one of the crack men of the 91st before he was transferred to
the 100th,' said Captain Payne, who with Harold joined Sir George and
myself as we stood by the fire.
"It was pretty dark before the hunters returned. When within hailing
distance they shouted for help. Then all came in together dragging a big
buck by the horns.
"'Who shot him?' was the general question.
"'Oh, de cure he be goot shot,' said Bateese.
"'I hit his shoulder, but Bateese put a bullet through his heart,' said
the Chaplain. 'Now, Madam,' he continued, turning to me, 'what is your
answer to my question.
"'Venison steak from the breast,' I answered at random, not knowing one
part from another.
"'Because it is nearest the heart, and deer-heart at that. But I think
you'll try the rump too,' and he went off to give his orders to the cook
with a ringing laugh.
"One gets one's eyes strangely opened on a trip like this. I don't know
that meeting so many men, and none but men, is good for one, either.
When you come in such close touch with them day after day, you find them
so different from each other; and so different too, from what you
expected them to be. Sometimes I feel startled, turning with open, arms
to Harold, my one rock of defence. And yet it is needless and foolish to
feel so. They are all so good and kind and yet so free and easy, that I
feel like drawing myself together and being alert for hobgoblins that
never come. They say 'the witches we dread most are those we never
meet.'
"Still there is one man in Harold's company that I don't like, even if
he is his captain; four times during our journey has he ridden by my
side for the afternoon drive, and each time I liked him less. He is a
bachelor; and it is not that he does or says anything that is
offensive, but there is an insinuating way about him that I cannot bear.
There is not a more courteous or polite man in the two companies; but
then there does not seem to be any sincerity in what he says. He laughs
at religion, and, in a cynical way, scoffs at what he calls the mock
pruderies of the world. I never went a great deal into society; the
sorrows of my girl-life prevented me; but I don't like to have my
respect for what I do know dragged in the dust. I do wish the Colonel
would not put him with me again. Still, I would not have it known that I
dislike him. It would make my position more uncomfortable, and, what is
more, might do Harold harm. A feud between the captain and lieutenant of
the same company over the wife of one of them, might be romantic, but
could never be pleasant. What is more, we have a long future before us,
five or six weeks or more before we can arrive at our journey's end. I
almost shiver at the thought of it. But that won't do. I must brave it
out. If faint heart never won fair lady, neither did timid woman ever
bring a villain to her feet. Fortunately no one will ever see this
screed but Harold, and not even he till we get to Penetang, unless my
position becomes unbearable. Perhaps if I had a lady friend with me I
would not even have writ it down.
"Lake Temiscouata, Lower Canada, Feb. ----
"For the last two days we have been travelling due west, almost close
to the northern limit of the States. On this account Sir George has kept
the troops and sleighs together. Indian scouts have been sent to the
south and front, and we have been travelling more slowly, to be prepared
for any surprise.
"Runners came in yesterday from the border with the message that the
American forces are at least a hundred miles away, and that there is no
prospect of fighting again before the spring opens. I think our men were
a little disappointed. This is the nearest to the United States that
they will be during all their journey to Lake Huron; and they would like
to have at least one fight just to show their pluck. I believe Harold in
his heart is as keen for action as they are; but on my account he
expresses himself the other way. For my part I am glad to hear that the
Yankees have the good sense to keep to their own side of the lines.
"For the last three nights, we three women, Mrs. Bond, Mrs. Hardman and
myself, have had houses to sleep in--actual houses. Settlers' log
shanties with board floors; each time with a big log fireplace at one
end of the living room. Oh, it was a luxury to sit down on wooden chairs
at the clean pine tables again; to eat our supper of mush and milk and
buckwheat pancakes; and our breakfast of pork and potatoes, wheaten
cakes and molasses! Then we sat down together just like sisters. There
was no distinction in the backwoodsman's shanty. We were too glad to
get even a glimpse of civilization again to think of hair-splitting
distinctions; and whether we did it outwardly or not, I am sure we
inwardly thanked God for supplying our wants so comfortably on these two
happy nights. There was a strong resemblance in the cabins, although
they are more than twenty miles apart. Each has the Scotchman's
"ben-place" to sleep in, partitioned off from the ordinary living room.
On the first night the two beds occupied by the settler, his wife and
children were vacated for our use, while the family, with generous
hospitality, slept on the floor in the larger room. Last night the
conditions were very similar, and again I had a bed to myself. These
homely people have a warm place in my heart, and I shall never forget
their unselfish kindness.
"This must be a pretty spot in the summer time. Our officers' and
soldiers' camp is on the banks of the Temiscouata. High hills all around
and little lakes throughout the region. They say they are full of fish;
and through holes in the ice, our men this morning caught a lot of
pickerel and bass for breakfast. But we women in the cabin were quite
satisfied with the good things that the Scotch housewife provided.
"To-day, as well as yesterday, I left some silver behind me, but it was
interesting to see the perversity with which the good housewife
persisted in declining it. If her husband had been present, his canny
Scotch nature would no doubt have been more reasonable.
"'Guid sakes, misses,' said our hostess, 'I dinna want no siller. Ye are
aye welcome to the bit I gie ye, an' tho we never see the color o'
English shillin's in these parts, I willna take them frae ye for the wee
pickle ye've taen.'
"Notwithstanding all my urging, the woman kept her hands behind her
back. So I rolled the money up in a piece of paper and laid it on a
little shelf by the wall. This time there was no demur, and with a
friendly smile she bade me 'guid-bye an' a safe journey through them
awfu' woods.' While I was speaking to our hostess the women slipped away
to be with their husbands for a minute before starting; and Harold came
for me as I left the house.
"'It is my turn to march this morning, dearie,' he said, 'so Captain
Cummings will take my place.'
"'But in the afternoon I shall have you to myself,' I returned,
restraining my annoyance as much as I could. 'Still, why Captain
Cummings this time? He was with me only day before yesterday.'
"'You see, dear, you have them in order.'
"'Scarcely that, I have had neither the Doctor nor the Chaplain for four
days,' I replied in a low voice. I felt like rebelling, but was afraid
of arousing Harold's suspicion.
"'I did not think of it in that way, sweetheart,' he exclaimed, while he
laughingly raised my chin. 'Possibly as captain of our company, he
expects greater privileges. You don't dislike him, do you?"
"'Why should I?' I replied, while carefully buttoning my fur coat. 'He
is always polite. Perhaps I am getting a little bit tired of these long
drives. But I musn't grumble. How long will it take to reach Quebec?'
"'Several days yet, but Sir George has promised us two or three to rest
when we get there. Keep your heart up, dearie. I expect we can secure
houses for you to sleep in after this all the way through to Montreal.
Good-bye till I see you at noon.'
"The sleighs were drawn up near the door, and the next minute Captain
Cummings joined me.
"'This is an unexpected pleasure,' he remarked as he tucked the robes
around me. 'Sir George wanted to have a special talk with Beaumont this
morning about surgical matters, so he requested me to take his place.
There, are you quite comfortable?' he asked, solicitously.
"'Yes, thank you,' I replied. 'Do we march with the men to-day or go
ahead?'
"'On ahead,' was his answer. 'We shall be close to the U.S. boundary
line for another day yet, but as they have never had troops in this
region, the Colonel thinks we are perfectly safe in leading the way. We
are off on the trot already.'
"The road here was smooth, and Sir George's sleigh was spinning ahead of
us.
"'Still, it would be alarming to be attacked, with the soldiers miles
behind us,' I remarked.
"'Even if they did,' said the Captain, 'unless the forces were very
strong, we could defend ourselves until the men came up. Every man of us
is well armed.'
"'That may be,' I volunteered, 'but what of the women?'
"'Oh! the chivalrous Englishmen will always protect them,' was his
laughing rejoinder, as he extended his gauntletted hand, seemingly with
the intention of placing it over mine. But, suddenly feeling the
chilliness of the air, I withdrew it beneath the buffalo robe.
"'It is good of you to say so,' I said, 'our officers are always both
gallant and brave.
"'I am glad you have such infinite faith,' he returned with a light
laugh.
"'Why shouldn't I have? They say there are none truer than the men of
the Hundredth in the whole of the King's brigades.'
"'Quite true, and pray God that their history may never be tarnished.'
"Then with a piercing look he relapsed for a time into silence. The road
was well beaten, winding in and out among the hills, and occasionally
stretching in a direct line over the frozen surface of a lake. Sometimes
a ravine would be crossed or a steep hill climbed; and as we neared
Temiscouata, Mounts Lennox and Paradis loomed up before us. More than
once smoke curled upward among the distant trees, indicative of the
wigwams of Indians or the cottages of settlers.
"Little of interest occurred, however, until near noon; when suddenly an
Indian, whom Bateese said belonged to the Ottawa tribe, bounded out of
the woods and rushed up to the Colonel's sleigh. The whole line at once
called a halt, and Sir George signalled for Captain Cummings to join
him. I could see from the faces that something serious had occurred, and
that the discussion was one of more than usual significance.
"But I must break off here, for I have not the heart nor the time to
tell the rest of the happenings of that terrible day. Perhaps I can
later. We shall see."