WE SEND OUT SCOUTS--WE PASS THE RAPIDS--SWIFTFOOT RETURNS ALONE--INDIANS
SURROUND US--A WAR-PARTY BURN OUR VACATED CAMP--QUICK-EAR, PURSUED BY
INDIANS, ARRIVES--WE BUILD MORE CANOES--REACH FORT ST. GEORGE.
The next morning, Swiftfoot and Quick-ear went out as scouts to
ascertain if any enemies were in the neighbourhood; and soon they
returned with the report that they could find no traces of enemies.
Having made four trips during the morning with our goods, I proposed
placing a portion of them on the raft and accompanying Stalker on it
down the rapid. One of the canoes we hauled up on the raft. Garoupe
took charge of the other. Stalker--who had surveyed the passage--
Habakkuk, and I, navigated the raft. The rest of the party, under
Trevor, made the best of their way along the portage. We cast off, and
away we went whirling down the rapid. Sometimes the raft rocked so much
that we could scarcely keep our feet. Now we were hurried towards a
rock, as if about to be dashed on it, when a stroke from Stalker's pole
would drive us off again. It was exceedingly exciting, though somewhat
trying to the nerves. The water boiled, and bubbled, and hissed, and
rocked us up and down. Then, again, the raft would glide into water
rapid as ever, but perfectly smooth, only an instant afterwards to be
tossed about as if in a whirlpool. I have seldom felt more happy than
when I found that we were safely through and in a wide reach of the
river. We poled the raft to shore, and securing it, began at once to
reload it with all the goods which had arrived.
While thus occupied, waiting for the remainder of our party, we
distinctly saw several Indians peering at us from among the trees on the
opposite side of the river. When they saw that we stopped in our
labours and looked towards them they disappeared. This made us somewhat
anxious, for it was certain that they could not be well-disposed towards
white men, or they would have come out and had some communication with
us. They must have seen, however, that we were not a party to be
trifled with, and that if they meditated attempting to get possession of
our property, they would have to pay dearly for it. As we had still
three or four hours of daylight, instead of stopping to dine as soon as
the rest of our party arrived, we all embarked and continued our course.
The river, however, here expanded into almost a lakelike width, and the
current was less rapid than usual, while the wind was adverse, and we
made much less progress than we expected. We paddled on as long as we
could, wishing to find a convenient camping place on the left bank.
After all, we were compelled to land on the right bank, on which we had
seen the Indians. We had very little fear of them, however, though it
compelled us to keep a more careful watch than we should otherwise have
done.
As soon as our camp was formed and we had taken a hearty meal, of which
we all stood greatly in need, we sent out Swiftfoot and Quick-ear as
scouts, to ascertain if any Indians were in the neighbourhood. The
night drew on. The rest of the party lay down to rest with their arms
by their sides. However, with Ready, I walked round and round the camp,
for our scouts were so long absent that I became anxious about their
safety. At length, my ear caught the sound of footsteps approaching at
a rapid rate. Ready stopped, with his nose out, and then advanced a few
steps, but did not bark. By this, I guessed that it was one of our
scouts coming back. I was not mistaken; and I had good reason to be
thankful that I had sent him out. He told me that he had come upon a
large body of Indians seated round their fires and holding a council of
war; that, as far as he could understand their dialect, they proposed
attacking us when they could catch us unprepared, and seemed very much
to regret that they had not done so when we were passing down the rapids
in the morning. He gathered, moreover, from their eagerness to attack
us forthwith and from some other remarks they made, that the navigation
of the river for a considerable distance below where we were was very
easy. They appeared to be awaiting the arrival of another party equally
numerous as themselves. Swiftfoot expressed his fears that Quick-ear
had fallen into the hands of the party, when, after waiting some time,
he did not appear at the camp.
At length, I aroused my companions, and told them what I had heard.
Trevor proposed fortifying the camp and waiting to receive the enemy.
Stalker suggested that we should embark at once and continue our voyage,
and that Garoupe and Swiftfoot should wait in the canoe to bring on
Quick-ear if he should appear.
"But that will seem like running away from the enemy," urged Trevor,
like a stout John Bull as he was.
"I kalkilate the wisest thing is to do what is most profitable, and I
don't see much profit in stopping to fight a gang of red varmints,"
observed Habakkuk.
I agreed with Stalker, and at length Trevor gave way, and we loaded the
raft as rapidly as we could lift the goods on board. Garoupe consented
to remain for Quick-ear, and we hoped to navigate the raft without his
aid.
We embarked with as little noise as possible, and now shoving off,
followed Stalker down the stream. I experienced a peculiarly solemn and
awful feeling so we glided down that dark unknown stream, with the
primeval forest rising up on either side, and still more so when we
entered a mountainous region where the rocks towered up some twelve or
fifteen hundred feet directly above our heads. We feared from the
appearance of the river that we might be approaching some rapid. We
accordingly moored the raft to a rock, while Stalker paddled on ahead to
explore. After waiting for some time, we heard his voice shouting to us
to come on. As we were easting off the rope the sound of a paddle was
heard up the stream, and we accordingly kept on. In a short time
Swiftfoot came alongside. He had waited under the bank, a little lower
down than our camp. Suddenly, loud and fearful shrieks rent the air,
and a large body of savages burst into our camp. It was certainly
better for us not to have been there, and better for them too, for,
although we might have killed a number of them, yet that would have been
a poor satisfaction if they had killed one of us. They must have been
woefully disappointed when they found that the birds they expected to
catch had flown. We had now too much reason to fear that Quick-ear had
fallen into the hands of the savages. Poor fellow! we could not go back
to his assistance, though I must say I felt ashamed of deserting him
without further search.
Morning at last broke, and we were still progressing along a deep,
rapid, and clear stream, free from rocks or shallows. We hoped that by
this time we had got far beyond the reach of the enemy. As I had looked
up at the stars in the clear night, I had, however, observed that the
river made several sharp bends, and thus I knew that we had not really
made good any great distance through the country. As the sun rose there
was a general cry for breakfast, and we accordingly put into a little
bay with a small extent of grassy ground--a pleasant nook in the bush.
We lit our fires, and breakfasted sumptuously on dried horse-flesh,
converted into a capital stew, with the aid of some cloves, garlic, and
pepper and salt, by allowing the steaks to simmer over a slow fire after
being first briskly boiled in our frying-pans in just enough water to
cover the meat. We also had hot dampers and plenty of strong tea,
guiltless, however, of milk, which was a luxury we had not indulged in
for many a long month.
Though the situation of the spot tempted us to remain some hours, that
we might get some animals to stock our larder, yet, lest the hostile
Indians should overtake us, we deemed it more prudent to continue our
voyage. We had just packed up our cooking things and were stepping on
board, when we heard a shout close to us, and the next instant Quick-ear
burst through the wood and sprang on board the raft, crying out that the
enemy were close upon him. We lost no time, therefore, in shoving off;
and, as we were paddling down the river, we saw the spot we had just
left filled with savage and yelling warriors. Quick-ear had had a long
and desperate run, and it was some time before he could speak. When he
recovered, he told us that he had found his way back to the camp just
after it had been occupied by the savages, and guessing that we had gone
down the river, he set off by an Indian track which he thought would
lead to it at some point we were likely to pass. He had got some
distance, when he found that the enemy were following, probably with the
intention of cutting us off. This made him still further increase his
speed. He had been seen by them a mile or two before he reached us, and
had to run for his life. Had he been a minute later, he would have
missed us altogether.
For several days we went on promisingly, when one day Stalker came
paddling back to warn us that we were approaching a fierce rapid. We
accordingly urged the raft to the shore, and landing our goods, prepared
for a long portage. Still, we proposed attempting to carry down the
raft. Stalker, Trevor, and I, in attempting to shoot one of the worst
rapids, were very nearly lost. We had just time to spring into the
canoes, which were on the top of it, when the raft was dashed to pieces.
With considerable difficulty we paddled the canoes through, and had
they been of birch-bark instead of dug-outs, they must inevitably have
shared the fate of the raft. Had our provisions been on the latter, we
might eventually have lost our lives. When, at length, we reached the
foot of the rapid, we determined to do what it would have been wise in
us had we done at first--that is, built canoes to convey the whole party
and our goods. We here found some fine trees for the purpose, and,
assisted by our former experience, in the course of a few days we had
built two large canoes. As we had no saw, we had to chip our boards to
form gunwales to them. Swiftfoot and Quick-ear sewed these on very
neatly, so that the capacity of the canoes was very greatly increased.
The sides of the two smaller canoes being raised in the same way, and
then joined together, were also capable of carrying a considerable
cargo.
Our voyage was much longer than we had expected; we ate up nearly all
our provisions, expended the greater part of our powder, tobacco, and
tea,--the great essentials in the bush,--and wore out our clothes and
our patience. At length, however, we reached Fort George, a fort of the
Hudson's Bay Company, where we received that attention and hospitality
for which its officers are so justly famed. After quitting Fort St.
George we continued the descent of the Frazer to the month of the
Quesnelle River, where a town has sprang up. Landing here, and leaving
our canoes in store, we prepared to tramp it across country to
Richfield, the capital of the Cariboo district. We overtook parties of
the wildest set of fellows it has ever been my lot to encounter, people
of all nations, and tongues, and colours.
The land in the district of Fort George is admirably adapted for
agriculture, as all the European cereals, together with potatoes,
turnips, carrots, and other esculent vegetables, arrive at full
maturity. The white population consists chiefly of old servants of the
Hudson's Bay Company, and emigrants from the Highlands of Scotland.
Indeed, the whole of this "Prairie Region," as it is called, on account
of the immense plains devoid almost of timber, and requiring, in
consequence, no outlay for clearing, would no doubt before long be under
the plough, if the Home Government would open up roads through the
district. Barley and oats ripen even at Fort Norman, at a latitude of
65 degrees.