_NEW EXPERIENCES IN A NEW LAND._
While, as we have seen, MacTavish’s impression of the young men
coming into his employ had been pleasing, he was anxious to become
more closely acquainted personally with each of them. MacTavish was a
judge of men. It was his business to place the lads where they would
accomplish the best results in the Company’s work; in consequence, each
was brought into his quarters and interviewed separately. In making
provision for the allocation of the men the hard way of the wilds was
followed, and no provision was given for relationships or friendships.
It is not to be wondered at then that when the allotment of the lads
to territory was made Robert and Will found that their ways were to
separate. Indeed, had they thought to make inquiries they would have
learned that their ultimate locations lay over a thousand miles apart.
[Illustration: STARTING OUT FROM FORT CHURCHILL.]
Fort Garry, now Winnipeg, was at that time one of the Company’s rapidly
growing posts. The Factor here, Andrew Donald, had written MacTavish,
in a letter which had been sent in care of Pete, one of the faithful
Indian guides, outlining the growth of the Company’s trade in that
Section and asking for assistance. He saw possibilities of materially
enlarging the Company’s trade in his territory, and stated that he
wanted young men with youth, endurance and enthusiasm, who would be
obedient but who would be possessed of indomitable will and unconquered
spirit. When considering Donald’s letter MacTavish finally sent for
Robert and instructed him that he had been selected for duty at Fort
Garry and that he was to leave the following day for the journey of
over a thousand miles through the wilderness. Will had been assigned
to a post in a region further west. It was natural that keen feelings
should stir in the hearts of these sturdy lads when the final time
for separation arrived. They had hoped that the situation might be
otherwise, but not a word of complaint was heard from either of them.
Duty was their watchword. Discipline and obedience had been faithfully
instilled into them by their mother in their earlier days. They knew
they were starting out to fulfil their contract. They knew, further,
that the Company’s employees were men who did not even flinch when
their duty was pointed out to them, and in consequence they obeyed
without a whimper. A simple clasp of the hand was the only evidence
of their feeling at parting, but this did not by any means give any
indication of the regret and longing which burned within. Taking a few
steps, Robert turned and cast a lingering glance toward his brother.
Then, with a farewell wave of the hand, with faces beaming with love
and confidence in the future, they parted to be swallowed up by the
vast and unknown regions of the Canadian West. From henceforth the
wilderness world was to be their home.
Imagine, you lads of sixteen and seventeen, the feelings of this young
man, starting out on a new adventure into unknown country. You lads
who are homesick when you spend a week away from home on the farm will
appreciate the indomitable spirit that Robert must have possessed at
this point in the journey. Put yourself in his place and imagine how
you would have felt.
[Illustration: “WITH A FAREWELL WAVE OF THE HAND ... THEY PARTED.”]
After a time Robert discovered he had one comforting feature. We have
spoken of the Indian guide, Pete, who had been sent from Fort Garry
by Factor Donald. Pete had proved himself one of the most trustworthy
Indians in the Company employ, and MacTavish had impressed on him
especially the character of the youth who was to be with him, and had
admonished him not only to see that good care was taken of the young
man, but also that he be taught such things as Pete was capable of
teaching him. Unknown to Robert, also, Pete was given a note to Donald
telling something of the impression he had made on MacTavish and giving
an account of his conduct during the voyage. MacTavish had sized
the boy up well and knew, as was true, that such a story would never
come from the lad himself. Something of the result of the lad’s manly
bearing and his influence on various members of the crew during the
voyage had been transmitted to MacTavish by the ship’s captain, and
this also was included in the note carried by the Indian guide.
Robert soon came to appreciate the strength and the knowledge of
the country and its conditions evidenced by his companion. He was
exceedingly thankful again for the fact that during the voyage he had
picked up enough of the Indian language to be able to converse, though
with some little difficulty, with his companion.
Something of the journey the two had undertaken may be appreciated when
it is known that they anticipated travelling at least thirty days on
foot. While later Robert was to experience the delights of travelling
by dog-sled, this was impossible at this season since the winter had
not set in as yet. Again, it was a custom of the Company to start
their new men out on foot, believing that from the incidents of such a
journey they would gain experience such as would be invaluable to them
afterward. For instance, it was expected that Pete would teach Robert
some of the arts of woodcraft--how to make provision for spending
the night on the trail and how to secure a supply of food when such
was required. Then, again, Robert encountered another experience
which, while it was new, brought to him thoughts of home. To aid in
transportation the Company followed the custom of placing canoes at
different points on the trail, which eased very much and frequently
materially shortened the journey. While Robert was at home on the
water, his first experiences with a canoe were rather amusing, and in
his first attempts to use his great strength he would frequently have
come to disaster had it not been for Pete’s readiness with the paddle.
It was not long, however, until he became familiar with the frail
birchbark craft, and was able to make the canoe glide through the water
in a way even to bring admiration to the eyes of Pete, who naturally
was a thoroughly experienced canoeman. So quickly did Robert adapt
himself to the conditions met with that Pete began to be proud of his
companion and was well satisfied as to their reception at Fort Garry.
Robert was so anxious to learn that not only did he keep Pete busy by
day, but kept the guide and himself awake sometimes far into the night
talking of methods of trapping and of experiences so different to what
the lad had been accustomed to in the Old Land. Never so late did they
stay awake, however, but that daylight found them awake and ready to
proceed on their journey.
Robert had been a one hundred per cent. boy. He was now making himself
into a one hundred per cent. youth. By incessant application he had
learned to master himself. His early training at home had given him to
realize the importance of little things. All this helped to make him
a willing pupil in Pete’s hands, and instead of feeling himself, as a
good many lads would have done in his place, superior to the Indian, he
realized very shortly how much better equipped the red man was than he
to meet most of the experiences they were about to enter upon. He was
superior to the Indian in many ways, however. He had accepted God as
his guide. His forces, both physical and mental, were now being fused
into a product of genuine manhood. When he had played in the games at
home he had played to win, but he had never forgotten that manliness
comes first and that the mere matter of winning occupies a secondary
place. He had learned the importance of concentration, and while he
perhaps did not realize the significance of it, he had discovered
possibilities within himself. His ordeals had been faced bravely and
manfully and with an unflinching spirit. Character stood out boldly on
his face. He had begun to understand that life was a test of patience
and endurance and that he must be continually in action to develop the
best that was in himself. He had asserted himself as a boy. He was now
asserting himself as a youth. He had come to realize that nothing
worth while could thrive in a cold heart, and that if his heart was to
be properly warm it must beat to the impulses that were right, noble
and true. He had learned to start off being properly thankful every
day; that grumbling, growling and criticising do not help either to
make up character or to help one along. He had learned that sacrifice
would help to lift him a long distance on life’s journey, and from a
religious aspect he realized that he was constructing a house within
himself that he had to live in; that it was his duty to his God to make
that home worthy and beautiful.
Pete began to appreciate some of these things after a very short
association with his companion. He had seen the Bibles of some of the
white men, but had never before seen one who so faithfully followed
every day the practice of spending a little time with the Great
Book. After a time Robert told Pete how the gift had come to him
from his mother, and before many nights Pete of his accord knelt at
Robert’s side when the young man began his devotions and said his own
evening prayer. Companionship in the temple of God’s great solitude,
accompanied by genuineness of character inevitably leads to friendship,
and so these two rapidly grew closer together.
[Illustration: “COMPANIONSHIP IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD’S GREAT SOLITUDE ...
LEADS TO FRIENDSHIP.”]
The forest was a never-ending wonder to Robert since, of course, he
had never known anything of it in his island home. The seemingly
endless rivers were another source of awe. He was a lover of nature,
and each day presented to him paintings of God’s great canvas ever
fresh and ever new. There seemed a friendliness about the birds, the
wild flowers, the trees and the rippling streams which made him wish
sometimes that the sun would always shine, so that he might always have
the beauty of nature before his eyes. After a time he learned that
night in the forest also has its charm. Even the darkest night gave
forth the softer tones of shadow and glow. Then the camp-fire threw out
wonderful shadow effects on the trees and appeared to spread living
pictures all around him. With these bits came also practical things.
Wild life was much in evidence. Deer and moose frequently crossed the
path and at night the lonesome cry of the wolves was sometimes heard.
When the forest wilds were passed the prairie again was a revelation
to Robert. Of course there were no houses in those days, and to him
it seemed just a mighty world placed there by the Creator, ready and
waiting for man to sow with seeds of golden grain. Here again something
that Robert had not even dreamed of made its appearance, since herds of
buffalo were frequently to be seen roaming at will over the prairie.
Then occasionally bands of Indians came into view, some of these
hunting the buffalo for their winter’s food. As time passed Pete made
Robert acquainted with the various tribes that were sighted, with their
history, and with the dangerous spirit of some of these.
After they were well on their journey Robert’s feet suffered from the
effects of the long-continued tramping. He was a sturdy youth, very
different from the wiry and hardened Indian, who had spent all his life
on these paths of forest and prairie. Pete, however, knew well how to
deal with such difficulties, and it was not long before the lad was
able to get through the day’s tramp without difficulty. At first, too,
the heavy pack caused him considerable discomfort. As the days passed,
however, his muscles hardened and the pack grew lighter.
[Illustration: “THE ANIMALS RUSHED TO ONE SIDE LEAVING ROBERT IN
SAFETY.”]
Pete had intended to travel by water, using the Company’s canoes
for most of the journey after leaving the forest, but the nights
rapidly grew colder. That year the frost set in earlier than usual,
and consequently they were obliged to change their course and tramp
over more of the prairie. This brought to Robert an experience he
never forgot. One morning, as they tramped along, the prairie seemed
suddenly to be almost black with buffalo, and after a little Pete
explained that several Indian bands must have started a drive and that
the herds were travelling before them. It was impossible, without
making a long detour, to avoid passing near the beasts, and as they
paused, suddenly something seemed to frighten a section of the herd
and it began to rush toward them. On the animals came, relentless and
irresistible. The two travellers shouted and waved their arms, but
all to no avail. Apparently nothing could stop the mighty rush. When
the animals were almost upon them Pete advanced a little to protect
his companion, but notwithstanding his efforts to divert the rush of
the herd and his cat-like jump out of the path of the leaders, he was
borne down beneath them. His efforts, however, seemed to turn the herd
at an angle and they rushed to one side, leaving Robert in safety.
So soon as he could the lad hastened to Pete’s side and found that,
while his Indian friend was badly bruised and had suffered a broken
leg, he was not dangerously injured. Under such conditions and three
hundred miles from Fort Garry, their objective, the young man faced an
unanticipated difficulty. However, he measured up to the situation.
First, attention was given to the injured leg, and here he put into
play one of the things he had learned from the Company’s officer
during the voyage, and thanks to this was able to set the bones of the
leg fairly well, if roughly and at considerable pain to his patient.
Pete, with his characteristic Indian stoicism, bore the pain without a
murmur. Following Pete’s suggestions, their packs of food and utensils
were carefully gone over and everything not actually necessary was
discarded. Finally, strapping the pack a little lower than usual,
Robert provided for the additional burden, and picking the Indian
up, placed him on his back and shoulders. At first the additional
weight seemed unbearable, but at Pete’s suggestion the lad adopted the
Indian lope, which the guide had taught him during the long journey.
This made the burden easier, since at each step it eased it up from
the shoulder so that it did not seem like dead weight, and was also
easier on Pete. The burden was heavy, but nothing within reason was
too great for Robert when he had made up his mind. His will-power and
unusual strength made it possible to accomplish tasks that would look
impossible to a faint-hearted youth. Pete was surprised at the ease
with which Robert carried him, and when he was borne, by the pain in
his leg to a partial unconsciousness, he was carried back to the days
when he was a little papoose and his Indian mother carried him through
the forest paths on her back.
Never since he had been a papoose, sixty or more years before, had Pete
been similarly treated. His had been a life of self-protection and of
service given to others. Now, when it was necessary for someone else
to look after him the change was very marked, but it was none the less
appreciated for this reason, and here again Robert’s early training
came into play. His patient was given every attention he knew how to
give. When he was forced to lay his burden down at night, prairie
hay was gathered and worked up to provide a soft pillow as well as a
restful support for the broken leg. Again Robert got a chance to put
into play some of the knowledge of camp cookery he had learned on the
voyage over. While their rations were not varied, these were added to
one evening by a dish of prairie chicken which Robert was able to get
after a good deal of difficulty with the muzzle-loader he carried.
As can be imagined, the difficulties Robert faced were by no means
small ones. Time after time as he packed the injured Indian on his
back over the prairie trails he was wearied almost beyond endurance.
Time after time he was tempted to set his burden down and to give up
the struggle. An ordinary lad would have given up the job before he
started, but determination had been built into Robert’s heart and
soul in his early days at home, and this found its way out on this
long-to-be-remembered journey. Pete, too, had his troubles. While he
was conscious that the leg was healing, it was a terrible thing for
him to be so dependent on the efforts of the one whom he had been
sent to help. However, day after day the two persisted, continuing on
their way by means of great determination, courage, and the finest of
physical strength, and toward the evening of the tenth day Pete, who
had been eagerly watching the landmarks, joyfully cried out that Fort
Garry was in sight. It was with considerable satisfaction and relief
that Robert was able to walk up to the Company’s quarters and to lay
his human burden safely down.