“Ours the wild life the forest still to range,
From toil to rest, and joy in every change.”
The low chirping of the wood-birds, the tiny barkings of the
out-starting squirrels, the hurrying footsteps of the night-prowling
animals, on their way to their coverts, on the land; and the leaping
up of fish, the flapping of the wings of ducks, and the far-heard,
trumpet-toned cry of the great northern diver, on the water, those
unfailing concomitants of approaching day, in the watered wilderness,
early aroused the next morning our little band of soundly-sleeping
hunters from their woodsmen’s feather beds,--the soft, elastic boughs
of the health-giving hemlock,--and put them on the stir in building
their fire and making preparations for their breakfast. The business of
the day before them was the completion of their camp building; which,
being intended, as before mentioned, for their general head-quarters
and storehouse, required far more care and labor in the construction
than the ordinary structures that are made to serve for shelters for
the sojourners of the woods. And, as soon as they had dispatched their
morning repast, they rose and prepared themselves to commence the task
on hand. As the main part of the company were scattering into the
woods, with their hatchets, in search of straight poles to rib out the
sides and roof of their structure, which was the first thing in order
to be done, Phillips, without explaining his object, quietly intimated
to Codman a wish for company, in a short excursion with canoes up the
river; and, the latter complying with the intimation, and putting
himself under the hunter’s lead, the two took to their canoes, with
each another canoe in tow, and commenced rowing up the stream; which,
having run its rapid and noisy race down to the foot of the mountains,
a mile or two above, was here, with gentle pace and seeming reverence,
advancing to the lake with its welcome tribute of crystal waters.
“Hillo, there, Mr. Hunter!” sung out the trapper to the other, now some
distance ahead, “what may be some of the whys and wherefores of this
shine we are cutting, stringing along here with canoes to our tails?
What suppose you should be telling, before a great while, lest this end
of the fleet might be missing?”
“Soon show you,” replied the hunter, without turning his head. “I
always liked the Indian fashion of answering questions by deeds
instead of words, where the circumstances admit,--it is so much more
significant and satisfactory, besides the world of lying it often
prevents.”
After rowing a short distance farther, in silence, the hunter turned
his canoe in shore; and, after the other had followed his example, he
said:
“Now, follow me a few rods back into this thicket, up here.” And,
leading the way, he proceeded to what at first appeared to be an
irregular pile of brush, lying by the side of a large fallen tree, but
which, when the top brush was removed, and an under-layer of evergreen
boughs brushed aside, disclosed a large, compact collection of peeled
spruce bark, cut in regular lengths of six or seven feet, and in
breadths of about one foot, of exact uniformity, and made so straight
and flat by solid packing that a rick of sawed boards would have
scarcely presented a more smooth and even appearance.
“Well, I will give in, now, and acknowledge myself beat in wood-craft,”
said the trapper, comprehending, at once, by whom and for what purpose
this acceptable pile of covering material had been cut, and thus nicely
cured and stored away for use. “To have done this, you must have come
here in June, the peeling month; but how came you to think of this
process of preparing the bark, or come here at all to do it, so long
beforehand, on the uncertainty of its being needed, this fall, except
perhaps by yourself?”
“Well, happening to think, one day, how much better camps might be
made from bark peeled, cut, and pressed into the required lengths and
shapes, beforehand, as we prepare it for our Indian canoes, than by
following our usual bungling method, I concluded to put things in train
for trying the experiment this fall; and this fall especially, as I was
then calculating, unless you wished to join, to hunt only in company
with the two Elwoods, and I was desirous of getting up an extra good
camp for them.”
“You take an unusual interest in the affairs of this newly-come family,
I have noticed.”
“If I do, I may have my reasons for it.”
“Special reasons, doubtless.”
“Ordinary reasons would be enough. In the first place, they are
fine people, the son and mother uncommonly so, and the father also
I consider a well-disposed man, but who may have some weak points;
and this being so, and the son being inexperienced in dealing with
designing men, a neighbor, like me, ought, I am sure, to be unwilling
to see any advantage taken of them.”
“Yes, a fair reason enough for your course, if you had no other; but
may be you have other inducements, received, for instance, on your
visit to the seaside, the past summer.”
“That is all guess-work, remember; but come, let us drop the subject,
get this bark into our canoes, and be off down the river with it to
camp.”
They did so; and, on reaching camp, agreeably surprised their
companions with the abundant supply of excellent material which
they had brought for covering the cabin, and for which, when the
circumstances became known, all were disposed to accord due credit to
the provident hunter.
With the material thus obtained, the ribbing of the frame having by
this time been completed, all hands now commenced the work of laying
on, fitting, and confining the pliant and close-lying strips of bark to
the framework of the structure, both above and below. And with so much
assiduity and skill did they prosecute their labors, that before night
their camp was covered and inclosed on every side, and made to present
to the eye, a cabin neat and comely in appearance, and as tight,
warm, and secure against storms, as many a dwelling-house in the open
country, covered with boards and shingles.
After the company had completed the roof and walls of their camp,
constructed a rude door, and made what interior arrangements they
deemed necessary for sleeping and storing their provisions, they went
out, for the hour or two now remaining before sunset, and scattered
for short excursions in their canoes along the neighboring coves of
the lake, for the various purposes of fishing, shooting ducks, or
inspecting the shores for indications of beaver, otter, and other
classes of the smaller fur-animals of amphibious habits. All returning,
however, at sunset, they proceeded to cook and eat their suppers,
much in the same manner as on the preceding evening; after which, in
compliance with the suggestions made by several of the company during
the day, they went into a general consultation for the purpose of
fixing on the different locations and ranges of river and forest,
which each, or each pair of them, should take for their hunting or
trapping during the season before them. They soon agreed, in the first
place, without any difficulty, in making the shores of the Oquossak,
the next lake above, and the last and perhaps largest of the four
great lakes forming the chief links of this singular chain of inland
waters, the base-line of their operations. Phillips and Codman, having
procured a wide strip of the outer bark of the white birch,--ever
the woodman’s substitute for writing paper, when writing becomes
necessary,--then proceeded to draw a map, from personal recollection,
of the strangely-irregular lake in question. By this, when completed,
it appeared that the main inlet, or the uppermost portion of the
Androscoggin river, coming down from the north through a chain of
lakelets, or ponds, and running parallel with the eastern shore of the
lake, and but a few miles distant from it, entered into a deep, pointed
bay, about a third of the way down the eastern shore; where it was
joined by another and scarcely lesser river, coming from or through a
different chain of these lakelets, scattered along far to the east and
northeast of the Oquossak; while a third considerable stream entered
the lake at its extreme northwestern termination. These three inlets,
that constituted all the rivers of any magnitude running into this
lake, would not only afford, it was readily seen, the most desirable
hunting-grounds in the sections through which they flowed, but give the
greater part of the hunters, if they encamped in pairs, and had their
camps at the mouths of these streams, as was expected, an opportunity
of locating in near vicinity; while two more of the remaining part of
the company would, at the mouth of the northwestern inlet, be less
than five miles distant. This arrangement would dispose of six of the
company,--two of them on the inlet last mentioned, and four on the two
rivers that entered the lake together,--and leave one to remain on the
Megantic, to take charge of the head-quarters, or store-camp there, and
hunt anywhere he chose in its vicinity. But who the one to be placed in
this trust should be, was the next question to be decided. Gaut Gurley,
who had been secretly scheming for this post ever since the arrangement
which he saw must necessarily create it was agreed on, and who had
been insidiously making interest for it, with all the company, except
Phillips and Codman, now proposed that the question should be decided
by ballot, and without discussion. And, the proposition being seconded
by Tomah and assented to by all, each took a small piece of birch
bark, marked with a coal the name of the person he would vote for, and
deposited it in a hat placed on their stone table for the purpose.
After all had voted, the hat was turned and the votes assorted; when it
appeared that four votes had been thrown for Gaut Gurley and three for
Mark Elwood, making seven in all, and showing that all the company had
voted.
“Well, friend Elwood,” said Gaut, with a well-assumed air of
indifference, when the result was seen, “shall _I_ resign in _your_
favor, or _you_ in _mine_? This thing should be unanimous.”
Elwood looked up inquiringly at Gaut, when he read something in the
countenance of the latter which gave him to understand what was
expected of him, and he accordingly responded: “I should suppose there
could not be much question which of the two, a minority or a majority
candidate, should ask the other to stand aside,--especially when,
as in your case, the majority candidate is clearly chosen. I voted,
gentlemen, for Mr. Gurley,” he added, turning to the rest of the
company; “and I hope those who voted for me will cheerfully acquiesce
in the choice of the majority.”
“I am a comparative stranger to you all,” remarked Carvil, “and,
though I voted for Mr. Elwood, I will yet very willingly agree to the
selection you have made.”
Gaut, knowing well enough who had thrown their votes against him, now
glanced at Phillips and Codman; but gathering from their silence and
demure and downcast looks that no approving expression was likely to
be drawn from either of them, he interrupted the pause that followed
Carvil’s remarks, by saying:
“Perhaps, then, I ought to accept the post thus assigned me; and on
some accounts it will come right all round. I should be compelled, any
way, to return once or twice to the settlements during our campaign, on
business, and I can attend to that, and procure the fresh supplies of
bread and other things we shall need, all under one head. And, besides
that, I had already made up my mind I should select this stream, and
the coves on this lake, for my trapping and hunting for beaver and
other water animals, which I once knew how to take, in preference to
going any farther. So I will accept the post, warrant the safe-keeping
of the common property, and see what I can do towards contributing my
share to the stock of furs.”
This point being thus regarded by the company as settled, they next
proceeded to the discussion of the more particular duties which should
devolve on their chosen camp-keeper; which, at length, resulted in the
arrangement that he should go up with his canoe into the Oquossak, once
a week, make the circuit of the lake so far as to visit the nearest or
lake-shore camps of each or each pair of his companions, bring them
fresh provisions, and take back to head-quarters all the furs each had
caught in the interim, and be held responsible for the good condition
and safe-keeping of all the peltries, and other common property of the
company, thus placed in his charge.
After this matter (which was destined to have an important bearing
on the fate and fortunes of more than one of the leading personages
of our story) was thus disposed of, they then, in conclusion of the
business of the evening, proceeded, by mutual agreement, to apportion
the different locations for hunting on the upper lake, already fixed
on, among the three pairs of hunters the company would now make; decide
what individuals should join to form each pair; and what general plan
of operations they should adopt after they had got settled in their
respective places. By the amicable arrangement thus made, Phillips and
Claud Elwood were to form one of these pairs, and fix their lake-camp
at the mouth of the river already named as coming in from the east;
Carvil and Mark Elwood to constitute another pair, and encamp at the
mouth of the great inlet entering at the same place; while Codman
and the young Indian, Tomah, who, from their mutual challenges in
beaver-catching, had by this time become friends, and willing to hunt
from the same starting-point, were to have their camp at the mouth of
the river coming in at the northwest end of the lake. By the plan now
adopted, also, each of these three hunting parties, after they had
reached their respective destinations and built their camps, were to
explore the rivers ten or fifteen miles upward through the forest, and
to some suitable and convenient terminus of their proposed trapping and
hunting range; there build a camp, in which to lodge on their outward
jaunts; and mark off, on their return, by blazing the trees, lines for
setting log-traps for sable, marten, stoat, or ermine,--for, whatever
may be said to the contrary, the noted ermine of Europe is a native of
our northern forests. These marked lines were to diverge from the upper
camps along the ridges on each side of the river; sometimes running
many miles apart, then turning down to the stream, where indications
of beaver and otter had been discovered, so as to afford a chance for
setting and tending steel-traps for those animals; then running back
again on to the high hills and ridges; but finally converging in, and
meeting at the lake camp. And, these preliminary steps being taken,
everything would then be in readiness for setting the traps, and for
entering on the hopeful business of their expedition.
All these arrangements being now definitely settled and understood, the
consultation was broken up, and the company betook themselves once more
to their sylvan couches, calculating on an early start the next day for
their several destinations on the Oquossak, the nearest of which was at
least a dozen miles distant.
Accordingly, with the first crack of dawn the next morning, the loud
and startling gallinaceous cachinnation of the droll and wide-awake
trapper aroused the woodsmen from their slumbers, and warned them to be
up and doing. And soon the whole company were in motion, the kindled
fire was crackling and flashing up amidst the dry pine faggots, thrown
on to feed and start it into the steadier blaze and heat of more
solid fuel, and the process of cooking was going busily forward. In
a short time they were again gathered, in high spirits, round their
stone table, unconsciously partaking, as the event proved, the last
meal they were ever all to enjoy together in the woods. But let us not
anticipate.
As soon as they had dispatched their breakfast, the band about to
depart loaded their canoes with traps, guns, camp-kettles, and the
provisions needed for immediate use; and, wishing Gaut Gurley a happy
and successful time at his solitary station, pushed merrily away into
the broad lake, turned their course northward, and sped on their
voyage. A few miles’ rowing brought them to the great inlet, which,
like the principal inlets to the lakes below, was another reach of the
Androscoggin, flowing directly from the east through a channel, still
nearly a hundred yards in width and nearly three miles in length,
from its entrance into one lake to the point where it debouches from
the other. After a row of an hour up this channel, made interesting
and impressive by the magnificent colonnades of princely pines, that,
as far as the eye could reach, stood towering away in lessening
perspective along its banks, they suddenly emerged into the bright and
far-stretching waters of the unmapped Oquossak, which lay nestling
and inflected among the dark green cliffs of the boldly intersecting
mountains, like some rough, unshapen gem, gleaming out from the rubbish
of a mine. And laying their course northeasterly, for the distant bay
receiving the waters of the confluent streams before described, they
now pulled away through the lake, in as direct a line as its irregular
form would permit. And now, skirting long reaches of its deeply-wooded
shores, from which the old forest, never broken by the axe, and rarely
ever trod by the foot of the white man, was seen, stretching away
back, lift after lift, in pristine grandeur, to the tall summits of
the amphitheatric mountains,--now shooting athwart, under some dark
headland that stood out boldly disputing the empire with the water,
and now threading their way among the clustering green islands that
studded the bright and beautiful expanse,--they rowed steadily onward
for hours, and at length were gladdened by the sight of the dim but
well-remembered outlines of the pointed bay, whose farthest shore
was to be the home and haven for most of their number, during their
present sojourn in this wild and remote fastness of the wilderness.
To row in, disembark their luggage, select sites for camps, to build
those camps, so far as to make them serve for shelters for the night,
and to prepare and eat their suppers, occupied the company, who had
all decided to remain there that night through the remainder of the
day till bed-time. The next morning, after an early breakfast, Codman
and Tomah took leave of their companions, and proceeded on further up
the lake to their allotted station; leaving the two Elwoods, and their
respective hunting companions, to complete their camps, which were
situated in near vicinity, get all in readiness, and the next day enter
in earnest on the main business of the campaign.
But it is not our intention to follow either of these pairs, or now
distinct parties, of adventurous woodsmen, in the general routine of
their camp life,--in their solitary and almost daily marches among
the tangled wilds, from their inner to outer camps; their toils and
fatigues on the way; their pleasant meetings at the ends of their
ranges at night, to recount the adventures of the day, and lodge
together; their heats and their colds, their dark hours and their
bright ones, their curious experiences and startling encounters with
wild animals; and finally their varying success in realizing the
objects of their expedition, through the successive scenes of the next
nine or ten weeks, where
----“rifle flashed,
The grim bear hushed its savage howl,
In blood and foam the panther gnashed
Its fangs with dying howl;
The fleet deer ceased its flying bound,
Its snarling wolf-foe bit the ground,
And, with its moaning cry,
The beaver sank beneath the wound,
Its pond-built Venice by.”
Suffice it to say, that they were all blest with uninterrupted health
and increasing vigor, in realization of the favorite theory of Carvil,
in relation to the invigorating and fattening principle of the
super-abounding oxygen of the woods. They all highly enjoyed their
wild life, and were, even beyond their most sanguine expectations,
successful in their aggregate acquisitions of peltries and all kinds of
game. Gaut Gurley, whose unremitted attention and apparent faithfulness
in the duties of his post soon disarmed the distrusting, came round
punctually, every week, supplied them with all they needed, and, while
reporting his own good success, in his short ranges in the vicinity
of his head-quarters encampment, seemed greatly gratified at the
continued successes of all the rest, and exultingly bore off their
furs for curing and safe storage with the rich and rapidly-increasing
collection at his camp; setting the mark of their collected value,
the last time he came round, at upwards of a thousand dollars, and
encouraging them with the hope that, probably, before any change would
occur in the weather which would compel them to relinquish the business
and return to the settlement, a much larger sum would be realized from
their exertions. And, in view of this gratifying condition of their
affairs, the company at large--as winter at the farthest could not be
very distant--now began to anticipate, with much satisfaction, the time
when they should return to their families, to gladden them with their
welcome presence, and, from the fruits of their enterprise, make such
unlooked-for pecuniary additions to the means of domestic comfort and
happiness.