"It is now twenty years since I saw Wapwian, and during that time I have
travelled far and wide in the plains and forests of America. I have
hunted the buffalo with the Seauteaux, in the prairies of the
Saskatchewan; I have crossed the Rocky Mountains with the Blackfeet, and
killed the black bear with the Abinikies, on the coasts of Labrador; but
never, among all the tribes that I have visited, have I met an Indian
like Wapwian. It was not his form or his strength that I admired,
though the first was graceful, and the latter immense; but his
disposition was so kind, and affectionate, and noble, that all who came
in contact with him loved and respected him. Yet, strange to say, he
was never converted by the Roman Catholic missionaries who from time to
time visited his village. He listened to them with respectful
attention, but always answered that he could worship the Great Manitou
better as a hunter in the forest than as a farmer in the settlements of
the white men.
"Well do I remember the first time I stumbled upon the Indian village in
which he lived. I had set out from Montreal with two trappers to pay a
visit to the Labrador coast; we had travelled most of the way in a small
Indian canoe, coasting along the northern shore of the Gulf of St.
Lawrence, and reconnoitring in the woods for portages to avoid rounding
long capes and points of land, and sometimes in search of game; for we
depended almost entirely upon our guns for food.
"It was upon one of the latter occasions that I went off, accompanied by
one of the trappers, while the other remained to watch the canoe and
prepare our encampment for the night. We were unsuccessful, and after a
long walk thought of returning to our camp empty-handed, when a loud
whirring sound in the bushes attracted our attention, and two partridges
perched upon a tree quite near us. We shot them, and fixing them in our
belts, retraced our way towards the coast with lighter hearts. Just as
we emerged from the dense forest, however, on one side of an open space,
a tall muscular Indian strode from among the bushes and stood before us.
He was dressed in the blanket capote, cloth leggins, and scarlet cap
usually worn by the Abinikies, and other tribes of the Labrador coast.
A red deer-skin shot-pouch and a powder-horn hung round his neck, and at
his side were a beautifully ornamented fire-bag and scalping-knife. A
common gun lay in the hollow of his left arm, and a pair of ornamented
moccasins covered his feet. He was, indeed, a handsome-looking fellow,
as he stood scanning us rapidly with his jet-black eyes while we
approached him. We accosted him, and informed him (for he understood a
little French) whence we came, and our object in visiting his part of
the country. He received our advances kindly, accepted a piece of
tobacco that we offered him, and told us that his name was Wapwian, and
that we were welcome to remain at his village--to which he offered to
conduct us--as long as we pleased. After a little hesitation we
accepted his invitation to remain a few days; the more so, as by so
doing we would have an opportunity of getting some provisions to enable
us to continue our journey. In half an hour we reached the brow of a
small eminence, whence the curling smoke of the wigwams was visible.
The tents were pitched on the shores of a small bay or inlet, guarded
from the east wind by a high precipice of rugged rocks, around which
hundreds of sea-fowl sailed in graceful flights. Beyond this headland
stretched the majestic Gulf of St. Lawrence; while to the left the
village was shaded by the spruce-fir, of which most of this part of the
forest is composed. There were, in all, about a dozen tents, made of
dressed deerskin; at the openings of which might be seen groups of
little children playing about on the grass, or running after their
mothers as they went to the neighbouring rivulet for water, or launched
their canoes to examine the nets in the bay.
"Wapwian paused to gaze an instant on the scene, and then, descending
the hill with rapid strides, entered the village, and dispatched a
little boy for our companion in the encampment.
"We were ushered into a tent somewhat elevated above the others, and
soon were reclining on a soft pile of pine branches, smoking in company
with our friend Wapwian, while his pretty little squaw prepared a kettle
of fish for supper.
"We spent two happy days in the village, hunting deer with our Indian
friend, and assisting the squaws in their fishing operations. On the
third morning we remained in the camp to dry the venison, and prepare
for our departure; while Wapwian shouldered his gun, and calling to his
nephew, a slim, active youth of eighteen, bade him follow with his gun,
as he intended to bring back a few ducks for his white brothers.
"The two Indians proceeded for a time along the shore, and then striking
off into the forest, threaded their way among the thick bushes in the
direction of a chain of small lakes where wild-fowl were numerous.
"For some time they moved rapidly along under the sombre shade of the
trees, casting from time to time sharp glances into the surrounding
underwood. Suddenly the elder Indian paused and threw forward his gun,
as a slight rustling in the bushes struck his ear. The boughs bent and
crackled a few yards in advance, and a large black bear crossed the path
and entered the underwood on the other side. Wapwian fired at him
instantly, and a savage growl told that the shot had taken effect. The
gun, however, had been loaded with small shot; and although, when he
fired, the bear was only a few yards off, yet the improbability of its
having wounded him badly, and the distance they had to go ere they
reached the lakes, inclined him to give up the chase. While Wapwian was
loading his gun, Miniquan (his nephew) had been examining the bear's
track, and returned, saying that he was sure the animal must be badly
wounded, for there was much blood on the track. At first the elder
Indian refused to follow it; but seeing that his nephew wished very much
to kill the brute, he at last consented. As the trail of the bear was
much covered with blood, they found no difficulty in tracking it; and
after a short walk they found him extended on his side at the foot of a
large tree, apparently lifeless. Wapwian, however, was too experienced
a hunter to trust himself incautiously within its reach, so he examined
the priming of his gun, and then, advancing slowly to the animal, pushed
it with the muzzle. In an instant the bear sprang upon him, regardless
of the shot lodged in its breast, and in another moment Wapwian lay
stunned and bleeding at the monster's feet. Miniquan was at first so
thunderstruck, as he gazed in horror at the savage animal tearing with
bloody jaws the senseless form of his uncle, that he stood rooted to the
ground. It was only for a moment--the next, his gun was at his
shoulder, and after firing at, but unfortunately, in the excitement of
the moment, missing the bear, he attacked it with the butt of his gun,
which he soon shivered to pieces on its skull. This drew the animal for
a few moments from Wapwian; and Miniquan, in hopes of leading it from
the place, ran off in the direction of the village. The bear, however,
soon gave up the chase, and returned again to its victim. Miniquan now
saw that the only chance of saving his relative was to alarm the
village; so, tightening his belt, he set off with the speed of the
hunted deer in the direction of the camp. In an incredibly short time
he arrived, and soon returned with the trappers and myself. Alas!
alas!" said the guide with a deep sigh, "it was too late. Upon arriving
at the spot, we found the bear quite dead, and the noble, generous
Wapwian extended by its side, torn and lacerated in such a manner that
we could scarcely recognise him. He still breathed a little, however,
and appeared to know me, as I bent over him and tried to close his
gaping wounds. We constructed a rude couch of branches, and conveyed
him slowly to the village. No word of complaint or cry of sorrow
escaped from his wife as we laid his bleeding form in her tent. She
seemed to have lost the power of speech, as she sat, hour after hour,
gazing in unutterable despair on the mangled form of her husband. Poor
Wapwian lingered for a week in a state of unconsciousness. His skull
had been fractured, and he lay almost in a state of insensibility, and
never spoke, save when, in a fit of delirium, his fancy wandered back to
bygone days, when he ranged the forest with a tiny bow in chase of
little birds and squirrels, strode in the vigour of early manhood over
frozen plains of snow, or dashed down foaming currents and mighty rivers
in his light canoe. Then a shade would cross his brow as he thought,
perhaps, of his recent struggle with the bear, and he would again
relapse into silence.
"He recovered slightly before his death; and once he smiled, as if he
recognised his wife, but he never spoke to any one. We scarcely know
when his spirit fled, so calm and peaceful was his end.
"His body now reposes beneath the spreading branches of a lordly pine,
near the scenes of his childhood, where he had spent his youth, and
where he met his untimely end."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The guide paused, and looked round upon his auditors. Alas! for the
sympathy of man--the half of them had gone to sleep; and Baptiste, for
whose benefit the story had been related, lay, or rather sprawled, upon
the turf behind the fire, his shaggy head resting on the decayed stump
of an old tree, and his empty pipe hanging gracefully from his half-open
mouth. A slight "humph" escaped the worthy guide as he shook the ashes
from his pipe, and rolling his blanket round him, laid his head upon the
ground.
Early the following morning we raised the camp and continued our
journey. The scenery had now become more wild and picturesque. Large
pines became numerous; and the rocky fissures, through which the river
rushed in a black unbroken mass, cast a gloomy shadow upon us as we
struggled to ascend. Sometimes we managed to get up these rapids with
the paddles; and when the current was too powerful, with long poles,
which the men fixed in the ground, and thus pushed slowly up; but when
both of these failed, we resorted to the tracking line, upon which
occasions four of the men went on shore and dragged us up, leaving four
in the canoe to paddle and steer it. When the current was too strong
for this, they used to carry parts of the cargo to the smooth water
further up, and drag the canoe up light, or, taking it on their
shoulders, carry it overland. We made nine or ten of these portages in
two days. In the afternoon we came in view of a Roman Catholic mission
station, snugly situated at the bottom of a small bay or creek; but as
it was a little out of our way, and from its quiet appearance seemed
deserted, we did not stop.
In the afternoon of the following day, the 9th of September, we arrived
at the Company's post, called Rat Portage House, where we were
hospitably entertained for a few hours by Mr McKenzie, the gentleman in
charge. On the portage, over which we had to carry our canoe and
baggage, a large party of Indians of both sexes and all ages were
collected to witness our departure; and Mr McKenzie advised us to keep
a sharp lookout, as they were much addicted to appropriating the
property of others to their own private use, provided they could find an
opportunity of doing so unobserved; so, while our men were running
backwards and forwards, carrying the things over the rocks, Mr Bain and
his lady remained at one end to guard them, and I at the other.
Everything, however, was got safely across; the Indians merely stood
looking on, apparently much amused with our proceedings, and nothing
seemed further from their thoughts than stealing. Just as we paddled
from the bank, one of our men threw them a handful of tobacco, for which
there was a great scramble, and their noisy voices died away in the
distance as we rounded an abrupt point of rocks, and floated out upon
the glorious expanse of Lac du Bois, or, as it is more frequently
called, the Lake of the Woods.
There is nothing, I think, better calculated to awaken the more solemn
feelings of our nature (unless, indeed, it be the thrilling tones of
sacred music) than these noble lakes, studded with innumerable islets,
suddenly bursting on the traveller's view as he emerges from the sombre
forest-rivers of the American wilderness. The clear unruffled water,
stretching out to the horizon--here, embracing the heavy and luxuriant
foliage of a hundred wooded isles, or reflecting the wood-clad mountains
on its margin, clothed in all the variegated hues of autumn; and there,
glittering with dazzling brilliancy in the bright rays of the evening
sun, or rippling among the reeds and rushes of some shallow bay, where
hundreds of wild-fowl chatter, as they feed, with varied cry, rendering
more apparent, rather than disturbing, the solemn stillness of the
scene: all tends to "raise the soul from nature up to nature's God," and
reminds one of the beautiful passage of Scripture, "O Lord, how manifold
are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of
thy riches." At the same time, when one considers how very few of the
human race cast even a passing glance on the beauties of nature around,
one cannot but be impressed with the truth of the lines--
"Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air."
At night we encamped at the furthest extremity of the lake, on a very
exposed spot, whence we looked out upon the starlit scene, while our
supper was spread before us in the warm light of the fire, which blazed
and crackled as the men heaped log after log upon it, sending up clouds
of bright sparks into the sky.
Next morning we commenced the ascent of Lac la Pluie River. This is
decidedly the most beautiful river we had yet traversed--not only on
account of the luxuriant foliage of every hue with which its noble banks
are covered, but chiefly from the resemblance it bears in many places to
the scenery of England, recalling to mind the grassy lawns and verdant
banks of Britain's streams, and transporting the beholder from the wild
scenes of the western world to his native home. The trees along its
banks were larger and more varied than any we had hitherto seen--ash,
poplar, cedar, red and white pines, oak, and birch being abundant,
whilst flowers of gaudy hues enhanced the beauty of the scene. Towards
noon our guide kept a sharp lookout for a convenient spot whereon to
dine; and ere long a flat shelving rock, partly shaded by trees and
partly exposed to the blaze of the sun, presented itself to view. The
canoe was soon alongside of it, and kept floating about half a foot from
the edge by means of two branches, the two ends of which were fastened
to the bow and stern of the canoe, and the other two to the ground by
means of huge stones. It is necessary to be thus careful with canoes,
as the gum or pitch with which the seams are plastered breaks off in
lumps, particularly in cold weather, and makes the craft leaky. A
snow-white napkin was spread on the flattest part of the rock, and so
arranged that, as we reclined around it, on cloaks and blankets, our
bodies down to the knees were shaded by the luxuriant foliage behind us,
while our feet were basking in the solar rays! Upon the napkin were
presently placed, by our active waiter Gibault, three pewter plates, a
decanter of port wine, and a large ham, together with a turret of salt
butter, and a loaf of bread, to the demolition of which viands we
devoted ourselves with great earnestness. At a short distance the men
circled round a huge lump of boiled pork, each with a large slice of
bread in one hand and a knife in the other, with which he _porked_ his
bread in the same way that civilised people _butter_ theirs! Half an
hour concluded our mid-day meal; and then, casting off the branches from
the canoe, we were out of sight of our temporary dining-room in five
minutes.
On the evening of the following day we arrived at the Company's post,
Fort Frances. The fort is rather an old building, situated at the
bottom of a small bay or curve in the river, near the foot of a
waterfall, whose thundering roar forms a ceaseless music to the
inhabitants. We found the post in charge of a chief trader, who had no
other society than that of three or four labouring men; so, as may be
supposed, he was delighted to see us. Our men carried the canoe,
etcetera, over the portage to avoid the waterfall, and as it was then
too late to proceed further that night, we accepted his pressing
invitation to pass the night at the fort. There was only one spare bed
in the house, but this was a matter of little moment to us after the
variety of beds we had had since starting; so, spreading a buffalo robe
on the floor for a mattress, I rolled myself in my blanket and tried to
sleep. At first I could not manage it, owing to the unearthly stillness
of a room, after being so long accustomed to the open air and the noise
of rivers and cataracts, but at last succeeded, and slept soundly till
morning.
Dame Fortune does not always persecute her friends; and although she had
retarded us hitherto a good deal with contrary winds and rains, she
kindly assisted us when we commenced crossing Lac la Pluie next morning,
by raising a stiff, fair breeze. Now, be it known that a canoe, from
having no keel, and a round bottom, cannot venture to hoist a sail
unless the wind is directly astern--the least bit to one side would be
sure to capsize it; so that our getting the wind precisely in the proper
direction at the commencement was a great piece of good fortune,
inasmuch as it enabled us to cross the lake in six hours, instead of (as
is generally the case) taking one, two, or three days.
In the evening we arrived, in high spirits, at a portage, on which we
encamped.
Our progress now became a little more interrupted by portages and small
lakes, or rather ponds, through which we sometimes passed with
difficulty, owing to the shallowness of the water in many places. Soon
after this we came to the Mecan River, which we prepared to ascend. In
making a portage, we suddenly discovered a little Indian boy, dressed in
the extreme of the Indian summer fashion--in other words, he was in a
state of perfect nakedness, with the exception of a breech-cloth; and
upon casting our eyes across the river we beheld his worthy father, in a
similar costume, busily employed in catching fish with a hand-net. He
was really a wild, picturesque-looking fellow, notwithstanding the
scantiness of his dress; and I was much interested in his proceedings.
When I first saw him, he was standing upon a rock close to the edge of a
foaming rapid, into the eddies of which he gazed intently, with the net
raised in the air, and his muscular frame motionless, as if petrified
while in the act of striking. Suddenly the net swung through the air,
and his body quivered as he strained every sinew to force it quickly
through the water: in a moment it came out with a beautiful white-fish,
upwards of a foot long, glittering like silver as it struggled in the
meshes. In the space of half an hour he had caught half a dozen in this
manner, and we bought three or four of the finest for a few plugs of
tobacco. His wigwam and family were close at hand; so, while our men
crossed the portage, I ran up to see them.
The tent, which was made of sheets of birch bark sewed together, was
pitched beneath the branches of a gigantic pine, upon the lower limbs of
which hung a pair of worn-out snow-shoes, a very dirty blanket, and a
short bow, with a quiver of arrows near it. At the foot of it, upon the
ground, were scattered a few tin pots, several pairs of old moccasins,
and a gun; while against it leaned an Indian cradle, in which a small,
very brown baby, with jet-black eyes and hair, stood bolt upright,
basking in the sun's rays, and bearing a comical resemblance to an
Egyptian mummy. At the door of the tent a child of riper years amused
itself by rolling about among the chips of wood, useless bits of
deer-skin, and filth always strewn around a wigwam. On the right hand
lay a pile of firewood, with an axe beside it, near which crouched a
half-starved, wretched-looking nondescript dog, who commenced barking
vociferously the moment he cast eyes upon me. Such was the outside.
The interior, filled with smoke from the fire and Indians' pipes, was,
if possible, even dirtier. Amid a large pile of rabbit-skins reclined
an old woman, busily plucking the feathers from a fine duck, which she
carefully preserved (the feathers, not the duck) in a bag, for the
purpose of trading them with the Company at a future period. Her dress
was a coat of rabbit-skins, so strangely shaped that no one could
possibly tell how she ever got it off or on. This, however, was
doubtless a matter of little consequence to her, as Indians seldom take
the trouble of changing their clothes, or even of undressing at all.
The coat was fearfully dirty, and hung upon her in a way that led me to
suppose she had worn it for six months, and that it would fall off her
in a few days. A pair of faded blue cloth leggins completed her
costume--her dirty shoulders, arms, and feet being quite destitute of
covering; while her long black hair fell in tangled masses upon her
neck, and it was evidently a long time since a comb had passed through
it. On the other side sat a younger woman similarly attired, employed
in mending a hand-net; and on a very much worn buffalo robe sat a young
man (probably the brother of the one we had seen fishing), wrapped in a
blanket, smoking his pipe in silence. A few dirty little half-naked
boys lay sprawling among several packages of furs tied up in birch bark,
and disputed with two or three ill-looking dogs the most commodious
place whereon to lie. The fire in the middle of the tent sent up a
cloud of smoke, which escaped through an aperture at the top; and from a
cross-bar depended a few slices of deer-meat, undergoing the process of
smoking.
I had merely time to note all this, and say, "What cheer!" to the
Indians, who returned the compliment with a grunt, when the loud voice
of our guide ringing through the glades of the forest informed me that
the canoe was ready to proceed.
The country through which we now passed was very interesting, on account
of the variety of the scenes and places through which we wound our way.
At times we were paddling with difficulty against the strong current of
a narrow river, which, on our turning a point of land, suddenly became a
large lake; and then, after crossing this, we arrived at a portage.
After passing over it, there came a series of small ponds and little
creeks, through which we pushed our way with difficulty; and then
arrived at another lake, and more little rivers, with numerous portages.
Sometimes ludicrous accidents happened to us--bad enough at the time,
but subjects of mirth afterwards.
One cold, frosty morning (for the weather had now become cold, from the
elevation of the country through which we were passing), while the canoe
was going quietly over a small reedy lake or ford, I was awakened out of
a nap, and told that the canoe was aground, and I must get out and walk
a little way to lighten her. Hastily pulling up my trousers for I
always travelled barefoot--I sprang over the side into the water, and
the canoe left me. Now, all this happened so quickly that I was
scarcely awake; but the bitterly cold water, which nearly reached my
knees, cleared up my faculties most effectually, and I then found that I
was fifty yards from the shore, with an unknown depth of water around
me, the canoe out of sight ahead of me, and Mr Bain--who had been
turned out while half asleep also--standing with a rueful expression of
countenance beside me. After feeling our way cautiously--for the bottom
was soft and muddy--we reached the shore; and then, thinking that all
was right, proceeded to walk round to join the canoe. Alas! we found
the bushes so thick that they were very nearly impenetrable; and, worse
than all, that they, as well as the ground, were covered with thorns,
which scratched and lacerated our feet most fearfully at every step.
There was nothing for it, however, but to persevere; and after a painful
walk of a quarter of a mile we overtook the canoe, vowing never to leap
before we looked upon any other occasion whatsoever.
In this way we proceeded--literally over hill and dale--in our canoe;
and in the course of a few days ascended Mecan River, and traversed
Cross Lake, Malign River, Sturgeon Lake, Lac du Mort, Mille Lac, besides
a great number of smaller sheets of water without names, and many
portages of various lengths and descriptions, till the evening of the
19th, when we ascended the beautiful little river called the Savan, and
arrived at the Savan Portage.
Many years ago, in the time of the North-West Company, the echoes among
these wild solitudes were far oftener and more loudly awakened than they
are now. The reason of it was this. The North-West Company, having
their head quarters at Montreal, and being composed chiefly of Canadian
adventurers, imported their whole supplies into the country and exported
all their furs out of it in north canoes, by the same route over which
we now travelled. As they carried on business on a large scale, it may
be supposed that the traffic was correspondingly great. No less than
ten brigades, each numbering twenty canoes, used to pass through these
scenes during the summer months. No one who has not experienced it can
form an adequate idea of the thrilling effect the passing of these
brigades must have had upon a stranger. I have seen four canoes sweep
round a promontory suddenly, and burst upon my view, while at the same
moment the wild romantic song of the _voyageurs_, as they plied their
brisk paddles, struck upon my ear; and I have felt thrilling enthusiasm
on witnessing such a scene. What, then, must have been the feelings of
those who had spent a long, dreary winter in the wild North-West, far
removed from the bustle and excitement of the civilised world, when
thirty or forty of these picturesque canoes burst unexpectedly upon
them, half shrouded in the spray that flew from the bright vermilion
paddles; while the men, who had overcome difficulties and dangers
innumerable during a long voyage through the wilderness, urged their
light craft over the troubled water with the speed of the reindeer, and,
with hearts joyful at the happy termination of their trials and
privations, sang, with all the force of three hundred manly voices, one
of their lively airs, which, rising and falling faintly in the distance
as it was borne, first lightly on the breeze, and then more steadily as
they approached, swelled out in the rich tones of many a mellow voice,
and burst at last into a long enthusiastic shout of joy!
Alas! the forests no longer echo to such sounds. The passage of three
or four canoes once or twice a year is all that breaks the stillness of
the scene; and nought, save narrow pathways over the portages, and rough
wooden crosses over the graves of the travellers who perished by the
way, remains to mark that such things were. Of these marks, the Savan
Portage, at which we had arrived, was one of the most striking. A long
succession of boiling rapids and waterfalls having in days of yore
obstructed the passage of the fur-traders, they had landed at the top of
them, and cut a pathway through the woods, which happened at this place
to be exceedingly swampy: hence the name Savan (or _swampy_) Portage.
To render the road more passable, they had cut down trees, which they
placed side by side along its whole extent--which was about three
miles--and over this wooden platform carried their canoes and cargoes
with perfect ease. After the coalition of the two companies, and the
consequent carriage of the furs to England by Hudson Bay--instead of to
Canada, by the lakes and rivers of the interior--these roads were
neglected, and got out of repair; and consequently we found the logs
over the portage decayed and trees fallen across them, so that our men,
instead of running quickly over them, were constantly breaking through
the rotten wood, sinking up to the knees in mud, and scrambling over
trees and branches. We got over at last, however--in about two hours;
and after proceeding a little further, arrived at and encamped upon the
Prairie Portage, by the side of a _voyageur's_ grave, which was marked
as usual with a wooden cross, on which some friendly hand had cut a rude
inscription. Time had now rendered it quite illegible. This is the
height of land dividing the waters which flow northward into Hudson Bay
from those which flow in a southerly direction, through the great lakes,
into the Atlantic Ocean.
A few pages from my journal here may serve to give a better idea of the
characteristics of our voyage than could be conveyed in narrative:--
_Saturday, 20th September_.--We crossed the Prairie Portage this
morning--a distance of between three and four miles--and breakfasted at
the upper end of it. Amused myself by sketching the view from a
neighbouring hill. After crossing two more portages and a variety of
small lakes, we launched our canoe on the bosom of the river Du Chien,
and began, for the first time since the commencement of our journey, to
_descend_, having passed over the height of land. We saw several grey
grouse here, and in the evening one of our men caught one in a curious
manner. They were extremely tame, and allowed us to approach them very
closely, so Baptiste determined to catch one for supper. Cutting a long
branch from a neighbouring tree, he tied a running noose on one end of
it, and going quietly up to the bird, put the noose gently over its
head, and pulled it off the tree. This is a common practice among the
Indians, particularly when they have run short of gunpowder.
_Sunday, 21st_.--Crossed Lac du Chien, and made the portage of the same
name, from the top of which we had a most beautiful view of the whole
country for miles round. Having crossed this portage, we proceeded down
the Kamenistaquoia River, on the banks of which, after making another
portage, we pitched our tents.
_Monday, 22nd_.--Rain obliged us to put ashore this morning. Nothing
can be more wretched than travelling in rainy weather. The men, poor
fellows, do not make the least attempt to keep themselves dry; but the
passengers endeavour, by means of oiled cloths, to keep out the wet; and
under this they broil and suffocate, till at last they are obliged to
throw off the covering. Even were this not the case, we should still be
wretched, as the rain always finds its way in somewhere or other; and I
have been often awakened from a nap by the cold trickling of moisture
down my back, and have discovered upon moving that I was lying in a pool
of water. Ashore we are generally a little more comfortable, but not
much. After dinner we again started, and advanced on our journey till
sunset.
_Tuesday, 23rd_.--To-day we advanced very slowly, owing to the
shallowness of the water, and crossed a number of portages. During the
day we ran several rapids. This is very exciting work. Upon nearing
the head of a large rapid, the men strain every muscle to urge the canoe
forward more quickly than the water, so that it may steer better. The
bowsman and steersman stand erect, guiding the frail bark through the
more unbroken places in the fierce current, which hisses and foams
around, as if eager to swallow us up. Now we rush with lightning force
towards a rock, against which the water dashes in fury; and to an
uninitiated traveller we appear to be on the point of destruction. But
one vigorous stroke from the bowsman and steersman (for they always act
in concert) sends the light craft at a sharp angle from the impending
danger; and away we plunge again over the surging waters--sometimes
floating for an instant in a small eddy, and hovering, as it were, to
choose our path; and then plunging swiftly forward again through the
windings of the stream, till, having passed the whole in safety, we
float in the smooth water below.
Accidents, as may be supposed, often happen; and to-day we found that
there is danger as well as pleasure in running the rapids. We had got
over a great part of the day in safety, and were in the act of running
the first part of the Rose Rapid, when our canoe struck upon a rock, and
wheeling round with its broadside to the stream, began to fill quickly.
I could hear the timbers cracking beneath me under the immense pressure.
Another minute, and we should have been gone; but our men, who were
active fellows, and well accustomed to such dangers, sprang
simultaneously over the side of the canoe, which, being thus lightened,
passed over the rock, and rushed down the remainder of the rapid stern
foremost ere the men could scramble in and resume their paddles. When
rapids were very dangerous, most of the cargo was generally disembarked;
and while one half of the crew carried it round to the still water
below, the other half ran down light.
Crossed two small portages and the Mountain Portage in the afternoon; on
the latter of which I went to see a waterfall, which I was told was in
its vicinity. I had great difficulty in finding it at first, but its
thundering roar soon guided me to a spot from which it was visible.
Truly, a grander waterfall I never saw. The whole river, which was
pretty broad, plunged in one broad white sheet over a precipice, higher
by a few feet than the famous Falls of Niagara; and the spray from the
foot sprang high into the air, bedewing the wild, precipitous crags with
which the fall is encompassed, and the gloomy pines that hang about the
clefts and fissures of the rocks. Fur-traders have given it the name of
the Mountain Fall, from a peculiar mountain in its vicinity; but the
natives call it the _Kackabecka_ Falls. After making a sketch of it,
and getting myself thoroughly wet in so doing, I returned to the canoe.
In the evening we encamped within nine miles of Fort William, having
lost one of our men, who went ashore to lighten the canoe while we ran a
rapid. After a good deal of trouble we found him again, but too late to
admit of our proceeding to the fort that night.
_Wednesday, 24th_.--Early this morning we left the encampment, and after
two hours' paddling Fort William burst upon our gaze, mirrored in the
limpid waters of Lake Superior--that immense fresh-water sea, whose
rocky shores and rolling billows vie with the ocean itself in grandeur
and magnificence.
Fort William was once one of the chief posts in the Indian country, and,
when it belonged to the North-West Company, contained a great number of
men. Now, however, much of its glory has departed. Many of the
buildings have been pulled down, and those that remain are very
rickety-looking affairs. It is still, however, a very important fishing
station, and many hundreds of beautiful white-fish, with which Lake
Superior swarms, are salted there annually for the Canada markets.
These white-fish are indeed excellent; and it is difficult to say
whether they or the immense trout, which are also caught in abundance,
have the most delicate flavour. These trout, as well as white-fish, are
caught in nets; and the former sometimes measure three feet long, and
are proportionately broad. The one we had to breakfast on the morning
of our arrival must have been very nearly this size.
The fur-trade of the post is not very good, but the furs traded are
similar to those obtained in other parts of the country.
A number of _canotes de maitre_, or very large canoes, are always kept
in store here, for the use of the Company's travellers. These canoes
are of the largest size, exceeding the north canoe in length by several
feet, besides being much broader and deeper. They are used solely for
the purpose of travelling on Lake Superior, being much too large and
cumbersome for travelling with through the interior. They are carried
by four men instead of two, like the north canoe; and, besides being
capable of carrying twice as much cargo, are paddled by fourteen or
sixteen men. Travellers from Canada to the interior generally change
their _canotes de maitre_ for north canoes at Fort William, before
entering upon the intricate navigation through which we had already
passed; while those going from the interior to Canada change the small
for the large canoe. As we had few men, however, and the weather
appeared settled, we determined to risk coasting round the northern
shore of the lake in our north canoe.
The scenery around the fort is very pretty. In its immediate vicinity
the land is flat, covered with small trees and willows, which are
agreeably suggestive of partridges and other game; but in the distance
rise goodly-sized mountains; and on the left hand the noble expanse of
the Lake Superior, with rocky islands on its mighty bosom and abrupt
hills on its shores, stretches out to the horizon. The fort is built at
the mouth of the Kamenistaquoia River, and from its palisades a
beautiful view of the surrounding country can be obtained.
As the men wanted rest and our canoe a little repair, we determined to
remain all day at Fort William; so some of the men employed themselves
re-gumming the canoe, while others spread out our blankets and tents to
dry. This last was very necessary as on the journey we have little time
to spare from eating and sleeping while on shore; and many a time have
I, in consequence, slept in a wet blanket.
The fair lady of the gentleman in charge of the fort was the _only lady_
at the place, and indeed the only one within a circuit of six hundred
miles--which space, being the primeval forest, was inhabited only by
wild beasts and a few Indians. She was, consequently, very much
delighted to meet with Mrs Bain, who, having for so many days seen no
one but rough _voyageurs_, was equally delighted to meet her. While
they went off to make the most of each other, Mr Bain and I sauntered
about in the vicinity of the fort, admiring the beauty of the scenery,
and paid numerous visits to a superb dairy in the fort, which overflowed
with milk and cream. I rather think that we admired the dairy more than
the scenery. There were a number of cows at the post, a few of which we
encountered in our walk, and also a good many pigs and sheep. In the
evening we returned, and at tea were introduced to a postmaster, who had
been absent when we arrived. This postmaster turned out to be a
first-rate player of Scotch reels on the violin. He was self-taught,
and truly the sweetness and precision with which he played every note
and trill of the rapid reel and strathspey might have made Neil Gow
himself envious. So beautiful and inspiriting were they, that Mr Bain
and our host, who were both genuine Highlanders, jumped simultaneously
from their seats, in an ecstasy of enthusiasm, and danced to the lively
music till the very walls shook; much to the amusement of the two
ladies, who, having been both born in Canada, could not so well
appreciate the music. Indeed, the musician himself looked a little
astonished, being quite ignorant of the endearing recollections and
associations recalled to the memory of the two Highlanders by the rapid
notes of his violin. They were not, however, to be contented with one
reel; so, after fruitlessly attempting to make the ladies join us, we
sent over to the men's houses for the old Canadian wife of Pierre
Lattinville and her two blooming daughters. They soon came, and after
much coyness, blushing, and hesitation, at last stood up, and under the
inspiring influence of the violin we:--
"Danced, till we were like to fa',
The reel o' Tullochgorum!"
And did not cease till the lateness of the hour and the exhaustion of
our musician compelled us to give in.
On the following morning we bade adieu to the good people at Fort
William, and began our journey along the northern shore of Lake
Superior, which is upwards of three hundred miles in diameter. Fortune,
however, is proverbially fickle, and she did not belie her character on
this particular day. The weather, when we started, was calm and clear,
which pleased us much, as we had to make what is called a traverse--that
is, to cross from one point of land to another, instead of coasting
round a very deep bay. The traverse which we set out to make on leaving
Fort William was fourteen miles broad, which made it of some consequence
our having a calm day to cross it in our little egg-shell of a canoe.
Away we went, then, over the clear lake, singing "Rose Blanche"
vociferously. We had already gone a few miles of the distance, when a
dark cloud rose on the seaward horizon. Presently the water darkened
under the influence of a stiff breeze, and in less than half an hour the
waves were rolling and boiling around us like those of the Atlantic.
Ahead of us lay a small island, about a mile distant; and towards this
the canoe was steered, while the men urged it forward as quickly as the
roughness of the sea would allow. Still the wind increased, and the
island was not yet gained. Some of the waves had broken over the edge
of the canoe, and she was getting filled with water; but a kind
Providence permitted us to reach the island in safety, though not in
comfort, as most of the men were much wet, and many of them a good deal
frightened.
On landing, we pitched our tents, made a fire, and proceeded to dry
ourselves, and in less than an hour were as comfortable as possible.
The island on which we had encamped was a small rocky one, covered with
short heathery-looking shrubs, among which we found thousands of
blaeberries. On walking round to the other side of it, I discovered an
Indian encamped with his family. He supplied us with a fine white-fish,
for which our men gave him a little tobacco and a bit of the fresh
mutton which we had brought with us from Fort William.
Three days did we remain on this island, while the wind and waves
continued unceasingly to howl and lash around it, as if they wished, in
their disappointment, to beat it down and swallow us up, island and all;
but towards the close of the third day the gale moderated, and we
ventured again to attempt the traverse. This time we succeeded, and in
two hours passed Thunder Point, on the other side of which we encamped.
The next day we could only travel till breakfast-time, as the wind again
increased so much as to oblige us to put ashore. We comforted
ourselves, however, with the prospect of a good mutton-chop.
The fire was soon made, the kettle on, and everything in preparation,
when the dreadful discovery was made that the whole of the fresh mutton
had been forgotten! Words cannot paint our consternation at this
discovery. Poor Mrs Bain sat in mute despair, thinking of the misery
of being reduced again to salt pork; while her husband, who had hitherto
stood aghast, jumped suddenly forward, and seizing a bag of fine
potatoes that had been given to the men, threw it, in a transport of
rage, into the lake, vowing that as we were, by their negligence, to be
deprived of our mutton, they certainly should also be sufferers with us.
It was very laughable to behold the rueful countenances of the men as
their beautiful, large white potatoes sank to the bottom of the clear
lake, and shone brightly there, as if to tantalise them, while the
rippling water caused them to quiver so much that the lake seemed to
rest on a pavement of huge potatoes! None dared, however, attempt to
recover one; but after a while, when Mr Bain's back was turned, a man
crept cautiously down to the water's edge, and gathered as many as were
within reach--always, however, keeping an eye on his master, and
stooping in an attitude that would permit of his bolting up on the
slightest indication of a wrathful movement.
It would be tedious, as well as unnecessary, to recount here all the
minutiae of our voyage across Lake Superior; I shall merely touch on a
few of the more particular incidents.
On the 1st of October we arrived at the Pic House [see note 2], where we
spent the night; and, after a rough voyage, reached Michipicoton on the
4th. Our voyage along Lake Superior was very stormy and harassing,
reminding us often of Lake Winnipeg. Sometimes we were paddling along
over the smooth water, and at other times _lying-by_, while the lake was
lashed into a mass of foam and billows by a strong gale. So much
detention, and the lateness of the season, rendered it necessary to take
advantage of every lull and calm hour that occurred, so that we
travelled a good deal during the night. This sort of travelling was
very romantic.
On one occasion, after having been ashore two days, the wind moderated
in the afternoon, and we determined to proceed, if possible. The sun
set gloriously, giving promise of fine weather. The sky was clear and
cloudless, and the lake calm. For an hour or so the men sang as they
paddled, but as the shades of evening fell they ceased; and as it was
getting rather chilly, I wrapped myself in my green blanket (which
served me for a boat-cloak as well as a bed), and soon fell fast asleep.
How long I slept I know not; but when I awoke, the regular, rapid hiss
of the paddles struck upon my ear, and upon throwing off the blanket the
first thing that met my eye was the dark sky, spangled with the most
gorgeous and brilliant stars I ever beheld. The whole scene, indeed,
was one of the most magnificent and awful that can be imagined. On our
left hand rose tremendous precipices and cliffs, around the bottom and
among the caverns of which the black waters of the lake curled quietly
(for a most death-like, unearthly calm prevailed), sending forth a faint
hollow murmur, which ended, at long intervals, in a low melancholy
cadence. Before and behind us abrupt craggy islands rose from the
water, assuming every imaginable and unimaginable shape in the uncertain
light; while on the right the eye ranged over the inky lake till it was
lost in thick darkness. A thin, transparent night-fog added to the
mystical appearance of the scene, upon which I looked with mingled
feelings of wonder and awe. The only distinct sound that could be heard
was the measured sound of the paddles, which the men plied in silence,
as if unwilling to break the stillness of the night. Suddenly the guide
uttered in a hoarse whisper, "_A terre_!" startling the sleepy men, and
rendering the succeeding silence still more impressive.
The canoe glided noiselessly through a maze of narrow passages among the
tall cliffs, and grounded on a stony beach. Everything was then carried
up, and the tents pitched in the dark, as no wood could be conveniently
found for the purpose of making a fire; and without taking any supper,
or even breaking the solemn silence of the night, we spread our beds as
we best could upon the round stones (some of which were larger than a
man's fist), and sank into repose. About a couple of hours afterwards
we were roused by the anxious guide, and told to embark again. In this
way we travelled at night or by day, as the weather permitted--and even,
upon one or two occasions, both night and day--till the 12th of October,
when we arrived at the _Sault de Ste. Marie_, which is situated at the
termination of Lake Superior, just as our provisions were exhausted.
We had thus taken eighteen days to coast the lake. This was very slow
going indeed, the usual time for coasting the lake in a north canoe
being from eight to ten days.
The Sault de Ste. Marie is a large rapid, which carries the waters of
Lake Superior into Lake Huron. It separates the British from the
American possessions, and is fortified on the American side by a large
wooden fort, in which a body of soldiers are constantly resident. There
is also a pretty large village of Americans, which is rapidly
increasing. The British side is not fortified; and, indeed, there are
no houses of any kind except the few belonging to the Hudson Bay
Company. This may be considered the extreme outskirts of civilisation,
being the first place where I had seen any number of people collected
together who were unconnected with the Hudson Bay Company.
I was not destined, however, to enjoy the sight of new faces long, for
next morning we started to coast round the northern and uninhabited
shores of Lake Huron, and so down the Ottawa to Montreal. Mr and Mrs
Bain left me here, and proceeded by the route of the Lakes.
During the next few days we travelled through a number of rivers and
lakes of various sizes; among the latter were Lakes Huron and
Nipisingue. In crossing the latter, I observed a point on which were
erected fourteen rough wooden crosses. Such an unusual sight excited my
curiosity, and upon inquiring I found that they were planted there to
mark the place where a canoe, containing fourteen men, had been upset in
a gale, and every soul lost. The lake was clear and smooth when we
passed the melancholy spot, and many a rolling year has defaced and cast
down the crosses since the unfortunate men whose sad fate they
commemorate perished in the storm.
While searching about the shore one night for wood to make a fire, one
of our men found a large basket, made of bark, and filled with fine
bears'-grease, which had been hid by some Indians. This was considered
a great windfall; and ere two days were passed the whole of it was eaten
by the men, who buttered their flour cakes with it profusely.
Not long after this we passed a large waterfall, where a friend of mine
was once very nearly lost. A projecting point obliges the traveller to
run his canoe rather near the head of the fall, for the purpose of
landing to make the portage. From long habit the guides had been
accustomed to this, and always effected the doubling of the point in
safety. Upon this occasion, however, either from carelessness or
accident, the canoe got into the strong current, and almost in an
instant was swept down towards the fall. To turn the head of the canoe
up the stream, and paddle for their lives, was the work of a moment; but
before they got it fairly round they were on the very brink of the
cataract, which, had they gone over it, would have dashed them to a
thousand atoms. They paddled with the strength of desperation, but so
strong was the current that they remained almost stationary. At last
they began slowly to ascend--an inch at a time--and finally reached the
bank in safety.
On Sunday the 19th of October we commenced descending the magnificent
river Ottawa, and began to feel that we were at last approaching the
civilised nations of the earth. During the day we passed several small
log-huts, or shanties, which are the temporary dwelling-places of men
who penetrate thus far into the forest for the purpose of cutting
timber. A canoe full of these adventurous pioneers also passed us; and
in the evening we reached Fort Mattawan, one of the Company's stations.
At night we encamped along with a party who were taking provisions to
the wood-cutters.
The scenery on the Ottawa is beautiful, and as we descended the stream
it was rendered more picturesque and interesting by the appearance,
occasionally, of that, to us, unusual sight, a farmhouse. They were too
few and far between, however, to permit of our taking advantage of the
inhabitants' hospitality, and for the next four days we continued to
make our encampments in the woods as heretofore. At one of these
frontier farms our worthy guide discovered, to his unutterable
astonishment and delight, an old friend and fellow-voyageur, to greet
whom he put ashore. The meeting was strange: instead of shaking hands
warmly, as I had expected, they stood for a moment gazing in
astonishment, and then, with perfect solemnity, kissed each other--not
gently on the cheek, but with a good hearty smack on their sunburnt
lips. After conversing for a little, they parted with another kiss.
On the fourth day after this event we came in sight of the village of
Aylmer, which lay calmly on the sloping banks of the river, its church
spire glittering in the sun, and its white houses reflected in the
stream.
It is difficult to express the feelings of delight with which I gazed
upon this little village, after my long banishment from the civilised
world. It was like recovering from a trance of four long dreamy years;
and I wandered about the streets, gazing in joy and admiration upon
everything and everybody, but especially upon the ladies, who appeared
quite a strange race of beings to me--and all of them looked so
beautiful in my eyes (long accustomed to Indian dames), that I fell in
love with every one individually that passed me in the village. In this
happy mood I sauntered about, utterly oblivious of the fact that my men
had been left in a public-house, and would infallibly, if not prevented,
get dead drunk. I was soon awakened to this startling probability by
the guide, who walked up the road in a very solemn I'm-not-at-all-drunk
sort of a manner, peering about on every side, evidently in search of
me. Having found me, he burst into an expression of unbounded joy; and
then, recollecting that this was inconsistent with his assumed character
of sobriety, became awfully grave, and told me that we must start soon,
as the men were all getting tipsy.
The following day we arrived at Bytown.
This town is picturesquely situated on the brow of a stupendous cliff,
which descends precipitously into the Ottawa. Just above the town a
handsome bridge stretches across the river, near which the Kettle Fall
thunders over a high cliff. We only stayed a few minutes here, and then
proceeded on our way.
During the day we passed the locks of the Rideau Canal, which rise, to
the number of eight or ten, one over another like steps; and immediately
below them appeared the Curtain Falls. These falls are not very
picturesque, but their great height and curtain-like smoothness render
them an interesting object. After this, villages and detached houses
became numerous all the way down the river; and late in the evening of
the 24th we arrived at a station belonging to the Hudson Bay Company, on
the Lake of the Two Mountains, where we passed the remainder of the
night.
Here, for the first time since leaving home, I was ushered into a
civilised drawing-room; and when I found myself seated on a _cushioned_
chair, with my moccasined feet pressing a soft carpet, and several real,
_bona fide ladies_ (the wife and daughters of my entertainer) sitting
before me, and asking hundreds of questions about my long voyage, the
strange species of unbelief in the possibility of again seeing the
civilised world, which had beset me for the last three years, began
slowly to give way, and at last entirely vanished when my host showed me
into a handsomely furnished bedroom, and left me for the night.
The first thing that struck me on entering the bedroom was the
appearance of one of our _voyageurs_, dressed in a soiled blue capote,
dilapidated corduroy trousers, and moccasins; while his deeply sunburnt
face, under a mass of long straggling hair, stared at me in
astonishment! It will doubtless be supposed that I was much horrified
at this apparition. I was, indeed, much surprised; but, seeing that it
was my own image reflected in a full-length looking-glass, I cannot say
that I felt extremely horrified. This was the first time that I had
seen myself--if I may so speak--since leaving Norway House; and, truly,
I had no reason to feel proud of my appearance.
The following morning, at four o'clock, we left the Lake of the Two
Mountains; and in the afternoon of the 25th October, 1845, arrived at
Lachine, where, for the time, my travels came to a close--having been
journeying in the wilderness for sixty-six days.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Soon after my arrival winter set in, and I became acquainted with a few
of the inhabitants of Lachine. The moment the snow fell, wheeled
carriages were superseded by carioles and sleighs of all descriptions.
These beautiful vehicles are mounted on runners, or large skates, and
slide very smoothly and easily over the snow, except when the road is
bad; and then, owing to the want of springs, sleighs become very rough
carriages indeed. They are usually drawn by one horse, the harness and
trappings of which are profusely covered with small round bells. These
bells are very necessary appendages, as little noise is made by the
approach of a sleigh over the soft snow, and they serve to warn
travellers in the dark. The cheerful tinkling music thus occasioned on
the Canadian roads is very pleasing. Sleighs vary a good deal in
structure and costliness of decoration; and one often meets a rough,
cheerful Canadian _habitant_ sitting in his small box of a sledge
(painted sometimes red and sometimes green), lashing away at his shaggy
pony in a fruitless attempt to keep up with the large graceful sleigh of
a wealthy inhabitant of Montreal, who, wrapped up in furs, drives
tandem, with two strong horses, and loudly tinkling bells.
Reader, I had very nearly come to the resolution of giving you a long
account of Canada and the Canadians, but I dare not venture on it. I
feel that it would be encroaching upon the ground of civilised authors;
and as I do not belong to this class, but profess to write of savage
life, and nothing but savage life, I hope you will extend to me your
kind forgiveness if I conclude this chapter rather abruptly.
It is a true saying that the cup of happiness is often dashed from the
lips that are about to taste it. I have sometimes proved this to be the
case. The cup of happiness, on the present occasion, was the enjoyment
of civilised and social life; and the dashing of it away was my being
sent, with very short warning, to an out-of-the-way station, whose name,
to me, was strange--distance uncertain, but long--appearance unknown,
and geographical position a most profound mystery.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note 1. Since the above was written, many years have passed, and Dr
Rae's name has become famous, not only on account of successful
discovery, but also in connection with the expeditions sent out in
search of Sir John Franklin.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note 2. It must be borne in mind that all the establishments we passed
on the way belonged to the Hudson Bay Company.