A SUCCESSFUL MISSION--PECULIAR ADDRESS--THE VISIT TO THE BEAVERS--
COMMODIOUS HOUSES--WELL-CONSTRUCTED DAMS--THE MOONLIGHT SIGHT--STRANGE
INTERRUPTION--STEALTHY WOLVERINE--CROUCHING WOLVES--MORE CUNNING MEN--A
MIXED-UP BATTLE--DELIGHTED BOYS--RETURN TO SAGASTA-WEEKEE.
They rested that day, and then, the next being Saturday, they decided to
go to the upper end of the lake and there camp, so as to be near the
newly formed mission, established by a Reverend Mr Brooking, and thus
be able to attend the service on the Sabbath.
They met with a cordial welcome from Mr and Mrs Brooking, who, living
in such a lovely place, were delighted to welcome them, especially the
boys, who were all to give them a great deal of information about
friends in the old land, which they had not visited for many years.
The boys were very much interested in the mission and the school. As
they remained camped in the vicinity a few days, they saw and heard a
good deal of the genuineness of the work done, and always, in after
years, were they strong advocates for foreign missions. And yet there
were some amusing things, which showed how wise and patient a missionary
has to be in leading a people up from the darkness and ignorance of
paganism.
The missionary told them many amusing stories. Here is a simple one:
One of his converts was anxious to preach to his fellow-countrymen, and
in this laudable desire he was encouraged by the missionary. As long as
he stuck to his subject, and talked about the Gospel, he did very well
indeed. But soon his ambitions led him to tackle subjects about which
he was not very well informed.
One day, in addressing a company of his countrymen, he exclaimed:
"My friends, the missionary says the world is round, but he is mistaken;
it is flat, yes, as flat as the top of that stove," he said, pointing to
the great iron stove in the centre of the room.
When the missionary heard this of course he had to give Metassis a
lecture in geography. He showed him a map of the hemispheres, and, as
he thought, so fully explained the matter that there could be no further
mistake.
The next time Metassis stood up to speak he said:
"Friends, I made a mistake. The world is round, but it is flat one way
for sure."
This he said from having seen the flat maps on the wall. It was thus
evident that another lesson in geography was necessary, and a school
globe had to be brought into requisition before he could be convinced
that it was round. His apology did not much mend matters. Here it is:
"My friends, I made another mistake. The world is round, but then it
stands on three legs."
This he said owing to the fact he had had his last lesson in geography
from a globe that worked in a frame that was supported by a tripod
stand.
To see the industrious beavers at work was one of the sights that long
had been desired by the boys. At many a camp fire they had heard the
Indians talk about these most industrious of all animals, and tell such
wonderful stories of their cleverness; and so now, as the moon was still
bright, it was decided to accept of the very kind invitations of some
friendly Indians, and go and visit a large beaver dam that they had
discovered was being constructed by a large colony of these animals.
Nothing could have given greater pleasure to the boys than this
invitation, and so it was gladly accepted.
In view of the fact that the moon was already waning, it was decided to
set off that very afternoon in order to reach that place by sundown, so
as to be in good positions to see, ere the beavers began the night's
varied occupations.
Of the many wonderful things which have been written and told about the
beavers we need not here repeat; suffice to say that those Indians who
most hunt them, and thus have the best opportunity of studying their
ways and doings, are the ones who speak most strongly and
enthusiastically about them.
Of the size of the trees they can cut down with their teeth, and of the
length and strength of the dams they can construct, as well as the
reason and instinct they seem to exercise in giving the right curve to
these dams at the dangerous places, so that they will be most able to
resist the force of the current, even when swollen by heavy floods, we
need not here describe in detail. It is enough to say that stumps of
trees over two feet in diameter are still to be found with the marks of
the teeth of the beaver, that had so cleverly and accurately felled the
great trees that had stood there defying every storm, proud monarchs of
the forests, until these industrious animals laid them low.
Dams hundreds of yards long, and wide enough and strong enough for great
wagons to easily travel over and pass each other, can still be traced
out in regions where the beavers have long been destroyed.
Vast beaver meadows are still prized by the farmers for the hundreds of
acres of richest hay land that have been formed by the gradual filling
up of the rich lands, brought down in times of freshets from the high
regions beyond, and year after year deposited in these beaver ponds,
until at length they were so filled up that what was once like a great
inland lake has become a prairie or meadow of rich waving grass.
Their houses were in some instances not only larger, but in every case
much more cleverly and thoroughly built than were the habitations of the
pagan Indians.
Their forethought in cutting and depositing upon the bottoms of the
waters and ingeniously fastening there vast quantities of the birch or
willow, the bark of which was to serve as food during the long winter
months, was far ahead of the habits of the improvident people, who
literally took "no thought for the morrow," and so were often at
starvation point, while the industrious beavers in their warm, cozy
homes had enough and to spare.
As soon as it was decided to go the preparations were soon made, and,
bidding farewell to the noble missionary and his heroic wife, from whom
they parted with regret, the canoes were pointed to the east again, and
after some hours of hard paddling they reached a fairly large river, up
which they were to go to a large creek which entered into it, and upon
which the beaver dam now being constructed was to be found.
At the mouth of the river they went ashore for a rest and supper. Here
the whole program of the night was talked over and all arrangements
made. It was necessary that everything should be thoroughly understood
and carried out, as beavers are very watchful and timid animals; the
least alarm sends them to their retreat, and it is a long time ere they
resume their work. As a precaution against surprise from bears or
wolves, or even wolverines, who are very fond of beaver flesh, it was
decided to take their guns along.
The creek, which was more like a small river, ran through a beautiful
valley, and on either side were hills, some of which rose up so
precipitously from the water that they formed admirable positions from
which the cautious sightseers could watch the operations of the busy
toilers when they were at work in the waters below.
The wind was everything that could be desired, and so our three boys
were able to be together; but they had to wait quite a time in the most
complete silence for the appearance of the industrious but timid
workers.
It is amazing how all animals seem to be acquainted with the natural
sounds that come from the woods or prairies, and are but little
disturbed by them, while a sound that is unnatural is at once detected.
For example, Big Tom was more than once heard to say in his quiet way
that, when hunting moose, he noticed that a storm might be raging, and
the great branches of the trees snapping and breaking in the gale, yet
the moose seemed to pay no attention to any of these sounds; but just
let the hunter be careless enough to let a dry stick snap under his
moccasined foot, and the moose was alarmed and off like a shot. So it
is with the beaver. The ordinary night sounds disturb them not, but the
report of a gun, it may be a mile away, sends them instantly to their
retreats, while the slightest evidence of hunters so disturbs them that
perhaps for twenty-four hours they will keep under cover without making
the slightest movement.
The moon was quite high up in the heavens ere the first rippling sounds
were heard upon the waters. The first arrivals seemed to be the
watchers, who had come to report. They appeared to swim almost from end
to end of the great pond that had already been made by the strong dam,
which seemed about finished.
As soon as they had in some way reported that the coast was clear,
others appeared upon the scene, until between twenty and thirty were at
the same time visible. Some were industriously employed in carrying
additional stones and mud to the dam, and carefully filling up every
crack and crevice. Others were guiding great logs down the current, and
fastening them in position where they would strengthen the dam against
possible floods and freshets. The majority, and they were principally
the smaller ones, were employed in cutting down small birch and willows,
which they dragged by their teeth to the edge of the pond, and there
they suddenly dived with them to the bottom. The pieces that they could
not firmly stick in the mud they fastened down in the bottom by piling
stones upon them to keep them from floating.
The boys were too far away to see by the moon's light the beavers
actually at work among a clump of large trees that stood on the shore
some way up the stream, but the crashing down of a couple of trees into
the water told very clearly that some were there industriously at work.
Thus for a couple of hours the boys and Indians watched with great
interest these clever animals, and then there was an abrupt ending. It
was not caused by any of our party, as the Indians, having abundance of
food, had no desire to now kill the beaver. Then, in addition, the
skins, so valuable in winter, were now of but little worth.
As we have stated, the beavers have many enemies. Their flesh is very
much prized as food by all the carnivorous animals of that country. And
so, while our party was watching with such pleasure the varied movements
of the beaver, there were other eyes upon them, full of evil purposes,
and, strange to say, they were not very far away from where our boys and
Indians were hid.
As before mentioned, our party was on the top of a hill that abruptly
rose up from the pond, caused by the backing up of the waters by the
beaver dam. From this point of observation they looked out toward the
west. On the left side were some hills much smaller and less abrupt.
Just about the time they were thinking of retiring, the sharp eyes of
one of the Indians noticed a dark object on the small hill nearest to
them. Giving a whispered word of caution, they all lay as low as
possible and watched. On and on, and at length out from the shadows of
some bushes into the clear moonlight, came the creature, and now the
sharp eyes of the Indians saw that it was a wolverine. The fact of our
party being so high above it was the only reason they had not been
detected.
It was evident from its actions that it was on a beaver hunt. At every
extra noise the busy animals made in the water, as logs were rolled in
or the beavers plunged in with birch or willow saplings in their mouths,
the wolverine stopped and listened. There was but little wind, and so
it was evident that even when the cruel beast had nearly reached the
shore, and there crouched behind a small rock, the beavers were still
unconscious of his presence. There was only a little strip of land
about a yard between this rock and the water; but along this narrow
strip of land the beavers had been coming and going while at their
varied duties. This, in some way or other, the cunning wolverine seemed
to have discovered.
But while the boys and some of the Indians were intently watching his
movements, others of them, as the result of long experience, had
occasionally cast a searching glance in every direction around them.
"Hist!" in a quiet whisper arrested the attention of all. Without a
word, but by a gesture scarcely perceptible, they were directed to look
along the very trail the wolverine had made, and there stealthily moving
along, now in the light and now in the shadow, were two large grey
wolves.
This was complicating matters, and making things interesting indeed.
The Indians, leaving the boys their guns loaded with ball, and enjoining
perfect silence upon them, took up their own weapons and noiselessly
withdrew. So gloriously bright was the night in that land where fogs
and mists are almost unknown, and where the rays of the moon cast a
clear and distinct shadow, that everything passing was distinctly seen.
There out in the waters, and around the shore and on the dam, were
perhaps thirty beavers hard at work. Here to the left below them lay
crouching, like a ball of black wool, the savage, alert wolverine,
patiently waiting until an unsuspecting beaver, loaded with wood,
stones, or gravel, should pass along that trail within reach of his
deadly spring.
A couple of hundred yards behind the wolverine, and yet high enough up
on the hillside to observe his every movements, and yet not be observed
by him, were the two wolves, now crouching down flat upon the ground.
As they remained so quiet, the boys were surprised and wondered, if they
were after the wolverine, why they did not attack him. But, while they
watched the wolverine, it was not wolverine meat they were after, but
beaver. But their wish and hope was that the wolverine might obtain it
for them. How far their expectations were realised we shall soon see.
"Hush!" said Alec, "look!" And sure enough there were the Indians, some
hundreds of yards behind the wolves, and spread out like a third of a
circle, cautiously moving on toward the two wolves, which were intently
watching the wolverine, which was watching the beavers. It was to the
hunters an interesting sight, and so fascinated the boys that they could
hardly keep still. Soon the tension was broken and there was a sudden
change.
A couple of fine large beavers came in sight along the trail on the
shore with a large stone, which they were evidently wishing to take to
the dam. So intent were they upon their work that they knew not of
danger until with a great spring the wolverine had fastened his sharp
teeth and claws in the back of one of them, which uttered a cry of pain
as he was dashed to the ground. The other beaver instantly sprang into
the water, as did all the other beavers within sound of that death-cry.
In a few seconds the wolves, with great bounding leaps, had cleared the
space between them and the wolverine. They fiercely attacked him and
endeavoured to at once secure the beaver. But the wolverine is a plucky
animal when thus assailed, and he made a good fight for his hard-earned
supper. In the meantime, the instant the wolves started, the Indians,
who from their higher ground had seen the movements, also began to
advance; and so, ere the wolves and wolverine had settled the matter as
to the ownership of the dead beaver, a volley of bullets killed the
wolves, while the wolverine turned and began climbing up the steep place
of the hill where the boys were hid.
"Shoot him!" shouted the Indians. A volley rang out from the guns of
the boys, and a dead wolverine with three bullets in him went tumbling
back to the bottom of the hill.
No need of silence now, and so the long-continued hush was broken with a
will, and there were many shouts and congratulations. The boys speedily
and safely descended the side of the hill, that sloped downward in the
direction of the men, and joined them at the spot where they were
examining the dead wolves and beaver. The wolverine had not had much
time to kill the latter ere the wolves were upon him, and so he was not
very much torn. The splendid broad tail was uninjured, and was eagerly
examined by the boys. The dead wolverine was dragged in by the men, and
it was decided, as dry wood was abundant, for some of them to make a
fire, while others went for kettles, food, and blankets, and there spent
the rest of the night.
They had two objects in view. One was to be on hand to skin the animals
early in the morning, and the other was to have the opportunity of
inspecting the beaver dam, and seeing the size of some of the stumps
where those wonderful animals, with their teeth alone, had cut down some
great trees.
A tired, sleepy trio of boys were they even ere their midnight meal was
eaten, and so very quickly after they were rolled up in their blankets
and stretched out on the smooth rock fast asleep.
As there are many wild animals in this part of the country, the Indians,
ere they lay down to sleep, took the precaution of rolling some of the
logs cut down by the beavers on the fire. These would keep up a blaze
until at least sunrise, after which there would be no danger.
Refreshing and invigorating is the sleep which comes to those who have
the courage and enterprise to visit these lands, and in this way live
out a great deal in the open air. The night was never close and sultry.
The air seems full of ozone, and scented with the balm of the great
forest. So it was here as in many similar experiences with these
hearty, healthy lads. So soundly did they sleep that it was after eight
o'clock ere they opened their eyes. As they sprang up, half ashamed of
themselves, the Indians chided them not, but one, in broken English,
comforted them when he said:
"Plenty sleep, strong men, clear eye, firm grip; good medicine."
So they were comforted by this, and ever after when they overslept
themselves they called it "good medicine."
The wolves and wolverine were already skinned, and so as soon as the
boys had had their breakfasts, which had long been waiting them, they
set off to visit the beaver dam. When they reached it the boys could
hardly realise how it was possible that animals not heavier than an
ordinary retriever dog could build such a structure. It was in shape
like a crescent, with the outer curve up stream. It was thus able to
meet and best resist the force of the great currents in times of
freshets and floods.
Many of the logs used in its construction would have been prized as
valuable for timber in saw mills. Then, in addition to the large logs,
there were great numbers that were smaller. The stones, gravel, and mud
used would require many men, with horses and carts, for many days to
transport. Yet here visible to the eye were gathered all of this
material by these animals, that have no tools but their teeth and paws,
and all piled up and arranged in a manner so scientific and accurate
that the finest engineer in the land would not have lost anything in his
reputation to have claimed the work as his most careful planning.
The beaver house was also visited. It was apparently all built on the
land, but it so overhung the lake at one side that the water ever found
access, and there was abundance of room for the beavers to swim out or
in whenever they desired. No attempt was made to break it, nor in any
way to disturb it, neither would there be in the winter months, when the
Indians would make the attack upon them. A more clever and successful
way for their capture is well known, and this would be put in practice.
But we must not anticipate an interesting adventure at this very spot.
The return to Sagasta-weekee was made in a few days. With the exception
of an upset of a canoe in one of the rapids, where they were trying to
work up stream instead of making a portage, nothing of a very startling
nature occurred. Alec was the boy who was in this canoe, and he was
quite carried under by the rapid current, and only reappeared above the
surface a couple of hundred feet lower down. Fortunately there were
some canoes near at hand, and he was quickly rescued. But the accident
gave them all a great fright. They lost everything in the canoe that
would not float. They most regretted the loss of three reliable guns.
After this they were much more cautious, and the boys were taught the
admonitory lesson that these sports and adventures were not to be
enjoyed without many risks, and that there was at all times as great [a]
demand for caution and watchfulness as there was on certain occasions
for daring and courage.