A SAIL.--THE SEALING GROUNDS.--THE ESQUIMAUX LAMP.--AN INDIAN LEGEND.
About a hundred pounds of blubber lay upon the ice, and Carlo was
luxuriating on a whole hind quarter, which was given up to his especial
use, to make up for the rather short commons he had of late been reduced
to. About fifty birds lay behind the hummock, and Peter, who was anxious
to secure a bird-skin coverlet for his own use, set himself down to skin
the finest ones. Waring joined him in the task.
"There's the big berg where we killed ussuk yesterday. Less go and look
around. Perhaps we see land," said Regnar.
"No, Regnie; we are fifty miles from any land now, and I think about one
third of the way across to the Magdalen Islands. Still, I should like to
take an observation, and see where we are; and we may not have such a
calm spell again for two or three days."
Pulling off to the berg, they found the shelf on which lay the dead
seal, and climbing the ice-cliff, they saw spread out before them a
strange and pleasing spectacle. The fog had lifted, for it was now
nearly noon, and although some rain still fell, the eye could see the
broken ice-pack seamed with channels, and scarred with pools of varying
size, for at least eight miles in any direction. Regnar started, turned
to his companion, and seizing his shoulder with convulsive energy,
pointed to the east. A long ribbon of black vapor hung over the ice, low
down on the horizon, and beneath it towered the topsail of a brigantine,
going free before the wind.
[Illustration]
"It is a sealing steamer, boring out of the pack," said Regnar.
La Salle's first impulse was to rush to the boat, and rejoin his
comrades, to set signals, burn bonfires--anything which might possibly
call the attention of those on board. Then he considered the futility of
such endeavors, and he turned to his comrade,--
"We can't signal her now, Regnar, and we won't excite in our friends
hopes which cannot fail to be disappointed. We shall see her again
soon."
Regnar looked around them, cast glances of admiration on the abundance
of animal life presented to their view, gave a look of approval to his
friend, and answered in his Esquimaux-English,--
"It is good. I fear not. That steamer sail away to-day, for wind fair.
If wind east to-morrow, she sail this way. If wind north, she go south;
but she no leave this place till she beats the pack, like a hound. Look
there--see that floe. Plenty seal there to load one vessel."
The view was indeed charming, for ice and water were alive with birds,
and among them moved in every direction the bullet heads of many seals.
About three miles to the eastward lay a large pan, and around it the
water was dark with the older amphibia, while from it came, in the
occasional calm intervals, the unceasing whine, which the baby seal
never foregos for a moment, except when asleep or feeding.
"We want more skins, master," said the boy. "We could soon fill our
boat--we two."
A cold puff came from the westward, and a slight break showed itself in
the north-west.
"We shall have clear weather and a westerly breeze after sunset," said
La Salle. "We will get ready to-night, and to-morrow we will have a
battle among the seals."
Retracing their steps, they entered their boats, and returned to their
friends, to whom they imparted the news of the proximity of the
sealing-grounds.
"We need about ten large skins, and some smaller ones. So let us get
ready to-night, and if the weather is favorable, visit the 'nursery'
to-morrow."
So saying, La Salle took one of the large floating decoys made of cork
and canvas, and painted black, and drawing a nail from the broken boat,
fastened it to the end of a strip from the bottom--in fact, one of the
runners. This was planted beside the strip, sustaining the record
contained in the copper case, and formed a beacon, easily distinguished
against the lighter ice.
Guns were cleaned, knives and axes sharpened, for the soapstone boulder
had been brought from the berg, and afforded quite a good whetstone, to
patient labor; and Peter, with his knife, finished, in the course of the
evening, a number of wooden bolts for himself, La Salle, and Regnar; and
even Waring fitted a couple into two of the brass shells of his
breech-loader.
Regnar took the remains of the steel boat-hook, and succeeded in
straightening the hook, which he drew down into the shape of a rude
chisel. Peter tempered it for him, and then, with this rude tool and an
axe, he split the boulder of soapstone into halves, making two
bowl-shaped pieces, about fifteen inches across, in the line of
cleavage. One of these he proceeded to hollow out into an Esquimaux
lamp, for the stock of wood had been largely drawn upon during the cold
spell just over, and only about twenty decoys remained unburnt. Waring
sat next him, unraveling one of the old cotton-flannel over-shirts, and
twisting the fibres into large wicks; while La Salle made a cover of the
last remaining sheet-iron decoy, with holes for six wicks. As they sat
around the fire, Waring suddenly broke the silence.
"Charley," said he, "you have never told your story, although all the
rest of the club took their turn. We are not making much noise with our
work. Can't you give us your story now, to while away the evening?"
La Salle was at first disposed to comply, but his eye fell on the dark
features of Peter, opposite him.
"Peter," said he, "tell us one of the tales your old people tell around
the winter fire in the long, cold evenings. Tell us of Teahm or
Kit-pus-e-ag-a-now."
"How you know them?" asked the Indian, surprised out of his usual
self-possession. "You speak Micmac too?"
"O, no, Peter; but I have heard many of these old tales, and I know the
lads would like to hear them too."
"Yes, yes, Peter," added Waring, "let us have one, by all means."
Peter laid aside his pipe, for he still retained a little of his
treasured tobacco, and in a slow, sententious tone repeated one of those
tribal legends which are all that keep alive the fire of patriotism and
national pride, in the breasts of a people who find themselves
strangers, outcasts, and without a country in the land of their birth,
once theirs alone.
PETER'S STORY.
"The old people were camped long, long ago, near the Oolastook, where
now stands St. John. All this lan' Indian then. No 'hite man live here
that time, and the hunter always find game plenty--plenty moose, plenty
bear, plenty fish, plenty everyting.
"Then Indians not so wicked as now, and God had not sent 'hite men to
punish them for their sins. But even then they fought each other; and
between my people and the Quedetchque--that my name; you call 'em
Mohawk, I b'lieve--there was war, all time war.
"The Quedetchque come down every fall, follow down banks of river, wait
alound village until all my people asleep; make warwhoop, fire arrows,
set fire to _womegun_, lun off with prisoner, and plenty scalp. One time
all my people away, only squaw and children in town; Quedetchque
war-party come, burn an' kill; get plenty scalp of women and boy, and
chief take away Coquan, what you call 'Lainbow,' wife of great chief
'Tamegun,' the tomahawk.
"They hurry home fas', but the snow fall thick, an' soon Tamegun an' one
other man come home, fin' wigwam burnt, an' dead people all alound. They
tighten belts, take bow, knife, an' axe, and follow on track.
"One night they find tracks in snow, and soon come up to the camp. Many
warriors in that camp--make long camp, and door at each end, and fire at
door. All Quedetchque inside take off moccason and bathe sore feet in
big birch-bark tub near door; then wait until Coquan mend moccasons. All
this Tamegun see, and he find out where his squaw sit in lodge.
"Then he creep up like wildcat, and peep through bark so close he could
almos' touch her; but he only lift edge of bark, and slide in wampum
belt. Coquan work war-belt for him, and know who it is at once. Then she
go out, an' they talk together, far from the camp.
"Then Coquan go back into camp, and take all the moccasons outside, and
set the tubs of dirty water outside each door. Then she see Tamegun an'
his friend tie rope across door, jus' above ground, and the Lainbow slip
out again. Then Micmacs catch up tubs and throw water on the fires; all
out in a minute.
"Both cly the warwhoop many times at the door, an' the woman shoot
arrows through the bark. All the Quedetchque jump up, take knife an'
axe, think Micmacs got into the tent. All is dark; see nothing; think
everybody enemy. They stab with knife, cly war-cly, strike with axe,
kill each other. Some lun out doors, tumble over cord. Micmacs kill
every one. At last all dead but two boys, and Tamegun tie these to
trees.
"Then Tamegun get scalp, skin, beads, knife, spear, everyting he want.
Make three taboggin; load all they can carry; then set fire to camp and
burn all up. Then, when all ready, Tamegun draw his knife, an' cut
prisoners loose.
"'Go back to Quedetchque,' he say. 'They are squaws an' cowards. Tell
them come no more into Meegum-Ahgee,--in Micmac land,--for two Micmac
men an' a squaw have kill all your people. Go! You are too young to die.
Your flesh is soft. Come back when your scalps are fit for a Micmac's
belt.'
"So Tamegun got home all light, an' Quedetchque come no more for many
years. But my people no more fight. Many die in battle long ago. Many
die of small-pox an' fever, and now we are few. So it will be until He
comes for whom all Indians wait. The story is ended."
* * * * *
Thus in rude English, Peter related one of the many tales, which still
serve to keep alive a people's pride in the glories of bygone days, so
unlike their present degradation, that to the general observer the
civilized Indian _seems_ to know nothing of the past, to be scarcely
conscious of his ignoble surroundings and circumstances, and to have no
care or hope for a brighter future. La Salle knew well the wild legend
of the Deliverer, in whom, in spite of his Catholic faith, the Indian
everywhere has an inherent trust, as the slowly but surely-coming
protector and restorer, of his ancient happiness.
"Thank you, Peter," said he, kindly. "Your people were a brave race, and
true as steel to your _Wenooch_ (i.e., French). They fought as long as
their allies dared to strive; and it was long after the last French
fortress surrendered that the warriors met at Bay Verte, to become true
subjects to the king they had fought against for years."
"Yes," said Peter, sadly. "My people once strong and brave; now they
waste away like the snow. I know many families almost gone, an' but few
pure Indian live this end of island. We see it, if 'hite people think
not, but we do not care to let them see our tears."
There was a simple pathos in the broken words of this unlearned man--for
he was no savage--which went to the hearts of his hearers; and La Salle
felt more strongly than ever, the cruel cowardice of that popular
outcry, which denies a whole people all share of innate nobility and
virtue, and visits on a deceived and wronged race, both their own sins
and the short-comings of those who should be their natural protectors.
The party finished their various undertakings, carefully removing their
litter. La Salle and Regnar went outside to take a last look at the sea
and sky. The stars were visible here and there, through the dispersing
clouds, and the drip of melting ice was no longer heard, for the
temperature had again fallen below the freezing point.
"We are drifting south of east," said Regnar, quietly, "and unless
picked up will probably clear the south point of the Magdalen Islands."
"How can you tell that?" asked La Salle.
"Easily enough," said the lad, talking still in French. "The wind is
westerly, and the current runs from north to south."
"But how can you decide on the points of the compass?" persisted La
Salle.
For the first time the boy seemed to wonder at the question, and to
doubt the wisdom of his friend.
"Who can fail to know?" said he, quietly, "when he can see in the
heavens above him, the steady light of the Polar Star?"