TANNING--THE PRAIRIE ON FIRE--"HILLO! PAT CASEY! WHAT! DON'T YOU
REMEMBER US?"--PAT'S MARVELLOUS ADVENTURES AND HAIRBREADTH ESCAPES--
VEGETABLE DIET--PAT'S HUT--MARTIN'S DANGER--ALICK'S NOBLE CONDUCT--"HE
IS STILL ALIVE," CRIED ALICK--OUR WIGWAM--TWO MEN SICK IN THE CAMP--
INDIAN SUMMER--SNOW AGAIN--WINTER HAS SET IN--WATTAP NETS--FISHING
THROUGH THE ICE--ROAST FISH AND BOILED FISH.
As the wind continued blowing with great force, we saw that there was no
prospect of our continuing our voyage that day. We therefore made
preparations for camping as usual.
Martin suggested that we should employ the time in drying some of the
venison, which could not possibly last till it was all consumed. He
advised also that we should try to manufacture some pemmican, which,
though not equal to that of buffalo, would make nutritious food. We
were thus busily employed for the remainder of the day. Alick, too, who
wished to prepare the deerskins, stretched them out with pegs on the
bank. We then carefully scraped them over, and having boiled some wood
ashes in water, we washed them thoroughly with it. This we did twice
before dark, leaving them to dry during the night.
"I hope no grasshoppers will come this way," observed Alick, laughing,
while we were afterwards seated at supper.
As I looked round on the river, my eye caught a bright glare reflected
on it.
"That light comes from a fire somewhere, and not far off," I exclaimed;
and, springing to my feet, I made my way up to the top of the bank,
which was somewhat higher than the country farther off.
There were but few trees, so that I had an uninterrupted view to the
southward.
There was a fire indeed, and such a fire as I had never before seen.
About half a mile off appeared what looked like a vast burning lake,
about a mile in width, and extending to a much greater distance.
Presently, beyond it, another began to blaze up, increasing with
terrible rapidity; and, farther off, a third bright light was seen,
which also began quickly to extend itself. I have never seen a volcano
in full activity; but this, I think, must have surpassed in grandeur the
most terrible eruption. The flames rose up to an extraordinary height,
rushing over the ground at the speed of racehorses, and devouring every
tree and shrub in their course. The wind being from the north-east blew
it away from us; but we saw how fearful would have been our doom, had we
been on foot travelling across that part of the country. We should have
had no chance of escape, for the intervals which at first existed
between these lakes of fire quickly filled up.
The conflagration swept on to the westward, gradually also creeping up
towards us. We continued watching it, unable to tear ourselves away
from the spot. It was grand and awful in the extreme. To arrest its
progress would have been utterly beyond the power of human beings. What
might be able to stop it, we could not tell. As far as we could see, it
might go on leaping over rivers and streams, destroying the woods and
burning up the prairies to the very foot of the Rocky Mountains, or even
making its fearful progress over the whole of the continent.
We knew that prairie fires often took place, and we had seen some on a
smaller scale; but this appeared to us more extensive than any we had
heard of. Gradually it came creeping up towards us; still, however, at
too slow a pace, in consequence of the power of the wind, to make us
quit our post.
"This, I have no doubt, has been `put out' by the Plain Crees, to
prevent the buffalo from going to the eastward and benefiting the
Ojibbeways, Wood Crees, and other natives in that direction," observed
Alick, using a term common among the Indians--to "put out fire"
signifying to set the prairie on fire.
I could scarcely suppose that such would have been done on purpose; but
he asserted that they very frequently committed this destructive act
simply as a signal to let their friends know that they had found
buffalo; and that in most instances the fire did not extend to any great
distance, being stopped by marshes, or even narrow streams, when there
was not much wind, and sometimes by a heavy fall of rain.
Robin corroborated what Alick had stated.
"I think the fire has got much nearer than when we first saw it,"
observed Martin. "Should the wind shift, we shall have to run for it,
or the burning trees will be tumbling down upon us and our canoe, and we
shall be very foolish to be thus caught."
In the course of a few minutes after this the wind did shift, and the
flames came leaping and crackling towards us.
"We will follow Martin's advice," said Alick. "We shall have plenty of
time though, I hope, to get our traps on board and shove off. We must
look out for another camping-ground to spend the remainder of the
night."
We hastened down the bank, followed by Bouncer, who stood for some
seconds barking furiously at the fire, as if indignant at its having put
us to flight. We were not long in launching our canoe, reloading her,
and tumbling in the skins; when, shoving off, we paddled to a safe
distance from the shore. In a couple of minutes we saw the flames reach
the base of the narrow line of trees which lined the bank; when, aided
by the dry creepers which encircled them, it climbed up at a rapid rate,
twisting and turning and springing from branch to branch till the whole
wood presented a solid wall of fire. It could not injure us, as the
wind, blowing in the opposite direction, carried the falling boughs away
from the river. The valley a little to the eastward prevented the
conflagration from extending in that direction, but it still gave forth
sufficient light to enable us to select a sheltered bay, into which we
steered the canoe. Here we again landed, hoping to remain unmolested
for the rest of the night. As the wind was cold we lighted a fire,
though we could find no bark with which to put up a lean-to.
We had therefore to sleep as well as we could on the bare ground. Very
frequently one or other of us climbed to the top of the bank to watch
the progress of the flames. They were sweeping along to the west and
south-west, leaving a space in their rear still glowing with the burning
embers.
Alick, who was anxious to get the skins dressed as soon as possible,
again spread them out, and those of us who were unable to sleep employed
ourselves in beating them with the paddles. As soon, also, as we could
scrape a sufficient quantity of ashes from the fire we made a ley, with
which we kept them moist, the effect being to render them soft and
pliable.
Before morning the fire had got to a considerable distance, but we could
still see a thin line of flame extending from north to south. After
all, I believe that it was not so destructive as we had supposed. At
the same time, such fires constantly occurring on the prairies render
them arid and sterile and prevent the growth of forest trees. Were any
means taken to put a stop to their occurrence, willows and other trees
would soon sprout up, and the prairies would be converted into humid
tracts in which vegetable matter would accumulate, and a soil be formed
adapted to promote the growth of fine trees.
We were tempted to remain an hour or two after sunrise, for the sake of
making progress with the dressing of our deerskins, and also to dry some
more venison, as it was very evident that it would not keep fresh wetted
as it had been, with the sun beating down upon it, though covered up by
the skins.
"We have plenty to eat and plenty to drink," observed Martin, as we were
paddling along; "but I should very much like a variety, and unless we
can get it I am afraid that we shall be attacked by scurvy, or fall ill
in some other way."
"To be sure, it will take us some time to drink up the water of the
river, but I don't know that the venison will hold out quite as long,"
said Robin. "We might find some berries and roots if we were to search
for them in any of the woods we may come to, or perhaps we might shoot
some birds or catch some fish. I should like some fish amazingly. We
have materials for lines, but I have not had time yet to manufacture
some hooks, as I intended. If some of you like to search for berries
and roots, or to shoot any birds you may meet, I'll undertake to stay by
the canoe and work away at the hooks."
"But if we delay, we shall not get to Fort Ross before the winter sets
in," remarked Alick.
"But it will be better to be delayed than to fall sick from want of
wholesome food," observed Martin. "I have an extraordinary longing for
vegetable diet, and would give anything just now for a dish of greens,
or mashed potatoes, or strawberries and cream."
While this conversation was going on, we came to the mouth of a pretty
large stream, the banks of which were covered with wood of considerable
growth, while here and there grassy spots offered tempting
landing-places.
My feelings were very like Martin's, and Robin joining us, we all begged
Alick to steer up the stream, intending to land and search for what we
were so eager to obtain.
We kept a lookout, some of us on one side of the canoe and some on the
other, for any animals or birds which might appear on the bank. Martin
and I, who were in the bow, fancied we saw a deer on the right-hand
side, and called Alick's attention to it.
While we were looking out Robin, whose quick sight had been attracted by
some movements in the foliage, exclaimed, "There's a man--an Indian. If
he's an enemy, he'll have a shot at us;" and pulling in his paddle, he
seized his gun, ready to take aim at our supposed foe. As he spoke we
turned our heads round in the same direction, and we all saw among the
trees a human being stooping and apparently intently watching us.
"If he sees that we're all armed he won't fire, though he should have a
musket," said Alick. "We'll wave to him, and try to make him understand
that we have no wish to be foes to any one. Show your fowling-pieces,
lads!"
We all lifted up our guns, then laying them down, again took to our
paddles. We now steered the canoe towards the shore, where we had seen
the man. We soon reached a spot where we could land; but Alick desired
us to sit still in the canoe, as possibly there might be other persons
besides the one we saw.
The gloom of the forest prevented our seeing his features, but on
getting nearer, to our surprise we perceived that the seeming Indian was
a white man, though clad from head to foot in skins. There he stood, in
an attitude of astonishment, with his mouth wide open, unable apparently
to utter a word. Though he was greatly altered, I felt sure that I knew
the man before me.
"Hillo! Pat Casey!" I exclaimed. "What! don't you remember us?"
"Och! shure, is it yourself that's spaking to me?" exclaimed Pat, for
Pat he was--of that I had no doubt. "I belaved that you were all
murthered by the Injins months ago, and niver expected to see your faces
again."
"But you see that you were mistaken, Pat, and that we are all alive and
well," I said.
While I was speaking, Pat had been slowly approaching, still evidently
greatly in doubt whether we were real beings of this world or spirits
from another. When at length he was convinced that we were ourselves,
he rushed forward towards us, and seizing me by the hand, exclaimed,
"Shure, it's a reality, and you have escaped the redskins."
The rest of the party also convinced him that we were alive by shaking
him warmly by the hand, and inquiring how he came to be there.
"Och! shure, but it's a sad story," he answered, "and I'll be afther
telling you all about it. I need not ask you whether you know that the
fort was surprised by the Sioux, and all who could not escape put to
death, for if you have been to the place you would have been afther
seeing the state those thafes of the world left it in. Sandy McTavish
and I, with five others, managed to get away by leaping from the
stockade on one side, as the redskins came in on the other; but short
time we had to do it and hide ourselves. Making our way down to the
canoe, we had just time to shove off before they discovered us and sent
a shower of arrows whizzing round our heads. As it was dark, they did
not take good aim, and though they came howling along on the top of the
bank, we got over to the opposite side, and soon paddled out of their
sight. We had no food and only a couple of muskets which Sandy and I
carried off, for the other men had dropped theirs in their fright, and
what was worse, we found that we had only a few charges of powder and
shot. We got on very well, barring the want of food--for we could see
nothing to shoot--till we came to the rapids, and faith! it would have
been betther if we hadn't thried to shoot them, for though Sandy and the
other man had gone up and down them several times, it was always in a
large canoe. It was late in the day and getting dusk, and somehow or
other Sandy, who was steering, let the canoe strike against a big rock.
Over she went, with a hole knocked through her bows! Having no fancy to
be drowned, I made a leap on to the rock, and shouting to my companions
to follow, with many a hop, skip, and jump, managed to reach the shore;
but when I looked out for the rest of us, I could nowhere see them. I
shouted again and again, but they did not answer. My belafe is that
they were all carried away and drowned. I sat down on the bank, and at
last, as I had been awake for many a long hour, I fell fast asleep.
When I awoke in the morning, not a sight was there of the canoe, and I
thought to myself, What was I to do? I knew that Fort Ross was
somewhere in the direction the sun was used to rise, and so thinks I, if
I kape along in that direction I shall some day get there. I had only
four charges of powder in my pouch, and as I might have been afther
starving when I had shot it all away, I felt gloomy enough. However,
there was no use sighing, so I got up and set forward. As ill-luck
would have it, I missed the first two shots, but with the third I killed
an aigle, or bird of that sort. It was not very good ateing, anyhow,
but it kept body and soul together for a day or two. I had now got only
one charge remaining, and thinks I to myself, I'll never be reaching
Fort Ross with this, if I don't manage to kill a deer or some other big
baste which would give me mate enough to last me all the way. I went on
all day, eagerly looking out for a deer or a buffalo or a bear, and
thinking how I could get up to it to make shure. At last, what should I
see between the trees but a crayther with big horns cropping the grass
all alone. Thinks I to myself, `If I can creep up and put a shot into
his head, I'll have mate enough to last me for a month to come.' There
was no time to be lost, so creeping along Indian fashion, I made towards
him. I kept my gun all ready to fire, not knowing what moment he might
start off. All the time I felt my heart beating pit-a-pat, for thinking
what I should do if I missed. `Take it easy,' says I to myself, but
that was no aisy matther. At last I got within twenty yards of the
deer, who hadn't yet seen me. It may be if I thry to get nearer, he'll
know there's danger near and will be off with a whisk of his tail, and
my bullet will be flying nowhere; so, just praying that I might shoot
straight, I raised my piece as he was lifting his head to look about
him. I fired. He leaped into the air, and I thought he was going to be
off; but instead of doing that same, over he fell. `Hurrah! good luck
to ye, Pat Casey,' I cried out, making the forest ring with my shouts.
I soon had some slices off the deer, and lighting a fire where I was, I
quickly cooked them, for I had had nothing to eat since I had finished
the aigle. I had now food enough to last me till I could reach the
fort, but how to kape it swate till then was the question. I thried to
smoke some, but I did not manage it altogether well. I was still
considering what to do when, going into the wood to get some more sticks
for my fire, I saw the river running directly in front of me. At first
I thought it was the big sthrame itself, but when I looked down it and
up it, I saw that it was neither, and that if I was going to reach Fort
Ross I must cross it somehow or other, but how to get over was the
throuble. I'd be dhrowned if I thried, and be no better off than poor
Sandy and the rest, so at last I thought to myself, `I'll just squat
where I am; maybe some canoes will be coming this way, or some friendly
Indians will be finding me out.' Well, that's the long and short of my
history."
We agreed that Pat, perhaps, had acted wisely, knowing the difficulties
he would have had to encounter, had he continued his journey overland.
He took us to his hut, which was a short distance from the bank of the
river. It was very well formed of birch-bark, and of good size. He had
made himself a bed from the tops of spruce firs. Alongside it was a
smaller hut in which he had hung up his venison. The top of this
smaller wigwam was covered with the deer's skin.
During the summer he might have done very well, but in the winter he
would, I suspect, have perished from cold and hunger, as he would have
had great difficulty in catching any animals. It was indeed fortunate
for him that we had put into that river.
We did not forget the object for which we had visited it, and we
immediately set to work, under the guidance of Robin, to search for
roots and berries.
Of the latter, Pat had already collected a great quantity for present
use, but remembering how nearly poisoned we had been, he was afraid to
cook any roots. Robin, however, knew well what were good to eat and
what were pernicious, and we had perfect confidence in his judgment.
Altogether we added a considerable amount of what I may call vegetables
to our stock. As we all had a peculiar longing for them, we at once
cooked as many as we could eat, scarcely touching the venison, of which
we had already begun to get tired.
Pat, who appeared to consider himself at home, begged that we would
occupy his hut for the night, remarking that it was already too late to
make much progress before nightfall. We accordingly agreed to stay
where we were till the following morning.
His stock of venison added to ours would enable us to perform the voyage
without having again to stop and hunt for game. Martin had been
employing himself, as he had undertaken to do, in manufacturing some
hooks and lines, aided by Robin, who had learned very ingenious arts
from the Indians. The rest of us employed the evening in cutting out
some moccasins, for not one of us had a pair of shoes to our feet, and
should we have to make any portages we should seriously suffer in having
to walk with our loads over the hard ground.
We used but a small portion of our deerskins. We intended the remainder
to serve as a covering for our provisions in the daytime, and for
ourselves at night, should the weather become cold. Our intention,
however, was to kill two or three bears, the skins of which might better
answer the latter purpose. It was with evident regret that Pat the next
morning left the hut in which he had made himself so completely at home;
still, he had no wish to remain behind.
"If I had but a few pigs and praties," he observed, with a sigh, "I'd
soon be afther making a garden of this wilderness."
Again we were paddling down the stream, with Pat on board. There was
room for him, and though his weight brought the canoe much deeper in the
water than before, as long as it remained calm we had no fear.
We paddled along, and were speaking to Pat of the possibility that Sandy
and the other men had escaped. He, however, declared that they must
have been drowned, as he had seen them, he asserted, a long way below
the rocks in the seething foam, through which it would be impossible for
them to swim; still, we had some hopes--knowing the dangers from which
some men manage to escape--that they had saved their lives.
Martin had manufactured some hooks, and had greatly improved his
fish-spear, of which he was very proud. We had not gone far when we
came to a slight rapid, down which, however, Alick declared he should
have no difficulty in steering the canoe; though the water ran swiftly
and a few dark rocks appeared above the surface, as there were no waves
of any size and but comparatively little foam, there did not appear to
be much danger.
Martin, who was seated in the bow, exclaimed, "I saw a sturgeon pass us
just now; if I catch sight of any more, I must have one of them."
Presently, before Alick could warn him of the danger he was running, he
stood up and darted his spear. The next instant what was our horror to
see him fall over headlong into the water, the line attached to the
spear catching as he did so round his leg!
I was sitting next to him, and attempted to catch hold of one of his
feet, which hung for a moment on the gunwale.
The canoe was nearly upset, the water rushing quickly in. At the same
time, her bow being stopped she was brought broadside to the current.
Before I could catch Martin's foot, it slipped off the gunwale, and he
disappeared under the waves.
"He's Rose's brother, and for his own sake I must save him!" exclaimed
Alick, and without considering the fearful danger he was running of
losing his own life, he threw himself over the stern, and swam towards
the spot where Martin had disappeared.
Robin, who was sitting next to him, seizing the steering-paddle, with
great presence of mind brought the canoe with her bow down the stream.
"Back, both of you!" he shouted out to Pat and me.
We did as he advised, but the strong current drove the canoe downwards.
Just below us a dark rock of some extent rose above the water, and we
had to exert ourselves to the utmost to avoid drifting against it.
With the deepest interest we watched Alick's progress. Presently down
he dived, and to our joy returned holding Martin in one hand, and
energetically treading water, while with the other hand he released him
from the line which had got round his leg. The current was rapidly
bearing them down towards the rock.
I should have said that there was another rock, just above where the
accident happened, and though it scarcely rose above the surface, it had
the effect of deflecting the current, thus causing it to run with less
violence than would otherwise have been the case against the larger
rock. Lower down, a powerful swimmer such as Alick was could alone have
borne up another person, and that person almost senseless, and at the
same time have contrived to direct his course amid those furious waters.
We were using all our efforts to get up to him.
"Keep off!" he shouted. "You will upset the canoe if you attempt to
take us on board. I'll make for the rock."
That he would be able to do so, however, seemed very doubtful, and we
trembled for his and Martin's safety, while we still plied our paddles
to stem the current and at the same time to avoid the rock.
"Go to the other side," shouted Alick; "and, Pat, you get on the rock
and help me."
Understanding his intentions, and seeing that it was the best course to
pursue, we obeyed his order, and turning round into our usual position
when paddling, we directed the canoe so as to round the southern end of
the rock, and then, though drifted down some yards, we once more paddled
up to it on its eastern or lower side. Here we could approach it
without difficulty, and finding bottom with our paddles, Pat, as
directed, stepped out, and clambered up to the top of the rock.
A minute or more of intense anxiety had passed since we had last seen
Alick and Martin; and Robin and I looked eagerly up at Pat to hear his
report. Without uttering a word, however, we saw him slip down to the
other side of the rock.
"Can they have sunk!" exclaimed Robin. "He would have told us if he had
seen them."
"He would not have gone down the rock had they disappeared," I answered,
but still I felt terribly anxious, and wished that Alick had told me to
land instead of Pat; still, under such circumstances, it is always wise
to obey orders, and I hoped for the best.
To leave the canoe and go to their assistance would be dangerous in the
extreme, as, should she drift away, Robin would be unable by himself to
paddle her back. I could not, however, resist the temptation of sending
Bouncer, and one pat on the back while I pointed to the top of the rock
was sufficient to make him leap on to it and climb to the top.
The loud bark he gave and the wag of his tail, as he looked down on the
other side, convinced me that our companions were safe, and presently
afterwards I saw Alick and Pat lifting Martin's apparently inanimate
body to the summit.
"He is still alive," cried Alick; "but we must reach the shore, and get
a fire lighted as soon as possible."
He said no more, except to direct us to bring the stern of the canoe
closer to the rock.
This we did, when, wading into the water, he placed Martin on board, he
himself getting in, followed by Pat and Bouncer.
We were now, we found, close to the foot of the rapid, and a few more
strokes carried us into comparatively still water. A short distance
off, on the left bank, was a wood of some size. The bank, which here
formed a small bay, was sufficiently low to enable us to land; we
paddled rapidly towards it, but when we got near the spot we found that
the water was not of sufficient depth to allow the canoe, heavily-laden
as she was, to get alongside. Pat therefore stepped out, and loading
himself with a couple of packages of meat and all the skins, carried
them on shore. The rest of us then getting into the water, we were able
to drag the canoe much nearer to the bank. On this, Alick lifting
Martin by the shoulders and I taking his legs, we carried him on shore.
He made no movement, and as I looked into his face I certainly feared
that he was dead. Robin must have thought the same, for, putting his
hands before his eyes, he burst into tears.
"Oh! he's gone, he's gone!" he murmured.
We could say nothing to reassure our young friend. An open space being
found, Pat spread out the skins, and without a moment's loss of time
began to collect wood for a fire. As soon as Robin and I had unloaded
the canoe and lifted her up the bank, we assisted him, while Alick,
regardless of himself, was getting off Martin's wet garments. Having
done so, he called and desired me to rub his feet and hands, while we
wrapped him up in the skins.
Our friend was still breathing, which gave us some encouragement, and we
continued our exertions without ceasing. As soon as the fire was
lighted we placed him as close to it as was prudent, while Pat and Robin
cut some stakes and collected some bark to form a lean-to, that we might
still further shelter him. He at length opened his eyes and recognised
us, but was still unable to speak. We continued rubbing him, our hopes
of his complete restoration being raised.
Pat, also by Alick's directions, got water and put some venison on to
boil, that we might have broth to pour down his throat as soon as he was
able to swallow it. The improvement we looked for was, however, so
gradual that I proposed--as it was impossible for us to continue our
voyage till the next day--that it would be advisable to build a wigwam,
which would afford better shelter than the lean-to during the night.
"I agree with you," answered Alick, "and the sooner you set about it the
better."
"So we will," I said; "but I wish that you would get off your wet
clothes, or, strong as you are, you may suffer from remaining in them so
long."
Alick laughed at this notion. "This fire will soon dry me," he
answered, "and I'll stay by it and attend to Martin while you three
collect the materials and build the wigwam."
I in vain expostulated with my brother. Even though my clothes were
dry, except my moccasins and the lower part of my trousers, I felt the
wind very chilly. At last I was obliged to set off with Pat and Robin.
We settled to put up a good large wigwam, which might hold us all; and
we could then have a fire in the centre. This for Martin's sake would
be very important. We accordingly cut down the largest saplings we
could find, and we were fortunate in discovering numerous large sheets
of bark, some in a sufficiently good condition to have formed a canoe,
had we been compelled to build one.
A very short time only is necessary to erect a birch-bark wigwam when
materials are abundant, as they were in the present instance; and it is
wonderful what a comfortable abode it affords, impervious alike to rain
or wind or even to an ordinary amount of cold.
When in a sheltered situation, the Indians pass most severe winters in
these habitations, built in the recesses of cypress groves, through
which the chilling blast fails to find an entrance. Having put up the
wigwam, we cleared away the grass from the interior, and then dug a
slight hole in the centre, which we surrounded with the largest stones
we could find. This was to form our fireplace. Four little trenches
around it, leading to the bottom, would enable a sufficient current of
air to enter and keep it blazing. Our next care was to cut down a good
supply of spruce fir tops to form couches.
The wigwam was quite large enough for all of us, including Bouncer, and
would have held another guest, leaving ample space between the feet of
the sleepers and the fire. We little thought at the time how long we
should require it.
As soon as it was finished, we lifted Martin up on one of the skins, and
carried him into it. He was aware of what we were doing, for as I bent
over him I heard him whisper, "Thank you! thank you!" but he could say
no more.
The soup, which was now ready, greatly revived him, and we ourselves,
after our exertions, were glad of a hearty meal.
I observed Alick, while we were seated round our fire in the wigwam,
shivering several times, while he looked unusually pale.
"I am afraid you're ill," I said.
"Oh, it is nothing; I shall be better after supper and some sleep," he
answered. "My plunge into the cold water was somewhat trying, perhaps;
and I wish I had followed your advice, and dried my clothes at once."
I begged him to put on my coat, and to cover himself up with one of the
deerskins, which was not required for Martin, while his clothes were
more effectually dried. To this he at last consented, and we hung them
up on the side of the fire opposite to that where Martin lay, so as not
to deprive him of the warmth.
On going out into the open air, we were sensible of the great difference
of temperature which existed inside the hut and outside. We found it
necessary to keep the entrance open, instead of closing it with a piece
of bark which we had prepared for the purpose.
Alick's clothes were soon quite dry, when, having put them on, he
stretched himself on the bed we had prepared for him. As he did so, I
saw him again shiver violently several times. This made me more than
ever apprehensive that he had received a chill. He confessed, indeed,
that his head ached terribly, and that he felt sometimes extremely hot,
and then very cold. Even a mugful of hot soup, which we got him to
swallow, did not seem to do him any good; and as he was now unable to
attend to Martin, I took his place.
The next morning, as I feared, though Martin was slightly better, Alick
was very ill and utterly unfit to proceed on the voyage. We at once
made up our minds to remain where we were for that day, or perhaps for
longer if necessary. Alick, though very weak, was perfectly conscious.
"Don't lose time," he whispered to me; "but do you and Robin go out and
try and shoot some game. If our voyage is delayed we may be running
short of provisions. Pat will remain with Martin and me, for as he is
no shot, he would only be throwing the ammunition away."
Pat, who was not vain of his powers as a sportsman, readily consented to
this.
"Shure, I'll be afther taking good care of the jintleman," he said. "If
a bear or a wolf comes this way, faith, he'll be sorry for it to the end
of his days."
Bouncer accompanied us, and he was so well-trained that he would assist
us greatly should we fall in with a deer. We were more successful even
than we expected, for we killed a small deer and three squirrels, and on
our return saw several other animals--another deer, a raccoon lodged
comfortably high up between the branches of a tree, a black fox, and a
wolverine; which showed us that, should we have to remain on the spot,
we were not likely to run short of provisions.
"If we have to remain out during the winter, we shall want skins of all
sorts to make clothes and bed-coverings," observed Robin.
"Why do you say that?" I asked.
"Because I think that there is a great chance of our not getting to the
fort before the winter sets in," he answered. "We have already been a
long time about our voyage, and I fear, both from your brother's and
Martin's state, that we may be detained here several days. Alick's
fever is only just commencing, and Martin cannot recover in a hurry;
though he's not worse to-day, he's very little better."
I could not help agreeing with him, and when we got back to the camp we
were both confirmed in the opinion he had expressed. Alick's fever had
increased, and Martin was still so weak that he could only just open his
eyes and utter a few words in a low voice. Pat had been very attentive
in feeding him with small mouthfuls of soup at a time--the best thing he
could do.
Poor Alick could take nothing, though he was thankful to have his lips
moistened with cold water. Robin and I felt very anxious about their
condition, but we did not let them see this, and endeavoured to keep up
their spirits and our own. The fresh meat we had brought was of great
benefit to Martin, as Pat could make better soup with it than he had
before been able to do with the dry venison. The next day we were all
too much alarmed about Alick even to leave the wigwam; indeed, for
several days he seemed to hang between life and death, till a turn came,
and he began slowly to mend--so slowly, though, that we gave up all
hopes of continuing our voyage. Martin got better rather more rapidly,
and was at length able to assist in attending to Alick. He did so with
the greatest care. He was aware of the gallant way, with the fearful
risk of losing his own life, in which Alick had saved his.
The Indian summer--that period between the first breaking up of the real
summer weather and the setting in of the frost--lasted but a few days.
The leaves of the trees changed from green to varied tints of red,
brown, yellow, and purple, hanging but a short time, and the first icy
winds brought them in showers to the ground.
One morning, when we looked out of our wigwam, the whole face of nature
was changed. The boughs of the trees were bending with the snow, and
the country on every side was covered with a sheet of white. By closing
the entrance of our wigwam, and keeping a fire constantly burning, we
maintained a sufficient heat in the interior. The severe frost,
however, of that northern region had not yet commenced; but come it
would, we knew, and we talked earnestly of the means we must take to
enable us to encounter it. Robin and I had been pretty successful with
our guns, and we had kept our party well supplied with game. We had
killed two more deer, and should have been glad to fall in with three or
four bears for the sake of their skins; but, except that of the bear
Alick had killed, we had no other. Still, we had reason to be thankful
that we had deerskins sufficient to clothe all the party.
As Martin got better he employed himself in making some small nets of
wattap, of which we obtained a plentiful supply. He had also
manufactured another spear, and he proposed, as soon as he was able to
go out, to attempt catching some fish.
During one of our excursions, Robin and I had reached the shore of a
fine lake, in the clear water of which we had seen several large
white-fish; and when we told Martin, he begged that we would take his
net and spear and try to catch them.
"But they are all under the ice now, for the lake must be frozen over,"
I observed.
"So much the better; you will catch them the more easily," he answered.
"All you have to do is to cut a hole in the ice, and let down the net,
and the fish which will come to breathe at the open water are sure to be
caught."
As Martin himself was unable to go out, Robin and I undertook to follow
his directions, at which he appeared greatly pleased. As both he and
Alick seemed to wish for fish we set off at once, leaving Pat to take
care of them.
We found the lake completely frozen over, and though the ice was not yet
very thick, it was sufficiently so to bear our weight. With our long
sheath-knives we contrived after some labour to cut a hole in the ice;
we then let down one of the nets, holding tight to the upper edge. We
had not long to wait, when we felt by the violent agitation of the net
that a fish had been caught. We hauled it carefully in, not knowing
whether the fish might escape; but it was securely fastened by the
gills, and we soon had it safe. It weighed, we calculated, between six
and eight pounds.
Our success encouraged us to proceed, and another fish, of a still
larger size, was captured.
"This is good fun," cried Robin. "We shall never want food while we can
catch fish in this fashion."
Again we put down the net; but though we waited long, no fish came into
it. Losing patience, we agreed to cut another hole at some distance
off, fancying that the fish might have been frightened at seeing their
companions drawn so suspiciously out of the water. Having cut the hole,
we, as before, let down the net, and shortly afterwards captured a third
fish. I suspect that, had we remained at the first hole, we should have
been equally successful.
The fish at this early season of the year were probably swimming about
freely under the water, and did not require the fresh air which
afterwards would become so welcome to them. We cut two or three other
holes, and altogether caught five fish--a pretty fair load to carry
home. We had the advantage, at this season of the year, of being able
to keep them fresh; for they froze soon after they were taken out of the
water, and would remain thus perfectly stiff till the return of spring,
or till put into water, when the frost would be drawn out of them.
That evening, for supper, we had roasted fish and boiled fish, both of
which Alick and Martin greatly relished. We made several trips after
this to the lake, and the first day Martin was able to set out on an
excursion he accompanied us. On that day we were more successful than
ever, owing to his superior skill and practical experience. We each
returned home heavily-laden.
Alick was still too weak to go out, but he had sufficiently recovered to
take an interest in all that was going forward, as also to consider our
prospects for the future.
"One thing is certain, boys: if we are to remain here, we must build a
warmer abode than our present one," he observed. "This does very well
to sleep in at present; but, as you all know, we shall presently have
weather when we may be frozen in our beds, even if we should manage to
keep up a fire all night. We must build a log hut with a chimney of
stones and clay. I wish we had thought of it before, when the ground
was soft, and we could have dug up the stones and found mud to stop the
intervals between the logs. We may still manage it, but there is very
little time to lose, I suspect, if we are to escape the fate of the
gallant Willoughby and his brave men, who were all found frozen on board
their ship to the north of Lapland."
We were all eager to do as Alick proposed, but as we had but one axe
between us, it must be a slow process, I knew; and the axe might break,
and the work be stopped altogether. The next morning we commenced
operations by marking a number of trees suited for the purpose. Taking
the axe, I began chopping away at the first tree we intended to fell.
No further progress was, however, made in the work. I had given but a
few strokes when I was interrupted in my task.