MORE ARRIVALS--HONESTY--INDIANS COME UPON THE SCENE--THE TRIBES
RECONCILED--DISEASE AND DEATH CHANGE THE ASPECT OF THINGS--PHILOSOPHIC
DISCOURSE.
A day or two after the successful deer-hunt above related, several bands
of Esquimaux arrived at Fort Chimo, and encamped beside their comrades.
This unusual influx of visitors soon exhausted the venison that had been
procured; but hunting parties were constantly on the alert, and as game
of all kinds was plentiful, they lived in the midst of abundance. To
all of these Stanley made small presents of beads and tobacco, and
recommended them strongly to go and hunt for furs. But they seemed to
like their quarters, and refused to move. The new arrivals, along with
those who had first come, formed a band of about three hundred, and were
found, almost without exception, to be a quiet, inoffensive, and honest
people.
As a proof of this latter quality, we may mention a circumstance that
occurred a few days after the arrival of the last band. Being desirous
of taking some additional soundings, Stanley launched his boat by the
help of the Esquimaux, for his own men were all absent hunting and
fishing. The boat referred to had been sent to the fort in the ship,
and was a most useful and acceptable gift from the Governor of the Fur
Company to the gentleman in charge of Ungava. Stanley hoisted his
sails, and prepared to run down the river; but ere he had advanced a
hundred yards, he was startled by a burst of loud cries from the shore,
and, looking back, he observed the whole band of natives pouring like a
torrent into the fort! His heart leaped within him as he thought of his
unprotected wife and child. Turning the boat towards the shore, he ran
it on the beach, and, leaving it with all the sails standing, he rushed
into the square of the fort, forcing his way through the crush of
natives, whose vociferous talking rendered what they said, for a time,
unintelligible. At length Moses forced his way through the crowd,
followed by one of the natives, who led a large dog by a line fastened
round its neck.
"What's the matter, Moses? what's wrong?" cried Stanley.
"Oh, not'ing at all," replied Moses, casting a look of pity at his
countrymen. "Dem are great gooses. Die man here wid de dog, him say
dat de child'n was play in de square of dis fort, an' one o' dem trow
stone and broke a window. It was de son ob dis man what do it, an' him
say he most awful sorry--an' all de people sorry, so dey bring de dog to
pay for de broken window."
"I'm glad it's nothing worse," cried Stanley, much relieved. "Tell them
I'm happy to find they are sorry, and I hope they will keep the children
out of the square in future; but I don't want the dog. It was an
accident, and not worth making such a noise about."
The Esquimaux, however, would not agree to look upon this accident as a
light matter. They said truly, that glass was not to be got so easily
as the ice-blocks with which they formed windows to their own winter
houses, so they insisted on the dog being accepted; and at length
Stanley gave in, but took care that the native who gave it should not be
a loser in consequence of his honesty. Moreover, Stanley begged of them
to send up several of their best dogs, saying that he would purchase
them, as he was in want of a team for hauling the winter firewood.
Next day, while Stanley was engaged in the trading store with a party of
Esquimaux, he was surprised by hearing a volley of musketry fired at the
back of the fort. Snatching up a loaded gun as he ran hastily out, he
found that the shots had been fired by a band of Indians as a salute to
the fort on their arrival.
This was the first time that Indians had made their appearance since the
arrival of the fur-traders; and their advent at the present time was
most fortunate, as it afforded Stanley an opportunity of commencing his
negotiations as peacemaker in the presence of a considerable band of
both parties. The Indians, fifteen in number, were all clothed, with
the exception of their chief, in deerskin hunting shirts, ornamented
moccasins of the same material, and cloth leggings. They wore no
head-dress, but their long, straight, black hair was decorated with
feathers and small metallic ornaments, among which were several silver
thimbles. Their powder-horns and shot-pouches were gaily ornamented
with bead and quill work; and they were all armed with long guns, on
which they leaned as they stood silently, in a picturesque group, on the
flat, rocky platform above the spring, which has been more than once
alluded to.
This platform overlooked the fort, and was a favourite promenade of the
traders. At present it formed a sort of neutral ground, on which the
Indians took their stand. The red men were overawed by the very
superior number of the Esquimaux, and felt that they were safe only so
long as they stood on the flat rock, which was the only path leading to
the ravine, through which, if need be, they could easily escape into the
mountains.
The chief of the Indians, unlike his fellows, was dressed in a costume
of the most grotesque and brilliant character, and, certainly, one
which, however much it might raise the admiration of his savage
companions, did not add to his dignity in the eyes of the traders. He
wore a long, bright scarlet coat, richly embroidered with gold lace,
with large cuffs, and gilt buttons; a pair of blue cloth trousers, and a
vest of the same material; a broad worsted sash, and a hat in the form
of the ordinary beaver or silk hat of Europe. The material, however,
was very coarse; but this was made up for by the silver, and gilt cords,
and tassels with which it was profusely decorated. He evidently felt
his own importance, and stood with a calm, dignified gaze, waiting to be
addressed.
Hailing Ma-istequan, who leaned on the axe with which he had been
cutting firewood when the volley of the Indians arrested him, Stanley
bade him invite them to enter the fort.
"We cannot come down," replied the chief, after Ma-istequan had given
the invitation. "The Eskimos are in numbers like the stars; we are few.
If the pale-faces are our friends, let them come up here and take us by
the hand and bring us down."
"Very reasonable," said Stanley to Frank, who stood beside him; "we must
take care that the Esquimaux do not take advantage of their numbers to
avenge their ancient wrongs."
Then, turning to the natives, who had now crowded in large numbers into
the fort, Stanley addressed them in a serious tone; told them that the
time had now come when he hoped to reconcile the Innuit and the Allat
[Esquimau name for Indians] together; and that he expected they would
show their gratitude for his many kindnesses to them by treating the
Indians, who were his friends, with hospitality. The Esquimaux promised
obedience, after which Stanley ascended to the promenade, and taking the
Indian chief by the hand, led him towards the fort, followed by the
whole band in single file.
It is not necessary to detail the speeches that followed on both sides
on this occasion, and the eloquence that was expended that evening in
the cause of peace. Suffice it to say that the Indians and Esquimaux
shook hands and exchanged gifts in the presence of the assembled
garrison of Fort Chimo. But although the traders had reason to
congratulate themselves on having so far succeeded in the establishment
of peace, they could not conceal from themselves the fact that while, on
the one hand, the Esquimaux appeared to be perfectly sincere and cordial
in their professions, on the other hand the Indians evinced a good deal
of taciturnity at first, and even after their reserve was overcome,
seemed to act as men do who are constrained to the performance of a
distasteful action.
In general character, the Indians of Labrador do not contrast well with
the Esquimaux--at least this may with truth be said of those who
afterwards became attached to the district of Ungava. The Indian is
reserved and taciturn, while the Esquimau is candid, frank, and
communicative. Of course there are exceptions on both sides.
On the evening of the same day, Stanley had much difficulty in
overcoming the reserve of the Indians, so as to procure information
regarding the interior; and it was not until their hearts were opened by
the influence of tobacco, that they condescended to give the required
information. This was to the effect that there were not many
fur-bearing animals in the immediate vicinity of Ungava, but that there
were a good many in the wooded country lying to the southward and
eastward. Here, however, the Indians do not care to hunt, preferring
rather to keep to the heights of land, and near the coast, where the
deer are numerous. In fact, Stanley afterwards found that the facility
with which the Indians procured deer in this part of the country was a
serious drawback to the fur trade, as they contented themselves with
trapping just enough of otters, foxes, etcetera, to enable them to
procure a supply of ammunition with which to hunt the deer.
The Indians had brought a few beaver and other furs to trade, and, after
receiving a good meal and a few presents, they took up their quarters on
a plot of ground close to the fort. Here they lived a short time in
perfect friendship with the Esquimaux, visiting them, and hunting in
company; but more than once they exhibited their natural disposition by
stealing the goods of their neighbours. On one occasion, two Esquimau
children were missed from the camp, and in the course of the day they
returned to their parents clothed in Indian costume! This was a very
polite piece of attention on the part of the Indians, but the effect of
it was much marred, the same day, by the abstraction of a knife from an
Esquimau tent. Stanley insisted on the article being restored, and
severely reprimanded the offender. But, although the general harmony of
the camp was sometimes broken by such events, the friendship between the
two parties seemed to be gradually increasing, and Stanley saw with
satisfaction that the Allat and the Innuit bade fair to become fast
friends for the future.
But an event occurred at this time which put an end to their
intercourse, and very much altered the aspect of affairs. For some time
past the men at the fort had been subject to rather severe attacks of
cold, or a species of influenza. This they unfortunately communicated
to the Esquimaux, who seemed to be peculiarly susceptible of the
disease. Being very fat and full-blooded, it had the most dreadful
effect on the poor creatures, and at a certain stage almost choked them.
At last one night it was reported that ten of their number had died
from absolute suffocation. All of these had been strong and robust, and
they died after two days' illness.
One of those who were attacked was Edith's little friend, Arnalooa, and
just before the ten Esquimaux died, Edith had gone down to the camp with
a present of beads to console her. She found her much better, and,
after talking to her for some time, she took her leave, promising to pay
her another visit next day. True to her promise, Edith sallied forth
after breakfast with a little native basket on her arm. About half an
hour afterwards, while Stanley was sitting in the hall with his wife and
Frank, they were startled by the sudden appearance of Edith, out of
breath from the speed with which she had run home, and her face
overspread with a deadly paleness.
"What is the matter, my darling?" cried her mother, starting up in
alarm.
"Oh! the Esquimaux are lying dead on the sand," gasped Edith, as she
laid her head on her mother's breast, "and the rest are all gone."
Without waiting to hear more, Frank and Stanley took down their guns and
hastened to the camp. Here a scene of the most horrible kind presented
itself. The whole camp exhibited evidences of a hasty flight, and eight
of the people who had died during the night were lying exposed on the
rocks, with their white faces and ghastly eyeballs turned towards the
sky. The other two had been buried on the rocks under a heap of stones,
which did not conceal them entirely from view.
"No wonder poor Edith was alarmed," said Stanley sadly, as he leaned on
his fowling-piece and surveyed the scene of desolation and death.
"I have been told," remarked Frank, "that the Esquimaux have a
superstitious dread of this river. Oolibuck mentioned to me this
morning that he has had a good deal of conversation with the natives
about this disease, and they told him that it invariably attacks them
when they enter this river, and carries them off by dozens; so that they
never come into it except when they require wood, and always stay as
short a time as possible."
"Ah! that's bad," said Stanley; "I fear that it will go much against the
success of the establishment. But we must hope better things; and,
truly, with this exception, all has gone well hitherto. Said they
anything more, Frank?"
"Yes; they hinted, it seems, their intention of flying away from this
fatal spot, and taking up their abode for the winter at the mouth of
False River, where they can obtain a livelihood by seal-fishing; but
Oolibuck thought they did not mean to put the threat in execution, and
did not imagine that they were in such alarm that they would go off
without burying their dead."
"We must do that for them, Frank," said Stanley, turning to retrace his
steps to the fort; "send down as many of the men as you can spare
to-day, and get it done at once."
"By the way," said Frank, as they walked along the beach, "it seems that
many years ago the Moravian missionaries came to the mouth of this
river, and talked of setting up a trading-fort here; but, from some
cause unknown, they gave up their design and went away. Maximus has
been telling me all he knows about the matter; but his reports are
vague, and the event must have occurred, if it occurred at all, when he
was a child."
"Very possibly, Frank. You know the Moravians have settlements along
the coasts of Labrador, to the eastward of this. They may have made an
attempt long ago to push as far as this. I have always had a high
opinion of the energy and perseverance of these missionaries, but I
cannot get over the incongruity of their strange way of mingling trade
with religion. It seems to me an unnatural sort of thing for
missionaries to be fur-traders. I do not mean by this to object to
their system, however; I daresay it works well, but I've had no means of
judging."
"It is strange," replied Frank; "yet it seems a good plan. The
missionaries trade there in order that they may live and preach.
'Twould be a good thing for the Indian country if the same principles
and practice actuated the traders; with this difference, that instead of
missionaries becoming fur-traders, the fur-traders would become
missionaries. It does seem a species of infatuation," continued Frank,
energetically, as he warmed with the subject, "that men, calling
themselves Christians, should live for years and years among the poor
Indians of America and never once name to them the great and saving name
of Christ. Of course I do not wonder at those who make little or no
profession of Christianity; but there are men in the fur-trade who seem
to be deeply impressed with the truths of God's Word--who are alive to
the fact that there is no name under heaven given among men whereby we
can be saved except the name of Christ--who know and feel that the
Indians around them are living without God, and therefore without hope
in the world--who feel that _Christ_ is _all in all_, and that the
Christian religion, however perfect and beautiful as a code of morals,
is utterly worthless as to salvation unless there be in the heart the
special love of Jesus Christ;--men who admit and profess to believe all
this, yet never speak of Christ to the natives--never mention the name
that can alone save them from eternal destruction."
"Be not hasty, Frank," replied Stanley. "I agree with you, that it is
strange indeed we do not see and hear more of this missionary spirit
among the traders, and I, for one, take your words as a deserved rebuke
to myself; but if there are, as you say, many among us who are deeply
impressed with the truths of God's Word, how know you that we never
mention our Saviour's name to the Indians? Although fur-traders do not
mount the pulpit, they may, in private, make mention of that name, and
do an amount of good that will only be fully known when the trader, the
trapper, and the Indian shall stand side by side before the
judgment-seat of Christ. Observe, I do not say that this is actually
the case; I only suggest that it is possible--may I not add, probable?"
"It may be so," returned Frank, "it may be so, and God forgive me if I
have judged the men of the fur-trade unjustly; but I certainly know one
who has made somewhat of a profession of Christianity in his day, and
yet has done next to nothing, and that one is Frank Morton."
"I'll not gainsay that, Frank," said Stanley, with a quiet smile; "and I
think we are not likely to err much when we apply censure to ourselves.
It is curious that you and I should have been thinking of the very same
subject. A few days ago, while my wife and I were conversing together
about the Esquimaux, we agreed to devote a good deal of our leisure time
next winter to reading and explaining the Bible to our Esquimau
interpreters, in the hope that they may afterwards be the means of much
good among their poor countrymen."
Whether or not the good resolutions made at this time were ever put in
practice we cannot say. Let us hope that they were.
Not long after the sudden flight of the Esquimaux, the Indians struck
their tents and took their departure for the interior, with the
intention, as they said, of hunting for furs, but more probably, as
Ma-istequan suggested, to hunt the deer. During all the time of their
residence at the fort, Maximus had kept out of their way as much as
possible. He seldom met them without a frown of hatred, for he regarded
them as the representatives of a race which had robbed him of his bride;
and there were times when the giant's spirit chafed so fearfully at the
sight of the red men, that nothing but the remembrance of his promise to
Stanley, to offer them no injury, prevented him from stirring up his
tribe to overwhelm and destroy them. It was, therefore, with a feeling
of relief that Maximus beheld them march single file over the rocky
platform, and disappear in the ravine that led into the mountains.
The traders of Ungava were once more left in solitude, and from this
time forward, until the winter set in, they devoted all their energies
to laying up a stock of provisions sufficient to last till spring.
Dick Prince and Massan were sent after the deer in company. Augustus
and Bryan were dispatched to a small lake to establish a fishery; in
which they were very successful, and soon caught a large supply of
excellent white-fish, trout, and carp, which they gutted and hung up by
their tails to dry and freeze. Frank and Moses went to another small
lake, about ten miles down the river, and built a hut of willows, in
which they dwelt while engaged at the fishery. As there was still much
to be done in the way of completing the fort, and making furniture,
Stanley retained La Roche, Oolibuck, and the two Indians to assist him
in this, as well as in the performance of the miscellaneous minor duties
about the station, such as cutting up firewood, covering the roofs of
the stores with tarpaulin, shooting such birds and animals as came near
the fort, constructing rude chairs and tables, cooking, etcetera,
etcetera; while Francois and Gaspard were sent up the river to fell
trees, for the purposes both of building and firewood. Edith and her
mother found ample occupation--the latter in the use of her needle and
the cares of the household; the former in learning her lessons, visiting
her berry-ravine, dressing her doll (for she had a doll, as a matter of
course), and in holding long and frequent converse with Chimo.
Thus they spent their time; too busily occupied to take much note of its
rapid flight, and scarce noticing the lengthening nights and shortening
days, until needles of ice began with slow and silent progress to shoot
across and solidify the waters of the bay.