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32X

Mount Allison

University

Ralph Pickard Bell Library

0.^ Z.-^. & "^vt^ '

"Mr'

THE

THREE TRAPPERS.

A STORY OF

Jllibcntttre in the 5Itili55 ot Canalia.

ACHILLES DAUNT.

\,i\"i

-ri I

With Jllustrations.

Jij:0nli an:
T. XELSOX AND SONS, PATERNOSTER ROW.

EDINBURGH; AND NEW YORK.

I >

Mount Allison University

Ralph Pickard Ben

Library

i«

^vcfarc.

-** —

-I

'HE writer wishes to point out that, althoiigli
the incidents whicli lie has introduced
into tlio followino' pages are such as
mio-]it be supposed likely enough to occur
some years since, the advance of civilization has
already rendered them inajipropriate to the earlier
scenes of the story. There is, for example, now-a-
days no danger of being waylaid by Blackfeet near
the Forks of the Saskatchewan. The buftalo has
become almost extinct. A few scattered herds still
survive among the foothills and parks of the Rocky
]\Iountains, but such scenes as that on page "90 are
things of the past. Ceaseless, senseless slaughter has
at last reduced the once innumerable herds of buffa-
loes to a straggling handful. It is a question if more
than one herd now exists in tlie United States. As
regards the other game -animals mentioned in the
story, their numljers are not yet sensibly diminished;
and probably for many years to come they will
tempt the sportsman to follow them amid the grim

rnEFACK.

solitudes of plain and mountain. Such characters as
Jake are, like the beaver and l)iiffalo, Ijecomino- scarce.
But occasionally an original of the type turns up.
The guides of the present day, such as Oregon Bill,
are a very difl'erent class to the rude, nncivilized
trappers of the past generation. They "do tlie thing
in style," and will cater for their employer as well as
house him in a comfortable wacfcfon, so that l)e c-'ame
never so vscarce, the sportsman will not feed the less
daintily. Under this system much of the romance
of the old days has departed. But, on the other hand,
its atlvantages arc evident. After all, an empty
platter is not to be preferred to a full one ; and the
sportsman seeks health and recreation in the wilder-
ness, not starvation.

©fontcuts.

CHAPTER I.

THE NORTH-WEST TERRITORY-TIIE SASKATCHEWAN-TUE TIIKEE TUArPERS-
A CAMI--T1IE AVOLVEKINE AND WAPITI-A SUITEU INTERRUPTED-DIS-
APPEARANCE OF THE WAPITI— DEATH OF THE WOLVERINE 13-27

CHAPTER II.

rOREST LIFE -PIERRE'S MORNING HUNT - PARTRIDOE DANCE - NATURAL
HISTORY OF THE PRAIRIE HEN-DESTRUCTION OF GAME IN AMERICV-
.TOURNEY RESUMED -THE TRUMPETER SWAN-PIERRe's ESCAPE-AP-
PEARANCE OF THE INDIAN-PIERRE'S RUSE-DEATH OF THE INDIAN-
PIERRE's ACCOUNT OF THE SWANS OF AMERICA 26-48

CHAPTER III.

FIOHT BETWEEN PRONG-HORN BUCKS- PIERRE SHOOTS BOTH-APPROACH TO

THE "forks" of the Saskatchewan— forest scenery— sudden

ALARM — THE ATTACK — THE FATAL SHOT
HENRI'S DEATH— THE BURIAL

DEFEAT OF THE SAVAGES —
49-Gl

CHAPTER IV.

.V'lLDERNESS LIFE-ENEMY LEFT BEHIND-THE OWL AND THE SWAMP HARE-
CONVERSATION ON THE NORTH-WEST TERRITORY-THE ANIMALS FRE-
QUENTING IT-THE COUGARS-DEATH OF A " PAINTER "-PIERRE's AO
COUNT OF THE COUGAR— HIS ADVENTURE 62-72

CHAPTER V.

SUDDEN ARRIVAL-OLD JAKE MAKES HIS APPEARANCE-A SHOOTING MATCH
-OLD JAKE'S SKILL WITH THE RIFLE -HIS HISTORY- EMIGRATES TO
OREGON-JOURNEY ACROSS THE PLAINS-STALKING ANTELOPES-INDIAN
ATTACK-DEATH OF JAKE's PARirVTS-HARD TIMES-REACHES OREGON-

Vlll

CONTL'NTS.

LKAVKS THE UTMIlEU-TnADE— BFX'OMES A FIIKK TltAPrEIl— (HUFF EVANS—
JAKE .KtlNH Tin; I'A IITY— <,H AN((E IN THE KEATIKEH OF THE COUNTltY—
IIUKIALOES— lll'.TKEAT TO THE (;ANoE— A VAST IIEUD— UUFKALO HUNT IN A
CANOE— WOLVES— UUMl' KIllS FOU SUl'l'EU— SATIETy AND IlEPOSE.. 73-103

CHArTKU VI.

AintlVAL AT CIIESTEKFIEM) HOUSE— JAKE FINDS OLD Af'QUAINTANCES— DE-
I'AUTUUE FKOM <IIESTE1U'IEI,1> HOUSE— JAKE's SYSTEM OF MOKAMTY—
ANTELOPES— OLD JAKE MAKES A SUCCESSFUL STALK lOi-117

CUAI'TEll VII.

JAKE's ACCOUNT OF THE AVONDEUS OF THE FAR WEST— THE COUNTKY ASSUMES
A NEW ASPECT — AUID I'LAINS — AUTEMISIA— OKIZZLY BEARS- llAUL-
TIEU'S IMPRUDENCE— PURSUED liY A (iRIZZLV— DEATH OF THE BEAR-
CAMP llS-131

CHAPTER VTir.

NOCTURNAL ALARM— STRANGE SCENE— EEAItS BURYINO THEIR DEAD COM-
RADE—THE I'ARTY DISCOVERED— A RACE FOR LIFE- OLD JAKE INTllO-
DUCEH PLUMCENTRE TO THE (iRIZZLV— FLKIHT OF THE SURVIVOR-
SOME ACCOUNT OF THE GRIZZLY BEAR — JAKE's ADVENTURES WITH
GRIZZLIES 132-145

ClIArTER IX.

JAKE ARRIVES IN CAMP WITH THE SKIN OF THE BEAR— LEAVE CAMP— DIS-
TANT PEAKS OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS— INDIANS— THE ATTACK— THE
HUNTERS TAKE REFUGE IN A CAVE — JAKE's PLAN — A STORM— THE
ESCAPE— THE TABLES TURNED — THE HUNTERS ATTACK THE INDIANS—
THE FIGHT- JAKE WINS HIS TOBACCO 146-161

CHAPTER X.

BIO-HORNS- THE APPROACH— JAKE's SUCCESS— A GOOD SHOT- THE BIO-HORN—

WOLF-SHOOTING— Pierre's adventure avith the Indians— he owes

HIS ESCAPE to their LOVE OF FIRE-WATER— A CATASTROPHE— THE ROOM
IN ELAME.S— FATAL EFFECTS AMONG THE INDIANS 162-178

CHAPTER XI.

DIFFICULTIES OF THE ROUTE — A PORTAGE— THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS — NEW
COUNTRY — STREAMS AND GROVES— JAKE'S OPINIONS ON FARMERS AND
FARMING — BUFrWLOES— ELK— MOCK ENCOUNTERS — STALKING THE GAME
— GAULTIER'S ADVENTURE — LOST IN THE FOREST — WEIRD NOISES IN THE
WOODS — OAULTIEB SEES THE REFLECTION OF THE CAMP-FIRE ON THE
SKY— GUIDED BY IT, HE REGAINS THE CAMP 179-19.")

n)N'n:xTs'.

riLVrTER XII.

WOOm ON FIRF— LRAVR fAMl'-A lIAI/l-l'llAiniK noOH— A DOO-TOWN— KX-
CITr,.MKNiA-MON(( TliK DOliS— A UAiTLKSNA KE— (lAULTIKU's ATTACK uN |||K
DOOS— A HKAR— PLUMC'ENTltK MIMSKS FIKK— (lAin/IIKR MIOoTS TIlK IlKMi
—TIIK CANOE HAS A NAIUKnV KhCA I'E—TllE I'AllTV MAKECA.Ml'.. I'JO-JUU

CilAl'TEK XIII.

THE IMtAiniE DOU— DIFFERENT VARIETIES— HTRIKIXn VIEW— THE IlfNTEHH
MAKE AN AMBUSH— ME IN WAIT FOR THE COVOTES— (iHAY W(.LVi:.s—
EACH HLNTER HECUllES A WOLF~A (iUIZZI.Y AMIIUSHEU— ANIKH-ATION
— HK AIUUVES— IN FOR IT-THE FIOHT— ClAULTIEIl's ESCAPE— DEATH OP

THE BE.iVR.

207--J-JO

CHAPTER XIV.

THE PARTY IIALT-HUN-DRYING THE HIDES-LEAVE CAMP-VOYAOEITRS-JAKK
MKETH AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE— DIFFICLTLTIES OF THE ROUTE-THE
BULL POUND— LEAVE THE SASKATCHEWAN— AN EXPLORINd EXCURSION
—RAVINES— SPLENDID VIEW — THE TRAPPERs' HOME — OAULTIER AD-
HEKES TO HIS OWN OPINION-THE CONSEQUENCES-IN A FIX-A TUltKEY
RUZZARD— UNPLE.UJANT PREDICAMENT— HELP ARRIVEiS 221-234

CIIArTER XV.

GAME PLENTIFUL-LEAVE BRITISH TERRITORY-MONTANA-FORESTS- HA I! D
WORK— A HALT-DISMAL SCENE— DIFFICULTIES OF THE ROUTE-PLAlN
SAILING AGAIN— A BEE-HUNT— JAKE's MODUS OPEIiANDI— FINDS THE
HIVE— APPROACHING THE END OF THE JOURNEY-GLOOMY STREAM—
ghost's RIVER-A portage- a PRETTY STREAM— A LAKE— CAMP— SUNSET
—AN EVENING STROLL NEAR CAMP—" PAINTERS " 235-248

CHAPTER XVI.

A LOG-nUT— A LABORIOUS TASK— FURNITURE— GAME— PIERRE MAKES A GOOD
SHOT AND VICTUALS THE CAMP— AN EXCURSION IN SEARCH OF BEAVER—
A REAVER DAM-THE HUNTERS REAP A RICH HARVEST— SETTLE DOWN IN
THEIR HI;T— THE END 24!)-".-(i

iiist of 3Ellu5tcatiaiKi.

-M-

roRTAOK ON (inosT's nrvEn,

BCENE OX THE .SASKATCHEWAN,

THE CAMP,

CAUOIIT IN THE KAI'IU,

OLD JAKK,

E.MJCIIIANT.S CIIOSSINU TIIK ]MyAIN.S,

I'KAIiaE Ol.' THE .SASKATiHKWAN,

A HUDSON JUy EOKT, ..

FOREST IN THE NOIlTH-WEsT,

CUIITEWA INDIANS,

BEAVER DAM,

• •

Irontisinece

• •

•■

• •

••

105

• •

110

••

171

, ,

253

l»

THE THEEE TrtArPEPtS.

-♦♦-

•»

CHAPTER I.

TIIK NOIITII-WEST TEURITORY— TlIK SASKATCHEWAN— TIIK TIIUEK TliAri'Ens—
A (AMI'— THE Wor.VKItINK AVO WAI'ITI— A SUl'l'EU INTEIIUUI'TEU— HIS-
AI'TEAUANCE OP THE WAI'ITI— DEATH oF THE WOI.VEKINE.

lESTWART), towards the settinu^ sini, across
tlie vast prairies of the North-West Ter-
ritory, beyond lakes and rivers uitliout
nimdjcr, lies a land which even to this
day is imperfectly known to the geographer.

This region, which on most maps is represented hy
a blank, is the country of the Blackfeet, a fierce and
dangerous tribe, who have hitherto maintained their
independence partly by the natural inaccessibility of
their country, and partly by their having abjured
the deadly " lire-water" of the whites. This vast
expanse of territory is walled in on the west by the
giant chain of the Rocky Mountains, whose serrated
peaks, covered with the snow which never melts,
raise themselves amonc!" the clouds, their rouo-h sides
shaggy with forests — the home of the bear, the pan-

THE HOME OF THE BLACKFEET.

tlier, the wolf, the mountain sheep or " big-horn," and
many a vakiable fur-bearing animal besides.

To the south the country of the Blackfeet may be
said to extend to the head-waters of the Missouri,
and novLhwards to the Upper Saskatchewan, while
to the east these savagc^s liave often roamed in pur-
suit of the elk and the bufl'alo as far as long. 105°.

The hardy employes of tlic Hudson Bay Com-
pany have established trading-posts on the outskirts
of this vast territory, and exchange, for the skins of
the wild animals which the Indians brino* to their
forts, powder, lead, blankets, guns, and the various
other articles needed by the savages. It is at one of
these blockhouses, or forts, that our story opens.

Spring had already relaxed uhe iron grasp which
winter had laid upon the country. The woods and
prairies wer^^ enamelled with millions of sweet-smell-
ing flowers, bees buzzed to and fro, while the air re-
sounded with the chirp of crickets and of multitudes
of birds. Already, too, the phalanxes of wild geese
streamed along the sky, returning to their breeding-
places far within the Arctic Circle from the southern
prairies and the marshes of the Gulf States where
they had passed the winter. Everything spoke of
returnino; summer.

In front of Finlay House, as this trading-post of
the Hudson Bay Company is called, upon the broad
waters of the Saskatchewan, may be observed a canoe
of birch-bark swiftly leaving the small cove which

MM]

SCENE ON THE SASKA

«*v:

SCENE ON THE SASKATCHEWAN.

/'/,,• /./

' (

> ♦ '.

-'--3FV

THE THREE TRAPPERS.

serves the fort as a harbour, and heading np-streani.
It is paddled by two young men, one at the bow, the
other at the stern ; these are evidently on the sunny
side of twenty. Another, apparently a few years
older, sits amidships, reclining against a pile of Mac-
kinaw blankets and buffalo robes.

Let us examine these voyageurs a little more
closely. He who sits amidships, from his apparent
seniority, is entitled to our first attention. His age
is about twenty-three, but many a deadly encounter
with wild animals or wilder men has stamped his
features with a serious and determined air, which
makes him appear somewhat older. The corners of
his eyes are " crow-footed," and his gaze is searching
and steady, quite unlike the glance of one accustomed
to the settlements. It is an expression peculiar to
the mountain men and hunters of these wild rco-ions.
This peculiarity of expression is shared, though in a
lesser degree, by his two companions. His features
are pleasing and open, and liabitual good humour
lurks around the corners of his mouth, notwithstand-
ing that the lips are thin and the jaw heavy. His
hair, where his coon-skin cap permits it 'eft be seen,
appears dark, almost black, and is closely cut ; for as
our young hunter is now bound on a journey through
regions where barbers are as yet unknown (if we
except the scalping Redskins), he had taken the pre-
caution of having his hair closely trimmed Ijefore
leaving the fort. His dress is that of the ordinary

THE THREE TRAPPERS.

mountain trapper, but being new is nuich more
smart, and is as yet free from the stains with wliicli,
a little later, a hunter's life will diversify it. By his
side lies his rifle, a fourteen-shot Winchester repeater,
a weapon of priceless value in these wild countries,
and with wliich our young hunter can hit "plum-
centre" with any of the mountain men themselves.

His companions are similarly armed and equipped.
Of these, one is dark-complexioned, the other fair ;
both are stoutly formed, and are evidently of a build
well suited to their callino-. Secured to the waists
of all three, by broad belts, are handsome cartridge-
pouches, that of the elder being made from the skin
of the Canada otter, witli Haps made from the neck
and head of tlie wood duck ; his companions' being
made from allii^ator leather, ornamented with the
stained quills of the porcupine. At the belt each
wears a six-shot Colt revolver, balanced on the other
side by a broad and thin-bladed butcher knife, secured
in a sheath of alligator leather. Behind each may
be observed a small and beautifully polished steel
axe, the curved hickory handle hanging downwards.
Their lower limbs are encased in len'ofino-s of deer-
hide, smoked and softened to the texture of cloth,
the seams fringed by strips of the leather itself, min-
gled with a finer and darker substance, which might
be human hair. Three fine bold fellows are these.
Their free and piercing glances hover all around — in
front, behind, and on either side — in ([uest of enemy

(091)

A VOYAGE UP-SrnEAM.

.'■i

or of o-aine, fis tlicir lii^'ht craft, iiupcllccl l>y sinewy
arms, ilies iip-strcain, the foam cresting against the
bows, and tlie wasli threatening to overleap the low
gmiwale. French Canadians tliey are, and cousins.
The eldest is know^n by the pseudonym of Pierre au
Calumet, from an adventure which once befell him
at the fort of that name. His companions are well
know^n in " the trade" although so young, and I
have no doubt that to many a trapper are familiar
the names of Gaultier I'Aio'le and Henri Labiche.

I have said that the bows of the canoe pointed up-
stream. The young travellers are on a long and
perilous journey — a journey of which dwellers in
cities and in civilized communities can scarcely realize
the nature. Their destination is the far-distant region
round the head-waters of the Bull Pound River, where
they intend to camp, and trap the streams which
issue from the wild canons of the Rocky Mountains.

Perilous and difficult as is their journey, they seem
in high spirits, and as the light boat glides along, the
Canadian boat-sono; floats ashore —

" Row, brothor.s, row, tho stream runs fast,
The rapids are near, and the daylight's past."

It wanted but an hour of evening w^hen Pierre
exclaimed to his companions —

" I say, boys, it's time to camp. We've done an

lionest day's paddling, and yonder lies the spot for

camp — wood and water at hand. There's grass too,"

he added, laughing; "but I guess our horse ain't
(C91) ' 2

()N SIfOnE.

peckish, though she docs take in a stomachful with
us three follows and onr traps !"

Gaulticr and Henri botli laughed as they secured
the canoe to the bank by liolding on to a branch,
while Pierre stepped ashore and assisted his com-
panions in getting out the cargo. This done, the
canoe was carefully lifted from the water and turned
bottom up to dry. This j^recaution preserves the
bark in good condition, as well as renders the early
part of the succeeding day's paddling much easier, as
the canoe, being dry, is much lighter, and is impelled
with less exertion.

" Now, lads," continued Pierre, whom the others
looked on as the captain of the expedition, " look
alive with the axe. There's a dozen rampikes on
that drowned land ; chop 'em and let's have a fire.
I'll start a blaze, and get the meat out."

Presently might be heard the merry ringing of the
axes and the crash of falling timber, and after a
while Henri and Gaultier stao-o-ered to the fire with
a donkey load of withered logs and branches, which
speedily l:)lazed and crackled, sending up forked
tongues which threw a red glare through the sur-
roundino; woods, beatino: back the o-loom which had
already been advancing from their deep recesses.

Soon as the blaze moderated, the camp-kettle
bubbled and hissed upon the huge embers, sending
forth a savoury odour of cafe noir, while some veni-
son ribs which they had brought with them from

Pul witli

sociirccl
brand 1,
is coni-
)no, the
. turned
vxs the
e early
Lsier, as
nix'lled

others

" look

ves on

a fire.

of the
'ter a

with
which
orked

sur-
1 had

cettle
idinof
veni-
fi'om

mmMm

lllilP ii :i illfllilli

■r

H
I

O
>

Mm'

T.:iiiLiii:

111 ri''i' r 1/

Jlj

M: li

tmnimtmm

AN OLD riuivi:i!r. filfillkd.

'■9

.^4

the fort speo(lily Ih'^jhi to assumo ,in app(!tizlii<^^
appoaranci^ undcv (Jaulticr's inaiiipulation. CJaultier
was, in fact, tlio cook of tlio expedition, having dis-
rovcrcd a talent for transforming even th(^ most
nnpalatahle-looking articles into a stew, fricassee, or
hash which would have tickled tlu; jaded palate of
the veriest epicure.

The old proverl^, "There's many a slip betwixt
Clip and lip," was never more literally fultilled than
in the case of our young trappers, who arc just about
to take their evening meal, and repose themselves
after the labours of the day.

Henri was al)Out to help himself to a tin pannikin
of the steaming coffee, when an exclamation from
Pierre arrested his attention. " Voila," said he, " look
there, boys!" pointing towards the river; " there's a
buck in the water, and by the way he's swimming
there's something the matter with him."

All three now bent their eyes upon the stream,
in which, and about fifty yards from where they sat,
they plainly saw the head and antlers of a noble
deer, as he breasted the current obliquely, making
almost straight for the camp. It was evident that
as yet he had not seen cither the fire or the boys,
who quickly seized their rifles, intending to take the
buck as he landed, so as to give him the trouble of
bringing himself to camp. Scarcely forty yards,
however, separated him from the bank, when with a
loud snort the animal partly raised himself in the

2C,

A .UYsT/:i:y kxplajnkd.

\vat('i', disclosing to tin; astonislicd (»yo.s of tlic pfirty
tliu li'^uii; of another animal whicli lay along its
l)ack, tlH5 jaws Leing apparently buried in tlio sidc^ of
tho buck's nock.

Th(3 young hunters gazed upon each other, as if in
incjuiry ; and on again looking towards tho water, no
trace of either animal remained. Tn vain they looked
upon the fast darkening river — notliing to explain
their disappearance presented itself. They therefore
reluctantly turned towards the lire; but suddenly
Pierre, motioning to them to stand still, bent his ear
towards the ground, apparently listening intently.
Without a word he noiselessly plunged into the
bushes, heading obliquely through them for the river
bank. His companions gazed silently after him,
neither of them altering his position. Presently was
heard the crack of a infle, followed by tlie fierce
Gfrowlincf of some animal ; another rifle-shot, and
Pierre's cheery voice called out, " This way, boys ;
here's tho chap to explain the mystery !"

Pushing rapidly through the brushwood, they
speedily joined their companion, whom they found
standing over the carcass of some animal on the
ground, whoso hunched and rounded back, shaggy
fur, and savage jaws showed him to be the dreaded
wolverine.

" It was just like him," said Pierre ; " the cowardly
brute must have sprung from an overhanging branch
upon the buck as it came to water, and the poor,

II UNf.'Ii Y AND Tin h'l).

its

trrritlol ftiiiiual i)IimL;'t'<l in to n'ct liini oil' its bjick.
J suspect tlic jiiLfuhir was cut )>y tliu s{i\ui;t' beast's
tcetlj, and tlio buck bled to deatli wliile s\\ iuiniinjj
across tlie river. Anyliow, lot's liavc his hide. Let's
raise bis bail", boys."

Under the skill'iil knives of our tbreo bunters, tbe
wolvej'ine was soon di\'est(>(l of bis sb.'in'ny bitle ;
and beariuLj tbis trojtliy, tbey once more returned to
tbeir lire. Hero tbey found tbat tbeir venison ribs
were burned to a cinder, and tbe coU'ee-kottk^ bavin^*
capsized was balf empty. Tbeir supper, tberefore,
was a poor one ; and Innij^ay and tired, tbey wrapped
themselves in their buffalo robes, and bavini; replen-
ished the fire, they lay down with tbeir feet towards
it, and soon fell asleep.

poor,

i.i

chaptp:r 11.

I h

5 »; i

JOIIE.ST ".,IFE— I'TEUIUCS MOUXIN<t HUNT — PARTIlIDtiE PANCl'; — NATL'UAL
niSTOllY OK THE IMiAIKIIO HEX— DESTRUCTION OK (JA.ME IN A.MEUICA--
J01:|;NEV KESl'MKI)-— Tin-: TnfMI'ETKU SWAN— IMEKKE's ESCAl'E — AI--
I'EAKANCE OE THE INHI AN— I'IKKHE's RUSE- DEATH OF THE INDIAN—
riERIlE's ACCOUNT Ol" THE SWANS OF AMERICA.

HEY whoso lives are passed in the woods
cUid prairies of the Far West sleep lightly.
The nerves, strung by a constant appre-
hension of danger, never relax, nor allow
the hunter to be plunged into the heavy sleep which
the easy life of the settlements renders possible to
the tired merchant or tradesman.

The ordinary sounds of the forest fall unheeded
on the ear of the sleeping hunter ; but at the snap-
ping of a dried stick under the moccasin of his red-
skinned foe, or at a false note in the imitation of
some forest denizen's cry, the hunter, watchful even
in sleep, will spring to cover, the ready rifle in his
grasp, and with keen eye iind wary ear await the
approach of his enemy, who thus himself is often
ambushed and sent to his happy hunting-grounds
with a rifle-bullet through his l^rain.

Thus lightly, and not the less refreshingly, slept

''^

A WELCOME SIGHT.

our young tiappcr.s. Earliest dawn sees tlicm erect.
Pierre has been gone from camp for upwards of an
hour, and has not yet returned ; Henri brings water
from the river in the camp-kettle; Gaultier arranges
tlie fire, at which they sit warming themselves, for
the mornin^" is chill, and await the boiling' of the
coffee-kettle, the contents of which, with biscuits, is
to form their breakfast, nnless Pierre is fortunate on
his mornini]: hunt.

" There's Pierre's rifle !" exclaimed Henri. " I hope
he's C'ot somethini; better than these biscuits. — There
it is again!" lie continued, as three distinct reports
fired in (juick succession reached tlieir ears. " 1 hope
he's not fcdlen in with Indians, though it's too near
the fort for that, I think."

While they were still excitedly speculating on
this point, Pierre was observed walking leisurely to-
wards the camp with a bundle of birds attached to
liis rifle-barrel. These they recognized at once as
the prairie hen, and the hungry hunters welcomed
tliem with eager acclamations. They were speedily
divested of their plumage, and, having been cleaned,
Avere spitted on pointed sticks leaning towards the
lire at an angle of forty-five degrees. While they
are being cooked, we will give, in Pierre's own lan-
guage, an account of his morning's adventures.

"After leaving you," he began, "I struck back
from the river through the woods, and hunted for
tracks in a marsh I fell in with. There wasn't a

i 1 '

PIERRE'S MORNING ADVENTURES.

il-

? !

; n

sign, except .some wapiti tracks, wliicli I judged were
a fortniglit old. This was bad luck, as I knew you
would feel precious hungry after your fast last night.
However, I held on over a ridge covered Avith cedar
and dwarf birch. Here I found fresh buck sim —
some twigs were nibbled and were still wet.

" The wind was all rio-ht, blowino- from the other
side freshly in my^ace. Just about here the scrub
was very poor, the ridge being stony with hardly any
soil ; so that, seeing a high rock about a hundred
yards to my right, I made for it, thinking that from
it I might get a view of the beast if he was anywhere
within shot.

" Just as I got to the top I saw him feeding half-
way up another ridge a quarter of a mile away. 1
quickly descended from my position, and taking ad-
vantage of a clump of spruce in the hollow, I got
within one hundred yards of him ; but he stood
obliquely away from me, offering a bad shot.

" While debating whether to fire, he slewed his
head round to nibble at the top of a small bush which
was close to him, giving me a chance, which I instantly
seized. He fell at the report, but immediately rose
again, and made over the ridge with only one antler
in his head. I had fired a trifle too hio-h, and the ball
cut the horn about three inches from his forehead.

" After this disappointment, I beat back towards
the river, and not long after I heard the partridge
drumming in a piece of woods near by. I made

t ',

A PARTRIDaE DANCE.

■54

made

towards it, but seemed to be getting no nearer ; the
farther 1 advanced, the farther from me it seemed to
mo. Of course I knew the nature of these birds and
their drumminsj:, and so held on.

"Presently I began to see light shining througli
the trees ahead. 'There they'll be,' said 1 to myself;
and in fact, as soon as I got to the edge of the trees
I saw them out on a little prairie at their (jueer
o-auies. There were about a dozen of them in all, —
ten of th{nn were running after each other like mad,
in a circle. Kound and round they kept, until I
began to wonder they didn't get dizzy.

" Two others were a little apart, and I saw these
were cocks. First one and then the other would
spread his wings, fan out his tail, and strut about,
with his funny bags filled out like oranges at each
side of his neck. The noise they made was wonder-
ful, considering the size of the creatures. Suddenly
they set upon each other, beak and nail. They
rolled all over the place, the feathers Hying from
them as they scratched and tore each other. The
other birds stopped their dance and began to run
about them, stretching their necks, and looking as if
they would like to pitch in too.

"Just then it occurred to me that 3'ou were in
want of meat, and so I sii-'hted at the neck of a biir
cock who seemed to be ' keeping the ring,' and at the
report his head flew ten yards from his body ! The
rest flew to some trees close by, and by taking the

*■ f

THE PRAIRIE HEN.

lowest I managed to bag three more before they took
the hint and disappeared over the woods. The two
I left fighting were still at it hard and fast, so,
quietly stepping towards them, I hit both with a log
and made meat of them. Not seeing anything more
about there, and as it was getting latish, I just made
tracks for camp, and — here I am."

Thus ended Pierre's mornino; adventure. The birds
having been cooked, and the coffee ready, our young
trappers made a much better breakfast than they had
])reviously expected to do. While they are discussing
it, we will glance at the natural history of this interest-
ing bird, which they seem to be eating with such relish.

The pinnated grouse, or " prairie hen," is an in-
habitant of the vast plains or prairies which stretch
from the Gulf of Mexico far north into British Amer-
ica. Here they may be found in incredible num-
bers, and are slaughtered in thousands by the pot-
hunter in the neighbourhood of the new settlements.
Prairie roads and waggon tracks are much frequented
by them for the sake of the undigested corn dropped
b}^ the passing horses.

In size this splendid bird has but few equals among
the feathered game of America, measuring eighteen
inches long by twenty-seven inches across the wings.
Its bill is short, curved, and stoutly made, the upper
mandible being larger, and consequently projecting
beyond the lower. The legs are feathered, the toes
being coated on the upper surface with, numerous

■a

i'~:

THE PRAIRIE HEN.

'ings.
ipper

minute scales. It possesses strong crooked claws,
well adapted for scratching among the prairie grass
in searcli of food. It seems to evince a partiality for
moist situations, especially if the herbage be of a
bunchy, tussocky nature ; and here they will raruiy
be sou^dit for in vain.

The general colour of this bird is dark brown, har-
monizing with the natural tints of the prairie ; but
this changes to a lighter colour, approaching to gray,
underneath. The colour of the tail feathers is, with
the exception of one or two central ones, a chocolate
brown ; the central feathers are handsomely varied
by dark brown markings. From the edge of the
mandible to the eye, and backwards to the neck, may
be observed a darkly-pencilled line. On raising the
vdngs, a slate-coloured patch of feathers will be seen,
which are much in request by the fishing-tackle
makers.

The prairie hen pairs in April (or somewhat earlier in
more southern latitudes), and it is at this season they
emit the extraordinary noise which we have already
noticed as havino- attracted Pierre. This sound is
occasioned by the male bird forcino; air throuu'li a
vent in the curious orange-coloured appendages at-
tached to his neck. At this season, too, the large
packs, formed during the preceding autumn, separate
and divide into smaller ones of from a dozen to
twenty birds. In the early mornings their strange
booming may be heard ; and the hunter, attracted to

|7r

\}i

'i *

!i i

llljl
'II

r/Zi; PRAIRIE HEN.

the spot, sees on a rock, or knoll, or other elevated
position, the male birds showing off before an admir-
ing crowd of hens. It is at these times that they
engage in desperate encounters, during which so
much in earnest are they that one may a]")proach un-
perceived and wring the necks of the belligerents.

The hen generally lays from ten to a dozen eggs,
much reseml)ling in colour (which is a dull yellow)
those of the ruffed OTOUse. The site selected for
the nest is usually the summit of some slight hillock
or bank in the prairie ; the materials selected being
the stalks of the connnon prairie grass mixed with
the leaves of trees (if at hand) or weeds. Towards
the beginning of September the young birds are able
to fly, and at this time Apicius himself would have
nothing to complain of in their flavour. By the
middle of October they are strong on the wdng, and
afford capital sport to the traveller.

It is only of late years that the merits of this fine
bird have become generally known. But steam hav-
ing so much abridged time and space, renders it now
possible to the enterprising Yankee to make large
shipments of this game to the English markets, and
in consequence we see it exposed for sale in the chief
towns of the United Kino-dom.

The professional hunters of the plains and Rocky
Mountains shoot but few of these birds, designating
them as "no account trash." In the vicinity of
settlements the pot-hunters and purveyors to hotels

i
I

ji I
\ 1.1k

jlevated
. adinir-

at they
liicU so
acli iin-
.'uts.

311 C2fi]:R,

yellow)
ted for
hillock
d beinof
id with
'owards
^re able
id have
y the
ig, and

lis fine
n hav-
it now

larii'e
js, and

chief

locky
lating
ty of
[lotels

DESTIIUCTION OF (lAME IN AMERICA.

trap, snare, and shoot thousands of th(>ni, the settlers
even throwing them into the hog-pen in those dis-
tricts where no market is at hand for their sale.
This "wilful waste" will certainly make "woful want;"
and in many regions formerly noted for the nund)ers
of these splendid birds it has already done so, as they
arc now utterly destitute of even a single covey.

It is to be wished that the wicked and indis-
criminate slaughter of this game-bird was the only
evil of the same kind to be complained of in America.
But it is not so; and from the buflalo to the sc[uirrel,
the trout to the lordly salmon, the snipe to the wild
turkey, a clean sweep is l)eing made through the
length and breadth of the land. Laws have, indeed,
been passed with a view to the repression of this
cruel slaughter ; but in too many districts thoy are a
dead letter. There are signs, however, that a better
spirit is setting in ; and we doubt not we shall see
by-and-by many species of game, which the foolish
apathy of the Americans allowed to be all but ex-
terminated, fostered and reproduced at considerable
trouble and expense.

But we have wandered far afield from our young
trappers, who, having satiated voracious appetites on
the succulent prairie hen, are now about to resume
their journey. The canoe is first lifted from the
bank and carefully launched, Henri and Gaultier
wading into the water for this purpose. The cargo
is then replaced, and the three youths stepping in,

far

THE VOYAGE BESUMKJ).

■J'

. ► I

! f' '

i 1

1 i

I M

bid adieu to the cozy nook in which they liavc passed
tho ni'-'ht.

For sonic hours they continued to paddle, gliding
swiftly along now one bank and then the other in
search of game; for the half-dozen birds wliich Pierre
had shot only furnished them with a breakfast.
They were therefore under tho necessity of hunting
for their food; for the biscuits and bacon which they
had brought Avith them from tlie fort they looked on
as a sort of reserve supply, only to be eaten in case
no game presented itself.

They passed the months of several streams which
fall into tlie Saskatchewan from the north. The
banks of the river itself becaine more and more
wooded as they approached the " Forks," until soon
they found themselves sailing along between tall
forests which clad the swellincf hills on each side of
the broad river.

When passing the embouchure of a stream which
joined the main river, Pierre's quick eye suddenly
fell upon the figure of a large swan of the trumpeter
species, wdiich was just at that instant rounding a
bend in the river. As yet the bird had not observed
the canoe, beino- intent on feedino; amonsc a mass of
floating Aveed which covered the surface of the water.

Instantly the ** way" of the canoe was stopped, and
Pierre, seizing his gun, was in the act of sighting,
when the sharp crack of a rifle was heard from the
woods, and the swan, with a loud houk, attempted to

^ '

)tlior ill
h Pierre
eakfast.
iimting
ell tlioy
)kcd on
in case

I which
. The
I more
il soon
n tall
side of

which
denly
ij^eter
ing a
erved
iss of
ater.
,and
itinnf,
the
)d to

!'//:/! RE'S ESCAPE.

rise into tlie air, but fell Ijack and floated dead npon
the river.

So sudden and unexpected was the occurrence that
none of the youths could repress a cry of astonishment.
At the same moment another rifle cracked among the
trees on the northern shore, and a lock of hair fell
from Pierre's temple, cut by the whistling bullet.

" To the south shore, boys!" cried he; "it's Indians!"
A few nervous strokes of the pad<lles sent the light
craft across the bosom of the river and shot it into a
small recess, where overhanmnGf branches of willow
and birch shielded them from oTjservation.

" That was a shave ! " said Pierre, causinc*: his com-
panions to observe how narrowly the unseen marks-
man had missed his aim. " I guess we'd better cache
here awhile, to see if the savao-es will show out. It's
the Blackfeet, I've no doubt, though they seldom
range thus far east." *

For an hour they waited, and patiently watched
the north shore through an opening in the bushes.
Not a sign of life was visible, except a few pigeons
which alighted on the margin to drink. " See," said
Gaultier, "those birds hear or see something; they've
stopped feeding and are head up." At this moment
the birds rose into the air, and the voyageurs could
see the bushes on the north bank move slightly once
or twice.

* An officer of the Hiubon Bay Compnny was fired at T)y a Black-
foot Indian some years since near the locality alluded tn in the text.

,1 ST HAT Ad KM.

\ I

" Now, l)oys," sjiid Pierre, " ilic wliolc tliiiic;- is as
clear as sliootiiii;'. (Jaiiltier, do you do just as I tell
you, ami I'll show you a trick that uiay he of us(^ to
you anothoi' tiuio. Take a paddle, aud 1^:0 down the
l)ank a little, takiui;' good care to ke(>p out of sig'ht
Itehind the bushes. Put your rol)e on the pad<lle,
and your cap on top, and let it show slowly just over
the bushes. Don't do it standiui--," hu continued.
"Lie down behind a lo!^', and then show your decoy.
If it draws a shot, let robe and cap fall."

Gaul tier (piietly left the canoe, and disappeared
noiselessly in the bushes. Pierre placed himself,
with bis rifle in readiness, in such a position as
ail'orded a good view of the opposite bank, Avithout
exposing himself to the gaze of any prowler in
that direction. TTenri stood beside him, also in
readiness for whatever might occur.

A deathlike stillness succeeded these preparations,
while the two hunters in the canoe anxiously
awaited the effect of the stratagem.

Presently a puff of smoke shot out from among
the bushes on the other Ijaidv, followed liy a cry and
frantic shaking of bushes from the direction in which
Gaultier had hidden himself. The two youths had
no time to comment on this, when a loud war-whoop
resounded from the northern shore, and a painted
savage issued from the b'ushcs, pushing a canoe
before him from under their cover. This he launched,
and prepared to cross the river.

I line;- is as
.st as I tell
• ' of use to
' <lou'n tlio
it of sli-'lit
10 paddio,
'j'lst over
^•ontinued.
^lU' clucoj.

sajDj^cared
^^inisolf,
)siti()n as
, without
3w]er ill
also in

orations,
ixioiisly

amono'

it)

ciy and
1 wliicli
lis ]iad
Avlioop
tainted
canoe
nclied,

>
c
o

z
m

i lit

Tin: I Mil AN' s r.\ri:.

"Don't lie anxious, lad," exclaimed I'icjnv, layini^
liis hand on lloiui's slioiddcr. "It's a L,^ood two
liiuidied and lit'ty yard:-, to yonder lictlskin. l^ct
him vouw a litthi ncaivr ; for lie must not escape to
[)ut his friends on our trail."

The canoe had nearly reached tlu^ haidv, when,
despite the Indian's etl'orts, it L;-ot within the influ-
ence of a rrpid, which carrie<l it downwards, when
Pierre, raising his ritle, drew a head on the vermilion-
painted forehead of the savaj^^c. As slowly and
steadily he j^ressed the trigi^'er as if he were only
shooting' at a tar'^'et. At the report the Indian
sprang from his kneeling position and fell overhoard,
the canoe capsizing and floating down-stream. Once
they thought they saw a hand fi'antically tossed
above the surface of the fast-rushing river; and if
so, it was the last they saw of their treacherous
enemy, who had so nearly indicted on one of them
the fate which destiny had reserved for himself.

A loud hurrah from Gaulticr now proclaimed his
safety. They speedily rejoined him, and he gave
them his experiences.

" When 1 left you," he began, " I kept back a bit
from the bank, not greatly wishing to have a hole in
my skin, if I could help it. I knew there was just
the place I wanted to hide in, and show my decoy
from, a little down-stream; so I wormed my way like
a rattler till I got cached in the nicest kind of hole.
Well, then, I just poked out my buffalo robe and cap,

(C91) 3

A SEASONABLE PrJZE.

' » ,

so that from the other side it would look as if some
one was skvilkino- tlirouii'li the hushes. Just then I
heard the shot, and I must say iliat Indian shoots
plum-centre. See here," lie added, pointing to a
bullet -hole in that part of the rol)e which would
have corresponded with the chest of a human being
— " there's his talk — straight to the point, without
any circumlocution."

While our voyageurs were fighting their battle over
again, Pierre, happening to lOok across the stream,
exclaimed, '• Boys, that Indian has got us our dinner.
►See!"

The youths, in fact, observed that the body of the
swan, which had been caught in an eddy at the
junction of the two streams, still continued to gyrate
near the fartlier shore. As no other Indians appeared,
the boys determined to run the risk of an ambush ;
so, stepping into the canoe, they paddled across and
secured the bird, which, being a splendid cock,
weighed nearly thirty pounds. They then landed,
and having constructed a roaring fire, they prepared
their dinner, of which by this time they stood much
in need.

Pierre, having lived longer than either of his com-
panions in the North- West Territory, where, in some
districts, during a portion of the year, the Indians
and fur-traders depend almost entirely for subsist-
ence on the swans and other migratory birds, was
consequently well acquainted with the natural his-

AMERICAN SWANS.

IS if some
1st then I
ian shoots
tinii' to fi
ich would
nan bcincf
;, without

jattlc over
10 stream,
iir dinner.

dv of tlic
\j at the
I to gyrate
appeared,

ambush ;
cross and

id cock,
landed,
repared

od much

lis com-
in some
Indians
subsist-
•ds, was
ral his-

tory of this species. During' dinner, therefore, he
f-ratilied his companions witli an account of the
various species of swans which occur in the Hudson
J3ay Territory.

"There are," he commenced, "at least three species
of swans in America. They all attain a great size ;
l)ut the heaviest as well as largest is the trumpeter,
which often attains the weight of thirty pounds, and
will measure from sixty-five to seventy inches in
length, with, tin alar spread of upwards of five feet.

" As you may see for yourselves in the specimen
we have got, it is white, has black feet and bill, and
]i:ay also be identified by the copper-colour hue
which tinges the head and neck.

" At a distance it can readily be distinguished from
either of the other kinds — namely, the hooper, and
Bewick's swan — by its greater size, as well as by its
note. The habits of all three are much alike, but
the trumpeter seems to collect in greater numbers
than the others, and also arrives earlier in the season
in the fur countries.

" It is hard to fix a latitude below which this l)ird
does not breed. Some say that they have observed
its nests as far south as the southern shore of the
Lesser Slave Lake, in latitude 59° ; but I tliink
cases of this kind ar(^ comparatively rare. For my
part, I have scarcely seen half-a-dozen such nests
in as many years; and the factor at Fort Assini-
boine told me that he had not seen a score in tho

i 1.

I ir i

r I

THE TRUMPETER SWAN.

many years ho lived at the fort. The vast majority
of tliein, therefore, breed much fartlier north, within
the Arctic Circle, among the boundless morasses of
Boothia Felix and Kino- William's Land. It is
probable that many breed in the lakes on the north
of the barren grounds along the Great Fish Kiver;
but these wild territories and their denizens arc as
yet imperfectly known.

" The trumpeter, usually arriving somewhat earlier
in the north than either of the other species, fre-
quently finds the ponds, lakes, and rivers still frozeii,
and is then obliored to seek its subsistence at the few
places which have remained open — as the rapids,
cascades, etc.

" On these occasions the hunters, Indians, or voy-
ageurs often kill great numbers of them.. Indeed,
there are whole districts in which the Indians live
almost entirely on these birds, and on the wild geese
and ducks, at the periods of migration.

" In securing the swans the Indians both snare and
shoot them. A runninGf noose is arrancfed at the
nest, which is built on the ground. The bird enters
at one side, and leaves at the other. The snare is
set at the side by which she enters the nest.

" Snares are also extensively set at intervals along
the banks of the rivers, extending often for several
miles along both sides of the stream. These snares
are secured to poles sunk in the bottom of the river.

" In America all migratory birds retreat in a

THE HOOPElt.

ijority
^vithin
5ses of

It is
! north
River ;

arc as

earlier
}s, frc-
frozeii,
he few
rapids,

3r voy-
[ndeed,
QS live

geese

ire and
at the
enters
iiare is

along
several
snares
river,
in a

leisurely way before the cold weather, stopping to
feed and rest. Thus they are never much out of
condition, and consequently are always well worth
powder and shot.

" The trumpeter's eggs are larger than those of
either of the other species. A single a^^^^f will make
a meal for a hungry man, and that with little hread
or meat in addition.

" The hooper arrives soon after the trumpeter froui
the south. It is little inferior in size to the latter,
measuring frequently sixty inches in length, and
weighing from eighteen to twenty pounds.

"These birds, like the others, seem to dislike salt
water. They are very rarely seen on the sea ; and,
owing to the fact that they only stretch down for
their food, and do not dive for it, they are rarely
seen far out on large lakes, preferring to frecjucnt
the banks, where the water is shallow.

" Those rivers and lakes on the North-West Terri-
tory which produce the ' water oats,' or wild rice, are
specially favoured by the wild swans, which greedily
strip the sedge of iis seeds. They also readily feed
upon frogs, worms, or small fish.

" Although the swans, from their great weight,
cannot readily rise from the water and take swiftly
to wing, like other birds, still, when once under
way, they fly at a marvellous rate, and under
favourable circumstances are supposed to attain the
speed of a hundred miles an hour. Indeed, so great

ii:

",t HEAP OF talking:'

f: ii i

1 1

! ■

II:

is tlio (lilliciilty to tlio lieavier hrnls of takini,^ wing,
that, if possible, tlioy will endeavour to make their
escape by swattoring along the surface of the water,
aiding themselves by paddling with their broad
webbed feet. If the wind be favourable, they will
even enlist its intluencc by opening their huge wings
and disposing them in such a manner as to catch
the breeze. They are thus enabled to progress very
swiftly — quite as much so as a canoe paddled by two
men.

"In a(klition to their value '.o the cuisine, these
birds are also vahiable for their skins, which the
Indians and trappers dispose of to the Hudson Bay
Company for five or six shillings apiece. However,
the trumpeter swan is more in request for this jmr-
pose than either of the others.

" I remember, a few years ago, being early in the
spring — a little before this time — on the Mackenzie
River. The frost had not broken up on the lakes,
and the water-fowl that had arrived from the south
were all herded together at the rapids an<l falls in
countless numbers. My old rifle (I hadn't the ' Win-
chester ' then) had a heap of talking to do, I can tell
you. For a fortnio-ht I did nothing; but hunt the
swans with torches at night in my canoe, and during
the day I kept up a constant fire at the fresh birds
that kept incessantly arriving.

" Well, boys, at the end of that fortnight I counted
three hundred and fifty swans, besides ducks and

BKWK'ICS ,S'ir.l.V.

other birds. J traded tlie skins at Fort Resolution,
and pocketed nearly eig'lity-seven pounds, T had a
smart time of it too getting off the pelts, and was a
siii'ht to look at — all over blood and feathers. If the
frost hadn't broken, I might have got as many more ;
however, I got my share anyhow.

" Among these swans, of course, all three sorts were
represented, the smallest one, Bewick's swan, being
much scarcer than the others. I don't know what
made them come so early either, as usually these are
the latest to arrive. They also breed much farther
to the north than the others. I have never seen any
of their nests, but some of the traders from away up
the Mackenzie told me that they build a huge pile,
six or seven feet in diameter, and C[uite two feet in
height. The nest itself is on top of this ; the eggs
are whitish-brown in general appearance, and are
blotched with darker patches here and there.

" Bewick's swan is usually found along the Pacific
coast, where also the hooper is a visitor. The trum-
peter, however, is the swan par excellence in the fur
countries, and is what the traders and trappers allude
to when they speak of these birds.

" Instances of Bewick's swan beinof seen and shot
in Great Britain have frequently occurred ; in fact,
scarcely a winter passes during which some specimens
are not procured in those islands.

" I am sure, boys, you agree with me in thinking
these birds a great Godsend to travellers through

AGAIN ON THE WAY.

■,

■ I

this wilderness. Many is the meal they alFord to the
hungry hunter, who without tlicni would go supper-
less to bed.

" There are other birds, too, in this region which
almost rank equal to the swans — the great gray or
Canada choose and its cono^eners, which cover the
rivers and ^akes twice a year, and are a welcome
addition to a trapper's fare.

" Now I think I have preached myself out about
these birds; and as we seem pretty well satisfied with
our dinner, we'd better make tracks. I know a nice
spot to camp in to-night, and we'll have to do our
best to reach it early."

So, leaving the embers of the camp-fire, the three
young men re-embarked, and proceeded on their
journey.

^>l

liii

; m

: i!i'

illl

CHAPTER HI.

IKillT BKTWEEN PROX(i-IIOUX UrCKlS — PIEKKE SHOOTS BOTH — AIM'ROACII TO
THE "forks" of the SASKATCHEWAN — FOU!-^'' SCEV KHY — SL'DDKN'
ALAKM — THE ATTACK — THE FATAL SHOT — DEFEAT OF THE SAVAOEs —
HENIU'S DEATH— THE BUKIAL.

E will now pass over the next two days,
durino: which nothinu" of interest occurred,
if we except a singular encounter which
they witnessed between two rival bucks
of the prong-horn species.

The animals were upon the sandy beach at a point
where a sudden bend of the river had hidden them
from the travellers until they were close upon theui.
First one and then the other would retreat a little,
and setting his horns, rush at his enemy, wdio each
time received him on ready antlers. The clattering
of their horns a^'ainst each other drowned the slio-ht
noise made by the dipping of the paddles, so that the
canoe approached unperceived to within one hundred
yards of the combatants.

After regarding them for some moments, Pierre
raised his rifle, and sighting at them just as they
ranged alongside each other, pulled the trigger. To

■CU

I. i;

W fi

*ii

. 1

1 1

- i '1

lUVER SCBNERV.

the surprise of tlie pfirty, both ]jiicks fell to the shot;
but one presently reiL^ained his le;:j;'s, and had ahnost
reached the crest of tlie bank, Avhen a bullet from
Pierre's unerrinQ- rille ai^^ain laid him low.

An examination showed that the first ball had hit
the nearest animal behind the shoulder, and passini;-
out at the opposite side, had severely wounded the
second buck, which at that moment liad stood almost
side by side with his antagonist. The animals were
then butchered, and the choicest parts placed in the
canoe.

As this was now the fourth day " out " from the
fort, the travellers were approaching the " Forks," as
they are called, of the Saskatchewan, Avherc the north
branch of that stream joins the southern one, and vniite
into a noble river, which flows niajestically onward
between tall forests towards the far-distant Winnipeg.
As Pierre was determined to reach the Forks that
night, they did not halt as usual an hour before sun-
down, but continued their course.

Before and behind them stretched the bvoad bosom
of the noble river — a magnificent expanse of sparkling
water, fanned into gentle waves by tho breeze. To
the north, the forest lined the shores, many of the
trees standino; scathed and bli edited, relics of fierce
forest fires or of li^'htninG*.

The southern shore, however, commanded their
intcnscst admiration, for there the woods were varied
with many kinds of deciduous trees. The maple and

•i

■

)1Y

led

HUNSKT OX THE WATERS.

l)ireli wev(^ r<)])cd in toiidcv grorn, and contmstod
strikingly with the soiid)rc pines and lu'inlofks which
towered above their sniaUer brethren. 'J'lie land, too,
was uiKhdating, and swell succeeded swell, clothed to
the sunnnit with luxuriant forest.

To Pierre, who reclined on a pile of skins, the
motion in their frail craft was productive of a delight-
ful languor, as he dreamily feasted his eyes on scenes
the fairest the world can produce.

A gentle ripple, raised by the breeze, which also
fanned his temples, lapped against the sides of the
canoe, and threatened, in mimicry of the ocean, to
wash the decks ; but the light boat glided gracefully
over them, just as their entrance seemed inevitabl(\

It was, as we have observed, evening, and both
Gaultier and Henri exerted themselves to reach the
junction of the rivers in time to construct a camp for
the niijht.

The sun hung, a globe of fire, in the west, hovering
above the liquid horizon. The gentle undulations of
the river in the far distance seemed to rise and fall
against the fiery disc as if impatient to engulf it,
recallino" the lines of " Tliaw^atha," —

" And the evening sun doscomling,
Set the ch>n(ls on fire with recbiess, —
Burned the hroad sky, like a [)rairie;
Ticft upon tlie level water
One long track and trail of splendoux'."

Despite the efforts of our voyageurs to reach the
Forks early, the moon had risen, and was sailing

I ii,

Tin: JillLJi JiV MOON lk; I IT.

m i

gloriously in tlu^ Muc etlu'r. Tlio boys stccivd the
canoo towards the northern shore, which they coasted,
sometimes pa<ld]inL;' beneath the huge branches of the
trees wliich overhunii' the water, and which threw a
shadow black as Erebus.

Outside, the river glinniicred autl glittered, the
wavelets sparkling as tlu^y rose and fell in the soft
light; while afar, on the freshening breeze, the ear
detected the rush of water over rocks, now so faint
as to seem the work of fancy, and again springing
into fresh life under the varying impulse of the night
wind. The strange cry of the loons resounded over
the river, and in it was nothing discordant Avith the
wild scene around. Throu^-h the over-archino; branches,
as " through chinks in a ruin," moonbeams rained
upon them, and here and there fell upon and re-
vealed the waves made by otters and musk-rats, as
they dived beneath the surface at the approach of
the canoe.

Now and then the forest receded from the water's
edge, and here long reaches of silvery beach fringed
the shore, upon which the moonlight seemed to slum-
ber peacefull}^ Again they enter beneath the dark
shadows of the woods ; and how sudden the cha.nge !
A stray ray falls timidly upon a nodding plume of
royal fern upon some gray rock ; now a paddle
seems to drop diamonds into an abyss of ink ;
while now and then great patches of foam glide
noiselessly past like the ghosts of slaughtered swans.

(

as
of

i-e!
of
He

NATunirs voicKs.

Poets write of tlie " si^liiiiL;' of the lu'cezo amid tlio
tree-tops." It is only in tlu' vast forests of the New
World tluit this ex(juisite melody of nature can bo
heard in perfection. At times the listener is deceived
by it, and likens it to the lialf-suppresscd sii!;hin<^ of
mournful sj)irits. At other times, in conjunction
with the tinklini;' and plashini.,' of tlie biooks, the air
is filled with an undelined wailino-, as if nature bo-
moaned some a[)proaehing calamity.

The gloom and mystery which lu'ooded over that
great wilderness made the youths pensive and silent.
They contiimed to paddle, each too much wrapped in
his own thoui-'hts to disturb the reflections of his
companions.

Away from the iniluences of an over-ripe civiliza-
tion, nature speaks with her thousand tongues to
those who love her : the roar of the waters ; the
gloom and solitude of the vast forests; the sighing
of the wind, as if wearied with endless travel ; the
silvery moonlight which Hecks the forest floor ; the
fierce licfhtninix wdiich whizzes and cracldes throuiih
the darkness of a stormy night ; — all act on the souls
of nature's votaries, and find therein something re-
sponsive to their appeal.

With feelings alive to such influences, our young
trappers floated onwards. They w^ere looking for-
ward, too, to a speedy termination of their arduous
day's work.

Already in the distance appeared what the}^ at

\\v

I III

j>(

1. ; i!^

I ,i I

I.V OMTNOUS SOUXD.

/list liiiai;ini'(i to lir nil isluiid in mid-stream; but
.'iftcr a moment's luvsitntioii, Pierre (Icclarcd it to
1»<^ tlic loll'--- wIsIkmI - for toiin'iU! of land, at tlio
]x)iiit of wliicli both branclics of tbo Su.skatclicwaii
unite.

Witli lii^'ht liearts tliey dip tlieir paddles <l(>(^per,
find shoot out farther fi-om ilie l>ank, Init still av(jid-
iuL,' the centr(i of the stream in order to escape the
stroiiL,^ currents.

The fpiaverinr^ cry of a loon breaks the stillness,
which had almost become oppressive. It is answered
across the river.

" Boys," said Pierre, " T don't quite like that sound;
it doesn't seem the natural thini^^ somehow. There it
is again," lie continued, " over there by that dead tree
which shines so white. Sheer out, boys — farther out
towards the middle. If Indians made the sound,
'twas for a signal. There's more of thein on the other
side too. ] Fist ! — listen ! "

At that instant the distant snapping of a twig
caught their ears. It seemed as if from the southern
shore; but at that moment the distant rusli of water
over rocks was borne sharply to their ears by a current
of air, and rendered the precise direction of the
ominous sound uncertain.

" If wc can get to the Forks," said Gaulticr, " we
can easily tlirow the miscreants off our trail, unless
there's a band between the rivers also."

The canoe now floated a few hundred yards from

Iiern
iter
■ont
ithc

LOSS

fom

lOUKWAUNINdS.

those tall troos, tlu' sliadc (»!' which wjis so oarnostly
(Icsirod hy our huiitors.

Triio, they luid no positive ])r()()F that onciiiirs lurked
near wai til lu; for an opportunity of attackni^^ them;
hut to men skilled in forest siijjns, wliose ears can ac-
curc\tely measun^ an<l wcigli the pitch and intlcction
of the notes of any wild creature;, it is jin easy thini;"
to detect ^ false nijte, which would seem perfectly
natural to the cars of tho uninitiato«l. It was thus
Pierre iudi>'ed that Indians lurked near; and lu;
further inferred, from their aflectinn" secrecy, that
their intentions were; hostile.

Before leaving tho fort, too, they had learned that
several small hands of marauding Blackfeet wort?
out on the plains. Tlmy had even been advised to
delay their departure for a fen- days, in order that
they might have the advantage of the '^ompany of a
party which was preparing to start for some of the
stations along tho upper portions of the river.

They had, however, turned a deaf ear to these
hints, preferring the excitement of getting through
by tliemselves to the noisy companionship of a score
of voyageurs, who, with their heavy hdeaux, would
take more than twice the time to roach their des-
tination than would suffice them in their liii'lit canoe.
However, any regrets, if they felt them, were now
unavailing. The only precaution which remained to
them they ma<.le use of, — namely, to keep as near as
possible to the centre of the river, which was hero

I • I

r -i:

,1 TTA CKED n Y TNDTA NS.

nearly three lumdred yards broad. Tliey were thus
about one hundred and lifty yards from eitlier bank,
at whicli distance the deceptive liglit they hoped
would render any aim at them uncertain.

Pierre now relieved Henri at the paddle, and under
his muscular strokes the canoe forij^ed ahead with
increased speed.

The point between the rivers was now only one
hundred yards distant, and the young- men began to
fancy that already all danger was past. But Pierre,
whose keen, restless eyes surveyed every object, sud-
denly called to Gaultier to head for the centre of the
southern stream ; at the same time he increased his
exertions till the light craft fairly flew through the
water.

" Pull io. ^ jur life, Gaultier ! " he exclaimed ;
" the Podskins have launched a canoe from the
point !"

In fact, at that instant a canoe paddled by several
savages shot out from the deep shadows of the trees
and headed as if to intercept them.

Pierre, giving his paddle a broad sheer, directed
the canoe towards the southern bank, at the same
time paddling with all his might. They hugged the
shore, flying past the branches which hung out over
the viver, several times narrowly escaping shipwreck
against snags and boulders which projected from
the water.

Despite the exertions of the savages their canoo

.iliil

cted

lame

the

)vcr

:eck

Irom

Inoe

A FATAL SHOT.

fell behind, and the voyagcurs with a loud chcci'
took the lead.

The Indian in the bow of the canoe seeing this
dropped his paddle, and, seizing his rifle, fired. A
sharp cry of pain burst from the lips of Henri, who
sank from his sitting position, wdiile he pressed his
hand to his side.

" They've ended my travels," he said faintly ;
" the ball has gone right through me, I fear."

The Indians were now not more than fifty yards
distant, and fancying their enemies were already in
their power, woke the echoes with their hideous
yells.

Pierre and liis companion, however, were deter-
mined to sell their lives dearly, and also to avenge
the fate of their comrade, whose life-blood was fast
flowing and forming a crimson pool at their feet.
They therefore shipped their paddles and took their
rifles, allowing the canoe to float with the stream.

Now was manifest the advantage of the repeater
system of fire-arms, when used by men who rarely
fired in vain.

Without taking the rifles from their shoulders,

both poured a steady stream of bullets upon the

advancing canoe. Three shots only were returned.

One of these slightly grazed Pierre's cheek, and

another went through his cap. Gaultier escaped

unscathed.

Of the five savages in the canoe, four were shot
(001) 4

(«

N h

i-m

_«j

DEFEAT OF THE SAVAGES.

duad in as many seconds ; the fifth sprang overboard,
upsetting the canoe, wliich floated down -stream
Ijottom upwards.

As notliino; could be seen of the survivinix savajxe,
Pierre and Caul tier turned their attention at once
to their dying companion. A glance was sufficient
to convince them that his case was hopeless. They
placed him in as comfortable a position as their cir-
cmustances would allow, and once more taking' their
paddles, they proceeded up-stream.

They had not advanced fifty yards from the scene
of the encounter when a rifle-bullet whistled be-
tween Pierre and Gaul tier, actually passing through
the canoe close to the gunwale. The rej)ort echoed
from anion £j the trees on the northern shore. At
the same moment the war-whoop, in its most appal-
ling form, resounded from the woods. Several shots
followed in quick succession ; but as the voyageurs
were now close to the southern bank, the distance
and uncertain liMit rendered them ineflectual.

" Ay, ay," said Pierre ; " yell your utmost. You
have already done us sore harm, but four of your
braves have gone to answer for it ; they'll never
draw trio^o'er aoain. — Gaultier," he continued, " I
think we may land now. Those bloodthirsty
wretches have no other canoe, so they can't cross
with their arms. This poor lad needs looking to,
thou^'h I do not think he'll need it lon^f — ah me !"

The canoe was therefore st(!erecl towards an open-

THE DYING TRAPPER.

iQ'h

lYou

jvcr
"I

'Sty

Ivoss

to,

)eii-

incf amoncf the bushes, and bcarinu; Henri in their
arms, they landed upon a small spot of shingly beach.
The skins were lifted out and placed so as to form a
bed, upon which they laid their companion.

Pierre, to whom gun-shot wounds were familiar,
knew too well that that which Henri had received
was fatal. He therefore held out no hopes of re-
covery. He bandaged the wound, so as to stop in
some measure the flow of blood, and moistened the
lips of the sufferer, whose sole want, indeed, was
water.

Gaultier stood sadly by, leaning on his rifle.
Once or twice he tried to comfort the dying youth,
by telling him that four of his enemies had been
sent before him on that darksome trail on which
he was so soon to follow. But it seemed doubtful
whether his meanino; reached the wanderinof mind,
or otherwise failed to afford I'-o comfort intended.

Pierre, whoso feeling's and lan^-uaq-c were often
those of a gentleman, felt at present that some
other consolation was needed to cheer the departing
spirit ; but his education and previous life ill fitted
him for the task of explaining the grounds of a
Christian's hope. However, he did his best ; and
his stronof voice shook with the emotion which over-
powered him as he directed Henri to rest his hopes
on the merit and mercy of Him who had died in
order that he and all other sinners mii-'ht live
eternally.

\)A

i jii

r l\A\

PIERRE'^ VOW.

Gaiiltier knelt beside Pierre, and both in their
roiigli frontier way besought tlie Ahnighty to re-
ceive the soul of their dying comrade. The solem-
nity of the scene thrilled through them, and added
to the earnestness of their petitions.

Henri, summonini:^ his remaininc: streno-th, fjave
each of his cousins a hand, and in a voice which
weakness had sunk to a whisper, thanked them and
bade them farewell. Both youths bathed his hands
with their tears, and gave way to their grief with
agonizing sobs. Presently Henri, half raising him-
self, leaned forward, but with a weary sigh fell
back into the arms of Pierre.

" He is dead !" exclaimed Gaultier.

" Yes," said Pierre sadly ; " his time has run.
But," continued he sternly, " we are still alive ; and
every Blackfoot that comes within range of my
rifle shall answer for his death."

Nothing now remained but to bury the body of
the dead hunter and to depart upon their journey ;
for to remain longer in that neighbourhood, which
evidently swarmed with the enemy, would have
been hazardous. With their knives and the paddles
a grave was dug in the sandy margin of the river.

The moon had now fallen low in the western sky,
and threw lonnf shadows wherever her slantino;
beams shot level through the pillared vistas of the
woods. A cold gray fog covered the water, and
drifted slowly past in irregular masses. A chilly

THE LONELY GRAVE.

breeze, too, sprang up and hastened the few remain-
ing preparations for departure. The body was
gently lifted and placed in the shallow grave, and
after a short and earnest prayer the sand was
replaced and stamped firmly down. Pierre and
Gaultier, taking their rifles, paused a moment over
the spot which held all that remained of their com-
panion; then, without a word, each took his place
in the canoe, and shooting out into the stream, once
more paddled onwards.

liich
lave
dies

nig

Ithe

Illy

I f.

CHAPTER IV.

WILDERXESS LFFE— EXEMV LEFT BEItrND— THE OWL AND THE SWAMP HARE—
CON'VEKSATION' OX THE NOUTll-WEST TEURri'OKV — THE AXIMA'.S FllE-
QUENTINO IT— THE COUOAHS — DEATH OF A " I'AINTER " — PIERRE'.S AC-
COUNT OF THE COUGAR— HIS ADVENTURE.

those capable of receiving its lessons the
Aviklerness is a c^ood school. It makes the
most timid self-reliant ; it teaches how to
bear patiently the difficulties, the dangers,
and the multiform vicissitudes which every traveller
and hunter has to encounter. It sharpens the per-
ceptions, strengthens both mind and body, and, at any
rate, in the case of those possessed of a higher nature
than the roughest backwoodsmen, it leads the mind
to the Almighty by the contemplation of his works.
A sojourn of a few weeks or months m the soli-
tudes of an unexplored or unpeopled country has
often done more to form a character, to bring out
latent noble qualities, than all the previous years
of existence in the artiricial atmosphere of modern
civilization.

Both Pierre and Gaultier were susceptible of the
influences to which their mode of life subjected them.

SILEXT GlilEF.

They loved the green, mysterious forest, ^vitll its
far-reacliin^' vistas, its pleasant gUules and tangled
brakes, its many streams, its mossy l)anks, on wliieli
the sunliii'ht plaved throni-'li the branehes of the
trees above: all this they loved. The subtle essence
pervading it, which made them its slaves, they could
not define; but their wild, free life had greater
charms for them than the ripest civilization oilers to
the veriest fanfaron of pleasure.

Hitherto the three cousins had always lived to-
gether ; they had been united by tlu; tie of a connuon
affection for the forest life, as well as by that of tlieir
relationship. Pierre and Gaultier, therefore, felt the
dreadful blow inflicted on tliem by Henri's death
with feelino-s of the acutest ano-uish ; but their forest
stoicism prevented any outward manifestation of the
great grief \N-hich invrardly consumed them. To an
onlooker they would have appeared callous ; but
such an opinion would have done the young hunters
the greatest injustice.

All that day they paddled westwards, keeping the
while a watchful eye on either bank to descry the
approach of any danger ; but the enemy was appa-
rently left behind, as no indication of his presence was
perceptible. Towards evening, as had been customary
with them, the cousins landed on the southern bank
and made their preparations to camp for the night.
The forest, at this spot, receded considerably from the
river, leaving an open space of some hundred acres,

•

■ •[

\:.

1 ii

STJiAiVaE SOUNDS.

fl.

\ >i

whicli was principally covered with coarse herbage
and stunted willows.

Pierre, leaving his companion to make the camp-
fire, took his riile and strolled among the dwarf
willows and alders in search of some animal to help
the evening meal. For some time his attention had
been attracted b}' a peculiar noise from the edge of
the woods. It sometimes seemed to resemble the
laugh of a maniac, at others the shrieks of some
person being strangled. These sounds, in that wild
spot, were well calculated to inspire the listener with
feelings of terror; but Pierre was well acquainted
with the nature of the creature which uttered them,
and instead of being terrified, he crouched forward,
availing himself of whatever cover the place afforded.
His eye could distinguish nothing with certainty
among the gloomy foliage of the trees which sur-
rounded the opening, though for a few minutes i:e
closely scanned the branches. Suddenly the strange
noises ceased, and Pierre began to fear that his
presence had been discovered, when, unexpectedly, a
great brown owl sailed gently into view from under
the branches of some spruce trees, and glided ob-
liquely towards the ground behind some scrub at a
little distance.

Pierre quickly approached the spot, well screened
by the intervening bushes, and soon found upon the
ground, engaged in a fierce struggle with another
creature, the object of his pursuit. Quickly levelling

THE OWL AND THE SWAMr HARE.

his rifle, lie fired at the owl, which fell dead to the

■ihot

The latter

siiot upon the body of its i)rey. J Jie latter was no
other than the swamp hare, which the owl had no
doubt seen from the woods.

The p)'evious day Pierre would have scorned to eat
an owl while other game was accessible; but the
excitement of t le night before, and his subsequent
long fast, had sharpened his appetite. This largo
bird, however, is really not bad eating ; the tlesh is
white and succulent, and sometimes affords the
hungry trapper a meal when other game is not to be
had. The swamp hare, which was too disabled by
the contest to attempt escape, was a welcome addition
to Pierre's bag ; and Gaultier gave his cousin a warm
reception on his return to the camp, when the con-
tents of the bai:; were thrown on tlie abound.

Their meal was eaten almost in silence ; both were
occupied by the same sad reflection, that at tlie last
camp Henri was their companion. But though tliey
felt his loss, like brave boys they determined not to
allow the recollection of it to weigh unnecessarily
upon their spirits ; and with this view, after supper,
Pierre assumed a more cheerful air, and conversed
with Gaultier on various matters of interest to them.

Among other subjects, he gave some useful informa-
tion with regard to the country through which they
were to pass, and with which Gaultier was entirely
unacquainted. He said that the region between both
branches of the Saskatchewan was much more fertile

iH!

I i

\ ti 1

i'P'^

:*l:

A JIAl'VY IIUNTINd-aROUND.

than many people supposed — that it eontalnefl vast
tra(;fcs suita]>l<^ for the various forms of aL,nieultur(;,
and that parts were covered witli fcjrest wliieli were
formerly supposed to consist of worthless plahr lEe
further stated that the Great American Desert
covered a much smaller area on tliC British side of
the boundary thnn geographers imagined. Parts of
this vast territory presented a diversiiied aspect —
pleasantly marbled by woods and prairies ; in some
districts the former predominated, in others the
latter. Most of the game peculiar to the North
American continent was here to be found in prOiii-
sion ; bands of the lordly elk pastured upon the
openings or sought the shade of the many groves ;
butl'alo roamed in large droves across the ^A'airies, and
in the many parks among the llocky Mountains to
the westward. Among these giant hills, too, were to
be found the dreaded grizzly, whose hideous foiin
was often to be seen on the ledges of the rocks or in
the gloomy bottoms by the streams. The cinnamon,
black, and ranger bears were here at home ; the
panther leaped among the rocks, and the hated
wolverine sprang from the overhanging branch upon
his prey beneath ; the long-tailed deer trotted on the
plains, and the big-horn or mountain sheep sprang up
the cliffs.

Gaultier listened with Q-lowino- pleasure to his com-
panion's account of this happy hunting-ground. He
had always sighed for the life of the mountain men.

! J

li.

AN ALAIl.U.

and ho could liardly realize tlie fact that now at
last lie was liiiiiself to lead this very life, which he
had idealized as perfect happiness.

While they were thus conversinn", now and then
throwing; i^-reat dry loj^'s on the fire, which sent »ip
showers of sparks, driving' hack the darkness anionj,^
the tree-trunks, their attention was aroused l)y a
slijL^'ht rustlini-- anionuj the Lrushwood at a little dis-
tance. Both hunters instinctively threw more wood
on the fire, until it flared and <^lowcd like a furnace,
throwing a strong red light upon all sides of the
ca)np.

For some time they sat intently listening , but
beyond the gentle plash of the river, or the sighing
of a passing gust among the boughs of the surrovmd-
ing trees, they could hear nothinfj. They had almost
come to the conclusion that their ears had deceived
them, when again a slight rustling was audible, this
time accompanied by a strange noise, not unlike a
deep-drawn sigh, which was answered on the other
side of the camp.

The fire had been made in front of a spot where
the rank grass which grew among the open brush had
attained a heiokt cji^eater than nsual. It was from
this direction that the first sounds appeared to pro-
ceed. In a low voice Pierre called to his companion
to face round in the opposite direction. " There are
two painters," he continued ; " I'll look after one of
them, and do you look after the other."

I -.1

•• .

KILLIXG A ''PAJyTlcn.

I ' ^\ i

.If

Tlic tull ^a'ass oil wliic'li IMcrrc; kopt liis oycH
fastened se(>iru;(l to wave now and tlu'ii, as if it wcro
<,'('ntly brusluMl aside by some animal stealing slowly
tlu'ougli it, wliile scarcely a rustle betrayed its snakc-
like approach. Suddenly even tliese slight sounds
ceased, and all became as still as before.

The crackling of tlie lire, the distant whoop of the
crane from the marslies, the gurgling rusli of the
river past the banlvs, seemed to strike witli unusual
loudness on Pierre's strained ear, and inwardly ho
anathematized them h\st they might render the
further advance of the liiddcn foe inaudible.

All at once he became aware of a small briglit
point of a greenisli Uistre among the tangled stalks
of grass and weeds; a sliglit movement to one side,
and another became visible. These he knew to bo
the eyes of the crouching cougar reflecting the
ii'lancini; firelisfht.

After some little mana^iiviing, he got a position
which seemed to satisfy him, for after taking a keen
look, he slowly brought his rifle to his shoulder ; and
at the crack, a huge yellow animal sprang with a
roar towards the fire, where it lay rolling in the very
ashes. Another shot, and it lay still.

A crashing through the bushes, as if nrnde by some
beast in flight, at a little distance, relieved the youths
from the apprehension of another attack ; they there-
fore turned their attention to the dead couo;ar, which
they dragged from a too close proximity to the fire.

A LICSSON IN NATVIiAL UlSTdliY.

ami turned on its l»iick to skin. 'J'his tlioy soon
cftcictcd, botli ItciiiLj skilful in tin; uso of tlic'r knives.

(iaulticr wiis nnicli (lisapi)ointiMl at luivini;' Itoon
clioatcMl of a shot by tlio cowartlii-c of tlic other pan-
tlicr; and, as ho kni!W little of the natural history of
this animal, he questioned I'ierre, ^vho readily afl'orded
him all the information which he himself possessed.

" The painter," he began, " or, as the liooks call hiui,
the coui;ar, is the only animal of the kind we have
np in these countries. Down south they have other
sorts of cats, such as the jaguar and ocelot; I ait the
l)casts called cats up in the fur countries aren't true
cats at all, being, in fact, only lynxes. Tn Texas
these are called * bob-tailed cats.'

"It is a pity that each sort of beast hasn't been
given his own true name; Imt, as j'^ou know of course,
the buffalo is not a true buffalo, but a bison ; the elk
is not the same as the European elk, which is our
moose. He has, however, a name which prevents
confusion, though we arc indebted to the Indians for
it — the wapiti. The prong-horn is called a goat by
the trappers, though he is an antelope. I could
mention many other similar instances of misapplica-
tion of names, but those I have given arc sufficient.

" The cougar, I have heard, ranges away south into
South America, where it is very plentiful in some
districts. The Spaniards call it 'leon,' or lion, from
a fancied resemblance to that animal — a likeness
which arises only fi'om similarity of colour. I have

I p.

I' 1

HA BITS OF THE COUGAR.

now and ai^ain come across painters with spots, but
tliey were always young ones, and on tlieni the
niarkini«.s could only be seen in a certain light.

" As you may see for yourself, the cougar is by no
means a liands:miely shaped animal Quite the re-
verse ; and tliis is the more strilving, as nearly all his
conq-eners are remarkable for the i^raceful form of
their bodies and liud)s. The back of the couo'ar
appears long and hollow, and the legs are short and
suumpy, giving the animal a somewhat heavy aspect.
Its length is generally between five and six feet, in-
cluding the tail, which usually measures about two feet.

" Notwithstanding the rather ungainly air of the
cougar, none of its species excel it in climbing. Tt
can mount a tree with wonderful facility, and in
doing so i^ uses its claws, unlike the bear, which
ascends by hugging.

" Another of its hal)its I had personal experience
of in rather an inipleasant manner.

" i had been out late one evening: after a buck T
had wounded, and had followed the animal's tracks,
which were marked with blood here antl there, down
a rocky gorge which was very gloomy, partly be-
cause of the failing light, and partly on account of
the shadows of some immense trees which threw
their branches across the path.

''There was a small stream in the bottom, which
was a favoui'ite drink ing-place for the game, and
towards this the trail led.

NOT A I'LKASANT EXrEJtlENCi:.

"T was LciKlini^' forward tiyinf^ to make out tlio
buck's tracks, wliou I was startled l)y a kind of
sinotlicrod roar, followed innnediately l>y some large
animal hounding over me, actually knocking my cap
from my head as it passed.

"You mny imagine bow I felt when I straigbtened
up and saw a painter croucbing five yards oil', its
green eyes bent on mine, and every muscle quivering
for a spring.

" As it lay before me with its bead buried between
its fore paws, it did n(jt offer me a certain sbot, so
witb my rifle at tbe sboulder and my finger on tbe
trio-o-or I moved slig'btly to one side to i^et a sio'bt
between tbe eye and tbe ear.

" Tbe cougar, bowever, seemed to divine my inten-
tion, for it altered its position, and presented tbe
same front to my aim. Seeing no better way out of
tbe dilFiculty tban to risk a sbot witb its bead in tbat
position, r took sigbt at one of tbose cruel green
eyes, and, after a steady aim, pressed tbe trigger.

" On doing ,so I sprang aside to get clear of tbe
smoke, and lucky for me tbat I did so; for tin; brute
on receiviuij' tbe ball sprang' forward and alii^dited
on tbe very s])ot I bad occupied, wben^ be lay tearing
up tbe eartb in bis deatb-struggles. Of course, seeing
bo was disable(l, I slapped tbe fodder into old 'Never
fail' as ([uiek as T could, an<l let bim bave it bebind
tbe ear, wbicb stretcbel bim out stiff.

" Tlie treacberous brute bad been lying in wait for

Ml
ill

CHARACTER OF THE COUGAR.

txie deer or other game to come to tlio water, and had,
I suppose, mistaken me in tlie uncertain light for a
fat buck as I crouclied forward. How tlie Ijuck I
was after had escaped it I cannot imagine.

" To lie thus in wait for its prey is a characteristic
of the couo^ar. In mountainous localities it selects a
rocky ledge near a stream or a pool, and springs thence
on the hack of the unsuspicious animal heneath. It
seems animated by a fiendish thirst for blood, as it
will kill as many animals as it can get within its
clutches, and this, too, after having gorged itself to
satiety.

" It is a very shy animal ; and as it rarely stirs
abroad in the day-time, it is very seldom met with
even in the wildest districts.

" In the Everglades of Florida, the cane-brakes of
Texas, Arkansas, IMississippi, and Louisiana, it is still
plentiful, though not so much so as formerly. In the
fur countries it is comparatively rare ; and when one
turns up, it causes quite a sensation among the
leathcr-stockino's of the neifdibourhood."

Pierre, having: exhausted his knowledge of the
natural history of the cougar, was now assisted by
Gaultier in dragging away the body of the beast
from the camp. The youths then heaped fr(vsh fuel
on the fire, and disposed themselves to rest for the

night.

CHAPTER V.

8UDDEX ARRIVAL— OLD .lAKF. MAKKS HIS Al'l'EARAXCE— A SIIOOTIXd SrATCII
— OLD JAKE'S skill WTI' THE RIFLE— HIS HISTKRY — EMIGRATES TO
OREGON— .TOrRXEV \Cn()SS THE PLAINS- STALKIX(} AXTELOI'ES— INDIAN
ATTACK— DEATH OF JAKE's PARENTS— HAItD TIMES — REACHES OREGON —
I.KWF.S THE LrM}lEl!-TI!AI)K— I'.F.COMES A FREE TIIA PI'EP. — (i U IFF EVANS —
JAKE JOINS THE PA i;TV— CH AN(iE IN THK FEATIllES OF TH K CorXTItV —
BUFFALOES — RETREAT TO THE CANOE — A VAST HERD— BUFFALO HUXT IN
A CANOE— WOLVES— HUMP RIIIS FOR SUPPER — SATIETY AND REPOSE.

'HE next morninu", wliile Pierre and Gaultier
were cooking- tlieir breakfast, they were
astonished l)y the sudden appearance of a
trapper, wlio issued from the forest and
approached tlieui witli liis rifle cautiously tlu'own
over liis k'ft arm, whiU) his finger rested lightly on
the trio-o'or.

On perceiving that the youths sat quietly at their
fire nnd manifested no uneasiness, he uncocked his
ritle, and called out, " I reckon, strengers, ye're from
the fort l)elow now ? " To which interrogatory Pierre
replied in the aflirmative, at the same tiuie inviting
th(,'ir visitor to be seated and partake of their morn-
ing- meal.

The new-comer was a tall thin mnn,wh.osc hairless
face wns bronzed by (exposure to the hue of a Red

■ t ■■

I .

(G91)

h-\

77//; o/.n TnAi'i'i:n.

Indian's; nor (lid liis ^-encral .a] )p('arana' greatly difTcr
from tliat of one of these sons of tlie forest and prairie.

Ifis clothes were all of buckskin, hegriiiKMl liy
smoke and grease, and polished l>y use on the more
prominent parts of his person. Ifis keen hlack eyes
shot (piick, inquiring glances at each of his new
acquaintances, as if to ascertain of what mettle they
were formed.

At leuL-th ho broke silence. ' I'm doii'-ii'one now,
strcnci'ers,"' he beuan, "but I wur niLih takin' ye fur
Injuns — I wur so. Old Plumcentre hyur" (tap])ing
his ritle) " felt as if she'd l)ust herself a-tryin' to go
at ye; liut I seed at a glimp ye wurn't Injuns
nohow. I never seel the ^vedsl^in my old rille
wouldn't fetch if she'd only a chance. \ guess
now that's a mighty likely looking tool of yourn,"
ho continued, taking; ni) Pierre's ritle and examinini]f
it. " What sort o' shootin' stick d'ye call it, anyhow,
strenfjer ? I never seed the like o' that before."

Pierre gave the desired information.

'• Wal, now, that's some, that is! Do tell ! l^iur-
teen shots 'ithont loadin' ! I reckon you fear naught
that wears ha'r v.d' that thur tool. V/hv. I thouL-'ht
mesclf considerable safe with my old ritle, but them
thur fourteen shots beats all otThand, I reckon."

Alter breakfast Pierre took up his rifh^ and pro-
posed that they should each tn-e a few shots to test
the comparative accuracy of th(Mr weapons.

■ .\ greed, strenLi-cr," sai<l th*' new-comer. '' T cfuess

Ralph ricKo. f;!

•si

OLD JAKE.

/■'r<' rj.

i.'l

;! >■

lil I

! I

A SlfOOrfNa MATCH.

t i

iny old sliootiii' iron ain't a-L;\vino to bo beat by any
of ycr ncw-fang'lod notions."

(Janlticr took a Winclit'ster cartridge; and placed it
in the fork of a small stick, with its Ijaso towards the
firing-point, at a distance of sixty yards.

The object of the marksman was to explode the
cartridge by hitting the cap at its base with a bullet.
This was explained to their new friend, who seemed
to think that he need not exert the nicest (pialities of
his skill to prevent his "old shootin' iron" from being-
beaten by the "new-fangled notions."

The first shot fell to Gaultier's lot. Oaultier was a
good shot, but far inferior to Pierre in this respect.
He took a keen look at the minute object he was ex-
pected to hit, raised his rific steadily, and fired. The
cartridge fell, but an examination showed that the
bullet had cut the stick which had supported it a
quarter of an inch beneath the mark.

Pierre smilingly observed, " Well done, Oaultier
lad ! But you took too fine a sight ; you should have
let 3'our bead stand a little higher in the notch."

The cartridge was ag\ain adjusted, and Pierre took
his position for a shot. The rille was raised, and
almost simultaneously discharged. A pufif of smoke,
accompanied l)y a slight detonation, announced that
his aim had been correct. Oaultier ran to the spot,
but no cartridge could be found. Pit^Tc leaned on
his rifle, his honest face enlivened by a satisfied
smile at his success.

;i, ^ m

:> i!

•M nn/Jir clean shot:'

It was now tlic straii!:,a'r's turn to cxliiltit liis skill.
" I 'lon't often w^istc old I'luinccntro's foddur," lie re-
inarkt'd ; " but I guess 1 wull do so now, jest to show
ye a shot wo sometimes make in the mountains
when the boys hcv a match."

So sayini;', the old trapper drew his sheath knife
and stuck it point downwards in the ground against
the stem of a wliite birch which grew near the spot.
Then slowly stepping ba'-'k sixt ,- p ices from the tree,
he saM, " Wal, I'll wagr , t^ ;■ oil rifle agin a pack
o' beaver-skins I cut my ' ;;!; xa two on tlie edge.
What d'ye say ? "

Pierre was too cautious to accept this wager, and
merely said that if he lost, the beavers were still
alive that would have to pay the forfeit.

" Wal, hyur goes, anyhow," replied the trapper,
and slowly raising the nuizzle of his long rifle he
graihially l)rought it to bear on the mark. A moment
of suspense ensued, and then was liear<I the sharp,
whip-like crack, followed or rather accompanied by a
sort of dull, riiie'iniji: sound.

" Hooraw for ohl Kentuck!" exclaimed the trapper;
" you bet she's plum-centre ! " And so, in fact, it was.
The bullet, to the no small astonishment of tlio
youths, had actually divided on the keen edge of the
old fellow's hunting-knife, as was evident from the
bullet-hole in the tree on each side of the blade.

" T call that a right clean shot," said Pierre. " I'd
cjive somethinGf to be able to beat it."

<iLi) JAh'hrs itisnutY.

^i',

" \\'iil, for one as youiiLC ^^ y^'^ ^"^^"^ y<^'i' slioutiu'
ain't iniK'li lii'liiiidliand," vcplii'd tlu; tiii}>itiM* ; "but
t'«)i' tliu vaal tliiiiL;", you iiuist i;L't auion^' tlu' moun-
tainy uicn, 1 n'uess. Tluir's not a many i^^oin' as can
sliino witli tliis old coon itlior at drawin' a In-ad on
Injun or on i;'anii.'. I've hecn niL;li on forty ye-ars in
tlie mountains, and huv sclmI tlie time tliat a lia'r's-
Itrcadth itlier way in my aim 'ud havo lost my scalj).'

"You s('(.'m to liavL' travLdlL'd a L;-roat deal," said
(JauitiiT. "I suppose you have often liad a biusli
witli tlie iJedskins."

" Vouni;' t'ellur, you may say that. Yes; I've fo o
a'most all the tribes atween this and the West n
Ocean in my day, and a worse set o' prowliniL!; sk .J:s
these liyur plains and mountains don't liold. I rrues.i

wr'll jest sit liyur awhile, an' Jll tell ye \» j i

■>■>
am.

'i'hc party accordiui^ly threw themselves ou tlic
i;rass, and Pierre and CJaultier prepared w ith interest
to listen to the story of tliis curious old stran^'er.

For a few minutes the trai)p('r seemed wrapped in
thought, and appeared to Jiid his memory by drawing-
certain cal»alistic lin(3s on the ground with the i)oint
of his knife. At last lie spoke.

"It wur away back in old IMissourah this child
wur raised. Thur wurn't considerable of a population
thar in those days, I reckon; but as the years went
on, the old clearin' got rayther crowded, and my
father sorter concluded he'd make tracks for Oreu'on,

.1 JOUILXKY TO BE RKMKMIUCnEI).

wliicli was jest tlieii L,n'ttiii' talked ut' as a likely
location. So one tine moi'iiin', Ini^lit an' airly, wo
nalkMl up tlio door of tlio old cabin that had shel-
tered us sin' wc wur knee-liigh to a (hick. AFother
au' nie an' the other young uns wur packed into a
wa'^o'on, an' off we started, little knowin' whur we

was a-gwiiu; to.

" Wal, 1 guess that wur a journey to rcc'lect ! Wo
jined ancjthei' party as wur bound the same way as our-
selves, at the town of Independence ; an' arter gettin'
all sich things as wur needed for the trail acrost the
]ilains, we hitched to our cattle, an' tracked out o' the
town, a good half of the pop'lation follerin' us and
wishin' us luck an' safe throuGjh from the Injuns.

" As fur me, I thort it the finest thing I'd seed yet.
I'd got my fust rifle, an' did nothin' but skin round
arter chickens an' prairie dogs an' buzzards all day;
an' half the ni^'hts I'd sit an' listen to the stories at
the camp-iire o' fights wi' Injuns an' grizzly b'ars,
till I a'most froze for a fio'ht meself.

" The old man's name was IFawken — Mose ITawken
— an' they called me Jake, from my uucle, who ye
hev heerd tell on for his ritles, I suppose.

" We win- ten in the party 'ithout countin' the
weemen an' childer an' helps. First, thur wur father
an' the fellui* as had jined us — his name wur Jackson;
thur wur four teamsters an' a liuide ; an' the rest
wur hunters wi' their waii'i^ons a-^'oin' west to the
mountains. A right smart lot we wur, I kin tell

1 i

,to^f;M;m^;^'v:^^^^i^ ^-^»y::):^f-^^^^^

EMIGRANTS CROSSING

:^^/^^ V .<'^\r¥l!

EMIGRANTS CROSSING THE PLAINS.

/■,-.' •'•■'.

li!

Nil

l;,l!

■: !

y«

Lve

cla;
Pill

aci

foi
to
liii

cjiossixa Tin: r la ins.

yc; an' ca liard nut to crack we proved for the
Redskins wlien we fell in wi' 'em.

" Notliin' partickk'r liappened fur the fust few
days out. We crossed tlie JJig Blue an' tuck the
Santa Fc trail, whicli wur as plain to he seed as
Pike's Peak or Chinihly Rock, J^iU Pn-nt an' the
traders hevin' passed a short time before.

" The trail led through the fust pcraira Pd coined
acrost; an' I reckon I liain't seed many as kin hold
for beauty agin that sanie one fur twenty-live miles
to Elm Grove. 'Twur a sweet piece o' ground fur
huntin' when the bufller ranged thuraway; but 1
guess they'd ])in druv west'ard before my time.

" Wal, fur days an' days we kep' the road, keepin'
our eyes skinned fur Injun sign, an' givin' a wide
berth to the clumps an' groves o' timber whur the
savao'es mout lie in ambush. We ])egun to think
that thur wurn't any o' the varmints hann-in'
about the trail ; an' the boss guard o' nights, as
often as not, used to holjblc the cattle an' make
thurselvcs snug at the fires, instead o' keepin' watch.
The Inmters said the Kanzas Injuns wurn't on the war-
path, an' that they wur the only ones in them parts.
So we all thort ourselves safe enough.

"One day I left the trail on my Injun pony to
hcv a look about for mcself. f behoped I mout get
a shot at a deer ; an' I thort how proud I'd be ridin'
in to camp wi' the meat packed on my saddle.

" T tuck a bee-line north from the trail, intendin'

I I fr 1

^i^T/aopss,

*o .Cfo two or t],roo m\h.

^^^H sn as to h, ^J, T'^^' ""'' *^''^» to nMo

i ilea ffot nl„,.,f "liHI.

tlio wa-.o„s, ,vl,c.„ I , , ■\""'" ■''"■ay from

("•''■- yo"'.. call antCop f,: ,•"."'' "'"■'^ ^' .^'-t-
"'"'- «- crest o' a s r " " " ""'" '-"-'v.

I Mi I

H'pIcHMiim out o- s,-., , ; ";,'"""■'■' *'-^"-""'
sloped alono, keoni,.' , ' ' ""' ■^"■^"' I «.<.„

P««P over. So J cron , f"^'"'' ''''"•'^'^ '» l'«v a

J-^t parte, the ,vJZ>nir '' ""' '^■'^'-' -»'

»' threw tl,eir hoa.Is .,„".„' "^''PP^'! fecli,,',

^ t"ek .si„.!,t n t, ' " "°"- "'^'-^ ^ ■• an' "•,•' tin
.-,.^- at tl,e )„-o.e,t o' tlie lot an' l„t 1 ■

-'-■' -,rceu as not to ,.r ,,;:'••" ^"'■■^'■■'-- I
"™'' "'«t the eritturs.net T'' '"'''"' "■'''•

p-0"nd,t,.atj„everi \\l"'f'-^^^

fi-Hau4earsdow,rt,,e ,?'''■'''''"■'"• ••'^' "-

Y from
g'oats

liiill

lie

IIU'

ho
in

A srnrnrsK.

'■ T novor i;*ot to tliat tliur ^'oat. J wisli Id never
st'cd tlic crittur. Yd jest i-'ot fil)ont lialf-wavs wlien
a l)an<l of about a Inuidertl Redskins a-hossback cair.c
scroecliin' over tlio top o' tho opposite rise, and wur
a-tcariii' down on nic as fast as tbur 1 losses ciid iro.
I i^ucss 'Lwur no time to make a nustake ; so I
wliecled about an' ])ut like a ([uarter-lioss liack over
tlie swell torst wliur Jil left my pony i^'razin'.

"1 reckon my scalp beL;an to feel loose jest about
then; but luck wur in my favour. I ^-ot straddled at
last; an' the way 1 ker.i up to the waii^ons with the
Injuns a-wlioopin' an' a-yellin' at my heels A\'ur a
siii'ht to see, 1 s>-uess. The waLi'i-ons wur coralled at
oncost, an' the Redskins seein' this, pidled up jest out
o' riHe-shot, and had a palaver amoni;- thurselves.

" What they wur sayin', o' coorse, we didn't
know ; but arter a little while the hull lot set off
full gallop an' wur soon out o' sight. The greeii-
liorns amongst us wur sayin' how lucky W(^ wur
they'd taken 'emselvcs away; but the old hands
barfed, though 'twur no larfin' matter, and said we'd
hear more o' them before rnornin'. We ma<le camp
straight away, an' ma«le everything ready agin tho
time the varmints "ud come back.

"The Inniters spent t\\o time castin' bullets an'
clcanin' out tliur shootin' irons, tellin' all the while
about the deviltries o' tlio savages, an' how they
treated thur ])ris'n(a's, to kinder encourage the raw
hands an' git thur dander riz.

ATTACKED liY ''JNJf/NSr

"Tliur wnr a sliarp look-out kcp' torst ovonin', an'
the liosscs will' tied to tlie wa.LCgons to prevent tlieif
bein' stampeded. Tlie wet^meii an' tlie cliikk'i' wur
put into one o' tlie AvaL,^L;'ons, all 'cept me, as I'd
|)e<^r(_rod the old man to let ino. take part in the
scrimmage, seein' as I had a rifle.

"Thur wur some o' us as wur raal i>rit and wur
spoiliii' for a liyht ; an' thur wur others, as 1 reckon,
wished to be aiiywhur else jest then, an' these wur
the fellurs as lied talked the biggest before Injuns
iiad been siu'lited.

" I ree'lect that night well, 1 guess, tliough it is nigh
forty yeern ago. F wur a right smart chunk o' a lad
too, bein' about fifteen, an' rayther f(jr'ard for my age.

"Wal, to make a long story short, night kem at
last, an' wi' it sure enough kem the Injuns. Thoy
thort to surprise us, I reckon, but they wur dis-
a])p'inted. 'r'hey kem n -whooi)in' an' a-screechin'
right up to the waggons, hopin' to start the Imll
cavayard ; but the bosses wur well hitched, an'
cudn't break loose nohow.

"The fires lied bin put out al nightfall, so thur
wur no light to gi' the Redskins an aim. Thit they
cud make out the camp, an' they kep' iirin' torst it;
an' oiK^ o' thur random shots throwed my old mother,
who wur in one o' the waij'gons which wc had thort
the safest place al)out.

"This made the old man savagous as a meat-axe,
an' he s\\ urj he'>l rise Injun bar if he lost his'n

•■ ,<;-.

.1 llILW't'J AND SUCCESSFUL DEUKNCE.

a-tryin' ; an' 'twm- all could l»i' did to keo[) liim from
toaviii' out auionii-st the red skunks an' ixcttin' scalnt-d
slick.

"Wal, T reckon tliey kep' firin' an' wlioopin' an'
screecliin' all nii^dit, in' jest as day wur a bivakin'
they c^uied up clost a-tryin' to force tluu- way
atwec^n the waiLTil^ons. I guess tliis wur j(\st what
we wanted. Thur wur li^ht enough now to draw a
bead, an' we gev 'em goss, you het. Ten rilles an'
ten pistols spoke out, an' thur wur an' Injun thro wed
on his tracks a'most fur each one.

"I hed noticed the chief a-coniin' — a big* fellur he
wur, wi' an eagle's feather in his scalp-lock, an'
ridin' a tine nnistanix. I tuck siii-ht at him when ho
wurn't twenty yards otl', an' throwed him cold. His
boss got mixed up with ourn, an' one o' the men
lassoed hiui before he could git away.

"The ground wur kivcred wi dead Tnjuns, an'
thur wur four o' us as hed u'one under.

"Them Redskins wur raal brave. Thre* times
they comed on, an' each time we seed a !.»t '»" thur
saddles emptied.

" Seeiu' as they wur g«'ttin' the woi'st <>' tlie
bis'ness, they totiMl thurselves right off; an' whcii
they got a.vay about five or six hunderd yards, the\
wheeled round an' tired a last volley at us.

Li'irons to o'cit a clur

'■^O'

sight at 'en,, when he wur tumbled over wi' tlic very
last shot thcv tired.

I Sf.

ij r

rnii

I ;i

'^S'

liij

90 JAKi: /!f:c'().ni:s a ruEr-: ru.^ rp /■:/:.

" Hyiir r wur left, 'itbout itlicv fatlior or mother
— al(jne, I may say, in i]u\ wildei'iicss, fur the otlier
little iins Avurn't </ no {lecount, seeiii' thi-y war so
young.

" O' coorsc, as soon as the Injuns clurred of!" ^\• )
hurieel the dead ; an' a sad siiiht that wur, J reekon !
I lowsomedever, we jj;'ot it done at last, an' hitehed
up onr teauis an' started.

"Now I ain't a-g'wine to toll ye all that ha])pened
to us on the road. We wur riLiht hadlv used, 1 n'uoss,
an' hcd to eat oui" moccasins morc'n oncost. Dut all
things have an end, an' so IkmI our journey.

"Igotagoodjohata lumber-mill on the Willamette,
an' stuck to it for a hull year; out 'twurn't the life
for me. I craved for the luountains an' tlie woods, I
did; an' so one day I Jest ]/acked my possibles, not
forgettin' a couple o' pounds o' the best powd(>r as
over flashed lead throu'jh life, an' with a raal Jake
Hawken rille, tuck to the mountains, an' livt'd tlic
life o' a free trapper.

"I made a considerable ])ile at it too, fur beaver
wur fetchin' a high price in tliose days ; but 'twur no
go, I reckon, eytlier I lost the hull lot o' dollars at
eucn* one night to Sacranienty, an' wur afoot agin.
Thoi. I dotarmincd to walk on t'other Iol;' fur the
future, an' so I did.

" [ liev lived ever since in the old Rockies, only
goin' to the settlements fur lead an' powder an' sich
things as 1 needed; but I liain't played a deck u'

IIUIFF EVAXS.

cards sin' tliat ni^'lit. 'Twiira lesson tliis cliiM trnln't
iieud twice, I reckon.

*' I cud tell y(^ (/ a liunderd .scriunna^'es wi' the
Tnjuns, Imt 1 dessay ye'll licv" some fur yersulves
before long.

" I Avnr til ink in' now o' goin' east to Fort (^arry on
some liisness o' my own; but I ain't in a hnrry.
Whurever T ur, fhaCs liuni to nie."

The old trapper paused in liis nai'rat've, and Pierre
seized the opportunity of telling biiu of tlieir recent
adventiwe witli the Indians, and of tlie trai-'ic event
whicli had dcprivetl thcni of tlicir C()ni]\anion, The
old man listened, now and then asking a (piestion
whcn-'Ncr a circumstance did not appear clear to him.
At len<j:tli he exclaimed, —

" I know the band as has did this; they nr t'j^' ' ar-
mints as raised (Jriir Evans' ha'r on Soda Creek a
montli agone. Ye see GrifK wur an out an' out good
.shot, an' prided hisself to that pint that as long as
he'd i'-ot his rifle he'd not b'lieve the thin<'' liveil

cud hu]'t him.

e wur too ventursonu', an'

wur jumped while aslee]) in his cam]). J/r ncvei*
knowcd what happened to him before he wur scalped.
These hyur Injuns are White Wolf's band sure as
shootin'."

O \'OU

think,

sai(

1 T^

u^rre

that

we arc ni

any

danu'cr of falling in with them anain T'

" WaJ, 1 duiUKj that exactly. 'I'hey mout ha' gone
down to the foi't to trad(\ an' if so, you bet theyll

™ 1

J rnnrosiTfoy.

I :

|i.

say notliiii' o' lioviiv' socn yon ; l>iit if tlioy'ro ^^one tlifit
away, we'll not sec 't'lii {iL;<*iin, I rockoii, oiiloss yo'ro
iiiii;"lity cuv'ous .il)oiit iiu'ctin' 'cm."

(faultier propo.s(>d aside to Pierre tliat tlioy should
ask old Juke to join them on their liunt, and take his
own share of the profits. The old fellow's answer
to this proposition was characteristic.

Wal,

youn

Uf fellurs, T don't care if T (h)es. Ef

ye're scaljicd l>y the Redskins, 1 reckon 111 make
somethin' out o't, as no donht thur'll he peltry a-L;"oin';
an' ef it's t'other way (which ain't likely), yc'll juake
a raise hy me. I've a pile o' my own, 1 g'uess, hut
thur's time enough to tell ye whur I've cached it
when I feels the knife around my old top-knot. Ef
yc knowed whur that cache wur, mayhe ye'd seal})
ir.e. 'ithout waitin' fur any Injuns to do it.'

" Indeed," said Pierre, " we'll he so pleased to have
your company, that Ave'U look for nothing* further at
present. IJesides, your expei'iencc will he useful in
keeping us out of any Indian scrapes."

"Wal, my exper'ence 'uU do no harm; I think I
may safely say that, yoinig fellur. So, now we've
jincd company, might I ax whur ye're a-goin'?"

"We meant to trap the head-waters of the l>ull
Pound and its creeks," said Pierre. '" I suppose you
know where that is ? "

" I rayther guess I do, seein' as it's thur I'm arter
comin' from," replied Jake. " Ye-cs ; I've made a
]»ee-line hyur all alone he m'self. It's a plaguy long

^1^

.(.V AdUKKMEST.

O.T

Wcay tlmr, l)ut I reckon it'll lie i'«asit'i' nor Avalkin" (<>
go in ycr canoe."

"And liJiiln't you al.nrso?" asked (ianlticr.

" Ye-es, 1 IkmI a hoss; Ijut T lieil to cat the crittur —
I bed so. I wur tlirei^ weeks in tlio sand Hats, \\\\\\v
ncitliei'ltird norlieast wwv to lie fonnd; nn' so T guess
I lied to shoot tlu.' crittur or starve nieself, which. T
wnrn't likely to do whi'c 1 IhmI live hunderd pounds
of hoss-nieat I'ui' the shootin. It rationetl nie till I
got to game. No; Jake llawkcn ain't a-gwinc to
cave in that way neither. 'I'hur'U hev to he hard
(loin's, y(ju het, when Jir goes nndci'."

It was therefore agreed hctwccn the parti<'s that
they should continue their journey and trap in com-
mon, the produce to be eiiually divided among them.
Jake told them that he had made a successful hunt
the previous season, and had sold his ju'ltry at good
prices at on(^ of the Fur Company's forts.

Gaultier had never previously been so far west as
he now found himself, and he was therefore daily on
the outlook for the bufl'alo, which lie had supposed
plentiful on all the western prairies.

DuriuL!' the veek which followed their meetinu"
with Jake, they journeyed as rapidly as possilJe.
I'he features of the country had changed — the forests
had given place to vast open prairies, with detached
clumps of timber studded over them, like islands in
an ocean of verdure. ITerc game was plentiful, but
as yet they hail seen no buifalo.

''liVrFALOESt'''

> 4^

!ii

OiK' (Imv, (lining.;' iln' noon lialt, ami wliile they
AVtTi! catinij^ tlicir dinner (wliieh consisted of tender
loin of elk), they were suddenly startled l»y a i'und»ling
sound which seenied to resend)le distant thunder.
The two hoys ascrihed it to this; but Jake, layini^
liis ear close to the j^n'ound, listened intently for a
few seconds, and then sittini,^ up, cnhnly said, " It's
butllcr."

" liull'aloes ! " exclaimed (laultier.

"Buflnloes!" cried Pierre, both sprinccing to their
feet and siizini; their rilles.

" Ilo, boyees!" said Jake. "What's the hurry?
They'll be some tinu.' a-comin' yit, 1 reckon; they're
two miles off. This child don't stir from hyur till
he's chawed this hyur meat; he don't now."

Controlling their impatience, the youths stood by,
watching their imperturbable companion calndy eating
his dinner. ^leantime the distant rundjlin;:'- momenta-
rily grew louder and louder; and now individual
sounds, belloAvhigs and lowings, could be distin-
guished.

All at once Jake cast aside his reserve, and desirinu'
the youths to launch tlu^ canoe, he began to ascend
the sloping bank which had interrupted the view in
the direction from which the buHaloes were approacli-
inu".

When he got to the smnmit, he looked earnestly in
this direction for a moment, and then came rnshinii;
down the bank, exclaiming, " Git into the canoe ! in

wliile they
(I of tciidor
iravuiultlinii;
nt thundor.
Jjiko, layini^-
tontly iov a
y said, " It's

<'\\vf to tlieir

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'k(jn; tlicy'vo
1)111 liyur till

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lis stood l)y,
almlyctitim
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individual
l)c distiu-

land dosiriiiL;*
In to ascend
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■arnestly in
line rnsliing
Ic canoe ! in

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IMAGE EVALUATION
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Photographic

Sciences
Corporation

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580

(716) 872-4503

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DRAIDIE OF THE SASKATCHEW

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A TTA rh'/ya the nj:i:d.

wi' ye, 1 tell ye ! Tliur's ten thousand o' tlieiii
buffler, an' ef wo don't put out o' liyur, we'll be
trampled to shucks as sure as beaver medicine."

And so, in fact, it was. Scarcely had the three
trappers taken their places in the canoe, and shoveil
off from the shore, when the crest of the bank which
sloped back from the river for a little distance was
crowned by a surging mass of animals plunging madly
onwards, as if flying from some terrible and imminent
dano'er,

" Hooraw!" yelled Jake. " Gi' it 'em, lads! Hyur's
fur hump ribs for supper." So saying, he levelled his
long rifle, and at the report a fine cow^ which had
been a little detached from the main body, rolled
over, struggled to her legs, and again fell, when she
lay vainly trying to rise, at the water's edge.

Gaultier and Pierre each singled out a victim, and
kept up a perfect fusilade with their Winchesters.

The leading bufl'aloes, seeing the enemy in front,
attempted to turn back, but w^ere forced forward by
the resistless multitude behind ; so, swerving to one
side, they plunged into the river at a point some
hundred yards farther up the stream. The water
here was deep and still, and nothing could be seen of
the swinnning animals except their heads.

The herd behind continued to crowd over the ridire
faster than those in the water could swim, so that the
stream was soon fille<l with a plunging, lowing mass
of terrified animals, who completely stretched from

ii'

■'.-|

(091)

100

sunnouNDL'D.

l).ink to bank, and np and down tlio river to a con-
sideral)le distance.

In tlieir excitement, our trappers did not observe
tliat tliey liad Ijecome encircled b}- their game, nntil
a sense of tlie danc;'er they ran of bcin;:;' swamped in
tlieir frail Imrk forced itself on their attention.

A dozen hu(]fe bulls Avere snortiiiL!" and plon^'hinGi:
the stream in close proximity to the canoe, caus-
inii' it to dance like a cockle-shell on the ai-itated
water.

One of these animals seemed determined to attack
them, for he swam straiij:ht towards the l)oat, his
small eyes glowing viciously among the coarse matted
hair which covered his forehead. Old Jake was i\u)
first to perceive the danger.

"Hullo, boyees! old fur an' leather means mischief,
1 tell ye; but liynr's a stojiper fur him." As he
spoke, his long riiie was at his shoulder; but a dull
click answa^red the pull of the trigger — the rifle had
missed fire.

Pierre and Gaultier, however, got their Winchesters
to bear on the forehead of the bull, wdiich was now
hardly five yards away. The two reports seemed
one ; and as they echoed over the river, the buft'alo
reared himself frantically from the w^ater, and turn-
inGC on his side, floated dea<l with the current.

The reports of the riiles and tlie wild yells of old
Jake efiectually scattered those buffah:)es which wxre
in too close proximity to the canoe, so that the trappers

a A ULTIKIVS SUCCESf^.

101

llo

breatliod inoro iVcely as thoy found tli(jin.solves again
ill a position of safety.

Tlioy ceased iiriiig-, too, as tliey were averse to in-
discriininate slaiii;-liter, and tliey liad already procured
meat en ou I'll to last tlieni for a considei-aMf tiuii* —
l(jnL;'er, in fact, than it would keej). (Jaidtier was in
liiu'li featluM" with his success, for he ha<l shot several
huflaloes liiniself, and lie received old Jake's enconiiuins
on his skill in that Lashful manner which shows that
the praise affords genuine satisfaction.

" Yc'll make a fust-rate mountain man, T guess,
young fellur, ef ye sticks to tlie life," he remarkeil.
"Ye made them tliur hulHer come raal hairsome,
ye did. I guess old Eph'm hisself ud hev to do his
tallest teariii' ef he wants ye to go under."

The drove of Luffaloes had now all crossed 'he
river, and the trappers were about to land to skin
and cut up the meat, when their attention was at-
tracted towards a numl)er of wolves, whicli had f(jl-
lowcd the herd to pick up any dead or decrepit
animal, and whicli were at this moment uncere-
moniously helping themselves, as fast as their vorac-
ity enaoled them, to several of those buffaloes which
had fallen on the bank.

This was too much for Jake's patience to endure.
"The varmints," he cxclaimc<l, " ur a-gwine to s[)i]e
our meat; but 1 o'uess old Plunicentre 'ull lu^v a

Itc

wor(.i to s

ay a;

<>'in

that.

if! i

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■;l '

III

So saying, Jake levelled his rifle at one of the

102

J.i/i/rs AFFECTION Foil " PLUMCENTltEr

111 ill I::

'! ^1 h

largest ot* tlu! pack, and at tlio report tlie brute
(louLled up and lay still.

Pierre and Oaidtier, too, picked out their own
victims, and each succeeded in hrinn-inf]: a wolf to the
earth. '^J'he former (piite won old Jake's heart by
making a succession of brilliant shots at these slink-
ing brutes, who betook themselves bade over the
ridge out of sight as fast as their legs could carry
them.

" Tliem thur rifles o' yourn air great weapons, sure
enough," Jake observed. " Whur did ye git 'em ?"

Pierre replied that they had purchased them at
New llaven, Connecticut, a short time previously —
in fact, that they had been bought for this very trip.
Jake's affection, however, for his own well-tried piece
was not to be weakened by any comparison between
it and the breech-loaders.

" She's saved my life more'n oncest," he said, '' an'
many's the grizzly she's thro wed in his tracks. I'm
not a-gwine to part wi' the old gun yet. We've bin
man an' wife, I may say, for twenty year ; an' while
she shoots true, she an' I '11 stick together."

The old man was now in his element. He was
'■' among the meat " once more ; and over the camp-
flre that night many a hairbreadth escape and 2>eril-
ous adventure did he tell to his attentive audience,
while the massive ribs sputtered on the embers, and
the juicy "fleece" was transferred " hot and hot" to
his capacious stomach.

111

AROUNJ) THE CAM J' I- 1 UK.

lo;]

Lono- strips of meat were wuspended in front of the
prodigious tires which the trappers had constructed
in order to "jerk " it, and thus preserve it during the
journey.

It was late that night before they lay down to
rest. J)espite the noises made by wolves, who were
snarling and fighting over the carcasses of the buf-
faloes which lay along the river bank, the two youths
at length fell into a sound sleep, leaving old Jake to
keep the first watch, during which he solaced himself
with one more rib and one more slice from the suc-
culent hump.

H: V

» I f

ClIAPrER VI.

AI!l:iVAI, \T CirKSTruriEM) IKUTsK— JAKK finds old At'QUAINTANCES— de-
TAItn liK KIKiM CIII'.slKUl'IKLU HotJSK— J A KE's HV.STEM OF MoltAMTV—
ANTULOrKS— OLU JAKK MAKKS A .SUCCESSFUL .STALK.

r is iiut our pnrpo.se to detail all the adven-
tures which Ix'fell our three trappers on
their way to the Rocky Mountains. Their
days \\'ere generally spent in nothing more
exciting than in paddling tlie canoe, if we except an
occasional hunt on the plains or in the forests near
the river.

They spent some days at Chesterfield House, wdiero
Pierre and Claultier WQva the guests of the factor,
while Jake met several of his okl acquaintances, whose
liearty greetings and quaint ideas atibrded the boys
no small amusement.

" Hullo, Jake, old coon," exclaimed one of these,
" give us yer paw. I thort ye'd gone under that
time the Blackfeet tuck Elk Biddle's scalp. Hooraw
fur you, old hoss ! AVhar hev ye bin ? Hev ye
made a raise o' Blackfoot lia'r, to squar the loss o'
mar' an' peltry ?"

Jake replied, " Wal, I did. I got back my old mar',

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T reckon, and tuck the scalp o' tlir ni[,'i,n'r a^ raised
liir. Tliiir's some o' tliat varminL s liar on my old
Icn-^'ins yit. 'Tain't iR'althy fur tlicui skunk.s to
[)lay tliur pranks on uic, I l;uoss !"

" 'Tain't so, you l)L't," replied his iVicnd.

'Pile reunion of these former conu'ades was celc-
lirated in trui; mountain fashion, ami furious wero
the or;;'ies which ensued. The produce of a whole
season's hiuit A'as spent in whisky, which these wild
fellows (h"ank as if it were water.

On the fourth day after arriving at the fort, our
three ti'appers took their depai'tur(\ The employds
and huuters o-athered on the river l)ank to see them off,
and woke the echoes with a cheer as the lii^ht canoe
once more cleft the hroad waters of the Saskatchewan.

iM)r the hrst few miles the voyageurs spoke litth^;
they probahly felt sad at leaving behind them the
last vestiges of civilization which they were tlestined
to see for many a day. Ihit however Pierre and
Gaultier (wIkjsc comparative refinement made them
more susceptible to such ideas) might have felt, Jake
was not one to be long cast down by any circum-
stance. He seemed to bo muttering to himself occa-
sionally, as if del)atino- some knotty question.

At len^•th Pierre yentured to ask the old fellow
what he was thiukinof of.

" What ur I a-thinkin' ov, is it ? Wal, this ur
what this coon's a-thinkin' ov. I wur a-thinkin' how
I could 'arn two pound o' 'bacca an' a pound o' powder."

I I

f.i

108

" THE MARROW OF THE MATTER."

f !

I i

" Why," said Gaultier, " whom are you to earn them
from, and what for? I thought you tilled your
horn as well as your tobacco pouch before leaving
the fort ? "

" I did so, young fellur," replied the trapper. " I
guess I ain't a greenhorn to leave old Plumcentre
'ithout her fodder ; but 1 reckon thur's no harm in
'arnin' more ef it can be come by. Now, ye seed
Bill Bucknall at the fort — him as had bin a'most
scalped by them Blackfeet, when the boyees kem
in time to save him ? Wal, he's described to me
the very niggur as wur nigh liftin' his ha'r; an'
he's promised me the powder an' the 'bacca ef I
brings in that ar "Redskin's scalp. That's what I
wur a-thinkin' on, young fellur. I reckon two pounds
o' 'bacca ud keep my old jaws a-waggin' half the
winter."

This extraordinary declaration caused the youths
such a fit of laughter as effectually dispelled the
melancholy which had begun to steal over them.

" Why, Jake," said Pierre, " you surely wouldn't
shoot an Indian you had no grudge against, and
whom you have never even seen ? It would be
murder."

" Wal, that's jest the marrow o' the matter," an-
swered the old hunter. " I hain't niver seed the var-
mint, sure enough^ an' so I owes him no grudge ; but
when I does see the skunk, I reckon I'll let him go
jest for oncest. That'll squar the matter, w^on't it ?"

i,^

• mm ij »i»»i . ' i .lf w nBiwii— HF>-

OLL JAIME'S SYSTEM OF MORAUTY

100

" How do you mean ?" in(.[uir(jd both the youths.

" Ye're the greatest goneys I iver sot eyes on ! "
exehiimed the astonislied trapper. '• Why, don't ye
see. ef I lets that nii^'o^ur ixo, as lono' as he's walkin'
I'll be out of my 'bacca ; that'll be grudge enough,
I reckon. You bet, I'll be cliawin' soon arter mectin'
him a second time."

As old Jake's theory of morality was too subtle
for the youths to comprehend, they remarked that
they hoped he would not make any rash attempt
which might involve them as well as himself in
serious danger.

" Thur's no fear," replied the trapper; " I only wants
that one niggur, an' I ain't a-gwine to go it one-
handed among the hull tribe. I'll wait till I hev him
handy."

The youths endeavoured to dissuade the old fellow
from his purpose, but for some time m vain. Ho
could not be got to understand that any moral guilt
was attachable to the shooting of a mere Indian, the
more especially when, as in this instance, the indi-
vidual Redskin had attacked his friend Bucknall,
who came near losing his scalp in the encounter.

The offer of tobacco and powder was, no doubt, a
powerful incenti\ e ; but the trappers and mountain
men of the west, generally speaking, are no more
troubled in conscience by having killed an Indian
than by having killed a buffalo.

" But surely, Jake," said Pierre, " you must allow

li tV

A STIFF ARaU}TENT.

tliat an Indian, liowevcr savage lie may be, is still a
man ; and that to kill a man for no other reason than
to earn some powder and tobacco, is a hideous crime,
for -which you would have to answer to the Al-
mighty."

" Ugh !" exclaimed the incorrigible old sinner; ''ye
talks like one o' the black-robe missioners as makes
it wrong to dro}) a deer o' a Sunday. I've bin, man
an' boy, all uiy life in the plains an' in the hills, an'
niver yit did this coon hear tell o' its bein' wrong
to shoot a Redskin, 'ceptin' allers a friendly tribe.
When Injuns ur a-streakin' it in thur paint acrost
the plains, I tells ye, young fellurs, that ef ye don't
drop them, tltcyW drop you. Tliur ain't no two tunes
to that song, I guess !"

" But," resumed Pierre, " in the ]n'esent instance
you mean to take an Indian's life, not in self-defence,
when alone it would be excusable, but only to earn a
miserable wage of a little powder and tobacco. Ccmie,
Jake, your conscience, I know, will tell you that this
is wronof. Kemember that if the Indian is a savao^e,
he is so through no fault of his own. He is only
Avhat his bringing up has made him. And if he, in
his utter blindness, massacres his 'enemies and is cruel
and treacherous, you, who are a white man and of a
superior race, ought not to imitate his bad example."

" Wal, mister," said the hunter gruffly, " ye ought
t.. hev bin a missioncr. Thur's not a manv on the
plains as carries a rifle ud think an' talk like that :

l± L- " V f^ . Jtm IB

J> IE HUE'S AJ'I'EJL.

Ill

an' I'd advise ye to sell yer rifle an' ])uy liynni-books
an' black clotlies, an' run a mission auioni;" the Blaek-
i'ect. Jest tell them not to rise the lia'r o' the whites,
an' not to nunxler and do wuss to thnr weemen.
Tell 'cm it ain't accordin' to the Bil)le ; an' sec what
tJieyW say ! Onconnnon lucky you'd be ef they didn't
begin rii^ht straight away on yerself. ?Te ! he ! lie !"
And here the old fellow chuckled merrily, as it" this
termination to a missionary career was jieculiarly
funny.

" This is all very well, Jake," replied Piei-rc ; *' l)ut
two blacks don't make one white. If the Indians do
wrong-, that is no reason that we, who know better,
should do wi'ong also. 80, while wo keep compnny,
I hope you will not be so wicked as to wantonly in-
jure or kill any of the savages we may fall in with.
Of course, if they attack us, our duty will then com-
pel us to defend ourselves, in which case their blood
will be upon their own heads. It often troubles mc
at night," continued Pierre, " when I lie awake, to
think of the blood I ha\'e shed, although I am thank-
ful I never shed it except in self-defence. Still, it is
an awful thinix to take the life of a fellow-creature —
to hurry him before the throne of God without an
instant's warning', with the stains of a life of crime,
perhaps, upon his soul. I sometimes think I'll leave
the woods and plains altogetlier, and go where \ can
live in peace, Avhere I will not be exposed t(j the
necessit}^ of ever shedding a fellow-creature's blood."

111

i ■}

ii^

1 i

ill

112

T/fE OLD TRA ITER CONVINCED.

Pierre spoke with much feeling, and as he ceased,
old Jake, to whom he liad particularly addressed
himself, seemed very uneasy.

At length, after coughing and looking this way
and that, the old hunter exclaimed, '' May I be con-
siderably blamed, young fellur, ef ye ain't right ! I
feels it hyur," laying his hand to his heart, " tliat all
ye've said is true. It reminds this old coon o'
when he Avurn't more'n knee-hicfh to a duck, the old
mother used to say, ' Jake, never return evil for evil ;
but when others injure you or speak ill of you, for-
give them. You will need forgiveness some day your-
self, and this is the way to arn it.' Them's a'most
her very wore Is. I rec'lects 'em as w^ell as ef they'd
bin said yesterday, though it's a grievous long time
ago now. But I guess they've bin choked up an'
kivered this many a day."

" It is never too late to mend, Jake," said Gaulticr ;
" and we all need the lesson. Pullinnf the tri<x«:er
every day on all kinds of game, one soon gets the
feelings blunted, and then it almost conies as easy to
shoot a man as anything else."

"Jest so," said Jake; "that's jest it. I feels it
wrong all as you say, an' I hope I can change afore
it's too late. But the boyees 11 never b'leeve it. No ;
they'll never swaller that old Jake's gev up raisin'
Injun ha'r an' thinks it wrong."

" Never mind them, Jake," said Pierre ; " the appro-
bation of your own conscience will be recompense

■%^

BUT MAINTAINS ONE POINT.

113

enough for being laughed at by those who know no
better."

" That nr as true as Scriptur', I guess," said Jake,
"an', young fellurs, I'll take yer advice. But," con-
tinued he, " supposin' the varmint as tuck Bill's ha'r
turns up among more o' the same sort, an' they attacks
us, maybe it wudn't be wrong to throw him in his
tracks then ? "

" Well," said Pierre, " if he attacks you, and you
kill him really and honestly because you cannot
otherwise save your own life, it will not be wrong.
But I would not scalp him afterwards. You ought
not to nuitilate a dead body, and certainly not for
such a reason as you give."

" Wal, mister," replied the old trapper, " 1 don't
altogether hold wi' ye thur. 'Tain't to harm the
niggur as I does it ; he don't want his scalp whur he's
a-2:wine to, an' the thini'; ur o' some Gfood to this child.
So, though I promise not to kill the niggur, 'ceptin'
I can't help it, I'll jest take his ha'r, 'ithout thort o'
wrong, more'n I'd feel at takin' his rifle or boss."

The boys, content with the result of their remon-
strances, now allowed the subject to drop. Subse-
quently, however, Pierre again recurred to it, and
iinding how utterly ignorant the old hunter was of
the ordinary truths of Christianity, he spent many
an hour each day in unf<jlding, to the best of his
ability, the doctrines of the Christian faith, to whicli
the trapper listened, at first with irritable impatience,

111

THE TRAPPEIVS RESOLVE.

i '!

but soon witli interest, which deepened day by day.
Ho could scarcely l)e ij^ot to believe tlie i;'reat mystery
of the redemption; l)ut when assured that this was
the l)elief of all Christians, he exclaimed, " Wal, this
beats all ! the Lord has done all this for nic, an' I
find it hard to gev up my evil ways for Jt'nn ! Young
fellurs, talk to mc no more o' this; but I'll go to the
mission arter our winter hunt, an' become Christian-
ized, fur a pagan I ur, as sure as shootin'."

The youths having sowed the good seed now left
it to the mercy of Providence. Our story has no
concern further with tliis subject, but we may say
here that old Jake kept liis word, and at the mission
ediiied many by the sincerity of his conversion.

One day the party agreed to halt a few liours for
a hunt. Some prong-horns had been seen, and Gaul-
tier proposed that they should try to stalk them.

•lake and Pierre were nothing loath to change their
Fare of buffalo beef for some tender steak of antelope.
They therefore moored the canoe to a tree, and
shouldering their rifles the three trappers ascended
the bank, looking cautiously over its summit.

The country beyond was partly prairie and partly
timber, wdiich stood about in "mottes," or islands.
Among these, and at some distance, were half-a-dozen
prong-horns, quietly grazing.

The wind was, fortunately, blowing from the game
towards the hunters, so that, as yet, the animals Avero
icrnorant of the danci'er which threatened them.

V,:

Sr.l LKIX<1 A i\TI:L(>PES!.

riciTO propos('(I to tlio otlun's that lie should st(\il
forward alone and try to gi^t a sliot ; 1»iit old Jakt',
who seemed to underrate Pierre's experience, objected
to this, and stated that lie knew how to " fool the
goats;" and he forthwith proceeded to eidighten his
companions.

Tie crawled forward throno'h the o-rass, keepin;^- a

O O ' I. i>

shai^p eye the wliile on the motions of the antelopes,
stopping wlien they ceased feeding, and again advanc-
ing when they buried their snouts in the rich hcn'hage.
The two youths, scarcely venturing to peep through
the tops of the long grass, lay anxious spectators of
the game.

Old Jake combined the patience of the cat with the
facility of a snake in crawling unseen upon the prey.
He availed himself of every bush to make a still
furtlier advance ; 1)ut at lengtli a perfectly level open
expanse of sward intervened between him and the
antelopes.

To cross it unseen would, even for him, have been
impossil)le, while the distance to the game was still
too great to render a shot advisable ; but old Jake
was equal to the occasion.

Taking advantage of the well-known curiosity of
the antelope tribe, he waited until the animals were
lookino- in his direction, when he waved his hand
rapidly in the air, and instantly withdrew it.

The prongdiorns were not slow to observe the un-
conmion apparition. They immediately ceased feed-

it
11

I !

11
'I

I* '.

t*i

Ilfl

FOOLlNi! THE (lOATHr

f . I

ing, and gazed intuntly in tliu direction ; but the old
trapper was too acute to gratify their inquisitiveness
all at once. He therefore lay still for a minute or
two, and waited until the animals were ao-ain about
to feed before repeating his signal.

The antelopes evidently thought that here was
some mystery which needed elucidation. They all
gazed earnestly, and then trotted forward a few
yards.

Again Jake waved liis hand, and again the curious
beasts made a further advance. He then waved a
red handkerchief, which extraordinary apparition
thoroughly aroused their curiosity.

They fearlessly advanced to within one hundred
yards of the hidden trapper, who might now bo seen
carefully raising his rifle and getting it to bear on the
buck leading the little band. A puft' of white smoke,
a sharp crack, a frantic leap, and the graceful
animal falls upon the plain, while his companions
scour away with the speed of the wind.

Old Jake raised his lank form, and carefully re-
loaded his rilie — which every true hunter does before
advancing a yard after iiring. He then went forward
to the fallen antelope, and having cut its throat, he
threw it over liis shoulders, and returned to the two
youths.

" Wal," he said, as soon as he had got within speak-
ino^ distance. " that ur the wav to fool them thur
goats. They ur mighty cur'ous, and allers must see

"Ml— in

A ilfANGE OF /'.I/.'/;.

(•l(jst \\\) wli.'it tlu'y ('.-iii't «'(l/ae'ly mak(3 out. 1 reckon
tills lui <4'()t luorini ho 1 )jir^-aiiK'(l fur."

As it was now tlio hour at wliich they ordinarily
halted for dinner, tliey constructe<l a tire, and soon
the tender loin steaks of the prouLC-liorn were liissinii'
and sputtering on the enihers, while tho fragrant
odour of (•('/(' iioir diffused itself around the camp.

I :

(001)

t I

I tl

1 1

I i

(iiAFrrji vir.

.IAKE'h account op TirK WOVPRKS Ol" Till; FAR WEST— THF COlJNTnV ASSfMES

A \T.w Asi'Kcr- Aiiii) ri.MNs— \i;ti;misia— (iiiizzrv iir. vits -(iAi'i/rn'.n's

IMi'JlUDKNCE— I'UUSirKD HV A (i II 1ZZI<Y— DEATH OF THE HEAR— CAM F.

on tho next fow days little of intorcst
occiiiTcd to our trappers. Tliey liad now
reacliod tho junction of tho Askow
river with the Saskatchewan, which it
enters about two hundred miles from the mountains.
This was cheering to both Pierre and Gaultier:
tho latter had never previously been further west on
tho Saskatchewan than Oumlicrland House ; while
Pierre's acquaintance with tho region they were
henceforth to traverse was wholly at second-hand.
They therefore listened with interest to Jake's
account of its wonders — of the vast quantities of
game which were there; to bo found ; the imniense
forests on the mountains, the snow-capped summits
of Avhich shot into the heavens to the height of many
thousand feet ; the dark lonely valleys walled in
amono- the liills, and which had never been entered
by man, except, perhaps, by some Avandcring Pedskin ;
the sparkling lakes and tumbling cascades; the grim

5 ; ,

(;ll

■■I

;i(

.: I

•'^■iHmii^-.-M' .V, i r -"

FOREST IN THE NOF

■W t' I-

I !

FOREST IN THE NORTH-WEST,

'o.'' i-3-

[Jff.--"'^-

ill

r ^

\ f.i

of vo
dcscril
of toi'il

" B(i

west, 1
iiioiinil
anion 1
I've n
[ lost

lias to
liarll
" Bn
Thur's
the tal
thur U
tlic bii
miles :
States
tree li
is a ra
liriii'lit
at^Yee]
tront,
trappc
" Tl
likin'
that

'i.

A TRAP /'Kirs rAI!AI)TSE.

123

]')rocipicc.s, and ])aiTen tracts almost devoid of lifo or
of voo:ctation. These and other marvels did Jake
dcscrihc, and the realities lost nothini-- of interest or
of terror in his descriptions.

" Boyees," he said, sweeping liis hand towards the
west, "that nr the country to tickle the fancy ov a
mountain man ! Thur's gumo enoui^'h to feed an army
amouL'' them hills; an' thur's a sii-ht o' beaver, too, —
I've made ten pack o' heaver in a season thur, hut
[ lost tlie hull on't wi' them ]]lackfeet. Ye-es, it's
a great place, I reckon, 'ceptin' fur them Injuns. One
has to keep his eyes skinned thur, I guess, or one's
ha'r'll git loose mighty quick.

" But them woods ur grand, an' no mistake !
Thur's miles an' miles o' the mountains kivered wi'
tlie tallest trees ye ever sot eyes on ; thur's old pine
thur two hunderd an' fifty feet high, an' as thick as
the butt-end o' a meetin'-house steeple. Hunderds o'
miles north an' south the range, espech'Iy torst the
States border, the timber's thunderin' biof — not a biix
tree hyur and thur, mind ye, but a'most every tree
is a raal snorter. The darkness o' tliem woods on a
1 iright day ud need a candle to see in. Then the valleys
atween the hills, each o'm wi' its lake stuffed full o'
trout, ur the sweetest places on airth, I reckon, fur a
trapper to end his days peaceable in.

"Thur's game a plenty an' fish, an' ef you've a
likin' fur the thing, thur's a'most every kind o' fruit
that grows. Thur's elk an' wliito tails thur, an'

l^i ! Ii

124

AN EERY SPOT.

It" 'aver; l)uilkTs from tho eastern plains makes thnr
Avay in; tknr's cinnamon an' ])lack L'ars, silver-tips
and grizzlies o' the largest size ; moimtain lions, an'
all sich o-ame.

"A heap o' peltry nd kc got thnr ef a fellnr only
stayed long enough to make a pile. Fur six hunderd
miles I knows that range o' hills. Thur's not a man
a-livin' on it ; not a Redskin eyther, fur the most o' it,
'cept the war-parties o' the l^lackfeet that scurries
round now an' nmn.

" I've seed a thousand elk together in the Bull
Pound valley — an' many a troop as big. Wlien I've
bin all alone be meself o' nights at my fire, I'^'c hcern
the screechin' o' the painters froui the skirts o' the
timber on the valley sides answerin' each other all
around, an' the howlin' o' the stron^'wood wolves as
they chased the deer in the black darkness, ay, an'
I've heern the carcajou, an' the snort o' old Eph'm,
jest as ef they thort the circus ud be short-lianded
'ithout 'em.

" They wurn't much afeerd o' my fire eyther. An'
o' stormy nights they wur so bold that I often lied
to shin it up a tree out o' thur way. They'd come
clost up, and I'd hear 'em a-pokin' round in the
l)rash, an' git the glint o' thur eyes now an' agin
when the liixht o' the fire ud shine 'em.

" It makes a fellur feel right down lonesome to be
in sich diiiC'ln's, I tell ye. Often when I've waked
up o' nights, I've seed tlie wolves a-settin' round the

1.11

3(1
10

He
in

(CHANGE OF HGENEllY

125

firc dozin' an' lio1)-nobbin' tit each othor, till I've
scattered 'cm wi' a mighty screech an' tlivowiii' a
liglitod Ijiand among* 'cm. They'd only slink away
hohind the edge o' the shaddor, an' ly-an'-by they'd
bo tliiir a!:*:in. I £>'ot skoored o' tho horrid critturs
Avhcn I'd git tho shino o' thur hungry eyes an' see
thur long white teeth as they snarled at tho fircstichs
I throwed at 'em. Thom places ur in a state o' natur',
as I may say; by-an'-by the crack o' a ritic'll bo well
enough known among tho beasts out thur.

" Thur's othor parts, hows'ever, wduir things ain't
so easy. I've bin a'most starved fur somothin' to
chaw, an' liov tuck to grassjumpors afore now. Yo-es,
thur's not the thing that lives a:; I hain't closed my
old teeth upon in those hyur rri'ountains, I reckon."

But wo will not follow old Jake's minute and
somewhat prolix description of the wonders of this
region. Wo prefer to unfold them for ourselves as
we accompany our trappers on their journey to the
mountains.

\Yo have said that the party had reached tho junc-
tion of the Askow river with the Saskatchewan.
The country hero assumed a new aspect. Lakes as
salt as tho ocean glittered in the sunlight, their
margins thickly incrustod with a saline efflorescence ;
streams strongly impregnated with soda joined the
river, their banks presenting, in their bare and j^archod
appearance, a strong contrast to tho luxuriant vege-
tation which characterized the Saskatchewan. The

,?->

'i: I

i-; . 1

•if

I %

I i

'1 .ii.

iL'G

7.V TJtE CHEAT AMERICAN DESERT.

plains fippcarod more sterile; huge fissures opened in
the tliirsty soil, and tln-eatened to engulf the unwary
traveller.

They had, in fact, entered upon the northern ex-
tension of the Great American ])esert, where hardly
any game is to be had, and where, to use the ex-
pressive words of a w^ell-known writer, " the very
wolves have to lean against the sand-banks to howl,"
such is their emaciation from perpetual famine.

There are oases, however, in this land of desolation.
At one point a group of small hills with precipitous
sides lifted their scarped summits some three luui-
dred feet above the arid plain. Isolated hills of this
kind are not uncommon. Such, on a gigantic scale,
are the Tetons, and the celebrated Buttes near the
Arkansas. Dwarfed brushwood, principally the ar-
temisia, clothed their steep sides, and formed, a sort
of covert wdiich, althouo'h luo'ubrious enou^di in it-
self, presented a pleasing aspect contrasted with the
desolate region around.

The atmosphere, too, appeared to have undergone
a change. It seemed tilled with luminous particles
wliicli danced and glittered in the lurid rays of the
setting sini ; strange objects appeared and disappeared
in a weird or magical manner ; rocks seemed to tloat
in mid-air; trees hung point downwards, dipping
their tojis in the cool waters of sparkling lakes.

These fantastic objects flitted before our trappers,
inspiring Pierre and Gaul tier with feelings of awe.

THE THllEE nEAns.

iL>r

Qlicy felt as ii* they had loi't tlio world of reality far
boliind tliciii, and were advanciiiii' into rec^ioiis in-
habited by gnomes or goblins, who might at any
moment appear and resent the intrusion of mortals
on their mystic domains.

These feclinirs were heiu'litcned when, castim--
their eyes towards the base of one of the " buttes "
already mentioned, several monstrous forms loomed
huo'e and indistinct throui-'li the eveninii; haze.
There were three of them, and, as far as the trappers
could discern, they were engaged in tearing up the
brushwood, huge quantities of which lay scattered
here and there behind them.

Pierre was the first to perceive these stran; • ani-
mals, and at his exclamation old Jake's attention
was directetl towards them.

No sooner did this veteran of the mountains see
them than he exclaimed, " Jeehosophat ! ef tliur ain't
three o' the most all fired bars I iver sot eyes on 1"

Gaultier seized his rifle, and, before old Jake could
prevent him, levelled it and fired at the nearest of
the monsters, who was scarcely one hundred and
fifty yards from the boat.

"Wagh!" roared Jake; " ye're the biggest goney
as iver got free o' his mammy's apron-strings ! D'ye
think to whammel old Eph'm over at this distance
wi' a single ball ? Sec what ye've done !"

It was in fact high time to take precautions for
their safety, as the bear which Gaultier had fired at,

III T

It f

i*'

128

PURSUED J:Y A (lliJZZLY.

mad with tlio pain of liis wound, was charging down
towards tlio river, followed l)y liis huubering com-
panions, all three uttering savage growls.

"To the other side!" cried Pierre; and paddling
with all their might, the canoe fairly flew through
the water.

The spot at which the bears had been seen was
almost opposite the embouchure of the Askow river,
and it was toAvards its mouth the trappers directed
their course.

Just as they had crossed the Saskatchewan, a
heavy splash behind told them that the foremost
bear had plunged into the river, and looking round
they saw his broad head as he cleft the water with
powerful strokes in pursuit.

The other bears had halted on the bank, and
seemed to watch the issue of the chase with con-
siderable interest. The unwieldy monsters upreared
their huge carcasses on their hams, and pawed the
air with their enormous fore arms in a manner
whicli, under other circumstances, would have
aflbrded our trappers no small amusement. At
present, however, their attention was otherwise
occupied.

As Jake had frequently spoken of his encounters
with the grizzly bear, the two youths seemed now
to place themselves under his guidance. " D'ye see
that thur bend in the river ahead o' us?" said he,
after glancing back a moment at their pursuer ; " I

'-^

rt iTi ■m^

A r/:norrous jieast.

129

reckon we'll piny liiin tliur. Tlieni two Ml;- IVlliii's
don't seem overly ripe t'lu- a iii;lit, l)iit ef they seed
thur compan'on a piteliin' in, they n»outjine ini. I
guess they won't see round the corner!"

By this time the bear had crossed the Suskatch-
cwan, and was rapidly overhauling the canoe, as
he galloped alonu' the hank of the Askow. When
he had gained a point op])(jsite the party, he again
leaped into the Avater, and with loud snorts swaui
rapidly across tlie current.

"Now, young fellurs," exchiinied Jake, " now's
the time to show yer shootin' ; let the canoe float,
an' git yer rilies." The Ijoys accordingly raised
their weapons.

Scarce tifty yards now separated thcni from the
ferocious beast, whose small j^ig'-like eyes glowed
with a concentrated malice, as if he already had his
prey within his grasp. Pierre's shot echoed over
the water, and true to its aim the bullet ploughed
the forehead of the bear, but u-lancimj; from the
bone, it oidy inliicted a ilesh wound.

It had the efiect, however, of partially stunning
the beast, whose gyrations in the water afforded the
three men an opportunity of pouring in a volley,
which dyed the water with the l)lood of the monster.
So great though is the vitality of this species, and
so indomitable is their ferocity, that the wounds the
animal had received seemed only to stinudate his
fury.

i:30

,'* IIOORA W FOR OLD l-JAIMCKNTRE !''

,i I

) '■■

!iM

) \

TTis faco «in(l liuad wore now one mass of torn skin
and •^'ore, Jind as liis enormous moiitli opened, dis-
playiiii,' liis •^'leaiiiinL,'' teetli, Ins capacity for niisclilef
seemed as yet nndiminislied. lie liad now come so
near to tlie canoe that, to prevent liis seizing the
frail hoat, which would have instantly capsized, our
trappers had to lay down their rilles and again take
to their paddles. Leaving the youths to manngc
the canoe, Jake then took a steady aim with his
gun and hred.

A cloud of spray envehjpcd the bear for a moment,
as the frantic animal heat the water into foam. He
then turned towards the bank, and soon lay helpless
on the sandy margin of the river.

" That's made the niggur sick, you bet," ex-
claimed old Jake. '' Hooraw fur old Plumcentre !
She's the ,Q;un to make 'em come !"

The three trappers now brought the canoe oppo-
site their powerless enemy, and each taking a careful
aim, they tired together. A spasmodic shiver stirred
the frame of the huge animal ; a cough, accompanied
by a rush of blood from the mouth, — and all was
over.

Landing, the hunters approached with caution,
for even when apparently dead the grizzly is an
object of dread ; and having ascertained by throwing
stones that the bear was really incapable of further
mischief, they proceeded to inspect their prize more
closely.

CAMl'lNa.

131

" Will, I j^nicsM lie's ji r.'i.il buster," stud Jake, nfter
cxaminiji;j; the enormous g'irtli of tlie i'ore paws and
making sundry measurements. 'M've seed only one
I'igger than this'n; but that Avur down Calit'urny
way, whur the bars ur heavier than they git liyur.
I shud judge this varmint weighs np'ards o' a thou-
sand pounds. But come, t'ellurs, it's almost dark,
an' we'll hev to make camp yit."

The trappers, finding the spot snital)le for camp-
ing, accordingly unloaded the canoe. Armfuls of
the dried artemisia made a poor and insuflicient lire;
Ijut, such as it was, our hunters, having eaten a
hearty supper, and fatigued with their day's exertion
and excitement, lay down w^ith their feet towards it,
and w^rapping themselves in their blankets, were
soon in the realms of foru'etfulness.

Lh I'

: 1'

c][ArTi:u viir.

NOCTURNAIi AI,A!!M— STUANdE KCESE— IlEAltS liiruVINd Tlir.IR Dl'AD COM-
J!AI>i;--TllK I'AIITY DISCflVKIlKD -A HACK K(1K Ml'i;— OM) ,IAKK IMUO-
Dl'CKS I'LUMl'IONTi;!'; TO Till', (f I! IZZI.V- I'LKi IIT Ol" Till; SIUVI VOK — SOME
ACt'OUNT Ol' THE (MM/ZIA' IlKAll— .1 AKE's ADVLNTIU KS WITH (iUIZZMK.S.

was tlic sleep

plunL;-e(l our

le.stined to be

Jake was tlic first whose slumbers were disturbed
by strange noises in the neighbourhood. As he
raised himself upon his elbow, the sight that met
his eye speedily caused him to arouse his com-
panions, which he did cautiously, desiring them at
the same time not to make the least noise.

The night was calm, and a glorious moon sailed
high in the heavens, difFusing in that crystal at-
mosphere a light almost equal to that of day.

"Look thur, fellurs!" exclaimed Jake, " ef old
Eph'm's two brothers hevn't come a-lookin' fur
him ! " And, in fact, both Pierre and Gaultier
perceived two huge animals moving about the car-
cass of the dead bear, occasionally sitting erect on

A STn.\X(;h' .SV'A'iV/;.

1.13

tlieir liiiins in a inannci* wliicli \v\'t no <l()ul»t ol' (licir
species. Now and ilicn tiny j^'avc vcni to low
grunts or savage growls, as they snitllMl the hody of
then' deceased comrade.

Apparently they liad not yet ol)served th(» camp,
Avliich was, fortunately, at the distance of some hun-
dred yards from tlie spot where the hear had fallen
and farther np the stream. IFad it he<>n down stream,
it would have heen directly in the way of the twt)
dreadful monsters, who prohal)ly had followed in tlu^
track of the animal which had hecni killed, and who,
doul)tless, would have instantly attacked the sleeping
hunters, and taken them at a fearful disadvantau'e.

As if hy a species of fascination, the eyes of all three
were riveted on the movements of the grizzlies. The
party observed a profound silence, lest the slightest
noise should hetray their presence, in which event
the death of one of them at least would have been
all but certain; and from behind their slight cover of
artemisia they soon had an opportunity of ol)serving
one of the habits of this ferocious animal, for which
they were at a loss to divine a reason.

The bears, after sniffing round their defunct com-
panion for some time, and assuming sundry grotesque
attitudes, seized upon the body and dragged it away
for about fifty yards, when, to the d^tonishment of
the hunters, they scooped up great quantities of the
shingle with their powerful fore arms, and com-
pletely covered it. TFaving accomplished this ap-

--M

5"i

131

DISCO v/: It i: P.

])<ir('iitly to tlu'ir satlsfm'tioii, to iho. lioiTor oi' tho
party tlicy leisurely began to approach the camp.

"They'll hi^ sure to sec us now," crieil Tierrc ;
" let us i^a't into th(; canoe, — it's our only chance !"

The party accordingly spi-anif to their feet and
launche<l the canoe with tin; utmost speed. They
had scarciily time to throw in the vai'ious articles
of their ecpiipa^'e antl take their places, when their
presence was discovered l)y the two monsters, who
iiinuediately halted and sat on their haunches, paw-
iui^ th(; air and utterinj^' savauje c;tow1s.

They apparently determined on an attack, for
both fell on all-fours, and hroke into a lumherini^
cow-gallop, which ke2:)t pace with the canoc^ despite
the exertions of Jake and Pierre, who paddled with
all their might.

The direction taken by the hunters was down
stream, or towards the Saskatchewan, which was
scarcely three huu(h'ed yards distant. A bend in
the Askow intervened, however, and on one side of
the river the bank proj( cted at this point consider-
ably into the stream, Avh.yn was, consequently, pro-
portionately narrow at the spot. Towards this
point the bears directed themselves, evidently with
the intention of springing into the river and inter-
cepting the canoe.

" Keep to the other side !" cried Pierre ; " if they
overtake us in the canoe, we're lost !"'

Deeper dipped the paddles, and with increased

.1 n.li'K FOR LIFK.

n:^

spccfl tln' liL;'1it l");it tlt'W alnn<4-, skimiiiiniL,' past the
('a.st(n'n bank of tlm river. TIk; " point" was roacluMl,
and witli .'I loud linnali tlic tlirc'c Inniti-rs swept
round it, just as tlie t'orcniost 1 tear read umI tlio water's
edge; twenty yards lidiind. lie ininK^diately plun<_;'ed
in, an<l was followed l>y liis eoni[>anion.

Tile utmost exertions of Jake and Tiei're could
hardly increase the distance which separated them
from their pursuers. For some time not a word was
said; all felt they were pa<ldlinL;- for their lives, as
little douht (wisted as to what would he their fate
if oN'ertaken by the I'elentless monsters, whose fury
was now thorou,L;'hly aroused.

"Coidound tlu* critturs!" at leni-'th exclaimed Jake;
"my old ell)ers ur achin' wi' this touzlin'. ]Iyur,
youni^ fellur," said he to Claultier, "take this pad<llo
while I introjuce old Plumcentre to thcni varmints!"

He accord:

'}y

pad

ns rifl(

The leading- hoar was now scarcely more than
twenty yards behind, and the party ha<l a good view
of his hune head as he cleaved the moonlit water.
Jake drew a steady bead an<l iired.

The old trapper's aim was true; ; the bear reared
np out of the water for an instant, struggling furi-
ously, and dashing the spray high into the air. His
efforts presently grew fainter, and when the agitated
waters permitted a view^ of the spot, the animal was
no lontrer visible.

^fW^'^

1.3G

f f

I- ;

K y

I 1

''■""■''V".irT,nj"/,;jrrEs.

^'■i^^ t!.o fate of ],i,s conn-ul ""' "'"'" ''«

•J-'s-'od the chase,. ;■,;"' ^'''-^^^^^^^^^^

•fake on ],is h.ekv s],o '/ i '' ''°>W"t"IatecI

^'-^"«..-.itw.Xtj:r;T;'''''"^-'-^"^

^■'"r an' clean at one Z No , ' ™ '^''^ ""■°"-^"'

-^'.V.no..t alleys takes hi ft, r"^'°'f' f"" '-S'>>

iio caves in. We're in J \ ' " ^''''^ ••'f«'«

1^ • . "*-!'- m raal Inck to-nio-l,f t

"•'" - --" out o' this bisness V ' , ''"'"' '^^
'J«ttei- camp at tlie ' I,„ttes ' «-I '"" ■~'<>'''

i iiL> H not he tinn- ao,-,, , „

i-'ic canoe, ti.erefore, was J,ea,i:i fo- H
shore of the Saskatchewan an, n T °^P°'''*°

P-tykan,lc.l at the hase of L"' '"!?"""*- «-
o"«'y mentionecl They n w f ",'"' '"'"■^ l"'"-'-

''"™.-^-^ieht,.e,fo,:,;:i:::t,;:r^^^^^^^^^^^

The strange con.h.ct of the I,ears in I " "'

<loa,l comrade was tl,e snhiec oi' ''i"" *'""■

«peeuhation. 01,1 Jah, f =oo,l deal of

-ewiththisan;!;' :: ;r-^^~-.--t-

*«-t.-n. account of i sl^ , Tr""" ""^ '""
■veapitulate ],cre in ,nrt T , '■^■' ^^■'"■'="' ^'«

-our.a,iersasn:;/:';,:::::;;:™;^»-ofsnch

^'**6,

'ri[E aiuzzr.Y ni:.\n.

10 —

\<\

\Vc will not, liowover, intlict Jake's peculiar stylo
npon them more than we can help, preferring' to con-
dense his narrative.

There can 1m^ no (l()iil)t that th<' is,y'v/.y.\j hear is the
most forinidahle animal which the American hiuiter
has to encounter. The ferocity of this species is so
well known, that no hunter will make an attack
unless he 1)e favoured l»y circumstances such as
warrant him in doini"* so.

Grizzly bears attain their largest siz(3 in the Cali-
tornian Sierras, sometimes reaching; in these reirions
the enormous weight of eighteen lunidred pounds,
and even more. Farther north, the weight would
seem to diminish somewhat, until, in Ih'itish U'vvi-
tory, one thousand pounds is considered an unusually
large specimen.

The cinnamon hear is sometimes mistaken for the
grizzly, from a general siuiilarity in the colour of the
pelage. The rangin-, another ^■ariety, is considerably
smaller, is more numerous, and is nuicli less ferocious
than his formidable Ijrother.

The claws of the grizzly often measure six iuchc^i
in lenu'th, and rather rescnd)lc cows' horns than tht;

aws 01 a quacU'up

Iruped. Tracks made bv this lu.^asfc

will measure eighteen inches in length, twelve inches
of this representing the size of his huge foot. The
orizzlv is onuiivorous, and readily eats flesh of all
kinds, as well as roots, such as the Indian turnip and
cow-parsnip. TL^ will spring u])ou a bull butlalo,

(GDI)

f I

•i ;

i y

l! t

1 3S

A REMINISCENCE.

and with liis powerful anus deal it sncli a ImfFL't as
will prostrate the animal, wliieh is then leisurely
dragged off to a convenieut spot, or, if "old
ICphraini " is hungry, is dc^voured there and tlien.

Unlike the black bear, the grizzly cannot climb ;
but he makes up for this inability l)y the patience
with which he will watch a "treed" victim. In-
stances have occurred of hunters ha\dng been thus
kept in durance for many hours and even days.
Old Jake's eventful career contained several such
reminiscences, which we will let him recount for
himself.

" 'Twur about ten yeern agonc," he commenced,
" tliat the thing T ur a-gwinc to tell ye happened, l
wi r a-trappin' on one o' the cricks that run into tlu^
head-waters o' the ^"ellerstone, an' a likely spot it
ur, 'ceptin' for them Siouxes. A fellur has to keep
Ids eyes skinned thur, T guess, or his top-knot wull
kim ofi' sure.

'' Wal, I'd got together a likely heap o' beaver
pelts, an' wur a-thiidvin' o' clurrin' out fur Laramie's
to trade my plunder. I'd put down my traps in the
runs for the last thne, an' when mornin' kim I went
round to lift 'em. I got all but the last, which wur
in a spot whur the crick cahoned through a gulch.
The dam wur jest at the head o' this gulch. Thur
wurn't a sight o' timl)er 'bout thur, 'ceptin' a few o'
the nut-pines, or pinons as the greasers call 'em ; an'
miu'htv lucky it wur fur me, T reckon, that they wur

oiiccmI,

.^(1. I

to the
(jt it
keep

Willi

leaver
inie's
li tlie
Ivent
Iwiir
lilcli.
'luir

(kV ()'

an'

ADVENTURE WITH A (IRIZZLY.

139

tliiir ! I win* aljoiit liftin' the trnn, in which wnr fi
fiist-rato ' dog,' held hy the hind leg', when I hecrd
behinfc ine a nize, like the coiiGjhin' o' a hroken-
winded bufller bull. Ye may guess 1 wurn't long
clntchin' old Pluincentre an' scpiintin' round ; an'
what shud I see but a l/ar o' tlie laim'st size a-sittin'
on his hams an' takin' a view o' tlie sitooation.

" Now, boys, I ain't a-gwinc to say I wurn't
skecred. No; I felt qucery about the j'ints, an' my
ha'r riz consid'rable, till I a'most felt as if it had got
friz. I seed at oncest that the b'ar wur a grizzly, an',
niore'n that, that he meant mischief ; T cud tell that
l)y the glint o' his little peepers. The more I looked
at the varmint the less I liked him. T knew
it ud eyther hev to be a fight or a race, an' ef \
didn't throw him on his tracks the fust shot, 'twur
all over wi' me. I jest gev a squint down the canon,
an' seed that about a himderd yards down thur Avur
one o' them nut-pines growin' off a ledge o' the blufl',
an' stretchin' out over the crick ; ef I cud reach that
tree I'd be safe !

" The b'ar wurn't more'n fifty yards away. The
question then wur whether he'd give me time to reach
the ledge afore collarin' me. I guess thur wur no
use askin' the varmint, so I streaked it for the tree !
I heerd the b'ar throw hisself on all-fours wi' a flop,
an' then I heerd the donnicks a-flyin' from his legs as
he galloped arter uie. I guess T kivered that hun-
derd yards like a flash o' crreascd li^-htnin' ! I made

ilil

■,*

( -iA

'li,

i^'ii

III

B-.'!>r

lii

K <

if
\ I,

i
.'J

110

" '/'/>t'/,'

TREEUr

tlio tree, an' seed tlie l)'ar al)Oiit thirty yards aliinfc

jac. I jest hooked old riumcentr

' niosc

e over a

limb.

sti'addled tlie tree, a-drawin'

]f upward an' out-

ward, fur tlie tliini,^ grew as much out as up. 'Twurn't
tli(^ hest kind o' tree, as tlu; bar mout walk out on it
Fnr half tlie way afore it turned up torst tlu^ light.
I had jest got seated wlien old Eph arruv on the
ledcfc.

" ITo wur a tcarer, an' no mistake ! ITis huffs wur
a foot lono* an' the claws at the end o'm wur
half as lono; nojin, an' looked as if the varmint lied
tacked .;n bufUer horns to his toes. Wal, he jest
looked at the tree, an' put his front legs on it,
cautious-like ; he then put 'cm a bit further, an'
drawed his hind legs up, an' got fairly on the tree,
an' clur o' the Icdixo. The hcio-ht to the water o' the
crick wur nigh on twenty feet, an' I knew that if the
varmint got a whammel that sp'ilt his balance, he'd
be sure o' jroin' over. I rested old Plumcentre in the
fork o' a branch, an' waitin' till the b'ar wur steady,
T gin him a ball right plum atween the eyes. Tloh,
boyees, ye onght to ha' seen that b'ar — the way he
was throwed ! T a'most split nieself wdth larfing'! He
fust reared up on his hams wi' a gurgle o' fear an'
rage, an' jest then one o' his hind legs slipped off the
tree, an' before he cud rckiver liisself, he fell clur
overboard, I guess. The crick bottom jest thur wur
strewed wi' big donnicks, as large as hay-cocks
a'most. Tt wur atop o' one o' these the b'ar fell head

A SLKUJT CIltCUM STANCE.

Ill

fo'most. 1 reckon ef my lump o' load wanted any
lielp it got it then. Tlie varmint's 1 train -pan wur
laid open, an' tlie top o' the rock wur painted wi' his
brains. Ye-es ! I got that l/ar's skin, and packed it
wi' my Ijeaver pelts.

" 'Taint always thougli that old Eph'm kims out o"
a scrimmaii'c second best. I've seed the time that
one o' the likeliest chaps as ever traded a skin got
his scalp pulled over his eyes, besides bein' all tore
to raggles, by a grizzly bar. They're all-fired beasts,
thur's no denyin', an' I'd as lief tackle two Redskins
any day as one b'ar — that ur a fact !"

Here the old trapper paused in his narrative, and
occupied himself in cutting a plug fi'om a long twist
of James River tobacco, which he proceeded to mas-
ticate with much apparent relish. After chewing
vigorously for a short time, he suddenly extinguished
a bright flame in the fire with an accurately directed
stream of saliva, and continued, —

" I wur well out o' that bisness an' no mistake. I
w^ish I wur allers as lucky. I'll tell ye o' a slight
sarcumstance that I comed acrost jest this time last
year cdzacly. I hed jined another fellur — mel>be
ye'Il hev heerd tell on him ; he's well knowed in
the mountains — ' Eagle Jack ' they calls him, an' a
fust-rate mountain man he is too. Wal, we left
Santa Ft', an' crossed the (Irande fur the Anahuac
Range. Peltry wur reported plenty thurawa', an' wo
Avur in great spirits. We hed some poor doin's too,

k' ill
.1

- m

112

.1 ItmrPUS IN THE CAMP.

I ;i

1 i'

\ I

I I
I

as game wur shy an' scarce the fust few day. bcin'
scared l»y them Redskins. We'd jest made the range,
an' wur a prospectin' fur a nice spot to cnmp, on
the seventli day out, when Jack remendjered lie'd
made a caclie a matter o' a mile or two farther
south. So he sot off wi' our two mules to bring up
his plunder, while I unsaddled my old mar' an' staked
her out to graze.

" We wur in a nice little ^'alley, wi' a few trees
hyur an' thur, an' not big at that ; most o' the place
wur kivered wi' a chapparal o' mc8(piito bushes.
Thur wur a si^'ht o' rocks scattered on the hillsides,
l)ut the bottom wur Itare in places ; but thur wurn't
none near the crick whur tlie banks wur good fecdin'.
Hevin' nothin' pcrtickler to do jest about then, I
thort I'd take a view o' the country over the hill.
'Twurn't long to the top, from which I seed a nice
wooded stretch torst the north, wi' a grand show o'
mountain peaks an' plains stretchin' away to the sky-
line alono' the foot-hills

" 'Twur a good-lookin' country, an' promised well
fur game. I wur thinkin' o' this fur some time,
when, on a suddint, I hecrd a rumpus in the camp.
I hed rambled a bit out o' siMit o' it, but 1 cud hear
the snortin' an' stampin' o' my old crittur, an' then
agin as if she wur a-tryin' to break loose an' cudn't.
I cfuess I soon o'ot a view o' what wur a-o'oin' on — an'
a slight that wur ! Wao-h ! I seed a b'ar as bio- as an
elephant a-chasin' my old mar' all over the camp, an'

.1 CRiridAL POSITION.

1 1;

nice

hvcll
|ii]ic,

jiear
llion

lii't.

ran'
an

lan'

the poor thing buin' well hitcluMl cudn't git free, an'
wur a-tearin' from side to side, an' runnin' ronn<i
in a circle, \\\ that varmint a-clawin' arter hei',
an' now an' then stnmblin' over the trail-rop<\ I
reckon I kcm np pnrty speedy, an' let drive a hall
— sixty to the ponnd — at old Eph'm's brain-pan : but
jest as I pnlled the trigger, the varmint moved his
heatl, an' I made a bad shot. He wnr wounded
thongh, ar/, ■'^'"'-•s than that, he soon made me out
whur I wnr standin' in the edge o' the chapparal.
He no sooner seed me then he hem straiLi'ht at me.

" Things looked pnrty srpially. I knowed well
enough that 'twurn't o' no use to tackle him wi' my
knife, — the thing ud b(; clinked out o' my hand in a
s(pi'irs jnmp. Thur wur only one thing fur me to do.
I stooped behint the bushes, an' t(jre through 'em in
a half circle. I made for the boss, an' in a half
minute I wur straddled. Old Eph'm wur a rumiin'
the scent, I jedged, fur at this moment he kcm out o'
the chapparal just whur 1 had, an' made straight
acrost the open torst me. When I gev the heel to
my old mar' to make tracks, y(;u bet my ha'r froze
when I diskivered that T hadn't unhitched the trail-
rope in my hurry, an' that my crittur an' T wur
tethered to the spot wi' that all-fired b'ar a-tearin'
down upon ns ! Boyees, I said my prayers then, I

3ck

recKon

"Aly ride wur nnloa(ied, an' my only weapons wur
my knife an' pistol. It didn't take a half year to

M«

m^_

1 '

1 kl

'SI
li

111

A MJ/i.lCULOUS LStfAl'j:.

,2!'ct 'em (Hit, you may lio sure; Itut .1 felt tliat it wur
al)()iit played out wi' this coon, as I lied luetic hope
o' stoppiii' the b'ar with one shot.

"Tliis takes time to tell, hut it all kem like a
flash o' lightning. My old crittur plunged an' reared
as the bar rose o. i his hind legs 'ithin four yards
o' licr, an' stretched out to go, but was held by the
rope. 1 leaned forward as far as I cud on her neck,
a-slasliin' wi' my bowic to cut her loose ; but the poor
thing wur jumpin' an' sliyin' so that T cudn't reach,
an' afore I cud rekiver my balance I wur thrown
clur overboard. I gev one mighty screech, an' afore
I cud say ' Pike's Peak ' the b'ar wur at me. Jest as
the varmint wur 'ithin three yards, an' I lied given
myself u]) fur lost, I lieerd the crack o' a riile an' the
snig o' a bullet as it tuck old Eph'm at the butt o'
the ear. He gev a roar an' reared up, but kem down
at oncest, an' spun round like a tee-totum. I guess
the shot bed stunned him. Seein' as he'd forgot me,
I let drive iny pistol into him, an' pickin' up my rifle
I made tracks fur the chapparal ; but thur wur no
need. Eagle Jack's shot (fur 'twur him as hed kem
up) wur enough ; an' in less than a minute we hed
the pleasure o' seein' old Eph'm stretched out quiet
enough. I may call that a mirac'lous escape, ef thur
be sich things. Neyther my old mar' nor myself iuul
a scratch. Ye-es, we wur well out o' that bisness, I
reckon."

P)v)th TMerre and Gaultier expressed themselves

MHlMi

[cm

lied

lict

lur

lid
1

AT JiL'sT.

\vv\\ pleased with old Jake's narrative; tiiid as it was
still several lioiirs till daylii^flit.tlK'y rolled themselves
in their blankets, and ai;-ain fell into a sound sleep,
fcVom which tliey did not awaken nntil the sun was
lar above the distant horizon, shedding his fiery
beams on the arid wilderness aronnd.

fill

(IIAlTKIl W.

» I

.lAKK AltlUVKS IV (AMI- Willi Till: SKIN <i|- Till: DKA K- MCAV i: t AM I'— IHS-
TANT I'KAKS <)l' Till; UdCKV MOl'NTA INS— 1 MH AXS— TIIK ATTA( K 1 II I'.

nnNTi;i;.s taki; uKi'iMiK in' a <a\ i: — .iakk's im.an— a srnnM-riii;
KscArr.-Tiir. taulds timim-.i> tiik iit'STiiits attack tiik inkians —

TllK FKIIIT— JAKK WINS JUS TiHiAl'CO.

HEN tlic 3'0!ith.s arose, tlicy found tliat oM
Jako had left tlio camp, in tlie canoe; hnt
as lie liad left liis traps lu'liind, they felt

litth

(Jaidti

little anxiety at ins a«. ;ence. faultier
filled the camp-kettle, ^vhile I'lerrc kindled the lire;
the. lilankets were rolled np, and the various articles
of their lu<j;'^^ag'e were disposed so as to he ready for
innuediate removal. Their simple meal was soon
ready, and they were dehatini^- whether to wait the
return of their companion ere they commenced, when
that worthy was seen roundiiiL;,' the bend in the
Askow o[)posite the camp, and urging' the canoe for-
wards witli swift strokes ot' the pa<ldles. In a few
minutes the bows of the canoe grated gently on the
.sand}^ margin of tlie river, and old Jake landed, his
hands and arms covered with blood.

" Why, Jake," said Pierre, " where did you get all

j'M>nLix<; oxwinns.

-DIS-

, ol.l
l)Ut
I'clt

tior
in-

lur

)0U

ho
("11
lio
)1'-
w

lis

tlwit 1»K)(>(1 :* W'liiii liiivc you Itfcn doin^' :* I 1i()[)l!
you liavciit wouiulcil youiscli"."

" I guess J lic'vu't, youuL;' f'clluv," replied the trapper.
'•Tvo Leon takiiT the skin otl' iliat tlnir n'vix/ly we,
tlirowed List iiiL;-]it. "Twur o' no use K'aviii' tlio
peltry to rot, an' so I've LroUL^lit it Avi' nie. We'd
better slap in our fodder now (piiek," he continued,
"an' make a start. It's a loni;- way to our next eanip,
an' we'll need all our time to do it in hefore nii^-ht."

The three accordingly sat roun<l the canip-iire and
addressed themselves with keen a[)petiti's to their
fare of jerked huii'alomeat and coffee. They did not,
as may 1)0 supposed, linger long over their hreal^fast,
which presented little to induce them to prohjng it.
Their di^orent eflects were speedily collected and
[)laced in the canoe; and with a linal glance around
to sec that nothing was forgotten, they took their
places, and were soon cleaving the swift waters ut
the Saskatchewan.

For a few" days they jonrneyed as rapidly ^vcst-
w^ard as the stroni-'th of the stream and the weight of
the canoe would permit, stopping only for their mid-
day meal, and about an hour before sundown to make
their camp for the night.

The country seemed entirely uninhal)ited, rolling
plains extending on either hand to the horizon,
devoid of vegetation, and presenting in their utter
sterility little to cheer the spirits of our trap[»ers.
Far in the w^cst, however, these great heaving plains

' I'd

Jf. :1

9- !

148

/A' sif.rfT or 'iiin nochv MttuxTAfXs.

scL'inod to vis(! ami swell into low liills, wjiicli roniuMJ
the sky-liiiu in tluit diivetion, toppcil licrc and IIkto
])>' a snowy peak, wliicli Jake informed li. com-
panions rose Prom (lie Jvoeky Mountain eh. on.
(jtradually the river lianks liecamc 1 duller, and occa-
sionally assnme(l the form of el ills, on the s(!ari)i'd
sunnnitsof which the mountain piiu^ reare(l its hushy
head or llunir its contorted hranches ahroad over tho

veri^e. Tts melancholy folinii^e, l»y contrast with tho
desert regions throni^h which the trap})ers had lately
passed, impressed them with an idea of verdure, and
seemed an earnest of the cool, shady forests which
formed th(i theme of Jake's conversation.

They did not leave the plains, however, withont
acifain having* a brush with their former foes tho
lilackfeet.

One day, while strugglinL;- through a canon whose
ruii'Q:ed walls rose to a m'eat hein-ht on hoth sides of
the stream, (Jaultier, happening to glance npwards,
was startled t(j observe several Indians, Avho no
sooner felt themselves discovered than with wild
yells they hiu'led down large stones or detached
huo'e boulders from the clifls, which thundered down
the precipice and dashed the water into spray around
the canoe.

Sevcu'al of the savages who possessed fire-arms
I'an some distance up-stream, and took their stand
behind a few rocks and Inishcs at a point where
the clili's had apparently broken away nnd left a

'11
lul

iii:siiun:ii iiv ixdiaxs.

stoop aii'l rock-oncninlxM'cd tlcclivity towaivls tlio
rivor. From tliis position tlicy coultl coinni.'iiitl a
better vi(>w of tlie canoe, and witli ready rilles they
awaiti'd its ap]»J'OMc]i. Old .lake's restless eye, liow-
ever, wliicli n'lanoed alio\'e, liclow, l»e]iind, and iM-fore,
siiddeidy fell upon a rece'ss in tlie rocky wall, inime-
diatclv under tlie yellinn" sava<A's aliovc, over wliich
pi-njccted a ledi,n) or slielf. Instantly liis rosolvi' was
taken. " Yonder's our i,a'ound,'' lie exclaimed, and at
tlic word the canoo was impelle<l into tlie narrow
openinl,^ wliero for tlie present tliey were safe.

" How lucky it was for us," said Pierre, " that thoy
showed themselves here! Tf tliey had attacked us
lower down, they would have had us at a great dis-
advantage."

" 1 think," ,\ .Id Caultier, "that they've followed us
for some time. I thoui'-ht I saw somethino- nioviuLf
along the top of the bluils half an hour ago, but
wasn't, sure enouLi'li, and so I said nothiuLj."

" I wonder," said Pierre, " what tribe they arc ; T
hatln't time to notice their paint."

"/ had, though," exclaimed old Jake; "I knows
the varmints' ugly pictuvs v:ell enough. Them's
Blackfeet ! Ijoyees," he continued, "we're in a tight
place, I guess. Ef we goes out o' hyur, them coons
above'll shower <lonnicks atop o' us an' sink the
canoe ; an' ef we escapes them, thur's the fellurs as
took cover wi' their ritles a-waitin' fur us a leetle
furrer up. But we'll walk into them niggurs, 1

IHI,

lih^

>' I, i\ k

150

JAh'E'S PLAN.

I 1
I I

I I

1 1 1

(I i

I i

^T.

reckon. Ye-cs! old Jake JIawkeii ain't a-iji'wine to uo
under yit ; no, that he ain't ! "

Pierre inquired of tlie old hunter what plan he
recommended.

"It ain't much of a ])lan," he replied. "I reckon
wci'll jest wait here till it's dark ; that won't be long,
I Q'uess, at the bottom o' this canon. We'll then slip

back

bit, an' irit

d the skunks from t'oth

'ounii

side. They won't be expectin' us from that p'int, an'
then we'll gi' 'em goss, you bet."

The minutes which followed were passed almost in
silence. The hiuntcrs listened with keen attention
for any sound which might indicate tlie approach of
their enemies or betray their intentions. r)ut the
stillness was unbroken save by the rush of the water
ao'ainst the rocks, or the moan of the wind, which
blew in fitful o'i;sts throuo'h the canon and seemed
to herald an approaching storm. Pierre, who was
struck by the barrenness of the country through
which they had travelled for some time, inrpiircd of
old Jake if it often rained in these regions.

" It diz at times," replied the trapper ; " an' it wur
o' that sarcumstancc this child wur thinkin'. It'll be
okard ef it comes do\vn in a Hood sicli as I've seed
hyur away."

" How so ? " said Gaultier. " Is it that you are
afraid of getting your old carcass soaked through ? "

"No," replied Jake, slightly nettled by what he
thoui-ht a rejection on his manhood, " it ain't that.

a of

11 bo
feed

avo
I?"

lie
lat.

J rr.iULOU^ siTirATiox.

Don't ye see that of it rains as it <liz liyni' now an'
tljon, we'll be swop' out o' this gnlch like a chip.
Thur ain't a l)oat on old Mississippi as cud hold aL;'in
tlio flood conios through hyur ; an' thorn coons al»ove
knows that too, I reckon. Et' it conios down in raal
oarnost, as seems likely, ihcyW moot ns below; bo
sure o' that, young follur."

This was a now and startling' view of the situation,
and one which had not occurred to either Pierre or
Oaultier. They eagerly scanned the slender strip of
the darkening heavens which showed above the
opposite wall of the o^jlon, and in the masses of
black cloud which hurried across it they saw the
confirmation of their fears. The rain was, in fact,
already falling in largo drops, thougli somewhat
thinly. Sudden fierce gusts rushed up the river,
tearing the surface into foam ; and in the pauses
between them, distant rumblino-s and moanino's wore
heard, which seemed to portend an unusual strife of
the elements.

For nearly an hour the throe Inmters sat sihsnt and
thoughtful, apparently impressed with the dangers of
their situation, and probably debating the chances of
their escape. They wore aware that certain death
would lie the result of falling into the hands of the
Indians. They were ignorant of the numbers (»f
their wily foes, bands of whom might be prowling
along both banks of the river. Thit they cheered
themselves with the hope that the swiftness of the

152

A STOnM.

current and the davknoss of a stormy night wonUl
enable tlicm to slip past nnperceived. There was
somethinL,^ hiiiniliatini,^ in the thouo-ht that they had
to turn tail to a handful oi: savages, "whose position
alone invested them with importance. On an open
plain they won kl not have hesitated to attack double
the number of their present foes, confident in the
perfection of their arms and in their own skill in
wielding them ; but here these would avail them
little, as the enemy was hidden from view, while they
were fully exposed to whatever missiles \^'ere hmded
aujainst them.

AVhile followinc: these anxious trains of thouciht,
darkness had fully fallen on the river. High above,
however, a faint light revealed the jagged sky-line of
the enclosing precipices, show^ing that twilight still
continued beyond the shadow of the rocks. Tlie
rain now fell in torrents, hissing in the seething river
and plashing against the cliffs with a relentless fury.
Thunder rolled through the murky sky, accompanied
by such vivid lightning as pained the sight and h^ft its
impress on the retina for several seconds afterwards.

"Them fireworks '11 diskiver us, I reckon," said
Jake; "l)ut 'tain't o' no use waitin' longer. The water's
risin.' Sec," he continued, "when we comed in hyur a
Avhile agone, it wur eight feet to the top o' this cave;
it's not live now. T guess we'd better streak it."

So saying, the old hunter shoved th(> canoe out into
the river, and in a moment they were hurrying' down

THK FUaiTT DOWNSTREAM.

153

was
liad

110

its

tlic canon at a pace which promised to carry them to
its mouth in as many minutes as it liad taken them
hours to ascend. The canoe was steered towards the
opposite side of the stream, wliich was there deep and
rapid, and seemed also less obstructed in its course.

" Keep your eyes skinned, t'elku's," whispered Jake,
" an' don't ye go fur to run on the rocks. One graze,
I guess, an' we'll all go under, sartain."

" I think," said Pierre, who steered, " we had better
keep more out in the stream ; it is so dark, I can't
see ten yards ahead. The rocks — " He was inter-
rupted by a blinding flash which actually crackled
as it cleft the darkness, revealing the turbid river,
the frowninn: faces of the cliffs, the boat and its occu-
pants with the utmost vividness. A stunning crash
of thunder followed instantaneously, and in the com-
parati'v . silence which followed, the hunters thought
they Heard yells high above them along the summit
of the crags.

" Jest as I thort," said Jake ; " them skunks seed
the boat that last flash. Thur's a chance o' our bein'
below before 'em, though. I know o' a gully or crack
that runs along above thur. It'll tal^e 'em a leetlo
time to cross it, an' it ain't more'n a matter o' five
miles now to the mouth o' this canon. I guess we'll
beat 'em arter all."

"Unless," said Pierre, "there are others below."

" I don't think that ur ]il>L(']y," observed Jake. '' Yo
see the varmints didn't know we wur a-comin', an'

(G91) 9

; \\

» )

t ■ !

k I

154

ii I::

II :

■I '

I I

ESCAPED

fio I guess tliur's none Ijut wliat we've seed o'
them.

T]ie party again relapsed into silence. The light
boat flew along, impelled both l>y the padtlles and
l)y the swift current, which sur^'ed alouii'side as it
bounded over obstacles far down in its dismal depths.
The storm continued with unabated fury, and the
rain poured its chilling torrents upon the hunters,
whose buckskin clothing speedily became wet through,
and clung to their bodies, causing the youths to shiver
notwithstandinic their exertions. As for Jake, that
case-hardened veteran little heeded this inconveni-
ence. He was much more solicitous about keeping
Plumcentre dry, or stowing away his spare ammu-
nition in a place of safety, than in protecting himself
from the pitiless deluge, which really threatened to
swamp the boat.

"It can't go on long at this rate," said Pierre; "it
will soon rain itself out. I'd rather fjo-ht those
demons above there than be drowned like a rat in a
liole dow^n here."

" I hope it ain't a-g^vine to stop yit," said Jake.
" Ef it diz, them clouds'll go, an' the moon'll show out
clur. That's jest what them niggurs'd like. No ; I
reckon the rain'U do my old legs no harm, nor yours
neyther, young fellurs."

The minutes flew swiftly by. Already they recog-
nized a high pinnacle, which was just visible against
the scarcely lighter sky, and which they r membered

-^«

THE TABLES TURNED.

155

"it
nose
in a

)urs

Inst

havings noticed very soon after entering- the can on.
Accordingly tlie clilis at either side diminished rapidly
in height, and presently they found themselves float-
ing past low rocky hanks ivhich presented no obstacle
to their landing. Here, therefore, they left the canoe,
securing it to a paddle fastened firmly between two
large boulders. A couple of buffalo skins were care-
fully stretched across the boat to protect the contents
from the rain; and then shouldering their rifles, they
clambered over the rocks in the direction from which
they expected their enemies to appear.

It seemed as if Pierre's wish was to be gratified,
for the wind, which had hitherto blown with great
violence, now moderated somewhat, and the rain
ceased altogether. Heavy masses of cloud, however,
still coursed across the heavens, and throuu'h their
rifts the moon shed a partial light, rendering some
objects distinct, while all around was wrapped in
gloom. For some time the party advanced in com-
parative silence, the only sounds being those occa-
sioned by the difficulties of the path encumbered with
rocks and loose stones. Old Jake led the van, and
this son of the woods from time to time uttered some-
thing very like an oath, as his moccasined foot slipped
on wet rock or was too firndy planted on a sharp
flint. Suddenly he halted and listened intently for
a few moments. He was about to move forward
ao'ain, as if satisfied that hi,«

i ^, 1

'I v

less, when a flash shot from over a Ioav wall of boul-

I^i

Tx-

I i

i f

150

TJffJ FKIHT.

• IMI

r I'

1. 1

». I

I ! •

dors about fifty yards in front, followed by a short
report.

" Down wi' ye!" exclaimed Jake; and instantly the
three hunters threw themselves to the earth, takino;
advantage of whatever cover the spot afforded. " I
knowed it," hissed the old man. " I guessed the
critturs would make fur the mouth o' the canon.
Now, boys, git yer shootin' sticks ready ; make a
sieve o' whatever moves about them rocks, — d'ye
hear ? "

Tlic party kept their eyes riveted on the range
of Ijoulders across which the moon occasionally threw
an uncertain light ; but more frequently the shadows
of heav}^ clouds rendered all objects dim and indis-
tinct. Pierre and Gaul tier lay side by side, each
behind a large stone, which would serve at once as
rests for their rifles and to shield them from the
bullets of the enemy.

" I see something glistening," whispered Pierre.
" See ! in the opening between the two big rocks.
There ! it moves."

Gaultier's eye sough b the spot, and as the moon
again shone clearh", saw the object which had attracted
Pierre's attention. " Pll try it anyhow ! " exclaimed
the latter ; and raising his rifle, he sighted rapidly
and flred. A wild yell answered the shot, as a naketl
savage l)ounded over the rocks, and fell forward, lying
motionless on his face.

"That niorfvur's rubbed out," said Jake. "Well

%s.

tlio
ifion.
kc a

noon
cted
inecl
jidly
Lkcd

IVell

CHARaiNU THE FOE.

■ u

done, young fcllur. Sec il' ye can't fetch another.
Thnr's more o' 'em behint tlieiii rocks. Ef they'd
only sliow out, we'd gi' 'cm goss.

The savages still kept themselves well sheltered l)y
the natural breastwork behind which they crouched,
occasionally tiring shots which, luckily for the trappers,
were ill directed ; and yelling like furies, probably
hoping to terrify the hunters into flight, when they
would have a chance of taking each separately. They
did not venture to char<]fe, well knowimx that at close
(juarters the hunters were more than a match for
them.

" By the yells, Jake," said Pierre, " I think there
aren't more than half-a-dozcn of the wretches. What
d(; you say to charging them? If we don't, they'll
keep us here until morning, when they'll pick us off
easily."

" I wur thinkin' o' that," said Jake. " When the
moon goes in next, let's streak it In among 'em, an' 1
guess your ritles'll make quick work o' the varmints.
Lend me one o' yer six-shooters, though; it's Ijetter'n
my own."

In a few moments the drifting' clouds ai-ain cast a
deep shadow on the earth, and at a signal the hunters
sprang to their feet, and crouched forwards, clamber-
ing as quietly as possible over the stones. They had
almost reached the barrier ere the Indians oljserved
them, and with a loud cheer they sj^rang over the
boulders and leaped down among their lurking foes.

I *

)!'

1*'!

158

A HAND-TO-IfAND STRUG (I LE.

'l '

I !

\:i

I I I

Sliots followed each other in rapid succession, mingled
with yells and the wild oaths of old Jake. Pierre
singled out a brawny savage who was in the act of
loosing an arrow from his bow within a yard of his
breast. Leaping aside, he felt the arrow-point tear
the flesh under his right arm. Instantly he closed
with the savage, who parried his knife-thrusts with
a tomahawk, and suddenly grasping Pierre with an
iron grip, he forced him backwards against th(} rocks,
over which both stumbled and fell, the savage being
uppermost. With an exultant yell the Indian raised
his tomahawk to deal the fatal blow ; but before the
weapon could descend, Gaultier, who saw his cousin's
danger, sprang upon the savage, and hurled him to
the ground several yards from his victim, while at
the same moment his revolver flashed., and the Indian,
who was about to spring to his feet, reeled forward
and rolled over on his back dead.

Pierre quickly rose and looked around. Five Ked-
skins lay dead upon the spot ; but where was Jake ?
He was nowhere visible. They listened attentively,
and presently they heard above the whistling of tlie
wind the sounds of strife apparently proceeding from
behind a mass of huge boulders at a little distance.
The fitful moonlight served to guide them, and on
reaching the spot they beheld the old hunter bravely
defendino" himself ao^ainst two savaijes, who struck at
him with their tomahawks, old Jake parrying their
blows with his rifle. Springing forward Avith a cheer,

IfA innUEA DTII h'SC'A PES.

ir)9

Pierre stiuck une Indian a crushincf blow with liis
riflc-bntt whicli levelled liini to the earth ; while a
bullet from Ganltier's revolver prostrated the other,
who had attempted to escape as soon as he saw them
arrive to Jake's assistance.

" Thankee, lads, thankee," said Jake; " ye jest kem
in time, I reckon. I wur gettin' tired o' the bisness;
an' two to one ain't fair. I guess, though, I've rubbed
out a wheen o' the varmints. Them pistols o' yours
air great weapons, sure enough. I throwed three o'
the skunks the fust three shots, when I wur set upon
])y them two. The pistol missed lire at one o' 'em,
an' before I cud draw ag'in, the thing wur clinked
out o' my hand wi' a blow o' a tomahawk. They
pressed me so hard that I wur obleeged to give
i^round, so that's how I kem to be separated from

Pierre mentioned his own encounter and Gaultier's
timely aid, without which, he said, he certainly would
have " i-one under."

" I expect we hev all done one another sarvice,
lad," said Jake. " The fust niggin^ I pulled upon bed
his hand twisted in Gaultier's ha'r, an' would hev
made a raise as sure as shootin' ef I hadn't put in
my say. But we're well out o' the thing anyhow, an'
I think we'd better make fur the canoe an' hev some-
thing to eat. I'm a'most like a knife, I'm so hungry.
But fust o' all we'll hev a squint at them skunks."
So saying, the hunter stooped, and catching the out-

' si

1,. 'I

I V

I I

IGO

JAKE WINS rrrs touacco.

ti ;'

strotclicd arm of tlio nearest savage, he pulled liiiu
over on liis back.

At tliis moment tlie moon shone cleaHy, lighting
np the grim face of the corpse, which seemed to scowl
defiance in dna<-h. An exclamation from Jake arrested
the youths' attention; for they h.'id turned away,
fearing that the old man intended to scalp the Indian.

"Great Christopher Columbus!" cried the strange
old fellow, " ef that don't beat all creation. 1 calls
that a raal maracle now. Boyees, come hyur. i^ook
at that skunk's ugly face; half his cheek ur oil", an'
his nose laid open, ain't it ? "

" Yes," said Gaultier, who stooped to examine more
attentively ; " but it doesn't look as if it was done
to-night; the injuries seem old."

" That's the very thing this child knows," continued
Jake. " Hooraw ! I've won the 'bacca arter all. This
is the very varmint that a'most took Bill Bucknall's
ha'r. Bill told me o' the skunk's head-mark. Ye-es;
this is he siu'e as beaver medicine — hooraw ! " and
the old trapper woke the echoes with his wild yells.
" I'm a-gwinc to take this coon's top-knot, / am," he
continued. " Come, old fcllur ; you'll never miss it.
Thur's no need o' ha'r whur you've gone, I reckon."
He accordingly drew his bowie-knife, and twining his
fingers in the long scalp-lock, he described a circle
round it with the keen point of his knife, and insert-
ing the weapon under the skin, with a quick pluck
the trophy was taken, and secured to his belt. The

AT Tin: LAXl)lN(irLA(*K.

IGl

])oy.s IooIvimI on, partly wliockc< I jukI partly aimisiMl at
the wil<l lani^niagc and pn^cucdings of tlicir com-
panion.

Returning;* to tlii^ principal Itattlc-^Tound, tlwy took
the arms of tlu; savai^'cs, amoni^* wliicli tlicro wcro
l)ut two L;'uns, old Hint-lock smoothbores, wliicli Jako
threw away in great disgust. They retained the
hatchets and knives, however, leaving the hows with
the dead. Half an hour's (juick walking hrought
them to where they had left the canoe; and taking
out their provisions, they sat (hnvn in a slieltered
spot among some rocks, [\v\ ibiight their battle over
ajj'ain while cni>'ai]fed with their meal.

The gray light of morning surprised them thus
occupied ; and as they intended to pass the day in
that place to rest themselves, and (by their efiects,
which had been saturated by the rain, they stretched
themselves on the shinde, and notwdthstandin^; their
late excitement, and the uncomfortable nature of
their couches, they soon fell fast asleep.

it.

1^1

^■1

u Li.

: it!

'/Ui

II
II

II I

'. '

111

rir AFTER x.

uiu-iniKNs- Tin; ArritoArii -.iakk'h nr( cicss— v (i<»ii> ^lll•T— rm; niii-iKiuN—

WOI.l-HIKxn'INd — IMKIIUK's ADVKNTt'IlK WITH TIIK INMIANS— UK <t\Vi:S
IIIM EHCAI'i; TO TIIKIKMiVi; OF IIUK-WATKU— A fATASTUOl'UK— THE llOOM
IN FLAMES— FATAL EFFlX'T.i AMONU THE INDIANS.

'i'ltONG frames and .sound constitutions
rock little of fatigue and exposure. Al-
thon<di the liunter.s slei)t in iiarnients
Avhicli adhered to their hodies Avith wet,
they awoke refreshed and cheerful. The sun was
high in the lieavens crc they crept forth from their
lairs, and so powerful were his beams that ah-eady
no trace of the tempest of the preceding evening was
visible. The rocks were dry; the dust llcw liefore
the breeze on the distant plain, or mounted heaven-
ward in dun towers undi-r the influence of a whirl-
wind. The thirsty soil had swallowed the deluge,
leaving the surface as dry as liefore.

In a little sandy hollow they found a quantity of
withered artemisia which served for fuel. Over the
blaze Gaultier suspended the cam[)-kettle, which soon
bubbled and hissed, sending abroad savoury indica-
tions of its contents. Jake sat l)y cleaning his rifle,

nm-uonxs.

ir,3

11'

ras

Ul'O

'11-

lie

oil

na-

and t'lmcklini^' occasionally as lie ivIIocUmI on tlio
skiniiisli of tlic pi'ovioiis niL;lit, an<l the unlntjkL'd-t'or
discovery of liis friend Uuckiiall's cnuiiiy, wlioso scal[i
was to l»u c'xcliani^e'd for t(jltacco. i'icrrc was dress-
in;^ tlio wound lie liad ivccivcil, which, althongh a
nieru scratch, was still rather painful.

At the distiince of half a niih; to the south, a ridci'o
of rocks rose from the stony soil to the height of
several hundi'iMJ feet, and stretched away westwards
for many miles until it joined a chain of hills whoso
blue peaks showi'd over tlu^ far horizon.

Happening to glance towards the ridi^v, CJanltier
perceived at its base a numher of (|uaintdookin;L,'
animals, whose huL;e crescent-shaped horns seemed
out of proportion to the size of the creatvnvs that
carried them. Ihit f(;r this hu'-'o armature, Gauitier
would have believed the animals to be sheep, though
their giant size seemed to render this doubtful. lie
quickly called the attention of his companions to
these curious l)easts.

*' Mountain sheep !" said Jake.

" JjiLi'-norns !" exclaimed Pierre.

All three sprang to their feet, and sheltered them-
selves froni observation behind the nearest rocks.

" Thur's oidy one w;iy of getting at em," said
Jake. " See that chapparal out thur on the plain —
I'll stalk 'em from behint it. Do ye stay hyur, an'
don't show yerselves."

The old hunter looked carefully to his rille, and

?ii

>t [

vmm

1G4

STALKINU THE FLOCK.

I I

li'

1i!

availin^^ liiiiisilf of the cover afforded by the river-
bnuk, lie reached the tliicket, ^vhich extended from
tlie Saskatchewan to witlun a short distance of where
tlie l)ii;-horns were standini-'. Once witlun tlio
friendly slielter of the brushwood, the old trapper
moved rapidly forward. The wind, fortunately, blew
from tlie a'ame, so that there was little likelihood of
their scenting the dangerous proximity of Jake, who
speedily arrived at a point beyond which he could
not venture without beinix observed. The distance
to the nearest sheep was aljout one hundred and
lifty yards, not too great a range for his rifle; but
old Jake's experienced eye told him at a glance that
this was a worthless animal for the pot. He there-
fore preferred risking a shot at a fine ewe which
occupied the apex of a rocky spire, and seemed to
act the part of sentinel to the liock.

The boys kept their eyes fixed in intense interest
on the big-horns, awaiting anxiously the crack of
the rille, and speculating what animal old Jako
would select for the shot. After a delay which to
them seemed inteiminable, a pull' of smoke shot out
of the bushes, and the ewe on the rock, which had
been suspiciously snuffing the wind, started convul-
sively, slipped, struggled to its feet, and again falling',
rolled down the crag and lay kicking at the base.
The others flew up tlie clifis with the swiftness of
birds, and disappeared. Old Jake now emerged from
his place of concealment and ran towards the big-

THE MOUMTAfN SIIKKP.

165

ISO.

of
Jill

tO"-

horn, bowio in hand. One cut across tlic throat, and
t1i(i lifo-T)loo(l of liis victim cvinisoniMl the iiTonnd.

Pierre and (Janlticr now arrived breathless, and
congratulated the old hnnter on liis shot. Tliey
admired tlie strange animal, "svhich Jake proceeded
scientifically to flay and cut np. Ganltier, who had
never before seen a mountain sheep, examined it
Avitli curious interest. From Jak(^ he fi'athered some
facts relative to it, which we here reproduce.

Tlie " big-horn," or mountain sheep, is an inhal)i-
taiit of the most sterile and arid mountain ranu'es.
On the high platcviux of the i^merican Desert, Avherc
th(i rock formation assumes the most weird, fantastic
shapes, and where pinnacle and precipice, serrated
cliff' and yawning chasm seem to forbid animal loco-
motion, there the big-horn is at home. There are
few animals round which romance has thrown so
much interest. The tales of the early explorers of
the wild regions forming its liabitat were full of
allusions to this animal — its wondrous fleetness, and
the faculty it possessed of throwing itself headlong
from high precipices and breaking its fall by alight-
inix on its huii'e curved horns. Jake, indeed, allowed
that lie had never actually seen it perform tlu^ latter
feat, but he had heard of it from other trappers who
had hunted the animals in the Southern Sierras.

The mountain sheep attains the weight c)f from
two iiundred and eighty to four hundred pounds, l.tut
the latter dimensions are seldom readied. The head

i!"

vi i;

■%

■MMii

IGG

THH MOUNTAIN SUKEP.

,'1 I

I •

i: -i'

I f

and horns will ofton turn tlic scfilc at fifty pounds,
and a pair of tlu; latter on record Avoi^liod forty-four
and a lialf ])Ounds ! IForns of tliis size, liowcvor, arc
rare. Tlio colour of the l)ii^--liorn assimilates pretty
closely to that of the rocks anioncr which it lives,
and is in general a sooty or duslsy gray. The wool,
or rather hair, is short, wiry, and (juite unlike the
pcdage of its domestic relati\(; the sheep. In fact, it
somewhat resemhles the coat of tlu3 European i])ex ;
and this is not the sole point of reseinhhince. The
'•' undcrpilc," too, is similar in each, and (its the ani-
mal to withstand the intense cold of the mountain
rci-'ions in winter.

The l)iu:-horn does not o-ather in larire bands.
Generally it travels in troops of from a dozen to
twenty, filthough tifty and even seventy ha\'e been
seen tou'cthcr. The running'' season seems to he al)out
November, and at this time the patriarchal leaders
reioin their families, havincj duriu!"" the rest of the
year kept aloof. They engage in iierce contests \\\i\\
each other at this season, the hollow clatter of their
huji'e horns resounding amon!-' the clitts and chasms
around.

in common with some other animals, they possess
to a remarkable degree the faculty of noiselessly
retreatiuii' from the neighbourhood of danii-er, and
tliat over slopes littered with loose stones, where an
incautious step would send the shingle tliundering
down the descent. Wliile the band of sheep are feed-

Tf{E MOUNTAIN SIIKKr.

1G7

ing, a vidcttc is posted on the m^arost licii^lit, who
ket'i)s Avatcli and ward over tlio vest of the troop.
Usually this sentinel is an ewe ; hut while i\w old
rams consort witii the herd, one of them assumes
this duty. A snort, or whistl(>-like sound, with a
stamp of the fore foot, gives notice of the approach of
danger, and at this signal the whole troop ceases
feeding". Careful indeed nuist Ije the stalker who
can now u'et within rani-'C ; hut as soon as the leader's
suspicions seem allayed, the hand again go on with
their feeding, or lie in careless security upon the
rocky ledges.

JJy the time Jake had connnunicated this informa-
tion, the hest portions of tlie sheep were packed in
the hide; and hearing this, the party returned to
camp well pleased with their adventure, and anxious
to test the (juality of the far-famed mountain mutton.
One more fact Jake relate(h He said that from the
swiftness with which the hig-horns had disappeared,
they must havci been nuich hunted of late, as usually
those bands unacr[uainted with man, instead of be-
taking themselves to instant ilight, huddled together
when one of their nuudjer was iire(l a,t, uuich as the
tame sheep do when they apprt'hend danger. This
he accounted for in the ])resent instance by suppos-
ing that the band of Indians whom they had encoun-
tered had lately been hunting in this neighbourhood.

They now reached the camp, where they found
that the kettle had all boiled awav, necessitatiuLC

Htll

168

F^TTOOTJNd A WOLF,

^MW

I >
11 '

II •

1 :;.

i
H

I t % :^

nnotlior "brew" of coiloo. TTowovor, thoy were in
]iigh spirits, and (li<l not mind this disappointment.
JMutton cliops and cutlets Avcro soon sputterino* on
tlie end)ers, ditliisin!:;- a frai^'vancii wliicli was most
grateful to tlie nostrils of the hungry party. Old
Jake was actually facetious under its iniluence, and
seeing a coyote at some distance, challenged Pierre
and Gaultier to " drop the skunk in his tracks."
Instantly three rifles cracked, and the wolf dropped
motionless on the rocks. When hrought to camp,
an examination showed that two hullets had pierced
its skull, while a third ha<l penetrated its heart.

" Rif>"ht clean shootinij'," said l^ierre ; "when wo
get up among the game on tlie hills, we'll not let
much escape."

"That we wont," said Gaultier; "I think we've
killed almost everything we've fired at since we left
the fort."

" Boyces," exclaimed Jake, cutting a Imgo piece of
mutton with his knife, and transferrin u' it " hot and
liot" from the glowing coals to his capacious mouth,
" wliat Avur the tightest place yc ever wur in ?"

" I think," said Gaultier, " that last nii-ht was as
close a shave as I have ever had. l\Iost of my life
has been passed in tlie eastern woods, hack of the
big lakes, and so 1 haven't had nuich chance of
scrinunaLjes."

" The tightest place T was ever in," sai<l Pierre,
" was in a rumpus with some of the Chippcwajans

-Jl

ADVENTURE WITH INDIANS.

1G9

from near Lake Athaba.sca. It happened at Fort
Pierre au Calumet. The winter was very hard, and
game got scarce, so a band of young braves caiuo
down to the fort to trade a few skins, and to beg or
steal some provisions. As ill luck would have it, the
chief trader was away at the council of the Hudson
Ijay Company at York Factory ; while, presuming
on iny good nature, most of the employes generally
a])Out the place had gone away out on the Athabasca
to play lacrosse and fish through the ice. There
were only myself and another man in the place, when
about forty braves marched in through the open
stockade gate, and came straight to the door of the
fort. I had only just time to shut the door and
throw^ the l)ar across, when they rushed against it.
Finding they couldn't force it, they called out for me
to speak to them. I pulled aside a small trap in the
upper part of the door, for reconnoitring through,
and seeing that the party was in command of a chief,
I addressed him : —

" ' Why do my red brothers come to visit friends
with arms in their hands ? When whites visit their
red friends, they do not enter the wigwam of the
chief unasked.'

" The chief, whose name was the 'Moose,' or Tunne-
hee-hee, replied, ' The white chief is our friend, and
will not see his red brothers starve. I\Iy young men
were hasty, but they liope tlie ma-kad-ray [trader]
will not then^fore close his heart against them for

(C91) JO

fi;d

! -t :

170

,1 TREACHEROUS FOE.

their fault. See, they have broni^'lit skins. let my
l)rotlicr open the door, and they will trade.' 1 did
not like to refuse, and still 1 thoui^dit it was a risky
job to let so many in."

" Ye may say that," interrupted Jake ; " the skunks
'ud take yer ha'r in half a shake !"

" Well," C(mtinued Pierre, " I told the cliief that
they could not come in, hut that I wouhl trade
through liim. Let him Lrini;' in the skins, and let
Ins braves retire two hundred yards outside the
stockade. At this there was a great palaver ; none
of them seemed pleased, but they made a show of
au'reeini^f, and left their skins on the o-round in chari^^e
of the chief, who remained behind. I then instructed
my companion to wait imtil they were well out of
the courtyard, and seizing his ojoportunity, to make
a dash and fasten the outer gate. I now opened the
door. ]\Iy man, M'Taggart, slipped out, but had not
made one step when the chief, drawing his toma-
hawk, cleft his skull. He then, with the suddenness
of light, darted through the half-open door, and parry-
ino; a blow T aimed at him with an axe, he seized
the bar which fastened the door, and threw it out-
side. I had by this got hold of one of my pistols, and
nulled at him as he came towards me flourishing his
bloody tomahawk. The bullet took effect, for the
savaije, with a friiihtful yell, stag2i:ered throngli the
doorway, where liis cries soon gathered his ban*!
about him.

•'«?*.

-J

lot my

I did

a risky

skunks

ief that
d trade
and k't
idc the
r ; none
diow of
I charcje
structed

out of
;o make
ned tlie
had not
s toma-
donness
il parry -
c seized

it out-
Lols, and
liinii" his
for tlio
•ui>"h tlie
is ban<l

!SI

i^?

•flp*.

! \

i ii

vv' .iT'^ . . J, ;■"; f '

CHIPPEWA

^'^

^^^^^.^^^ "

•;i^

1 1

CHIPPEWA INDIANS

/'./.,■, /.'v.

i !.

H r ,

"' \ '

'V.yk.

1 '
I I

■*.'

, 1 '

1 I^H

%:.

FinE-WATi:iir

I7n

" Tn vain I tried to find aiiytliliiLC suitalilo \\\{\\
wliieh to secure tlie dour. The cliief luul fallen u[)(>n
the bar outside, and, as if aware tliat it was tlie sole
fastenin«5^ kept a firm L;ri[) of it. I ^L;a\-e myself up
for lust. Tlie whole hand of furious savau'i s hurst
into the fort, nnd mure ea^cr lor plunder than I'nr
N'en^cance, tlu^y eonnnenced to lay hands on whatever
])leased their faney. One hrave's eye was suddenly
attracted 1)y a cask standini;' in a corner. With his
tomahawk he dasiied in the head, and ap[)lied his
nose to th perture. With a yell of delight, he
snatched up a tin nniij,', dippe(l it in the cask, and
drained it at one drauLfht. All the others i--athere(l
about him, eager to (piatf the fiery litpiid. I now
saw my opportunity. If they did nut brain me be-
fore they became intuxicated, 1 should be master (jf
the situation. A few empty casks stood close; to
me, and quietly sinkini;* out of sight behind these, I,
trend (ling, awaited my fate.

" Apparently they had forgotten my existence, for
they continued to drink, some of tliem already show-
inii' the efTects of their indulger.ce. These swau'Li'ered
about, boasting of their deeds in l)attle, counting the
scalps they had taken, and arraying themselves in
some artick^s of finery which they found among the
stores, and of which they did not know tin; use.
Dangerous as my position was, 1 could hardly pre-
vent myself from laughing aloud at tln^ ridiculous
figures cut by several. One tall, raw-bone(l savage,

17G

A CATAST/!(U'/lh'.

'I I

wliosc L;aunt face was tin; ])ictiiic (if famine, put on a
coat, tlinistinL,' liis h '^^s tliroti'^^h the sleeves ; and liis
look of (Idiniit pride as he stai^Ljered about inipcfled
l>y tlic^ novel Lfanucii. (luite as much as l>v tin?
whisk V, was cnoii'-h to cl oke nie with laiiL-htci'."

" If he'd seen you, Piem'," said (iaulticr, " I douhfc
he'd have made you hiiiL;li at the other side of your
mouth !"

" I am sure of tliat," continue<l Pierre, " for I had
only one pistol, and that wasn't a revolver, and would
have been of no use ai,^ainst so many. However,
you may Ix* sure 1 ke])t my laughter to niys<'lf. In
an hour tluy were all helplessly drunk, ihit I didn't
like to stir yet; T preferred to wait until they lay
powerless on the floor. One savai^'e alone seemed to
possess a stron^^'er head than his companions, for,
notwithstanding all he had taken, he still seemecl
little the worse, \ kept my pistol ready for this
fellow, as I knew the others wouldn't give nie much
trouble.

" Above the whisky -cask was a shelf on which
were a few looking-u'lasses. The Indian, while try-
ing to steady himself in the endeavour to reach one,
upset the cask, and in a moment the remainder of
its contents was streaming over the floor. A stove
stood on one side of the apartment, and T suppose a
cinder from it uuist have dropped in the whisky, for
in an instant the whole room was in a blaze, ^[ost
of the sawages were stretched on the ground, and

,1^^

rir.nntrs escapk.

177

it oil a
ind liis
iipctlcd
l»y tlio
•r.

(lolllit

if your

• I lia.l
I woultl

)W('VC'l',

•If. hi

I (li.ln't
hey lay

'lUL'd to

lis, for,

SCC'IIUmI

or this
much

wliicli

ilt' try-

Lt'h one,

idt'i" of

;V stovo

pposL' a

;ky, for

Most

id, and

thcso ^V(•lv wrajux'd in IIuiiil's. Thi* Indian \vlii» had
hoon tlu' occasion of (lir catastropiic spran;^" towai ds
till' (lour; ])ut ]u' never lift it alive, as my hidlet
craslied throu^di Ins skull, fortunately, the powder
and tlie jL^^reater part of the stores wi-re in the upper
rooms; and as tliose on the ''rojuid floor consisted
in ^avat part of furs packed all round, tlu whisky
Iturned itself out \vithout doim:' verv much daiiiaL;'e.
Indeeil, there was not a ^'reat deal of it lei"t, as \\n'.
cask had not heen a very larujc; one. As for the
Indians, many of them died; and the I'emainder, not
knowing' the origin of the disaster, atti-ihuted it
either to the superior medicine of the I'alel'aces. or
to a visitation of the Manito upon them l«.r theii-
treachery. When the other men came back and
fouml so many dead Indians, and heheld the ;^'eneral
I'uin. they were ama/e(l. Nothing would convince
them hut that I had managed it all mysidf; and
from that day they always called me after the fort.
Tliat's how I got my name."

Here ended Pierre's narrative.

" That wur a near thing, sure enuf," said Jake.
*• It wur lucky for you that tliey tuk to that
whisky ; it wur so. Ef they liadn't a-taken to it,
they'd soon a-f etched you out o' yer boots, 1 guess.
How wur it that they didn't go fur ye when tliey
fust kem in ? "

" 1 don't know," said Pierre. ' I fidly expected
that they would have done for me right away then;

liai

!■ ^!i

jr J*

i [\

i I

I I

I \\

[ I I

178

ONWARDS.

Ijut 1 suppose they ^vel•c in to(j gi'cat ii luiny to lay
hands on the n-oods while they had a chance. Besides,
when they hurst in, they crushed the door round on
its hin'-es, drivini;' nie before it, and thus putting' it
between nie and them.'

liy the tiuie Pieri-e related his adventure the trap-
pers liad finished their breakfast, and ha\ing' stowed
away everything in the canoe, they stepped on board,
and once more began the ascent of the river.

*:■>

y to lay
Besides,
'oiind on
itting it

]\v. trap-
f stowed
111 board,

CHAPTER XI.

DIFFICULTIF.« OF T1IEIU)UTK— A I'oUT Aii K - Til K IMXKV MOCM AINS — NKW
COrXTKY — STllEAMS ANK (UIIIVKS — JAKK's (llMXIO.VS ON" lAKMKIlS AND
KAUMINd — I!I1 rAI,i>k:.s--|-,LK- MillK KNi'DlTNTKltS— STALKI N(i Till: (iAMK
— (iAl'LTir.U's AUVKNTtJUE— MIST I.N THE KOUEST— WEIllD NOISES IN THE
WnoDS — OAirLTIKIl SEES THE llEKLECTION <JF THE lAMl'-linE ON THE
SKV— (ll'IDKIi l!V IT, HE ItlXJAlNS THE < ' V M l",

HE frcsliet liad run itselt' out, and no other
trace of it was now visililc tlian tlio heaps
of tiood-wrack and timber scatteretl liere
and there anioni>" tlic clefts in the rocks.
For several days they laboured hard at paddlini;
and polini^' the canoe against the Saskatchewan,
whicli here ran very swiftly. Occasionidly they had
to make a portage, where the strength of the current
rushing over rocky ledges rendered the passage of
the canoe impossible. This was a tedious opi^ration,
as it involved, not only carrying the canoe itself over-
land to the next navigal^le portion of the river, but
it nc^cessitated many separate journeys to bring up
the various articles which composed the cargo. How-
ever, all was at length safely accomplished, and the
luniters once more found themselves sailinij on com-
paratively smooth water.

' 'Jii

FKi

■lU

180

THE ROCKY MOfWTArXS.

I J

i I

Tlic river, wliich liad liitlu'rto followed n west or
north-west course, now trended towards tlie south,
which Jake said it did about one luuidred miles
l)elow the mouth of the Bull Pound.

" Thur's a mighty likely country liyur to tlio
west'ards/' said he, " which we inout try t'ur game
l)y'm-hy; an' thur's a line river thui too — tlie Moo-
coo-wan, the Jujuns calls it. It runs out o' the old
Itockies, an' I lieern tell thur's lots o' beaver about the
liead-waters o' it. Jt jines the Askow — that's whur we
fout theui b'ars — only it's a luniderd mile above that. '

"What mountains are those, Jake?" asked
Gaultier, as they rounded a 1)end in the river where
the banks no longer circumscribed the view.

"Them hills ur the Rocky Mountains, lad," replied
the trapper ; " an' line hills they ur, I reckon ! "

Pierre and Gaultier feasted tlieir eyes on th(3
prospect. At length, then, these were those wondrous
peaks which for many a day they liad beheld in
imagination. This was tl\e giant vertebno of the
continent, the western shore of t]i(» prairie ocean.
As they gazed, they conjured np the vast deserts
which lay behind thein, tlie dangers and difliculties
they had surmounted to reach this spot ; and, as they
thought, they experienced a pride in. their own en-
diu'ance, and felt that now really tliey miglit lay
claim to be considered men.

" How far is it now, Jake," asked Pierre, " to where
you say we'll make our winter camp ? "

west or
} soutli,
d miles

to tlic
r game
10 iMoo-
tli(3 old
joiit the
,duir wo
e that."
asked
r where

I replied

tn the
K Irons
leld hi
oi' the
ocean,
le.serts

111 ties
s they
"u eii-

t lay

here

A x/:w rouNTny.

isi

" Wal, 1 (lunno edzacly. It iir about a hundcrd
niile now to the mouth o' the Ihill Pound, an' I
I'cekon it ui" ahout that, or a trilK' more, to the States
border, which I've hecrn the I)oyees say wur about
a hundcrd an' twenty mile nortli o' whur the river
rises. J i-'uess about thrcr liunderd mile or thur-
away '11 see us hum."

The country now presente*! a varied aspect.
Since heaving the rocky canons behind them, the
trappers had entered a hind where verdure took
the pl.ace of the utter st(>rility to which they had
almost li'rown accustomcil. Kivuh'ts and e\en con-
siderablc streams danced down t1ii'oUL;h the ^'roves
and joined the maiji I'iver at l're([uent intervals.
Tlie country was diversilie(l with hill and dale,
the former often cla<l with pine forests, while the
latter disclosed t;Tassy expanses studded with spark-
Vuvj^ lakelets and mottled with ;j;roves of po[)lars and
little knots of pines. The air was balmy, and seeuicd
idled with a resinous perfume Ijorne upon a _i;'entle
breeze. Tlu^ boys felt thoroughly ha])py : and even
oM Jake, whose ideas of pleasure seemed restricted
to the animal i;'ratiiications of i^-ood eatin;^' and <lrink-
ing, if we except the pleasure of huntin;:;', expanded
a little under the inlbience of i;"enial skies, a brii^ht
landscape, and the anticipation of soon reaching the
end of their journey.

" I wonder what them coons back in tlu' settle-
ments find to tickle thur fancy in plasterin' the

f^ii

I i^

l&2 JAKE'S OPINIONS ON FAHMKHS AND FARMING.

^c;Tuim(l \vi' dirt, an' then ri|)|)iii' it opu'i wi' thiir
ploughs an' dovilnK'nts I " said lie. "I nevei si'cd
game plenty ^vluu• tliur wnr sieli doins. As it' tliuv
wurn't turnips oi- corn cnuf in the \V(jrld afore. I
ciirhi't stand sich work nohow. (Jive ni(^ the free
air, an' plains, an' mountains to randile over fur
liealth an' happiness. I cudn't sleep now ef thur
wur iKj d;ini,n'r o' souie kind ai)out. I've growed
nsed to it all my life, an' J'd feel right down lonc-
soiiKj 'ithout it — I would so!"

Canltier lau'died at the old hunter's conceit. " I
think," said he, " that I could just manage to sleep a
little, a very little, if I felt myself safe. There's no
saying though, l)ut i")erhaps before 1 get hack east
I may he like you, Jake ! "

" Sec if ye don't, young fellur," replied the hunter ;
" anyways, afore ye sees as niany years in the moun-
tains as my old peepers hev ! "

** You min'lit have (hinufers too in the settlements,
Jake," said Pierre. " Your corn and wheat would he
in danger often, I've no doubt, from the neighbours'
cattle."

" I cfness I'd soon clur Ihcin out o' it wi' mv old
rifle; thiir wudn't he jnany o' ^/i6'??i about, you bet,
artcr I seed 'em," replied Jake.

" Nfiy, then," continued Pierr(\ "you would soon be
in danger enough to satisfy even you. The settlers
might take a fancy to cl ear //o; tout too with their rifles."

''This is foolish talk, young fellur," said Jake; "I

INO.

'I tluir

It' tliuv
(bro. r
lie free
vor fur
L'f tliiir
growcd
n lonc-

?it. " I

sleep a

LnT''s no

ck oast

lunter ;

IHOUll-

ineiits,
)iil(l l>e
iliours'

uy old
)ii bet,

)on be
ot tiers
rille.s."

<(•; ''I

If. I UDSHIPS ASD Dll'FK 'i'LT/L'S.

is:

ain't a-L;'\vin(' to tiu-n duni^'-scraper at this time o' day.
J'd far raythcr be \\i[)(<l out by old F.pbni in a
tussle than by tbcni plouL;-b an' barrow fellurs that
one cud ii'it no ii-ood o' nohow. Thur ix'lts wudnt
fetch much, I calc'Iate ! "

With such conversation did they pass the time.
It nnist not be supposed, however, that their exist-
ence was a halcyon one, luxuriously driftiuL;- aloni;*
throuLib beautiful scenes, feastinu' on the choicest
game, and having no caiv to cloud the prospect. (Mi
the contrary, they often went to bed supperless, and
without a iii"(\ exposed to tlu^ pelting of the mi<l-
night storm, and arose hungry, to continue their
Weary work of paddling the heavy canoe against
rapid currents, or making portages over rocks slippery
with spray or rain, bending beneath the weight of
the articles of the t'l-eight.

The hunters were iri the habit of ending th(MV
day's ^\ork some time before sun-down, so as to hnvc
time to nnload the ranoe an<l make prepai'aHons f'jr
the evening meal. < >?i ►ni; occasion, while Pien-e and
(faultier were thus » .nployt "Id Jake, shoidd r-
ing his rifle, left the camp, an uncing his intention
of gettinuf some '''ame for supper. He (luicklv dis-
appeared over the crest of a low hi', uhi'M" limite<l
tlu^ view ni that direction biit had n^.^, b,v many
minutes gone, when he cam*^ running ovCl. li ^ slope,
eagerly calling. " fJoyees ! thur's meat a-movin' hyur !
Bring yer shootin' irons, — quick ! "

.1 "(?

Ifii

A. i

■(• ?

I|
II

u
•I

\ I

181

/I y//i7i7v OF Ji('F/'A7j)h'S.

Tlio lads seized their rilles aii<l Hew up tlie liill
witli tlie (luickiiess (jf deer. .1 beyond |;iy a pi'aiiio
<lottcd over witli elunips of tiiiilier, rocky rid^vs
Juttui,!^- up liere and tliere like ,i;ii;aiitic fences,
wliile now and tlien a solitary boulder of innnenso
size reared its ^-ray crest above the emerald plain.
To the left were a nuudier of rounded hills covered,
with forest, the L;ruves and clumps of timber on the
])Iain Ijelow havini,^ the appearance of slvirmishers
thrown out in front of the main army behind.

But of infinitely more interest than all these
was a luii;'e herd oi' buffaloes, which ^-razed in
fancied security amoni;- the ciumjis of timbci-, or
stood in the shade of the ^-roves, switching' oil' the
Hies with busy tails. Some old bulls wen; wallow-
in^i;- in a slouch, twisting- round and round as they
lay upon their sides, k' king their Icl^-s wildly about,
and presenting a fearful appeaiance, theii' long hair,
matted ^\ith dirt, adding to the natural ferocity of
their aspect.

By the edge of a small grovi^ of poplars wa:-^ a
])and of elk, rubbing their antlers auainst the
])ranches, ami seeming to regard tlie presence of so
many Imflaloes with the utmost indifierence. A
mimic combat soon took ])lace Itetween two lui''o
buffalo bulls. Each would retreat, and at the same
instant charge each other Avitli such furv that the
earth seomed to trend»le, and the shock vvas plaiidy
audible wliere the ti'appers stood. Occasionally they

'""VMrnmL

I«

A rrroA rniNa the a a .vk.

IS.-)

tlic llill

t praiiio

Y ri( list's

IV'iiccs,

d plain.
covei'C(l
• oil the
•mi.sliors

II tlicso,
Lizcd ill
iiImt, or

oil" tlio
'vval low-
as til cy
altoiit,

vj; hair,
jt'ity of

\ras a
t tho

of so

lllll>C

:^ same

•At tllO

lainly
V tlicy

<h>

threw themselves on their l<nees, and continued tho
contest in this fashion, lu'llowini;' the while, until,
suddeidy tii'ed of the sport, they woidd sprinsj^ to
their feet an.d L;'i'aze peacefully toc^ether, apjurently
with tempers (piite uin'ullled ly their encounter.

Old Jake and the hoys watched tli(i wild sceni;
with an enthusiastic interest. lAn'tunately they
were conceale<l from the view of the animals ])y a
tliieket of youriL;' r)ines, and they were further s(>cured
from detection hy the fresh hrcezo which blew
directly towards them from the e-aine.

The distance to the nearest hand of huffalo was
scarcely thrtn' hundred yards, and therefore within
tlu! rane-e of the Winchester; hut the party prepanMl
to i^^et nearer .so as to e'ive old Jaki; a chance, ho
hehii;' armed with a wca}'or; of shorter ranj^'e. They
therefore dropped amonL;\st the cover of youni;' pine-
trees, and commenced tluur advances with the utnu)sfc
caution, avoiding' treadine' on dried sticks, and taking*
care to hand hack the Ijranches from one to tho
other, not allowin'j; them co swini:'.

This care would not have been so needful were tho
hullaloes the oidy y,-ame in the vicinity, as they aro
animals dull of heariuL;' and not very (juick-si^'hted,
their eyes being covered by the mass of hair which
clothes their foreheads, and, indeed, all their foro
(piartcrs. Ihit thc^ huntei's hoped to secure an elk .as
well, ({;iultier volunteerinij; to undertake this branch
of the attack.

I . !l

I if.

iSfi

SKLKCTlXa Til Kilt Vim MS.

[

Tlicy soon dcsccndi'd tin; liill, ^vlllcll w.is of sll^-lifc
elevation, and t'ouiid tlicinsolvcs at tlic skirt of tlie
tiinlxT, fi'oin wliicli noint tlicy counnandcd a li'ood
view of till! lu'i'd, tlie nearest iiiciiiix'rs of wliieli were
now oidy aliout a Innidred and fifty yards distant.
Among- these were several old bulls, who, from their
colossal size and ungainly appearance, seemed I'ather
the inhahitants of an ante(lilu\ian world than animals
to l)c met with in the latter half of the nineteenth
century.

There w^'re also half-anlozen cows with calves at
foot; but none of these seemed to realize old .hike's
idea of " meat."

"Old fur an' leatner" (meaning the hulls), said lie,
" ur as tough chawin' as my old lego'in's. Yomler's
our game," he con^jnued, pointing to some young
cows who were not attended by calves; " them lu'ifers
hain't bi-cd this year, an' I guess they'll be thick fat."
These were at a i'ather irreater distance than the
others, but it was dc^cided to lire from their present
position rather than to risk disco\ery by a further
atlvance.

Tlie elk were still unconscious of dancrer: some
were lazily stretche(l on tlu; ground at the edge of
the shade, their hugv antlers \isible over the long
grass and liushes; others stood around, indulging in
a "rub" against the tree-trunks, as is the habit of
our domestic cattle when irritated by parasites.
They were still considerably out of shot, so it oc-

\ '

<iA ! I. ri i:it N A 1) I 7;a"/7 hi:

18;

)t' s]i^'ht
b of tlio
;i u'ood
it'll wore
distant.
)iii tlu'ir
I ratlu'i"
animals

iL'tc'L'llth

lives at
I Jake's

said lie,

'onder's

youiii^^

lu'ifcrs

k fat."

an the

I'osent

'iirthei'

some
dij'e of
e lono'

ini;- in
il)it of
•asites.

it oc-

curred to C«auUier that Itv letraeini: his steps a littl«»
and following,' an arm of the same pinc-thiekct which
|iroJeeted like a promontory into ihc jtlain, lu' wonld
be ahlc to L;'('t within a hundred yanls of the i^rove
in which th(^ elk were rcposiuL;'.

This ]tlan met with .lake's approval. lie and
Pierre therefore lay Hat on the ^'round, each iiaxiuL;'
fdready selected his victim: and in this position tiny
impatiently waiteil until Oaultiir had completed his
Tcpproach.

The distance was slight, but (laultier found it so
diilicult to advance silently through the thick inter-
laciuL,^ branches of the' s[)ruces, that fidly twenty
niimites elapsed ei'e he found himself in a position
from which he couM safely fire. A huL;'«i bnll elk
attracte(l his att(Mition, partly because he stood near-
est, and partly because ho seemed thii leader of the
band, and Oaultier was and>itious of such a trophy,
lie therefoi'e took a rest oil' a branch, and diawiuL;" a
steady bead, he pressed the triL:L!'er, Almost simul-
taneously with tin; report were heard the sharp
cracks of his companions' rifles; but (laultier had
not time to note the efl'ect, for the elk, which had
fallen, now re^-ained its feet and followed his com-
rades, who were speetliuL;' towards the woods, at a
rate scarcely inferior to their own.

LeaviuL,' his ambush, (laultier r^ave chase, and
^vhile crossing' the plain he passed Jake and Pierre,
who were hurrying in the direction of the butfaloes

rwr

188

IN I'UnsUlT.

fit wliif.'li tlicy liftd tired. I If did not stop, liowcvcr,
Imt fontimu'd at liis utmost spcccl. Jlc rjincicd lio
lic.ard old .fak(^ callini,' out soniL'tliing" at'tt'i' liini, of
wliicli lie could only ratcli tlic \vord "care." Hut at
(lint nioiiK.'nt Lis niiud was too l)usily occupied to
spoculat(-' ou wliat tlic old irajipcr could liavo to say
to liiiM. lie soon left tilt' phiiu jiiid cutcicd aiiioUL;"
copses and «^^rov('s, wliicli L(nidually '^ww lai'^cr anil
larL;t'i', and closed in upon e.ieli other, until tliey
unitetl in a stretch of forest which coNered a number
of low swelling;' liills.

Hitherto the trail of the hand of elk had heen dis-
tinct onoui^li, and in particular that of tlie wounded
hull was marked with Moo<l. This, liowever, e-rew
•gradually fainter and fainter, and at len^i;th hecamo
undistins];uisliahle,as the path now entered the woods,
wliicli wer(3 in every direction marked hy the tracks
(»f animals of every species. (Jaultier still liehl on,
thinkiiiL,^ that in each new vista amouLi: the trees he
might discover the game he was in pursuit of. For
upwards of an hour he continued liis search, but in
vain. Several times, as lie forced his way through
the brushwood, he liear«l some animals break awav,
but the thickness of the cover prevented him from
seeing to what species they belonged.

J'iXhausted and vexed, he at length threw himself
on the ground beneath a pine-tree in order to rest.
lie was annoyed at his faihu'e to ban' the wounde<l
animal, especially as Jake would be sure to take

aI-*

■Jim,

IN Till-: I'ATIILKSS FOIii:sT.

189

lit ill

•OULl'll

inisolf
ri'sfc.

llldcil
talco

'i&*

.iflvanta^'o of it to point liis jokes with. II*' coiiM
.'ilniost licnr tho old Inintt r oilrriiiL,^ liim sonic l)iitlalo
meat witli tilt' roniark — " 'Taiii't as f^oocl as elk meat,
r reek on ; l>ut 'twurn't allers as one liad the elianco
o' yettin' tliiir teeth npon that." However, there
•was no hel]) for it, ami sadly enonLjh he arose nnd
set out for canij).

lie had not loncj h'ft tlu; tree heneath which he
Ih'ul lieen restiiiL;' than lit; hecanu! aware that the
path he now followed was not the same as that l>y
which he ha<l come. " It is no matter," thought he;
"whatever way brings mo )»aek is as i;-ood as any
other."

It was not till he had 1 teen walk ini^ for upwards of
an hour that the possil)ility oceurre<l to him that lie
mi^ht he proceedinij; in the wroiii,' direction. lie
looked at the heavens with a view of notini;' the
position of the sun; hut these were overcast with
gray clouds, which left no indication of tlu; luminary's
wdiereahouts. He examined the moss npon the trees ;
but neither did this afford tlu^ desired inhjiniation,
as the soil was spong}' and damp, and the moss grew
with e(|ual luxuriance on all sides of the stems. lie
next inspected tlu; branches, knowinii' that the long-
est pointed towards the south. IJut hei'e, too, he
was at fault; for nt this spot tlie woods were com-
paratively thin, and each tree Iiad a sufliciency of
light and air on all sides, so that the branches grew
alike. There' was nothing for it but to continue, or,

Owi)

IMAGE EVALU \TSON
TEST TARGi-r (MT-3)

JL?,

<;^

S° MP.

f^.1

t■^^

f/j

f/^

1.0

I.I

'"IIIIIM IlilM
Illll 1.8

1.25 1.4

1.6

.4 6" —

►

/}.

A^^

'^1

c'l

■V .>>

/!^

Photographic

Sciences
Corporation

-<x

^N>'

^^:^r^^

"^^ -;# ^

f1>^

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, NY. USSO

(716) 872-4503

190

lof;t :

'•i

it: possiljlc, to retrace his ^^teps to the tree bcncatli
which he liad rested, and where lie might hope to
find sonic clue to the direction from whence he had
come.

For a short time lie fancied tliat lie was snccessfnl
in this; but he speedily came to a deep ravine, which
he well knew he had not hitherto crossed. Gaultier
now became thoroughly alarmed. lie was well
aware of the danj^^er of c^cttini:*: lost — or " turned
round," as the Western hunters phrase it — in the
pathless forest which stretched for leagues around.
He tried to hope that Jake and Pierre would follow
him up when he did not return to the camp-fire at
sunset ; but as he reflected that it would then be too
late for them to track him that nio-ht, this source of
comfort left him.

The shades of nio'ht were now fallino; fast and
thickening*: the jxlooni of the wild woods around. A
strong breeze, too, had sprung up, and whistled
mournfully through the trees, some of Avhich, old
and decayed, groaned and wheezed as they swayed
beneath its influence.

Gaultier, however, was too good a woodsman to be
dismayed at spending a night alone in the forest.
He had many a time camped in solitude in the back-
woods of Lower Canada; but then he knew his route,
while now it was the want of this knowdedge which
alarmed him. However, he cheered himself as best
ho could, and set about collecting a quantity of dried

A SOLITARY CAMP.

191

I bcncatli
hope to
c ho liad

aicccssfiil

nc, which

Gaulticr

was well

" turned

—in the

s around.

lid follow

np-fire at

en be too

source of

fast and
ound. A

whistled
diich, old
y swayed

nan to be
he forest,
the bach-
his route.
[o'e which
f as liest
f of dried

branches, of which there was abundance scattered
around, in order to make a !!»•('. lie next cut several
small poles, two with crotches at the end. These he
planted iirndy in the j^^'ound, with the crotches
uppermost, and across these he laid a third pole. Uc
now collected a number of the feathery branches of
the silver fir, and placed them against the frame-
work, until he had fashioned a snui!" hut in which to
pass the night. The floor he covered thickly with
the same branches; and building his hre opposite the
entrance, he dragged himself into his nest and lay
down.

His reflections were melancholy enough at first,
but his natural buoyancy of temper soon chased away
gloomy thoughts, and his principal regret arose from
the want of anything to eat. He figured to himself
Jake and Pierre at their cheerful camp-hre by the
river, the buffalo riljs grilling on the embers, or the
more succulent hump filling the air with its appetiz-
ing odour ; the canoe on the windy side, propped on
its edge; and over all the ruddy glow of the huge fire
which Jake prided himself on constructing.

" No matter," thought he, " it is only for one night
after all; to-morrow at this time I shall be with
them." With this comfortino; assurance he stretched
himself upon the clastic silver-fir boughs (whicli are
soft and do not prick like those of the spruce), and
endeavoured to sleep.

Gaultier could not tell how long he lay in a state

192

WEIRD SOUNDS.

IV ^; i'

f ^

of somi-forgotfulnoss b(3foro liis attention was sud-
denly arrested by dismal noises proceeding from amid
tlic darkest recesses of the woods. Tlie direction
seemed to be that opposite tlie entrance to his hnt,
but nothinijc was visiljle in the tliick o-loom. He was
a brave lad, however, and instead of cowering in the
fancied security of his retreat, he seized his riflo and
stepped out beside the lire.

Again the noises were repeated ; and now that lie
heard them in the open air, he at once recognized
the creature that made them. Still they were such
as might well appal those unacquainted with the
denizens of the North American forest, and who for
the first time found themselves in the situation of
our young hunter. Gaultier, however, now that he
roco^aiized the maniac screams, hootinjjjs, and Gfur-
o-linii's of the Gireat horned-owl, smiled at his first
alarm, and was about to enter the hut again, when
he happened to cast his eyes down a dark vista,
probably torn in the woods during some winter
hurricane.

Al)Ove this, and far away, tlic sky presented a lurid
appearance, as if it reflected a conflagration. "A
prairie on fire," thought he, and was about to turn
away when a thought struck him : " Perhaps Jake
and Pierre have made si u'nal -fires on the hill near the
camp ! "

In an instant he looked around, and seeing a tall
spruce which considerably overtopped its fellows, ho

-I

as sud-
)m amid
iirection
his hut,
He was
g in tho
dflc and

that he
cocfnizcd
ere such
\dth the
who for
lation of
that he
nd gur-
liis first
n, when
k vista,
winter

I a lurid
ion. " A
to turn
.ps Jake
near the

nil' a tall
Hows, he

OUT ON THE PLAIN.

193

sprang up its l)ranclies and soon reached tht^ top.
From this elevated position lie could overlook tlie
forest, wliich, as we liave said, clothed the sid(\s of
some gentle hills; and it was with a shout of joy
that he belield, several miles away, a huge fire,
apparently constantly fed with fresli fuel, for when-
ever it seemed to get low it suddenly again bright-
ened, and lie even thou^jht he could distini>"uish
figures which occasionally passed before the blnze.
lie innuediately descended, and carefully noting the
direction, set off at a rapid pace down the woods.

He cared little for falls, which were frequent, nor
iov the spiteful switchings across his face as he
plunged through the entangled branches of the
young spruce thickets. He every now and then got
a glimpse of the reflection of the fire on the sky, and
with, this beacon he held on a straight path.

After more than an hour of quick walking and
running where the ground permitted, Gaultier found
himself out on the plain amongst the detached
groves, where he remembered pursuing the elk many
hours before. Here he was enaltled to proceed at a
more rapid rate, and he soon had the satisfaction of
finding himself within a mile of the fire, which he
could perceive was attended to by two figures, who
threw armfuls of brushwood upon the blaze. He
now fired a shot, which was quickly returned from
the hill ; and in answer to his sliouts he could hear
tho well-known halloo of Pierre, while Jake gave

\:!

194

(iAULTIER RECAINFi THE CAMP.

I \

^ i'f

M J^ ,

vent to an unearthly yell, whicli echoed far and
wide.

Breathless and exhausted, he at length apj^roachcd
the fire.

" Hurrah ! " yelled Pierre, as he ran forward to
meet hiui. " Why, Gaultier, we had almost given
you up for lost. Where have you Ijecn, or what
have you been about all this time ? "

"Ay, young fellur, jest tell us that," said Jake;
" but fust gi' us a couple o' them elk tongues — I
guess you're pretty peckish now — an' I'll gi' 'em a
turn over the fire while yer reelin' off yer doin's.
Why," continued the trapper, " this beats grainin' —
ho hasn't got any meat arter all ! "

Gaultier. however, was too huugry to regard old
Jake's innuendos, and speedily occupied himself in
polishing a huge bufi'alo rib, which he snatched, sput-
tering and smoking, from the embers ; and after he
had taken the keen edge oft' his appetite, he recounted
his adventures since he had passed them on the plain
in the evening. Pierre and Jake listened attentively,
again and again pressing him to eat, as his exertions
seemed to flag, until at length he lay back on a
buffalo robe incapable of swallowing another mouth-
ful.

" Wagh ! " exclaimed Jake, " ye ain't no account
at eatin', ef that's all yer able fur; but preehaps ye've
had another supper a'rcady. How much o' them elk
hev ye chawed up now ? "

-I

far and

ijoroachcd

rward to

)st given

or what

id Jake ;
igucs — I
gi' 'em a
iv doin's.

rainin'-

SOUND ASLEEP.

195

Pierre laughed, and Gaultier joined, althoiigii he
was a little nettled too at so many gibes against his
.skill. It was now very late, and the hunters each
WTapped himself in his blanket, and, lying in a
circle round the tire, with their feet towards it, they
soon were sound asleep.

ill

'ii

'O'ard old
imself in
led, sput-
. after he
ecounted
the plain
ientively,
exertions
.ck on a
r mouth-

'in

account
aps ye've
them elk

III
ii f

* i I

CHAPTER XI J,

WOODS ON FIllE — LKAVE CAMl'— A lIAM'—lMtAIUIi: OoOm — A Imi i-TOWN— KX-
CITrMKN'T AMOXd Till', IxtdS— A Jt ATTLKSNA KK— (iAl oTlKU's ATTACK ON TIIK
I>0(JS — A liKAJi — rH'MCKNTKK MISSES FIRK — OAUI.TIEU SHOOTS THE JiEAIl
—THE CANOE HAS A XAUJIOW ESCAPE— THE PARTY MAKE CAMP.

EEIIOSOPHAT ! " cried Jake on awak-
iiiu;" in the morning, " liyvn's a nuiss !
Tl\e Injuns licv sot fire to the woods.
Tlnn^'s smoke ennf to choke a skunk
out o' a persimmon loix ! "

Th jys leaped to their feet, and saw, as Jake had
said, tliat the woods on the liills were evidently on
fire. Huge columns of smoke rolled upwards in the
calm air, until they overspread the sky, and through
the murky volumes the sun shed a ])razen light.
Occasionally forked tongues of flame shot upwards,
but were innnediately in wreathed in vast clouds of
smoke which wrapped the whole hills in their
enormous folds. Even at the distance at which
the trappers stood a constant crackling was audible,
resembling the rattle of musketry, while showers of
ashes fell like snow-fiakes around the camp. Dimly
seen through the smoke, bands of elk and mule-deer

;r:

THE FOREST ON FTUE.

11)7

J-TOWN— EX-
I'ACKON TIIE3
S Tin; JiKAB

:\fi'.

1 awak-
a muss !
; woods.
; skiiiilc

ake had
ntly on
; in the
hroiudi

L lii'-lit.
pwards,
ouds of
tlieir

wliicli
ludiblo,
wors of

Dimly
Ic-dcer

galloped across the plain, tlyiiii;' from tlic coiilla^ra-
tion, which in one or two points had oncroachcd
upon th(j prairie, where the grass was long and dry.

"I wonder if it was IncHans?" said Pierre; "1
don't think it can be, for they could have no reason
for destroying the W(Jods."

"Don't ye go fur to say that, young fellur," said
Jake ; " they niout a thort they'd gi' us a roastin'.
They'll take a look round arterwards, I guess, to sec
what they've done. They'll he welcome to what
they'll find o' us, I reckon ! "

" 1 thiidv you're both mistaken," said Gaultier ; " I
fear the fire is altogether "wiy fault."

" l^oitr fault ! " cried Pierre; "how can njoii have
had anything to do with it ? "

"Why," replied Gaultier, "you know I had a fire at
my camp in the woods, and when I saw your signal
1 just left it and came straight away. I left a largo
pile of withered brushwood near it, and no doubt it
caught fire, and the flames spread through the dry
grass. 1 am very sorry; it's a great pity to have such
a waste of fine tindjer."

" Wagh!" said Jake, "ye'rc a tender-foot to leave
yer fire that way. Thur's places whur you'd burn
a thousan' mile o' trees ef ye didn't take kear o' yer
fire. Hows'ever, 'twon't be round hyur fur a couple
o' hours, and we'd better put ourselves outside o'
some huffier meat while we've the time."

The party, therefore, addressed themselves to their

-ssfi

A HALT.

I \

I ».| i

iiiOtal willi tlic kcc.'ii a])|)(!tite,s ]»orn of exercise and
liealtli. Tliis over, tliey packed the caiiue, and
.steppiii*,^ ill left tlie camp.

On tlie western side tlie river han'v rose into a bin II',
tlioiiu'li of inconsiderable height ; on the other side
a liill sloped p;ently upwards from tlie water's edge.
The liunters, therefore, conimaiuled a i;ood view of
the ascent, which in some places consisted of a ^Teen
meadow-like expanse, while in others small clumps
of trees dotted its surface.

They had been ailoat for several hours, and already
the sun was approaching the zenith, when Gaultier
proposed that they should land and rest ; for the heat
was very great, as the rising ground on both sides
of the river shut oli' the breeze which waved the
branches on the summit of the slope. As neither
Pierre nor Jake raised any objection, the canoe was
directed to the bank, and the party Hung themselves
amoni'' the rich o-rass which <xyow under the shade of
one of the small knots or islands of timber, several
of which grew at the w^ater's edge. This happened to
be at a bend in the river wdiich aflbrded a view both
up and down the stream for a considerable distance.

Pierre w^as puffing his favourite brier-root, in an
attitude of lazy contentment; while Jake, who sat
leaning against a tree vigorously chewing a plug of
"James River," kept his restless eye roving over both
reaches of the river, as if he momentarily expected
the appearance of enemy or of game. Gaultier, who

A DOd-TOWX,

"100

ji'ciso and
iHUL', uikI

ito a Lliifl',
)thcr sido
tcr's cdcjo.

I viuw of
)f a green

II cluiiips

(I already

1 Gaiiltier

r the lieat

loth sides

aved the

s neither

anoc was

eniselves

sliade of

r, several

pencd to

iew Loth

istance.

ot, in an

^vho sat

plug" of

>vcr both

expected

:ier, who

did not smoke, was husicd in eleanini;' liis rille, wliieli,
fur that purpose, lu.' liad taken to pii.'ces.

()[)posite this spot the Ithill'liad sunk to tlie level
of tlu; river, and a slielviiiLT hi'aeh e\tend(;d aloULf the
stream for more than a mile, permittim,^ a view of a
prairie winch slope(l away to the westward, risin;L;*
higher the further it recede*! from tlie river. (Jluster-
in^' thickly over this were little mounds, somewliat
like the mole-hills so connnon in some districts in
England, ])ut considerably larger. Numerous siiuill
animals ran ([uickly among these, occasionally uttering
a sort of Ijarking noise, wliicli soon attracted Jake's
attention.

" Yonder's a dog-town," said lie, pointing across the
river; "thur's a wheen o' the critturs out takin' the
air. Look at that ar chap on the top o' his house —
he's like a ]\Iethody minister at a meetin' ! Listen to
the varmint, how he throws his Imrks out; he'll Ijust
hisself."

The boys, in fact, observed that one of the little
animals seemed extraordinarily excited, barking
vociferously, and jerking his tail about in a most
ludicrous manner. Occasionally he sprang down oil'
his house-top and ran forward a few paces, but
cpiickly retreated to his former position. What could
it mean ? Tlie boys could not guess.

Old Jake when interrogated replied, " Belike some
varmint's botherin' the crittur — maylic a rattler or

an ow

' w

I 1

200

rniUlh: h'/LLS a ItATTLKSNAKK.

\ .!<

: I

ricrrc, wliosc curiosity was awakened, taking,' liis
rifle, stepped iiitcj the caiiue, and with halt*-a-<lozeii
strokes ot* his pa<ldle readied the opposite hank. On
asceiidiiii^ to tlie level of the " town," lie soon })er-
ccived tlie canse of the conunotion. A huw rattle-
snake lay anionic the i^a-ass in front of the prairie
do^i,^'s "house," and was preparini;' to swallow at his
leisure a niemher of the connnunity — perhaps a wife
or a hrotherof the individual whose ohiurLi'ations had
at lirst attract'jd the attention of the trappers. As
Pierre Jipproached, the inhabitants l)etook themselves
to their burrows with the utmost rapi<lity, utterinij
their shrill squeaks and harks.

No sooner had they dived into these than they
reappeared at the entrances, workini:^ themselves up
to a state of frenzied excitement, only ai^^ain to adopt
invisibility.

Pierre advanced, however, nothing daunted by this
display of hostility, until he stood before the reptile,
who no sooner perceived him tlian he dropped his
victim and erected himself on his coil, sounding his
rattles, while his forked tongue played in and out of
his mouth.

Levelling his rifle, at the report the reptile's head
flew several yards from his body, and trailing the
disgusting object behind him, Pierre returned to the
canoe, and speedily rejoined his comrades.

" Wagh ! " exclaimed Jake, " what did you bring
that stinkin' thing back fur ? "

• ,i*

(: {r//rn:n srmnrs a /'/,m //.•//; Don.

201

U'-a-«l()zen
jaiik. On
soon per-
igc rattks-
lif prairi(3
low at Ills
aps a wife
ations liad
ppcrs. A H
ibeniselvos
y, uttering

tlian they
nselve.s np
11 to adopt

C(l by tliis
lie reptile,
•opped his
iiidini,^ his
and out of

tile's head
ailing the
ned to the

^ou bring

"Don't von think tlic skin would make a nice
belt?" asked I'icrre. An expression of disgust crossed
the old trapper's face, at whieh Pierre laughed as h(^
said, "Well, ilakc, if you don't like travelling with it,
it's onsy to leave it behind us, so there it goes," ho
continued, throwing it into the river, where it
speedily sank, still writhing in its protracted death-
agonies.

" Look," cried Caultii^r, who had now put his rillo
together, — "look at those funny little fellows; they're
all out again ! "

"That's thur way," said old Jake; "they're allers
poppin' in an' out. Thur mighty nice eatin', too.
Ye niout ha' throwed one o' the varmints when ye
wnr about it, Pierre."

" I'll go for one for you, Jake," cried faultier.

"Do, young fellur," said the old hunter; " 'twill ho
nicer than that elk meat ye fetched in last night."

Shaking his rille at the ohl fellow, Gaultier crossed
the river. Hero he cautiously ascended the bank, and
getting a position where he could secure a good shot,
he took a steady aim at a " dog," who, from his size,
might be the mayor or an alderman of the city, and
fired. The bullet sped truly, for the poor dog
tumbled over stiff; whereupon the whole community,
with a shrill chorus of barks and squeaks, again
plunged out of sight in their subterranean dwellings.

While Gaultier was descending- the bank, bearini^
his trophy by the hind leg, Jake suddenly seized

nfl

nil

202

A BEAR! A BEAR!''

I ;

ii|

Pioir<^ l>y the arm, and pointing up-stream, directed
his atteniion to a l^lack object whicli was rapidly
crossinu" to tlic^'r side of tlic river. " A b'ar ! a bar ! "
be cried ; and seizing liis rifle, be dodged tliroiigh the
trees towards tlic spot where lie expected the animal
to land. Pierre followed as quickly as he could; and
( faultier, wlio saw the whole proceedings from his side
of the river, also ran along the l>ank, hoping to get a
shot before the bear left the water.

Meanwhile Jake had reached a spot which placed
him opposite the swimming animal. In a moment
Plumcentre was at his shoulder, but upon pulling
the trigger no report followed. With something that
sounded very like an imprecation, the hunter threw
down his rifle and pulled out his heavy pistol, which
he discharged too quickly to get a good aim. Bruin,
not liking this reception, nor the hostile attitude of
the trapper on the bank, turned round and made for
the opposite side of the river.

Pierre, who had now come up, was about to fire,
when he perceived Gaultier in a direct line beyond.
He was, therefore, afraid to pull trigger, and suftered
the animal to gain the bank, where Gaultier was
To-:.dy to receive him.

The latter was determined to retrieve his character
as a hunter, somewhat tarnished by his recent failure.
He therefore permitted the bear to ascend the bank
before firinir, in order to make a certain shot.
Dropping on one knee, he took a careful aim, and

[11, directed
:as rapidly
r ! a b'ar ! "
liroii^li tlie
the animal
could; and
•om his side
no- to Ofet a

Inch placed

a mom out

)on pull in;:;'

ethini-- that

liter threw

istol, wliicli

m. Bruin,

attitude of

I made for

:)ut to lire,
ne beyond,
lid suftered
L,ultier was

■5 character
3nt failure.

the bank
'tain shot.

aim, and

DEATH OF nilUI^'.

203

pressed the triii^o'er. The bear raised himself to his
hind legs, and with a snort of rage he plunged
towards the young hunter, who actively darted to
one side, and before the infuriated animal could
again turn on him, he stretched liim lifeless on the
ground by a well-directed bullet.

"Well done, Gaultier," shouted Pierre; "you've
settled him at last! Brin^x over the canoe, and let's
cross to skin him."

This was accordingly done, and in a few minutes
the shaggy pelt was added to the stores in the canoe.
The hams were next cleverly butchered by Jake, who
deposited them with the hide ; and, as it was still
much too early to camp for the night, the party
embarked and continued their journey.

Nothini'' of interest occurred duriniji: the afternoon,
with the exception of a narrow escape from a disaster
which would have exposed them to the gravest diffi-
culties, if not dangers — namely, the loss of the canoe.
It was only the afi'air of a few moments, but it seemed
to the trappers as if into those moments were con-
densed the feelings of a much longer period. It
happened in this wise.

All were busily debating the late adventure v.dth
the bear, and not paying as much attention as usual
to the navigation of their frail craft. They had
passed a numlier of rocks which protruded their
black and wave-worn crests above the surface of the
water, which whirled in swift eddies round them,

204

A r Kill LOUS roSTTlON.

when snddenly Jake exclaimed, " Look out, fcllurs !
thur's a tree a-floatin' down upon us ! "

Scarcely was the fact observed when the tree — a
huge cotton-wood, which had no doubt been up-
rooted by the late freshet — bore down upon them,
and before they could steer clear of it, its branches
enclosed the canoe on both sides, and in an instant
the hunters found themselves hurried down-stream
and borne full upon the rocks.

" Back yer paddles, lads," cried Jake, " back yer
paddles ; we mout get out that a way ! "

The tree meantime quickened its motion as it got
into the swift water near the rocks, and swept them
past several of the boulders, the least touch of whose
rough sides w^ould have torn such a hole in the canoe
as would have instantly swamped it.

Below them was a kind of barrier, over which the
water surged in wild tumult, showing the presence
beneath the surface of a dano-crous ledo-e of rocks.
This thc}^ had avoided when ascending the river, as
it presented an obstacle which could not escape their
observation. Now they were helplessly impelled
upon it, and they gave themselves up for lost. Old
Jake was calculating the possibility of swimming
ashore with his rifle ; while Pierre and Oaultier pro-
posed that they should leave the canoe to its fate, and
endeavour to climb amonij; he branches of the cotton-
wood, several of which rose high above the surface.
Fortunately, neither alternative became necessary.

,J i

A KAJU!(nV ESCAPE.

205

t, fcllursl

ic tree — a
been up-
oon them,
i branches
in instant
,vn-streani

' back yer

as it got
irept them
L of whoso

the canoe

^vhich the
presence
of rocks,
river, as

^ape their
impelled

lost. Old

hvimminoj

[itier pro-
fate, and

lie cotton-
surface,
issary.

Just as scarcely fifty yards separated them from
the seething- caldron, in the midst of which they could
now see the black an<l jagged crests of numerous
rocks, the stem of the true was caught by an eddy
and whirled to one side, where a huge boulder jutted
above the level of the stream. Upon this rock the
snag of a broken branch caught a firm hold, and
suddenly the tree l)ecauie stationary. In a moment
th(! hunters with their hatchets chopped oti' the
branches which had enclosed the canoe, and with a
feeling of genuine gratitude they paddled towards
the calmer water which ran by the eastern Ijaidv.

" That was a lucky rock for us," said Pierre; "only
for it, salt wouldn't have saved us,"

" We'll hev to keep our eyes open an' our mouths
shet ag'in when the road ain't clur," said Jake. " It
all kcm o' talkin' an' palaverin' like them Injun
skunks when they've done anything out o' the
common."

"Well, well," said Pierre, "it's over, and there's no
use saying more al:)Out it. I vote wc land and go no
further this day. We've done very little travelling
as it is, and we couldn't do much l)efore evening. J
say, let's camp."

Jake proposed they ohould camp at the spot
opposite where the l)ear had been shot. " Thur's
more timber aljout thur," he said ; " an' mebbe them
cussed coyotes ud be smellin' round the b'ar's car-
kidge, an' we mout get a few cj' 'em,"

ill

((»1)

20G

THE PARTY MAKE CAMP,

This proposal was agrcHMl to, and the party accord-
ingly landed at the place, which was hut a few
hundred yards above the scene of their escape. Hero
camp was made, and as dry iloat-wood was plentiful
at the spot, a huge fire was built, over which the
kettle was suspended, while buffalo-meat and bear-
ham were speedily hissing on the embers.

":■?

rty accord -
but a few
;capc. Here
s plentiful
which the
and Lcar-

Cir AFTER XIII.

Tin: i'i:.\ri:iK doci — DiKFEnKNT varieties — stuiki.vo view — the nfxrEiis

MAKE A\ AMIil'SH — LIE IN WAIT TOR THE cnVOTES — (iltAV "WOLVES —
EA( II lll-NTEl! SECUIIKS A WoLK — A (iUIZZLV AMliUSUEn— ANTICIPATION
— IIE AKllIVES— IN FOR IT— THE FIOIIT— ClAULTIEll'.S ESCAPE— DEATH OF
THE liEAU.

OYEES, whin's the dui-'?" asked Jake.
'' I ain't o'wine to ekal him to this o-ris-
Ivin ()' fat cow ; hut ef ye never tasted
the thing, ye niout jest swaller a mouth-
ful to try it."

Claultier confessed that he had forgotten it on the
other side when he ran to meet the hear.

" 'Tain't o' no use, neyther," said the luniter, " when
we've hetter chawin's. Ihit they're ({ueerities, them
dogs. Thur's more sorts than one o' 'em, too. I
guess 1 knows more about 'em than them city folks
as writes books about all kinds o' varmints. I oncest
seed a fellur from New York as ud go five mik's to
lay his claws on a bug. lie had boxes o' 'em hung
all over his mule, wi' pins stuck into 'em — butterflies,
an' grass jumpers, straddle-bugs, an' all sorts o' such
rubbish. Wagh ! //^' was ' some,' Ar was!" and here

%^ - I'l

I 11

- 41
t n'l

(,»J

«i-

208

PIIAUUK DOGS.

till! old trapper laughed aloud at the idiocy of this
enthusiast.

" Come, Jake," said Gaultiev in a coaxing tone,
" tell us aT)0ut the prairie dogs ; it will help down the
meat."

" Wal, I don't care ef T diz," replied the hunter.
But we will not trouble the reader with Jake's patois,
which we here translate.

It seems that there arc many kinds of this curious
little animal, which would appear to be a connecting
link between the squirrels and rabbits, presenting
some traits of resemblance to both. Jake said that
on the Southern plains the houses of the " dogs " had
the entrance placed on the top or at the side ;
whereas those inhabiting; the more northern reo-ions
of British America make their burrows at the foot of
the mounds, or that, more probably, the mounds w^cro
merely the earth excavated by the little animal when
diijfixinc: his hole.

The ground squirrel of the United States may bo
said to be of the same family, as its habits do not
differ greatly from those of the true marmots. The
different varieties vary considerably in size : the
wood-chuck, which is an inhabitant of the Eastern
States, attains the dimensions of a rabbit; while
other varieties — such as, for example, the leopard-
marmot — scarcely equal the size of the common
water-rat.

These little creatures are piu^ly vegetable feeders

'-\

rnAinii: nnr.'s.

209

•cy of this

dncf tone,
> down the

10 hunter,
:c's patois,

lis curious
lonnectinu-
Dresentini''
said tliat
loo's " had
the side ;
"n reo'ions
he foot of
inds were
mal wlien

■i may ])o
ts do not
ots. The
size : tlie
! Eastern
t ; while
leopard-
eomnion

e feeders

— some subsisting;' on f!;rasses, while others will only
cat certain herries or seeds, unless by force of circum-
stances they happen to bo deprived of these. It is
not a little odd that some kinds are furnished with
bags or cheek-pouches — in which Jake declared they
stored up fruits or berries for consumption wIhmi
hunc^ry — and that others of the same genus should
be deprived of these appendages. It has been stated
that these pouches were stored with the food neces-
sary for the animal durinii" the riii'orous winter of its
habitat; but this does not harmonize with other
statements, which represent the marmot as passing
the winter in a state of torpidity.

One of the most remarkable traits of this creature,
because that which is most forced on the attention of
the observer, is the habit of settim:;; sentries to watch
over the others while ^'andjollinu' in front of their
liouscs or while feeding. We have already remarked
this with reii'ard to the Ijiu'-horn, and it is a charac-
teristic of several other animals. Each kind an-
nounces the approach of danger l)y a noise peculiar
to itself. That made by some somewhat resendjles a
l)ark ; others ac-'ain make a whistlini:'' sound. These
have been named by the French employe's of the
Hudson Bay Company and voyageurs " siffleurs," or
whistlers. This signal of alarm is instantly taken up
by all the animals of the " settlement," and with one
accord they fly to the friendly shelter of their
burrows.

ii*

ill

210

A IIKAUTIFUL moSPKCT.

M
III

I 1

As Jake had saul, tlicy arc eatable ; but tliey pre-
sent a repulsive appearance when scorcheil over the
C(ja]s, l(j()kiiiL;' like overijjruwn rats. Whether they
would be improved by a more eivilized " cuisine " still
remains to be determined.

These and many other particulars did Jake com-
municate to till! youths. Pierre, indeed, had seen the
animals before, and was acquainted with most of the
facts stated by the old hunter; but he listened with
pleasure to the recital. ^M(jst hunters — even such
rouL-'h characters as Jake — are naturalists at heart,
those of coni})arative refinement, lik(3 Pierre and
Caultier, never fail to take a deep interest in the
liistory of the various animals in whose pursuit they
spend their lives.

As soon as Jake ceased speaking", Pierre, taking liis
ritle, left the camp, directing himself towards the
brow of the hill or risinix 2,Tound wliich we have
already noticed as enclosing the river bottom on the
eastern side. It was now eN-eninii', and as he stood
on the crest he thought he had never beheld a pros-
pect so beautiful.

Below lay iha river in .shadow, the strife of its
waters against rocks and boulders softened by dis-
tance to a gentle murmur. Be^'ond, to the west,
stretched the prairie, rising as it receded, dotted with
groves which indicated the course of streams ; while
f{ir away on the horizon appeared the snow-capped
summits of the Ptocky Mountains, painted by the sun,

t tliey pro-
)(l over tlio
icther tlioy
ulsiiiu " still

Jako com-
lad seen the
[iiost of tlio
bulled with
-even sucli
s at heart,
Pierre and
rest ill the
ursiiit they

takini,^ his
)wards the
1 we have
om on the
he stood
eld a pros-
rife of its
I'd by dis-

the '\\'est,
Dtted with

ns ; while
)w-cap2^ed
y the sun,

CONSTRUCTTNG AN AMBUSH.

211

which was desccndini' behind them. In the east the
limitless prairie extended away to the sk3--lin(% lying
gray and solemn in the shadow of the heights on
which Pierre stood, and streaked with the dark lines
of m'oves alonL!" the water-courses. A solemn silence

o o

seemed to brood over the vast scene, — not even the
cry of a bird broke the stillness. All seemed as it
mii-ht have done cm the morning' of creation — a
tenantless world.

Pietracing his steps, Pierre soon regained the camp.
Here he found Jake and Gaultier cutting" some
branches off the pines to make a screen Avithin shot of
the carcass of the bear, as no natural cover existed
on that side of the river. Pierre lent his assistance,
and they soon had collected sullleient for their
purpose. This they ferried across the stream, and
placed it in the least likely position to attract sus-
picion ; for the coyote, which was the game they
hoped for, is a very wary and cautious beast, and has
a wholesome dread of traps of all kinds.

When all their preparations were complete the
three hunters lay down behind the screen, and
awaited with what patience they could the success of
their artifice.

Twilight was already descending on the river ; the
roseate flush on the sky had gradually faded, and now
objects at a little distance were confused and indis-
tinct. The blood-covered carcass of the bear, how-
ever, was sufficiently visible, and the trappers took a

i .1

I'l

\\^\

fell

JJKATII TO THE WOLVES.

\l I

I ""'

glance at this from time to time, to sue if any of their
game had as yet madt^ their appearance. Under tlie
infhiencc of the hahny air, tlie drowsy rnsli of tlio
river, and tli(3 prosy recital of old Jakes experiences
of tlie coyote, tlie two youths were falling fastask-ep.
Old Jake liad relapsed into silence, and he, too, was
courting the drowsy god, wdien, suddenly, a wild,
prolonged clamour caused them all to spring up.
Again the despairing cry was rc^peated in a horrible
chorus.

'■ Thur's the varmints ! " whispered Jak'c. Looking
through the screen the trappers could sec a nund)er
of animals lighting and leaping round the dead Ijear ;
while they could distinctly hear the crunching of
bones, and the ravenous Loltiu'^ of (lesh, which the
hungry brutes would not give themselves time enough
to masticate.

"Fellurs," said Jake, "thur's two gray wolves wi'
'em ; we must throw 'em fust, an' Gaultier'll pick out
one o' the coyotes."

The gray wolves were easily disi-inguishablc, not
only by tlicir colour, but by their size, which was
much greater than that of their covfreres. These
Pierre and Jake singled out, and at a word the three
rifles cracked too'ethcr.

" Hooraw ! " yelled Jake, rushing forward ; '• Ave've
fetched the varmints. — Eh, my beauty," continued
he, taking hold of the wolf he had killed by the
tail ; " ye've got a dose o' lead instead o' meat. Yer

nr.runN to the ( iMI'.

213

of their
IkKt tlio
1 of tlio
K'vionces
;t asleep,
too, was

a wild,

villi;- 11}).
liorriljlo

Looking
nnniher
jad 1 )ear ;
cliiiiL;' of
liic'li tlio
10 enough

oK'CS \vi'
. pick out

lahlc, not
liicli was
,s. These
the three

[ ; '• we've
continued
d by the
eat. Yer

pelt'll kcc]) old IMllliif'cntre ill fodder for a wliile, 1
guess !

Pii'vre liad also l)een successful in liis aim: his
Avolf had fallen dead upon tlie carcass of the hear.
The coyote at which (laultier had lired still scrainl»le(l
and whined owr the ground liadly wounded. An-
other shot settled his account ; and l)earing their three
trophies, tlie hunt(M's got into their canoe and crossed
to the camp. Here they soon made a roaring tire, hy
tlic light of which they skinned the W(jlves. ( )ld
Jake was loath to throw away the carcasses, whicli lie
said he liad often found "not bad eatin'." Jlut as
there was pl(>iity of meat in the camp, and as game
seemed plentiful in the country, the boys lieaved the
wolves into the Saskatchewan, which rapidly bore
them out of sii-ht.

"Them vavmints'll come ag'in to the carkidge,"
said Jake; "we mout git a lew more o' 'em ef we
crossed. They'll not leave so mucli meat to rot on
the ground fur want o' eatin', you bet."

" Would a grizzly come to it, do you think, Jake ? "
asked Gaultier.

'• He would so," said the hunter ; " but scein' as tlie
thing ur a b'ar too, I "won't say he'd eat it. He'll
eat bugs, grass] urn pers, tree-lice, fish, flesh, fowl, an'
roots — anything a'most ; but I never seed one eat his
own kind. I won't say he wouldn't; I hain't seed
it, that's all. As I said, hows'ever, cf the varmint
wur pokin' round, he'd be pretty considerable sure o'

isi ;j

(h'

2\\

jihvnossrNt,' rifK nrvfcn.

'» fr:i!

I I

(! li

i I

snilliii' tlu! tiling', an' he'd bo bound to got clost up to
hcv a Ljood look."

" Well, tlicn," said I'Icitc, " wli;it do you say to our
i:^oiiiL( (jvcr and waitlni^ for thu clianco ?"

" Ye're 'n'it to tlu; toes, vounn" tV'lIur !" cxclahucd
Jake, in admiration of Pierre's coura^'e. " I says, ef
tliur's to be a scrinnnaL;e, I'm in it."

It was tlierefore arranged tliat tlicy sliould all
recross tlie river, and lie in wait for tlie clianco of a
gri/zly's turning u[). Tliey knew that although tliat
animal is more freqnently encountere<l during the
daytime, it nevertheless roams al»out also dtn-ing the
niglit, and is, of course, at lids time proportionately
more dangerous owing to the ililliculty of shooting
accurately in the darkness, as well as from the greater
ferocity natural to beasts of prey on the prowl at
that time. But there was soniethini:' fascinatinii' to
their bold spirits in the idea of attacking or being
attacked by an antagonist so terrible, and at a time
when the dilliculties of the task were so greatly
enhanced. They accordingly got into the canoe, and
paddled across the Saskatchewan, and again ensconced
themselves behind tlieir cover of pine branches.

The time passed slowly, as it always docs Avhen
the mind is in a state of expectation. The rustling
of the grass as tlie wind swept through it, or the rush-
ing of the river aofainst the rocks, assumed a signii^-
cance it had never before possessed. In each, their
excited fancies detected the approach of the fierce

,1 i:i!ix/i.y \\fi!rs///:/f.

21:.

lust up tu

,ay to our

exclaimed
I says, ct'

should all
lanco of a
iou!j;li that
hniuL;- th(!
duriui;" the
:)rtionat(dy
if shoutiuj^'
the greater
prowl at
'mating to
H' or heiug
at a time
so greatly
canoe, and
1 ensconced
lehes.

docs when
he rustling
jY the rush-
1 a signifi-
each, their
; the fierce

monster, — at one time clatterini-' oxer tlie shiu'dc at
the watei''s edge, and again stealing along throtigii
l1i<' roun'h hent i-rass which iVin-'cd the rlver-heach.

They had hi'en ahout an houi- silently ei'ouched
hehind tlie screen, when they hecame aware of some-
thing shullling round the carcass, which lay some
thirty yards I'aither u[)-stream. Jaki' peere<l anx-
iously foi' a few moments over tlu; hranclx s, and in a
whisper said t<-) the youths, " I guess weVe in the trap
now; it's old !^[)h'm, as sure as I'm a sinner! "

The hlood hounded through the veins of the young
liunters as they cautiously ros(^ to reconnoitre. The
night was nijt very dark, althongli the moon hail not
yet risen. Tlie light ailorded hy the stars, however,
was sutlicicnt to show the outlines of the huge
animal snilling round the carcass, au<l occasionally
sitting erect on his han s, in which attitude lie pi'e-
sented so li'ood a mark that old Jake desirecl the
young hunters to wait until he again assumed it,
when thev would all lire together.

The hear, meanwhile, seemed as if his curiosity was
satisfied, for he now" slowly a| proached the cover
which concealed the hunters from his observation.
An eddy of the wind, just at this moment, must have
carried the scent of the ambushed party to his nos-
trils, for he suddenly stopped and growled savagely.
He rose to his hind legs as if to take a better view,
which w^as the opportunity the hunters waited for.
Instantly Jake called out, "Now% boyees, gi' it him !"

i*-

21G

AN INFURTATED ANIMAL.

'I'

) I

i III,

The tliroc reports seemed as one ; and leaping ont
of their cover, tlie Inuiters could perceive tlie animal
rolling npon tlie ground, growling horribly. Suddenly
he reu'ained his leu's, and sinHin^' out Oaultier, who
happened to he the nearest of his antagonists, the
furious animal dashed at him, disrei-ardinij: the shots
which both the youths tired at him. Scarcely hf-
teen 3'ards intervened between the l»ear and the
young trapper, when Jake called out, "To the canoe,
lad ! to the canoe !"

Caultier turned, and in a second reached the boat.
Fortunately the paddles had not been taken out, so
that he was enabled to push otf and paddle rapidly
down-stream. The bear seemed determined to follow
up his prey, for, plunging into the water, he swam
swiftly in pursuit.

"Keep near this side, Gaultier!" cried Pierre;
"keep him within sight, so that well be able to
jDepper him !"

Gaultier paddled with all his might, and it was as
much as Jake and Pierre could do to keep pace with
him on the Ixink. Another danger now presented
itself. The same reef of rocks which had already
proved so formidable lay but a few hundred yards in
advance, and towards these Gaultier Av'as ur^ino; the
canoe with his utmost exertions. To turn again was
out of the question, as the bear would immediately
overtake him ; and once in his grasp, the frail boat
Avould be instantly capsized.

a A UL TIER 'S ESCAPE.

217

:>aping out
/he animal
Suddenly
dtier, who
:)nists, the
[ the shots
arccly iif-
• and the
the canoe,

I the boat,
cen out, so
Ue rapidly

II to follow
he swam

M,l Pierre ;
)0 able to

it was as
pace Avith
])resented

I already

d yards in

lu'u'ing the

naain was

iiiediately

frail boat

The gloomy shadow of the opposite hill prevented
any reflection of the sky upon the water, thus ren-
dering^ it almost im]:iossil)le for Jake or Pierre to oet
an accurate view of the head of the monster, whose
wild snorts, however, they could hear, as he cleft the
current in his eflbrts to overtake the canoe.

With almost a superhuman exertion, Pierre got a
little in advance of the chase. It was at a ])oint
where some rocks projected into the stream from the
bank. The outermost rock rose some ten feet abo\e
the water, which swept swiftly round it, forming
a deep and comparatively still pool behind the ridge
of which it was the termination. Next this laro-e
boulder Pierre took up his position, and awaited the
approach of the canoe. Calling to Gaultier to round
the rock and bring up behind it, he endeavoured to
pierce the gloom in search of the grizzly.

He had not long to wait. Scarcely liad the canoe
glided past when the monster's head and neck ap-
peared at a few yards' distance. " With the eye of
faith and the linger of instinct" Pierre raised his
rifle and pulled the trigger. A cloud of spray rose
from the spot, and for a moment concealed the effect
of the shot ; l.)ut only for a moment. The next in-
stant the bear was seen floating past the canoe, but
no long(n' animated with the instinct of revenge.
Feebly beating the water, he was rapidly cai-ried
down the current, from which the hunters thouaht
he was now endeavouring to escape. His strength

218

Win: RE IS THE ni'JAR?

III*

If' j

I''

i r =

.1:1

seemed to fail him, for he was dashed against the
rocks and whirled about in the rapids, disappearing
from the eyes of the trappers under the shade of the
huge cotton-wood which had nearly proved their
own destruction a short time before.

Jake now came up, having reloaded his rifle.
" Whur's the varmint ? " cried he.

" He's just gone down ]jy that cotton-wood," re-
plied Pierre ; " the last shot took the light out of him.
Let's go and finish him."

Gaultier now landed, and together the party fol-
lowed in pursuit. They soon reached a spot opposite
the tree, and for some time failed to discover the
object of their search. The river plashed and gurgled
through the branches, among which, in the uncertain
light, bundles of drift-weed or sedge assumed the
form of the animal, and more than once nearly drew
shots from the trappers.

They were about to relinquish the search at this
spot, when suddenly Jake, who had satisfied himself
that the bear was not cauii'ht amonix the branches,
looked keenly along the trunk, which had got wedged
among several huge boulders, the tops of which rose
here and there above it.

Stretched upon the stem, partly resting against one
of these rocks, was the object of their pursuit. They
could not have failed to detect him before, had they
not supposed him drifting altogether at the will of
the current ; and consequently they had not cast an

^L i^i^ii

i>i:ath of bruin.

SllO

n-ainst the
^appearing
ado of the
Dvcd their

liis riflo.

wood," re-
:)ut of him.

party fol-
ot opposite
scover the
.nd o-iiro'led
5 uncertain
sumed the
early drcAv

ell at this
ed lumself
branches,
rot wedii'ed
ivhich rose

lo'ainst one
uit. Tliey
, liad they
he will of
lot cast an

eye on the trunk of the cotton-wood, which ex-
tended fully sixty feet up -stream from its bushy
head.

*' Hyur he is !" called Jake. " Hyur's the varmint.
Gi' it him !" And suiting the action to the word,
the old hunter shouldered Phuncentre and fh^ed. A
spasmodic start, a shiver, and the bear rolled olK th('
locj and floated with the river.

" Get the canoe, Gaultier," said Pierre ; " l)ut take
care of the rocks. Keep to the other side, where the
water is calm."

Jake and Pierre ran down along the stream, keep-
ing the carcass in view. They shortly reached a spot
Avhere the current set strongly against a projection
of the bank, past wdnch the bear drifted rapidly.
Leaning over, the old hunter seized the shaggy hide ;
but the weight was too great, and he was unable to
drag it ashore. Gaultier soon arrived with the canoe,
and together the three hunters pushed and hauled,
and finally landed the carcass upon the shingle.

" ^Yal that's what this coon calls a ris>ht-down
tall night's work," said Jake with great exultation.
" 'Tain't a-many fellurs as ud tackle old Eph'm in
daylight, let alone when they couldn't see to srpiint
through tlmr hind sights. Ye-es, boyees, I guess
we're pretty considerably uphill sort of chaps fur a
b ar to run ag'in."

As it was now too late to skin the bear, the party
returned to eaiup, Jake saying that "before the owls

220

TIRED HUNTERS.

I |.^'

\ \

pPI t

i i

¥.

liad a'ono to roost he'd lift the skunk's ha'r" In the
niornini^^ Having reached the camp, they replen-
ished the fire, and, well satisfied with their night's
adventure, they lay down and slept as only tired
lumters can sleep.

r m the
y rcplon-
iir night's
m\y tired

CHAPTER XIV.

THE PARTY IIAI.T-SUN-.DRYIXO THE IIIDES-L.AVE CAMP-VOYAOEURS-JAKE
MEETS A.V OLD ACQUAI.VTANCE-DIFFICl-LTIE.S OF THE ROUTE-TIIE
lil-LL POUXD-LKAVE THE SA,SKATCUE«'AX-AN EXPLOltINU E.XfUUSION
-RAVIN-ES -.SPLENDID VIEW- THE TRAPPERs' IlOME-OAULTIE.i AD-
i.ERES TO lUS 0;VN OPIXIOX-THE CONSEQUEXCES-.N A FIX-A TURKEY
P.IZZARD— UXPLEASAXT PREDICAMEXT— HELP AURIVE.S.

HEN tlie boys awoke on tlic succeeding
morning, they found that for the second
time during tlieir expeditioi) old Jake
\yas just returning to camp with tlie skin
of the dangerous foe of tlie preceding night. They
resolved to camp on the spot for a few days, in order
to sun-dry the hides, which were much in need of
such treatment. Among the stores was a quantity
of alum and salt for this very purpose; and the
hunters spent that day in removing with their sharp-
pointed knives all fatty particles from the peltries,
and in soaking them in a strong solution of alum!
with a little salt added. They were then stretched
out tight upon a framework of poles, exposed to the
heat of the sun, which speedily dried them sufficiently
to preserve them until they were disposed of.

During these few days they were so busy that

(G91)

.»!

AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE.

they liad no time to devote to hunting. On the
tliird morning", liowever, tliey again packed the canoe
and left the camp, leaving with a kind of regret a
spot which had been in a sort of way hallowed by so
ninch danger successfully encountered. For several
hours they forced their way against swift currents,
wdiich in some places were so strong as to necessitate
poling ; and they were at length pleased to find
themselves again floating ujoon water where a slight
exertion sufficed to propel the light craft. On
rounding a bend in the river, they were much sur-
prised to see a canoe swiftly approaching them,
paddled by several stalwart men, whose genei'al
appearance betokened them voyageurs in the employ
of the Hudson Bay Company. Both boats were
speedily alongside each other.

"Eh, Jake! vieux garcon ! qu'allez-vous faire
i(;i ?" exclaimed a small, wiry-looking French Cana-
dian. " Je suis ravi de vous voir. Dat is," said he,
correcting himself, " How you are ? — how you get
alonofs ?"

'•' Wal, Porky, jest middlin'. Who's yer lot ? " asked
Jake, vicwdno' the other individuals in the canoe.

" Zese ? Oh, dey are chasseurs — trappares of ze
Compagnie — braves gens — fine fellows — mais ils sont
braves comme dix mille demons !"

" I guess, old coon, ye allers keep smart company.
But whur hev ye been ? Them furs ain't been got
in a day, T reckon," lie added, as he observed several

-i

■-L

GRATTFYINa NEWS.

223

■'A

<\ On the
I tho canoo

3we(l by so
^^or several
:t currents,
necessitate
ed to find
ere a sliglit
craft. On
much sur-
hing them,
)se ircneral
the employ
boats were

vous fairc
ench Cana-
s," said he,
w you get

ot?" asked
canoe,
^arcs of ze
lais ils sont

t company,
't been got
ved several

packs of fine beaver whicli lay in the bottom of tho
canoe.

"Vcrc me l)een ? eli ? 1 aves boon up zo Bull
Pound, all ze way from Fort Kootanie ; mais les
becvare sont plenty. Qui sont-ils — ces gens-la?" ho
asked, as his eyes rested on Pierre and Gaulticr.

Jake did not quite understand the question, and was
jnst asking the youths " what the little sand-rat wur
saying," Avhen Pierre politely lifted his cap and said, —

"Monsieur, je siiis franrais. Je suis charmo do
faire votre connaissancc. Je me nonnnc Pierre-au-
Calumet."

u Pierre-au-Calumet !" cried the little voyageur ex-
citedly; "le heros de cent mille batailles ! Parbleu !
mais zis is von 'appy day ! I 'aves met mon ami in-
time, and 'aves made votre connaissance, monsieur.
Ah ! que je suis heureux ! Allons, fellows! let's camp.
To ze bank, I say !"

Accordingly the two boats were paddled to the
nearest bank, and the parties were immediately en-
p'ai-'ed in the pleasinijf task of oivinij: and receivincj
news. Our hunters were delii-'hted to hear that r)-ame
had never been so plentiful on the Bull Pound as it
was just then, and the voluble little Frenchman told
them that " their bateau would sink under the weii^ht
of skins they would collect." Tho two parties finally
separated, one to pierce still further into the wilds,
and the other to reach, after many vicissitudes, tho
far-distant St. Lawrence.

224

A PARTINO MESSAGE.

: li.^

\U ■

Just as tlio CWiadiaiis were takiiiLr their lea\"o,
Jako desired ]\Ionsiciir le Pore-epic (or, as Jake callcil
liini, "Porky") to tell liill Biicknall that he had
secured the scalp lie knew of, and that he would
expect the tobacco on his return.

The voyageur replied, "Ah! oiii ! I know your
Bill — ver fine fellow; fust-rate mountain nmn. I
vill tells him certainement. Adieu, Jake, cher ami !
Prenez g-arde de grizzly bar. He vill raise votrc
chevelure yet — you see !" And bowing to Pierre and
Gaultier, and waving his hand gracefully to Jake,
the little man was soon lost to view round a bend
in the river.

"Who is he, Jake?" asked Pierre; "he seems to
take a heap of airs."

" He's a chief trader o' the Comp'ny," replied the
trapper, " an' takes on before the men, I guess. I
thort I heerd ye askin' liim who he wur."

" No," said Pierre, " I only asked him who was at
Fort Kootanie now. But he said he didn't know, as
the late chief factor liad left, and his successor hadn't
yet come."

" I say, young fellurs," inquired Jake, " 1 think I've
heerd ye say ye wur Bluenoses yerselves, — how is it
ye don't speechify an' gibber like that ar little chap ?"

" We've lived a o-ood deal amono; the Eno-lish in
the Upper Province," said Pierre. " Besides, my
mother was an Englishwoman ; and Gaultier's came
from Baltimore."

i i i

THE HULL POUND 1U\ LIL

cir leave,
iko called
t he had
he would

low your
umn. I

I'her nuu !

lise votre

Pierre and
to Jake,

id a bend

seems to

}plied the
I

guess.

ho was at
I know, as
sor hadn't

:hink I've
■how is it
le chap?"
.no'lish in
^ides, my
icr's came

'• 1 thort ye had a cross o' good stuff in ye some-
how," replied the old hunter. " Uut let's l)e niuvin'."'

They therefore again endjarked, and })r()cecded on
their journey. For some days our tiJi[)pi'rs met with
no more exciting adventure than the dithc'ultirs of
the route, and these were not slight, liapids had to
be encountered; and upon one occasion a ])ortage of
half a mile became necessary, as the navigation was
too dangerous to justify the risk of attem{)ting to
force the canoe through the furious currents, broken
into foam by a thousand rocks. The fifth morniug
after meeting with the French Canadians, as they
were coasting along the eastern bank, which here
was fringed with tall trees, they suddenly roundcil a
promontory that jutted into the stream, and at once
found themselves in the cndjouchure of a fine rivor,
which joined the Saskatchewan from the south-east.

" What river is this, Jake ? " inrpiired Pierre.

"The Bull Pound, lad," answered the trapper.

The youths gazed with interest upon the noble
stream up which the canoe was now headed ; l)ut
they did not leave the Saskatchewan without feelings
of real regret. It seemed as if they were leavini-- an
old friend, and one whom they knew not when they
should see ao-ain. Plowever, these sentiments did not
prevent them from admiring the broad stream which
now bore them on its ample bosom, and feasting their
eyes on the rich prairie which stretched away on one
hand, its greenness contrastinf-' with a ruixu'ed and

'GO

220

AN i:XPL<HtrMI EXCURSION.

!l I

i Mil

; I
I I

! ■

; •

jn'ocipitons cliaiii of liills Avliicli I'an parallel with the
other hank at some distance.

"What a likely ran ^-e for hiu'-horn!" said IMerre,
i)ointin'^ t(j tlie heii-'hts.

"Ye may say that," said Jake: "I hunted thur
not 1(^1'' aLfonc, an' the place wur a-crawlin' wV 'em.
Thur's i^^oats too — not the proni^'-horns, hut raal i^'oatx,
an' bi<^ uns at that. Jhit they're not on these hills;
they're fin-rer hack."

It was now consi(k>rahly past the hour for the noon
halt, when seeing a pretty nook amoni;' the hushes on
the western hank, the canoe Avas steered towards it,
and the party landed Their provisions Avere soon
ready, and the trappers made a hearty meal, althouL;'h
it consisted only of jerked hutialo meat hroiled over
the fire, and water.

The hills already mentioned Lay hut a short dis-
tance from the camp, and Pierre proposed that they
should spend a few hours in climhini;* the nearest
height, in order to see Avhat sort of country lay he-
yond. To this proposition neither of his companions
offered any objection, especi.dly as some game might
be met with during the expedition. They accordingly
left the camp, and turned up the dry bed of a water-
course, which no doubt sent down its impetuous
flood to swell the main river in the winter season.

The path, if so it couhl be called, led for about a
mile across a tolerably level plain, encumbered with
many huge rocks, wdiich seemed as if they had in

A SVLKXDID VIEW.

227

I witli tliu

ill PieiTi',

iitcd tliur

AVI cm.

•juil goats,

iL'sc liills ;

L' tlic noon
bushes on
)war(ls it,
verc soon
, altliou^-li
jilt'd over

short clis-
that they
le nearest
7 lay he-
mpanions
no niig-lit

cordinc!'lv
: a Avater-
iiipetiioiis
reason.
' about a
Bred witli
y Iiad in

some nianuei' rnllcil to tlitii" present position from
tlie liills l)i'yond. This plain was traversed l»y craeks
or fissures Avhieh joined tlif water-coursi' throuL^di
Avhieh they laboured. 'I'hcy were, in i'aet, miniature
canons, and r('seud)led tliat stram-'e formation oL the
desert Ian*! in all respects.

Wlien at length, after three hours' liard walking
and climbing, they attained the summit of the chain,
a task which they did not accomplisli witliout much
diliiculty and even danger, tlie scene l)eyond so far
.surpassed their anticipations tliat they lialted, as if
by connnon consent, to feast their eyes on the glorious
prospect. At thi'ir feet, far below, lay a traiHjuil
lake, reticcting like a mirror the wild amplutheatre
of hills Avhich surrounded its lonely basin, its placid
Avatcrs catching in a line of burnished gold a sheaf of
sunbeams which shot through a narrow pass to the
Avestward. The scream of the shushuga and the cries
of many Avater-foAvl sounded faint from the distance,
Avhile at intervals the rush of falling Avatcr fell on
the ear, Avafted on the Avings of the var3dng breeze.
The opposite hills Avere clad Avith a varied foliage
Avhich rolled in luxuriant undulations from their
summits to the Ijorders of the lake, Avhere the birches
and AvilloAvs bending outAvards from the banks
dropped their branches in the Avater. Above the lino
of timber bald crags and stern cliffs reared tlieir
froAvning foreheads midAvay to the clouds, their bare
sides furroAved Avith ravines, in the clefts of Avhich,

228

THE TliAPP Kits' HOMt:.

! i

^1 I

high al)ov(\ even at that hite .season, .sonic patches of
snow \vere lhii,a'iing.

" Wliat a splendid view!" exclaimed (laultier;
"and what a sweet .spot i'or a hunters cabin by tlio
shore of that lake ! "

"Ay," .said J'ierre, " iish and fowl in plenty; and
game enough, I'll be l)0und, in the hills around."

"That tliur is," said Jake. " See, if yer eyes nr
.sharp enuf, ye'll spot twenty sheep from whur we
stand, — over thur jest above timber-line, — the gray
spots on tliat green patch. I've been a-watchin' o'
'cm .since we kem up, an' they've niuv up a bit. I'm
sartain they're ,shee[)."

The boys soon observed what the keen-eyed old
hunter pointed out to them, but the distance and
dilliculties of passing the intervening space prevented
them from attempting a hunt just then. Well .satis-
fied with their first glimpse of the Bull Pound
country, the youths turned to descend. Here a new
view presented itself.

It was the boundless prairie which expanded 'ts
immeasurable vastness before them. It was such an
expanse as one views seaward from the toj^ of the
Peak of Tenerifi'e ; but here the billows were at rest.
The undulations of the tremendous plain were, how-
ever, picked out in light and shade, and the breeze
sweeping across their crests, bending the tall grasses,
gave an appearance of motion to the landscape which
heightened its general resemblance to the ocean.

OA UL Tlh'Ji 'S 0/iS TINA C Y.

ooq

)atc]ios of

Ciaultier ;
in by tlio

'iitv ; and
.md.

i" cyt's nr
wliur wc
-the gray
atchin' o'
l)it. I'm

■eyed old
ance and
)rcvcntod

ell satis-
1 Pound
•0 a new

.nded 'ts
such an

p of the

} at rest.

re, liow-

e breeze
grasses,

DO which

3an.

"This is our liunu' !" ^ai'l Pierre, sweeping his arm
round the prospect. " It's more to my taste than an
eastern fai-m, with villages and roads, and policemen
an<l jails, and all the rest oi it.'

*' An' ye mout say the gallows," add(>(l Jake. "I
never seed the settlurs come into a country yet hub
they brought thnr gallows along wi' 'em. It seems
uat'ral to tlu ci'ltturs somehow. It allers appears to
this coon that the fust crop arter a plough is put in
the ground is a jail and a gallows !"

The boys laughed, au<l in high good-humour they
descended the hills towards the river, Avhich they
could see from their elevate<l position winding like a
huge serpent for many mik's through the prairie.

AVhen they avriveil at the foot of the chain, (!aul-
tier proposed that they should return by the plain.
P>ut Pierre reminded him of the many small caiums
which almost rendered it impassable. Gaultier, how-
ever, was ol)stinate, saying he was sure some way
existed of crossing it, as he had noticed from the
heights something like a path, a deer-i)ath most pro-
bably, that led towards the liver from the foot of the
hills. Pierre declined to accompany him, being (piite
satisfied with the path by which they had come.
Jake advised Gaultier to rro with them, remindinir
him of his adventure with the elks, when he irot lost
by following his own will. However, Gaultier was
determined, like every obstinate boy, to have liis own
way, and waving his hand to his two companions,

230

Ay JMJ'ASSAJJLi'J OBSTACLE.

I i

I I

I Ml ■

wlio Ikad doscendc*! into tlic rocky bed of tlie water-
course, tuniecl and followed tlie path along the liill-sidc.

For some time all was easy sailing with the young
luniter, and lie laui-'hed at wliat lie considered the
foolish caution of his comrades. The evening was
beautiful ; the distant plains were bathed in sunlight,
whicli here and there flashed upon the reaches of the
river ; tlie air was balmy, and was perfumed by the
many sweet-smelliiig flowers wh'oli nestled among
the herlmge.

Tlie ]mth which C-i.ultier followed had hitherto led
parallel with the hills in a southerly direction ; but it
now led directly for the plain, which ^\'as scarcely
more than a mile in breadth. He did not advance
far in this direction when he found that the track
stopped abruptly at a small stagnant pool, wliich was
now nearly dried up, and round which the banks
Avere much trampled. This was evidently a spot to
wliich game frequently came to drink ; but none of
the tracks seemed very recent. Leaving this behind
him, Gaultier proceeded rapidly forward, but sud-
denly, without warning, soon found himself standing
at the vero'e of a deep fissure which ziu'zacf^'ed across
the plain as far as he could see. The depth was
fully fifty feet, and the sides so perpendicular that
not even a i>'oat could have effected the descent. The
breadth was not more than thirty feet, but it might
as well have been as many miles — there was no pos-
sibility of crossing it.

-1

"-.i

tlie water-
loliill-sitlo.
th(j young
udercd the
'eiiiiiL, was
in sunlii^'lit,
dies of tlic
led l>y the
;led among

litlierto led

ion ; but it

as scarcely

ot advance

■j tlie track

wliich was

the banks

T a spot to

ut none of

this behind

I, but snd-

If standincf

o-ii'ed across

depth was

licuhir that

■5cent. The

it it niiii'ht

vas no pos-

DESCENDIXa THE J! A VIXE.

231

Loath to retrace Ins steps and be laughed at by
Jake and Pierre, faultier walked alonu" the brink of
the canon, hoping to find some spot where he could
descend. The cveninu' was wearinii- away, and not
more than a couple of hours now remained before
darkness would add to the difficulties and dangers of
his situation. After proceeding for fully a nule
along the edge of the canon, he arrived at a spot
where the upper surfa^ce was broken away, giving
access by careful scrambling to a crack in the rock,
down which he thouuht he could descend to the
bottom. Cautiously picking his steps, and availing
himself of several rough projections on the slippery
incline, he reached the perpendicular fissure, Avhich
was about a foot broad, and was barred transversely
at intervals by slates or stones, presenting somewhat
the appearance of an irregular ladder.

About fifteen feet down, a ledixe ran aloncj the face
of the cliff, and offered a convenient resting-place.
Slino'in^f his rifle, and turnimx his face to the rock,
Gaultier lowered himself, and feelinix with Ids feet
for the steps in the fissure, he commenced the descent.
He had accomplished several feet in safety, when all
at once his treacherous foothold gave way, and befoi-e
he could save himself, he found himself slidini'' down
the cliir, accompanied l)y a shower of debris which
he had loosened in his fall. With a cry of despair
he thought his last hour liad come. But suddenly he
found his descent arrested by the ledge which wo

IN A FIX.

I ,i3

I I \

41^

liavc alroacly mentioned ; and catching at the protu-
berances on tlie face of the cliff, lest his bewildered
senses should cause him to lose his balance, lie sank
into a sitting posture upon the narrow shelf.

As soon as he had somewhat recovered his com-
posure, he ventured to peep over the edge of the shelf.
A sheer wall, without break or anything which
offered foothold, extended to the bottom. He looked
uj)wards, and to his dismay \\ii perceived that in his
fall he had loosened from their hold in the crevice
]nany of the stones by which he had descended. To
retreat was therefore almost as difficult as to advance.
If he slipped in endeavouring to climb upwards, he
might not again be so fortunate as to alight uninjured
on the ledge ; while to fall o"/er the Q^\gQ meant to be
dashed to pieces on the rough rocks at the bet om of
the canon.

He now bitterly repented his headstrong opposition
to the advice of his companions; luit tliis was of little
use to him. He guessed that even by this time they
would be beginning to feel uneasy at his absence, and
would most probably return to search for him. But
would they find him ? He had wandered a long dis-
tance from the spot at wdiich he had separated from
them. The ground was hard, and frequently covered
with rocks and stones, where his feet would leave no
impression. There were many canons too, and it
would take a long time, even days, to search them
all. This situation was far from pleasant, but ho

'<\

•^1

.f.V ILL-OMKXEl) r.ini).

233

the protu-
bcwilderod
30, hu sank

d his coiu-
jf tlic shelf,
linii: which
He looked
that in his
the crevice
ended. To
to advance,
pwards, lie
t uninjured
neant to be
5 hot oni of

opposition
as of little
time they
3sence, and
him. But
a long dis-
rated from
ly covered
d leave no
)0, and it
arch them
nt, but he

determined to wait with patience the arrival of liis
comrades to his rescue. He still had his rille, and with
this liemight dig steps between therocks if theydid not
come. Any risk wouki be preferable to dying l)y inches
on a narrow ledge tormented by hunger and thirst.

While reflecting thus on the perils of Ids position,
a larci'e shadow flitted across the rocks; and lookiuix
up, he perceived one of the foul vultures called turkey
buzzards circling overhead. It presently alighlci]
on a prominent point at the edge of the canon, and
oo'led the hunter as if it anticii^iated his fate, and
already put in its claim to a share in the baiKpict
With a feelinu' of disi-'ust Gaultier levelled his rifle
at the repulsi"\e creature; and at the report, which
reverberated in a thousand echoes from clifl' to clitl'
the buzzard dro2:)ped from its perch, and after vainly
trying to bear itself gently to the bottom, turned over
in the air and fell heavily on the boulders beneath.

iSo sooner had the echoes of the report died awdy
than Gaultier fancied he lieard a shot in the distance.
Ha ! it was a signal ! He immediately flred several
shots in quick succession, and listened eagerly. He
was not mistaken; two shots were distinctly audible,
and as far as he could judge, they seemed to come
from the direction of the river. His heart beat hii-h
with hope as he waited to hear the signals repeated.
He occasionally fired a shot, and after some time he
could liear distant shouts. These he answered, calling
at the top of his voice.

i \

: i

231

DISCOVERED AND RESCUED.

-i

^Icantiiuc the sun had sot, and davknoss was fast
falHng on the scene, increasing the difficulty of his
friends finding their way across the plain, which in
some places was covered with huge stones lying at
every angle towards each other, the surface having
in all prohability l:)een denuded hy winter torrents
pouring from the hills hehind. Gaultier, however,
shouted as loudly as he could to guide them ; and at
length he was delighted hy beholdinG: their ficfures
relieved against the sky above.

" Hullo, young fellur ! " called Jake's welcome
voice, " what on airth ur ye up to (lo\vn thur ? We'd
never hev found ye only fur yer hollerin' out. How
did ye get down thur ? "

Gaultier told them of his narrow escape.

'■ Yc're a goney, that's clur," said Jake. " Howso-
ever, we must get ye up, I s'pose."

Pierre, finding that Gaultier was unhurt, busied
himself in assisting: Jake in uncoil in<x a lonix lasso.
A noose having been formed at one end and the rope
lowered, Gaultier secured it round his body under
his arms ; and at a sij^-nal the two hunters hauled
him up, none the worse for his adventure. They
quickly left the spot, and in about an hour arrived
at the camp, wliere the}^ enjoyed a little mild chaff
during supper at Gaultier's expense. The latter, how-
ever, took it very good-humouredly, and so they soon
ceased to exercise their wit upon his adventvu^es.

-»«-L

CSS was fast
cnlty of his
n, wliicli in
ics lying at
face havino;
tor torrents
T, however,
cm ; and at
heir fio'ures

s's welcome

[lur ? We'd

out. How

" ITowso-

Liirt, busied
lono' lasso,
nd the rope
jody under
ters hauled
lire. They
our arrived
) mild chaff
latter, ho w-
they soon
ntures.

CHAPTER XV.

O.UTK PLEXTIFITL-LEAVE BRITISil TKnniT<niV-MON-T.VXA-F..IU:ST.S--lUnn
WOIIK-A IIALT-DI.SMAL .SCKN-E-DIFFICT-LTIES OF Till.; UorXE-PLAIN
SAILrXG AUAI.V_A r.FE-IIl'XT-j.vKE's MODUS OI>EI! AXDI-FINDS THE
niVi:-APl>I!OAi;ilIX(t the end of the JOURXEV-CiLOOMV STIiEVJI-
OIIOST'S niVEll~A PORTA.= E-A TMiETTY ST.IEAM-A LAKE-CAMP-SUNHET
— -VX EVEXIXd STROr.L NEAR CAMP—" PAIXTICUS."

HE days now passed pleasantly. That tlio
country Avas full of game was e\'ident
from the tracks at the water's edge wlier-
ever the ground was soft. Bands of elk
and mule-deer too were frequently seen gallopinf'-
over the prairie a.s they detected the approach of the
canoe. The hunters, therefore, plied their paddles
briskly, in order that they might the sooner reach
the end of the Jonrney, when they would at once
begin to collect their stock of furs. Upon the eighth
morning after entering the Bull Pound, Jake infonned
the youths that they had left British soil behind them.
" D'ye see that thur heap o' donnicks ? " said he,
addressing Pierre, and pointing to some stones piled
together upon the bank. "I calc'late that's the
boundary atween the Stars and Stripes and old
Victy's land."

236

HAUD WORK.

f \

" What State are we in now, Jake :* " inquired
Pierre.

"I guess tliis is Montana," replied the trapper.

The boys looked round with increasing interest, as
if the change of name or ownership couhl have effected
some transformation in the landscape. Thus they
journeyed on, stopping sometiuies to hunt wlien their
provisions ran short, and sometimes to rest their
weary arms, for the stream ran with greater rapidity
the nearer they approached the mountains. These
huge hills loomed nearer day by day, the snow on
the higher peaks attesting their tremendous altitude.
Vast forests covered the lower slopes, and extended
along the range as far as the eye could reach.

As they advanced, the banks rose gradually, until
they again found themselves enclosed on both sides
by high cliffs, which reminded them of the canons on
the Saskatchewan. Other streams, rushing swiftly
down through similar fissures, joined the Bull Pound,
the o'reat heiu'ht of the overhanj^ino: crao-s transform-
ing noonday into twilight at the bottom. In these
dismal passages the water rushed so swiftly that they
were borne back for some distance as often as they
relaxed their exertions for a moment.

■' Waofh!" exclaimed Jake, " this beats grainin' bull
hide. I o'uess the snow's meltin' on the hills an
swellin' the river. 'Twurn't harf so bad to come up
hyur last time. I say, fellurs, thur's a spot a leetle
above hyur whur we kin camp. T ain't a-gwine

inquired

ipper.
ntorcst, as
ve effected
[bus they
vhen their
rest their
IV rapidity
IS. These
3 snow on
IS altitude.
1 extended
ch.

lally, until
both sides

canons on
swiftly
ull Pound,

ransform-
In these

that they
en as they

aniin' bull
hills an
come up
3t a leetle
t a-gwine

A DTSMAL SCEKi:.

237

to work my old elbers ofi' tlieir stumps this a
w ay."

After half an hour's arduous exertion, the party
observed a spot where the clills at one side of the
stream had been worn awny, loavinLi' a shelvinir baidc
of some twenty feet in width between their base and
the water. Here, accordingly, they landed, and un-
packed the canoe, which tl icy carefully removed from
the water and turned bottom up to dry. Luckily
there were some pieces of drift-wood, v. jilcli had been
deposited on this spot by a flood. These furnished
them with materials for a fire, which they soon con-
structed. The reflection of the blaze upon the l)lack
rushing river and upon the rough walls of the canon
produced a strangely weird etl'ect. It seemed an
encampment of spirits on the shores of the Styx,
waiting for Charon to ferry them to the lugubrious
domains of the infernal world.

After an uncomfortable niglit, the trnppers again
addressed themselves to the diiliculties of the route.
Several times they were nearly dashed against rocks;
and once they actually grazed a sharp boidder, which
inflicted a slight injury on the canje. Slight as it
was, it served to show them how narrow had Ijcen
their cscnpe. In such a place a hole in the canoe
meant certain death, as the precipitous clifis rose
sheer from the water on either side. It was with a
sense of relief that they at length emerged from the
o-loomy canon, and breathocl A\hat seemed n fresher

(G'Jl)

238

A llEKHUNT.

I '\

1} f

[

air. Tli(^ rocks rapidly disappcariMl, and once moro
they lluatt'd Ix'twecn pleasant meadows llanke<l l>y
woods, and lieard the elurp of tlie hirds and busy
luim of bees,

" Boyecs," said Jake, " I'm right down glad we nr
ont o' that nu'ly iinleh. T feols as if a i«jad wnr
I'iz oti' my old gizzai'd, now that the thing nr ahint ns."

" What a pretty spot this is!" said (Janltier, — " this
green prairie all covei'e<l with flowers, and enclosed
by those fine woods ! "

"A very likely place for a bee-hunt," said Pierre. —
"Jake," he continued, "you know all about finding
lioney, and the bees must have plenty made by this.
Let's o'o ashore and have a hunt."

"Right ye in-," replied the trapper. "I wur allers
fond o' sweets ; so we'll jest line the little varmints
to thur gum."

The canoe was directed towards a convenient spot
for landing, and the three hunters stepped ashore.
Jake produced from his "possible-sack" an old wine-
glass, which had survived his wanderinixs, with the
loss merely of its stem. This he cleaned and dried.
He next procured a little sugar from the common
store, and mixing a few drops of water with it upon
a bit of slate (just enough to make a thick syrup), he
advanced into the prairie. On all sides were bright
parterres of flowers, — the scarlet malva, the orange-
coloured asclepia, the pink-hued cleome, while the
tall stems of the helianthus waved their yellow heads

-I

JAKE'S MODE OF PROCEDUnE.

230

once movo
flanked l»y
s and busy

rjlad wo \\x
1 load wiir
iiral lint lis."
I tier, — " this
ind enclosed

lid Pierre. —
joiit flnding'
lade l>y this.

T wiir allers
tie varmints

enient spot

^ed ashore.

m old wine-

s, with the

and dried.

le common

ith it upon

: syrnp), he

were l)right

the orani^-e-

, while the

cllow heads

in tlie breeze. liees were in plenty, buzziniL,^ from
flower to flower in search of the honeyed contents (.t'
tlieir pistils.

Jal<(^ was not lonof in socnrins* one of the insects,
which lie placed npon the slate, and inverted the glass
above it. The bee at flrst resented this liberty, and
buzzed around the sides of its crystal prison, but soon
fell to the bottom, where it alighted on the sugar
syrup. It instantly lost all its desire for fre('dom,
for it settled to work, loading itself from the copious
treasure. As soon as Jake perceived that it had
gorged itself, and was on the eve of taking flight, he
raised the side of the ii'lass, and seizinu' the l)ee gently

O ' O ill/

between his Angers, he deftly turned it upon its back,
and secured between iti^ le£:s a small tui't of cotton
wool. He then slightly sprinkled the insect with
sulphur, and throwing it into the air, he Avatched its
fliLi'ht. The little creature at flrst circled round the
spot, as if to get its bearings ; it then set ofK in a
straight line, as bees always do, and flew directly
for the nearest patch of woods.

" He's gone in by that tall poplar," said Pierre.
"Now, Jake, how are von to And the hive?"

"I guess we 'angle' 'em now," replied the hunter,
moving away to a point at some distance. " Gaultier,"
he added, ''go blaze the side o' that big poplar wi'
■;/er axe, so as it'll show clur this way. Ye sees that
big pine too (in the same line, mind ye) furrer in ?
Jest blaze that as well."

/,/.

210

77//; OLD TRArrKirS IXHEMirY

f I

I i

(jlaultlcr ran off to do as rcM[uIr(Ml, wliilc Jake caught
Cinotlu'V 1 KM', and tivatcd it in precisely the same way
as the iirst. This also headed for the same patcli of
woods.

"I've spotted tliat varmint," said Jake; "lie's jost
cut the other'n's line hack a leetle o' the hi*,^ pine.
It's all done now, lad," lie continued ; " let's i^-o. The
liivc uv 'ithin twenty yards o' that })v^ spruce."

"What did you put sulphur on them for, Jake ? "
asked Gaultier, as he rejoined them.

"I guess thur'U he pretty considerable o' a nmss
when the others smell the stuff I've made them a
present of," replied the trapper. " You see," he con-
tinued, ''we fust start a hee on Ids line, which ur
allers as straight as a rifle l)nrrel. We then marks a
spot in the wood wlnir the varmint goes in, an' marks
another p'int beyond, in a line from Avhur we stand.
We then cotches another o' the critturs a couple o'
hunderd yards to one side o' whur we got the fust
one, an' whur his line cuts the fust's, thur's the
hive.

The boys listened, nuich pleased with the old
hunter's ingenuity. By this time they had arrived
at the big pine-tree, and upon listening attentively,
a terrible buzzing' was heard at a little distance.
Upon proceeding in this direction, the po.rty soon
arrived at the foot of a hu^'e old cotton-wood which
was decayed by age, or which "light have been killed
by lightning in some storm. Twenty feet up the

-»

^ -i

nivuKd Tin: iiivi:.

•J I

same way

patch oi'

" he's jest

1 bi<:^ pine.
s CO. Tlio

lice.

or, Jak(

> ?

o a mnss
do them a
}e," he con-
, ^vlnch iiv
ni marks a

an' marks

we .stand,
a couple o'
3t the fust

thur's the

,h the old
ad arrived
ittentively,
e distance,
party soon
ood ^Yhich
been killed
:et up the

trunk was a hole ahuut I'uur inches across, througli
which cluuds of the anL;ry insects were huzzing-.

"D'ye hear tlu; critturs r' aske(l Jake. " I reckon
tliem two I sent in ur not ])op'hir with the rest.
(.'onic, handle yer axes, youni;" felhu's. We'll not
taste the honey if we stand liyurall day starin' up at
thiit thur hole."

Pierri' and (laultier accordingly set to work, and
in a few moments a p;aping' chasm yawncil in the side
of the tree, which was, in fact, hollow Mithin for tlie
:L;"reater part of its diameter. In this openinij;' a tiro
of leaves and damp moss was speedily made, which
sent volumes of dense smoke up the stem, and pour-
ing out through the smaller aperture above. Tliis
speedily banished the bees, who had been buzzing
death and ruin to all and sundry. 'T'lie tree was soon
cut through ; and at its fall it burst open, disclosing
its delicious contents to the ruthless destroyers.
Notwithstanding that as yet the summer was not
much more than half over, a considerable quantity of
lioney had been collected by the busy conniumity.
This the hunters gathered ; and laden with their
spoil, they returned well satisfied to the canoe.

Their journey was now drawing to a close. Jhit a
few days more, and they would reach the valley in
which Jake ha<l made up his mind that the}' should
spend the autumn and winter trapping the beaver
and collecting the furs of the bear, the wolverine, the
panther, and the silver fox, as well ixZ the skins of

212

/ ' I. i:a sun a ni. i: a n th ip. i tions.

if f i

% i

.suvcial kinds of tlcn. Tlic yoiitlis tVlt a «l»'L,n'oc of
incljiiK'lioly stt'.'ilini;' over tliciii as tlicy ivlloctc*! tliat
iUvAv pk-asant eanoc voyage, witli all its lianlsliips
and vicissitude's, as well as pleasures, was drawini^
near its end. Uut tlicy looked forward to tlic uxcitu-
uients of the cliase aniouLj tin.* Ljriui solitufles and
forcist-covcred slopes and valleys of the lloeky Moun-
tains, on whose very threshold they now found them-
selves. Jake hnd descrilM>d the valley to which they
were hound in such iilowinLr lanLaia'ie that they
could picture it to themselves as if they liad actually
heheld it.

Besides the pleasure of these anticipations, they
also looked forward to returniuL;- hy the same route
durini^^ the ensuinii; sprini;;', when they would once
more cleave tlie rapid currents in their canoe, and
luuit alonn- tlie shores, as cither inclination or neces-
sity dictated. Elated by these hopes, they pushed
forward, makini^- longer Journeys each day, and stoji-
ping a shorter time at the noon halts.

On the third day after their discovery of the bee-
tree, the canoe left the Bull Pound, and turned u]) a
smaller stream which joined it from the west. The
scenery upon this was of a gloomy character. High
banks of clay, wdiich at frequent intervals had been
undermined by the water and had fallen or slipped
forward, narrowing the channel to half its width,
were covered w^ith a thick sjrow^th of firs, wdiich met
above the stream. Beneath these sombre arches the

(.nosT's mvKi:,

•2i:;

, decree of

L'CUm] tluit

li; ml si lips

IS (Iniwinjjf

tlic (.'xcitc-

itudus and

icky Moim-

jund tlicin-

wliicli they

tluit tlioy

ad actually

Ltions, they
saino roiito
^vould unc(j
canuc, and
n\ or noces-
\wy pushed
\', and stop-

of the bee-
turned up a
west. The
cter. High
ds had been
n or slipped
I its width,
which met
■e arches the

party pad<ll<il, <^yiu!,^ wlicn the l>aiiks pcrinittfd it. (•»
pierce till' disiiial vistas in search of oltjccts le^s 1ul,^u-
hrions than those by which they were suiiiMiinlcd.

'■ Wliat it lonely, solemn place to Ii\e in!" sind
(laidtiei', wishing to hi'eak the (»[tpressive silence.
" A fellow would die in a week here!"

'J'he pai'y started, as the words were distinctly re-
peated : " A fellow would die in a week hi-re ! " TIk^
boys were not what could be called su[)erstitious ;
but still, almost every backwoodsman has a luikiug
lielief in something supernatural, which selects th(^
darkest haunts ami most gloomy recesses of the
forests as its aj)prop]'iate residence. They could
hardly convince themselves but that this dark, dis-
mal stream was haunted by sonu- kelpie, whose ill-
omen(Ml voice liad thrown hack, Mith sigidlicance,
Claultier's thoughtless remark, it was .;ot until they
had again spoken and shouted tliat they could dis-
abuse their minds of this <lisagreeable impression,
and assure themselves that, after all, it was but one
of the tricks of Echo.

'• How far do we follow this stream, Jake ? " asked
Pierre.

" A matter o' ton mik* or thurabouts," replied the
hunter, who sat an anuised sj^ectator of tlu^ effects of
this lonely river upon his companions ; nor would he
confess that he himself had been similarly aflected by
it when first he ascended its sable waters some months
before.

!!'

A PORT ACE.

II V

jn ;!

^■P

'.' i

i* J

The ciUTcnt in tlic Ghost's Eiver, as they naiiiod
tliis stream, was sluggish, and they therefore made
rapid progress. On rc/unding a bend, tliere tV'll on
tlieir ears the rush of falling water, which old Jake
informed them was caused by a cascade, which would
necessitate a portage. This unpleasant obstacle to
their progress soon made its appearance. A ledge of
rocks, over which the river precipitated itself, ex-
tended from bank to bank. The canoe was steered
to a shelving strand, and the voyageurs busied them-
selves in unpacking their various eti'ects. While thus
engaged, they were much surprised to see a number
of hunters comino: towards them. These had belonoed
to the sai^' "n*^i'tv which they had met on the Sas-
katchewan miat. the command of Jake's friend, the
French Canadian. They were now on their way to
that river on foot, having lost their canoe by an acci-
dent, and having no means in that spot of building
another. They readily assisted our trappers in carry-
ing their canoe and effects over the portage, for which
service they would not accept any remuneration.
Finally, Pierre pressed some tobacco on them, which
they took with alacrit}^ They then continued their
journey, and were soon lost among the gloomy laby-
rinth of tree-trunks.

The stream above the falls ran brightly and swiftly,
dancing over clean gravel, upon which the sun tlu'ew
a golden light through openings in the overhanging
foliage. The quick eye of Gaultier detected the pres-

--iJ

A PRETTY STREAM.

24:.

bey iKinied
ifuro made
^re fell on
li old Jake
liicli would
obstacle to
A ledcL-e of
itself, cx-
ras steered
sied thcm-
^Vhile thus
> a number
d belono'ed
Q the Sas-
friend, the
eir way to
by an acci-
i building'
s in carry-
, for which
luneration.
cm, which
Liued their
lomy laby-

id swiftly,
sun threw
'ei'hannfincj
1 the pres-

ence of line brook trout, which darted under the
shadow of the banks or of the rocks at the aj^proach
of the canoe.

At one point the stream formed a perfectly straight
reach of nearly half a mile in length, the trees on
either side joinini'' their branches overhead. Bri'dit
patches of fern grew here and there upon the l>anks,
the tall graceful fronds bendinu' outwards tinvards
the water. This watery avenue presented a lieauti-
ful spectacle : all was bright and fresh, and contrasted
pleasingly with the gloomy character of the lower
part of the river. Shooting round the bend at the
end of this reach, the trappers found themselve,: at
the outlet of the stream, which was fed by a large
lake embosomed amoni:>- the woods ; while in the
background, the grizzled peaks of the Rocky Moun-
tains looked down upon the scene.

" Thur's four streams comes down from the moun-
tains," said Jake, " on t'other side o' this piece o'
water; they're jest crowded wi' beaver. D'ye see,"
he continued, pointing across the lake, " them dead
trees stretchin' back torst the hills ? The varmints
liev killed all them by tloodin' the woods wi' their
dams acrost the streams. Back o' thur a bit, thur's
some open meadows clurrcd 0' timber this long time,
jest in that way."

The canoe was, by Jake's direction, headed across
the lake for a deep bay, which stretched inwards
among the trees between two long points. At the

lilG

A CHARMINCl nETREAT.

.?!i;i

i;
1

■m.

■ 1

, 1

I
il 1

1
\

mn'

-< *.

licad of this was a small green slope thickly sur-
rounded by giant pines, except upon the lake side,
where the grass was fringed hy a silvery beach, upon
which the wavelets broke with a gentle ripple.

" Hyur's the spot!" said Jake; "an' to iny thinkin',
a sweet, purty kjcation it ur. Thur's plenty o' tish
in the lake an' streams, siuht o' ii'amc back in the
Avoods an' hills, an' a heep o' l^eaver. We'll put up
a shanty hyur at oncost, an' make ourselves com-
fortable."

The boys were charmed with the retreat the old
hunter had discovered. Life in a loiif-hut on that
verdant slope facing the lake, with fish and game in
profusion all around, seemed to them the perfection
of happiness. The world was at an inconceivable
distance behind, and here they promised themselves
immunity from the multiform vexations which they
found to be the result of contact with their fellow-
men. The canoe, which they unpacked and lifted
from the water, was carried up the slope and placed
under the shelter of the trees. A hu^-e hre was next
built, over which soon sputtered a line goose, wdiich
had fallen to Pierre's rifle just as they entered the
lake. Tired with their exertions during the day, the
party lay around the fire waiting, with the impa-
tience born of keen appetites, until their supper was
cooked.

The sun was now sinkino- like a iijlobe of molten
iron behind the western peaks, throwing a flood of

thickly sur-
ic lake side,
beach, upon
ripi")le.

my thinkiii',
ilcnty o' lish
hack in tlio
V^e'll put up
rselvcs coni-

t-reat the okl
'lut on that
and !4amc in
10 perfection
iconceivahle

tliemselvTS

which tliey
their fellow-
l and lifted

and placed
re was next
;'00se, which
entered the
the day, the
1 the inij^a-

suppcr was

e of molten
y a flood of

ABUNDANCE OF flAMK.

glory across the skies, and tinting mountain, wood,
and water with his fiery hues. Far out on the lake,
just where the water shone like hurnished copper,
were flocks of wild fowl, the clamour of their voices,
softened hy distance, heing audible at the camp.

" Look, fellurs," said Jake, pointing along the lake
shore, " thur's game a plenty."

Looking eagerly at this intimation, the youths
turned and beheld a little band of deer ; while far-
ther off, knee-deep in the water, were several elk',
which at the fall of evening had come to (picneh
their tliirst.

" Fve seed fifty elk along this lake from whur we
sit now," said Jake, " 'itliout countin' the white-tailed
deer, an' that too arter Fd been huntin' throuii-h the
range fur a hull say son. '

As meat was not an immediate object, none of the
party molested the game, p • ;f erring to leave the
neighbourhood undisturbed until they had completed
their hut, which they expected to do in a week.
Supper over, the boys strolled along the shores of the
lake, admiring their new home and coming at each
turn upon some fresh object of interest.

There were coves that seemed to lose themselves
among overhanging branches and wildernesses of
fern. In these the musk-rats had built their dome-
like houses; and wlnle they pushed through the
covert, the frequent splashes of the occupants, as they
took the water in alarm, indicated the number in

•218

'' painters:'

!» ZH:

m: \

I ; I

... !

■ s

( I !

which they existed. Water-fowl of several kinds
were seen Icadinci' their youni^' Ijroods alon<x the
watery way to yet more secluded pools, where they
niii'-ht he free from intrusion. Several times the
rush of larii'e animals throuLili the brushwood attested
uhc presence of hig game.

As they walked, the air became chill; a white mist
rose from the surface of the water, and huno; sta-
tionary, or drifted sluggishly in heavy masses when-
ever the occasional breeze lent it its uncertain im-
pulse. Retracing their steps towards the camp, the
cries of the wild birds sounded harsh and distinct ;
while from the hills across the lake was heard the
scream of the cougar. When they reached the tire,
old Jake was busily engaged in collecting a huge
pile of brushwood for the night's supply of fuel.

" I heerd the screech o' a painter," said the old fel-
low, " an' I'm fur gettin' the brush handy to keep up
a good tire. It scares the varmints."

The party now lay down to enjoy the repose which
their labours during the day rendered deep and re-
freshing.

veral kinds
along the
where they
I thues tlie
Dod attested

wliite mist
I hunq- sta-
isses when-
certain ini-
i eanip, tlie
id distinct ;
i lieard the
ed the tire,
no- a huo-e
tf fuel,
the old fcl-
to keep up

pose which
3ep and re-

CTTAPTEP. XVT.

A LOd-iirT— .v LAr.oniors task— r-rnxiTt-nE— riAMr— piekre makes a Oi on

SIIr.T AXn VICTITAI.S THE CAMP-AX EXCtEsiON IV SEARCH OF TIEAVm-
A l!E\Vi:n PAM-THE IirNTEIlS HEAP v Ell It IIAHVF.ST— SETTI-E DOWN IN'
TIIEIU HIT— THE END.

ARDLY had the sun thrown his lirst 1)eams

upon the hosom of the lake, when the

threi! hunters arose on the following'

morning. The day Mas to he a busy

one ; they were to select and cut the logs for their

hut, and carry them to the site which they selected

as most appropriate. This was at one end of the

meadow already mentioned, where a huge spreadinci-

tree shaded the space underneath from the rays of the

sun. Gaultior and Pierre took their axes, and soon

the crash of falling timber echoed through the woods.

The iirst thing to be done was to plant four smooth

poles in the groimd in the form of a square. Having

llattened the sides of a number of other loo's tliev

were piled against these, and their ends being deeply

notched, the adjacent sides were lirmly dove-tailed to

each other, by fitting tlu^ ends of the logs into these

notches. This was a laborious task, and took several

days to complete, the difficulty of getting the lo^s

250

nUILDINa A LOG-HI'T.

\i\^

H f *i

J!^

\'-< f

into position incrcasiiiL;- in proportion as tlicy raised
tlio walls. The youths, liowovcr, wore stalwart lads,
and old Jake's ingenuity suggested many contrivances
which facilitated the operation.

On the fifth niorninci' after arrivinc>"at the lake the
sides of the hut were ciTcted, but as yet it possessed
neither window nor door. These were chopped out
with the axe, which took quite a day, the hottom logs
being very stout. A Vv'indow was hewn both in front
and at the back, and the door was cut in that side
which fronted tlie lake. ]\[oss niixe(l with wet clay
was stufled in the interstices between the loi>-s, tlius
preventing the entrance of any draughts. The walls
were smoothed witliin with tlu^ axe, and skins were
suspended against them, thus giving the interior quite
a finished appearance. Pierre then split a number of
vounG;: firs lencrthwise, and with the rouc>'h boards
thus procured the roof was covered. Jiirch bark was
secured in the manner of tiles over all, thus forming
a perfect!}^ rain-proof roof.

A chimney was the next consideration. An opcn-
m<y, some five feet in heii:>'ht and breadth, was cut in
the wall at one end of the hut ; this was lined with
stones and pieces of turf where the logs touched upon
it. Outside this aperture the chinniey was erected, —
a piece of work which occupied the hunters for a
whole day, as the stones and sods had to be carried
up the slope from the shore of the lake. At length,
however, it was completed, and Gaulticr collected a

.^fA h'lxa rruNTTunK.

'1:a

tlioy raised
,al\vart la<ls,
contrivances

the lake tlic
it possessed
clioppcd out
I liottom logs
jotli in front
ill that side
ith wet clay
he logs, thus
;. The Avails
d skins were
interior quite
a nundjer of
ough hoards
rch hark was
thus forming

1. An open-
i, was cut in
as lined with
touched upon
ras erected, —
uniters for a
to he carried
\ At length,
n' collected a

hw/c fjiiantity of dry hrushwood, wlileh he craunue(l
into the ample hearth. This was quickly in a tiame,
and the trappers had the satisfaction of finding that
their work successfully withstood this test. The Hue,
in fact, '"drew" admiraldy, and with pride they he-
held the smoke pouring from the chimney-top and los-
ing' itsL'lf amouii' the fulinu'e of the overhano-iiuj^ tree.

The hunters now proceeded to manufacture some
furniture for their new home. This was compara-
iively an easy task. Stools were simply the pieces
cut off the ends of logs, the tops heing smoothed with
the axe. Truckle-hed frames were constructed of
3'oung fir-poles, skins heing stretched tightly across
to rest a mattress on. The latter were simply l)ear-
skins and Ijuffalo-rohes thrown over the silky fronds
or hranchlets of the silver lir, which made a hed
sufFiciently elastic to please more fastidious tastes than
those of the trappers. A tahle was hewn in one
single piece out of a gigantic log, and was an etibrt of
skill on which the party especially prided themselves.

While they were thus occupied, the trappers had
no opportunity of hunting. This would have heen a
necessity,however, had it not been for a lucky accident.

One day, while hard at work, a hue elk crashed
through the hushes on the shore and plunged into the
lake. Several gaunt wolves appeared on the trail,
which they lan like hounds, now and then giving
tongue as they lifted the scent hreast h.io-h.

Pierre, calling to Jake and Gaultier to launch the

252

A SUPPLY OF VKNISOX.

ii -\

!ifj! I \

canoo, .seized liis rifle and ran down to tlio water's
edge. Am soon as tlie wolves saw tlie Ininters they
slunk back to the edge of the cover, where they sat
with lolling tongues, probal)ly expecting a sliare in
the spoil.

The elk, meantime, was swinnning with powerful
strokes directly towards the centre of the lake, and
had already placed fully a hundred and fifty yards
between himself and his pursuers. Pierre, however,
confident in his skill, took a steady aim at the crea-
ture's head, Avhich, with the massive antlers, was car-
ried proudly erect above the rippling water.

At the report the elk frantically reared himself
in the water and turned Ijack towards the shore.
Soon his exertions lessened, and presently ceased
altogethei'. Before the carcass could sink, the canoe,
lu'ged forward by Jak'e and Gaultier, arrived on the
spot, and leaning over, the old hunter seized the huge
antlers, and directing Gaultier to paddle l)ack to
shore, they safely landed the elk upon the beach.
This noble supply of venison lasted them nntil their
hut was completed on the evening of the seventh da}-.

On the morning following, the party set out in the
canoe, directinc>' their course towards one of the
streams which emptied itself into the lake from the
mountains. The gray mist which hcd risen from the
water the preceding evening still hung heavily in the
air; but the sun soon dispelled the chilly vapour, and
lighted up both forest and lake with his warm beams.

-L

I to tlio water's
10 lui liters they
, whore tlioy sat
jtnig a sliarc in

with powerful
)f tlie lake, and
and fifty yards
FMorro, liowevor,
im at tlio croa-
m tiers, was car-
water.

roared himself

ards the shore.

rescntly ceased

sink, the canoe,

arrived on the

seized the hivj-a

addle l)ack to

3on the beach.

em until their

10 seventli day.

set out in the

Is one of the

lake from the

risen from the

heavily in the

ly vapour, and

s warm heams.

>
<
m

o
>

A IlKAVKU DAM.

255

Jake's oltject in liis present expedition was to
rccoinioitre the beaver settlements and ascertain if
tliey still existed in their former plenty. That tlii.s
was the case soon became evident, as the party
shortly came upon a dam, which the clever little
engineers had constructed across the stream. Over
this the water fell in a miniature cascade. Gaultier
admired the ingenuity of these sagacious animals
evinced in the construction of the dam. This, instead
of being made directly at right angles to the current,
slanted ol>li(|uely down-stream, thus not meeting the
lull force of the river, which gli ' A by it rather tharx
rushed aii'ainst it.

The conununity had evidently recently apprehended
a rise in the river, as they had partially removed the
obstruction to the sluice, thus giving freer egress to
the water. Above the surface, and scattered at
irregular intervals, appeared the dome-like tops of
the beaver lodges. Upon these lay freshly-gnawed
poles, which had been left by the inhabitants, either
to strengthen the roofs of their houses or to bo
removed by the next freshet. None of the animals
were in sight, and satisfied with wdiat they had seen
on this river, the trappers visited in succession each
of the others. In all, the beaver were found to bo
very numerous, and without disturbing them the party
returned well pleased to the hut.

During the succeeding week the hunters, who had
laid their traps in all the runs, took no less than fifty

(C91)

2:>G

CONCL UDIXa IVOJtlJS.

1 leavers. Curing tlie skins occu[)ie(l their time fully,
as tliey were constantly addiuLj to tlie sujiply ; and
not alone beaver but elk, bear, big-horn, cougar, and
other animals yieh.led their hides to swell the store.

Our story now draws to a close. We Imvc followed
our hunters through their varied adventures and
trials from the moment of their departure from
Kinlay House, and we at length see them safely
settled in their mountain home, where they have
begun to reap a rich harvest of valuable furs.

It is with rei'Tet that we bid adieu to the ^'allant
youths and their veteran companion, — a regret
which we Avould fain hope is shared by our boy
readers. In the spring the trappers intend to return
by the same route to dispose of the produce of their
season's hunt. Perhaps we may again have the
privilege of accompanying the party on their down-
ward way, and of chronicling their adventures for
the benefit of those of our young friends who may
have been interested in these pages.

'\.

'I'llE END.

BOOKS FOR BOYS.

mc fully,
iply; jind

ic store.

♦•»

} followed
iircs and
uro from
nn safely
hey have

L'S.

ic ixallant

-a regret

our boy

to return

c of their

have the

leir down-

ntures for

who may

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