THE BEAVERS, AND SOMETHING ABOUT THEM--TWO HUNTERS AT SAGASTA-WEEKEE--A
GENERAL INVITATION TO A BEAVER HUNT ACCEPTED--THE PREPARATIONS--THE
TRIP--DOG-TRAVELLING IN THE WOODS--SAUCY WILD ANIMALS--THE WOLF'S COVE--
THE BOYS' PLUNGE IN THE SNOWDRIFT--THE RESCUE.
The beaver is a very interesting animal. In the previous summer the
boys had been fortunate enough to see a colony of beavers at work during
a beautiful moonlight night. They had also subsequently examined the
wonderful dam these industrious, ingenious creatures had made, and were
much amazed and surprised not only at its size, but also at the clever
way in which every part of it was constructed to meet any emergency that
might occur by flood or freshet.
They also noticed that the Indians did very little hunting of the
beaver, or, indeed, of any of the rich fur-bearing animals during the
summer months. Now, however, that the winter had come they were all
alert and active, and as soon as their fall fisheries were completed
they began making preparations for the winter harvest of furs. On their
success in a great measure depended the happiness and comfort of
themselves and their families. They lived too far north to cultivate
the land with any degree of success, and hence it was only by the sale
of their furs that they were able to buy the essential necessaries for
their simple lives.
The fur is only considered prime in the winter months. That killed in
summer is thin and poor, and for it the hunters receive but a low price.
But when the cold weather sets in, the fur becomes thick and valuable.
Then the hunters leave their homes and go to the distant hunting
grounds, often hundreds of miles away. Many are their hardships and
privations. They take but little food with them, and so have to depend
on what they can hunt or shoot. In some regions where the fur-bearing
animals are fairly numerous those that are good for food are very few.
The result sometimes is that Indians doing well in getting the rich furs
of the black and silver foxes, otters, minks, and martens, and some
other fur-bearing animals, are nearly starving most of the time. On the
other hand, those who succeed in capturing abundance of beavers, wild
cats, muskrats, and bears, live very well, as all of these animals are
eaten by the natives, although their furs do not bring as high a price
as the others.
The discovery of a large beaver house is a great piece of good luck to
an Indian hunter. Sometimes, when the house is a small one, a hunter
will with his axe only put his mark of ownership on a tree near by, then
leave it undisturbed. Scores of hunters may happen to come along, but
when they see that mark they never think of trying to get those beavers.
It may be that the owner will mark it the second year, and again leave
it for the beaver to multiply the third time. Each year the beavers are
undisturbed they take down and enlarge their house, until, if thus left
for years, and the dam keeps good and the water supply sufficient, they
will continue extending their habitation until it is as large as a good-
sized haystack.
There came one day to Sagasta-weekee, on a visit, a couple of clever
Indian hunters who were great friends of Mr Ross. Among other things
they told him, was that two nights away they had a large beaver house
which they had preserved for three years, and that they were soon going
to take out the beavers. This was just the news Mr Ross wanted to
hear, as he had often talked with the boys about these wonderful
animals, and was anxious that they should see how the cleverness of the
hunters outmatched all the skill and sagacity of the beavers.
Then, as it was about a hundred miles away, it would be a capital
winter's trip and give them some idea of the Indian hunter's life. They
would have to camp out in the wintry forest, and would thus find the
difference between sleeping in the summer, with the temperature up to
eighty, and sleeping in the wintry cold, with the spirit thermometer
perhaps indicating fifty below zero.
When the boys heard of the promised trip they were wild with excitement.
As much preparation had to be made, the day selected to start was about
a week after the visit of the two Indians. It was indeed a busy week.
Each of the three boys was to take his dog-train. They would be
expected to take on their own sleds their beds, clothing, and part of
the supplies. Snowshoes were made for them, and every day they
diligently practiced this new method of locomotion. They had many
amusing tumbles. Sometimes, where the snowdrifts were deep, when they
attempted to pass over, they somehow or other would get the snowshoes so
tangled up that over they would go on their heads. The more they
struggled, the deeper they sank in the light, fleecy snow, until it
seemed as though nothing was visible but a pair of snowshoes wildly
wobbling about. Then the experienced Indian who always accompanied them
would come to the rescue. Gliding up gracefully on his own snowshoes to
the struggling lad, he would reach down and, seizing him under the arms,
would quickly lift him up and once more place him on his feet amidst the
laughter of the others. Thus they practiced and fell, tried again and
again, until the knack was accomplished and they could get along very
nicely.
In the meantime diligent preparations were being made indoors for this
excursion to the home of the beavers. Abundance of fat food was cooked.
Dogshoes were manufactured, as well as large moccasins for the
travellers.
In due time the start was made. It was to the boys a most unique and
novel affair. First ran the guide, a stalwart Indian, who could easily
keep ahead of the fastest train. It is the duty of the guide, by
running on in front, to indicate the best route. He must never make a
track where it is not safe for the dogs with the heavy sleds to follow.
If he finds a great fallen tree in the way it is his duty, not to jump
over the trunk and push on, but to circle around it where the party
following can easily advance. In rocky places he must ever have in mind
the loaded sleds following, and walk or run where there is an available
trail. He must never go between two trees growing so closely together
that there will be any difficulty for the widest sled following to pass
between them. He is supposed to know the strength or weakness of the
weakest train or runner, and so must decide on each resting as well as
camping place. In his footsteps all are to implicitly follow, and so
his position is one of great responsibility. As a natural result, he is
supposed to receive much higher pay than the ordinary dog-driver, who
has not much care beyond that of his own dog-train.
This being the first trip made in this direction this season, there was
not the least vestige of a road or trail. Tornado blasts had swept
through the forests which abounded most of the way. The result was that
fallen trees were very numerous. Some of them were so tangled together
that it was at times easier to cut through than make the long detour to
get around them. Knowing this, the guide carried with him an axe
instead of a gun.
An old, experienced, powerful train of dogs went first. The sagacious
leader never swerved from the tracks of the guide. No matter how
winding or difficult the trail, he never wandered from it. Sometimes he
could see the guide straight ahead, while the path seemed to veer at
right angles. While the sight of the guide ahead might stimulate him to
greater effort and speed, still he knew his duty was to keep in the
well-defined track. A straight cut to the guide might run him into a
dangerous gully or over a steep precipice. So, knowing his duty,
perhaps taught it by bitter experience--and dogs have long memories--he
tried his best in his doglike way to do his duty.
Mr Ross's train followed next. They were jet-black in colour, and were
large, magnificent dogs. They were so trained that they as readily
responded to his calls as a good horse does to the pulling of the reins.
Then following came the boys with their three trains. Frank, having the
largest dogs, had the lead. Sam came next, and then Alec with the
lightest but by far the fleetest train in the whole party. Behind was
another sled of Mr Ross's with more supplies, and then, bringing up the
rear, was a sled belonging to the two Indians who owned the beaver
house. While one of them drove the train, the other, on account of the
many fallen trees in the way that had to be cut out, was on ahead with
Memotas, the guide.
As they thus set off they made quite a display. The boys were simply
wild with the excitement of the hour. They looked very picturesque in
their handsome outfits. Their deerskin suits, over the warmest of
flannel underclothing, were very beautiful, as they were made under Mrs
Ross's direction by the most clever Indian women. They were beautifully
adorned with bead and silkwork and trimmed with fur. Their overcoats,
as before stated, were made of the heavy white blankets of the Hudson
Bay Company. These blankets are very warm and firm, as they are
especially made for that cold country. The caps and mittens were of the
finest fur. Their moccasins were extra large, to allow for the
additional wrapping of duffel required over the warm woollen hose. They
also had warm leggings of strouds, beautifully fringed and fastened with
strong garters artistically worked with porcupine quills. A warm, well-
lined hood or capote was attached to each overcoat. This the boys found
of very great service and comfort, especially when their inexperienced
sleigh dogs were unable to keep the heads of their sleds, at times, from
striking against some snow-laden tree with such force that the snow in
great quantities came tumbling about them. But for these capotes much
of the snow would have found its way into their faces and down under the
collars of their coats.
To be like the rest of the party, the lads were each the possessor of a
fine dog-whip. Of course, they were not so long and heavy as those
ordinarily used, but they could, when well handled, make a pistol-like
crack, and for this purpose only were they used.
The first few miles of the route were on the ice over places well-known
to all, as in their frequent outings they had gone in this direction.
It was well-known to Alec, for it was along this very way that he had
skated so rapidly after leaving the river, with the howling wolves
behind him.
On and on they pushed to the extreme end of the lake, for they wished to
avail themselves of as much of the ice route as possible, as it is so
much easier travelling on the ice than in the forest, where there is no
trail.
When the sleds reached the spot where they were to enter the forest they
found that the guide and his Indian comrade had cut down some dry trees
and made up a splendid fire. No sooner had the trains arrived than some
of the sleds were hastily untied, the deerskin wrappings which were on
all were opened, and a couple of large kettles were speedily filled with
the clear, light snow and placed on the roaring fire. So light and
feathery is the snow that the kettles have to be filled and refilled a
good many times ere sufficient is put in to make them full of water.
Then the provision bags were opened, and abundance of food was taken out
for all.
One of the Indians, who was skillful at this kind of work, was detailed
as special cook and general waiter for Mr Ross and the boys. Very
quickly he had ready the dinner of the good things Mrs Ross had
prepared for them. The boys were surprised at the quantity of the fat
food that was placed before them, and were almost ashamed of the vigour
and capacity of their appetites. Nature, true to her instincts, puts in
the craving for the kind of food most essential for people in different
parts of the world.
About an hour was allowed for the dinner halt, and then the journey was
resumed. There were the usual mishaps that necessarily belonged to this
mode of travel. Sleds were occasionally upset, and if at the time
anyone happened to be riding, he was buried in the snow, from which he
emerged none the worse for the plunge, but generally amidst the laughter
of those more fortunate. Several times a fox or some other animal ran
across the trail, and then it required some effort and sternness to
control the dogs and prevent them from starting off after these animals,
which are their natural foes. The older dogs had learned somewhat by
experience the folly of trying while thus harnessed to heavy sleds to
capture wild foxes, and so merely confined their efforts to loud
barkings and a little more vigorous tugging at their traces. The
younger and less disciplined trains, however, with less discretion and
more zeal, at once dashed away from the beaten trail made by the trains
ahead of them, and recklessly plunged into the forest after the game.
"Who would imagine," said Frank, "that dogs so heavily loaded could thus
fairly fly over the snow-covered logs and rocks and among the trees at
such a rate?"
They learned then, and in many an experience afterward, of the latent
strength there is in an apparently wearied dog. Only give him the
stimulus to develop it, and it is simply surprising to all who witness
it.
Alec's fleet train was the most excited and intractable. Bruce could
not stand the sight of a saucy fox or a snarling wild cat passing across
the trail, only a few hundred feet ahead of him, with any degree of
equanimity. After him he must and would go, in spite of Alec's hardest
efforts to keep him in the trail. Bruce, with the other three dogs,
about as eager as himself, would often leave the track and with a spurt
get off several hundred yards in the woods before he could be stopped.
Sometimes their stopping would be rather abrupt. Generally the trees
were so close together that it was not long ere the head of the sled
came in violent collision with a great one. This, of course, stopped
them most effectually. At other times, while Bruce, the leader, decided
to take one side of a small tree, the dog next to him took the other
side. This divergency of views on the part of the dogs also quickly put
an end to their advance.
Alec, in his determined efforts to arrest their progress at these times,
did not always escape unscathed. When in a bad forest where the snow
was deep, he often would stumble and fall, and, before he could regain
his feet, had acted the part of a snowplough as he was rapidly dragged
along. He received some painful bruises, but he pluckily kept to his
work, and so had his dogs in fairly good submission before many such
trips were made.
A laughable but fortunately not dangerous adventure happened to the boys
and their trains at a place called by the Indians the Wolf's Cove, on
account of the many wolves that formerly infested the place. There it
was necessary to cross a very deep valley, or ravine. The hillsides
were very steep and slippery under the heavy snowfall. As the dog-sleds
have no brakes upon them, the only way of arresting their speedy motion
when going down a steep hill is for the driver to hold back the sled by
the strong rope which is always attached to the rear end and is called
the tail rope.
If the hill is steep or slippery, and the load heavy, this is a
difficult operation and requires much care. Owing to the way in which
the dogs are attached to the sleds, the drivers are utterly powerless to
render any assistance in arresting the progress of the sled.
When the sleds reached the ravine there was a short halt ere the first
descent was made.
The old, experienced Indian drivers were of the opinion that the boys
were not strong or heavy enough on their moccasined feet to hold back
their sleds, and suggested that, after they themselves had gone down
with the loads, they return and take charge of the trains of the boys.
This help, kindly offered, was rejected by the lads, who, having managed
fairly well thus far, except where the passing game bothered them, were
anxious to try this new experiment.
Mr Ross at first was also a little dubious about it, but youthful
enthusiasm and love of new adventures conquered. While the first sleds
were descending the boys and the rest of the party not immediately
occupied watched the operation with a good deal of interest.
"Faith," said Sam, "it's as easy as sliding down the banisters."
"The hill seems greased for the occasion," said Frank, as he noticed the
ease and rapidity with which the sleds slid down in spite of the grip
and strong holdback of the heavy, experienced Indian drivers.
"Plenty of snow to tumble into," said Alec, who could not forget the way
he had ploughed through it when his dogs ran away with him as they
attempted to catch the wild cat.
Fortunately or unfortunately for the boys, there had been a good deal of
wind in this part of the country since the last snowfall, and so now
there was a large drift of perhaps twenty feet that had been blown into
the bottom of the first steep hill. The guides, with some help, had, in
the route through this deep snow, gone backward and forward a few times
on their heavy snowshoes, and had packed down a trail sufficiently hard
for the dogs and sleds. All the heavy sleds with their drivers went on
ahead of the boys. Thus they, coming last, had the advantage of the
packing of the snow.
Sam, jolly and reckless, was the first of the boys to make the descent,
while the others followed closely behind, Frank being next to him, and
Alec bringing up the rear.
For a time Sam succeeded very well in imitating the experienced drivers.
He kept his feet well and firmly planted on the snowy surface, and held
back his sled in fine style. The other boys also succeeded in starting
well on the trail. They had not gone very far, however, before a small
grey wolf, that had been hidden in one of the den-like recesses in the
rocks, now thoroughly alarmed by the dingling of so many bells and the
sounds of so many voices, suddenly sprang from his retreat, which was in
the cliffs on the other side beyond the guide. Plunging into the deep
snow, he made the most desperate efforts to escape by retreating up the
distant hillside in front of the whole party. Fierce fires had raged
through these woods a year so so before, nearly destroying the whole of
the timber. The result was that the country was now here quite open and
objects as large as a wolf could be seen for a long distance. From
their higher position the boys and their dogs could much more distinctly
see the wolf on the opposite hillside than could the rest of the party,
who, having safely made the descent, were now on the beginning of the
rise on the other side, awaiting the coming of the boys. They did not
have long to wait. The sight of that wolf, so clearly seen in the
bright sunshine of that wintry day on the snowy hillside, was too much
for their brief discipline. Spitfire could not stand it. With a howl
he was off, and well seconded were his efforts by the dogs he was
leading. Sam was instantly jerked off his feet, but he pluckily held on
to the tail rope of his sled. Well was it for him that his pants were
made of mooseskin, for they had a good testing of their qualities now,
as rapidly on them he was now tobogganing down that steep, slippery
hillside.
Behind him came the other dog-trains. Of them the boys had also lost
control. Such was the steepness of the hill that soon the momentum
obtained by the sleds caused them to go faster than the dogs could run.
Here was the real danger. Frank and Alec saw how it was faring with
Sam, and were also quick to observe that with that wolf so plainly
visible it would be utterly impossible for them on a downhill, slippery
grade to control their now excited dogs, they, boylike, took the risks,
and at once threw themselves upon their sleds, and hung on to the
deerskin thongs, with which the loads were securely tied.
"Hurrah for somewhere!" shouted Alec.
"Clear the track!" was Frank's hurried shout to Sam, whom he saw still
in the trail, down which he was now furiously coming.
The guide on his snowshoes, in tramping out the trail had near the
bottom made a little turn to the left in order to escape the deepest
snowdrift which the wind had there piled up. The foremost trains, with
their powerful, experienced drivers, had been able to make this detour
all right, and now had stopped only a little way ahead.
By the time the trains of the boys had reached this part of the descent
they were in a most thoroughly mixed-up condition. Boys, dogs, and
sleds were literally so tangled up that they were to the rest of the
party an indistinguishable mass as down they came, and at the bend in
the road, instead of being able to turn, they all flew into the heavy
drift of snow which was straight before them, and almost disappeared.
There was quick work for the onlookers now to do. At first they had
been almost convulsed with laughter, as they saw the mixed-up assortment
coming down in such a way. Then, when the whole flew by and buried
itself so thoroughly in the deep drift of light, fleecy snow, there was
instantly a good deal of anxiety for the boys.
As they began the work of rescue the sight before them was unique.
There is a hand working desperately, and here is a foot waving in the
air. There is a dog's head emerging as the animal makes a desperate
struggle to get out, and there is the curly tail of another coming into
view. Only such a land could show such a sight. Alec, the last to
plunge in, was the first rescued, although he had been completely buried
out of sight, as had been the others. Frank was the next pulled out,
feet foremost. Sam was the last rescued. His tobogganing slide had
been abruptly ended by his being entangled in the harness of Frank's
train coming on behind him. Then it seemed to him as though the head of
the oncoming sled, like the cowcatcher on an engine, had picked him and
the dogs up, and in an instant more, he said, he was sent flying as from
a catapult into the drift, the instant the sled left the track. So far
ahead was he thus shot, that the sleds stopped before they reached him,
and so, although he was deeply buried, he was not run over.
Not one of the boys had a scratch or a bruise. The only discomfort was
that, in spite of big mittens and capotes, so much snow had found its
way where it was, to say the least, not very welcome. But it was light
and feathery, and was soon dusted off or shaken out, and then the work
was to get out and disentangle the dogs. This was no easy matter. Some
of them, in the wild rush down the hill, when struck by the sleds had
rolled over and over in such a way that their traces looked more like
ropes than anything else. Others of them were now in such uncomfortable
positions that they were howling most piteously for help, while others
that had happened to be thrown together, and perhaps each thinking that
the others were to blame for this mix-up, were as vigorously fighting as
their entanglement in their harnesses and sleds would allow.
After the rescue of the lads the Indians unfastened one of their most
powerful dog-trains from one of the other sleds and hitched it to the
rear of these buried ones, from which they had, with the snow shoes as
shovels, so thrown the snow that they could be reached. With a good
deal of effort and a great deal of fun they were pulled out one by one.
The dogs of each train were naturally indignant at thus being
unceremoniously dragged backward. As each sled and train were thus
hauled out and straightened in the trail, and the harness untangled, the
amount of damage could be ascertained. With the exception of a few
loose articles that were buried somewhere in the drift there was no
loss. It is true that some of the dogs seemed a little sore and stiff
for a few days, but beyond that there was nothing serious. Snow is a
capital substance in which to tumble if there is plenty of it.
This adventure, which was often talked about and caused many a hearty
laugh, delayed the party about a couple of hours. As the hill up which
they were now to go was about as steep as the one down which they had so
quickly come, it was decided to fasten two trains of dogs to each sled.
This, while making the work easier on the dogs, caused considerable
delay. The result was that when the whole party had reached the top
Memotas decided that it would be best there to camp.