"It is snow-blindness," he answered--"a serious matter. We must camp
without delay. Do you go on, David, ahead of Pat, and show the way."
I told Pat, who was stumbling on, to stop while I took the lead of the
train. He then easily followed, and Martin kept after his sledge. We
went on in this way till we reached the wood for which I was steering.
On getting under its shelter we lost no time in putting up the tent, in
which we immediately placed our two now perfectly blind companions.
Alick and I had cause to be thankful that we had not suffered in the
same way.
How dreadful would have been our fate had the whole party been struck by
snow-blindness!
Alick remembered to have heard that the only cure was to bathe the eyes
in cold water, and to remain under shelter. We might thus be delayed
for several days, but as we could not tell that we should not be
attacked in the same way, we thought this better than attempting to
reach Fort Ross without stopping. We lighted a fire, and put some snow
into the pot to melt. We had abundance of food for the journey, so that
the delay on that account was not of much consequence, though we might
have to go on short commons at the end of it.
Our blind companions found great relief from bathing their eyes. We had
to take the pot again and again to the fire, as it rapidly cooled and
began to freeze. All arrangements having been made, Alick took his gun,
and went out in the hopes of finding some game in the wood. Late in the
evening he returned without having shot anything. Another whole day
passed, and on the third, as Martin began to see a little, leaving
Bouncer to assist him in taking care of the camp, I accompanied Alick.
We had been out some hours when we caught sight of a small deer, to
which we gave chase. It kept a long way ahead of us, but we followed
its trail, determined, at all costs, to have it. It stopped several
times, and at last, we having got within range, Alick was tempted to
fire.
His shot took effect, but the deer bounded off, though we saw by the
crimson stains on the snow that it was severely wounded; still it kept
ahead of us, and disappeared behind a grove of larches.
Feeling pretty sure that it would seek for shelter in the wood, and
knowing that we could always trace it, as we were both weary of our long
run, we sat down for a few minutes to rest.
"Now," cried Alick, "well go and get the deer."
Again we started off, but had not gone many paces when we heard the
faint sounds of yelping and barking. The trail was clear enough, but
the deer, though wounded, had evidently gone at a great pace. In a
short time we discovered that the trail had been joined by that of
several other animals coming from the right hand and the left, which we
at once knew to be wolves.
"We shall lose our venison, I fear, if we don't make haste," said Alick.
The yelping and barking sounds increased in loudness, when we saw ahead
of us, amid the snow, a flashing of tails and flying hair, and directly
afterwards a dozen or more dark forms, all tugging and snarling and
occasionally biting at each other, evidently employed in pulling away at
a body on the ground.
They were "coyotes," or small prairie-wolves; but though small, they
exhibit wonderful activity and power of swallowing. By the time we got
up to the brutes they had devoured every particle of the deer, and
nothing remained but a well-picked skeleton, from which they slunk off
when we were almost close enough to knock them over with the butts of
our guns. They were not worth shooting, so we let them go, and,
bitterly disappointed, set off to return to our camp. We had no
difficulty in finding our way, but it was trying to have lost our game
after so long a chase, especially as we greatly needed the venison both
for ourselves and Bouncer, who required to be well fed.
The next morning Pat, as well as Martin, had sufficiently recovered to
set off again. By Alick's advice we fastened some dark handkerchiefs
over our faces, with two minute holes in them through which we could
look. We could, however, see only directly before us, unless, we turned
our heads.
We had been compelled to use up the greater portion of our food during
these four days' delay. On the evening of the fifth day after leaving
the camp at which we had so long remained, we found ourselves
approaching Fort Ross.
All our troubles, we hoped, would now be at an end. We had exhausted
the remainder of our pemmican and dried meat at the last, meal we had
taken at noon, having given Bouncer a larger portion than usual. That
did not matter. We were about to be welcomed by our friends, and to
enjoy an abundance. We all felt hungry, and could not help talking of
the warm supper which would soon be placed before us. We therefore
trudged cheerfully forward, Pat every now and then giving forth one of
his merry Irish songs.
At last the flanking towers of Fort Ross came into view through the dim
twilight, but no flag was flying, nor did we see anybody moving about.
"Of course they hauled down the flag at sunset," said Martin, "but I
wonder they didn't see us. They would be sure to be keeping a lookout."
Alick made no remark. I expected every instant to see Mr Meredith or
some of the garrison come out to welcome us.
The gate was reached, but no one appeared. We knocked and shouted, and
Bouncer barked. No answer came, neither to his nor our calls.
"The fort is deserted!" I exclaimed. "What dreadful event can have
happened?"
"Mr Meredith for some reason or other was ordered to retire. Had the
Indians captured the fort, the gate would have been left open," observed
Alick.
"The sooner we get in and ascertain what has occurred, the better," said
Martin.
"Faix, thin, if you'll give me a lift I'll soon find out," said Pat,
taking off his snow-shoes.
The poles of the tent were placed against the gate, and with our help
Pat climbed them till he could reach the top with his hands, when,
drawing himself up, he got his head and shoulders over.
"Sorra a man do I see," he cried out, "but, bedad, there's a black baste
waddling along on the opposite side. There's another, and another.
They're bears, and seem to be the only garrison left in the place. Just
hand me up my gun, plase, for I should not like having them coming to
turn me out without the manes of disputing the matther."
We handed Pat up his gun, when he immediately slipped down inside and
made haste to undo the fastenings of the gate.
It was opened, and we hurried in, dragging the sledges after us. We
loosened Bouncer, that he might be able to do battle should any of the
bears venture to attack us. They, however, the very moment we had
arrived, were, so it seemed to us, on the point of evacuating the fort,
and the last of them must have climbed over the palisades while Pat was
engaged in undoing the door. We conjectured that their object in coming
to the fort was to search for food.
Having entered, we again closed the door and took possession of one of
the rooms, in which was a large stove. Fortunately there was a small
store of wood remaining, with which we lighted a fire, and had there
been food we should have been perfectly comfortable.
Why our friends had deserted the fort it was difficult to determine.
Martin thought that it was on account of want of provisions. Alick held
to the opinion that they were required to strengthen the garrison of
some more important fort.
I suspected that Mr Meredith, having heard of the destruction of Fort
Black, and believing that Fort Ross would be attacked, and that he
possessed inadequate means of defending it, had thought it prudent to
retire to another post.
"Surely they would not have gone away without leaving some notice for us
behind them, even although they were unable to spare any provisions,
should we arrive here," I said.
"They also probably believed that we were all destroyed," said Alick,
"and would not have thought about us."
"Whether or not, gintlemen, I'll just take the liberty of hunting about,
and seeing if I cannot ferret out some food or other," exclaimed Pat.
"If these bastes of bears haven't broken into the pantry, maybe there
will be a scrap of something or other to stay our stomachs."
Saying this, Pat lighted the end of a piece of pinewood, and set off on
his search. Though we had but little hope of finding anything eatable,
we followed his example, and searched in every nook and corner of the
fort.
Not a particle of food of any description could we find, which confirmed
the opinion Martin had expressed that our friends had been compelled to
desert the fort from the want of provisions. Indeed, when I came to
think of the matter, I did not believe that Mr Meredith could have been
frightened away by fear of an attack from Indians.
As I was returning to the sitting-room across the square, the light from
my torch showed me a dark form creeping along near the stockade. I felt
sure that it was a bear which had not succeeded in making its escape. I
hurried in for my gun, which I had left in the room where Bouncer was
lying down by the fire. My companions were at the time in different
parts of the fort.
I was afraid of calling to them, for fear of frightening the bear; so,
taking my gun in one hand and the torch in the other, I crept forward in
the direction in which I had seen the animal. Again I caught sight of
him attempting to climb up the palisade.
I advanced a few steps. Whether or not he saw me I could not tell.
Marking well the spot, I dropped my torch, and raising my gun to my
shoulder, fired.
By the faint light of the almost expiring torch I saw a huge body fall.
The report of the gun of course quickly brought out the rest of the
party, when, all of us hurrying forward, to our infinite satisfaction we
saw the bear on the ground struggling to get up. My bullet had missed
his head, but broken his shoulder. Alick and Martin immediately fired,
and the bear's struggles ceased.
"Be aisy, gintlemen; he may not be dead afther all," cried Pat,
advancing cautiously with his torch.
I reloaded my gun, in case Pat should be right in his conjecture; but
the bear gave no signs of life, and getting up to him we found that he
was quite dead.
We lost no time in skinning him, and as soon as we had done so Martin
cut a few choice pieces out of the carcass, and hastened back with them
to the fire, while we finished the operation. He was a young animal,
less active or sagacious than his companions.
We at once carried the meat and skin into the house, where Martin had
some steaks ready for us. We lay down after supper with thankful hearts
that a supply of meat had been so providentially sent to us.
Bouncer had his share, and then composed himself to sleep near the door,
with one eye open ready to warn us of the approach of danger.
Feeling sure that no unfriendly Indians were likely to be in the
neighbourhood at that season of the year, we passed the night with a
feeling of perfect security.
We had now to determine what further course it would be best to pursue.
The meat of the young bear would last us for several days, and perhaps
some of its companions might return to the fort and allow themselves to
be shot; but the probability was, however, slight. Finding that there
was no food and that the fort was garrisoned, they were not likely again
to climb over the palisades. Should they not do so we might, after all,
be very hard pressed for food.
"What do you say, lads, to pushing forward at once to the fort at
Touchwood Hills? The journey is a long one, but we are likely to find
game on the way; and if not, the flesh of this bear economised will last
us till we get there," said Alick.
There were no dissentient voices. We agreed, however, to rest that day
and keep watch, on the possibility of another bear appearing. None
came, and early in the morning we again plunged into the wilderness of
snow.
For two days we travelled on without any adventure, looking out for game
as we had before done. The second day we encamped rather earlier than
usual, as we saw traces of several deer, which we resolved if possible
to run down.
Having hurriedly pitched our tent near a small wood, Alick, Martin, and
I started off, leaving Pat and Bouncer to guard the camp. Pat had his
gun ready, observing that perhaps a deer would come that way, and if so
he might hope to kill it.
Though no deer were in sight, their tracks were unmistakable, and we
were tempted to go on farther from the camp than we had intended. As
the sun set, the wind began to blow colder than before, and clouds to
gather in the sky. Alick exclaimed that we must return as fast as our
legs could carry us.
Before we had got far, down came the snow, and with good reason we began
to fear that we should be unable to retrace our steps. As long as we
had sufficient light Alick's compass guided us, and we had taken the
last glance at it, and were scarcely able to distinguish in what
direction the needle pointed, when we caught sight of the tent, and
heard Pat's voice shouting loudly to us.
We hurried on, thankful that we had not been benighted; but Pat, instead
of welcoming us, as we expected, stood in front of the tent wringing his
hands.
"What's the matter, Pat?" asked Alick.
"Shure! matther enough, Misther Alick dear," he answered. "Just afther
you went away, Bouncer and I caught sight of a deer, far off over the
snow. Says I to Bouncer, `We'll have that deer;' and off we set, making
sure that we should come up to him before long. Instead of stopping to
be shot, however, the baste took to its heels. To make a long story
short, though we followed for many a mile, it got away afther all. Now
comes the worst part of the business. As we drew near to the tent I
heard a loud yelling, and what should I see but a pack of hungry wolves
tearing away at my sledge with all the bear's mate on it, and by the
time I got up not a scrap was left--bad luck to the bastes. Och! shure,
shure, what shall we be afther doing?"
We cast blank looks at each other, and Bouncer hung down his head, as if
he had been the cause of our loss. Alick could not blame Pat, though he
regretted that he did not give him a strict charge on no account to
leave the camp.
After our long chase we were desperately hungry, but had not a morsel to
eat. There was no use repining, however, and we hoped that we might
have better fortune the next day.
Supperless we turned into our little tent, to try to overcome our hunger
by sleep. An occasional growl from Bouncer showed us that the wolves
were still near.
As we had no breakfast to cook, the next morning we started as soon as
there was daylight sufficient to enable us to pack up our tent. Not a
trace of a deer did we see the next day; had any passed that way, the
snow must have obliterated their footmarks.
The second night was approaching, and we had no food. We came to some
hills with a grove of trees near a stream at their foot, but the stream
was frozen over, and the hills and trees covered thickly with snow.
As we were looking round for a spot on which to pitch our tent, we heard
Pat, who was at a little distance, shout out, "Here's an Injin wigwam;
maybe the owner will give us some food." On reaching it, however, we
found that the wigwam contained no inhabitants. There were, however,
several articles within, the household goods of a native--a pot, wallet,
basket, buffalo-robe, and other things.
At first we thought that the owner had gone out hunting, and would soon
return, but on a further examination we were satisfied that it had been
deserted for several days, or perhaps weeks. Too probably, the
unfortunate man had lost his life, either killed by a bear or a human
enemy, or, unable to obtain game, had perished from hunger.
Alick suggested that the occupants might have died of some disease, and
that it would be prudent to pitch our tent and sleep in that, rather
than in the wigwam.
Having cut some wood, we lighted a fire and chopped up the thongs of
Pat's sledge to make some soup. Though very unpalatable, it would serve
to keep us alive; it, at all events, stopped the gnawings of hunger and
enabled us to go to sleep.
We were awakened towards the morning by the howling of the wind amid the
leafless trees and the falling of the snow from the branches. Looking
out of the tent, we could scarcely bear the chilling blast, which drove
the particles of snow like pins and needles into our faces much as
spoondrift is driven from off the waves of the ocean.
To proceed on our journey was impossible. We dared not even light a
fire near the tent, lest it might be destroyed by the flames driven
against it by any sudden change of wind. All that day we sat helpless
and disconsolate. Martin, who had held out bravely hitherto, began to
give way.
"Oh! I must have some food," he murmured, "or I shall die."
He repeated this several times.
Alick at length, seizing his gun, started up. I thought he was going
out in spite of the bitter weather to search for game, but I saw him put
his hand on Bouncer's head and lead him forth.
He had got a short distance from the tent when we overtook him.
"It must be done," he said; "Bouncer must die. I cannot sit by and see
that poor boy perish. What should we say to his father and mother,
should we again meet them, or to Rose?"
I felt as he did, but, unwilling to see our noble and faithful dog put
to death, I turned aside, expecting to hear the report of the gun, when
Pat stepped up. "Shure, Misther Alick, you would not be afther killing
the poor baste!" he exclaimed. "Let us trust to Providence as
heretofore. We have not been deserted through all our throubles and
dangers. See now! what's that there?" he suddenly exclaimed. "After
it, Bouncer!" and he and the dog started off over the snow.
I turned on hearing his voice, and saw a small animal followed by a
larger, which I knew to be a fox. The cunning animal, catching sight of
us just before I fired, gave a sudden turn, and though my bullet knocked
off the top of his brush, he was far away, hidden by some low bushes,
before even Alick had seen him.
A "Hurrah!" from Pat at the same instant reached my ears, and he came
running back with Bouncer, who had caught the smaller animal.
The faithful dog at once surrendered his prize. It was a
ground-squirrel which the fox had chased out of its winter nest. We
should have been compelled to eat it raw had we not discovered a small
open spot among the trees where we could light a fire.
Skinning the squirrel, we cut it up and put it into the pot to boil,
while Bouncer had the head and skin for his share. He looked very
grateful at being first served, but licked his chaps, as if he would
have been obliged to us for a larger meal.
That squirrel, I believe, saved Martin's life, and perhaps the lives of
all of us. We were sufficiently recovered the next morning, and the
storm having abated we again set out; for all of us suffered more from
hunger than we had ever before done during our adventures.