OUR ABRUPT DEPARTURE--QUICK TRAVELLING--THE FORTUNATE DISCOVERY OF THE
CANOE--OUR PROVISIONS RUN SHORT--THE CHASE AFTER THE SWANS--BOUNCER IN
TROUBLE--OUR CANOE IS DAMAGED--ROASTED SWAN RATHER STRONG--OUR WIGWAM--A
MIDNIGHT VISITOR--THE MORNING START--DUCKS--FISH-SPEARS--OUR CANOE
WRECKED--OUR DANGEROUS SITUATION--A ROPE MANUFACTURED--DRY LAND REACHED
BY ITS MEANS--SWAN MEAT AGAIN.
As soon as Alick was satisfied that the people were sound asleep, he sat
up and made a sign to Martin, Robin, and me to follow him. We found
Bouncer at the door. When I patted him on the head he opened his eyes,
and seeing us got on his legs ready for a start.
We waited for a few seconds to be certain that we were not observed.
Had we been questioned, we had agreed to answer that we preferred the
open air to the hot tent.
To our great satisfaction, finding that no one had noticed us, we moved
on, stepping as noiselessly as possible, till we were free of the tents.
The night was starry, and we had noted well the way we had to go. Of
course we might have stolen some of the Cree horses, and very little
blame would have been attached to us for so doing even had we been
overtaken; but some time would have been lost in catching them, and we
hoped to get to a considerable distance from the camp before the Indians
recovered from their debauch.
As soon as we had got so far that there was no chance of our footsteps
being heard, we began to run, keeping close together. The Crees, who
always move about on horseback, were less likely than most of the
Indians to discover our trail, and we felt sure that they would not
follow us on foot. We were all in good wind, and might be twenty or
even thirty miles away before they found out that we had escaped; for
even when the chief awoke he would very likely turn to again and drink a
further quantity of the fire-water.
We went on till we had passed the Cree encampment we had before visited.
We might have ventured into it, for the women who were alone there
would not have known that we were escaping, and would have consequently
allowed us to continue on our way. We thought it wiser, however, to
avoid paying our friends a visit, as we had enough food to last us till
we could reach the river. After the abundant meal we had taken on the
previous evening, we could have gone on all day with very little food or
rest.
In crossing a small valley we found a number of the mesaskatomina
bushes, from which we obtained a supply of fruit which greatly refreshed
us. I am afraid that it will be scarcely believed that we accomplished,
according to our calculation, upwards of fifty miles before we stopped
to camp at night. Though nothing on a highroad, it was good going over
the prairie grass, with occasionally to have to make our way through
woods and across streams.
We had the satisfaction of believing that the Crees would not take the
trouble of coming after us, and we were thankful that we had not been
tempted to make off with their horses, though we might have been
justified in so doing. We supped off pemmican, refraining from lighting
a fire lest it might betray our position.
We kept, however, a pile of sticks ready to kindle, should it become
necessary by the approach of wolves or of bears. As usual, of course,
one of us kept watch, that we might have timely warning of danger. The
night passed away without any event of importance, and the next morning,
the moment the first streaks of dawn appeared in the eastern sky, we
pushed forward at as rapid a rate as before. We at last got into the
country we knew pretty well, and in the afternoon of the third day came
in sight of the spot where Fort Black had stood.
"It looks black enough now," observed Martin, as he surveyed the charred
ruins. "I wish I knew where my poor father and mother are! Should the
Sioux have paid them a visit, I fear that they will have had great
difficulty in escaping."
"I don't think the Sioux would have gone so far north," observed Alick.
"They are probably better off than they would have been had they come to
the fort, when they to a certainty would have been murdered with the
rest of our poor people. Don't let us contemplate misfortunes, before
we know that they have happened."
Not a human being was seen in the neighbourhood of the fort; neither
cattle nor horses were anywhere visible. The whole scene was one of
perfect desolation. Without entering the ruins, we at once made our way
down the bank to the spot where we hoped to find the canoes.
The door of the shed was open. One canoe only out of three remained.
"So far that is satisfactory," observed Alick. "I trust that the rest
of the men had time to get down and embark before they were discovered
by the Sioux. I wonder the rascals didn't search for them. Had they
done so, they would have found this canoe and destroyed it."
"It shows, however, that only a few could have escaped--eight or ten at
the utmost. If more had got off they would have taken all the canoes,"
said Robin.
Martin and I agreed with the conclusions at which Alick and Robin had
arrived. We examined the canoe, and found it in good condition, only
requiring to have the seams gummed. There was not time to do that and
to make any progress on our way down the river, so we agreed to spend
the night in the shed, and to commence our voyage the next morning.
We had food remaining for only two scanty meals for ourselves and
Bouncer, who had been almost starved during the journey, and it was
settled that we should start the first thing in the morning and go in
search of wild-fowl. As we had no fear of any enemies being in the
neighbourhood, we lighted a good fire outside the hut, at which we
cooked the remainder of our bear's flesh and ate it for supper.
Martin, while hunting about in the shed, discovered a lump of the gum
used for paying over the seams of canoes. This we melted in one of our
tin pots, and very soon had the canoe in a fit state to launch. There
were several pairs of paddles, and some cloth which could be used as a
sail.
"Perhaps we may find something else which may prove useful," observed
Martin, and he twisted up a torch from the dry reeds which grew on the
bank.
With this we thoroughly examined the cave, and our search was rewarded
by the discovery of a flask of powder, apparently dropped by one of the
men who had escaped from the fort. We also found an axe and a long
sheath-knife. Both were likely to prove very useful.
Altogether we were very thankful that we had decided on returning to the
fort. After our long and rapid journey we were all very tired, and as
soon as we had finished our search we lay down to rest without any fear
of interruption. We younger ones should have slept on, I suspect, till
long after the sun was high in the heavens, had not Alick roused us up.
"Come, boys," he exclaimed, "turn out; we must have breakfast and begin
our voyage as soon as we can."
"I thought you said that we were to look out for wild-fowl," observed
Martin. "I suspect that if we don't in good time we shall have to go
without our dinner."
"We'll have breakfast, and then talk about that," said Alick. "I want
to feel that we really have begun the voyage."
Our breakfast was a very scanty one, though we had plenty of water to
wash it down; the last few morsels being given to Bouncer, who sat
wistfully looking up at us as we ate our food.
The canoe was at last carefully lifted into the water; Alick took the
steering-oar, and each of us three a paddle.
"Away then we go, boys; and I pray that we may have a successful
voyage," said Alick. As he spoke he gave a shove with his paddle, and
we dipping ours into the water, the canoe was soon in the middle of the
stream.
We glided on rapidly with the current till we came to the mouth of a
broad stream, which ran into it from the opposite side. As we looked up
it we caught sight of some white objects.
"They are swans," cried Alick, "and one of them will afford us an ample
dinner."
The difficulty, however, was to get near the birds, for they would take
to flight the moment they saw the canoe paddling towards them.
Fortunately the wind was up the stream.
"We will hoist the sail," said Alick, "and it will assist to conceal us,
while the canoe will glide noiselessly towards the swans."
We had two sticks, which we fixed in the gunwale of the canoe, setting
the sail between them. Though of a primitive nature, it had the
advantage of being lowered in a moment. This was very necessary in so
crank a craft as is a birch-bark canoe. We now allowed the canoe to
glide on, while we got our guns ready and watched the birds from under
the sail. They were mere specks of white in the distance, and as we
glided towards them we had no doubt that they were swans.
They must have seen the strange-looking object entering their river,
for, turning their arched necks from us, they began to swim up the
stream. A strong current was running down, which impeded our progress;
while they avoided it by keeping close to the bank, where the water was
altogether still, or was running with less force. This gave them a
great advantage; still, having once begun the chase we felt no
inclination to give it up, hunger urging us on.
The trees in many places overhung the water, shutting out the rays of
the sun. Here and there, however, penetrating through more open parts,
they struck on the snowy plumage of the birds, enabling us clearly to
keep them in view.
"We are getting near them," whispered Robin, who was peering under the
sail. "We shall soon be close enough to make our shot tell with
effect."
We had no intention on entering the stream of going so far out of our
way. Now having begun we were led on and on, still hoping soon to come
up with the chase. At last we reached a part where the branches of the
trees so densely overhung the water that they cast a dark shadow below,
which almost completely concealed the canoe.
The swans, we concluded from their movements, no longer perceived us,
for they began to swim about in an unconcerned fashion, some of them
even allowing themselves to be carried down by the current. Four of
them at length got quite close to us, when Martin and I, lifting our
guns, fired, and two, immediately spreading out their wings for an
instant, dropped their heads in the water.
Their companions, on seeing their fate, darted off with loud screams;
while we, lowering our sail, got out our paddles and propelled the canoe
as fast as we could to secure our prey.
One of the birds was quite dead; the other struggled violently as Robin
seized it by the neck, and tried to dart its beak at him, very nearly
upsetting the canoe. As soon as Martin and I had hauled the other bird
on board, we went to his assistance, Martin holding the poor bird tight
round the neck till its struggles ceased, when we also got it into the
canoe.
We might have been satisfied with our prizes, but we wished to obtain a
supply of provisions sufficient to enable us to continue our voyage
without stopping to hunt. We therefore rehoisted our sail, and made
chase after the remainder of the swans. The appearance of the stream
also tempted us to continue our course, as we thought it possible that
we might fall in with some animals--perhaps deer coming down to drink,
or beavers, or smaller creatures--which might give us a variety of food.
Should we be successful our intention was to land and smoke them
thoroughly, so that they might last us for the remainder of the voyage.
It would take us several days we knew, at all events, to perform the
voyage, for there were rapids to be passed; and though we might shoot
them, the attempt, without being well acquainted with the navigation,
would be hazardous, and it would be far wiser, Alick considered, to make
a portage, or in other words to carry our canoe on our shoulders
overland, till tranquil water should be reached.
"If we had fishing-lines and hooks we need have no fear of wanting
food," observed Martin. "I must try to manufacture some hooks and
lines."
"But where are you to find iron for the hooks or material for the
lines?" I asked.
"The first I'll form, as the Indians do, out of bone," answered Martin.
"They use them in the upper Saskatchewan, and on the lakes in the
neighbourhood. If we can shoot a deer, the skin and the inside will
supply us with material for the lines."
"But the deer must be shot first, and fitting bones found to make the
hooks; and then, as to bait?" I observed.
"We'll try various sorts. We may find grasshoppers or some other
insects on the shore, at which I should think several fish would bite,"
answered Martin. "If not, we must dig for worms, or try the insides of
the birds or beasts we may shoot."
"If we do happen to shoot any; but so much depends on that little word
`if,' that we must not be too sanguine," I remarked.
"At all events, we have already killed two swans, and should not be
doubting about our success for the future," answered Martin. "Just
think, David, how remarkably we have been hitherto preserved! We are
positively ungrateful to Heaven if we doubt that the same kind
Providence will continue to watch over us."
"Hush, boys!" said Alick. "We are again getting near the swans, and we
may kill one or two more if we approach them carefully. Get your guns
ready, but don't fire too soon. Stand by to lower the sail when I tell
you. Do you, Martin and Robin, be prepared to get out your paddles the
moment you have fired; while you, David, must reload in case the others
miss."
Soon after he spoke the wind failed us, and the canoe no longer stemmed
the current. The greatest caution was now necessary to get up to the
swans. Should we use our paddles, we should frighten them, and they
might escape us. The birds, as before, kept swimming slowly up the
stream. We waited in the hopes that the wind would again fill our sail.
We found that the canoe was slowly drifting down with the current;
still we thought that another puff of wind would come and send us along
again, and that it would be a pity to risk lowering the sail and
exhibiting ourselves to the birds.
They appeared to have recovered from their former fright at the loss of
their companions, though we saw their leader every now and then turning
round his head to take a look at the suspicious object the canoe must
have presented to them floating in the middle of the stream.
Again the wind blew softly, and we once more stemmed the current.
"We are gaining on them," whispered Robin. "We must try to get up
before they reach yonder point. If they double it, we may lose sight of
them."
The swans were all this time within range of our shot, but had we fired
it would not have penetrated their thick feathers, and Alick charged us
on no account to pull a trigger. We were thus long tantalised by seeing
the swans majestically gliding over the water ahead of us.
"They will get round the point, after all, before we are up to them,"
said Robin.
"Never mind if they do," answered Alick. "We'll then use our paddles,
as they will not see us, and we shall very likely soon overtake them on
the other side. There seems to be more breeze on the water out there.
Be ready to hoist the sail again the moment we get off the point."
Though we were still making way, Robin's anticipations were fulfilled,
and the swans, one after another, disappeared behind the point. The
instant they did so we lowered the sail and began paddling away with
might and main, as we hoped to find ourselves much nearer to them than
we had hitherto been. Bouncer had sat very quietly in the boat watching
all our proceedings. He was too well-trained a dog to bark or show any
signs of impatience; he probably knew from experience that had he,
indeed, attempted to swim out and attack the swans, he might receive a
blow from their wings which would make him repent his temerity, for such
power does the swan possess that it has been known by a single blow of
one of its wings to break a man's leg.
We soon got up to the point, and immediately taking in our paddles and
hoisting our sail, glided noiselessly round it.
Great was our disappointment, however, to see only one swan still in the
water. What had become of the others we could not tell. Possibly they
had plunged into some tall reeds which in dense masses lined the right
bank of the river. That bird, however, we resolved should become our
prize, and again lowering our sail we all three fired. As the smoke
cleared off, however, there swam the swan, stately as before, and
apparently uninjured, making for the reeds I have mentioned.
"We must have that fellow, at all events," cried Alick. "Paddle away,
Robin and Martin; we shall be soon up to him."
While they obeyed the order, I reloaded, determined not again to miss
the swan.
"Wait a moment," said Alick; "he's still rather far off."
"If I wait, he'll get into the reeds. Do let me fire," I answered. But
Alick did not give the word, and as we had all agreed to obey him
implicitly, I, of course, would not set a bad example, though I felt
sure that I could hit the swan.
The bird turning round its long neck saw us coming, and immediately,
aided by its wings as well as its feet, with a loud cry darted into an
opening among the reeds.
"We shall have him still," cried Alick; "paddle away! paddle away!"
Laying down my gun, I seized a paddle, and in another minute we had
reached the reeds where the swan had disappeared.
"Now, Bouncer, see what you can do," cried Alick. The faithful old dog
did not require to receive a second order, but plunging bravely
overboard, dashed into the reeds, and struggled energetically forward
amid them, with leaps and bounds, though he had no firm ground on which
to place his feet. We watched eagerly for the bird, which we felt sure
from Bouncer's movements could not be far off.
A large tree grew close to the bank, its roots reaching the water. We
urged the canoe forward, and presently up rose the swan, no longer
presenting the same graceful appearance it did in the water. Though its
wings were powerful enough to lift it in the air, its body had a
remarkably heavy, awkward appearance.
Bouncer would in another instant have seized it, and have had cause to
repent doing so, but the bird rose just beyond reach of his jaws. I
lifted my gun and fired, as did Robin. Neither Martin nor Alick, on
account of the tree, could take aim. With a loud cry the swan flew off,
its white body glittering in the sun; but it had not gone far when down
it came with a heavy flop on the reeds. Bouncer dashed forward to seize
it. We, finding that the water was deep enough to allow us to make our
way through the reeds, pushed the canoe in between them, thoughtless of
any snags or branches which might tear a hole in her thin coating.
We had got some way when we guessed, by a white wing every now and then
raised above the green herbage, that Bouncer was having a desperate
struggle with the wounded swan, and this made us the more eager to
advance, that we might hasten to his assistance. Finding at last that
the canoe stuck fast, I stepped overboard, followed by Martin. Scarcely
had we done so when we sank almost up to our middles in soft
mud-and-water, mixed with dead branches.
Being in for it, we determined to proceed, though we advised Alick and
Robin to keep quiet, which, seeing the plight we were in, they had every
inclination to do. We floundered on for some yards, when our feet
reached firm ground. As we got up the bank, we saw that Bouncer had
seized the swan by the neck, and that every moment its struggles were
becoming less violent than before. Ere we got close up to the
combatants the bird was dead; but Bouncer was bleeding at the nose, and
moved with a limp.
As we took the swan from him, he looked up in our faces as much as to
say, "I have done it, masters; but it has cost me pretty dearly."
We were not aware at that time what a price we had paid for that swan.
Finding that it was quite dead, we dragged it along towards the canoe;
into which we hauled it. Bouncer followed, though not without
difficulty, and we had to help him on board.
"We must get to some better place than this for landing," said Alick.
"I don't know whether you are hungry, boys, but I know that I am, and
the sooner we have one of these birds roasting before a good fire the
better pleased I shall be. Shove off." We endeavoured to obey the
order.
"Very well to say shove off, but it's more than we can do," said Martin,
turning round.
"Then you must get into the water and lift her off. You are already wet
through, so it will not signify."
"Here goes then," I said; and Martin and I stepped into the water, on to
what we found to be the sunken trunk of a tree, off which we quickly
lifted the canoe, though we found an unexpected resistance. Scarcely
had we done so than we saw the water running like a mill stream into the
canoe.
"We must get out of her, or she'll fill to the gunwale in a few
minutes," exclaimed Alick.
"We can't land here or haul her up if we do," I observed, as I still
stood on the sunken trunk. "If we secure the sail under the bottom, we
may keep the water from running in so fast till we can get to the
opposite bank, where there must be a fit place for landing."
Alick agreed to my proposal, and Martin and I stooping down managed to
secure the piece of cloth, as I suggested might be done. Robin also
shoved his handkerchief into the worst leak.
The plan answered apparently better than we had expected; and Martin and
I stepping on board again, we paddled the canoe as fast as we could in
the direction of the opposite bank. We had got scarcely half across the
stream, however, when the water began to rush in again more violently
than at first. There seemed every probability of the canoe filling. We
paddled away with all our force; still the water came in.
"The only chance I see of reaching the shore is to swim for it," cried
Alick, throwing off his heavier clothing.