Three weeks alter the departure of the Esquimaux from the neighbourhood
of Ungava Bay, the echoes of these solitudes were awakened by the merry
song of the Canadian voyageurs, as the two canoes of Stanley and his
comrades swept down the stream and approached the spring at the foot of
the flat rock.
As the large canoe ran its bow lightly on the sand, the first man who
leaped ashore was La Roche. He seemed even more sprightly and active
than formerly, but was a good deal darker in complexion, and much
travel-stained. Indeed, the whole party bore marks of having roughed it
pretty severely for some time past among the mountains. Edith's face
was decidedly darker than when she left Moose, and her short frock
considerably shorter in consequence of tear and wear.
"Bad luck to ye, Losh! Out o' the way, an' let yer betters land before
ye," exclaimed Bryan, as he jumped into the water, and dragged the canoe
towards the beach.
The only marks that rough travelling had put on Bryan were one or two
additional wrinkles in his battered white hat; as for his face, it was
already so thoroughly bronzed by long exposure, that a week or two more
or less made no difference in its hue.
"Jump into my arms, Miss Edith," said Francois, as he stood in the water
beside the canoe.
"Steady, boy; mind the gum," cried Massan, as Oolibuck strained the
canoe roughly in shouldering a package.
"Look out ashore, there," cried Dick Prince, throwing the tent poles on
the beach as he spoke.
Regardless of the warning, Gaspard did not "look out," and received a
rap on the leg from one of the poles, whereat he growled savagely, and
threw down a sack, which rested on his shoulder, so violently that it
nearly knocked over Ma-istequan, who was passing at the time with the
camp-kettle in his hand.
"What an ould buffalo it is!" exclaimed Bryan, pushing Gaspard rudely
aside with his left shoulder, and hitching off La Roche's cap with his
right, as he sprang back to the canoe for another load. "Pardonay mwa,
Losh, may garson," he exclaimed, with a broad grin. "Now thin, boys,
out wid the fixin's. Faix it's mysilf is plazed to git ashore anyhow,
for there's nothin' gone into my intarior since brickfust this mornin'."
At this moment the bow of the other canoe grated on the sand, and Frank
Morton leaped ashore.
"Capital place to camp, Frank," said Stanley, who had just finished
pitching the tent on the scrimp herbage that forced its way through the
sand. "There's a splendid spring of pure water below yonder rock. I've
just left my wife and Eda busy with the tea-cups, and La Roche
preventing them from getting things ready, by way of helping them."
"It does indeed seem a good place," replied Frank, "and might do for
temporary headquarters, perhaps, while we make excursions to the coast
to fix on a spot for our new home."
Stanley gazed contemplatively around him as his friend spoke. "Hand me
the telescope, Frank; it strikes me we are nearer the sea than you
think. The water here is brackish, and yonder opening in the mountains
might reveal something beyond, if magnified by the glass."
After a lengthened survey of the surrounding hills, Frank and Stanley
came to the conclusion that they could make nothing of it, at least that
night; and as it was becoming gradually dark, they resolved to postpone
all further consideration of the subject till the next day.
Meanwhile, the men busied themselves in preparing supper, and Chimo
unexpectedly lent them some assistance by bringing into camp a ptarmigan
which he had just killed. True, Chimo had, in his innocence, designed
this little delicacy of the season for his own special table; but no
sooner was he seen with the bird between his teeth, than it was snatched
from him and transferred to the pot forthwith.
The following day was an era in the existence of the travellers. For
the first time since commencing their arduous voyage, the cargoes were
left behind, and the canoes paddled away, light and buoyant, on a trip
of investigation. Stanley had rightly judged that they were now near
the sea, and the great breadth of the river led him to believe that
there might be water sufficient to float the vessel in which the goods
for the station were to be forwarded. If this should turn out as he
expected, there could not be a better spot for establishing a fort than
that on which they had encamped, as it was situated just below the last
rapids of the river; had a fine spring of fresh water in its vicinity;
and was protected from the cold blasts of winter, to some extent at
least, by the surrounding mountains.
"Now, Frank," added Mr Stanley, after stating his opinion on this
point, "what I mean to do is this: I shall take the large canoe, with
Dick Prince, Francois, Gaspard, La Roche, and Augustus--the last to
interpret should we fall in with Esquimaux, whom I am surprised not to
have found hereabouts. With these I will proceed to the sea, examine
the coast, observe whether there be any place suitable for building on,
and, if all goes well, be back to supper before sunset. You will take
the other canoe, with Bryan, Massan, Oolibuck, and Ma-istequan, and
proceed down the opposite side of the river a short way. Examine the
shores there, and above the island; see whether there be any place
better than where we stand for a permanent residence; and at night we
shall compare notes. My wife and Eda shall remain in camp under the
care of Oostesimow and Moses."
"And pray who is to defend your poor wife and innocent child in the
event of an attack by a band of savage natives?" inquired Mrs Stanley,
as she joined her husband and Frank.
"No fear of the wife and child," replied Stanley, patting his better
half on the shoulder. "If Indians should find out the camp, Oostesimow
can palaver with them; and should Esquimaux pay you a visit, Moses will
do the polite. Besides, had you not interrupted, I was going to have
given special instructions to Frank regarding you. So, Master Frank, be
pleased to take Eda off your shoulder, and give ear to my instructions.
While you are examining the other side of the water, you will keep as
much as possible within eye-shot, and always within ear-shot, of the
camp. In a still day like this a gun-shot can be heard five or six
miles off; and should you see any sign of the natives having been here
recently, return instantly to the camp."
Frank promised implicit obedience to these instructions, and the whole
party then set to work to pile the goods on a ledge in the steep cliffs
behind the spring, so that a fortress was soon formed, which, with two
such stout and courageous men as Moses and Oostesimow, armed with two
guns each, a brace of pistols, two cutlasses, and an ample supply of
ammunition, could have stood a prolonged siege from much more practised
enemies than Indians or Esquimaux. After having completed these
defensive arrangements, and provided occupation for those who remained
in camp, by laying on them the duty of having the goods examined, in
order to see that nothing had been damaged by wet or rough usage, the
two canoes pushed from the shore, and bounded lightly away, while the
men sang merrily at their easy labour; for now that the canoes were
light, they might have been propelled by two men. Frank directed his
course obliquely up the river, towards the island already alluded to,
and Stanley proceeded with the current towards the narrows beyond which
he expected to catch sight of the sea.
After passing above the island, which was found to be low and thinly
covered with vegetation and a few scrubby bushes, Frank and his men
pushed over to the other side and proceeded carefully to examine the
coast. It was found to be much the same as that which they had just
left. A narrow belt of sandy and shingly beach extended along the
margin of the river, or, as it might be more appropriately termed, the
lake, at least in as far as appearance went. This strip or belt was
indented here and there with numerous bays and inlets, and in many
places was intersected by rocky capes which jutted out from the
mountains. These mountains were bare and precipitous, rising abruptly,
like those on the other side, from the edge of the sand, and ascending
in a succession of terraces, whose faces were so steep that it was
almost impossible to scale them. They could be ascended in succession,
however, by means of the ravines and numerous gullies which rose in
rugged and zigzag lines from the beach to the mountain tops. In the
very first of these gullies in which the exploring party landed, they
found the remains of an Esquimau summer encampment. These consisted of
a few stunted trees, which appeared to have been built in the form of
rude huts; but they were thrown about in some confusion, and altogether
bore evidence of having remained in a state of ruin for many years.
Another discovery of a more satisfactory kind was made--namely, the
tracks of deer, which were so fresh as to induce Frank to take his rifle
and mount the ravine in search of the animals, accompanied by Massan,
whose natural temperament was exceedingly prone to enjoy the excitement
of the chase. So much, indeed, was this the case, that the worthy guide
had more than once been on the point of making up his mind to elope to
the backwood settlements of the States, purchase a rifle and ammunition
there, don a deerskin hunting-shirt, and "make tracks," as he styled it,
for the prairies, there to dwell and hunt until his eye refused to draw
the sight and his finger to pull the trigger of a Kentucky rifle. But
Massan's sociable disposition came in the way of this plan, and the
thought of leading a solitary life always induced him to forego it.
"It's my 'pinion, sir," remarked the guide, as he followed Frank up the
ravine, the sheltered parts of which were covered with a few clumps of
stunted pines--"it's my 'pinion that we'll have to cut our logs a long
bit up the river, for there's nothin' fit to raise a fort with
hereabouts."
"True, Massan," replied Frank, glancing from side to side, hunter
fashion, as he walked swiftly over the broken ground; "there's not a
tree that I can see big enough to build a backwoods shanty with."
"Well, master, 'twill do for firewood, if it's fit for nothin' else, and
that's a blessin' that's not always to be comed by everywhere. Let's be
thankful for small matters. I see sticks growin' up them gullies
that'll do for stakes for the nets, an' axe handles, an' paddles, an'
spear shafts, an'--"
The honest guide's enumeration of the various articles into which the
small timber of the place might be converted was brought to a sudden
pause by Frank, who laid his hand on his shoulder, and while he pointed
with the butt of his rifle up the ravine, whispered, "Don't you see
anything else up yonder besides trees, Massan?"
The guide looked in the direction indicated, and by an expressive grunt
showed that his eye had fallen on the object referred to by his
companion. It was a deer which stood on an overhanging ledge of rock,
high up the cliffs--so high that it might easily have been mistaken for
a much smaller animal by less practised sportsmen. Below the shelf on
which it stood was a yawning abyss, which rendered any attempt to get
near the animal utterly hopeless.
"What a pity," said Frank, as he crouched behind a projecting rock,
"that it's out of shot! It would take us an hour at least to get behind
it, and there's little chance, I fear, of its waiting for us."
"No chance whatever," replied Massan decidedly. "But he's big enough to
cover from where we stand."
"To cover! Ay, truly, I could point straight at his heart easy enough--
indeed I would think it but slight boasting to say I could cover his eye
from this spot--but the bullet would refuse to go, Massan; it's far
beyond shot."
"Try, sir, try," exclaimed the guide quickly, for as they spoke the deer
moved. "I've been huntin' on the Rocky Mountains afore now, an' I know
that distance cheats you in sich places. It's not so far as you
think--"
He had scarcely finished speaking when Frank's rifle poured forth its
contents. The loud echoes of the crags reverberated as the smoke
floated away to leeward. The next instant the deer sprang with one wild
bound high into the air--over the cliff--and descending with lightning
speed through the dark space, was dashed almost in pieces on the rocks
below.
Massan gave a low chuckle of satisfaction as he walked up to the mangled
animal, and pointing to a small round hole just over its heart, he said,
"The old spot, Mr Frank; ye always hit them there."
Having paid Frank this compliment, Massan bled the animal, which was in
prime condition, with at least two inches of fat on its flanks, and
having placed it on his shoulders, returned with his companion to the
canoe.
While Frank was thus engaged, Stanley had descended towards the shores
of Ungava Bay, which he found to be about twenty-five miles distant from
the encampment beside the spring. He made a rapid survey of the coast
as they descended, and sounded the river at intervals. When he reached
its mouth he had made two important discoveries. The one was, that
there did not seem to be a spot along the whole line of coast so well
fitted in all respects for an establishment as the place whereon their
tents were already pitched. The other was, that the river, from its
mouth up to that point, was deep enough to float a vessel of at least
three or four hundred tons burden. This was very satisfactory, and he
was about to return to the camp when he came upon the deserted Esquimau
village which, a few weeks before, had been the scene of a murderous
attack and a hasty flight. On a careful examination of the place, the
marks of a hasty departure were so apparent that Stanley and his men
made a pretty near guess at the true state of affairs; and the former
rightly conjectured that, having made a precipitate flight in
consequence of some unexpected attack, there was little probability of
their returning soon to the same locality. This was unfortunate, but in
the hope that he might be mistaken in these conjectures, and that the
natives might yet return before winter, he set up a pole on a
conspicuous place, and tied to the top of it a bag containing two dozen
knives, one dozen fire-steels, some awls and needles, several pounds of
beads, and a variety of such trinkets as were most likely to prove
acceptable to a savage people.
While Bryan was engaged in piling a heap of stones at the foot of this
pole to prevent its being blown down by the wind, the rest of the party
re-embarked, and prepared to return home; for although the camp beside
the spring was scarcely one day old, the fact that it was likely to
become the future residence of the little party had already invested it
with a species of homelike attraction. Man is a strange animal, and
whatever untravelled philosophers may say to the contrary, he speedily
makes himself "at home" _anywhere_!
"Hallo, Bryan!" shouted Stanley from the canoe, "look sharp; we're
waiting for you!"
"Ay, ay, yer honour," replied the Irishman, lifting a huge mass of rock;
"jist wan more, an' it'll be stiff an' stidy as the north pole himself."
Then in an undertone he added, "`Look sharp,' is it ye say? It's blunt
ye are to spake that way to yer betters. Musha! but it's mysilf
wouldn't give a tinpinny for all that bag houlds, twinty times doubled;
an' yit thim haythens, thim pork-faced Huskimos, 'll dance round this
here pole wi' delight till they're fit to dhrop. Och! but salvages is a
quare lot; an', Bryan, yer a cliver boy to come this far all the way to
see thim."
With this self-complimentary conclusion, Bryan resumed his place at the
paddle, and the party returned to the camp.
Here they found things in a most satisfactory state. Frank and his
party had returned, and the deer, now cut up into joints and steaks, was
impaled on a number of stakes of wood, and stuck up to roast round a
large and cheering fire. The savoury steam from these, with the
refreshing odour of the tea-kettle, produced a delectable sensation in
the nostrils of the hungry explorers. Stanley's tent was erected with
its back towards the mountains and its open door towards the fire, which
lighted up its snug interior, and revealed Mrs Stanley and Edith
immersed in culinary operations, and Chimo watching them with a look of
deep, grave sagacity--his ears very erect, and his head a good deal
inclined to one side, as if that position favoured the peculiar train of
his cogitations. La Roche was performing feats of agility round the
fire, that led one to believe he must be at least half a salamander. At
a respectful distance from Stanley's tent, but within the influence of
the fire, the men were employed in pitching, for the first time, the
large skin tent which was to be their residence until they should build
a house for themselves; and on a log, within dangerous proximity to the
mercurial La Roche, sat Frank Morton, busily employed in entering in his
journal the various events of the day.
There was much talk and loud laughter round the fire that night, for the
different parties had much to tell and much to hear regarding the
discoveries that had been made, and discussions as to the prospects of
the expedition were earnest and long. It was generally admitted that
first appearances were, upon the whole, favourable, although it could
not be denied that the place looked dreadfully barren and rugged. Under
the happy influence of this impression, and the happier influence of the
savoury steaks on which they had supped, the entire party lay down to
rest, and slept so profoundly that there was neither sound nor motion to
indicate the presence of human beings in the vast solitudes of Ungava,
save the fitful flame of the fire as it rose and fell, casting a lurid
light on the base of the rugged mountains, and a sharp reflection on the
dark waters.