NISKEPESIM, THE GOOSE MOON--EXCITEMENT AMONG THE INDIANS--THE FIRST
GOOSE--THEIR NORTHERN MIGRATIONS--FEEDING GROUNDS--METHODS OF HUNTING
THEM--NESTS--DECOYS--OUR BOYS OFF WITH THE INDIANS--THE SHOOTING
GROUNDS--THEIR CAMP--GREAT SUCCESS--FRANK'S QUEER ACCIDENT--HIT BY A
DEAD GOOSE--SAM'S COMMENTS--LADEN WITH SPOILS.
Not many days after the return from the muskrat hunt the weather became,
for that land, decidedly warmer. This created so much excitement among
the generally stoical Indians that the boys could not but observe it.
So one day, when a number of them were at Sagasta-weekee, Sam asked
Mustagan the cause of it. The old man answered but one word, and that
was:
"Niskepesim." ("The goose moon.")
"Yes," said Kinesasis, who had just come in, "it has surely come. Some
passing hunters saw some wild geese near the mouth of the river, at Lake
Winnipeg, and others who were out spearing muskrats said that they heard
flocks of them passing over during the night."
Great indeed was the excitement everywhere at this news. It rapidly
flew from Sagasta-weekee to the fort, and then on to the mission. As
though by some mysterious telegraphy, it passed from one Indian
settlement to another, yea, from wigwam to wigwam, until the cry
everywhere was, "Niskepesim! Niskepesim!" ("The goose moon! The goose
moon!")
Why there should be such commotion among these northern Indians about
the arrival of the wild geese has long been a puzzle to outsiders who
happen to be among them at the time. Nevertheless such is the case.
The fact that this moon is really the beginning of spring, which is so
welcome, after the long and dreary winter, may have something to do with
this general excitement and gladness. It is really the first month that
the family have a flitting out from the close, confined houses or
wigwams in which they have passed the cold, dreary months. Then it
brings them a welcome change of diet, which is much prized after the
long six months' dining twenty-one times a week on frozen whitefish,
with only the variation of a little venison, muskrat, or beaver.
At Sagasta-weekee the excitement was as great as anywhere else. Mr
Ross had to exert a good deal of authority to keep some of his men at
work after they had seen a great flock of these splendid grey geese fly
over their heads. Over at the mission Mr Hurlburt had failed
completely in holding his men. He had been for some time urging them to
clear up and put under cultivation what ground they had around their
village that was good and fertile. At a good deal of expense he had
secured a fine supply of axes, hoes, spades, and other necessary
implements, as well as seeds, to help them. For some days they had
worked industriously and well, and there was every prospect of a large
portion of the ground being prepared and planted. One day, when Mr
Hurlburt had about thirty men hard at work in the fields, what should
come flying along on the south wind but a great flock of geese? They
were in broken ranks, not more than fifty feet above the ground, and
evidently tired and looking for a feeding place. The sight was too much
for the hunting instinct of the Indians, and so every axe, hoe, and
spade was instantly dropped, and away they rushed for their guns. The
missionary did not see one of them again for two weeks.
The wild geese are of various varieties. The first to arrive are the
great grey ones. They seem to come up from Central America, Mexico, and
Southern California, where they have spent the winter months. Then
follow the brants, wavey, or laughing geese, which are all smaller
varieties. When on their long migrations the geese all fly very high,
and generally in long lines or triangles. But when they reach the north
country, where they hope to spend the summer, they fly low over the
ground. They seem to be then on the lookout for feeding grounds and
suitable locations for nest building. If undisturbed, they speedily
break up in pairs. They arrive very hungry, and so spend some days in
heavy feeding on the peculiar many-jointed grass, called goose grass,
the Indian name of which is Niskeanuskwa.
At Sagasta-weekee the boys had heard so much about the goose hunt that
they were full of curiosity and excitement as the time of its expected
arrival drew near. White suits and white caps had already been made for
them, and the guns were all freshly cleaned and oiled. Camping outfits
were all ready, and the boys observed that in addition to the winter's
supplies there were added large heavy oilcloths, like tarpaulins. The
next morning, after Kinesasis had reported the words of the passing
Indians, there came in another hunter, and he had with him the first
goose of the season. He was delighted to be the first, as a handsome
reward is given to the one who is fortunate enough to kill and bring in
this kind of first fruits of the harvest of these great birds. The
sight of this goose was all that was necessary to have all arrangements
completed, and it was decided that on the next morning all who could go
should be off to the great goose hunt.
The point selected for the camp was on the border of one of these great
swampy plains, from which the greater part of the snow had been melted
by the warm south wind, leaving exposed, over hundreds of acres, vast
quantities of this jointed grass, on which the geese feed with such
avidity. The frost was still in the ground, and so there was no
difficulty on the part of the hunters in arranging their shooting nests
and decoys as they desired. The camp was made very similar to those
already described. There were a few changes, however. The soft snow
was all cleared away, and a deep layer of fine balsam boughs were evenly
spread out over the cleared place. Then over this a couple of
tarpaulins were spread, and on these the usual camp beds of robes and
blankets were arranged as elsewhere described. A great log fire was
built up in front, and numerous logs were cut for use when required. A
number of good stiff long poles were also cut and placed where they
could be quickly utilised, if needed, to erect a roof or barrier against
a storm of sleet or rain which might unexpectedly come up.
While the camp was thus being prepared by some of the party, in this
cozy elevated place, back among the trees, where it would not frighten
the geese, others were equally hard at work making the nests out on the
great open meadowlike place where the goose grass was most abundant.
These nests were built up of dry grass and dead brush, and made so that
they looked just as their names would indicate--like great nests. Each
of them was large enough to comfortably hold two hunters, who could
easily move around, and thus be able to fire in any direction. They
were about four feet high, and so constructed that when the hunters
inside were crouching down they were quite invisible to the passing
geese. Some Indians used to pile lumps of snow here and there on the
edge of the nest to help the disguise. It is a peculiarity of wild
geese that white objects never frighten them. This was the reason why
the hunters all wore white suits and white caps. Then a number of
decoys were made. They were rather rude affairs. The bodies were hewn
out of logs about the size of a goose. A couple of sticks were driven
in for legs; then the heads and necks, which had been prepared
beforehand out of crooked roots, were fastened in their places. They
were poor affairs, but seemed quite sufficient to attract the simple
geese. A number of these decoys were assigned to each nest, and the
hunter had to arrange his own according to his own judgment. The
direction of the wind had much to do in rightly placing them. Care had
to be exercised in arranging the nests so that the occupants of one
would not be in danger from the firing from another, as in the
excitement of the settling down of a large flock, or in their circling
completely around a nest, a person is apt to forget everything but his
anxiety to shoot as many as possible.
As soon as the sleds were unloaded they were all sent back to Sagasta-
weekee, as not a dog must be allowed at the camp. No geese will come
where there are barking dogs. For the first day or two there was
nothing but anxious watching. The southern horizon was eagerly scanned
for the oncoming lines of grey geese that were so eagerly anticipated
but seemed to be so late in arriving. During the second night the wind,
which had been blowing from the north-east, suddenly veered round to the
south-west. This was noticed at once by the old, experienced men,
Mustagan, Big Tom, Memotas, and Kinesasis, who had been invited by Mr
Ross to join his party. They were convinced that this wind would bring
the geese, and so, dark as it was, they proceeded to make all
arrangements for the next day's shooting. They first went out and
arranged all the decoys in the right position, so as to attract the
geese coming with such a wind. Then they carried the guns and arranged
them four apiece in each nest, with the ammunition.
Before this work had been completed the geese could be heard flying over
their heads. Some of the flocks were so low that the vibrations of the
air could be easily felt. When they returned to the camp, although it
was still starlight, they called up Mr Ross and the boys. Breakfast
was quickly prepared, and while it was being eaten the rush and calls of
the rapidly increasing flocks could be distinctly heard. Then Mustagan
and Frank, each taking a white blanket with him, hurried off to the most
distant nest, which was almost north from the camp. There they cozily
ensconced themselves and anxiously waited for the first blush of
morning. Alec and Big Tom took possession of the nest on their left,
about two hundred yards away. Sam and Memotas were assigned to the nest
about the same distance south of them, while Mr Ross and Kinesasis took
possession of the one about three hundred yards distant on the right.
All were in white suits, and had in addition their white blankets, as a
protection against the cold. While one or two men were left to take
care of the camp, the others went off to different places where they
thought they could get successful shots.
It was not long before the morning star showed up above the eastern
horizon, and then the first dawning of the day appeared.
"Chist!" ("Listen!") said Memotas to Sam, and quickly they were on the
alert. The Indian's quick ear had detected a low-flying flock, and so,
before they were seen in the dim morning light, they were heard. On
they came, little dreaming of danger now that they were so far away from
civilisation, and so they flew not a hundred feet above this hidden
place of their enemies.
Bang! bang! went the two guns into their midst, and soon bang! bang!
went the other two barrels. With loud, discordant cries, those that
were uninjured veered off to right and left. Memotas then threw down
his empty gun and quickly seized his loaded one, but did not attempt to
fire it. Sam also quickly picked up his extra loaded one, and was about
to fire at the now rapidly retreating geese. Memotas, however, stopped
him, and showed him that his gun was pointed exactly in the direction in
which was the nest where Alec and Big Tom were stationed. Sam was
frightened at what might have been the consequences if he had fired, and
gratefully thanked Memotas for his caution. Memotas, who was busily
engaged in reloading the guns, only said:
"Soon daylight; then you will see better."
In the meantime the others had heard the firing and were on the alert,
and so when the divided flock turned to the right and left some of the
geese came close to the nest of Alec and Big Tom, and the rest were not
very far from that of Mr Ross and Kinesasis. There was firing from
both parties, but their success was not very much, as the darkness was
still too great, and the geese were not so close to them as they had
been to Sam's nest. Memotas went out and found a couple of geese which
he brought into the nest. He and Sam were quite proud of having killed
the first. In the meantime, with the increase of the wind there was an
increase in the number of the passing flocks. And now soon they began
to be distinctly visible, and the firing became quite frequent. Of
course, a good many shots were lost, as it is no easy matter to hit a
flying goose, large as it is. No experienced hunter thinks of firing
directly at a goose that is flying by him, or even overhead. He has to
calculate for at least a foot ahead for, say, each hundred feet the
goose is away from him, and it takes a quick eye and good judgment to
correctly estimate the distance. Sam said he liked best to fire at them
when there was a string of them in line. Then by blazing away at the
first he generally brought down the third or fourth.
It was now full daylight, and so it was necessary for the hunters to be
much more wary and keep themselves well down in their nests and very
quiet. When they were perfectly still the geese took them for lumps of
snow. This was the reason why there was nothing but white in their
dress. Even the belts they had tied around them were pure white. Soon
the Indians began calling, to bring the geese within range. The rude
decoys were placed as though they were having a glorious time feasting
on the rich goose grass. The calls of the Indians were exact imitations
of the geese calling to their fellows. Sometimes these cries sounded
like "Honk! honk! honk!" Then they seemed to be more like "Uk! uk! uk!"
Then sometimes they were like the calls that the ordinary barnyard
geese make when well satisfied with food. It was interesting to the
boys to notice how quickly a far-away flock caught these sounds.
Marvellously acute was their hearing. Then they acted so differently.
Some were very wary and shy, and at once began to endeavour, as it were,
to climb up higher and higher in the sky. This, however, was a
difficult task just then, as the wind was behind them. When geese, as a
general thing, wish to quickly rise up high in the air, they turn and go
against the wind. In some way or other it speedily seems to lift them
up. Other flocks, as soon as they thought they heard some of their
comrades having such a good time, came right on and were close to the
decoys and nests before they were aware of their blunder. Then the
firing was rapid and destructive. Some of the flocks had dropped down
so low that in order to rise up again they had to circle round and go
back against the wind. Then there was double sport for the hunters.
Often a flock would come in on the left side, and just as it was about
to light among the decoys the guns would ring out and do their deadly
work. The survivors were so low down that they could not go on with any
advantage, and so had to turn sharp to the right and try to get away by
going back against the wind. This movement brought them now on the
right side of the nest, and as they passed more of the guns were fired
and more victims fell dead to the ground.
Such were the positions of the nests in reference to the wind, that Sam
and Memotas had, by all odds, the best place that day. Generally, after
they had fired, the flock broke in two, and Alec and Big Tom got part,
while the other portion generally found Mr Ross and Kinesasis.
However, when a great flock pushed on unbroken, it generally went
directly over, and very near, the nest where Frank and Mustagan had
their quarters. Then there was some fine shooting, as each had two
double-barrelled guns and Frank had become quite famous as a shot. Many
of the geese dropped at once to the ground when shot. Others, although
mortally wounded, only fell when quite a distance beyond, as the
momentum of their rapid flight seemed to carry them on. Some fell when
they were only shot through one wing. During the lull after the firing,
when the boys went out from the nests to bring in the spoils, there were
some additional battles to be fought ere some of the geese were
conquered. Especially was this the case with those that were injured in
only one wing. When these were approached they instantly stood on the
defensive and struck out most viciously with the unwounded wing. Some
of the boys had had some experience in this line, and so were now on
their guard, and thus escaped feeling the tremendous power of a goose's
wing. Others viciously used their bills and made lively work for the
boys ere they were conquered. Others, unwounded in their legs, made off
as rapidly as possible, and then there was great fun in the work of
running them down. Those that could use even their wounded wing, or
wings, to help them in their movements made capital time, and while most
of then were captured, others succeeded in getting away altogether.
Doubtless they would be picked up by alert Indian hunters, who were, or
would be in a day or so, literally swarming over every place where a
goose was likely to be obtained.
When noon arrived they nearly all returned to the camp, where dinner
already awaited them. Twenty-seven geese were the results of the
shooting in the four nests. Other Indians came in with their bags.
Some had done on the average better than this, and some not so well. As
the wind remained steady in the one direction the flocks of geese were
very numerous. There was hardly a period of ten minutes' time when some
were not visible. Of course, the great majority of the flocks were high
up in the air. On and on they flew, their eyes fixed on a point further
north, perhaps a thousand miles beyond. No call from the hunters
reached them, no ball even from a rifle pierced the thin air of that
exalted region in which, at perhaps a rate of a hundred miles an hour,
on they flew. The Indians say that the same geese come back, when
possible, to their old feeding grounds year after year.
After dinner the sport was resumed. When no flocks were near, the boys
would jump out of their nests and, by some racing and frolicking on the
ice, keep themselves warm, as there was much of winter still in the air.
The cry of "Niskuk! niskuk!" ("Geese! geese!") would send them racing
back to their respective nests, and it was often as much as they could
do to reach their retreats ere the geese were upon them.
A queer accident happened to Frank. As a small flock passed over the
nest in which Sam and Memotas were sitting Sam blazed away with his last
barrel, just as the geese had gone by. He struck one of them and
mortally wounded it, but it had vitality enough left to keep itself up
until it reached the nest where Frank and Mustagan were crouched down,
watching another flock that was approaching from the other side.
Without any warning the goose suddenly dropped dead with a whack on top
of Frank, knocking him over most thoroughly and causing his gun to
suddenly go off, but fortunately without hitting his Indian companion.
A great grey goose weighs something, and so the whack from this dead one
nearly knocked Frank senseless. The inmates of the other nests quickly
came to his assistance. He was so dazed with the blow that it was
decided that he and Sam, who had had about enough of goose-killing to
suit them, should go to the camp for the rest of the afternoon. It was
wisely thought that Sam's irrepressible fun and good nature would be the
best medicine for Frank for the time being.
That evening, when the shooting was over and all were seated on their
comfortable robes around the bright camp fire, there was a lot of talk
about Frank's queer accident. All were thankful that the blow did no
more serious harm. Mustagan said that he had shot geese flying over the
ice where they had fallen with such force that they had broken clean
through ice so strong that men could walk over it with safety.
"What do you think about it, Sam?" said Alec.
"Think about it, do you ask me?" replied Sam. "I have done a deal of
thinking about it. I've been thinking that was the queerest weapon of
offence I ever heard or dreamed of. I have heard of arrows and bullets
and darts and clubs and shillalahs and tomahawks and boomerangs, and
even thunderbolts, but the idea of hitting a poor, defenceless English
lad with a dead goose! it beats me hollow! Sure I can hardly believe my
senses. I'll be denying the whole thing to-morrow, although I saw the
complete performance to-day."
The next morning Frank was fully recovered from this queer blow, and
just as eager as ever to take his place in his nest with Mustagan. The
wind veered around to the south-east, and so all of the decoys had to be
changed. The shooting was good all day, but not equal to the previous
one. The Indians were very clever in even calling some flocks back that
had been fired into with deadly results. The explanation the Indians
gave for the returning of these flocks was that although they still kept
together in great numbers the geese had selected their mates, and the
shooting of one or other of these pairs had caused the whole flock to
return to look them up, in response to the cries of the bereaved
survivors.
Sam said that he thought that the elegant voices of the Indians as they
cried "Honk! honk!" had more to do with it than any affection in the
heart or gizzard of an old goose. This remark of Sam's was at once
challenged, and a number of stories were related to prove that even the
despised goose was worthy of a much better record than was generally
given her.
Thus, with varied success, several days were spent at the goose grounds.
Two or three times the boys succeeded in each bringing down four geese
with the four barrels of the two guns. This was considered very clever
shooting on the part of young fellows on their first spring's hunt.
In due time the dog-trains returned from Sagasta-weekee. The last
visits to the nests were made, and the closing two hours of the goose
hunt were voted by all to have been the best, as the geese were so
numerous that at times the guns were hot with the rapid work. The boys
would have liked to remain longer, but Mr Ross stated that they had
already shot as many geese as they could eat at home or could give away,
and that it would not be right to kill any more of such valuable birds.
The true hunter thinks not only of present needs, but of the years to
come. In times of plenty he remembers there are days and years ahead.
This was a satisfactory explanation to all.
The loading up of the geese on the extra sleds was soon accomplished. A
good warm supper was eaten, and then at about ten o'clock at night, when
the frost had again hardened up the snow that had been so soft and
slushy a few hours before, the home journey was begun, and among "the
wee small hours beyond the twelve," the welcome lights in Sagasta-weekee
were seen, and the happy, tired excursionists were glad to hurry off and
half bury themselves in the beds and pillows filled with the downy
feathers of geese killed at the spring hunts of years before.