fierce-looking and large that it was well for him he was in the canoe
struggling with rapids at the time, for he was reckless enough to have
attacked it single-handed--a very dangerous proceeding, and a thing that
the Indians never do. They appear to think that at least three men are
necessary to the destruction of this much and justly feared monster of
the mountains.
Lawrence looked at Bruin with a feeling of bloodthirsty desire; Bruin
looked at Lawrence with an expression of stupid curiosity; and then
slowly, not to say sulkily, retired into his native forest. Next day
they beheld a more gratifying sight,--namely, the snow-capped Rocky
Mountains themselves, within the rugged portals of which their canoe
passed not long afterwards. Here, as was to be expected, the river
became narrower and more turbulent, and ere long the explorers had to
face dangers and difficulties which tested their courage and endurance
to the uttermost.
CHAPTER EIGHT.
DIFFICULTIES AND DANGERS FACED AND OVERCOME.
Their entrance on the difficult navigation of the mountains was
inaugurated by an accident to the canoe. It was a slight one,
however,--a rub against a rock which cracked the bark, and compelled
them to land and spend an hour or so in mending it.
The current here was very strong, and creeping up along the banks was
dangerous, owing to the masses of rock that frequently fell from the
cliffs.
At one turn of the river in particular, a loud noise was heard, "Look
out!" cried Mackenzie.
Before any one could well understand what danger threatened them, an
enormous mass of rock was seen to bound down the banks right abreast of
them, crashing through trees and bushes, and sending down showers of
smaller stones. The men paddled with all their might, but the rock came
straight at them, struck a flat piece of the cliff; and bursting like a
bombshell, descended round them in a shower of small pieces, none of
which, however, touched them, although many fell very near.
Coming one afternoon to a place where the current was stronger than
usual, Mackenzie landed with Reuben, Lawrence, and Ducette, in order to
lighten the canoe. They ascended the hills, which were covered with
cypress, and but little encumbered with underwood. Here they found a
beaten path, made either by Indians or wild animals. After walking a
mile along it, they fell in with a herd of buffaloes with their young
ones.
"Hist!" whispered Reuben, throwing forward the muzzle of his gun with
the instinct of a hunter.
"Don't fire," said Mackenzie, arresting his arm; "it may alarm the
natives, if any should chance to be within earshot. Send Wolf at them,
Ducette."
Wolf, who belonged to Ducette, and had followed his master, was a
splendid fellow,--not unlike the animal after which he had been named.
He was well trained too, and kept foot and tongue equally under command,
until his master's wishes were made known. Hearing his name mentioned,
he cocked his ears and gazed up in Ducette's face.
"Allons donc, Wolf," said Ducette.
Instantly the dog made a magnificent rush into the midst of the herd,
which scattered right and left, and seized a young calf by the nose!
The creature, though young, was powerful, and for some time struggled
bravely; but the hound held on with deadly firmness, and worried the
calf--to such an extent that in a short time Ducette was able to run in
and despatch it.
To skin and dismember the carcase was a matter of little difficulty to
these hunters, who were all expert butchers. They had just completed
the work, and were congratulating each other on this accession of veal
to the larder when a shot was heard in the direction of the canoe. It
was immediately followed by another.
"The signal to recall us," said Mackenzie. "Gather up the meat, lads;
come, be smart. Give them a couple of shots, Reuben, in reply."
The shots were fired, and, pushing down the hill through very close
underwood, they soon came upon the canoe at the foot of a rapid which it
was deemed impossible to ascend. What seemed impossible to some of his
men, however, was by no means impossible to Mackenzie himself. He
surveyed their position, saw that the succession of rapids above were
indeed impracticable on that side of the river, but observed that on the
other side it seemed possible to continue the ascent. The chief danger
lay in attempting to cross with a heavily-laden canoe; but the attempt
was made, and proved successful.
The dangers and mishaps which now assailed them in succession were
enough to have damped the ardour of the most resolute pioneer; but there
are some natures which cannot be quelled, whose motto in all
circumstances seem to be "Victory or death!" Of such a spirit was
Alexander Mackenzie, although some of his men would fain have turned
back. Indeed, the overcoming of their objection to proceed sometimes
cost him more trouble than overcoming the difficulties of the
navigation.
On reaching the other side of the river, they towed the canoe along an
island, and advanced well enough till they reached the extremity of it,
when the line had to be exchanged for the paddles. In attempting to
clear the point of the island, they were driven with great violence on a
stony shore, and the frail canoe received considerable injury. To land
and unload was the work of a few minutes; but it took a long time to
repair the damage, by fitting in new pieces of bark and re-gumming the
exposed seams. Part of the cargo, also, had to be opened and dried.
This accomplished, they carried the whole across the point which had
damaged them, reloaded and embarked. But it was now seen that it was
not possible to advance farther up that side of the river either by
paddling, hauling with the line, or pushing with poles. There remained
only the alternative, therefore, of returning by the way they had come,
or recrossing the river despite the strength of the current and the fact
that there were several cascades just below them, to get into which
would have involved canoe and men in certain destruction.
"Ve can nevair do it. Monsieur dare not!" whispered Ducette to Reuben,
as they floated for a few moments in an eddy.
Reuben glanced at his leader, who stood up in the canoe surveying the
boiling rapids with a stern, intent gaze, and said quietly, "He'll try."
"Now, my lads, shove out with a will--ho!" said Mackenzie, sitting down.
Lawrence, who was steering, dipped his paddle vigorously, the men
followed suit, the canoe shot into the stream, and in a moment gained
the sheltering eddy below an island, which was shaped somewhat like a
table with a thick centre leg--or a mushroom. There were several such
islands of solid rock in the river. They had been formed apparently by
the action of the current--doubtless also of ice--cutting away their
lower part, and leaving the mushroom-like tops, on which numbers of
geese found a convenient breeding-place. From one to another of these
islands the canoe shot in this way, thus decreasing the width of the
final traverse. They paused a little longer at the last island, then
shot into the stream, and, with a splendid sweep, gained the other side.
But here their case was little improved, for the current was almost as
violent as that from which they had escaped. The craggy banks being low
enough, however, to admit of the tracking-line being used, the men
landed and towed the canoe till they came to the foot of the most rapid
cascade they had yet seen. To ascend being impossible, they unloaded
and carried everything over a rocky point; relaunched, reloaded, and
continued to track with the line: but the dangers attending this
operation had now seriously increased, for stones both small and great
came continually rolling down the bank, and the steepness of the ground
was such that the risk of the men slipping and falling into the water
became imminent; besides which they had frequently to pass outside of
trees which overhung the precipices; at such times a false step or a
slip might have proved fatal. Presently they came to a sheer impassable
precipice, where the men had to embark and take to poling up the stream;
but ere long they got into water too deep for the poles, and recourse
was again had to the tracking-line. Coming to another precipice, they
were again checked; but Mackenzie, finding that the rock was soft, cut
steps in it for the distance of about twenty feet, and thus passing
along, leaped, at the risk of his life, on a small rock below, where he
received those who followed him on his shoulders. Thus four of them
passed, and managed to drag up the canoe, though they damaged her in
doing so. They had now reached a spot where the canoe could be
repaired, and fortunately found a dead tree which had fallen from the
cliffs above. But for this, fire could not have been kindled there, as
no wood was to be procured within a mile of the place; in which case the
repairs could not have been accomplished.
Thus yard by yard these hardy pioneers advanced by means of the line,
the paddle, or the pole, sometimes carrying the lading, sometimes the
canoe as well, and often within a hairbreadth of destruction. Indeed,
nothing but the coolness, courage, and skill of all concerned could,
under God, have brought them safely through the fatigues and dangers of
that tremendous day.
But they had not yet done with it. Having surmounted these and many
other difficulties, they reached a place where it became absolutely
necessary to make a traverse across an unusually strong current. Here
the men silently showed their estimate of the danger by stripping
themselves to their shirts, that they might be the better prepared to
swim for their lives, in case of accident to the canoe! Fortunately the
traverse was made successfully, and then at noon Mackenzie stopped and
went ashore to take an altitude. While he was thus engaged, the men
fastened the canoe and left it; but so insecure was the fastening that
the current sheered her off, and if it had not happened that one of the
men had remained in her and held on to the line, they would then and
there have been deprived of every means of advancing or returning, as
well as of present subsistence!
Despite the alarming nature of this incident, and the interference of a
cloud that sought to neutralise the sun, our persevering traveller
completed his observations, and proved the luckless spot to be situated
in 56 degrees north latitude.
The rapidity of the current increased so much here, that in the distance
of two miles they were compelled to unload four times and carry
everything except the canoe; and even when thus light they found it
difficult to prevent her being dashed to pieces against the rocks by the
violence of the eddies.
The last danger they encountered was the worst. They came to a place
where the river was nothing less than one continuous rapid, and they
took everything out of the canoe, intending to tow her up with the line,
only a few of the men being left in her. At length, however, the
tumultuous heaving of the water was so great that a wave struck the
canoe's bow and broke the line. The dismay of those on shore may be
imagined, for now it seemed as if nothing could save their comrades from
destruction; and certainly no human power did save them on that
occasion; for, while they grasped the sides of the canoe helplessly,
another wave drove them with a wild surge out of the tumbling water; so
that the men were enabled to thrust her ashore; and, strange to say,
though the frail vessel had been carried by tossing swells over rocks
which were left naked a moment later, she had received no material
injury.
This last accident, coupled with the fact that the river as far as they
could see was a sheet of white foaming water, induced the leader of the
band to give up all idea of advancing farther at that point by water.
But do not imagine, good reader, that this implied the desertion of the
canoe. On the contrary, that accommodating vessel having hitherto
carried our pioneers, they now proposed to carry it--as shall be related
presently.
Mackenzie met the grumbling discontent of his men with an order to
ascend the hill and encamp there for the night.
"Vraiment--it all very easy to say go up dere and camp for de noit,--
mais I will go not farder!" growled Ducette, as he threw a heavy bag of
provisions on his back and trudged sulkily up the hill.
The two young Indians evidently approved of this sentiment, and one or
two of the other men seemed inclined to echo it; but Reuben and Lawrence
laughed as they each shouldered a burden,--and the former said it was
his firm conviction that nothing would, could, or should stop Monsieur
Mackenzie but the Pacific Ocean.
The precipitous bank of the river, or "hill," up which they were desired
to carry the tents, provisions, etcetera, necessary for their
encampment, was so steep and encumbered with wood and scrub, that it
might of itself have formed a sufficiently disheartening obstacle to men
less accustomed to hardships; nevertheless, they braced themselves to it
with wonted vigour, pushed through the scrub, felled trees to facilitate
their ascent, and climbed like monkeys by the stems, until they gained
the summit, where very soon a roaring fire was covered with bubbling
kettles and broiling steaks and marrow-bones.
Meanwhile Mackenzie, accompanied by Swiftarrow, went off on foot to
survey the river ahead. He walked as long as daylight permitted, but
found that there seemed to be no end to the rapids and cascades, and
returned to camp with worn-out moccasins and wounded feet. During the
excursion he came on several old encampments of the Knisteneaux Indians,
which must have been formed during war expeditions, a decided proof, he
thought, of the savage and bloodthirsty nature of that people, seeing
that their natural hunting-grounds were very far removed from those
almost inaccessible regions.
It now became too apparent to the leader of the expedition that the
mountain at this place must be crossed on foot, with the canoe and its
heavy lading on the shoulders of himself and his men; but before
deciding on this course, he resolved to despatch Reuben and three men
with the two Indian interpreters to proceed along the line of the river
until they should reach a navigable part of it. Accordingly, next day
this party set out. Mackenzie remained in camp to superintend the
repairing of the canoe and take observations. He was successful in
obtaining correct time, and found the latitude to be 56 degrees 8
minutes.
At sunset the exploring party returned. They had penetrated the thick
woods, ascended hills, descended valleys, and had finally got above the
rapids, a distance of about three leagues; but their account of the
difficulties in the way of advancing was very discouraging indeed.
Mackenzie had foreseen this, and had made suitable preparations to
counteract the evil effects thereof. In their absence he had prepared
for them an enormous kettle of wild rice highly sweetened with sugar.
When the tired, hungry, and footsore men sat down to this they became
quite willing to listen to their leader's arguments in favour of a bold
advance, and when the hearty supper was washed down with a liberal
allowance of rum, and finished off with a pipe, they avowed themselves
ready to face _anything_! In this satisfactory state of mind they
retired to rest, while their leader sat up in the hope of obtaining an
observation of Jupiter and his first satellite, which laudable aim was
frustrated by cloudy weather.
CHAPTER NINE.
DEEPER AND DEEPER INTO THE UNKNOWN WILDERNESS.
Next day the arduous work of cutting a road through the forest and up
the mountainside was begun.
At daybreak their leader assembled the men. "Now, my lads," said he,
"the work before us for the next two or three days will be very stiff,
but it would be a disgrace to us if after having come so far, we were so
soon--only a little beyond the middle of May--to give in because of a
few difficulties. Besides, I am strongly of opinion that we cannot now
be far from the height of land, and you know well enough that the moment
we set foot on the other side of the topmost ridge of the mountains it
will be all down stream. Let us set to work, then, with a will. Take
your axes and cut your way through everything. The trees here are, as
you see, of small growth. Cut those of them that stand conveniently in
such a way as that they shall fall parallel with the intended road, but
don't sever them quite through so that they make a sort of railing on
each side. Come, Lawrence, I'm glad to see that you are ready to begin,
like a good pioneer--show them an example."
Lawrence, who was the only one of the listening band who chanced to have
his axe on his shoulder, smiled when thus addressed, and, turning round,
exclaimed "Voila!" as he swayed the axe aloft and sent it sweeping at
one stroke through a young tree, which fell with a crash and covered
half of the party with its branches.
A general laugh followed, and immediately the whole band set to work
with their axes, headed by Mackenzie himself.
From early morning till sunset they toiled during the next three days,
almost without cessation, except for meals. They cut their way from the
margin of the river, where the rocks and ground shelved so steeply that
one false step of any of the men would have been followed by a headlong
plunge into the water. Over the ridge, and down into a hollow beyond,
and up the mountain farther on, they hewed a broad track, by which they
conveyed the baggage and then carried up the canoe. This latter was an
extremely difficult operation at the first part of the road, requiring
the united efforts of the whole party. Being lifted on the shoulders of
some of the men, the tracking-rope was fastened to the bow, and others
of the party went in advance and took a couple of turns of the rope
round a stump. The bearers then advanced steadily up the steep side of
the mountain till they reached those who, by holding on to the rope,
relieved them of any downward weight. The rope was then shifted to a
stump farther up, and the advance was continued. Thus they may be said
to have warped the canoe up the mountain! By two in the afternoon
everything was got to the summit. Then Mackenzie, axe in hand, led the
way forward. The progress was slow, the work exhausting. Through every
species of country they cut their way. Here the trees were large and
the ground encumbered with little underwood; there, the land was strewn
with the trunks of fallen timber, where fire had passed with desolating
power years before, and in its place had sprung up extensive copses of
so close a growth, and so choked up with briars, that it was all but
impossible to cut through them. Poplar, birch, cypress, red-pine,
spruce, willow, alder, arrow-wood, red-wood, hard, and other trees,--all
fell before the bright axes of the _voyageurs_, with gooseberry-bushes,
currant-bushes, briars, and other shrubs innumerable. It must not be
supposed that they did this heavy work with absolute impunity. No,
there was many a bruise and blow from falling trees, and even the shrubs
were successful not only in tearing trousers and leggings, but also in
doing considerable damage to skin and flesh. So toilsome was the
labour, that at the close of one of the days they had advanced only
three miles.
On the afternoon of the third day they finally came out in triumph on
the banks of the river above the cascades, having cut a road of about
nine miles in extent.
Once again, then, behold them afloat and paddling up stream--still
westward--with hopes animated and fortune smiling, or, as Reuben put it,
with "a gale of luck blowin' right astarn." Reuben, be it observed, had
consorted with sailors in his day down the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and had
picked up a little of their slang.
But their good fortune never lasted long at a time. Their progress
being very slow, it was found advisable to send the young Indian
interpreters on shore to lighten the canoe and to hunt as they advanced.
They frequently killed elk and other game. On one of these occasions
Swiftarrow was nearly killed. He had been sent to fetch the choice
parts of an elk which they had shot, when a big rock fell from the
cliffs above, and was dashed to pieces at his very feet. Just after
this incident a violent fall of rain took place, obliging them to remain
in camp for a day. Then driftwood barred the river, and an opening had
to be forced through it. Then more cascades appeared to check their
advance; and, worst of all, just as they began to hope that the height
of land was gained, an opening in the hills revealed a range of blue
mountains far ahead of them, running south and north as far as the eye
could reach. To add to their perplexities, they came to a fork in the
river, one branch running due west, the other in a southerly direction.
"Follow the westerly branch," said one; "that must be the right one."
"Not so sure o' that," observed Reuben; "the end of a track don't
needsesarly p'int out the gin'ral run of it."
"You are right, Reuben," said Mackenzie; "besides, I have been warned of
this very branch by an old Indian whom I met last winter, and who said
he had been up here in his youth. Therefore, though appearances are
against it, I shall follow the southern branch."
Mackenzie was right in this determination, as it afterwards proved, but
most of his men grumbled very much at the time, because the southerly
branch, besides appearing to be the wrong one, was a very rapid and
dangerous stream. They knew by that time, however, that nothing could
bend their leader's will, so they submitted, though with a bad grace.
Here an immense number of beaver were seen, and a gladsome sight it was
to the fur-trader, because beaver skins at that time were in great
repute--silk hats not having, as yet, beaten them off the field and
reduced their value to almost nothing. In some places these sagacious
and busy animals had cut down several acres of large poplars. At this
place, too, they had an alarm, some of the men declaring that they had
heard shots fired by Indians in the woods. A whole night was therefore
spent on the _qui vive_, although it turned out to be a false alarm.
One morning, the weather being fine and the river more manageable than
usual, Mackenzie landed with Reuben and the two Indians, to ascend an
adjacent mountain, telling his men to proceed in the canoe diligently,
and directing them to fire two shots if they should require his return,
agreeing that he would do the same if he should wish them to wait for
him. Nothing was gained by this attempt to obtain a better prospect.
On descending to the river they fired two shots, as agreed on, but no
answer was received. Again they tried it, but the deep silence was only
broken by an echo and by the rushing of the river.
"They're behind us," suggested Reuben.
"They've overshot us," said the Indians.
Again two shots were fired, but still no reply came. Mackenzie's mind
was at once filled with anxious fears lest some accident should have
befallen his canoe, while he reproached himself for having left them
even for a brief period in such dangerous navigation.
In these circumstances he turned to consult with his men.
"It's my opinion," said Reuben, "that they've diskivered more rapids
than they bargained for, and are out of earshot behind us; so we'd
better make tracks down stream till we find 'em."
"Not so," said the elder of the Indians; "without doubt the canoe is
dashed to pieces, and our comrades are even now with their forefathers.
We shall see them no more; and my advice is that we construct a raft and
try to return on it to the lands whence we came."
Anxious though he was, Mackenzie could scarce refrain from laughing at
the prompt way in which the red man had consigned his comrades to
destruction. "Come," said he, "we won't give them up quite so readily
as you seem inclined to. We shall make at least one effort to find
them."
It was now arranged that Reuben and one of the Indians should remain at
the spot where they then were, kindle a large fire, and send branches
down the stream from time to time, as a signal to their comrades if they
chanced to be below, and that Mackenzie with the other Indian should
walk up the bank of the river several miles. This was done; but they
returned after some hours to the fire, having seen nothing of the canoe.