THE GREAT ADVENTURE BEGINS.
I looked around, dazed. Of the three men there was no sign, and the
boat was gone from the shore. As I stared, scarce believing mine own
eyes, Ruth and Grim came toward us. The lassie had heard the news
already, for at my exclamation of anger she tried to hearten us with
a laugh, and slipped her hand into that of Radisson.
"Never mind, Davie, we are better off without them! So put that
black look from your face and let them go, since they will have it
so; they will only fetch us succor the sooner."
Radisson but grunted--a habit he had when words failed him.
"The cowards!" I broke forth hotly, staring across the vacant waters.
"'Tis little we can look to them for, Ruth. To steal off and leave
us in our sleep!" And I told how I had awakened during the night.
"You know not the danger, either of of you." Radisson shook his head
gloomily, the while his fine eyes searched the woods about us. "We
must pack what we can carry on our backs. It may be that we shall
yet reach the post in safety before them."
I saw no reason why we must hasten to reach the fort ahead of the
scoundrels, but at the time it seemed too small a matter to call for
exposition. Our leader was no man to bide inactive. We had each a
fusil, and good store of powder and shot, while food was to be had
for the getting, it seemed. I began to think that this land might
not be so barren after all.
What was left to us we made into two bundles, Radisson taking one and
I the other. Then we set off along the brook, inland. The country
was high and bare, save for bushes and evergreen trees, but of
heather I saw none; indeed, as I learned later, there was none of our
proper heather in all this New World.
As Radisson believed Fort Albany to be toward the southeast, our best
plan was to follow the course of the streamlet, which turned from the
shore toward the south. We were soon lost in the tangle of bush, and
about noon left the stream altogether. Then it developed that the
three deserters had taken Radisson's compass; but of this our leader
recked little, for he guided us by some sixth sense which he averred
was part of the Indian training.
Despite the rough ground and our loads, we must have made full ten or
twelve miles that day, and with nightfall camped beside a river of
goodly size, making our dinner from a hare which Grim fetched in. It
was late before I could sleep, the woods around being filled with
strange noises and the calls of birds and animals. In the morning I
had my first sight of the men of the New World.
I was about building a fire, on a big rock by the river's edge, when
I heard a voice from the water. Looking up, I saw three canoes
poised noiselessly in the stream, each bearing two dark-skinned men
whose hair was hung in braids and who were naked to the waist. Their
faces were not painted, as in Radisson's stories, and all were
staring at me as at some wondrous marvel.
I cried out and sprang for a fusil, but the paddles swept down once,
and even as Radisson awoke the first Indian leaped ashore. I was
trying to load a fusil in haste, but Radisson sprang up and halted me
after a quick look at the red men.
"Down with the gun, lad. These be friends."
[Illustration: "_Down with the gun, lad. These be friends._"]
All six of them landed now, but stopped their advance with a guttural
word of surprise at sight of the old wanderer. I laid my hand on
Grim's bristling neck.
"What cheer!" said Radisson in English. "Has Soan-ge-ta-ha forgotten
his friend the White Eagle?"
One of the Indians, older than the rest, gravely took the extended
hand of Radisson and made reply in very good English, to my surprise.
"Brave Heart has not forgotten the Eagle, although his young men know
him not, and the winters have left their snows on his hair. Will the
Eagle and his children go to the post with us?"
At this Radisson broke into a strange tongue and I could make nothing
of the talk that ensued. Ruth had come to my side and was watching
the red men somewhat fearfully, while in their turn they bestowed
open admiration upon her. Soon they came forward and bunched around
the fire while they talked. After a little Radisson turned to me,
and spoke rapidly, in French.
"Davie, these be men of the Chippewa nation, who will take us to the
fort. On your life speak not in English of Gib!"
While I was puzzling over this command, Ruth had turned to the
speaker.
"But why do you go thither?" she asked anxiously. "Surely you could
send us with--"
"Nay, daughter," replied the old wanderer, "these are not to be
trusted, although they fear to deceive or harm me. Say no more, for
we go to the post."
He drew a deep breath, then took one of our fusils and presented it
to the chief, Brave Heart. The gift was received with a murmur of
joy, and although I could make nothing of the words, the eyes of the
six Indians betrayed the fierce delight in their hearts at the gift.
But there was no gratitude mingled with that delight, and as they sat
and eyed the gift methought I could see the murder-lust in their
glances. It has always seemed to me that the Adventurers to whose
post we were going, have done little good; for in all that land north
of New France they have but taught the red men to slay and slay for
skins, and mingled little enough of the word of God with the word of
man. Howbeit, to my story.
It is not my purpose to detail the strange customs and sights which
Ruth and I saw during the next few days and nights while we paddled
up that river. To others they might not seem so strange as they did
to us, and moreover I have greater things to tell of which befell
later. Soan-ge-ta-ha, or Brave Heart, had known Radisson both as
friend and foe, years before, and very plainly held the old man in
vast respect and fear.
For two days we ascended the river, then came a portage where the
canoes and furs were carried for a mile or more to another stream,
which we descended this time. On the third day we met another party
of four natives, also Chippewas, who exchanged words with Brave
Heart, greeted us with a mingling of fear and awe, and pushed on
ahead.
"They cannot understand it," laughed Radisson in French, which these
others knew not. "They have seen no ship along the coast and are
beginning to think the Great Spirit dropped us here from the sky."
I marveled at the credulity of the poor creatures, and suggested that
it was wrong so to deceive them, whereat Radisson looked queerly at
me. As Ruth failed to agree, I dropped the subject for the time,
although I liked not to continue in such standing, which to my mind
savored of deceit and well-nigh blasphemy. By this you may see that
I was no little changed from the young lout who had slipped out of
the Purple Heather at Rathesby to skip the prayers--as well I might
be, after the horror of that voyage and its ending.
We traveled each in a separate canoe, seeing little of each other
save at the halting places. On one of these occasions Radisson told
me why he had ordered no mention made of Gib. It seemed that the
fellow was of no little reputation among the Chippewas, even as was
Radisson among other tribes, and if his return to the New World were
known things might go ill.
Ruth made light of the hardships of those first days, although Brave
Heart's men treated her with all consideration. Both she and I
gained some slight knowledge of the art of paddling, and I found that
the scurvy had altogether disappeared, whereat I thanked God most
fervently.
It seemed that the Chippewa chief, Soan-ge-ta-ha, was one of the
greatest among his own people. He was not so old as Radisson, but
his face held a stern, implacable aspect which at times set me
athrill with fear of the man. I prayed that we might never have him
to face as an enemy, nor at that time did such an event seem probable.
And as we paddled I grew ever more amazed at the great size of this
new land, which seemed to have neither limit nor end. On we went,
crossing from one stream to another. We had been with the six
Chippewas for eight days, and on the fifth day after meeting the four
others Soan-ge-ta-ha announced the post was only three days' journey
off. Of this we were right glad, and if Radisson felt in any other
wise he gave no sign.
But we were not destined to accompany the six farther, for here
happened one of those wonderful things which showed ever more plainly
that the hand of God was over us, guiding and protecting us from
hidden dangers. We had just made ready to embark when Soan-ge-ta-ha
lifted his hand in a warning gesture, and Grim gave a low growl. As
he did so, the bushes on the farther side of our camping-place
parted, and out stepped two men.
But what men they were! Ruth gave a little cry and settled back
within my arm, while the Chippewas emitted a grunt of surprise. Both
the men were Indians--just such savages as Radisson had described to
us while on the "Lass." Naked to the waist like our own six, the
face and breast of each was hideously painted with red and white
paint, and they wore pantaloons of skin, beaded and fringed
wondrously. Each was taller than the average man, and their heads
were in part shaven so that a single long lock of hair was left, and
in this were twisted eagle feathers. As they came closer I saw that
for all their sturdiness these were old men, in years if not in
vigor. They carried no muskets, but at their belts were hatchets and
knives. For an instant we all stared as if rooted to the ground,
then to my utter amazement Radisson leaped forward and threw his arms
about the first savage.
"My brother--my brother!" he cried out in French, all his heart in
his voice. "Am I dreaming or bewitched? Can this thing be
possible?" He turned and caught the other likewise. "And you, Swift
Arrow--is it you or some ghost of the olden days?"
As if this were not surprise enough for me, these grave painted
savages of the New World made dignified response in French. Nay, it
was poor French enough, yet Ruth and I could sense it with ease.
"Now are we indeed happy," spoke the older of the two, paying no heed
to us who watched in amazement. "My brother, many snows ago you left
us. We heard that you had gone to the Great Father across the big
water. Then it was borne to us that you were far in the north, here
among the snows.
"My brother, our lodges were empty. We mourned for you in the Long
House among the Nations. There was no war among us and we grew old.
So we bade our people farewell and left the land of the Long House to
seek you. My brother, we have found you, and we thank the Great
Spirit. We, who were young together, shall grow old together and
travel the Ghost-trail together. I, Ta-cha-noon-tia the Black
Prince, Keeper of the Eastern Door, have said it."
For an instant there was a tense silence. I did not realize what the
speech portended, but I could see Radisson's face, and I watched it
glow in the morning sun until it seemed as if youth had once more
touched it lightly for an instant, so glorified was it. Then
Soan-ge-ta-ha made a step forward, for he knew no French.
"Who are these?" he asked, sweeping a hand toward the strangers with
a frown. "What do they in the country of the Chippewas?"
The pair seemed to sense the spirit of the words if not their
meaning, for they drew themselves up proudly and topped the Chippewas
by a head. It was Radisson who made hasty answer.
"These are brothers of mine from the far south, Brave Heart. They
came in search of me, and are on no war trail." He turned and
addressed the two in a strange, guttural tongue. They made answer
with a few gestures. I saw Radisson cast a quick look at me; there
was that in his face which spelled danger. Therewith he turned to
the Chippewas again.
"Soan-ge-ta-ha has been generous to his friends, as befits a great
chief, and we thank him. Let him keep our gifts in token of
friendship, for we may go no farther with him. We depart from this
place with these my brothers."
The Chippewas glanced at the two impassive figures, and there was
greed in their eyes as they took in the exquisite garments, the fine
weapons, the--ah, what was that dark line fringing the belts?
Radisson had told me of the strange custom of wearing an enemy's
hair, and I turned away my eyes as I recognized only too plainly the
scalps that fringed the girdles of these two old strangers.
Soan-ge-ta-ha eyed Radisson for an instant. Perhaps he had a
conflicting mind, but if so he thought better of it, for he only
nodded and spoke briefly to his warriors. These, without a word to
us, leaped into the loaded canoes, and with a last wave from the
chief the six pushed off into the stream.
"What did he say?" spoke up Ruth hurriedly. "Why is this? Be these
men going to take us to the post?"
Radisson came and took her hand, speaking in English.
"My child, these men have done what few had dared attempt--they have
come here from below the Canadas, far to the south, in search of me.
They belong to the Mohawk nation, the greatest tribe of the Iroquois,
and long ago I lived with them and loved them. Ruth, these are two
great men in their own land, famous both of them--they--they--"
Here his emotion choked him, for he turned his face away and I saw a
tear upon his white beard. After a moment he caught my hand with
Ruth's and turned about. Now he spoke in French.
"Ta-cha-noon-tia, Black Prince, you who ward the Eastern Door of the
Long House of the Five Nations, and you, Ca-yen-gui-nano, Great Swift
Arrow, I give into your friendship and protection this young man, who
is as mine own son, and this girl, who is the daughter of mine own
sister."
And at that Ruth gave a great cry and caught Radisson by the hands,
staring at him wildly.