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diff --git a/21384.txt b/21384.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0f6c49e --- /dev/null +++ b/21384.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8518 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Afar in the Forest, by W.H.G. Kingston + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Afar in the Forest + +Author: W.H.G. Kingston + +Illustrator: W.H.C. Groome + +Release Date: May 8, 2007 [EBook #21384] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AFAR IN THE FOREST *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +Afar in the Forest, by W.H.G. Kingston. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +This is not a long book, but is very much in the Kingston style, that +is, the style he employs when writing about land-based adventures, as +opposed to sea-based ones. + +It is quite difficult to follow who is who in this story, and why they +are doing what they do. I suggest that you use a pen and paper to jot +down people's names as and when they make their appearance. + +But there are some surprises regarding who is related to whom, a device +which Kingston uses quite often. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +AFAR IN THE FOREST, BY W.H.G. KINGSTON. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +OUR HABITATION IN THE FOREST--MY SHARE OF THE SPOILS OF THE DAY'S +CHASE--UNCLE MARK COMMENCES HIS NARRATIVE--WHY MY UNCLES DECIDED TO +EMIGRATE--LANDING IN SAFETY, THEY START UP COUNTRY--THEIR MEETING WITH +SIMON YEARSLEY, AN OLD SETTLER--THE SETTLEMENT IS FOUND IN RUINS--LILY +AND I RESCUED--UNCLE MARK PROMISES TO RESUME HIS NARRATIVE ON THE FIRST +OPPORTUNITY--MY LOVE OF NATURAL HISTORY--UNCLE MARK CONTINUES HIS +NARRATIVE--YEARSLEY GOES IN PURSUIT OF THE INDIANS--THE BURIAL OF LILY'S +MOTHER--THE RETURN TO THE WAGGON--THEY REACH THE NEAREST SETTLEMENT-- +ALARM OF THE SETTLERS UPON HEARING OF THE OUTRAGE COMMITTED BY THE +INDIANS--UNCLE STEPHEN'S MARRIAGE--CONCLUSION OF UNCLE MARK'S +NARRATIVE--LILY AND I GO BERRYING--WE ARE ATTACKED BY A WOLF--KEPENAU +SAVES OUR LIVES--HIS PRESENT OF VENISON TO AUNT HANNAH--KEPENAU'S BELIEF +IN THE GOODNESS OF THE GREAT SPIRIT--THE INDIAN'S ADVICE. + +"Is Lily not Uncle Stephen's daughter, then?" I asked. + +The question was put to my uncle, Mark Tregellis, whom I found seated in +front of our hut as I returned one evening from a hunting excursion--it +having been my duty that day to go out in search of game for our larder. +Uncle Mark had just come in from his day's work, which had been that of +felling the tall trees surrounding our habitation. He and I together +had cleared an acre and a half since we came to our new location. + +It was a wild region in which we had fixed ourselves. Dark forests were +on every side of us. To the north and the east was the great chain of +lakes which extend a third of the way across North America. Numberless +mountain-ranges rose in the distance, with intervening heights,--some +rugged and precipitous, others clothed to their summits with vegetation. +Numerous rivers and streams ran through the country; one of which, on +whose banks we purposed building our future abode, passed close to our +hut. Besides the features I have described, there were waterfalls and +rapids, deep valleys and narrow gorges penetrating amid the hills; while +to the south-west could be seen, from the higher ground near us, the +wide prairie, extending away far beyond human ken. Wild indeed it was, +for not a single habitation of white men was to be found to the +westward; and on the other side, beyond the newly-formed settlement in +which Uncle Stephen resided, but few cottages or huts of the hardy +pioneers of civilisation,--and these scattered only here and there,-- +existed for a hundred miles or more. + +Uncle Mark, having lighted the fire and put the pot on to boil, had +thrown himself down on the ground in front of the hut, with his back to +the wall, and was busy contemplating the dark pines which towered up +before him, and calculating how long it would take, with his sharp axe, +to fell them. + +I had brought home a haunch of venison as my share of the spoils of the +chase (in which I had joined Uncle Stephen); and it was in consequence +of a remark made by him while we were out hunting, that I had somewhat +eagerly asked at Uncle Mark the question with which this story opens. + +"No; Lily is not Stephen's daughter,--nor even related to him," he +answered. "But we will cut some steaks off that haunch and broil them; +and while we are discussing our supper, I will tell you all about the +matter." + +The slices of venison, and flour-cakes baked on the fire, were soon +ready; and seated at the door of our hut, with a fire burning before us +to keep off the mosquitoes, we commenced our repast, when I reminded my +uncle of his promise. + +"It is a good many years ago, but even now it is painful to think of +those days," he began. "We came from Cornwall, in the `old country,' +where your Uncle Stephen, your mother, and I were born. She had married +your father, Michael Penrose, however, and had emigrated to America, +when we were mere boys; and we were just out of our apprenticeship +(Stephen as a blacksmith and I as a carpenter) when we received a letter +from your father and mother inviting us to join them in America, and +setting forth the advantages to be obtained in the new country. We were +not long in making up our minds to accept the invitation; and in the +spring of the next year we crossed the sea, with well nigh three hundred +other emigrants,--some going out to relatives and friends, others bent +on seeking their fortunes, trusting alone to their own strong arms and +determined will for success. + +"We found, on landing, that we had a journey of some hundred miles +before us; part of which could be performed in boats up the rivers, but +the greater portion was along `corduroy' roads, through dark forests, +and over mountains and plains. Our brother-in-law, a bold, determined +person, had turned backwoodsman, and, uniting himself with a party of +hardy fellows of similar tastes, had pushed on in advance of the old +settlers, far to the westward, in spite of the difficulties of obtaining +stores and provisions, and the dangers they knew they must encounter +from hostile Indians whose territories they were invading. We did not, +however, think much of these things, and liked the idea of being ahead, +as it seemed to us, of others. The forest was before us. We were to +win our way through it, and establish a home for ourselves and our +families. + +"We had been travelling on for a couple of weeks or so, following the +directions your father had given us in order to find his new location, +but greatly in doubt as to whether we were going right, when we were +fortunate enough to fall in with a settler who knew him, and who was +returning with a waggon and team. He readily undertook to be our guide, +glad to have our assistance in making way through the forest. We +provided ourselves with crowbars to lift the waggon out of the ruts and +holes and up the steep ascents; for we had left the `corduroy' roads-- +or, indeed, any road at all--far behind. Our new acquaintance seemed to +be somewhat out of spirits about the prospects of the new settlement; +but, notwithstanding, he had determined to chance it with the rest. The +Indians, he said, had lately been troublesome, and some of them who had +been found prowling about, evidently bent on mischief, had been shot. +`We have won the ground, and we must keep it against all odds,' he +observed. + +"Everything in the country was then new to us. I remember feeling +almost awe-struck with the stillness which reigned in the forest. Not a +leaf or bough was in motion; nor was a sound heard, except when now and +then our ears caught the soughing of the wind among the lofty heads of +the pine-trees, the tapping of the woodpeckers on the decaying trunks, +or the whistling cry of the little chitmonk as it ran from bough to +bough. + +"I had expected to meet with bears, wolves, raccoons, lynxes, and other +animals, and was surprised at encountering so few living creatures. +`They are here, notwithstanding,' observed our friend; `you will get +your eyes sharpened to find them in time. In the course of a year or +two you _may_ become expert backwoodsmen. You can't expect to drop into +the life all at once.' By attending to the advice our friend gave us, +and keeping our senses wide awake, we gained some knowledge even during +that journey. + +"We were now approaching the settlement--Weatherford, it was called. It +was a long way to the eastward of where we are now, with numerous towns +and villages in the neighbourhood. The waggon had gained the last +height, from the top of which, our guide told us, we should be able to +catch sight of the settlement. We had been working away with our +crowbars, helping on the wheels,--our friend being ahead of the team,-- +and had just reached level ground, when we heard him utter a cry of +dismay. Rushing forward, we found him pointing, with distended eyes, +into the plain beyond us, from which could be seen, near the bank of a +river, thick volumes of smoke ascending, while bright names kept +flickering up from below. + +"`The settlement has been surprised by Indians!' he exclaimed, as soon +as he could find words to speak. `I know the bloodthirsty nature of the +savages. They don't do things by halves, or allow a single human being +to escape, if they can help it. Lads, you will stick by me; though we +can do nothing, I fear, but be revenged on the Redskins. I left my wife +and children down there, and I know that I shall never see them alive +again.' + +"He spoke quite calmly, like a man who had made up his mind for the +worst. + +"`We cannot leave the waggon here, or the Indians will see it,--if they +have not done so already,--and know that we are following them. We will +take it down to yonder hollow, and leave it and the oxen. There is +pasture enough for them, and they will not stray far. Then we will +follow up the Indians' trail; and maybe some of their braves won't get +back to boast of their victory, if you will only do as I tell you.' + +"Of course, we at once agreed to accompany Simon Yearsley--such was our +friend's name--and follow his directions. Quickly turning the waggon +round, we got it down to the spot he had indicated, where the oxen were +unyoked, and left to crop the grass by the side of a stream flowing from +the hill above. Then taking our rifles, with a supply of ammunition, +and some food in our wallets, we again set off, Yearsley leading the +way. + +"We next descended the hill, concealing ourselves as much as possible +among the rocks and shrubs until we gained the plain. Although Simon +moved at a rapid rate, there was nothing frantic in his gestures. He +had made up his mind, should he find his loved ones destroyed, to follow +the murderers with deadly vengeance, utterly regardless of the +consequences to himself. As none of the intervening country had been +cleared except a straight road through the forest, where the trees had +been felled, and the stumps grubbed up here and there to allow of a +waggon passing between the remainder, we were able to conceal ourselves +until we got close to the settlement. + +"We now saw that, though the greater number were in flames, two or three +huts on one side remained uninjured. Still, not a sound reached us,-- +neither the cries of the inhabitants nor the shouts of the savages. +Nothing was heard save the sharp crackling of the flames. + +"`The Indians have retreated, and the settlers are following. We shall +be in time to join them!' exclaimed Yearsley, dashing forward. `But we +must first search for any who have survived.' His previous calmness +disappeared as he spoke, and he rushed, through the burning huts, +towards one of the buildings. + +"Stephen and I were about to follow, when we heard a cry proceeding from +one of the huts at hand, which, though the doorway was charred and the +burning embers lay around it, had as yet escaped destruction. Hurrying +in, I stumbled over the corpse of a man. His rifle lay on the ground, +while his hand grasped an axe, the blade covered with gore. I gazed on +his face, and recognised, after a moment's scrutiny, my own +brother-in-law. He had fallen while defending his hearth and home. +Close to him lay a young boy, who, I guessed, was his eldest child, shot +through the head. + +"My poor sister! where could she be? + +"Again a cry reached my ear. It came from an inner room. It was +Martha, your mother, who had uttered the cry. She was stretched on the +ground, holding you in her arms. Her neck was fearfully wounded, her +life-blood ebbing fast away. + +"I endeavoured to stanch it, telling her meanwhile who I was. + +"`Stephen and I have come at your invitation,' I said. + +"`Heaven, rather, has sent you, to protect my Roger,' she faintly gasped +out, trying to put you in my arms. `His father and brother are dead; I +saw them fall. Hearing voices which I knew to be those of white men, I +cried out, that they might come and protect him. Mark! I am dying. +You will ever be a father to him?' + +"The blood continued to flow; and soon she breathed her last, her head +resting on my arm. Your dress and little hands were stained with her +blood; but you were too young to understand clearly what had happened, +although, as I took you up to carry you from the hut, you cried out +lustily to be taken back to your poor mother. + +"Thinking it possible that the Indians might return, I hurried out to +look for Stephen, so that we might make our escape. I was resolved at +all costs to save your life. I tried to comfort you, at the same time, +by telling you that I was your uncle, and that your mother had wished me +to take care of you. + +"Going on a little way, I found another hut, the door of which was open, +and smoke coming out of it. The savages had thrown in their firebrands +as they quitted the village, and the front part was already on fire. + +"While I was shouting for Stephen he rushed out of the hut, with a +blanket rolled up in his arms, the end thrown over his own head. + +"`I have saved this child, and thank Heaven you are here to take her!' +he exclaimed, unfolding the blanket, and putting a little girl into my +arms. `I must try and preserve the mother;' and again throwing the +blanket over his head, he dashed in through the flames. + +"In another minute he reappeared, struggling along under the heavy +burden of a grown-up person wrapped in the blanket. As he reached me he +sank down, overcome by the smoke, and I noticed that his clothes and +hair were singed. + +"On opening the blanket I saw a young woman, her dress partly burned. +She too was wounded. The fresh air somewhat revived her; and on opening +her eyes and seeing the little girl, she stretched out her arms for her. +`Lilias! my little Lily! she's saved,' she whispered, as she pressed +her lips to the child's brow. `May Heaven reward you!' + +"It was the final effort of exhausted nature, and in a few minutes she +breathed her last. + +"The flames, meantime, had gained the mastery over the building, and we +saw that it was impossible to save it. + +"But it's time to turn in, Roger," said Uncle Mark. "I'll tell you more +about the matter to-morrow." + +As Uncle Mark always meant what he said, I knew that there would be no +use in trying to get him to go on then, eager as I was to hear more of +what had, as may be supposed, so deeply interested me. I accordingly +turned into my bunk, and was soon asleep. + +I dreamed of shrieking Indians and burning villages; and more than once +I started up and listened to the strange unearthly sounds which came +from the depths of the forest. + +These noises, I may here say, were caused by the wolves; for the savage +brutes occasionally came near the settlement, attracted by the sheep and +cattle which the inhabitants had brought with them. A bright look-out +being kept, however, it was seldom that any of our stock was carried +off. Bears also occasionally came into the neighbourhood; and we had +already shot two, whose skins supplied us with winter coats. Our +intention was to kill as many more as we could meet with, that their +skins might serve us for other purposes--especially as coverlets for our +beds. And, besides, their flesh was always a welcome addition to our +larder. + +Next morning we went about our usual work. My uncle with his bright axe +commenced felling the trees round our hut--working away from sunrise to +sunset, with only an hour's intermission for dinner. I aided him, as +far as my strength would allow, for a certain number of hours daily. +But my uncle encouraged me to follow the bent of my inclination, which +was to get away and observe the habits of the creatures dwelling in the +surrounding forest. + +I had been a naturalist from my earliest days. The study had been my +poor father's hobby--so my uncle told me--and I inherited his love for +it. It had, moreover, been developed and encouraged by a visit we had +received, some few years back, from a scientific gentleman, who had come +over to America to make himself acquainted with the feathered tribes, +the quadrupeds, and the reptiles of the New World. + +It had been my delight to accompany this gentleman on his excursions +while he was with us; and I prized a couple of books he had left with me +more than I should have done a lump of gold of the same weight. From +him I learned to preserve and stuff the skins of the birds and animals I +killed; a knowledge which I turned to profitable account, by my uncle's +advice--as they were sent, when opportunity occurred, to the Eastern +States, where they found a ready market. + +"It pays very well in its way, Roger," observed Uncle Mark; "but work is +better. If you can combine the two, I have no objection; but you are +now too old to play, and, for your own sake, you should do your best to +gain your own living. While you were young, I was ready to work for +you; and so I should be now, if you could not work for yourself. I want +you, however, to understand that it is far nobler for a man to labour +for his daily bread, than to allow others to labour for him." + +I fully agreed with Uncle Mark. Indeed, my ambition had long been to +support myself. I had an idea, nevertheless, that the skins I preserved +brought more immediate profit than did the result of his labours with +the axe. But, everything considered, we got on very well together; for +I was grateful to him for the affection and care he had bestowed on me +during my childhood. + +I was hard at work that day preparing a number of birds I had shot in +the morning; and when dinnertime came, Uncle Mark, telling me to +continue my task, said he would get our meal ready. Having quickly +prepared it, he brought out the platters, and set himself down near me. +I washed my hands, and speedily despatched my dinner; after which I +returned to my work. + +"Will you go on with the account you were giving me last night?" I +said, observing that he did not seem inclined to move. "You have more +than half an hour to rest, and I will then come and help you." + +"Where was I? Oh! I remember," said my uncle. "In the middle of the +burning settlement, with you and Lily in my arms. + +"We were wondering what had become of Yearsley, when we caught sight of +him rushing out from amid the burning huts. + +"`They are all killed!--all, all, all!' he shrieked out. `Follow me, +lads;' and he pointed with a significant gesture in the direction he +supposed the Indians had taken. + +"`But these children, Mr Yearsley! You would not have us desert them! +And my brother is too much injured, I fear, to accompany you,' I +observed. + +"He looked at the children for a moment. + +"`You are right,' he answered. `Stay by them; or rather, make your way +back eastward with them. Ignorant as you are of the habits of the +savages, you could aid me but little. If I do not return, the waggon +and its contents, with the team, will be yours.' + +"Before I had time to reply, or to ask him the name of the poor young +woman who lay dead at my feet, he had dashed across the stream, and soon +disappeared amid the forest beyond. He had doubtless discovered the +trail of the Indians, or of the band of settlers who had gone in pursuit +of them; although we at that time were quite unable to perceive what was +visible to his more practised eye. + +"I told Stephen how I had discovered our sister's house; so we agreed to +return to it, and to carry there the body of the poor young woman, that +we might bury it with those of our own family. The hut was one of the +very few which had escaped the flames, and we found some spades and a +pickaxe within. Not knowing how soon we might be interrupted, we at +once set to work and dug two graves under a maple-tree at the further +end of the garden. One was large enough to hold our brother-in-law and +sister, and their boy; and in the other we placed the poor young lady-- +for a lady she appeared to be, judging from her dress, her ear-rings and +brooch, and a ring which she wore on her finger. These trinkets we +removed, in order to preserve them for her little daughter; as also a +miniature which hung round her neck,--that of a handsome young man, who +was doubtless her husband. Stephen told me that the cottage from which +he had rescued her, as far as he had time to take notice, seemed to be +neatly and tastefully furnished. + +"We concluded that her husband, if he had not been killed when the +village was surprised, had followed the savages along with the rest; and +he would be able on his return to identify his child, while we should +know him by his portrait. + +"Before beginning our sad occupation, we had got some water and washed +the stains from your hands and clothes, and left you in a room playing +with little Lily; and on our return we gave you both some food which we +found in the house. By this time, too, you seemed perfectly at home +with us. + +"At first we thought of remaining in the house until Mr Yearsley and +the settlers whom we supposed had gone in pursuit of the savages should +return; but Stephen suggested that this might be dangerous, as we should +not know what was happening outside. The Indians might come back and +surprise us, when we should to a certainty share the fate which had +befallen so many others. We agreed, therefore, that our safest course +would be to make our way back to the waggon, where we had abundance of +provisions, and where we could find shelter for the children who had +been committed to us, we felt sure, by Providence. + +"They were now our chief care. While I took charge of them, Stephen +hurriedly examined the other huts which had escaped destruction; crying +out in case any one should be concealed, in order to let them know that +we were ready to help them. No answer came, however, and we were soon +convinced that every person in the settlement, with the exception of +those who had gone in pursuit of the savages, had been slaughtered. + +"As soon as we were satisfied as to this, we began our retreat, hoping +to get back to the waggon before nightfall. Our intention was to wait +there for Mr Yearsley, as we felt sure that, after he had punished the +Indians, he would come and look for us where he had left the waggon. + +"The sun was setting as we reached the top of the ridge; but we were too +far off to distinguish any one moving in the settlement, although we +made out the smouldering fire, from which thin wreaths of smoke alone +ascended in the calm evening air. On reaching the waggon, we found the +cattle grazing quietly beside it. Having removed some packages, among +which was one of new blankets, we made up beds for the two children; and +after giving them some supper, we placed them, sleeping, side by side. + +"We agreed that one of us should watch while the other slept. We also +resolved that, in the event of our being attacked by Indians, we should +show them fight; for we had a good store of ammunition, and knew well +how to handle our weapons. Although we hoped they would not come, yet +we knew that they might possibly fall upon our trail and discover our +whereabouts. Indeed, had we not thought it our duty to wait for Mr +Yearsley, we should have harnessed the cattle, and endeavoured to make +our way down the mountain in the dark. + +"After we had put you and Lily to bed, and had refreshed ourselves with +some supper, I climbed again to the top of the ridge; but I could see no +object moving in the plain, nor could I hear the slightest sound to +indicate the approach of any one. I therefore returned. + +"While Stephen lay down under the waggon, I kept watch, walking up and +down with my rifle ready in my hand, and resting occasionally by leaning +against the wheel of the waggon. After I had watched thus for about +four hours, I called Stephen, who took my place. + +"I was again on foot by daybreak, and once more climbed to the top of +the ridge to look out. But I had the same report as before to give. +The fire had burned itself out, and I could see no one moving. We +waited all that day--and might have waited for several more, until our +cattle had eaten up the herbage--without being discovered; but Mr +Yearsley did not appear, nor could we see any signs of the other +settlers. + +"We did our best to amuse you and Lily. You asked frequently after your +poor mother; and it went to my heart to tell you that you would never +see her again. + +"Stephen proposed that we should the next morning set out on our journey +eastward; but as I thought it possible that Mr Yearsley would by that +time have got back to the settlement, I undertook to go and search for +him--or to try and find any of the other people, and learn what had +become of him. Stephen agreed to this; undertaking to look after the +children and guard the waggon during my absence. + +"At daybreak I set out, keeping myself concealed, as much as possible, +behind bushes and trunks of trees, until I got back to the scene of the +catastrophe. I listened; but all was still as death. Excepting the two +or three huts around my brother-in-law's abode, the whole ground where +the settlement had stood presented only black heaps of ashes, surrounded +by palings and trunks of trees charred by the flames. I could see no +one moving across the river, either; and the dreadful idea seized me +that the settlers who had gone in pursuit of the foe had been cut off, +and that Mr Yearsley had in all likelihood shared the same fate. Had +it not been for Stephen and the children, I would have watched all day, +in the hope of our friend's return; but I had promised not to be longer +than I could help. + +"I again visited my poor brother-in-law's hut, and packed up such +clothes as I saw belonging to you. I also brought away a few other +articles, to remind us of your mother; for I thought it probable that +the settlement would be revisited by the savages, who would take good +care to finish the work they had begun. I then set off on my return to +the waggon, looking back every now and then, lest I might be followed by +any of the foe. + +"On reaching the waggon, Stephen agreed with me that we might safely +wait till the next morning. We did so; and poor Yearsley not then +appearing, we proceeded with the waggon along the road we had taken in +coming, until we reached Watfield, a large settlement which had then +been established for three or four years. + +"The account we gave of what had happened caused the inhabitants +considerable anxiety and alarm. The men at once flew to arms; stockades +were put up; and sentries were posted at all points, to watch for the +possible approach of the Indians. + +"Stephen and I having now no wish to go further east, we determined to +remain where we were. As for the waggon and team, though we had no +written document to show that Yearsley had given them to us, our +statement was believed; and it was agreed that we should be allowed to +keep them,--especially as we consented to give them up should the +original owner return. But nothing was ever heard of him, or of the +other settlers who had gone in pursuit of the retreating foe; and it was +generally believed that the whole had been surrounded and murdered by +the savages. + +"As we could not spare time to look after the children, one of us agreed +to marry. Stephen therefore fixed upon your Aunt Hannah, who was, he +had discovered, likely to prove a good housewife, and was kind-hearted +and gentle-mannered. A true mother, too, she has ever proved to our +Lily." + +Uncle Mark only spoke the truth when he praised Aunt Hannah; for she had +been like an affectionate mother to me, as well as to Lily, and much I +owed her for the care she had bestowed upon me. + +I need not describe my own early days; indeed, several years passed +without the occurrence of any incidents which would be especially +interesting to others. Gradually the border-village grew into a town, +although even then the country continued in almost its original wild +state within a mile or two of us. Both Lily and I got a fair amount of +schooling; and in the holidays I was able to indulge my taste, by +rambling into the forest and increasing my knowledge of the habits of +its denizens. Occasionally I got leave for Lily to accompany me, +although Aunt Hannah did not much approve of her going so far from home. + +One day I had persuaded our aunt to let her accompany me--Lily herself +was always ready to go--for the sake of collecting some baskets of +berries. "I promise to come back with as many as I can carry, to fill +your jam-pots," said I. There were whortleberries, and thimble-berries, +blue-berries, raspberries, and strawberries, and many others which, I +reminded her, were now in season. "If we do not get them now, the time +will pass. Lily's fingers, too, will pick them quicker than mine, so +that we shall get double as many as I should get by myself," I observed. + +My arguments prevailed, and Lily and I set out, happy as the red-birds +we saw flying in and out among the trees around us. + +We had nearly filled our baskets, and I was on my knees picking some +strawberries which grew on the bank of a small stream running through an +open part of the forest, when Lily, who was at a little distance from +me, shrieked out. I was about to spring to my feet and hurry to her +assistance--supposing that she had been frightened by some animal--when +what was my horror to see, close to me, a huge wolf, with open jaws, +ready to seize me! My stick, the only weapon I carried, lay just within +my reach; so I put out my hand and instinctively grasped it, determined +to fight for my own life and Lily's too--knowing how, if the wolf killed +me, it would next attack her. + +As I moved the creature snarled, but did not advance any nearer. So, +grasping the stick, I sprang to my feet and swung the weapon round with +all my might, despair giving energy to my muscles. The savage creature +retreated a few paces, astonished at the unexpected blow, snarling, and +eyeing me, as if about to make another attack. + +Again Lily shrieked. + +"Run, run!" I cried; "I will tackle the wolf." + +But she did not move; indeed, she saw that the creature was more likely +to come off victor than I was. + +I stood ready to receive the animal, doubtful whether I ought to make +the attack; Lily, in the meantime, continuing to cry aloud for help. +The wolf at length seemed to get tired of waiting for his expected prey, +and giving a fierce howl, he was on the point of springing at me, when a +bullet fired by an unseen hand laid him dead at my feet. + +Lily sprang towards me, exclaiming, "You are safe! you are safe, Roger!" +and then burst into tears. She scarcely seemed to consider how I had +been saved. All she saw was the dead wolf, and that I was unhurt. + +On looking round, I observed an Indian advancing towards us from among +the trees. + +"That must be the man who killed the wolf," I exclaimed. "We must thank +him, Lily." + +Lily had ever a great dread of Indians. "We must run! we must run, +Roger!" she cried. "He may kill us as easily as he did the wolf, or +carry us away prisoners." + +"We cannot escape him, Lily; and I do not think he will hurt us," I +answered in an encouraging tone. "I will go forward and thank him for +saving my life. It will not do to show any fear; and if he is disposed +to be friendly, he would think it ungrateful if we were to run off +without thanking him." + +I took Lily's hand as I spoke, and led her towards the Indian. He was +dressed in skins, with an axe hanging from his belt, and had long black +hair streaming over his shoulders,--unlike most of the Indians I had +seen, who wear it tied up and ornamented with feathers. A small silver +medal hung from his neck, and I guessed from this that he was a friend +to the white men, and had received it as a token for some service he had +rendered them. + +He made a friendly sign as he saw us approach, and put out his hand. + +"We come to thank you for killing the wolf that was about to spring upon +me," I said in English, for though I knew a few words of the Indian +tongue, I could not at that time speak it sufficiently well to express +what I wished to say. + +"Kepenau is glad to have done you a service," he answered in English. +"I heard the young maiden cry out, and guessed that she would not do so +without cause, so I hurried on to help you. But why are you so far from +home? It is dangerous for unarmed people to wander in this forest." + +"We came out to gather berries, and were about to return," said Lily. +"You will not detain us?" + +"Not if you wish to go," answered the Indian. + +"But come with me, and you shall return with something of more value +than these berries." + +I felt sure that the Indian would not injure us, so Lily and I followed +him, hand in hand. + +He moved through the forest faster than we could, and presently stopped +near some rocks, amid which lay the body of a deer with huge antlers. +Placing himself across the carcass of the animal, he exclaimed with a +look of exultation, "See! I have overcome the king of these forests. +Once, thousands of these animals wandered here, but since the white man +has come they have all disappeared; and now that I have slain him, we +must go likewise, and seek for fresh hunting-grounds. Still, Kepenau +bears the Whiteskins no malice. He was ever their friend, and intends +to remain so. You must take some of the meat and present it to your +friends." + +Saying this, he commenced skinning the deer, in which operation I +assisted him. He then cut off several slices, which he wrapped up in +some large leaves and placed in my basket. + +"Take the venison to your mother, and say that Kepenau sends it," he +observed. + +"He has no mother," said Lily. + +"Is he not your brother?" asked the Indian. + +"No!" said Lily. "His mother was killed by the Redskins long, long +ago." + +Lily at that time did not know that her own mother had been murdered +when mine was. + +"You do not bear the red men any malice on that account, I trust?" said +Kepenau, turning to me. + +"The Great Spirit tells us to forgive our enemies; and there are good +and bad Indians." + +"You are a good Indian, I am sure," said Lily, looking up at him with +more confidence in her manner than she had before shown. + +"I wish to become so," he said, smiling. "I have learned to love the +Great Spirit, and wish to obey him. But it is time for you to return +home. Wait until I have secured the flesh of the deer, and then I will +accompany you." + +Kepenau quickly cut up the animal, and fastened the more valuable +portion's to the bough of a tree--out of the reach of the wolves--by +means of some lithe creepers which grew at hand; then loading himself +with as much of the venison as he could conveniently carry, he said, "We +will move on." + +Having accompanied us to the edge of the forest, he bade us farewell. +"Should there be more wolves in the forest, they will not follow you +further than this," he said; "but if they do, remember that it will be +better to sacrifice some of the venison, than to allow them to overtake +you. Throw them a small bit at a time; and as in all likelihood they +will stop to quarrel over it, you will thus have time to escape." + +I remembered the Indian's advice, although we did not need to practise +it on this occasion. + +We reached home before dark, and greatly surprised Aunt Hannah with the +present of venison. She had, she told us, been very anxious at our +prolonged absence. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +GREENFORD SETTLEMENT--THE FLYING SQUIRRELS--MIKE LAFFAN AND TOM QUAMBO-- +THEIR DOGS, YELP AND SNAP--A RACCOON-HUNT--MIKE HAVING SEEN A BEAR, WE +GO IN CHASE--OUR DOGS SCENT BRUIN--QUAMBO IN DANGER--THE BEAR IS KILLED, +AND QUAMBO RELEASED--WE RETURN TO THE HUT--THE LOGGING BEE--UNCLE +STEPHEN'S HOUSE--INDIAN SUMMER--MIKE LAFFAN'S CREMONA--THE NIGHT ATTACK +OF THE WOLVES--WE DETERMINE TO GO LUMBERING FOR THE WINTER--MIKE AND I +GO ON AHEAD--UNCLE MARK IS ATTACKED BY A WOLF--MIKE SAVES HIM, AND WE +PROCEED ONWARDS. + +We had only lately, as I have already said, arrived at our new location. +My uncles had been imbued with the restless spirit of backwoodsmen, and +Aunt Hannah was ready to do whatever Uncle Stephen wished. So, having +grown weary of the life at Watfield, where we had at first been located, +they had resolved, along with several other inhabitants of that place, +to push westward; and after making their way through forests, rivers, +and swamps, and over hills and plains, had formed the new settlement +where Uncle Stephen now was, and which they had named Greenford. + +To the hut where Uncle Mark and I lived no name had been given; but he +expressed his belief that it would one day become the centre of a great +city. "Before that day arrives, however, you and I, Roger, will have +moved far away westward," he observed. + +I used to exercise diligence while I was at work, in order that I might +have more time to attend to the study of natural history. My great +delight was to get away into the forest and observe the habits of its +various inhabitants. Often would I sit on the root of an old tree +watching the playful squirrels at their gambols. When I spied a hole in +which I knew that a family were likely to have taken up their abode, I +would hide myself; and before long I was generally rewarded by seeing a +"papa" squirrel poking out his nose. Soon he would give an inaudible +sniff, sniff, sniff, then out would come his head, and he would look +round to ascertain whether danger was near. Presently I would catch +sight of his thick furry body and lovely brush, the tail curling over +his head. Then another nose would appear, and large shining eyes; and +out another would pop; followed in rapid succession by the whole family. +Then, how delightful it was to watch them frolicking about, darting +round the trunks, sending the bark rattling down as they chased each +other; whisking their tails; darting along the boughs, and bounding +fearlessly from branch to branch. One, reaching the end of a bough, +would spread out its arms and tail, exhibiting the white fur beneath, +and fly down to a lower branch, or to the earth below, followed by its +companions; then away they would go along the logs or swinging vines, +and up another trunk, quick as lightning. Sometimes I would catch them +at their supper, nibbling away at the nuts which they had plucked, or +had dug out of the ground with their sharp little paws. + +A flying squirrel is indeed a beautiful creature. Its colour is a most +delicate grey; the fur thick and short, and as soft as velvet; the eyes +large and full. The membrane by which it is enabled to take its flights +is of a soft texture, and white, like the fur of the chinchilla. The +tail greatly resembles an elegantly-formed broad feather. + +One day, as I was wandering along the banks of a stream, for the purpose +of observing the habits of a family of beavers that had lately made +their abode there, I caught sight of a number of squirrels. They were +evidently about some important operation, since they were moving +steadily along the branches, and refraining from their usual frisking +and playing. Having concealed myself from their view, in order that +they might not be disturbed by my presence, I noticed that they went on +until they reached the branch of a tree overhanging the stream, at the +extreme end of which one, who appeared to be their leader, took post, +looking eagerly up the current. In a short time a small log floated +near, with a tendency to move over to the opposite side. As it came +beneath the leader of the party he dropped down upon it, at the same +time uttering a sharp cry. Quick as lightning some others followed his +example; and by holding on to the lower twigs they arrested its progress +until the whole party were seated on board, when the log was allowed to +float, as they sagaciously knew it would, towards the opposite bank. It +seemed to me as if some of them were steering it with their tails; but +of that I am not positive. In a short time, after floating some way +down the stream it was guided to the shore; when one after the other +leaped off, and quickly running along the boughs of the trees, gained a +point exactly opposite to that from which they had started; after which +they went away into the forest,--bent, I doubted not, on some predatory +expedition. They would soon make their presence known, when they +reached the pumpkin-grounds or maize-fields of the settlers. + +I was not always alone in my rambles through the forest. Lily would +have been only too happy to accompany me, but Aunt Hannah judged it +prudent to keep her at home; and, indeed, she had plenty of occupation +there. My chief companion, therefore, was one of Uncle Stephen's +labourers--an Irishman, Mike Laffan by name. + +Although Mike had no great knowledge of natural history, he was as fond +of searching for animals as I was, and consequently was always ready to +accompany me when he had the chance. He was an honest fellow; a +thorough Patlander in look, manners, language, and ideas. When he +could, he used to press Tom Quambo, an old free negro, into the service; +and Quambo enjoyed the fun as much as Mike did. Each possessed a dog, +of which they were very proud, ugly as the animals were to look at. + +"Den, you see, massa, if Yelp not 'ansome, he know eberyting," Quambo +used to remark. "He braver dan painter [meaning the puma], and run like +greased lightning." + +It was difficult to say whether Yelp or Mike's dog was the ugliest; but +both masters were equally proud of their canine friends. + +I too had a dog, which, if not a beauty, was certainly handsomer than +either of his two acquaintances. He was clever enough in his way, but +more useful in watching the hut than in hunting; indeed, when I went out +by myself for the purpose of observing the habits of the denizens of the +forest, I never took him, knowing that he would only interfere with +their sports. + +On one occasion I had been over to see my Uncle Stephen, and as I was +returning home Mike Laffan met me. + +"Would you loike to be afther looking for a 'coon to-night, Masther +Roger?" he asked. "Quambo says he can come; and Yelp and Snap are +moighty ager for the sport." + +I at once agreed to meet my two friends, accompanied by my dog Pop. + +Accordingly, at the time appointed, the day's work being over, Mike and +Quambo made their appearance at the hut; while running at their heels +were their two dogs, who were soon warmly greeted by Pop. + +Setting out, we took our way along the banks of the river, near which we +fully expected to fall in with several raccoons. We had our guns, and +were provided with torches and the means of lighting them. We had not +gone far before we heard voices, and soon we were joined by three lads +from the settlement, who had got notice of the expedition. As they had +brought their dogs, we had a full pack of mongrels of high and low +degree, but united by one feeling,--that of deadly enmity to raccoons. + +On we went, while the dogs, who had just then scented one of their foes, +yelled in chorus. Over huge logs and rotten trunks, through the brush +and dead trees and briars, we went at full speed; and sometimes wading +across bogs, sometimes climbing up banks, and occasionally tumbling over +on our noses, we continued to make our way at the heels of the dogs, +until old Quambo, waving his torch above his head, and suddenly stopping +short, shouted out, "De 'coon's treed!" + +He had made a mistake, however, for the dogs bayed loudly and continued +their course. + +"Dat a mighty old 'coon," cried Quambo. "He know what he about." + +The raccoon, if it had got up the tree, had come down again, and was +still ahead. Some of the party were almost in despair; but I knew the +habits of the creature too well not to feel sure that we should get it +at last, so I encouraged my friends, while we dashed on as before. + +Yelp and Snap, having kept well ahead of the other dogs, were now heard +baying under a big tree, and no doubt remained that the raccoon had +taken refuge amid its branches. Our difficulty was to get it down. As +the others hesitated to encounter the fierce little animal amid the +boughs, Mike, for the honour of "Old Ireland," offered to make his way +up. Without more ado, then, he got on Quambo's shoulders, sprang to a +branch within his reach, and was soon lost to sight among the foliage. + +"I see him!" he shouted at last; and bits of bark, leaves, and rotten +twigs came rattling down, while the loud whacks of his stick reached our +ears. Presently there was a "flop;" the raccoon had been compelled to +evacuate its stronghold. The dogs once more gave chase; and I, torch in +hand, followed them. In less than a minute I came up with the dogs, and +found the creature at bay, its eyes flashing fire, while it bravely +faced the pack, which, with gnashing growls and savage yells, were about +to dash upon it, though each seemed unwilling to receive the first bite +from its sharp teeth. But, hearing the voices of their masters, they +gained courage, and in another instant had the poor animal struggling +vainly in their midst; while our blows came rattling down, to finish its +sufferings, and prevent them tearing its skin to pieces. + +Such was one of several raccoon-hunts in which I took part. + +The raccoon is about the size of a spaniel, and its colour is a blackish +grey. Its tail is short and bushy, and is marked with five or six +blackish rings on a grey ground. When the animal walks slowly, or sits, +it plants the soles of its feet upon the ground; but when in a hurry it +runs along on the tips of its toes. It hunts for its prey chiefly at +night, when it devours any small animals it can catch. It has no +objection, however, to a vegetable diet; and, indeed, its teeth show +that it is capable of feeding on both descriptions of food. + +I once caught a young raccoon, which soon became domesticated--being +quite as tame as a dog. It possessed, however, a habit of which I could +not cure it; that of seizing any fowls it set eyes on, and biting off +their heads. It having treated two or three of Aunt Hannah's in this +way, I was compelled to carry it into the forest and set it at liberty. +It enjoyed its freedom but a short time, however, as it was soon +afterwards hunted and killed by some of our boys. + +Having got so far from home, our party were not inclined to return +without something in addition to the unfortunate animal we had +slaughtered. Mike, too, announced to us that he had seen a brown bear +at a spot a little further on; so it was at once agreed that we should +"knock up the quarters of Mr Bruin." + +It was necessary to proceed with caution; for though the "musquaw" or +brown bear will seldom attack a human being unless first assaulted, our +friend, if unceremoniously disturbed at night, would probably not be in +a good-humour. Our three well-trained dogs kept at our heels, but the +other curs went yelping away through the forest; nor could their +masters' voices succeed in calling them back. We feared, therefore, +that they would rouse up the bear, and thus give it time to escape +before we could reach its dwelling. + +"Faix, though, I am not sure that the noise outside won't make the old +gentleman keep quiet in his den," observed Mike. "He will be after +saying to his wife, `Sure, what would be the use, Molly, of turning out +to go hunting thim noisy spalpeens of dogs? I'll sit snug and quiet +till they come to the door; and thin, sure, it will be toime enough to +axe thim what they want.'" + +Mike's notion encouraged us to go on; and at length Pop, Snap, and Yelp +gave signs of uneasiness, and showed a decided inclination to rush +forward. + +"Let dem go!" exclaimed Quambo. + +"Off with you!" we cried at once; and the dogs darted on, barking +furiously, until they stopped before the decayed trunk of a huge tree, +round which several smaller trees, once saplings, had grown up--a +well-selected natural fortification. As the light of our torches fell +on it, we fully expected to see Mr Bruin stalk forth and inquire what +we wanted. + +Quambo proposed that we should light a fire in the neighbourhood, so +that, did our enemy appear, we might be better able to attack him and +defend ourselves. We followed the black's advice; but still nothing +appeared. The dogs, however, showed they were convinced that some +animal or other was concealed within the trunk. + +At last, growing impatient, we approached and thrust our long sticks +into the hollow, feeling about in every direction. + +"I am sure that mine has struck something soft!" I exclaimed; and +scarcely had I uttered the words when a low growl reached our ears. A +dark body next appeared for an instant among the stems of the trees +surrounding the hollow trunk, and then out rushed a bear through an +opening which we had not perceived. + +The dogs gave chase, and so did we. Bruin had but a short start; and +although he must have been well acquainted with the locality, we, +scorning all impediments, soon overtook him--the dogs having already +commenced biting at his hind feet. This was too much for his +equanimity, so, suddenly turning round, he struck two or three of them +with his fore paws, sending them sprawling to a distance. As he did so +the glare of our torches dazzled his eyes, and so perplexed him that he +seemed not to know what to do. Of one thing only he must have been +convinced,--that he was in for a fight; and, brave bear as he was, he +sat up on his hind legs and prepared to receive us. + +Mike fired, but only wounded him in the shoulder. This stirred up +Bruin's anger to a pitch of fury, and, with a growl like thunder, he +dashed forward at his opponent. Mike, however, nimbly skipped on one +side, and the bear's eye fell on Quambo, who had lifted his rifle to +fire. But scarcely had he pulled the trigger when the bear was upon +him, and both rolled over together. + +For an instant I thought that the black was killed, but his voice +shouting to us to drag off the bear reassured me; and Mike's +hunting-knife quickly finished the animal, which was struggling in the +agonies of death. Happily, his teeth had only torn Quambo's jacket; and +on our dragging away the dead body the black sprang to his feet. + +"Berry good sport," he observed, shaking himself. "I'se wonder wedder +Mrs Bear not remain behind! and piccaninny bears too, perhaps! We look +as we go by. Howeber, we now make ready dis gen'leman to carry home." +He and Mike then fastened the bear's feet together, and hung the animal +to a long pole, which they cut from a sapling growing near. Then having +placed it on their shoulders, with short pieces at right angles at +either end to prevent it slipping, they announced that they were ready +to set off; so, while they led the way with our prize, we commenced our +homeward journey. + +Whether Mrs Bruin had occupied part of the trunk, we could not +positively ascertain. Quambo expressed his belief that she had been +there, but had taken the opportunity, while we went in chase of her +spouse, to make her escape with her offspring. We possibly might have +found her; but, with her young to defend, she would have proved a +dangerous foe, and, as our torches were almost burnt out, we should have +had to encounter her in the dark. We therefore considered it prudent to +proceed on our way. + +I remained at the hut while the rest of the party went back to the +settlement. Aunt Hannah was well pleased to obtain so valuable a prize; +and she sent us, some weeks afterwards, a smoked bear's ham as our share +of the spoil. + +I can give but a very brief account of the adventures of those days; +indeed, sometimes weeks went by during which I was hard at work without +intermission, either assisting Uncle Mark, or joining in one or other of +the "bees" got up for various purposes--when we went to help others, as +our neighbours, when required, came to help us. + +Sometimes we joined what was called a "logging bee," which I may explain +thus:--When a new hut was to be erected, we and others united to drag +the logs out of the forest, and to hew them into proper lengths to form +the walls of the hut. These are placed, not upright, but horizontally, +one above another. The length of the outside walls is first determined; +whereupon the lowest log is let a little way into the earth, and a +groove is cut on the upper side with a deep notch at each end. The next +log is placed on the top of it, each end being so cut as to dovetail +into the others at right angles; thus one log is placed upon another +until the destined height of the wall is reached. Doors and windows are +afterwards sawed out; and the rafters are fixed on in the usual fashion. +The roof is formed of rough slabs of wood called shingles; the +interstices being filled up with clay. A big iron stove, the flues +running from one end to the other, keeps the hut thoroughly warm in +winter; while the thickness of the walls causes it to be cool in summer. + +Many of the settlers had large houses of this description; but stores, +and buildings where warmth was not of so much consequence, had their +walls merely of planks nailed on to the framework. Uncle Stephen's +house was built of logs raised on a platform above the ground, with +steps leading to it, and a broad verandah in front. It contained a +sitting-room, several bedrooms, and a kitchen; the verandah being +painted a bright green, with stripes of pink, while the window-frames +and doors were yellow. I used to think it a beautiful mansion, but +perhaps that was on account of those who lived within. The abode of +Lily was of necessity, to my mind, charming. + +The autumn of that year was now approaching its close. There is in +North America, at that period of the year, what is called the "Indian +summer." The air is balmy, but fresh, and mere existence to those in +health is delightful; a light gauze-like mist pervades the atmosphere, +preventing the rays of the sun, beaming forth from an unclouded sky, +from proving over-oppressive. Already the forest has assumed its +particoloured tints. The maple has put on a dress of every hue,--of +yellow, red, pink, and green. The leaves of the beeches become of a +golden tinge, and those of the oak appear as if turned into bronze, +while numerous creepers present the richest reds. + +We settlers, however, had but little time in which to admire the +beauties of Nature, for we knew that every day was rapidly bringing us +to the period when all agricultural labour must cease, and the ground +would be covered with a sheet of snow. Not that we were then doomed to +idleness, however, for we had abundance of out-of-door work during the +winter, in felling trees; and, as soon as the snow had hardened, +dragging them over it,--either to form huge heaps, where they could be +burned, or to be placed in the spots where they were required for +putting up buildings or fences. + +Uncle Stephen having engaged some new hands,--who, being fresh from the +"old country," were unwilling, as they were unfit, to go further into +the forest,--allowed Mike and Quambo to come to us. We therefore put up +a room for them next to our own, and which could be heated in winter by +the same stove. We were thus able to get on much more rapidly with our +task of clearing the ground. Mike, indeed, was a great acquisition to +our party; for, besides singing a good Irish song, he had learned to +play the fiddle,--and, of course, he had brought his "Cremona," of which +he was justly proud, along with him. He beguiled the long winter +evenings with many a merry tune, and not unfrequently set old Quambo +dancing. Sometimes we would look in; and we found it great fun to see +Quambo, in the confined space of the cabin, coming the "double +shuffle"--bounding up and down, and whirling round and round, snapping +his fingers and stamping his feet, until the perspiration streamed down +his sooty cheeks. Mike would continue bobbing his head, meanwhile, and +applauding with voice and gesture, though keeping his countenance, and +looking as grave as a judge while listening to the counsel for a +prisoner. + +We had now made an opening which enabled us to see the river from our +hut; and Mike declared that we were getting quite civilised, and were +beginning to look like being in the midst of a great city, barring the +houses, and streets, and people. + +"Sure, they'll be afther coming one of these days," he added. + +"When that happens, it will be time for us to think of moving further +westward," observed Uncle Mark. + +A violent storm, which sent the boughs and leaves flying about our +heads, brought the "Indian summer" to a conclusion, and the frost set in +soon afterwards. + +One evening, after the day's work was over, and supper had been +finished, we were sitting in our hut employed in various occupations +before turning in for the night, when a low howl reached our ears. + +"What is that?" I exclaimed. + +Before Uncle Mark could make answer, the howl was answered by another; +and presently, others joining in, the whole forest reverberated with a +melancholy and spirit-depressing chorus. + +"Wolves!" said Uncle Mark. "The frost has driven them from the high +ground, and they are contemplating a raid on our porkers and cattle. We +must send them to the right-about, or they will become audacious." + +Calling to Mike and Quambo, we put on our coats and sallied forth, armed +with guns and sticks. The moon was shining brightly, so we required no +torches. We made our way over the fallen trunks and rough rocks which +formed the bank of the river, but after a while the howls appeared to +come from a still greater distance than before. + +Uncle Mark now called a halt. "The brutes hear us, and are retreating," +he said. "Keep silence for a few minutes, and maybe we shall catch +sight of them." + +Under his directions I seated myself on the trunk of a tree, while he +and the two men stayed near. Presently I caught sight of a pair of +glaring eyeballs, and soon another wolf came into view. + +"Get your rifles ready," whispered Uncle Mark. "You, Roger, shoot the +one to the left. I will aim at the next. Mike and Quambo, you take two +others. Unless they run off, we may give a good account of the whole +pack." + +As he finished speaking I fired, followed by Uncle Mark and the other +men; and, as the result, four wolves rolled over dead. The rest of +them, however, disappointed us by turning tail and scampering off to a +safe distance, from whence only their howls reached us. Uncle Mark, +however, did not consider it prudent to follow them. Indeed, had they +heard us approaching they would probably have retreated out of shot; for +wolves, though they will follow a fugitive, like other savage animals, +will generally try to escape when pursued. So, having secured the skins +of those we had killed, although they were of no great value, we +returned homewards. + +After this we had alternately rain and frost, with a few fine days, till +the snow came down, and the winter commenced in earnest. But we were +all pretty well inured to it. Indeed, except when the wind blew, we +were in the habit of hewing in the forest with our coats off; and even +then we often found it hot work. + +Mike came back one day from the settlement--where he had been sent for a +few stores and powder and shot--with the information that a party of +lumberers had commenced operations some miles up a river which ran into +the great lake, and that the "boss" had sent a ganger to hire hands, +more of whom were wanted. + +"A few dollars of ready cash would be very acceptable," observed Uncle +Mark. "What say you, Roger? We'll start away, and spend a month or so +with them. We can take Mike with us, while Quambo will look after the +hut, the cattle, and pigs." + +I was ready, of course; and so, as my uncle was a man of action, he +determined to set off the next morning. We were all good skaters; and +although, during the first part of our journey, we should be unable to +make use of our skates, we settled to carry them with us. + +At daybreak, then, we were up, and having taken breakfast, were ready to +start,--our provisions consisting of flour-cakes and cold pork, with a +pot and pannikins. Mike also carried his fiddle hung around his neck. + +"It will help to amuse the gossoons--and maybe put a few dollars in my +pocket," he remarked with a wink. "Bedad! I'll keep their feet going, +when the work is over for the day, and they are afther sharpening their +axes." + +We had but one gun with us, which Mike carried, as we wished to travel +with as little encumbrance as possible. + +But just as we were starting off, Uncle Mark recollected that he had +forgotten to write to Uncle Stephen upon a matter of importance. + +"You, Roger, and Mike, can go on ahead," he said, "while I finish my +letter, which I will leave with Quambo to be forwarded; and I will soon +overtake you." + +As there was now light enough for us to see our way through the forest, +we commenced our tramp. There was no risk of our taking the wrong road, +seeing there was but one--along the course of the stream, which ran into +the larger river; and it was now frozen in such a manner as to afford us +a good highway. Mike was always amusing, and I was glad of his company; +besides which, as we had had a good start of my uncle, I was in hopes +that we might have time to get a shot at something. + +We had accomplished three or four miles, and I had begun to wonder why +Uncle Mark had not overtaken us, as he was a quick walker, and intended +to carry only his axe, and a small skin bag over his shoulder containing +some necessaries. We were looking about us, in the hope of catching +sight of a raccoon or opossum, or some larger game, when a howl, such as +had aroused us one night a short time before, sounded through the +forest. + +"Sure, that comes from a pack of wolves," observed Mike. "But no! I +belave one of the brutes is capable of making that noise. We have heard +the echoes among the trees. I hope that there are not many of them, as +they might take it into their heads to attack us, and that would not be +pleasant." + +We went on, however, troubling ourselves very little about the wolf, for +I felt sure that there was only one, or a couple at the most. The +stream, as we proceeded, became wider, running round the foot of some +hills, with larches scattered on either side, their boughs bent down by +the snow which had frozen hard on them. The sky had become cloudy by +this time, too, and there was every appearance of a fresh fall. + +"Surely Uncle Mark will be up with us soon, Mike!" I observed. + +But scarcely had I spoken when I heard my uncle shouting to us. He was +in the middle of the frozen stream, and was hurrying towards us, axe in +hand. He had good reason to keep it there, for just then we saw a huge +wolf rush out from behind a clump of trees close at hand. He stopped to +receive his assailant, which, probably well nigh famished, seemed bent +on his destruction. + +Mike, without saying a word, had unslung the gun and dropped on his +knee, for there was not a moment to be lost. In another instant the +fierce wolf would have sprung at my uncle's throat, and might have taken +his life; or, at all events, have severely injured him, and that before +we could get near enough to render him any assistance. It all depended +on Mike's steady aim, therefore; and although I was a good shot, still I +was thankful that he had the gun. + +He fired; and the brute, the moment that it was making its spring, fell +over, snarling and hissing, with its shoulder broken. A blow on the +head from my uncle's axe finished its existence. + +"You have rendered me good service, Laffan," said my uncle, when we got +up to him. "Had you not taken steady aim, that brute's fangs would have +been at my throat in another moment." + +"Faix, thin, Mr Mark, it is only what I would have wished to be done," +answered Mike. "And if you ever catch sight of a bear about to give me +a hug, or such a brute as this at my heels,"--and he gave the dead wolf +a kick--"you will be afther shooting him, sure enough!" + +"Well, Mike, we shall then be quits. In the meantime I am your debtor," +answered my uncle, laughing. Notwithstanding the danger he had been in, +he was quite unmoved. His cheek had not lost its ruddy glow, nor did a +limb tremble. + +We quickly skinned the wolf, and hung the hide up to the branch of a +tree a little way from the bank, where it would be concealed from any +passers-by. We did not wish to encumber ourselves with it in the +meantime, and we hoped to find it on our return. We were not likely to +forget the spot, any more than those boys in the "old country" would do, +who, as I have heard, are taken to certain landmarks and whipped, in +order that they may afterwards bear them duly in mind. + +We were thankful that the wolf which had attacked my uncle was alone, as +it would have been unpleasant to find ourselves followed by a howling +pack; and we now regretted that we had not all of us brought our guns. + +Trudging on some miles further, we came upon a part of the river which +had not been frozen over until after the snow fell. Here, the ice being +clear, we put on our skates, and glided merrily along towards the spot +where we understood the lumberers were at work. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +A TERRIFIC SNOWSTORM--KEPENAU'S TIMELY APPEARANCE--WE VISIT KEPENAU'S +CAMP--HIS HOSPITALITY--AN INDIAN'S DREAD OF THE "FIRE WATER"--WE BID +ADIEU TO OUR INDIAN FRIENDS--OUR ARRIVAL AT THE LOGGING ENCAMPMENT-- +JACQUES MICHAUD TAKES A FANCY TO MIKE--JACQUES' RAFT STORY--MY UNCLE AND +I START ON OUR RETURN--WE ARE ATTACKED BY A FIERCE PACK OF WOLVES, AND +ARE SAVED BY KEPENAU AND HIS MEN--MIKE LAFFAN IN A DIFFICULTY--WE RESCUE +HIM--ASHATEA, KEPENAU'S DAUGHTER--MY VISIT TO LILY--MR. AND MRS. +CLAXTON--DORA AND REUBEN--REUBEN VISITS OUR HUT--THE MARTEN AND +PORCUPINE--AN OPOSSUM-HUNT. + +The snow had for some time been falling lightly, but the wind which had +arisen blew it off the ice, and thus it did not impede our progress; but +that same wind, which was now by a turn of the river brought directly +ahead of us, soon increased in strength, and drove the particles of +snow, sharp as needles, into our faces. Indeed, the cold every instant +became more intense, while the snow fell more thickly. + +"Faix, and it's moighty loike a shower of penknives, mixed with needles +and pins!" cried Mike. "It's a hard matther to keep the eyes open. +What will we be afther doing, Mr Mark, if it gets worse?" + +"We'll go on till it does get worse," said Uncle Mark. "It would not do +to turn back now." + +Mike said no more, but, bending down his head, worked away manfully with +might and main. + +I did my best to keep up, but I may say that seldom have I endured such +suffering. At last I felt that I could stand it no longer; so I +proposed to my uncle that we should make for the shore, and there build +a hut, light a fire, and wait till the storm was over. + +He was, however, bent upon going on. "We should be half-frozen before +we could get up a wigwam," he answered. + +Just then I heard a voice hailing us in gruff tones, and I guessed it +was that of an Indian; but we had no reason to dread the Indians of +these parts. As we looked about to see from whence it proceeded, I +caught sight of the tops of two or three wigwams just peeping out from a +cedar-bush at a little distance from the shore. + +"Friends, come here!" exclaimed some one, and we observed an Indian +making towards us; whereupon we turned round and skated up to him. + +"Ah, friends! I know you," he said. "You cannot face the storm, which +will soon blow stronger still. Come to my wigwam, where you shall have +shelter till it has passed by." + +As he spoke I recognised my old friend Kepenau, whom I had not seen +since we had come to our present location. I had so grown, too, that he +did not at first recognise me. + +Having taken off our skates, we followed him to his camp, where he +introduced us to several other Indians and their squaws, among whom were +a number of children of all ages. + +The thick cedar-bushes sheltered the spot completely from the wind, and +the fire which burned in the centre afforded us a welcome warmth; for, +in spite of the exercise we had gone through, our blood was chilled by +the piercing snowstorm. The Indians were dressed partly in skins, and +partly in garments made of blankets, received from the white men; most +of the squaws wore a large blanket over their heads, forming a cloak in +which they were shrouded. The wigwams were constructed of long thin +poles, fastened at the top, and spread out in a conical form, the whole +being covered thickly with slabs of birch-bark. + +Our red-skinned hosts put us at once at our ease; and I asked Kepenau +how he came to be in that part of the country. + +"The white men compelled us to move westward," he answered. "They have +planted on our lands, and shot the game on which we subsisted; and +though I should have been content to remain among them and adopt their +customs, yet my people wished to live as our fathers have lived; and I +would not desert them. My desire is to instruct them in the truths I +have myself learned; and it is only by dwelling with them, and showing +them that I love them, that I can hope to do that." + +We had much interesting conversation with Kepenau, and I was surprised +at the amount of information on religious subjects which he possessed; +indeed. I confess that he put us all to shame. + +Uncle Mark looked grave, and sighed. "I used once to read my Bible, and +listen gladly to God's Word read and preached, when I lived with my good +father and mother in the `old country,' though I have sadly neglected it +since I came out here," he said; "but I will do so no longer. You have +reminded me of my duty, friend Kepenau." + +"What you say makes me glad. Keep to your resolve, for you cannot do +God's will without reading his Word, to know what that will is," +remarked Kepenau. + +Our host gave up one of the wigwams for our special use, in the centre +of which a fire burned, prevented from spreading by a circle of stones. +The ground around the sides was covered with thick rushes which served +as our beds, and we lay with our feet towards the fire. Severe as was +the cold outside, and thin as appeared the walls, the heat from the fire +kept us thoroughly warm; and I never slept more soundly in my life, for, +although our hosts were Redskins, we felt as secure as in our own hut. +Notwithstanding that the storm raged without, the wigwams were so well +protected by the cedar-bushes that the fierce wind failed to reach us. + +In the morning, when we came out of our wigwam we found that the squaws +had prepared breakfast; which consisted of dried venison, cakes made +from Indian corn, and fish which had been caught before the frost set +in, and had remained hard-frozen ever since. + +"You can now continue your journey, for the storm has ceased; and may +the Great Spirit protect you!" observed Kepenau, looking up at the sky, +across which the clouds were now scarcely moving. + +Uncle Mark inquired why he did not bring his camp nearer the settlement. + +"I will tell you," answered Kepenau. "Though I have been ever friendly +with the white men, and value the advantages to be obtained from them, +there is one thing for which I fear them,--their accursed `fire water.' +Already it has slain thousands of my people, or reduced them to a state +lower than the brutes which perish; and I know not whether my young men +would resist the temptation were it placed in their way." + +"But all the white men do not sell the `fire water' of which you speak," +observed Uncle Mark. "I have none in my hut." + +"But while one among you possesses the poison, and is ready to barter it +with my people, the harm may be done," answered Kepenau. "Until I am +sure that none of the `fire water' exists in your settlement, I will not +allow my people to come near it." + +"I am afraid, then, that you will fail to civilise them, as you desire," +observed Uncle Mark. + +"Do you call it civilising them, to teach them the vices of the white +men?" exclaimed the Indian in a tone of scorn. "If so, then I would +rather that they remained savages, as you call them, than obtain +knowledge at such a price." + +"I believe that you are right," answered Uncle Mark, as we bade our host +and his family good-bye; "and I have learned more than one lesson from +you." + +Kepenau accompanied us to the bank of the river; where we put on our +skates, and continued our course without interruption till we caught +sight of several thin wreaths of smoke above the tops of the trees. + +"Sure, that smoke must come from the lumberers' fires," observed Mike. + +"Such is probably the case; but it is just possible that it may proceed +from a camp of Indians, who might not be so friendly as those we left +this morning," said my uncle. + +Still we were not to be stopped, and on we skated. Even should we meet +enemies, we had not much cause to fear them, unless they possessed +firearms. On we went, I say, gliding along at the rate of ten or twelve +miles an hour; and as I had never before had an opportunity of +performing so great a distance, I enjoyed it amazingly. + +As we advanced we caught sight of numerous logs of timber hauled out +into the middle of the stream. Shortly afterwards the sound of voices +reached our ears, and we saw a number of men scattered about--some +engaged, with gleaming axes, in felling trees; others with horses +dragging the trunks, placed on sleighs, over the hard snow on to the +ice. They were there arranged alongside each other, and bound together +so as to form numerous small rafts. Here they would remain until the +giving way of the frost; when, on the disappearance of the ice, they +would be floated down towards the mouth of the river and towed across +the lake to the various saw-mills on its banks. + +We were glad to be welcomed by the "boss;" who at once engaged Uncle +Mark and Mike to hew, while I was to undertake the less onerous task of +driving a team. + +The shores of the river had been already pretty well cleared of large +timber, so that I had to bring the trunks from some distance. + +Uncle Mark and Laffan soon showed that they were well practised axemen. + +Our companions were to spend some months engaged in the occupation I +have described; till the return of spring, in fact, when, the rafts +being put together, they would descend the river till rapids or +cataracts were reached. The rafts would then be separated, and each log +of timber, or two or three together at most, would be allowed to make +their way as they best could down the fall, till they reached calm water +at the foot of it; when they would be again put together, and navigated +by the raftsmen guiding them with long poles. In some places, where +rough rocks exist in the rapids by which the timber might be injured, +slides had been formed. These slides are channels, or rather canals, as +they are open at the top; and are constructed of thick boards--just as +much water being allowed to rush down them as will drive on the logs. +Some of these slides are two hundred feet long; others reach even to the +length of seven hundred feet. The timbers are placed on cribs,--which +are frames to fit the slides,--then, with a couple of men on them to +guide their course, when they get through they shoot away at a furious +rate down the inclined plane, and without the slightest risk of injury. + +When evening approached we all assembled in a huge shanty, which had +been built under the shelter of the thick bush. Round it were arranged +rows of bunks, with the cooking-stove in the centre, which was kept +burning at all hours, and served thoroughly to warm our abode. On each +side of the stove were tables, with benches round them. Here we took +our meals; which, although sufficient, were not too delicate,--salt pork +being the chief dish. Rough as were the men, too, they were tolerably +well-behaved; but quarrels occasionally took place, as might have been +expected among such a motley crowd. + +On the first evening of our arrival Mike's fiddle attracted universal +attention, and he was, of course, asked to play a tune. + +"Why thin, sure, I will play one with all the pleasure in life," he +answered. "And, sure, some of you gintlemen will be afther loiking to +take a dance;" and without more ado he seated himself on the top of a +bench at the further end of the shanty, and began to scrape away with +might and main, nodding his head and kicking his heels to keep time. +The effect was electrical. The tables were quickly removed to the sides +of the shanty; and every man, from the "boss" downwards, began shuffling +away, circling round his neighbour, leaping from the ground, and +shrieking at the top of his voice. + +When Mike's fiddle was not going, our lumbering companions were wont to +spin long yarns, as we sat at the supper-table. Several of them had +worked up the northern rivers of Canada, where the winter lasts much +longer than it does in the district I am describing; and among these was +a fine old French Canadian, Jacques Michaud by name, who had come south +with a party, tempted by the prospect of obtaining a pocketful of +dollars. He stood six feet two inches in his stockings; and his +strength was in proportion to his size. At the same time, he was one of +the most good-natured and kind-hearted men I ever met. + +Among our party were several rough characters; and it happened that one +evening two of them fell out. They were about to draw their knives, +when Jacques seized each of them in his vice-like grasp, and, holding +them at arm's-length, gradually lifted them off the ground. There he +kept them; mildly expostulating,--now smiling at one, and now at the +other,--till they had consented to settle their dispute amicably; he +then set them on their legs again, and made them shake hands. + +This man took a great fancy to Mike. "Ah, I do wish all your countrymen +were like you," he observed, smiling benignantly on him; "but they are +generally very different, especially when they get the grog on board: +then they often lose their lives,--and all their own fault, too. + +"I had come down the Ottawa with several rafts, some two hundred miles +or more. My own raft was manned by Canadians,--steady boys, who stuck +to our laws, whatever they do to those of other people, and kept sober +till they brought their raft safe into dock. Another raft was manned +chiefly by Irishmen,--who, although I warned them, would indulge in +strong drink. We were nearing the Chaudiere Falls, and I had brought my +raft safe to shore, where it was taken to pieces, so that the logs might +be sent down the slide. I had gone on to a point where I could watch +this being done, when I heard loud cries; and on looking up the river I +saw that part of another raft, with four men on it, had got adrift, and, +to my horror, was hurrying towards the most dangerous part of the +rapids. I saw at once that in a few moments it must be dashed to +pieces, and, as I thought, the fate of the four unfortunates on it was +surely sealed. + +"On it hurried, whirling round and round amid the foaming waters. The +next instant dashing against the rocks, it separated into as many +fragments as there were timbers, each of which was whirled down towards +the falls. Three of the poor wretches soon disappeared among the +tossing waves; but the fourth clung to the end of a piece of timber with +the grasp of despair--to that end which reached nearly to the edge of +the cataract. A fearful position! Still, the Irishman held on. I was +almost sure that the next moment would be his last; but just then the +current turned the log, so that the opposite end pointed to the fall. +On it went, with even greater rapidity than at first; then balancing for +an instant on the brink, the end to which he held was lifted up high in +the air, and he was sent from it as from a catapult, far out into the +calm water below the caldron! I never expected again to see him, but he +rose uninjured to the surface; and being a good swimmer, struck out +boldly till he was picked up by one of several canoes which put off +instantly to his assistance. Tim Nolan, I have a notion, was the first +man who ever came over those terrific falls and lived; and I would not +advise any of you young fellows to try the experiment, for, in my +opinion, he is the last who will ever do so and escape destruction." + +Such was one of the many anecdotes I heard from the lips of old Jacques +and our other associates. + +I was not sorry when, after some weeks, Uncle Mark told me that he had +made up his mind to return home. Mike had agreed to finish a job which +would occupy him a day or so longer; but as Uncle Mark was anxious to be +off, it was settled that he and I should start together, leaving the +rifle with Mike, as he would have to come on alone. We believed that no +animals were likely at that season to attack two people; besides, Uncle +Mark had purchased a pair of pistols from Jacques Michaud, which he +considered would be sufficient for our defence. Accordingly, pocketing +our dollars and slinging our wolf-skin knapsacks over our backs, we put +on our skates and commenced our journey. + +We got on famously, for the air was calm, although the cold was intense. +We found our friend Kepenau, too, encamped where we had left him; and +stopping for a short time, we took our mid-day meal with him. As we had +made such good progress during the morning, we hoped to reach the hut +before midnight, for the moon was up, and we could not miss our way. +Uncle Mark was in good spirits, well satisfied with the result of our +expedition, and we laughed and chatted as we glided over the smooth ice. + +"We must not forget our wolf-skin," I observed. "We shall get up to the +spot before daylight is over, and I would rather carry it on my back +than leave it behind." + +"I shall not let you do that," answered my uncle. "It will weigh less +on my shoulders than on yours." + +We were approaching a part of the river where, the ice having formed +before the snow fell, we should be compelled to take off our skates and +travel on foot. I had just remarked that I supposed the wolves had gone +off to some other district, where game was more abundant than with us, +when a howl reached our ears, coming down the stream, from the very +direction in which we were going. Another and another followed. +Presently we heard the full chorus of a whole pack, and soon we caught +sight of numerous dark spots on the white snow in the distance. + +Uncle Mark watched them for an instant or two. "We must beat a retreat, +Roger, or the brutes will be upon us. We cannot hope to fight our way +through them. Off we go!" and turning round, we skated away for dear +life in the direction from whence we had come. + +We hoped soon to distance the savage creatures; in which case, losing +sight and scent of us, they might turn off into the forest and leave the +road clear. As we went on, however, we heard their cries becoming more +and more distinct; and casting a glance over our shoulders, we saw, to +our horror, that they had already gained considerably on us; for with +their light bodies they ran very quickly over the hard-frozen snow. + +Forward we dashed, faster than I had ever skated before; but nearer and +nearer grew those terrible sounds. When once, however, the wolves +reached the smooth ice, they were no longer able to run so fast as +before; still, they gradually gained on us, and we felt sure that ere +long they must be at our heels, as they were not now likely to give up +the chase. + +"Never give up while life remains! Keep on, keep on, Roger!" cried +Uncle Mark. "My pistols will do for two of their leaders; our sticks +must knock over some of the others; and we must hope that the rest of +the pack will stop to devour their carcasses." + +It might have been a quarter of an hour after this, although the time +appeared longer, when, looking round, I saw a dozen wolves at least +within twenty yards of us. + +"We must try a dodge I have heard of," said Uncle Mark. "When they get +near us we must wheel rapidly round, and as they cannot turn on the ice +so fast as we can, we shall gain on them." + +We waited until the wolves were almost up to us, then we followed the +proposed plan. The brutes, after rushing on a short distance, tried to +turn also. In doing so, those behind tumbled over their leaders, and we +skated on as before. We did this several times, until the cunning +wolves, perceiving our object, instead of turning kept straight forward. +Uncle Mark now drew one of his pistols, and as he skated round shot the +leading wolf. It rolled over dead. The next he treated in the same +manner. We then brought our sticks down on the heads of several others. + +As we had expected, their followers instantly began tearing away at the +dead bodies, and this enabled us to get some distance ahead of them. I +was in hopes that they would be content with this feast, and allow us to +proceed unmolested; but before long our ears were again saluted with +their abominable howls, and we saw the survivors of the pack coming +along in full chase. + +As we skated on Uncle Mark deliberately reloaded his pistols, observing, +"We shall have to play the same game over again, and I hope we shall +play it as well." + +The wolves, however, seemed resolved not to let us escape. They nearly +overtook us; and though we turned, skating away now to the right and now +to the left bank of the river, they declined imitating our example. + +"Our best chance is to keep straight on," said Uncle Mark. "Don't give +in, whatever you do. Our legs are as strong as theirs, and they will +begin to get tired at last." + +I was not so sure of that till, looking back for a moment, I saw that +the pack was drawn out into a long line, showing that some, at all +events--probably the younger animals--were losing wind. If, however, +only one brute had succeeded in catching hold of our legs, it would have +been all up with us. + +Fearfully depressing indeed were their howls; as they sounded close +behind us, they almost took the life out of me. Two of the largest of +the brutes were not five yards from us, and I was already beginning to +feel as if their sharp fangs were fixed in the calves of my legs, when I +saw several figures in the distance, and faint shouts were borne on the +breeze towards us. + +"Courage, Roger! courage!" cried Uncle Mark. "Put forth all your +strength, and we shall be saved. Those are friends." + +As we moved on we perceived Kepenau and a number of Indians rushing +towards us, flourishing sticks, and shouting at the top of their voices. +Kepenau himself, and three others, were armed with rifles. + +"Turn on one side," he shouted, "and let us aim at the wolves." + +We followed his advice; when four rifle-shots sent over as many of the +howling brutes. The rest, frightened by the shouts of the Indians as +much probably as by the death of their companions, turned off on one +side, and allowed us to escape. Instead, however, of going back, they +continued their course down the river. Probably they had been bound in +that direction when they first winded us. + +We were saved; but so overcome were we by our long-continued violent +exertions, that, had not our Indian friends caught us in their arms, we +should have sunk exhausted on the ice. Taking off our skates, they +supported us between their arms to their camp. Here, seated on mats, +with our feet before the fire, we were kindly tended by the squaws, who +rubbed our ankles and legs, and bathed our feet in water. Some warm +broth--we did not examine too minutely the ingredients--quickly restored +us; and we were able to give an account of our adventure. + +It was now too late to think of continuing our journey that night, so +the Indians pressed us to remain with them till the next morning; +promising to ascertain the direction taken by the pack of wolves, so +that we might not run the risk of again falling in with the hungry +brutes. + +Kepenau would not allow us to use our own provisions,--observing that we +might want them the next day,--and he insisted on supplying us with +everything needful. + +We slept soundly, but when I tried to get up next morning I felt little +able to continue the journey. I did not so much feel the effects of the +exercise as of the anxiety I had so long endured. Even Uncle Mark was +very stiff, and seemed inclined to enjoy a longer rest. + +The Indians told us that during the night the wolves had come back; +probably to devour the carcasses of their slain companions. It was +thought probable that they had returned up the river. One of the men +went out to ascertain this, and on coming back told us that the first +surmise was correct--that the pack had indeed gone up the river, but +that it had afterwards gone down again, as was evident from the bloody +marks left by their feet. + +Suddenly my uncle exclaimed: "By-the-by, Mike will be on his way home +some time to-day; and if so, it is more than possible that he may fall +in with the wolves! Though he has a gun, it will go hard with him +should they follow his trail." + +My uncle accordingly expressed his fears to Kepenau. + +"Then we must set out to meet your white friend," said the Indian; "for +should he be coming over the ice to-day, the wolves are certain to espy +him." + +Mike had told me that he would visit our Indian friends on the way, and +spend the night with them, should he start too late to perform the whole +distance in one day. The recollection of this increased my apprehension +for his safety. + +Kepenau said that he and four of the best-armed of his people would set +out early in the afternoon to look for our friend. Of course, we +insisted on accompanying them; and being pretty well rested, we started +at the hour proposed. We put on our skates, but the Indians kept pace +with us by running. + +We went on and on, but no sign could we see of Mike. It was already +getting dusk when Kepenau stopped and examined the ice. + +"A man has passed this way," he said, "and has turned off to the right." + +Telling one of his people to follow up the trail, he proceeded onwards, +narrowly scrutinising the ice. + +"It is as I thought," he observed; "he was coming along on foot when he +saw a pack of wolves following him, and instead of continuing on the ice +he made his way for the shore, to try and reach a tree into which he +could climb--the wisest thing he could do." + +Having made this remark, he led the way in the direction the other +Indian had taken. He soon overtook him; but as darkness was increasing +we had to proceed slowly, so as not to lose the trail, which I was +utterly unable to perceive. The banks here were of a low, marshy +nature, so that there were few trees about up which the fugitive could +have escaped. I did not confidently expect to meet Mike on this +occasion, for he, I thought, would have come along on his skates, +whereas this person, the Indian said, was on foot. + +We had not gone far when Kepenau stopped. "That is the howl of wolves," +he observed; "but it is accompanied by a curious sound, and they are not +howling in their usual fashion." + +Advancing further, I could clearly distinguish the howling of the +wolves, accompanied by another sound. + +"Why, as I am alive, those are the tones of Mike Laffan's fiddle!" +exclaimed Uncle Mark. "He is safe, at all events--that is one comfort; +but it is a curious place to be playing in." + +Kepenau now told us that the path we were following would lead us to the +ruins of an old fort, erected by the early French settlers, and that he +had little doubt our friend had found his way to it for refuge from the +wolves; but they had followed him, and were certainly not far off. + +We hurried on, and as the sounds of the fiddle became more distinct, the +full moon rose from behind a dark mass which proved to be a ruined wall +of the building; and immediately afterwards, directly in front of us, we +discovered Mike Laffan seated on one of the time-worn and rickety beams +which had once formed part of the fort. There he was, bow in hand, +fiddling with might and main; while below him were a whole pack of +wolves, their mouths open, singing an inharmonious chorus to his music. +So entranced were they, that the brutes actually did not discover us; +nor, so far as we could see, were they making any attempt to reach Mike. + +At a sign from Kepenau we stopped; but Mike, though he had perceived us, +went on fiddling. Presently he changed the tune to one of extraordinary +rapidity: this evidently astonished his vulpine audience, which began to +leap about. Suddenly he exclaimed, "Now! shout, friends, shout! and we +shall put the spalpeens of wolves to flight." As we raised our voices +he made his instrument produce the most fearful shrieks and cries, while +he uttered at the same time a true Irish howl. + +Mike's plan had the desired effect. The wolves, bewildered by the +strange sounds, were seized with terror, and off they scampered like a +pack of curs, howling and biting at each other as they rushed along +towards the forest, in which they soon disappeared. + +Mike on this jumped down from his perch, laughing heartily, and thanked +us all for having come to his assistance. Of course, our opportune +appearance had very much astonished him; but we soon explained matters, +and expressed our hope that he was none the worse for his adventure. + +"Sorra a bit," he answered, "except that I am mighty cowld, sitting up +there among the snow for so long; but I'll soon be afther warming my +limbs." + +Saying this he set off with us, and at a rapid rate we retraced our +steps to the Indian camp. We were all glad enough to turn in; and next +morning our friends, after examining the country around, assured us that +the wolves were not likely to follow our footsteps. + +My uncle had taken a great liking to Kepenau, and invited him to come +and pitch his camp near us; promising to supply him with powder and +shot, and also to assist him in trading with the white men so that no +risk might be run of whisky being given in exchange for game and furs. +Kepenau said he would think about the matter. + +One of the young squaws who happened to be present was his daughter. On +hearing of the invitation, she begged her father to accept it. She was +far superior to the other Indian women in appearance; and although not +so old as Lily, she was taller than any of them. Her complexion was of +the lightest olive, through which rich colour could be seen on her +cheeks. She was, indeed, fairer than many Europeans. Her figure was +extremely graceful, too. I did not, however, observe this when I first +saw her, for she was then dressed in her thick blanket robe. Her name +was Ashatea, or "White Poplar;" a very suitable name, as I thought. She +had seen Lily, I found, two or three times, before they had moved +westward; and she longed, she told me, to meet her again, and begged +that I would tell Lily so when I returned home. It was this that made +her so anxious that her father and his tribe should come and camp near +us. + +Before we started, Kepenau had almost promised to come, though he would +not bind himself to do so. "Circumstances might change," he observed. +"He was well located where his camp was pitched, and it was trying work +to change quarters at that season of the year." + +Ashatea accompanied us, with her people, down to the ice. "Do not +forget," she said, "my message to your sister Lily." + +"You may trust me," I answered, making her a bow--for I felt that she +was a lady, although an Indian squaw; then off we set, hoping this time +to reach home before nightfall. Having completely recovered from our +fatigue, we got on famously. Mike did not forget to secure the +wolf-skin; and just as the sun sank behind the trees, we were saluted by +the sharp, joyous barking of Snap, Yelp, and Pop, and by the gruffer +tones of Quambo, who rushed out of the hut to welcome us home. + +We had plenty of work to do after we returned home, but I managed to +make a run over to the settlement to pay a visit to my uncle and aunt +and Lily. I did not fail to give her Ashatea's message; and she was +much pleased to hear of her. + +"I do hope they will come into our neighbourhood; I should be so glad to +see her again," said Lily. "Ashatea promised to take me out in her +canoe; for, you know, she is as expert as any of the men in paddling +one. She wished to show me how the Indians catch fish. And then she +said that when the rice was ripe we should go to the rice-lake to +collect it. I hope that Aunt Hannah won't object. It would be very +interesting; and there could be no possible danger, as all the Indians +in this part of the country are friendly. But, to tell you the truth, +Roger, I am quite jealous of you, as you are now able to go out into the +forest by yourself, and meet with all sorts of adventures; whilst I, +alas! am compelled to stay at home, with no other amusement than +occasionally a `sewing' or an `apple bee.'" + +I, of course, sympathised with Lily, and said that I wished Aunt Hannah +would let her come out with me, and that I should take very great care +of her. + +"I am afraid that she thinks we are now too old to run about together as +we used to do, when you were a boy and I was a girl," she answered. + +"I wish, then, that we were young again!" I exclaimed; "although I +should not then be able to take as much care of you as I can now. I +would sooner die, Lily, than allow any harm to happen to you." + +"That I am sure you would, Roger," she said; "and I should not be afraid +to trust myself with you anywhere." + +We were not very old even then, I should remark: but I was feeling +myself a man, and was ready to do all sorts of manly things. + +"By-the-by," observed Lily, "we have become intimate with a family among +the settlers who arrived last fall,--Mr and Mrs Claxton, and Dora +their daughter, a very nice girl of my age, and a great friend of mine. +Dora has a brother called Reuben, and I think you will like him. +Although he is younger than you are, he seems to be a fine fellow, and +has your taste for natural history and sporting." + +"I shall be very glad to meet with him; but I have not time to look him +up now, as I must get back to the hut. But you may tell him about me; +and say that, if he will come over, I shall be happy to take him out +into the forest, where we can have a hunt together." + +Although I had said that I must go immediately, I lingered for some time +with Lily, for I never was in a hurry to leave her. It was consequently +quite dark before I got half-way to the hut; still, I knew the path-- +indeed, there was only one. The snow, however, thickly covered the +ground, and I had to guide myself by feeling the scores on the trunks of +the trees. Had every tree been thus marked, there would have been no +great difficulty; but, of course, they were scored only at intervals, +and sometimes I was uncertain whether I had not somehow got out of the +direct line. I knew that, did I once go wrong, it would be a hard +matter, if not impossible, to find my way back again. There might be +wolves prowling about, too; or I might by chance find myself in the +grasp of a hungry bear, bent on a visit to the hog-pens in the +settlement. Intending to return early, I had left without my gun--an +act of folly I resolved not to repeat. Should I lose myself, I should +have no means of making a signal, and I might very possibly be frozen to +death before the morning. + +I had gone some distance without finding a score, and I began to fear +that I really had lost myself; but it would not do to stand still, so I +walked on; and greatly to my relief, as I touched tree after tree, I at +length felt a scored one, and knew that I was in the right direction. +Presently a light appeared ahead. I ran towards it, shouting at the top +of my voice. A welcome halloo came from Mike, who was standing, with a +pine torch in his hand, at the door of the hut. + +Two days after this, a tall lad, of fair complexion, made his appearance +at the hut, gun in hand, and introduced himself as Reuben Claxton. +"Miss Lily, who is a great friend of my sister Dora, told me that you +would be glad to see me; and so I have come, and I should much like to +have a hunt with you in the forest," he said abruptly. + +It was his way, I found. He always went directly to the point, whether +in talking or in doing anything: and I liked him the better for that. + +Uncle Mark invited him to stay with us. + +"I said that I would if you asked me, so they will not be expecting me +at home again," he answered. + +In ten minutes we were on as friendly terms as if we had known each +other all our lives. Next day we started with our guns, accompanied by +Mike and Quambo, and our three dogs. The sky was bright, the air calm, +and, except for the snow and the leafless trees, we might have supposed +ourselves to have been in the middle of summer. + +We had not gone far when we caught sight of an animal making its way +along the trunk of a fallen tree. I soon recognised it to be a marten, +and was just going to fire, when I perceived another creature coming out +of a hole hard by. The former animal was evidently bent on attacking +the latter. The marten immediately stopped, and carefully eyed the +hermit, the character of which I could not at first make out on account +of the distance it was from us. Quambo would probably have known, but +he and Mike were some way behind us. Of the marten I had no doubt; I +recognised it by its agile and graceful movements, by its length, which +was about a foot and a half, with a bushy tail somewhat under a foot +long, and by its dark tawny coat and white throat, its pointed muzzle, +and bright and lively eyes. We stopped to watch what would take place, +keeping back the dogs, which were about to rush forward and seize the +animals. + +The marten soon made up its mind to assault its opponent, which, instead +of retreating into its hole, came boldly forward and ascended the fallen +trunk. I at once saw that it was an "urson," or porcupine; although my +companion supposed it to be another animal, as he could not see the long +quills with which the English porcupine is armed. This creature was +fully two feet long. Its back was covered with thick hair of a dusky +brown colour; its head was short, and its nose blunt; it had small round +ears, very powerful teeth, short limbs, and feet armed with strong +crooked claws. These particulars I was afterwards able to exhibit to +him. + +The porcupine stood eyeing its opponent for nearly a minute; then the +marten began the attack by showing its teeth, erecting its hairs, and +springing forward with graceful bounds. At the same time the porcupine, +erecting an armour of quills, which had till then been concealed under +its thick hair, appeared all at once to become twice its former size. +The marten had too much impetus to stop its attempt to seize the +porcupine by the snout; but the latter, suddenly whisking round, dealt +the marten a tremendous blow with its tail, filling its body with short +darts, and sending it off the trunk sprawling among the snow. + +The marten was now animated by rage as well as by the desire to capture +its foe. It again sprang up, ran along the boughs of the fallen tree, +and advanced once more towards the porcupine; but its courage and +agility did not avail it. Another blow from that formidable tail cast +it once more into the snow; while the porcupine looked down with +contempt on its defeated antagonist. Reuben, taking good aim with his +rifle, put the marten out of misery; while I killed the victorious +porcupine. The dogs then rushed forward; but Snap, the most eager, had +reason to repent his eagerness, as before we could keep him off the +animal he had received several sharp quills in his jaws. These we +immediately extracted, but he never again attempted to seize either a +living or a dead porcupine. + +We killed another marten and some squirrels, and were returning home +just at sundown, when we met Uncle Mark, who had followed our trail--no +difficult thing to do over the snow, even for a white man. He had just +before caught sight of an opossum, which had escaped him. It had +evidently paid a visit to our poultry-yard a short time previously, and +having succeeded in carrying off one of the inhabitants, was making its +way with its prey to its mate or hungry family when Uncle Mark overtook +it. He had knocked it over with his stick, and supposed it dying or +dead, as it lay with open mouth, extended tongue, and dim eyes. At that +moment he had caught sight of a marten or some other animal moving +through the forest. The creature thereupon proved that it was only +"'possuming;" for the instant his eye was withdrawn it sprang up, and +set off at a rate which showed that its powers of locomotion, at least, +had not been impaired by the blows it had received. + +He was telling us this, when the dogs began to yelp, and presently right +ahead of us appeared a creature of the size of a large cat. + +"Dere a 'possum," exclaimed Quambo; and we hurried after it with the +dogs. + +"Master 'Possum" was not going to be caught so easily, however. In an +instant it was up a tree, and lost to sight amid the branches, while the +dogs yelped around it. + +"The creature is lost," cried Reuben. + +"No fear ob dat," answered Quambo. "We soon find him out." + +Then he and Mike, with the rest of us, began to collect all the decayed +branches to be found above the snow. We soon bad enough wood for a +fire; when Quambo striking a light, it quickly blazed up, and the flames +exhibited the opossum making its way along one of the branches. The +dogs leaped about, and yelped loudly. Quambo had thrown himself on the +ground to watch the animal's proceedings; for the moment we had +attempted to take aim, it had nimbly sprung round to the dark side, +apparently watching us as eagerly as we were watching it. Mike on this +hurried off to a little distance and lifted his rifle. He fired, and +down came the opossum. + +The dogs seized it, and in a few moments life was extinct. There was no +shamming now, though the Irishman gave it another blow, after we had +taken off the dogs, just to make sure. He having slung it over his +back, we put out the fire to prevent the risk of igniting the trees, and +proceeded homewards well content with our evening's sport. + +It was the last idle day we had for some time, for we had an abundance +of work to get through before the return of spring, which was now +rapidly approaching. It was the least pleasant time of the year, too; +for we had thaws of two or three days at a time, during which the +hardened snow was turned into slush. Then frost would come on again, +and hold the timber with such a grasp that we could not move it. We +occupied the time in putting up sheds, and in such other work as could +be done before the ground was clear. No one, however, complained; for +we knew that the snow would soon disappear, that the leaves would again +come forth, and that the rivers would be open, when we should be able to +move about much more rapidly in our canoes than we had done over the +frozen ground. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +UNCLE MARK'S GOOD OPINION OF REUBEN--MIKE LAFFAN'S FIDDLE--THE BEAVER-- +REUBEN'S DESIRE TO TURN TRAPPER--QUAMBO TAKES A PIPE--KEPENAU'S CANOE-- +ASHATEA PADDLES REUBEN HOME--KEPENAU'S SAGACITY--UNCLE MARK WELCOMES +KEPENAU AND HIS DAUGHTER--THE OLD TRAPPER--REUBEN CARRIES SAMSON'S +PACK--ASHATEA IS TAUGHT ENGLISH BY LILY AND DORA--MARTIN GODFREY'S VISIT +TO THE SETTLEMENT--KEPENAU'S AND ASHATEA'S DEPARTURE--SANDY MCCOLL, THE +HALF-BREED--A VISIT TO KEPENAU--PORTAGING. + +The summer had now come. The trees were all decked with their rich and +varied foliage; the notes of the feathered inhabitants were heard in the +forest; and numerous animals which had either gone south during the +winter, or had concealed themselves in sheltered places, were moving +about. There had been too much ploughing and sowing to allow of my +indulging in my favourite pursuits. All I could do was to run over and +pay my uncle and aunt a visit; but it may be that Lily was the chief +attraction. + +I found her friend Dora with her one day. She was certainly a very nice +girl, although not equal to Lily by a long way, in my opinion. They +inquired whether we had seen anything of Kepenau and his daughter +Ashatea. + +"They have not yet appeared," I answered; "nor have we received any +tidings of them." + +"Dora wants to make the acquaintance of a real Indian girl, fit to be a +heroine," said Lily, laughing. "She has hitherto only seen the wretched +squaws who appear in the Eastern States. She can scarcely believe that +Ashatea is the interesting creature I describe her." + +I said that I would try to communicate with Kepenau, if I could learn +his whereabouts from any passing Indians. + +"Oh do!" said Lily; "and let him understand how glad we shall be to see +him and his daughter again." + +While we were talking Reuben came in, and offered to accompany me back +to the hut. He, like me, had been very busy all the spring. He +certainly did not look well suited for hard labour; but his face was +more bronzed than heretofore, and he seemed perfectly well. Wishing the +girls good-bye, we shouldered our guns, and commenced the walk to the +hut. There was no risk of losing our way at this time, for the days +were long, and there was a bright moon that evening. + +Uncle Mark welcomed Reuben, whom he liked for his straightforward +character and honesty. + +"I am glad you have got such a companion as that young fellow," he said +to me. "When two harum-scarum fellows associate, they are sure to get +into trouble; but you two will help each other out of difficulties, +should you unexpectedly fall into them." + +Mike amused us that evening with a tune on his fiddle; and Quambo +diverted us still more by a dance he performed to the music, which made +Reuben, who was not addicted to laughing, almost split his sides. + +We agreed to have a long ramble into the forest next day, my uncle +giving me leave of absence. He could not spare Mike, but he allowed +Quambo to accompany us. + +"We can cook our dinner without him," I said; "though, to be sure, we +cannot expect to dress it as well as he would." + +"Ah! Massa Mark, poor black fellow do one t'ing well; you do ebery +t'ing well," observed Quambo, with a grimace, by which he intended to +show that he was paying a deserved compliment. + +We carried our guns, with provisions in our knapsacks to last us for a +day, although we expected to kill more game than we should want. As we +wished to make a long excursion, we started at daybreak; that is to say, +Reuben, Quambo, and I, with the dogs. Reuben had a great desire to see +a beaver settlement which I had once visited when we first came into +that part of the country; and I thought that I could find my way to it. +Quambo amused us, as we walked along, with all sorts of tales about +beavers, raccoons, opossums, bears, and other animals, with the habits +of which he was well acquainted. + +The beaver is a good-sized animal, being two and a half feet long +exclusive of the tail, which is one foot more. It is of a deep chestnut +colour; the hair very fine, smooth, and glossy. The Indians use its +incisor teeth, which are very large and hard, to cut the bone or horn +with which they tip their spears. It is a rodent, or gnawing animal. +It has a broad, horizontal, flattened tail, nearly of an oval form, +which is covered with scales. The hind feet are webbed, and, with the +aid of the tail, which acts as a rudder, enable it to swim through the +water with ease and rapidity. Except in one respect, I do not know that +it can be considered a sagacious animal; but it is a marvellous +engineer, its faculties being employed in building houses, and in +forming dams for the protection of its village. + +One of its chief characteristics is the power it possesses of producing +a substance termed "castor,"--which is contained in two bags, each about +the size of a hen's egg. This castor is peculiarly attractive to +beavers. They scent it at a distance, and invariably make their way +towards it. No sooner does the beaver discover the delicious odour than +he sits upright, sniffs about in every direction, and squeals with +excitement until he can get up to it. The trapper, knowing this, always +carries a supply of castor, or bark-stone; and when he reaches a stream +or any other water near which he believes beavers may be found, he sets +his trap, about six inches under the water. He then chews the end of a +twig, dips it in the castor, and sticks it in with the scented end +uppermost, just a little above the water. The nearest beaver, on +discovering the scent, hurries up to the spot; and, if a young animal, +is nearly certain to be caught by the trap. The older beavers are more +knowing and cautious, and frequently bite off the end of the twig +without entangling themselves. + +Another curious circumstance connected with this "castoreum" is, that as +soon as one beaver has deposited any of it on the ground, the beavers +from another lodge go to the spot, and after covering it with earth and +leaves, deposit their own "castoreum" on it. When they have gone away, +others in turn perform the same operation; and thus the process goes on +till a heap four or five feet in height has been raised. No one has as +yet been able to ascertain the object of this proceeding. It gives the +trapper, however, the means of catching the poor creatures--means which +they would undoubtedly withhold, if they had the power. Like human +beings, they are sufferers from their own acts. + +The teeth of the beavers are sharp and powerful, and their jaws possess +an extraordinary amount of strength. This enables them to bite through +wood, tear the bark from trees, and chew vegetable substances of all +sorts. During summer they regale themselves on fruits and plants of +various descriptions; but their winter stock of food consists of the +bark of the birch, plane, and other trees--and even of the young wood +itself, which they steep in water before devouring it. + +Their favourite resort is a stream or a pool near trees. Here they will +assemble to the number of some hundreds, living in communities, and +working together. They select, when they can, a stream with a current, +because it affords them the means of conveying wood and other materials +for their habitations. They choose such parts as will afford them depth +of water sufficient to resist the frost in winter, and prevent it +freezing to the bottom. When, however, they find that there is not +depth enough for this purpose, they build a dam across the stream, at a +convenient distance below their habitations. If the current is gentle, +the dam is made perfectly straight; but if rapid, it is constructed with +a considerable curve, the convex side being towards the upper part of +the stream. The materials employed are drift wood, green willows, +birch, and poplar; these are placed horizontally, and kept down by mud +and stones. So strong do these dams become, that they are capable of +resisting a considerable force both of water and ice; for generally the +wood, taking root, shoots upwards, and forms ultimately a thick hedge. +In some cases even trees sprout up, in the branches of which the birds +form their nests. + +Beavers build their houses of the same materials as their dams, and of +various sizes, according to the number of the inmates. These, however, +do not often exceed four or eight old ones, and from six to fourteen +young ones. The houses are of a circular form, elevated some feet above +the surface of the water; but the entrance is always low down beneath +it. They are more rudely constructed than the dams, too. The wood is +laid nearly horizontally, and crosswise; the branches, which project +inwards, they cut off with their teeth. First there is a layer of wood, +and then one of mud and stones; and so they work on till a sufficient +height is gained, when the roof, of rough branches, is placed on the +top, and plastered down with mud and stones. + +Such was the interesting account which Quambo gave us as we walked +along. + +No event worthy of description occurred during our walk, though it took +us some hours to reach the spot for which I was directing our course. + +I was not disappointed. As we approached it cautiously, we caught sight +of several beavers running about on the banks of the stream, some +nibbling away at the trunks of saplings and small trees which they were +engaged in felling. Had we fired, we might have killed two or three; +but the rest would have disappeared, and we should then have lost the +opportunity of observing them. We therefore crept on, concealing +ourselves among the thick underwood. + +At length I was afraid, should we get closer, that we might make some +noise and alarm the animals. I therefore made a sign to my companions +to stop; and looking down, we could discern one of the dams I have +spoken of carried across the stream from one side to the other, and +apparently not quite finished. Though several beavers were running +about it, they were not at work; indeed, all their operations are +carried on during darkness. Nature, of course, has given them the +instinct to work at this time, which saves them the destruction that +would otherwise probably overtake them, both from men and beasts. + +After watching them for some time, I wished to retire and let them amuse +themselves undisturbed; but Quambo took it into his head to give a loud +shout, when in an instant the startled creatures scampered off, and +dived under the water. Our chance of seeing more of them was gone; they +were evidently on the watch for us, for now and then I saw a snout +popping up above the surface, to ascertain if we had taken our +departure. + +We made our way along the banks of the stream for some distance, till we +saw before us a broad expanse of water; and we discovered that it was a +shallow lake or pond, bordered by reeds, and with numerous dead trees +rising up out of the water near its shores. It struck me that this lake +had been produced by the beaver-dams; and on our proceeding downwards +towards what appeared to be its outlet, we found what had the appearance +of being a long bank, of a convex form, stretched directly across the +stream. This, on further examination, I had no doubt was the work of +beavers. Alders and willows, and other water-loving trees of +considerable size, were growing out of it; and digging down to a slight +depth, we found that it consisted of lengths of the trunks of young +trees, now rapidly decaying and turning into a vegetable mould, thus +affording nourishment to all sorts of plants. + +Above the surface of the lake were numerous beaver-houses, and after we +had concealed ourselves for some time we caught sight of the inhabitants +coming forth and swimming about; while one or two knowing old fellows +climbed to the roof of their houses, to keep a look-out, as we supposed, +and give notice of approaching danger. We might have shot several, but +without the dogs we should not have been able to recover them. Indeed, +their skins would have been of much less value than those caught in +traps. After watching them for some time, then, we agreed that we ought +to be on our homeward way, or we should certainly be benighted. Though +we had found the path easily enough in daylight, it would be a hard +matter to do so in the dark. + +"I should very much like to turn trapper," said Reuben to me as we +walked along. "I once heard a good deal about the lives the trappers +lead, from a fine old man who stopped at our house one night, on his way +to dispose of his packs of skins at one of the fur-traders' posts." + +"I suspect that it must be a very hard life, and you would soon get +tired of it, Reuben," I answered. + +"As to that, I fancy that when I got accustomed to the hardships I +should like it more and more; but I would be a trapper on my own hook-- +have my own animals and traps, hunt where I chose, and sell my peltries +to whom I pleased. Our old friend had a horse and two mules. He rode +the horse, and the mules served to carry his packs. He had six traps, +which he carried in a leathern bag called his trap-sack. I was +particularly struck by his appearance as he rode up to our cottage. His +costume was a hunting-shirt of dressed buckskin, ornamented with long +fringes; pantaloons of the same material, decorated with +porcupine-quills hanging down the outside of the leg. He wore moccasins +on his feet, and a flexible felt hat upon his head. Under his right +arm, and suspended from his left shoulder, hung his powder-horn and +bullet-pouch, in which he carried balls, flint, and steel His long +knife, in a sheath of buffalo, hung from a belt round his waist--made +fast to it by a steel chain. Also, he carried a tomahawk; and slung +over his shoulder was his long heavy rifle; while from his neck hung his +pipe-holder, garnished with beads and porcupine-quills. + +"He had come many hundreds of miles from the west, having trapped as far +off as the Rocky Mountains, and had met with all sorts of adventures +among the Indians, from whom he had often narrowly escaped with his +life. He said that he would take me with him, as he much wanted a +companion, and would answer for my life with his own; though I should +run no more risk than he did, if I only followed his directions. But my +father would not hear of it, and was quite angry with the old man for +putting the idea into my head; so, of course, I had to give it up. + +"`Well, Reuben, my boy,' he said as he rode away, `should your father +change his mind, and you hold fast to yours, when I come back I will +take you with me.' + +"But he never has come back since." + +I laughed at Reuben's notion; for, knowing him as I did, I saw that he +was utterly unfit for the sort of life he proposed to lead, and would be +heartily sick of it before long. He had a fertile imagination, and had +pictured a trapper's life as something very delightful, although I was +sure he would in reality hate it. And I believe that is the case with +many other boys,--especially with those who take it into their head to +go to sea, and who have never been on board a ship, and know nothing +whatever of sea-life. + +We had now performed the greater part of our journey home, and had +reached the bank of the larger river, where it extended into lake-like +dimensions, narrowing again shortly to its former width. Here several +rocks were seen rising out of it--the waters rushing between them with +great force, and forming a cataract, down which I should have thought it +impossible for the strongest boat to make its way without being dashed +to pieces. + +At this point we sat down on the bank to rest and take some refreshment, +when Quambo pulled out his pipe. + +"You no smoke, young gen'lemen; but ole neegur, he fond of baccy, and +you no object," said Quambo. + +Quambo was always a pattern of politeness. We begged him to smoke as +much as he liked, although we had not taken to it ourselves. + +When Quambo was enjoying his pipe, he was never in a hurry to move, so +we sat on longer than we should otherwise have done. I considered, at +length, that it was time to move; when, looking up the stream, across +the broad expanse I have mentioned, I caught sight of a light canoe +skimming rapidly over the surface. It was approaching us; so, prompted +by curiosity, we agreed to wait its arrival at the shore--for it did not +occur to us it could possibly descend the rapids. It kept, however, in +the middle of the current, and before we had got far from where we had +been sitting I saw that it was about to make its way amid the tumbling +waters. + +"These people must be strangers, and cannot be aware of the danger they +are running," I observed. "Their canoe will be destroyed, and we must +do our best to save them." + +We accordingly hurried back. As the canoe approached, I saw that there +were four people in her: one in the stern, and two in the bows paddling; +the other, who appeared to be a female, sitting near the after end, was +also dexterously using a paddle, now on one side and now on the other. +On looking again, I felt nearly sure that the Indian in the stern was +our friend Kepenau, and that the female was his daughter Ashatea. + +I shouted, but it was too late to warn him to turn back; indeed, from +the calm way in which he sat, I was convinced that he well knew where he +was going: and almost before I had time to think much about the danger +my friends were running, they had passed it, and their canoe was +floating in the calm water at the foot of the rapids. + +My shout attracted the notice of Kepenau, who at once recognised me, and +steered his canoe for the bank. He and Ashatea stepped on shore, and +seemed much pleased at seeing me. I introduced Reuben, who made as +polite a bow to the Indian girl as he would have done to a princess. +She put out her hand, and in her broken language inquired if he had a +sister. On his replying that such was the case, Ashatea expressed a +hope that she would become a friend to her, as Lily was. + +Kepenau told me that they were on their way to visit our settlement, +according to his promise. "I thought it wisest," he said "to keep my +people at a distance, so we have fixed our camp on the banks of a stream +some miles to the westward; and as the rivers are now open, we can +easily hold communication with you. At the same time, as there are +several intervening rapids and waterfalls, the white men are not likely +to find their way often to us, or to bring the `fire water' which I so +much dread." + +On hearing that we were on our way home, he offered to accompany us; +observing that Ashatea could steer the canoe as well as he could, and +though the distance by the river was greater, she would not be long +after us. "There are no more rapids or waterfalls to be passed, so that +the remainder of the voyage can be performed without danger," he +observed. + +Reuben, on hearing this, asked leave to take his place, saying that he +should much like the trip by the river. + +"But you cannot use a paddle," said Kepenau. + +"Not very well," answered Reuben. + +"Then don't make the attempt, or you may upset the canoe, or lose your +paddle. If you go, you must sit perfectly quiet," said Kepenau. + +Reuben promised to obey orders. Ashatea smiled, and appeared to be +highly amused at the idea of having a white man as her passenger. + +As we had no time to lose, Ashatea resumed her seat in the stern of the +canoe. + +"Now, take care," she said, laughing, as she saw Reuben about to step +in, "else you will tumble over on the other side, or make a hole in the +canoe and go through it." + +Reuben looked somewhat alarmed, and in his eagerness was very nearly +doing both the things against which he was being warned. Kepenau, +however taking his arm, helped him in. + +"Now, don't move till you reach the end of your voyage," said the +Indian. "Perhaps we shall be there to help you out." + +Ashatea gave a flourish with her paddle as a farewell signal, and +striking the water, away the canoe shot down the stream. We meanwhile +took the path homewards, and as we were anxious to arrive before the +canoe we hurried forward. + +Kepenau told me that his daughter had so much wished to see Lily,--or my +sister, as he called her,--that he had consented to bring her, and to +leave her for two or three days, if my friends would allow it. + +I said that I was sure they would. + +He desired, he told me, to make some trade arrangements for disposing of +the peltries which he and his people obtained; his object, at the same +time, being to keep them away from the white men, for fear of the "fire +water." This subject was continually on his mind. He had seen it prove +the destruction of so many of his countrymen, that he dreaded its +introduction among his own tribe, who had hitherto been kept free from +it. However, as my uncles and Mr Claxton were men who never touched +liquor, he was not afraid of dealing with them. + +I remarked, as we walked along, that his eyes were constantly turning in +every direction,--now on the ground, now on the trees and hushes on +either side,--as if he was on the look-out for game, or fancied that an +enemy was lurking near. I at last inquired why he did this. + +"It is the habit of my people," he answered. "We never can tell whether +our foes may be before us or tracking our footsteps. I noticed that +some one besides you and your young friend and the black has passed this +way lately. He wore moccasins, and may therefore be a red man and an +enemy; but I have just discovered that he is one of your people, and has +a load on his shoulders. Observe that soft ground; his feet sank deeper +into it than would have been the case had he been unencumbered. He is +either an old man, or overcome with fatigue. He cannot be very far +before us, and is going in the direction of your hut." Kepenau pointed +as he spoke to some mossy ground, where I could just distinguish a faint +outline of the footsteps of a man; but I should have been unable to read +anything beyond that fact from the marks left behind. + +Quambo, who saw them, thought that they might have been, after all, only +the footsteps of Uncle Mark or Mike, who might have come out thus far in +search of game; but Kepenau laughed when this was said. + +"No, no," he answered; "these are moccasins. You will see that I am +right." + +We hurried on, for the sun was getting low, and already the gloom had +settled down in the recesses of the forest. + +As we emerged into more open ground near the banks of the river, the +rays of the sun glancing along it sparkled on the flakes of foam, as the +stream hurried rippling along the banks. Nearing the hut, we caught +sight of three figures standing in front of it. + +"I told you so," observed Kepenau. "Yonder is the man whose trail I +discovered. A trapper, who has come east with his peltries. He is an +old man, too, as I thought, and carried a heavy load." + +Before even our friends saw us, the canoe shot into view down the +stream; and after helping Ashatea and Reuben to land--or rather the +latter, for the Indian girl sprang lightly on shore without assistance-- +we proceeded to the hut. + +Uncle Mark advanced to meet us. "All friends are welcome," he said, +taking Kepenau's hand, and then greeting the young girl in his kind, +friendly way. "You will, however, have to submit to pretty close +stowage, if, as I hope you intend to do, you will remain the night with +us." + +"We can quickly put up sufficient shelter for this time of the year for +ourselves, so that we need not crowd you, my friend," answered the +Indian. "And our aged brother there, I doubt not, is as well accustomed +to the open air as we are." + +"Many days and nights have passed since I slept under a roof," observed +the old hunter, who, hearing himself mentioned, now came forward. "We +have met before, brother," he added, looking at the Indian; "ay, and +fought and hunted together! Don't you recollect me?" + +"Ay, that I do. You saved my life when the Apaches were about to take +my scalp, and enabled me to reach my horse and escape," answered +Kepenau. + +"Ah! I have a faint recollection of that; but I remember more clearly +how, when I was hunted by a party of Araphoes, you and your people came +sweeping down to my assistance, and put them to flight," replied the old +trapper. + +"I recollect the event," observed Kepenau; "but I have long since buried +the war-hatchet, and now strive to live at peace with my neighbours, if +they will let me." + +While the Indian and the old trapper had been speaking, I had been +looking at the latter. I had no doubt, from the description Reuben had +given of the visitor to his father's house, that this was the same +person; and I was therefore not surprised to see him and Reuben shaking +hands as old acquaintances. + +Quambo, knowing that food would be required for our guests, lost no +time, with the assistance of Mike, in lighting a fire, and immediately +set about cooking whatever his larder supplied. Though we had killed +but little game on our excursion, Uncle Mark and Mike had been more +fortunate during our absence, and there was no lack of food. + +In the meantime Kepenau had called up his people from the canoe, and +they set to work to collect materials for two small wigwams, which, +though they were more rudely constructed than usual, served the purpose +intended. One was for the accommodation of Ashatea, and the other for +the chief--his men contenting themselves with a rough lean-to. + +The whole party joined us in the hut at supper, which, thanks to the +diligence of Mike and Quambo, was quickly prepared. The old trapper had +many anecdotes to tell, and many a wild adventure to recount, which, I +saw, was greatly interesting to Reuben. Ashatea spoke but little, +though I could see, by her quick glance, that she understood much, if +not all, that was said. + +At night the chief and his daughter retired to their wigwams, while the +old trapper accepted a shakedown in the corner of our hut. He smiled +when Uncle Mark offered him a bed. "For many a long year I have not +slept in one," he answered; "and I possibly may never again put my head +on a pillow softer than my saddle or a pack of skins." + +Without taking off his clothes, and merely unbuckling his belt, he lay +down, and was soon fast asleep. Reuben and I, after a few minutes' +talk, did the same. Before I closed my eyes, however, I saw that Uncle +Mark was sitting at the table, resting his head upon his hands, +apparently lost in thought. + +At break of day the next morning our Indian friends were on foot, and we +turned out to receive them. As our hut was close, we had our breakfast +spread on a grassy spot beneath the trees, where we could enjoy fresh +air, which was certainly more suited to their taste. + +Ashatea looked handsomer than ever. She was eager to set out to see +Lily. Reuben offered to accompany her, and show the way: at which +Kepenau laughed, observing that an Indian never required a guide through +his own country; but, for all that, he should be happy to have the white +stranger's society. + +Kepenau had brought several packages of skins, which it was his object +to dispose of. + +"My friend," said the old trapper, touching him on the shoulder, "let me +sell them for you. I know how the white men will treat you if they +think that they are yours: they will offer a third of the value, and +then insist on your taking articles you do not require." + +"I wish to open a fair trade with the white men," answered Kepenau. "I +will let them understand that I have more skins to bring." + +"The greater reason they will have for putting a small value on them," +observed the old trapper. + +"I would advise you to accept Samson Micklan's offer," said Uncle Mark, +turning to the Indian. + +Kepenau considered the matter for some time. "I will do as you advise," +he said at length. "I know that I can trust you. When you have fixed a +price, I will not consent to sell under it. I intend, nevertheless, to +go to the settlement." + +The old trapper, whose name I now for the first time heard, appeared to +be in no hurry to continue his journey. When at length he declared that +he was ready to start, Reuben offered to carry his pack. + +Old Samson smiled. "It may make your young shoulders ache more than you +suppose," he observed. + +"Let me try," answered Reuben; and I helped him to place it on his +shoulders. In doing so I was able to judge of its weight. + +"If my uncle can spare me, I will assist you," I said; "for I doubt very +much whether you will be able to carry it all the way." + +Reuben, however, had made up his mind to fulfil his promise. I saw a +twinkle in the old man's eyes when he trudged off trying to look as if +he did not feel the weight. My uncle told me I might go too, so we set +off. Kepenau and Samson led the way, talking together. Reuben, as I +expected, dropped alongside Ashatea; and I followed. The other Indians +brought up the rear, carrying Kepenau's packs. + +Before long, I saw that Reuben was walking with difficulty, and putting +his hands behind his back to try and lift the pack off his shoulders. I +ranged up to him. + +"You had better let me carry that a little way for you," I said. "Or +suppose we sling it on our sticks! we shall then get along more easily, +and neither of us will feel the weight too much." + +Still Reuben declared that he could carry it. + +Ashatea looked at him, evidently understanding the matter as well as I +did. "You better let your friend do as he says," she observed. + +At length Reuben, who was getting very hot, and had stumbled more than +once, said, "Well, I do think it will be the best way. I am much +obliged to you, Roger." + +We soon had the pack slung to the sticks, and poor Reuben stepped along +much more easily than before. + +We soon reached Uncle Stephen's house, when the old trapper turned round +to Reuben. "You are a brave lad," he said; "I like your pluck. In a +few years, when you get more muscle in your limbs, you will laugh at a +pack twice the weight of that." + +Lily was delighted to see Ashatea, and we left them together while we +went on to Mr Claxton's, where old Samson intended to stay. He had +arranged with Kepenau to sell his peltries, and the next day they were +all disposed of at a price which greatly astonished and delighted our +Indian friend. He made an arrangement with Uncle Stephen to sell all +the produce of the chase which he might bring, and to purchase for him +such articles as he required. + +Reuben brought his sister Dora over to see Ashatea, and the three girls +seemed very happy together. The Indian girl was as eager to learn +English as Lily and Dora were to instruct her; and she got on rapidly. + +Old Samson had suffered more from his long tramp on foot than he was at +first willing to confess, and a fit of illness was the consequence. He +was well cared for, however, by the Claxtons, who treated him as kindly +as if he had been a relation. He was grateful in his way; but it struck +me that there was something hard and unsympathising in his character. +He spoke of his fights with the Indians, of the scalps he had taken, of +his hairbreadth escapes; but he never uttered a word which showed that +he had any religious feeling. Indeed, he seemed to me to be as much of +a heathen as the Indians among whom he had lived so long. It appeared +strange to me that an old man should be so hardened. I was not aware, +at the time, that when people once begin to give up trusting God they go +further and further from him; and thus, of course, as they advance in +years they think less and less of their souls, and, in fact, become more +dead with regard to all spiritual matters. + +I had been accustomed to see Uncle Stephen read the Bible to his family, +and offer up prayers morning and night; while he never did any work, +except such as necessity demanded, on the Sabbath. Uncle Mark had been +less exact in these respects, although even he was accustomed to read +the Bible on the Sabbath, and to refrain from work; and occasionally we +went over to Uncle Stephen's on that day and joined his family at +worship. Most of the people of the settlement, however, paid but little +attention to the day, though they ceased from all rough work, and made a +sort of holiday of it. There was no church or chapel of any description +in the neighbourhood, and few paid any attention to what are called +religious duties. + +The day after I went to stay with Uncle Stephen, some little time before +sunset I saw a horseman approaching the house from the eastward. He was +a middle-aged man, dressed in a suit of dark grey, with his legs encased +in strong leather gaiters, and a broad-brimmed hat on his head; a pair +of huge saddle-bags, too, were thrown across the hardy-looking mustang +he bestrode. He had neither gun over his shoulder nor sword by his +side; but he carried a thick staff of considerable length in his hand. + +"Canst tell me, young friend, if yonder house is the abode of Stephen +Tregellis?" he asked as I advanced towards him. + +"Yes, sir. He is my uncle," I answered, offering to hold his nag's head +while he dismounted. + +He threw himself from the saddle with the activity of a young man. + +"I hope, then, that I shall not intrude, for I have come far, and should +like to spend a few days with one who, if I am not wrongly informed, +will receive me as a brother Christian," he said. + +"Uncle Stephen will be glad to see you, sir," I answered, feeling sure +that I was only saying what was the case. + +"Well, then, young man, go in and tell him that Martin Godfrey has come +to claim his hospitality." + +As my uncle had just reached home, I hurried in and gave him the +message. He immediately came out and welcomed the stranger, with whom +he had a short conversation, which I did not hear, as I was holding the +pony at a little distance. I only caught the words, uttered by my +uncle, "We will make ready a small upper room, and to that you shall be +welcome as long as you remain in these parts." + +He then told me to take the mustang round to the stable, to rub him +down, and feed him well, and to bring the minister's saddle-bags into +the house. When I returned, after having obeyed these orders, I found +the stranger seated at table--on which Aunt Hannah and Lily had spread +supper--talking cheerfully; and from what he said I gathered that he had +visited a number of outlying settlements, accompanied by several young +ministers, one of whom he had left at each. + +"I had no one to bring on here, and was unwilling to leave you without +the `bread of life,' so I was fain to come on myself," he observed. + +I wondered what he could mean. Aunt Hannah explained, after he and +Uncle Mark had gone out, that he was one of those energetic Gospellers +who had done so much for the back settlements of America; that he was an +overseer among them--his duty being to move from place to place to form +new congregations where none existed, and to strengthen and encourage +the older ones. + +He had much conversation with Kepenau and Ashatea, with whom he could +converse in their own language. They were evidently deeply interested +in what he said, and I saw him frequently produce his Bible and refer to +it to strengthen what he was saying. Kepenau had, as I have already +said, some knowledge of Christianity, and he and his daughter very +gladly received the instruction which the missionary afforded them. + +Uncle Stephen went out and succeeded in bringing in three or four of our +neighbours, among whom were Mr Claxton and Reuben, and we had a regular +service in the cottage,--the first of the sort I can recollect. The +Bible was read, prayers were offered up, and the missionary gave an +address; after which some of Wesley's hymns were sung by Lily and Dora-- +Ashatea occasionally joining in, with a very sweet voice, although she +had never heard them before. + +Mr Claxton afterwards begged the missionary to come and visit old +Samson. He gladly complied; but I heard him next day tell Uncle Stephen +that he feared no impression had been made on the old trapper's heart. +"Still, I do not despair," he added. "It may be as hard as iron, or +stone; but iron can be melted by the fire, and stone worn away by the +constant dripping of water. One thing I know,--that nothing is too +difficult for God to accomplish; though we, his instruments, are obliged +to confess our own weakness." + +I must not, however, dwell further on the various events which took +place at this time. + +Martin Godfrey spent some days with Uncle Stephen, preaching every +evening in the open air, and three times on the Sabbath; and he promised +the people, if they would put up a chapel, that he would ere long find a +minister for them. Having distributed some Bibles and other books +contained in his saddle-bags, he at length mounted his mustang and went +his way. + +I remember Uncle Stephen asking him if he was not afraid of travelling +without firearms. + +"I trust to One well able to protect me," he answered, smiling. +"Whenever I have to employ the arm of flesh, I find my trusty stick +sufficient to defend myself against hostile Indians or savage beasts;" +and as he whisked it round his head with a rapidity which dazzled the +eyes, I could easily understand how it would prove a formidable weapon +against either bears or wolves--a tap of it on their skulls being +sufficient to stun them; while it seemed to me that he might be able to +ward off either the arrows or the tomahawks of hostile Indians. + +Kepenau and Ashatea returned to their settlement; and the old trapper, +who had now recovered, began to make preparations for his departure. He +had again invited Reuben to join him, but Mr Claxton, very wisely, +would not hear of his son going away with the old man. + +"It is more than likely we shall never see him again," he observed. +"Whatever his fate may be, you would probably share it; either to be +killed by Indians, or starved, or drowned, or frozen to death, or torn +to pieces by bears or wolves." + +Reuben was inclined to complain. "Father thinks I cannot take care of +myself," he said to me. "As old Samson has spent so many years out +trapping by himself, why should not I have as good a chance of escaping +from danger?" + +"There is an old saying, `That the water-pot which goes often to the +well, gets broken at last,'" I observed. "Such may be the case with +regard to old Samson; and you know nothing of the country, or of the +cunning of the Redskins, and would be very sure to lose your life if he +lost his." + +The old man, who had set his heart on obtaining a companion of some +sort, succeeded in persuading a half-breed to accompany him. This was a +man named Sandy McColl, whose father was a Scotchman and his mother an +Indian, and who had long been accustomed to the wild life of the +prairies. He had come to the settlement intending to remain, and had +built a hut and begun to cultivate a garden, with the intention, as was +supposed, of taking unto himself a wife; but the damsel on whom he had +set his affections had refused him. Sandy after this became very +downcast; he neglected his garden, and spent most of his time wandering +about gun in hand, shooting any game he could come across. He had few +associates, and was of a morose disposition. People, indeed, whispered +that he had been guilty of some crime or other, and was forced to leave +the part of the country where he had before resided. Uncle Stephen, who +occasionally exchanged a few words with him, did not believe that this +was the case, and declared that Sandy, in spite of his taciturnity and +love of solitude, was an honest fellow. Be that as it may, Samson was +satisfied with him, and the two agreed to start together. + +Soon after the old man's arrival, he had asked Reuben and me to make a +journey to the place where he had left his other packs of skins hidden +away; and he described the spot so exactly, that we believed we should +have no difficulty in finding it. My uncle said I might go with Mike +Laffan. Reuben, too, got leave from his father; and Sandy volunteered +to accompany us. Without him we should, I believe, have lost our way, +for he knew the country much better than we did. + +We had to proceed cautiously during the latter part of the journey for +fear of Indians, as we were far in advance of the territory claimed by +the white men. But I do not give an account of the expedition, because, +in reality, we met with no adventure worthy of notice. Thanks to Sandy, +we discovered the packs, and succeeded in bringing them back safe to +their owner; for which Samson was very grateful, and rewarded us +handsomely. With the proceeds he purchased two mustangs, six +beaver-traps, a supply of powder and shot, and other articles. Sandy +had the means of obtaining another mustang, and such supplies as he +required. + +After this old Samson quickly recovered. As soon as he was well enough +he and Sandy mounted their ponies, reserving a third animal to carry +their goods; and having bidden us all good-bye, they set off into the +wilderness--going to the westward, intending to push forward to the +spurs of the Rocky Mountains, where, they said, game in abundance was to +be found. Reuben, who was really a very good fellow, soon got +reconciled to remaining at home and attending to his duty. + +Kepenau had made me promise to come and visit him, and had agreed to +send one of his people with a canoe to take me to his lodges; and at +last the Indian arrived at our hut. + +Kepenau, he said, had sent but a small canoe, as we might thus more +easily make our way up the stream, and pass the several portages we +should have to go over. + +I knew that Reuben would take delight in the excursion, so I hurried to +the settlement to see if he could come. His father was very willing to +give him leave, as it might turn his thoughts from the wilder and more +dangerous adventures on which he was set. He had, some time before +this, obtained a birch-bark canoe, which Kepenau, and sometimes Ashatea, +had taught him how to use; and as he was constantly practising, he was +by this time well able to employ his paddle. We obtained leave to take +Mike Laffan with us, too; and thus, with the Indian, we made a party of +four in the two canoes. + +We carried our guns and axes and the usual woodmen's knives, a pot and +pan for cooking our meals, some tin cups, and a few small bales of +cloths and coloured calicoes with which to pay the Indians for any +peltries they might have to sell--for our expedition was on business as +well as pleasure. We enjoyed the thoughts of it all the more on that +account. We expected also to get some hunting, and to come back with a +supply of dried venison, as well as some skins. + +The Indian told us that his name was Kakaik, or the "Small Hawk;" he let +us understand that he was a great hunter, but as he could speak no +English, and as we understood but a few words of his language, we could +not carry on much conversation with him. However, we managed to +understand each other very well by means of signs. + +The first part of the voyage was along the main river, with which we +were well acquainted. We afterwards struck off up one of its +tributaries, which varied greatly in width; sometimes it expanded into a +lake-like form, and at other parts it contracted into narrow dimensions, +where the current ran with great force, and we had hard work to stem it. + +At length we reached a waterfall of nearly thirty feet in height, where +the river rushed over the rocks and fell down perpendicularly in masses +of foam. Kakaik made signs to us that we must land and carry our canoes +for some distance through the wood. This is what is called making a +"portage." Accordingly we unloaded them, and piled up our goods at the +foot of the fall. We then lifted the canoes out of the water; Kakaik +taking one bottom upwards on his shoulders and walking off with it. +Mike imitated his example, as one man could get between the trees better +than two, and the canoes were so light that they could be carried with +ease. Reuben, shouldering a portion of the goods, followed the Indian; +and I, with another bale on my shoulders and the paddles and gun under +my arm, kept close after Mike--leaving the remainder of the things for a +second trip. + +The ground was rough in the extreme, and it was some way up a steep bank +among rocks. My fear was lest Mike should knock the canoe against the +branches of the overhanging trees and make a hole in her bottom, so I +sang out to him to be cautious. + +"Faix! Masther Roger, it's that same I intind to be," he answered. "I +have no fancy to walk all the way back again, or forward either, if this +is the sort of ground we should have to pass over." + +We had to traverse a quarter of a mile or more till we saw the stream +ahead of us, running placid as before. Kakaik, going down into the +water, placed his canoe gently on the surface, and then helped to take +Mike's off his shoulders. The goods we had brought were next placed in +them, and the Indian sat down on the bank to watch them while we went +back for the remainder. + +"Suppose some hostile Indians or prowling bear should have paid a visit +to the landing-place, and carried off our property," said Reuben. + +"We will hope for the best," I answered, laughing; "but I will take my +gun, in case of accidents." + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +AN INTRUDER--WE ARRIVE AT KEPENAU'S CAMP--ASHATEA INQUIRES KINDLY AFTER +LILY AND DORA--DEER-HUNTING--THE STRANGE INDIANS--KEPENAU'S +PRECAUTIONS--MIKE AMUSES THE CAMP WITH HIS FIDDLE--OUR FAREWELL-- +KAKAIK'S ADVICE WITH REGARD TO RAPID-SHOOTING--THE TREACHEROUS INDIAN ON +SHORE--MIKE AND I PADDLE DESPERATELY--THE CANOE IS UPSET--CARRIED DOWN +THE STREAM--A NATURAL PLACE OF CONCEALMENT IN A HOLLOW TRUNK--MY TERROR +ON PERCEIVING THE INDIANS--FORCED BY HUNGER TO LEAVE MY CONCEALMENT, I +AM TAKEN PRISONER BY FOUR INDIANS. + +On arriving at the foot of the falls we found our goods safe; but just +as we were about to shoulder them we heard a rustling among the bushes. +Advancing cautiously towards the spot, not knowing what might be there, +I caught sight of a dark hairy form. It was a brown bear, which in +another minute would in all likelihood have been examining our property +with no delicate fingers. I hesitated to fire, for I was sure that I +should be unable to hit any vital part; and as even a brown bear, if +wounded, will turn furiously on his pursuers, before I could have +reloaded the beast might have been upon me. In another instant Bruin +had plunged in among the thick underwood, and was concealed from view; +but I heard him making his way rapidly from us, doubtless considering +that discretion was the better part of valour. + +Having taken up our goods, and looked carefully round to see that +nothing was left behind, we set off towards the canoes. Kakaik by this +time had them both secured alongside the bank, so that we quickly +reloaded them and recommenced our voyage up the stream. + +I asked Mike to sing one of his Irish songs: this he was never loath to +do, and he soon made the banks echo with his melody. As soon as he had +ceased, the Indian took up the strain with one of his native songs. It +was melancholy in the extreme, and contrasted greatly with Mike's joyous +notes. + +"Faix! if it's tears he wants to draw from our eyes, I can bate him +there," observed Mike, when Kakaik had ceased; and he began one of those +sad ditties descriptive of the death of some Irish heroine. Though the +Indian could not understand the meaning, he appeared to be much +affected, and it was some time before he began another song. From the +few words we could make out, we supposed him to be recounting the +misfortunes of his people, and their departure from the hunting-grounds +of their fathers. + +Mike had brought his fiddle, but of course he could not play it while +paddling. + +"When we get to Kepenau's, I'll show the people what I can do, and set +them all jigging away, and laughing till they split their sides," he +observed. + +The scenery amid which we passed was wild in the extreme. Not a sign of +a human being, or a habitation of any sort, was visible. Sometimes dark +rocks rose up in precipitous cliffs on both sides of us, and at other +times the trees of the forest overhung the water. We had several +portages to make, as it was easier to carry the canoes over the land +than to drag them up the rapids, but Kakaik signified that on our return +we might shoot them without danger. + +At last, in the far-off distance, we caught sight of a wreath of smoke +ascending from near the bank, and from the gestures of the Indian we +understood that we were now approaching Kepenau's camp. In a short time +shouts were heard, and we saw several wigwams erected on the greensward +in a recess of the forest, surrounded by trees which sheltered them +completely from the wind. + +A canoe immediately put off and came paddling out towards us; then +turned round and accompanied us back to the bank, on which Kepenau, with +Ashatea and other members of his family, stood ready to receive us. As +we shook hands he told us how glad he was to see us; and Ashatea had +many questions to ask about Lily and Dora. + +"I have been longing to come and visit them again," she said. "Now that +the rice is ripe, I want to take them down to the lake where it grows, +that we may gather our canoe full." + +Kepenau said that his people would be very glad to receive the goods we +had brought, and would be ready to purchase them with their beaver-skins +and other peltries, of which they had a considerable store. + +When we talked about hunting, he assured us that we need have no fear of +obtaining plenty of sport, as, with our rifles, we should be certain to +kill the game much more easily than his people could do with their bows +and arrows. A hunting-party was accordingly arranged for the next day, +on the shores of a lake some miles off. He had already transported a +couple of canoes to it, so that, should any of the deer take to the +water, we might be able to pursue them. Ashatea was much inclined to +come with us, but her father told her that she would be acting more like +an English girl if she would stay at home and attend to household +affairs. + +We started the next morning with Kepenau, Kakaik, and several other +Indians, who carried long spears as well as bows and arrows. We were +also accompanied by a pack of dogs, well-trained by the Indians for +chasing the deer, though they were noisy, ill-looking curs. + +We commenced our hunt at some distance from the shores of the lake, but +for an hour or more we saw no signs of deer, and Reuben and I began to +fancy that we should have to return home without venison. + +We had separated from Kepenau, but now we heard his voice, and +immediately afterwards the dogs gave tongue. We were looking about to +ascertain in what direction to bend our steps, when a fine deer started +out from among the trees on our right into the open glade. My gun being +ready, I fired, and felt sure that I had wounded the deer; but the +animal still continued its course. The next instant the dogs appeared +from the same direction, in hot chase after the deer. + +We followed, joined by Kepenau and the other men. Marks of blood on the +grass showed us that the deer had been wounded. Still, it might run, +should the dogs not overtake it, for several miles, and might escape us +after all. It was too valuable a prize to be lost, so we continued the +pursuit. + +The country now became much more open, and we saw that the deer had made +its way across the plain. On the further side there were some lofty +pines, towards which the animal appeared to have directed its course. + +We had been running on for several minutes, when, before I could +distinguish anything, the exclamations of the Indians showed me that the +deer was in sight; and presently I saw it standing at bay under the +trees, with the dogs yelping round it and preventing it from proceeding +further. + +When I got within gun-shot, I stopped for a moment to reload my rifle; +and crying out to my friends not to get in the way, I again fired, and +the noble beast rolled over. Kakaik then dashed forward with his +hunting-knife, and quickly put an end to the creature's sufferings, +while the rest beat off the dogs. + +The deer was soon cut up, and each man loading himself with as much as +he could carry, the venison was conveyed to the spot selected for an +encampment; where two of them remained to take care of it while we went +in search of more game. + +We had been for some time beating about, when once more we heard the +dogs giving tongue; and after making our way through the forest, and +reaching the borders of an open glade, we caught sight of a herd of +eight or ten deer scampering along at full speed, with the pack of dogs +at their heels. We all of us fired, but although two or three shots +took effect none of the deer stopped. We saw them directing their +course towards the lake; but they ran faster than we did, and did not +allow us an opportunity of firing. We managed, however, to keep them in +view, and saw that they did not turn either to the right hand or to the +left, so that we felt sure of overtaking them when they reached the +shore of the lake. + +Kakaik, who was on my left hand, made signs to me to accompany him +towards the spot where we had left one of the canoes. I also understood +him to signify that the dogs would prevent the deer from turning back. +On reaching the canoe he lifted me into it, and stepping after me, +seized a paddle, and with a few strokes sent it skimming out into the +lake. Rounding a point, we soon caught sight of the deer, which stood +on the shore with the dogs barking behind them. The shouts of some of +the people who now came up increased the terror of the poor animals. +First one plunged into the water, then another, and another; till the +whole herd, with the exception of two which had fallen, were striking +out in different directions, making for the opposite bank. + +Kakaik pointed out one fine deer, and paddled towards it. I might have +shot the animal, but my Indian companion made signs to me to use a spear +which lay at the bottom of the canoe; so, standing up, I grasped the +weapon with both my hands, and drove it with all my force into the +creature's skull. In an instant its head went down, and its feet +rising, it lay dead on the surface. Kakaik handed me a rope to cast +round its antlers, and we forthwith towed it in triumph to the shore. +This done, we made chase after a second deer, which was swimming across +the lake towards a spot some little way off. Greatly to my +satisfaction, I succeeded in striking this animal as I had done the +first. + +In the meantime the other canoe was paddling away in chase of two more +deer, which had made towards the further end of the lake. + +While we were occupied as I have described, I saw a third canoe, paddled +by two strangers, darting out from behind a point in pursuit of another +deer. Whether the people were friends or foes, I could not tell; but as +soon as Kakaik saw them he declared that they were the latter, and that +we must be prepared for an attack should they have many companions in +the neighbourhood. + +"Then let us at once tow our deer up the lake towards the camp, where we +can obtain assistance," I said. + +I now observed that those who had been unable to embark in the canoe +were making their way in that direction. They had probably caught sight +of the strange Indians. My fear was that Kepenau and Reuben might be +attacked on their return. I made signs to my companion that we would +land the deer and then go to the assistance of our friends. As Reuben +and I had our rifles, and the strange Indians were probably without +firearms, we might easily keep them in check or put them to flight; or +should they venture to attack us, we might sink their canoes, even if we +did not kill them with our rifle-bullets, before they got up to us. + +As we reached the shore at the end of the lake, we found Mike and +several of the Indians standing ready to receive us. + +Mike was fall of fight. "Arrah! be aisy, Masther Roger," he said. +"Sure, if the inimy come, I will sind them to the right-about wid me +firelock, and they'll not be afther taking our venison from us in a +hurry." + +He and the Indians taking charge of the deer, which they immediately set +about cutting up, Kakaik and I paddled off again down the lake to the +assistance of our friends. The strange Indians had succeeded in +capturing one of the deer; but as we considered that it was their lawful +prize, although we had driven it into the water, we did not interfere +with them. + +Seeing another deer still swimming, though at considerable distance, I +fired at it, for the purpose of showing the strange Indians, in case +they should not have heard our other shots, that we had firearms, and +thus probably prevent them attacking us. Whether or not my shot had +taken effect I could not tell, as the deer continued to swim on towards +the bank. + +We now directed our course for our friends, who had killed the two deer +of which they had gone in chase. I told them of the strangers we had +seen; and Kakaik, in his own language, gave a long account to Kepenau of +the matter. + +"We will let them alone, if they do not molest us," answered Kepenau, +after expressing his approval of my conduct. + +Having secured the bodies of the two deer to ropes,--Kepenau and Reuben +towing one, and Kakaik and I the other,--we began to paddle back towards +the end of the lake from which we had come. + +As we passed the part of the shore near which I had shot the last deer, +we observed several Indians, who had seized the animal as it landed, and +were now employed in cutting it up. They had evidently only one canoe +with them, and were therefore afraid of coming off to attack us, +whatever may have been their disposition. We might, therefore, consider +ourselves masters of the seas. + +Kepenau was well pleased with the success of our expedition, and having +made up his mind to live at peace with his neighbours, he was very glad +to avoid a collision with the strangers, even though we might come off +victorious. "We must, however, be on the watch for them as we return +homewards," he observed. "They may possibly greatly outnumber our +party; and though our firearms will keep them in check, they may try to +overcome us by stratagem." + +The deer we had first killed were soon cut up, and all the best parts +made ready for transportation to the camp. Those we had now towed on +shore were treated in the same manner; and each man being loaded with as +much as he could possibly carry, we set off for the camp. Here we found +a blazing fire ready for cooking the venison, of which our friends ate +an enormous quantity--with the exception of Kepenau, who was as moderate +as we were. + +Knowing that we had foes in the neighbourhood sentinels were posted, two +of whom kept watch all the night round the camp; but the strangers, +seeing us prepared, did not make their appearance, and on the following +morning we started, an hour before dawn, on our return. Kepenau kept in +the rear, turning round very frequently to ascertain if we were +followed. He also gave his people directions to keep a look-out on +either hand. Once he caught sight of a warrior's plume in the distance, +but although his eyes were of the sharpest he could not discover whether +his foe approached nearer. Before evening we arrived safely at his +lodges; the ample supply of food we brought affording great +satisfaction. The chief, however, did not fail to send out scouts to +bring word whether the enemy had ventured into the neighbourhood. As no +traces of them could be seen, Kepenau came to the conclusion that the +strangers had gone off again to the westward, content with the game they +had obtained. Still, he thought it prudent, in case of treachery, to +keep on the watch; and day and night two or three of the party were +constantly scouring the country round, in search of tracks made by +strange Indians. + +The time had now arrived for us to return. Mike had made himself a +universal favourite; the Indians, notwithstanding their general gravity, +delighting in the merry tunes he played on his fiddle. He frequently +set them jigging; and Reuben and I showed them how white people danced-- +though neither of us had any exact notions on the subject. Ashatea +sometimes joined us, and moved about very gracefully, performing figures +of her own invention, which I have since discovered greatly resemble +those of the minuet of Europe. + +She often told me how much she longed to go back and stay with Lily. +Native of the wilds as she was, she had gained a taste for civilised +life, she told Reuben and me. We assured her that Lily and Dora would +be delighted to see her, and that, if her father would allow her to +accompany us, we should be glad to take her at once. This, however, +Kepenau refused. He did not tell us why; only saying that he could not +let her go unless he went with her, and for the present he must not +leave his people, who had to hunt and fish, so as to lay in a store of +provisions for the winter. + +I should have said that at the back of the lodges were several pieces of +cleared ground, on which Indian corn was growing and potatoes had been +planted. This showed that Kepenau and his people were in advance of the +hunting Indians, who trust only to the chase for subsistence, and are +thereby frequently reduced to a state of starvation. + +All the inhabitants of the camp turned out to wish us farewell, and +offered up prayers for our safety as we stepped into our canoes. Kakaik +and Reuben led the way in one canoe, and Mike and I followed in the +other, flourishing our paddles over our heads as a farewell salute. We +plied them diligently, and, gliding rapidly down the stream, were soon +lost to sight. Having the current with us, we expected to reach home +before nightfall, should no accident happen. + +"I'm afther hoping that none of those Indians we saw the other day are +lurking about, or maybe they will take a fancy to our packs of dried +venison and skins, and stop us," observed Mike. + +"What put that idea into your head?" I asked. + +"Sure, because they are cunning spalpeens; and as they know the way we +must take, they are likely enough to be on the watch for us," he +replied. + +"We must be on the watch for them, then," I answered, laughing. "If any +of them appear, and look as if they intended to interfere with us, we +shall have to show them the muzzles of our rifles; although, as I never +have shot a man, I trust that I shall not be obliged to do so." + +We paddled on for some time after this, and now and then we caught up +Reuben's canoe and had a talk with him. I told him what Mike had said. + +"Oh! I don't think there is much chance of that," he answered, lightly. +"A few rifle-bullets will soon drive the fellows into the woods, if +they show their noses." + +We were now entering a part of the stream which ran between broken +cliffs; on one side rocks rose almost perpendicularly from the water, +their summits shaped like the parapets of ruined castles, while on the +other the trees came down to the river's brink. Kakaik reminded us that +we were approaching a series of rapids; and he explained by signs that +he would lead the way, and advised Mike and me to keep exactly in his +course. He and Reuben paddled on, therefore, while we followed at a +little distance. We saw them descend one of the first rapids. +Immediately below this, in a turn of the river, was another, the fall in +which being probably about four or five feet, was not sufficient to +endanger the safety of the canoes if carefully handled. + +We were approaching the highest of the rapids, which, as I have said, +the other canoe had just descended, when we saw an Indian dart out from +behind the trunk of a tree growing close to the water, and point his +arrow at the first canoe, aiming at Reuben. The arrow flew from the +bow, but whether my friend was hit or not I could not say, as the canoe, +darting down the rapid, was lost to sight. + +We were too near the rapid to paddle back, for in turning round we +should have run the risk of upsetting the canoe, when it would have been +carried down sideways, and probably dashed to pieces. Our only safe +course, therefore, was to dash forward; and we hoped to pass the Indian +before he could perceive us, or have time to fix another arrow in his +bow. Had we been in still water I might have lifted my rifle and shot +the Indian, but I dared not leave my paddle for a moment. Down the +rapid we dashed, then, paddling with might and main to turn the canoe so +as to be ready for the next descent. The Indian had disappeared, but we +heard his voice, calling, as we supposed, to his companions,--and +directly afterwards we caught sight of him running along the bank among +the trees; but he could not have seen us. + +A short way below this was another and still more dangerous rapid. +Kakaik signified that he had often shot it, but he at the same time +advised that we should land and make a portage. To do this was now, +however, out of the question, as we should be seized by the Indians on +shore did we land on the side on which they were; the only practicable +one along which we could make our way. + +"Paddle, Mike! paddle!" I said in a low voice, fearing that I might be +heard should I shout. "Our only chance is to dash down the rapid. We +cannot stop to look out for rocks ahead, and must run all risks." + +Mike saw this as well as I did. "Sure, it's the only thing to be done, +any way. May all the saints in the calendar help us!" he exclaimed. + +I don't think, however, that Mike had much faith in the saints, although +he uttered the expression. + +We dashed on, the water hissing and bubbling and foaming round us, and +had almost reached the bottom, when I felt the bow of the canoe strike +something. The next instant I found myself struggling in the seething +waters, and instinctively striking out for dear life. Looking down the +stream, I caught a glance of the canoe being rapidly hurried downwards, +with Mike clinging to it. The next moment, he and the canoe had +disappeared. + +I had been carried down some distance, when, on more perfectly +recovering my senses, I discovered that I was happily near the side +opposite to that on which I had seen the Indians. I scrambled up on the +bank, therefore, hoping to find some place of concealment before they +could discover me. I had not gone far, however, before I recollected +that my footprints would certainly betray me. I therefore retraced my +steps and threw myself backwards into the water; and as I looked up +towards the bank, I clearly perceived the marks I had left. + +The river in this place was narrow, but though the current ran strong it +was smooth, and I felt sure that I could swim across it and hide myself +among some thick bushes which I saw growing over the water. It was my +only hope of saving myself, and I determined to run the risk; but no +time was to be lost, as the Indians might look up the stream and +discover me. I struck out boldly, and found that I could stem the +current, though it certainly required all the strength I possessed. I +looked down the stream every now and then, to ascertain whether the +Indians were returning, which I thought they might do when they saw only +one person clinging to the canoe; otherwise I kept my eye as steadily as +I could on the bushes for which I was making. Of course, I might have +crossed the stream much more easily by allowing myself to be carried +down with the current, but then I should have landed much below the +place where I hoped to find concealment. I could distinguish for some +time, even amid the roar of the waters, the voices of the Indians as +they shouted to each other; but they gradually became fainter and +fainter, and this gave me encouragement, as it informed me that they +were getting further off. + +Even then I thought of poor Mike. What might be his fate, should he be +captured by the Indians? His fiddle, and probably everything else in +the canoe, would be lost, and he would have no means of softening their +savage hearts. With his fiddle in his hand, I felt that he might +succeed in saving his life. It may seem strange that such thoughts +entered my mind at that time; but the truth is, I was less anxious about +myself than I was about him. + +I had got more than half-way across when I began to find my strength +failing me. It seemed that I should never reach the shore; still, I +struck out, straining every nerve. I was afraid at length that I should +be obliged to allow myself to be carried down by the current, and be +glad to cling to the first rock or bough I could reach. My eyes were +growing dim, and I could scarcely see the bushes on which they had so +long been fixed. Still I struggled on, determined if possible to +succeed. Suddenly I felt myself caught by an eddy, and the next instant +I was carried close under the bank. I was about to grasp one of the +branches, when I recollected that the sharp eyes of the Indians would +discover where my hand had crushed the leaves, so I resisted the +temptation, turning myself on my back for a minute to rest; then I dived +down, and came up again in the very middle of the bush. + +I now without fear drew myself out of the water, and climbing up, +discovered a thick trunk hollowed out by age, the larger portion of +which had been broken off either by a storm or lightning, the boughs +having sprung out of the remainder--forming, indeed, a natural pollard. +No concealment could have been more perfect; for even an Indian's eye +would fail to penetrate through the bark. By slipping down I was +concealed on all sides, while at the same time a slit in the trunk +afforded me a "look-out" through the boughs in the direction of the +river. Here, therefore, I considered that I was safe for the present. +The difficulty would be to get away; although I might remain concealed +as long as I should desire, hunger would at length compel me to leave my +hiding-place in search of food. I remained crouched down, listening +anxiously for any sounds which might indicate the whereabouts of the +Indians. Mike, I felt sure, had he escaped drowning, would be captured +by them; but I had hopes that Reuben and his companion, by being so much +ahead, might escape altogether. + +The ground was excessively rough; numerous high rocky ridges, and +intervening spaces filled by trees and dense underwood, abounded. + +The fact that the Indians had been so long shouting to each other +convinced me that they had not up to that time captured the first canoe. +As I heard no one approaching, I should not have been afraid of leaving +my hiding-place; but then I knew that my footsteps would betray me. + +I must have remained an hour or more, when I heard voices in the +distance. The sounds came nearer, and I knew that the Indians were +returning. I scarcely dared to draw breath. They passed close to the +tree in which I lay concealed; but I did not venture to look out, lest +they should discover me. I was sure as they went along that they were +trying to discover my trail. I knew, too, by the voices, that there was +only a small party. What had become of the rest? + +I calculated, by the direction their voices came from, that they were +making their way up the stream. Some distance off, the low cliffs +between which the river forced its way were surmounted by trees, which +formed a natural bridge. I knew, therefore, that should they wish to +get to the opposite side they might easily pass over. + +Nearly another anxious hour went by, when I again heard their voices +coming across the stream; and looking through the slit, I saw three +painted savages standing together in the shallow water, narrowly +examining the bank on both sides. Presently one of them stopped and +pointed at the marks which my feet had made as I sprang up the bank. I +saw them standing consulting eagerly together, but whether their +sagacity would enable them to decide if I had gone forward across the +country, or leaped back into the water, I could not tell. I anxiously +watched, in order to ascertain to what decision they had come. At +length one of them climbed up the bank and looked about; then the others +followed, and walked for some distance, closely scrutinising the ground. +At first I hoped that they were at fault. I had noticed that the bank +was composed, a little way on, of hard stones, which could scarcely, I +thought, receive any impression from my feet. + +They went on for some distance; and then I saw from their gestures that +they were fairly puzzled. At length they came back to the bank, and +gazed down at the rapidly-flowing stream. They were evidently of +opinion that I could not have swam across it. Greatly to my relief, I +saw them continuing their course down the river, examining the bank as +they went along, under the belief that I must have landed again further +down, or else have been swept away by the current. This greatly +relieved my mind. I sincerely hoped that they would give me up as lost, +and abandon the idea that they should have the pleasure of exhibiting me +to their squaws, and torturing me. + +On and on they went, until they disappeared among the trees which grew +on the bank. Whether or not they would again cross the stream I could +not tell, or if indeed they had the means of doing so. They had come +from the right bank, so I concluded that they must know of some way or +other to get back to it. Still, I was anxious to be certain that they +had done this before I left my shelter. I had made up my mind to swim +back, and to descend the stream on the left bank, following it down till +I reached home. There were by this time ripe fruits of all sorts to be +found, I knew, so that I had no fear of starving. + +I sat crouched dowd, feeling very much as I suppose a hare does, +listening for the hunters--eager to be off, yet not daring to leave her +cover. Hour after hour passed by, but I could hear no sounds except the +notes of the birds in the trees, the woodpeckers searching for insects +in the bark, and the cries of the squirrels as they skipped from branch +to branch. I really wished that one of them would poke his nose into my +nest, that I might have the chance of capturing him, for I was getting +very hungry, and would have eaten him raw without compunction; but none +came within my grasp. + +At last I could bear it no longer. Food I must have, or strength +sufficient would not be left me to swim across the river. I fully +believed that the Indians had gone to a distance, and that I might +therefore make the attempt without being seen by them. However, I did +not intend to swim directly across, as I had done before, but to allow +myself to float down with the stream, paddling easily till I could gain +the opposite bank. I should thus be assisted rather than impeded by the +current. + +I nerved myself up for the enterprise. I believed that it would be more +easy to make my way out of the hole through the branches on the +land-side, and then, going round them, take to the water where there was +no back eddy. I had observed, a little lower down, that the current set +directly across to the opposite bank, and it was this which had caused +me so much trouble to reach the spot where I now was. + +Popping up my head, I was about to climb out of the hole, when what was +my horror to see four Indians sitting silently smoking their pipes, +directly in front of me! To escape was impossible, for I knew that they +had perceived me by the loud grunts they uttered, and by one of them +immediately springing to his feet and rushing forward towards the tree. + +Endeavouring to conceal my fears, I leaped down and advanced towards +them, putting out my hand. Instead of taking it, the man who was +advancing grasped me by the shoulder; while the others burst into a loud +guttural laugh, as much as to say, "You thought yourself very clever, +young master, but we have outwitted you." + +How they came to know that I was in the tree, I could not divine; +perhaps they only suspected that I was in the neighbourhood, from not +finding my dead body lower down, and had taken their seats on that spot +by chance. + +One of the men now addressed me, but I could not understand a word he +said. I answered him, however, in English, interspersed with such +Indian expressions as I could recollect. He on this rose to his feet, +patted me on the shoulder, and pointed to the tree; intimating, as I +fancied, that I had been very clever to conceal myself as I had done, +but that he and his companions were cleverer still to discover me. + +As I was famishing, for my anxiety had not taken away my appetite, I +thought it as well to let them understand that I wanted something to +eat. Espying some berries growing on bushes near at hand, I pointed to +them; and the man who held me letting me go, I sprang forward and +ravenously devoured a number. They quenched my thirst, though they did +not much tend to appease my hunger. One of the Indians, suspecting that +this was the case, produced some dried buffalo meat from his pouch, and +offered it to me. + +I thanked him by signs, and showed how I appreciated his gift by +immediately eating it up. He and his companions, on observing how +hungry I was, again laughed. One of them now pointed to the sun, which +was getting low, and made me understand that I must accompany them. As +I knew that I had no chance of escaping, I nodded,--as much as to say +that I was ready to go if they wished it,--and tried to look as cheerful +as possible. + +Their leader, the man who had first spoken to me, pointed to the west +and stalked off; and two of the others seizing me by the arms, one on +each side, we followed him. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +MY INDIAN CAPTORS COMMENCE THEIR HOMEWARD JOURNEY--ARRIVAL AT THE CAMP-- +AGUSKOGAUT THE CHIEF--HIS KINDNESS TO ME--MY ASTONISHMENT ON SEEING MIKE +A PRISONER--HIS LUDICROUS FIDDLING--HIS COMICAL ACCOUNT OF HIS CAPTURE-- +RETURN OF THE WARRIORS FROM THE WAR-PATH--MIKE AND I JOIN THE +BUFFALO-HUNTERS--THE HERD--EXCITING SPORT--THE BISON--ITS IMPORTANCE TO +THE INDIANS--MY HOPE OF ESCAPE--I AM IN GREAT DANGER FROM THE HERD--MIKE +RESCUES ME--OUR RETURN TO CAMP. + +My captors led me along at a rapid rate over the rough ground; nimbly +climbing the rocks, and dragging me after them without much +consideration as to whether I was hurt or not. Of course, I had made up +my mind to attempt escaping on the first opportunity. Perhaps they +suspected this, for they took good care not to afford me the chance. + +On we went due west, as I knew by the position of the sun, scorning all +impediments--up hills and across valleys, through streams and marshes. +They were, I knew, in an enemy's country, and were in a hurry to get out +of it. Their leader did not fail to keep a look-out on every side-- +sometimes hurrying on ahead to the top of a rock, from whence he could +take a glance over the country around to ascertain whether any one was +moving; still they did not appear to be very anxious, and they must have +been aware of the exact spot in which Kepenau and his tribe were +encamped, while they knew that they were not likely to encounter other +foes. + +We must have traversed a good many miles before the sun set; and a thick +grove now appearing ahead, with a stream running by its side, they +hurried towards it. Having entered the grove, they immediately began +stripping off the bark from some of the older trees, and collecting +firewood. With the bark they formed a lean-to; and igniting the wood, +they soon had a fire blazing. + +While the daylight lasted they allowed me to search for berries; one of +the party helping me, but keeping a constant watch on my movements. The +rest, in the meantime, toasted on sticks some dried buffalo meat, a +small portion of which they gave to me. Having satisfied my hunger, and +feeling very tired, I lay down before the fire, glad of the warmth; for +my clothes, though partly dry, were still damp, and I every now and then +gave a shiver, which made me fear that I was going to be seized with +illness. + +From the way in which my captors had hitherto behaved towards me I hoped +that I should not be ill-treated, and believing that I should some day +or other make my escape, I determined not to be unhappy. I was soon, +therefore, fast asleep. Just before I closed my eyes I saw the Indians +sitting round the fire smoking their pipes, and eagerly discussing some +subject or other--probably, what they should do with me--but, in spite +of my precarious position, I never slept so soundly in my life as I did +for some hours. When I at length awoke, I saw that a few embers alone +of the fire remained. One of the Indians was walking up and down, +acting as sentry; while the others lay, with their feet towards the +fire, wrapped in their buffalo robes. I was nearly certain that they +were the same men who had discovered my footprints, and they probably +had then left their robes concealed somewhere while they searched for me +in the river, and had afterwards resumed them. + +How I wished that that sentinel would sit down and go to sleep! If he +should do so, I had determined to get up and run away. They would be +unable to follow my tracks in the dark, so that I should have a long +start of them; and I thought that I might possibly reach the river +before they could overtake me, and either swim down it, or get floated +down on a log of timber or a raft of rushes. + +I had still my axe in my belt, which the Indians had not taken from me, +as also my hunting-knife. I was nearly throwing away the first when +crossing the river, but, feeling its value, I resolved to keep it as +long as I could, and was very glad I had done so. Once the thought came +into my mind that, should the sentry at last go to sleep, I might kill +all the Indians with my axe before they could awake. I remembered a +story I had heard of a white woman who had been made prisoner thus +killing all her captors while sleeping, and ultimately escaping; but I +put the idea from me as a temptation of Satan, and felt more happy when +I had done so. They had unjustly made me captive, it is true, but they +were only following the instincts of their savage nature; and it would +be a dreadful thing to think of afterwards, should I deprive them of +life. + +As the sentry kept his post, and presently brought some more wood, which +he threw on the embers, I felt sure that he was not likely to neglect +his duty; therefore, closing my eyes, I again went off to sleep. When I +next awoke the Indians were yawning and stretching themselves. One got +up, and then another, and I saw that day had broken. + +I sprang to my feet, and the idea came into my head to pretend that I +was not aware I was their captive; so, putting out my hand, I signified +that I would wish them a good morning and take my way homewards. They +shook their heads--laughing, however, as if they thought the idea a good +joke; and two of them walking on either side of me, we set off in the +same order as before. + +We travelled on all day, till, leaving the hilly country and crossing +several streams, we saw the wide prairie stretching out before us, +beyond some thick clumps of trees. Towards one of these clumps the +Indians advanced, when I heard the neigh of a horse. In a few minutes +we saw a couple of Indians, who had charge of several steeds tethered +among the trees. A few words were exchanged between my captors and +them, after which they immediately set to work to build a lean-to and +light a fire. From this I knew that they were going to pass the night +in the wood. Again the hope rose in my breast that I might have a +chance of escaping, but I tried to put on as unconcerned an air as +possible. + +The Indians we had found in the wood exhibited the carcass of a deer, +which they had, I supposed, killed during the day. This was quickly cut +up in large pieces, and placed before, the fire to roast. + +"I only hope, my friends, that you will gorge yourselves till you are +unable to move," I thought. "Then, if I can but get on the back of one +of those horses, I will gallop off to the hills, and not let you see my +face again if I can help it." + +I was not sorry, however, to eat some of the venison which the Indians +gave me; and then I lay down and pretended to go to sleep. They sat up +feeding for some time after this; then, greatly to my disappointment, +one got on his feet and began to walk backwards and forwards, while the +rest stretched themselves on the ground, as they had done the night +before. I watched and watched, and at last believing that they were too +cunning to allow me to escape, I closed my eyes and went to sleep. I +awoke twice, and on each occasion observed that one of them was on the +watch. + +When daylight appeared they all rose, and after shaking themselves, the +horses were caught and they got on horseback; their leader making a sign +to me to mount one of the spare animals, of which there were several. +This done, we immediately set off at full gallop across the plain, +taking a south-westerly direction. We stopped twice during the day, to +allow our animals to crop the grass; while we took some food, a stream +near at hand supplying us with water. + +Towards evening I espied several wigwams partly concealed by the wood +before us. On approaching nearer, I saw that they were very different +from those to which I had been accustomed further east, where the Indian +dwellings are constructed of birch-bark. These were, however, much +larger; the framework, consisting of long poles tied together at the top +in a conical shape, was covered with the tanned skins of buffalo and +deer, and was ornamented with figures of animals and men,--apparently +hunting scenes. + +There were five or six of these wigwams pitched close together. Several +women were moving about, or sitting on the ground. In front of one +stood a tall man wrapped in a buffalo robe, with a spear in his hand, +whom I at once guessed to be the chief. He contemplated us, as we drew +near, without moving, or seeming in any way interested. This manner +was, I suspected, put on to show his own importance, when he discovered +that a white person was among our party. Getting still nearer, another +Indian, who had been, I concluded, sleeping, and just awakened by the +tramp of our horses, crawled out of the tent to have a look at us. It +was a perfect scene of Indian domestic life. Near the chief, his wife +sat on the ground playing with her child, a fat little urchin; a second +woman was busy chopping wood; a third was coming in, axe in hand, with a +huge bundle of sticks on her back, and a child clinging round her neck +while a dog was too busy gnawing a bone to turn round and bark at us. + +On drawing near, our leader got off his horse, and ordered us also to +dismount. We then approached the chief, to whom he described, as I +concluded, the mode in which I had been taken prisoner. The clever way +in which I had hidden myself, and the efforts I had made to escape, +elicited no small amount of admiration from the chief. I could, of +course, only guess at what he said, but I caught a word here and there; +and he looked down on me and smiled with such benignity as his stern +features were capable of assuming. At all events, I thought that these +people, whatever they might do, would not torture me or put me to death. + +My captors having unsaddled their horses, turned them adrift to pick up +food on the surrounding prairie, where the grass grew with unusual +luxuriance. The men then went to their lodges, leaving me with the +chief. He seemed to have taken a fancy to me from the first, and now +invited me into his lodge, where his wife brought me a mess of broth, +which, hungry as I was, I found very palatable. + +The floor of the greater part of the lodge was covered with +buffalo-skins, and a sort of divan, composed of stuffed cushions, was +arranged round the walls; while in the centre burned a large fire, from +which ascended volumes of smoke through the aperture at the top, though +no small quantity pervaded the wigwam. Though disagreeable, it had the +effect of driving away mosquitoes and other flying things. + +I had not expected to be so well treated; still, I could not tell how +long the chief might remain in his present good-humour. + +The chief's name was, I found, Aguskogaut. The tribe into whose hands I +had fallen were Sioux, who live entirely on the prairies, and subsist by +hunting the buffalo. They had come further east than they generally +venture, in order that their warriors might make predatory excursions +against the more pacific and civilised Indians living near the white +men. They seemed to have no fear of being attacked by the latter, as, +being well supplied with horses, they could beat a rapid retreat to the +westward; and I discovered that they had scouts out in all directions to +give notice of the approach of a foe. + +Not knowing how long I might be kept a prisoner, I set to work at once +to try and learn the language of my captors. The women, especially, +were very ready to teach me; and my willingness to learn gaining me +their friendship, they supplied me plentifully with food. I was +puzzled, however, to know on what account they had carried me off, as I +certainly could in no way benefit them. I concluded that one object +might be to hold me as a hostage, in case any of their party should be +taken prisoners. + +The chief took me out riding with him, in search of deer or other game. +He was armed with his bow and a long spear; and knowing that a bow would +be of little use in my hands, he gave me a spear, with which to defend +myself or attack any animals we might come across. He kept a sharp +look-out on me, however, in case I might try to escape; but I well knew +that, under present circumstances, it would be useless to make the +attempt. + +We were successful the first day in running down a young deer, with +which we returned to the camp. As we approached, what was my surprise +to hear the sound of a fiddle! Surely those tones could be produced by +no one but Mike Laffan! Could he have escaped? There, sure enough, as +we rode up to the lodges, was Mike himself, standing in the midst of a +group of Indians; while he was fiddling away with might and main, they +were dancing to the best of their ability, and keeping very good time +too. + +On seeing me he shouted out, "Good luck to ye, Masther Roger! Sure my +heart was nigh breaking, when I thought ye had been drownded or shot to +death by these rid gintlemen; but it would not do to show me grafe, lest +it would make them think manely of me, so thinks I to meself, I'll +fiddle away as long as me elbow can move." + +All the time he was speaking, he continued to play as furiously as at +first; most of those surrounding him jumping and whirling round and +round, or keeping time with their hands. The Indians, we knew, must +have been aware that we were friends, and therefore it would be of no +use to pretend that we were strangers to each other. + +Mike was at length obliged to stop playing; upon which the chief ordered +that he should be brought before him, and inquired how he had been +captured. What account those who had taken him gave, I could not make +out; but Mike told me how, after the canoe had been upset, he had +floated some way down the stream clinging tightly to it. Most of the +articles were soon thrown out. The guns, of course, had at once gone to +the bottom, but the bales floated down. At last he saw his beloved +fiddle washed out. + +"Faix! it would have broken me heart to lose it," he observed; "so I +made a grab and caught it and the bow, and held them tight, although the +wetting, to be sure, was doing them no good. Down I went, fasther and +fasther. I could hear the roar of the lower cataract. Thinks I to +meself, If I go over that I shall be done for, and just then I found the +canoe carried by the current towards the shore. I struck out with me +feet to help it; and glad I was when, as I let them dhrop, I felt them +touch the ground. I sprang up the bank, but, to me sorrow, the canoe +floated off, and it was more than I could do to get a hold of it again. +I climbed to the top of a cliff, hoping to catch sight of you, or of +Reuben and the Indian; but no one could I see. And grieving from the +bottom of me heart at the thought that you were lost, I scrambled down +again, and made me way through the wood, guided by the sound of the +waterfall. + +"I went on and on till I had passed it, looking out for our friends; but +not a glimpse of them could I see. At last, as I was getting pretty +tired, I thought to meself that I would climb up into a tree to get some +rest, and hide away in case the inimy should be looking for me. +Scarcely had I stowed meself away among the branches when I heard +voices. I dared not look out, but I guessed they were those of the +Indians, who had by some means or other missed me tracks, and having +gone down the bank before me, were now returning. They passed by +without seeing me, which shows that they are not always so sharp-sighted +as is supposed. I stayed up in the tree all night; but next morning, +being very hungry, I came down to make me breakfast off the berries I +had seen growing about. There was no lack of them, and I was lucky +enough to knock down two young squirrels with a stick I had picked up. + +"I was not happy in me mind all the time at going away without looking +for you, so, thinks I to myself, I'll try and find him. I started up +the stream again to the place where the canoe was upset. Not a trace of +you could I discover; so with a sad heart I began to make me way back +again. It struck me that, somehow or other, I must have wandered away +from the river; and after trudging along all day I could nowhere find +it. I felt still more unhappy than I had done before, and so, thinking +to solace myself, I sat down on a rock, and putting me fiddle to me +chin, began playing away. I tried one tune and then another, and a +mighty dale of good it seemed to do me. I was playing the `Groves of +Blarney,' when half a dozen rid-skinned savages jumped out of the bushes +and looked me full in the face. + +"`Whoo!' says I. `Whaugh!' says they, in chorus. `Whoo!' says I again. +On which they came nearer, flourishing their ugly-looking +scalping-knives. + +"`Is that what you're going to be afther?' said I, feeling uncomfortable +on the top of me head. `Keep off, me beauties, till I give you another +tune.' And putting up me fiddle to me chin--for I had let it drop, and +small blame to me!--I began scraping away as if I would be afther +shaking me arm off. + +"`Whaugh!' says they again, beginning to skip and leap about. + +"On this I played faster and faster; and the faster I played, the higher +they bounded. `It's all right,' thinks I to meself; `they will not be +doing me any harm if I can keep them at that game.' So I thought I had +best give them a tune with me voice into the bargain; and I sang, and +scraped, and shook me head, till they all burst out into fits of +laughter. + +"On this I got up and made them a low bow; though I clapped my hat on +again pretty quick, in case of accidents. And says I--`If you will all +sit down, and behave yourselves like dacent men, I'll tell you a tale +which will astonish you.' + +"Whether or not they understood me, I could not for the life of me tell; +but, sure enough, down they all squatted. And I began to recount to +them how Daniel O'Rourke one night, returning from waking Widow Casey at +Ballybotherem, and having taken a drop more than usual of the +`crayther,' saw the fairies come dancing round him; and I went on to +describe what Daniel said, and what the fairies did. `And now,' says I, +`just sit quiet where you are till I come back and finish me story.' +And on this, giving another whoop, and a hop, skip, and a jump, I was +making me way back to the river, when up sprang the Ridskins and came +bounding afther me. `Sure, thin,' says I, stopping short, and beginning +to scrape away as before on me fiddle, `you don't understand me.' And, +by me faith, indade they did not; for without more ado they got round +me, and suspecting that I had been bamboozling them, began to prick me +with their spears behind, as a gentle hint that I was to march forward. + +"Seeing that there was no use trying to make me escape--for, of course, +six men can run faster than one--I took their hints, which were not to +be mistaken, and stepped out in the direction they pointed, now and then +playing a tune to keep up me spirits and put them in good-humour. + +"The long and the short of it is, that they made me prisoner, and +brought me along with them; until we found some horses, on which-- +stopping a night or two on the way--we galloped along till we reached +this place. + +"And here I am, Masther Roger! well pleased to find that you're alive, +and to bear you company." + +And so Mike concluded his story. + +The Indians allowed Mike and me to talk together without interfering +with us. I told him that I would try to escape as soon as I could. + +"Sure, and that is what I'll be afther," he answered. "But it's more +easily said than done, I am afraid. However, where there is a will +there is a way; and cunning as the Ridskins think themselves, maybe +we'll be even with them." + +While we were talking we had observed some commotion among the +inhabitants of the lodges; and presently we caught sight of a band of +horsemen scouring across the prairie towards us, and flourishing their +spears as they came along. At first I thought they might be enemies; +but as no preparations were made for the defence of the camp, I knew +that they must be friends. In a few minutes they galloped up; and the +leading warriors, decked in war-paint and feathers, dismounted, each of +them carrying one or more scalps hanging to the end of his spear. Our +chief, Aguskogaut, who had put on his finest robes, advanced to meet +them while they stepped forward; and their leader began a long harangue, +which sounded very fine, although I could not make out what it was all +about. + +Mike and I stood on one side, thinking it as well to keep out of the +way. The new-comers, however, after a time began to point towards where +we were standing; and I guessed they were talking about us, and +inquiring how we happened to be there. + +Aguskogaut then, as we supposed, gave them an account of what had +occurred; to which (as I judged from their gestures) they replied, that +we ought to have been killed, and our scalps taken to adorn their +lodges. On this Aguskogaut--who was, happily, our friend--made another +speech; and lifting up his hand to heaven, appeared to be invoking the +Great Spirit, and letting his countrymen understand that we were under +his protection, and that no harm must happen to us. So successful was +his eloquence, that the warriors appeared to be satisfied. At all +events, we were allowed to move about within sight of the camp, no one +molesting us. + +The next day there was a great feast in honour of the victory which had +been gained. + +Mike and I were generally kept apart; but we occasionally found +opportunities for meeting, when we did not fail to discuss plans for +escaping. We were, however, too narrowly watched to allow at present of +any of them being feasible: wherever we went, an Indian, apparently +appointed for the purpose, had his eye on us. Had we managed to mount +any of the horses tethered near the lodges or feeding around, we should +have been immediately tracked and followed. Still, it kept up our +spirits to talk of what we would do. We were not otherwise ill-treated, +and were amply supplied with dried buffalo meat. Sometimes the hunters +brought in a deer or a bear; but as there was always on such occasions a +grand feast, the fresh meat did not last long. + +At last, one morning the Indians turned out at daybreak, and immediately +began taking down the tents and packing up their goods. The coverings +for the tents were divided and done up in bales, and then secured to the +backs of horses. The poor women were loaded with as much as they could +carry, in addition to the younger children. The chief's squaws were +allowed to mount; but their animals were also loaded like the rest of +the horses. The men carried only their arms, and spare buffalo robes +strapped on to their saddles. Mike and I were compelled to assist in +doing up the bales, the squaws showing us how to perform the operation; +sometimes scolding us, at other times laughing at what they considered +our clumsiness. + +When all was done, we were left standing; so we concluded that it was +the intention of the Indians to compel us to march on foot. + +"Begorrah," exclaimed Mike, "I don't like this fun at all, at all! See, +there are two mustangs without anything on their backs! Small blame to +us if we just get astride them." And suiting the action to the word, he +leaped on to one of the ponies, while I mounted the other. Whether they +belonged to any of the Indians, we could not tell, but there were +several spare animals besides. + +Urging on our steeds, we joined the throng of warriors, who were already +forming at a little distance from our late camp. The chief laughed when +he saw us, and exchanged remarks with some of his companions. We +concluded that these were in our favour, for we were allowed to retain +our steeds. + +The signal was now given to advance, and the tribe moved forward in a +south-westerly direction. Though we were glad to be on horseback, yet +our spirits sank when we found that we were getting further and further +from home, and saw our chances of escape diminishing. + +"No matter," cried Mike; "the longer we stay with these Indians, the +more we shall know of their ways, and be the better able to desave them. +We must appear to be perfectly continted and happy, and try to spake +their language--though it gives me a pain in me jaws whenever I utter +one of their long words." + +"You are right, Mike; I will try to practise your philosophy," I +answered. + +We marched on all day, stopping only for a short time to take our scanty +meals. We could proceed but slowly, on account of the women and loaded +animals; but the warriors scoured over the plain on both sides of our +line of march, either looking out for an enemy or in search of game. +Mike and I, however, were kept with the main body. At night we encamped +either near a wood or by the side of a stream, where there were always +trees to afford us fuel for our fires. Thus we went on for several +days. + +The Indians were, we guessed, making for a region frequented by buffalo, +which had not this year come so far east as usual. At last we reached +the spot at which they considered it desirable to remain; there being a +full stream from which water could be obtained, and plenty of wood to +afford fuel for our fires. In every other direction, as far as we could +see, the country was nearly level, with little or no timber of any size +growing on it. The women immediately set about their usual avocations. +But as our meals were very scanty, it was evident that there was a +scarcity of meat in the camp. + +Early next morning a band of twenty men mounted their best horses to set +out, as we concluded, in search of buffalo. Without asking leave, Mike +and I got on our steeds and joined them. They did not object to this; +probably supposing that we should not attempt to make our escape so far +from home. We each of us obtained a bow and a quiver full of arrows, +besides a long spear. None of the tribe possessed firearms. + +We rode on for some distance, the main body keeping together, while +scouts were sent forward to look out for buffalo. At last we reached a +broad stream, and were proceeding along the bank, when my companions +became greatly interested; and looking out to the left, I saw the whole +plain covered with a dense mass of dark objects, which I at once guessed +to be buffalo. It was evident that they were making for the river. The +Indians, urging on their horses, dashed forward to try to intercept the +herd before they could cross it. It seemed to me, however, that we +should be too late to do that. + +I could see the scouts galloping along the flank of the herd nearest us, +trying to find an opening among them into which they might penetrate; +while every now and then they let fly one of their arrows into the neck +of an animal. As to turning the herd, or preventing it from crossing +the stream, they might as well have attempted to stop the falls of +Niagara in their downward course. With a tramp which shook the earth, +and terrific bellowings sounding far across the plain, onward rushed the +seemingly maddened creatures, tossing their heads, throwing high their +tails, and turning up the earth in their course. + +The river was reached before we could get up to them; and their leaders +plunging in, they began to swim across, the animals in the rear driving +those in front into the water. The former would have treated the latter +in the same way had they reached the edge of a precipice, when all would +have gone over together. As it was, they proved themselves good +swimmers, quickly gaining the opposite bank, and rushing forward as at +first. + +Before we got within shot of them, the greater number had crossed; but +the hunters, urging on their well-trained steeds, rode boldly up, +shooting their arrows within a few feet of the creatures. Three or four +only fell; others seemed to take no notice of their wounds; and several, +springing out of the herd, with heads lowered to the ground, plunged +forward furiously at their assailants. The nimble horses wheeled as +they approached, and escaped the attack made on them; their riders never +failing to discharge one or two arrows in return at the infuriated +buffalo. Had we possessed firearms, many more would have been killed. + +The Indians had no intention of giving up the pursuit. Where the herd +had crossed the river, the water was too deep to allow us to wade over. +At a signal from their leader, however, the hunters turned their horses, +and galloped back in the direction from whence we had come; soon we +reached a ford, where we all crossed, though the water almost covered +the backs of our short-legged ponies. The herd could still be seen in +the far distance, so we immediately galloped on to overtake it. + +Though called buffalo, the animal I am speaking of is really the bison. +It has a protuberant hunch on its shoulders, and the body is covered, +especially towards the head, by long, fine, woolly hair, which makes the +animal appear much more bulky than it really is. That over the head, +neck, and fore part of the body is long and shaggy, and forms a beard +beneath the lower jaw, descending to the knees in a tuft; while on the +top it rises in a dense mass nearly to the tops of the horns, and is +strongly curled and matted on the front. The tail is short, and has a +tuft at the end--the general colour of the hair being a uniform dun. +The legs are especially slender, and appear to be out of all proportion +to the body; indeed, it seems wonderful that they are able to bear it, +and that the animals can at the same time exhibit the activity they +seemed possessed of. + +In summer the buffalo finds an abundance of food by cropping the sweet +grass which springs up after the fires so frequent in one part or other +of the prairies. In winter, in the northern regions, it would starve, +were it not possessed of a blunt nose, covered by tough skin, with which +it manages to dig into the snow and shovel it away, so as to get at the +herbage below. In winter, too, the hair grows to a much greater length +than in summer, when the hinder part is covered only by a very short +fine hair, smooth as velvet. Many thousands of these magnificent +animals congregate in herds, which roam from north to south over the +western prairies. At a certain time of the year the bulls fight +desperately with each other, on which occasions their roaring is truly +terrific. + +The hunters select, when they can, female buffalo, as their flesh is far +superior in quality and tenderness to that of the males. The females +are, however, far more active than the males, and can run three times as +fast, so that swift horses are required to keep up with them. The +Indians complain of the destruction of the buffalo--forgetting that +their own folly in killing the females is one of the chief causes of the +diminution of their numbers. + +Huge and unwieldy as is the buffalo, it dashes over the ground at a +surprising rate, bounding with large and clumsy-looking strides across +the roughest country, plunging down the broken sides of ravines, and +trying the mettle of horses and the courage of riders in pursuit of it. + +To the Indians of the prairies the buffalo is of the greatest possible +value, for they depend on these animals for their food, tents, clothing, +and numerous other articles. They dress the skins with the hair on, and +these serve as cloaks or coverings at night. The horns are converted +into powder-flasks; the hides, when tanned, serve to cover their tents; +and the wool makes a coarse cloth. When the flesh is eaten fresh, it is +considered superior in tenderness and flavour to that of the domestic +ox; the hump especially being celebrated for its delicacy. It is also +cut into strips and dried in the sun; or it is pounded up with the fat +and converted into pemmican. The hides are used also for leggings, +saddles, or, when cut into strips, form halters. With the sinews, +strings are made for their bows. From the bones they manufacture a +variety of tools--of the smaller ones making needles, and using the +finer sinews as threads. From the ribs, strengthened by some of the +stronger sinews, are manufactured the bows which they use so +dexterously. The bladder of the animal is used as a bottle; and often, +when the Indian is crossing the prairie where no water is to be found, +he is saved from perishing of thirst by killing a buffalo and extracting +the water which is found in its inside. + +To resume: In spite of the rate at which the buffalo were going, we soon +overtook them on our swift mustangs; and now began the most exciting +part of our day's sport. The leading portion of the herd kept close +together; but in the rear the animals were separated--some lagging +behind, others scattering on either side. The Indians, with their bows +drawn or their spears couched in their hands, dashed in among them, +shooting right and left, or plunging their weapons into the shoulders of +the brutes--so dexterously aiming the blows, that many of their victims +fell pierced to the heart. + +Mike and I, though good horsemen, were but little accustomed to the +Indian weapons; and although we did our best, many of the buffalo at +which we rode either escaped being wounded, or galloped off with our +arrows sticking in their bodies. We each of us, however, managed to +kill an animal, and were galloping on, closely following one of the +principal hunters, when a huge bull, after which the Indian was riding, +turned suddenly round, and with its head to the ground rushed madly at +him. His horse for a moment stood stock-still, watching the buffalo, +while the Indian shot his arrow. It struck the animal on the neck, but +failed to kill it. I expected that the next moment I should see both +horse and rider rolling on the ground; but the well-trained steed sprang +nimbly on one side, and the now infuriated buffalo dashed towards Mike +and me. I shot my last arrow, but it glanced off the skull of the +creature, which now came towards me, looking the picture of savageness. + +I endeavoured to make my steed spring on one side, but barely in time to +escape the tremendous battering-ram--for to nothing else can I liken the +buffalo's head. The creature went rushing on till it was met by two +Indians, one of whom shot his arrow, while the other struck his spear so +exactly in the buffalo's breast that the huge creature immediately fell +over dead. + +Such was the beginning of our day's hunt. I was completely carried away +by the excitement of the chase, and was as eager to kill buffalo as any +Indian amongst them. As I had exhausted all my arrows, I had now only +my spear to trust to. Had I been dependent on my own skill, I should +have been quickly overthrown, and probably gored to death; but my +well-trained mustang knew far more about the matter than I did, so I let +him get out of the way of any of the animals which attacked me as he +thought best. + +I had singled out a young bull which turned off from the herd, and I +followed it up, expecting to be able to get ahead of it, so that I might +point my spear full at its breast in the way I had seen several of the +Indians do, knowing that my mustang would spring on one side should it +be necessary. Suddenly the bull stopped; then turning round and seeing +me before it, came rushing towards me. I endeavoured to run my spear +into its breast, and then make my steed spring out of the way. I thrust +my spear with all my force; but before I could let go my grasp it was +whisked out of my hand, after which my horse sprang clear of the animal +with a bound which very nearly threw me from the saddle, and had +galloped some distance away before I could stop it. + +What a glorious opportunity this would be for escaping! I thought to +myself. Had Mike been near me, I should have proposed doing so. I was +looking round, to try and ascertain where he was, when down came my +steed--having stepped into the hole of a prairie dog, numbers of which +honeycombed the ground around--and I was thrown right over his head. As +I lay half-stunned, I saw to my horror the whole herd of buffalo tearing +along towards me, ploughing up the turf with their hoofs, and bellowing +loudly. I fully expected to be trampled to death before many minutes +had passed, or to be tossed high in the air over their shaggy backs. My +horse, looking up, saw his danger, and seemed to understand the state of +affairs as well as I did. He made desperate struggles to rise; and I +endeavoured to get on my feet and seize the reins, hoping to mount +before the herd was upon me. I might thus gallop off, and keep ahead of +them till I could find an opportunity of turning on one side. + +I rose, but fell again before I could reach the reins which hung over my +steed's neck. Already I could almost see the eyes of the infuriated +beasts; but I was not going to give up my life if I could help it. I +therefore made another desperate effort, and reaching the rein, patted +the animal's nose, turning his eyes away from the approaching foe; then +in an instant--I scarcely know how I did it--I was on his back. + +I was fully aware that the same accident which had brought me to the +ground might again occur; but of that I must run the risk. Before, +however, my horse could spring forward, the herd was close upon us. +Digging my heels into his flanks, I urged him on, shrieking at the top +of my voice. The sound of the tramping hoofs behind him, the bellowing +of the bulls, and the expectation every instant of being probed by their +horns, made him strain every muscle to keep ahead of them. His speed +was far greater than theirs, and he soon distanced them; but still, the +danger of again falling was imminent, for as we flew along I could see +in every direction the burrows of those abominable little prairie dogs, +though the inhabitants had taken good care to ensconce themselves far +down out of the way of the hoofs of the buffalo. Looking over my +shoulder, I saw that by turning to the right I might soon get clear of +the herd, which did not extend far on that side. I accordingly pulled +the right rein, so as to ride almost across the course the herd was +taking; and observed, as I did so, a number of the Indians galloping +along by the side of the buffalo, and shooting their arrows. + +I was congratulating myself on the prospect of escaping, when down came +my steed once more; and as I was as unprepared for the accident as +before, I was thrown over his head, and more severely injured than at +first. Still, though partly stunned, I could see what was taking place. +I fancied that I was, at all events, sufficiently to the right of the +herd to escape being trampled to death, when just then a huge bull, who +must have had his eye upon me, wheeled from his companions, and, putting +his head to the ground, made, as I thought, towards me. To escape by +mounting my horse was now out of the question, for I had been thrown too +far to seize the reins, and the poor animal still lay struggling to get +his feet out of the hole. Any other than a prairie horse would have +broken his legs, or sprained himself irretrievably. Just when I +expected to be trampled to death or gored by the bull's horns, I saw +that the savage creature was making towards my horse instead of me; but +as it reached the mustang, the latter drew his feet out of the hole, and +throwing up his heels at the bull's nose, scampered off, followed by his +enemy, while the rest of the herd swept by like a torrent, not ten yards +from where I lay. Some stragglers, however, caught sight of me; and +another big bull was rushing on to give me a taste of his horns and +hoofs, when a loud "Whallop-ahoo-aboo! Erin go bragh!" sounded in my +ears. + +"Don't be afraid, Masther Roger, me darlint!" shouted Mike, for it was +he who had uttered the cry; and dashing forward with spear in rest, he +struck the bull behind the shoulder with such force that his weapon must +have pierced the animal's heart. It swerved on one side, thereby +enabling Mike to avoid trampling on me, and the next moment fell over +perfectly dead. + +A number of Indians passing at the moment, applauded Mike's achievement. +I managed at the same time to get on my feet, and pointed to my horse. + +"Ay, to be sure; I'll be afther him," cried Mike, "as soon as I can git +me shtick out of this baste's carcass." + +He tugged and tugged till he liberated his spear, then galloped off in +the direction my horse had taken, leaving me by the dead bull. + +I had no longer any fear of being knocked over by the buffalo, as all, +except a few laggards, had passed by, and were further away to the left. +I could just see Mike attacking with his spear the animal which had +pursued my horse; but a faintness again came over me, and I was obliged +to sit down on the ground. I had no fear of being deserted, as I was +sure that the Indians would come to look after the animals they had +killed; and in a few minutes Mike returned, leading my horse, who +appeared none the worse for his falls or his encounter with the buffalo. + +We had by this time reached a part of the country where woods and hills +could be seen rising here and there above the plain. The rearmost of +the buffalo had become separated, and many of the Indians, having +exhausted their arrows, were now attacking them with their spears; two +hunters generally singling out one animal, and riding alongside it till +they had wounded it to death. As far as I could see, on either side, +the country exhibited an animated scene,--the buffalo scampering along +in every direction, with Indians riding after them, their robes wildly +flying in the air, while they flourished their spears above their heads. +On the ground over which we had come could be distinguished numerous +dark spots,--the bodies of the buffalo we had slain. Indeed, our +comparatively small party had, I afterwards found, killed upwards of two +hundred animals; which will give some idea of the numbers annually +slaughtered by the Indians. + +At length they gave over the chase, and commenced the operation of +skinning their victims, leaving most of the carcasses a prey to the +wolves. The tongues and humps, however, were generally secured, as well +as the flesh of the cows, which is, as I have said, far superior in +tenderness to that of the bulls. + +The horses loaded with skins and meat, we returned at night to the camp; +and as our captors had now an abundance of provisions, they were in an +unusually good-humour. + +"Sure, thin, but this wouldn't be a bad opportunity for us to git away +from these rid gintlemen," observed Mike, as we watched them feasting on +the produce of the day's hunt--stuffing such huge quantities of flesh +into their insides, that it seemed impossible, were they long to +continue the operation, that they would be able to move. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +MIKE'S PRECAUTION--WE AGAIN GO BUFFALO-HUNTING--THE PRAIRIE ON FIRE--A +RIDE FOR LIFE--OUR ESCAPE FROM THE FIRE AND THE INDIANS--HOBBLING +HORSES--THE FIRE IS STOPPED BY THE RIVER--A BRIEF SLEEP--OUR FISHING +TACKLE--MIKE CATCHES A CAT-FISH--OUR LEAN-TO--MIKE LOSES HIS BOOK--THE +VISIT OF BRUIN--A HEARTY MEAL--DEATH OF MIKE'S HORSE--I AM TAKEN SICK-- +MIKE'S CAREFUL WATCH--MY HORSE IS DROWNED--OUR VISIT TO THE RICE-LAKE-- +WE FIND LILY AND DORA THERE, WITH ASHATEA, IN A CANOE, GATHERING RICE-- +LILY'S ACCOUNT OF MANILICK, THE YOUNG CHIEF, ASHATEA'S LOVER--KEPENAU'S +ADDRESS--AGAIN TAKEN ILL--HOW I RECOVER. + +Mike and I were on the watch for an opportunity of mounting our horses +and galloping off unperceived by the Indians; but, though they feasted +for several successive days, that opportunity never came. +Unfortunately, so far as our enterprise was concerned, they had no +whisky in the camp, and were therefore able to watch our movements. + +In a few days the hunters again set out, to obtain a further supply of +buffalo robes; not that these were required for their own use, but they +intended to exchange them with the traders for whisky and other +articles--especially firearms and ammunition. The chief and two or +three of the leading men had already procured weapons, although as yet +they were by no means expert in their use. + +"They'll soon give us a chance, if they get howld of the whisky," +observed Mike; "so we must have patience till that happy time comes." + +As we had proved ourselves such expert hunters on the previous occasion, +the Indians decided to take us with them, and allowed us to select two +capital horses, as also some tough spears and a supply of arrows. We +likewise stowed away, at Mike's suggestion, as much dried buffalo meat +as our pouches would hold. "There is no harm in having it," he +observed; "and it may just come in convanient if we get the chance of +giving our rid-skinned frinds the slip." + +I was glad to find that the Indians were directing their course to the +north-west of the camp, towards a plain on which, the scouts had brought +word, buffalo had been seen feeding the previous evening, and it was +supposed that they were not yet likely to have got far off. When we +reached the ground, however, it was found that they had gone away +further to the northward, so chase was immediately made after them. The +herd must have gone on at a somewhat rapid rate, for we forded several +streams, and entered on a part of the prairie across which, after riding +a few miles, we could see nothing but the waving grass on every side. + +The chief had of late been friendly, and kept Mike and me near him. He +was evidently pleased with the good-humour we exhibited, and probably +thought that we were contented with our lot. + +At last we came in sight of the rear-guard of the herd, when the Indians +at once gave chase. + +We had been riding on for some time, the buffalo evidently moving at a +greater speed than they do under ordinary circumstances, when the chief, +who was on the right of the party, stopped, and looking round him, +shouted to those who were within hearing. I could not understand what +he said, and asked Mike if he could. + +"Sure, it's something not altogether plisant," he answered. "Look +there, Masther Roger. What does that mane?" + +He pointed, as he spoke, to a long line of what looked like grey mist, +forming wreaths, and rising above the horizon to the westward. + +I saw several of the Indians standing up in their stirrups and gazing in +the same direction. They knew perfectly well what it was, but they were +trying to ascertain a point of vital importance to us all. The prairie +was on fire! Of that there was no doubt; but, in order to give +themselves the best chance of saving their lives, it was necessary to +settle, before galloping forward, what course to take. + +While the Indians were discussing this point, Mike, who had been looking +about him, exclaimed to me,--"There is one way we want to go, and that +is to the north-east. Never mind if we do get singed a little, for +sure, as we came along, I remember that we passed several swamps. If we +can get into one of them we shall be safe, as the fire won't be afther +crossing the wather." + +"But the Indians will probably take the same direction," I observed. + +"Sure, if they intinded doing that same, they would have been off at +once," he answered. "They have some raison for what they think of +doing, and we have another for what we will do; so come along, Masther +Roger. There's only one thing I mourn for, and that is me fiddle; but +no matther; maybe I will be afther getting that another time. +Whallop-ahoo-aboo! Erin go bragh!" Then digging his heels into his +horse's flanks, he set off in the direction he proposed; and I, seeing +that the Indians were too much occupied to notice us, galloped after +him. + +As I turned my head I saw them scampering along towards the north-west. +The fire having approached with far greater rapidity than I could have +supposed possible, I began to fear that they were right and we were +wrong, when I saw the flames catching the dry grass and flaring up +furiously, with dense masses of black smoke above them, and already +scarcely a mile behind us; indeed, they looked very much nearer. Onward +came the conflagration, faster than any horse could gallop. Happily we +had the start of it, but we must, we knew, keep our steeds at the utmost +stretch of their powers to maintain a safe distance. + +As our course diverged more and more from that of the Indians, they soon +discovered our object, and shouted to us to accompany them. + +"Bawl away, me boys!" answered Mike. "It is not convanient just now to +attind to you." + +When our intention became clearly evident, the chief despatched two of +his people in pursuit of us; but we kept well ahead of our pursuers, and +they, fearing that the fire would overtake them, turned and took the +same direction as the main body. Soon after this we lost sight of our +late companions. + +"I would be well contint never to set eyes on you again, me jewels," +said Mike, shaking his spear as a sign of farewell. + +Although my companion kept up his spirits, I could not avoid fearing +that, after all, the fire would overtake us. Happily our horses were +fleet and in good wind, as we had not exhausted them during the early +part of the day; and all we could do at present was to gallop on. The +wind, of which there had hitherto been very little, now got up, and blew +almost in our faces, driving the fire in the direction the Indians had +taken, and at the same time keeping it back from that in which we were +going. Still on came the fire, the whole country in our rear apparently +one mass of flame. Even now, did we stop, we should be overtaken. +Happily for us, there were no buffalo in the direction from which the +fire was coming, or we should have run the danger of being overwhelmed +by them. Smaller animals, however, came rushing by us or close at our +heels, but too much frightened even to notice us; and we were in too +great a hurry to interfere with them. + +I am almost afraid to say how many miles we covered in a couple of +hours, but certainly not till that time had elapsed did we get to a safe +distance from the fire; and even then, on looking back, we could see it +raging along the whole verge of the horizon to the westward and +southward. It was clear to me that Mike was mistaken about the swamps, +and had not the wind, providentially for us, changed, we should probably +have fallen victims. + +We now slackened our speed a little, hoping to meet with some broad +river which might prove a barrier to the flames, should another change +of wind drive them towards us, as there was nothing, so far as we could +see, to stop the fire from quickly overtaking us. Our horses, too, were +already suffering from want of water, and so were we. We therefore +eagerly looked out for a pool or stream at which we might slake our +thirst. At length, greatly to our joy, as evening was approaching, we +caught sight in the far distance of a silvery line of water glittering +in the rays of the western sun. It was a river running from the +north-west to the south-east, and as we approached we saw that it was of +considerable width. Should it not prove fordable, we resolved to swim +across. + +With infinite satisfaction we reached the bank of the river, and +descending quickly, allowed our horses to drink; while, stooping down by +their sides, we lapped up the water eagerly with our hands. It seemed +as if we could never drink enough. When we had somewhat slaked our +thirst, we looked about for a place at which to cross. From the +appearance of the current a little lower down, we hoped that we should +there find the river fordable; we accordingly agreed to lead our horses +to it. + +On climbing up the bank we observed that the fire was still raging in +the direction from whence we had come; and it was evidently very much +nearer. We had wished to allow our animals to rest and recover their +strength before attempting to cross; but on again looking back we saw +that there was no time to be lost. We accordingly at once mounted, and +urged our steeds into the water, keeping their heads up the stream. + +As we advanced it grew deeper and deeper, and we expected every moment +to have our horses taken off their legs; still it would not do to turn +back. Our greatest chance of safety lay in pushing forward. The cool +water restored strength to our beasts, and, sagaciously leaning over +against the current, they soon got across the deep part. We had now no +further difficulty, and in a few minutes landed safely on the opposite +side. Fortunately there was plenty of fresh herbage, and we allowed the +animals to crop it, while we sat down and discussed some of the pemmican +with which, by Mike's forethought, we had provided ourselves. Without +it we should have starved; for we could find nothing eatable anywhere +around. As night was approaching, and our horses were too much knocked +up to go further, we resolved to remain on the bank of the river till +the morning. We accordingly hobbled the animals, and then looked about +for some place which might afford us shelter. + +Our search was rewarded by the discovery of a hollow made by the stream +in the bank during the spring floods. Here we hoped that we might rest +secure from danger. Indians were not likely to be passing at that time +of the evening, and no wolves would find their way, we believed, into +our cave. Our horses were, of course, more exposed to risk than +ourselves; but we were obliged to let them take their chance, for unless +they were allowed to feed during the night they would be unable to carry +us the next day. + +After leaving our horses to pick up their supper, we were about to +return to our cave, when, on looking to the eastward, we observed that +the fire was making most rapid progress in our direction. We felt +thankful indeed that we were on the right side of the river. + +On came the conflagration, the heat sensibly increasing every minute, +while dark wreaths of smoke filled the air, below which the burning +grass and shrubs hissed and crackled. The darkness of night added to +the fearful character of the scene. As far as the eye could reach there +appeared a long unbroken line of fire: now, as it caught some thick bush +or clump of trees, forked flames rose high in the air; in other places +it came along maintaining the same height, but ever advancing, till it +reached the bank of the river, when every shrub and tree was enveloped +in a sheet of fire; and notwithstanding the width of the river, we +expected every instant to see some of the sparks carried across, and the +whole country on our side given over to destruction. We might save our +own lives, but our horses would inevitably be lost. + +We sat anxiously watching the conflagration as it raged along the entire +bank: now the sparks, wafted by the wind, flew high into the air; now +burning branches fell hissing into the water. + +"It's all very fine," observed Mike, after watching it for some time; +"but I would rather be afther going quietly to slape." + +I felt quite as tired as did Mike, but I sat up till my eyes began to +close and my head to droop, and I could not for the life of me tell what +I was looking at. I had just sense enough left to lie down alongside +Mike, when I was almost directly asleep. I do not think I ever slept +more soundly in my life than I did on that occasion. So thoroughly +wearied out was I, that I forgot all about the fire raging within a few +hundred yards of us; or prowling wolves, or Indians, or rattlesnakes, +which might have made their holes in the bank. + +When I awoke I found Mike sitting up, dawn having just broken. The fire +had burned itself out, a few burning embers alone appearing on the +opposite side, with here and there a blackened stem of some tree which +had resisted the flames. One side of the river presented a scene of +utter desolation, while the other was still green, and glittering with +the dew of early morn. + +We knelt down and returned thanks to God for our preservation, and +offered up a petition that he would still take care of us. We then ate +a little more pemmican, and took a draught of water from the river; +though, to do so, we had to drive back the burned twigs and black scum +which came floating down the stream. We then caught our horses, which, +in consequence of being hobbled, had not strayed far; and after leading +them down to drink we mounted and rode on to the north-east. Reaching +some elevated ground whence we could obtain an extensive view, we looked +round to ascertain if any Indians were in sight. Not a human being +could we discover; and we therefore, with increased hopes that we might +escape, continued our journey. + +I asked Mike how many days he thought it would take us to reach home, +that I might see if his computation agreed with mine. I calculated, +recollecting the distance we had come with our captors, that it would +occupy us a week at least, or perhaps ten days. He was of the same +opinion. + +"But will our pemmican last us as long?" I asked. + +"Sure, that depinds upon how much we take of it each day," he answered. +"The berries are now ripe, and by good luck I have found a couple of +fish-hooks in me pocket. Maybe, also, I can manage to manufacture some +traps in which to catch birds or small animals; and though we have no +arrows, if we are hard pressed we may make some; and we have got our +spears. If we could only meet with a young bear, we should have flesh +enough to last us for many a day. Sure, we'll not be fearing harm till +it comes upon us." + +I agreed with Mike that we were not so badly off after all, and we rode +forward in good spirits. There was still, of course, the danger of +being overtaken by the Indians; but on that score Mike thought that we +need not trouble ourselves. They would probably suppose that we had +been destroyed by the fire; or they themselves might have met with the +fate from which we had so narrowly escaped. + +The sun shone brightly from the unclouded sky; the atmosphere was clear, +and we could see objects at a great distance. We looked out, as we rode +along, for any of the natives who might be passing either on the +war-path or engaged in hunting, as we resolved to endeavour to avoid +them rather than risk an encounter. They might prove to be friends; but +if enemies, we knew that we should have a poor chance of coming off +victorious. Whenever the country was open, we galloped across it as +fast as we could venture to push our horses without over-fatiguing them; +but when we came to woody districts we kept as much as possible under +shelter of the trees, so as to avoid being seen. We did not forget +that, should enemies cross our trail, they would probably follow us. We +therefore very frequently looked about us, to ascertain if we were +pursued. We agreed that, in that case, we would run for it, trusting to +the mettle of our horses for escape. + +It may seem strange, but I enjoyed the excitement, and should not have +been alarmed had we caught sight of a dozen Redskins, provided they were +on foot, and we had a fair start. Mike did not quite enter into my +feelings, however. + +"Sure it would be betther, Masther Roger, if we could get along asily, +and just stop and enjoy our dinner and supper without the feeling that +at any moment our scalps might be taken off our heads," he observed. + +"We have kept them on through much greater dangers than we are now +likely to meet with," I answered; "and while we have fleet horses under +us, we may laugh at the Indians. They won't know that we are without +firearms, and they are terribly afraid of bullets." + +For all this, I should have been glad had we possessed a good rifle and +a brace of pistols apiece. Though our spears might serve us in a close +encounter with a bear, or even with wolves, we were but ill able to +protect ourselves against the arrows of a party of Redskins. + +Whenever we reached a height we surveyed the country both before and +behind us, to make sure, in the first place, that no Indians were +following; and, in the second, that none were encamped ahead, or, as I +have before said, moving about. During the day we met with several +small streams at which we could water our horses and slake our own +thirst; and the first night we encamped under shelter of a wood, where +there was plenty of grass for our steeds. We contented ourselves with +forming a lean-to, but did not light a fire lest it should betray our +whereabouts. Having eaten a little more pemmican, we formed our beds of +spruce-fir tops, and lay down to rest. + +"Do you slape as sound as you like, Masther Roger; I'll jist keep one +eye open, in case any unwelcome visitor should take the throuble to poke +his nose into our palace," observed Mike. "When you think you have had +rest enough, you can jist wake up and let me take a snooze till +morning." + +I thanked my honest friend for his kind intentions, and in less than +half a minute my eyes were closely shut. When I awoke it was already +dawn, but Mike, instead of keeping watch, was as sound asleep as I had +been. + +"Hallo, Mike!" I exclaimed; "I thought that you intended to rest with +one eye open all night." + +"Sure, Masther Roger, haven't I done so, barring the last few minutes," +he answered. "I did my best, thinking that every moment you would be +getting up; and small blame to me if at last I dramed that you did get +up, and told me that you would take a turn at watching." + +"Never mind, since no harm has happened," I said. "Now let us mount our +horses and ride forward till we can get some cold water for breakfast." + +Our animals, who now knew us, came at our call; and throwing ourselves +on their backs, we galloped forward as we had done the day before. Not +a human being did we meet with during the whole day, and in the evening +we encamped by the side of a broad stream overshadowed by trees. From +the appearance of several deep holes close under the bank, we hoped that +fish might be found in them. As soon, therefore, as we had secured our +horses, we set to work to manufacture lines for the two hooks which Mike +had found in his pocket. + +Some people might have been puzzled how to get the lines, but we were +not to be defeated in our object. We procured them by cutting off a +small portion of the two hobbles, which consisted of long strips of +deer-hide, and plucking some hairs out of our horses' tails. The +deer-hide we cut into thinner strips, which served for the upper part of +the lines, while the lower were formed of the hair platted together. We +thus in a short time had two good lines, to which we carefully secured +the hooks. Having caught some grasshoppers, we determined to try them +for bait; while our spears served us for fishing-rods. Hunger made us +keen sportsmen, and never had I felt so anxious for success. + +My line had not been long in the water when I felt a bite. I almost +trembled with eagerness as I gave a gentle jerk, sufficient to hook the +unwary fish. It tugged pretty hard, and I was sure that I had it fast; +but still I was afraid that it might break my line. Carefully I drew it +along till I got it sufficiently near the surface to ascertain its size. +To my satisfaction, I saw that it was not more than two or three +pounds' weight. After playing it for some time I drew it towards the +bank, when Mike, who had hitherto not got a bite, left his rod and +rushed into the water to secure our prize, exclaiming-- + +"Faix, thin, we'll have this darlint for our supper to-night; and, +bedad! there is another at my line. Hurrah! good luck to us!" + +Throwing the fish to me, which proved to be a gold-eye, he sprang off, +just in time to catch his rod, the end of which was nearly off the bank. + +"Och, murther," he cried out, "but it's a big one!" and he rushed along +the shore, jumping over all impediments; shrieking out in his eagerness +in a manner which would have made a sedate Indian fancy that he had gone +out of his mind. + +I could not help laughing as I watched him. + +"Come along, Masther Roger, and lend me a hand, or the baste will be +afther getting away." + +Securing our first prize, I followed Mike as he rushed along down the +bank, afraid of breaking his line, which was by this time stretched to +the utmost. Now he gently pulled it in, now he allowed it to go off +again, as he felt the strain increase. By thus dexterously managing the +fish for some minutes, he at length brought it close to the shore, and I +caught sight of an ugly-looking dark monster. + +"Sure, it's a cat-fish, and mighty good ateing too, though it's no +beauty," exclaimed Mike. "Get howld of him, Masther Roger; get howld of +him, or he will be off." + +Following Mike's example, I dashed into the water and grasped the huge +creature, although, covered as it was with slime, it was no easy matter +to do so. Giving it a sudden jerk, I threw it on shore, rushing after +it to prevent its floundering back again into its native element. It +proved to be a prize worth having, being at least seven or eight pounds +in weight. It was a wonder how, with such slight tackle, Mike had +contrived to hold it. + +We agreed that, as we had now an ample supply of fish for one day at +least, we would not run the risk of losing our hooks; and accordingly, +carrying our two prizes, we made our way back to the part of the bank we +had selected for our camp. It was under a widespreading tree, which +extended over the water, and would materially serve to hide a fire, +which we agreed to light on a piece of flat ground, almost level with +the water. We soon collected a sufficient supply of sticks, and had our +fire blazing and our fish cooking. The cat-fish, in spite of its ugly +name and uglier looks, proved excellent, though somewhat rich--tasting +very like an eel. + +Having eaten a hearty meal, and cooked the remainder of our fish for the +next day, we put out our fire, and then arranged our dwelling for the +night. It consisted simply of branches stuck in the ground, and +extending about six feet from the trunk of the tree. We closed the +entrance, so that no wolves or bears could pay us a visit without some +warning; and kept our spears by our sides, to poke at their noses should +they make their appearance. + +The night passed quietly away, and the next morning at daylight, having +caught our horses, we swam them across the stream. The sun soon dried +our clothes, and as we had no fear of starving for that day, we rode +merrily onward. + +Next day we were as successful in fishing at a stream we reached a short +time before sundown; but we were not so prudent, for after each of us +had caught a couple of fish we continued our sport, when Mike's hook was +carried off. He looked as if he was going to burst into tears, while he +surveyed the end of his line with an utterly comical expression of +countenance. + +"No, bedad! it's not there," he exclaimed; "the baste of a fish has got +it--ill luck to him! But we shall have the consolation of ateing his +brothers; and maybe some day we will come back and hook him." + +We had now but one hook left, and this it was necessary to secure with +the greatest care. What a value we set upon that little crooked bit of +steel! Our lives might depend on it, for though Mike had set several +traps of various descriptions, no animals would consent to be caught by +them. + +Two days more we travelled on, catching sight of what we believed to be +Indian encampments in the distance, but, according to our resolution, +carefully avoiding them. Our fish had come to an end, our last handful +of pemmican was exhausted, and for a whole day we had no food except a +few berries. Towards evening we reached a wood. As there was a stream +not far from it, while Mike was engaged in forming our camp I +endeavoured to hook a fish. + +My efforts were vain; for some time none would bite. At last I felt a +tug, and I was sure that I had hooked a fish. Eagerly I drew it towards +the bank. It seemed to come willingly enough at first, but there was +another tug, and my line almost flew out of the water. I cast a blank +look at the end. The hook was gone! + +Feeling very disconsolate, I returned to the camp. Mike endeavoured to +comfort me for our loss, but he could not supply us with food. We +therefore lay down to rest, keeping our spears as usual by our sides, +and Mike offering to watch while I slept. + +Whether or not he had done so I could not tell, but suddenly I was +awakened by feeling the branches at my side roughly shaken; and looking +up, what was my dismay to see, by the moonlight streaming through the +wood, a big brown bear poking his nose through the bushes, and not live +feet from us! Giving Mike a nudge with my elbow, I grasped my spear, +and rising on my knee, without a moment's consideration as to what might +be the result, I thrust the spear with all my might into the bear's +chest. With a fierce growl and open jaws it rushed at me,--as it did +so, driving the spear still further into its body; whilst I, expecting +the movement, sprang to the inner end of our arbour. + +Mike in a moment was on his knees,--he had not time to rise to his +feet,--and seizing his weapon, drove it into the bear's neck. Still the +creature, though thus desperately wounded, broke through the branches we +had put up; but the thick leaves prevented it from seeing us as clearly +as it would otherwise have done. The life-blood was flowing from its +wounds. Mike managed, as I had done, to get out of Bruin's way; and +before the creature could turn to pursue either of us, over it fell, on +the very ground on which we had been sleeping. It struggled for a few +seconds, gnashing its teeth, and I had to retreat through the branches +to avoid it. Mike, who had managed to escape at the other end, now +joined me, and getting hold of the handle of his spear, endeavoured to +pull it out of the bear's body. After a few tugs he succeeded in +regaining possession of his weapon; and the first thing he did with it +was to plunge it again into the animal's breast. + +"I did it just to make sure," he remarked. "These bastes have as many +lives as a cat; and maybe he would have come to again, and taken to +ateing us instead of our ateing him, as I hope we will be afther doing +before long." + +Whether or not the last thrust was necessary I do not know, but the bear +ceased struggling; and Mike, springing on the body, exclaimed-- + +"He's dead enough now, anyhow! And we'll take the liberty of cutting +him up, and getting our teeth into his flesh; for, sure, he has spoilt +our rest for the night." + +The centre of the hut was by this time a pool of blood; we therefore +dragged out the bear, and while Mike began scientifically to flay the +carcass, I collected sticks for a fire. We soon had a good one blazing +up, and some of the slices of the bear toasting before it. We were too +hungry to wait until the morning. + +"Sure, the bear was sent to us to be aten," observed Mike; "and suppose +we get nothing else till we reach home, it will serve to keep us alive +till then." + +Having satisfied the cravings of hunger, we cooked some more slices of +the best portions of the meat, to serve for our breakfast before +starting; and the remainder we cut into thin strips to smoke over the +fire, and afterwards to dry in the sun. As both we and our steeds were +tired, we agreed not to start till a later hour than usual. There was a +risk in remaining, but still it was better to run it, rather than knock +up our horses or ourselves. + +Mike faithfully kept watch, and the sun was already high in the sky when +I awoke. We hung up the strips of bear's flesh, to give them a drying +before we packed them to carry with us. We also did up a portion of the +fresh meat, which would, we calculated, last us for some time. Then, +having taken a late breakfast, we mounted our horses and continued our +journey. + +It would take too much time, were I to describe the events of the next +few days. After continuing on for the time we supposed it would occupy +us in reaching home, we were still unable to recognise any of the +features of the country. Mike, however, remarked that as forests and +hills and rivers were all much alike, it was no wonder that we could not +make out where we were. I proposed directing our course eastward, as we +should thus certainly come to some of the settlements. Mike thought +that we had not got sufficiently far to the north, and advised that we +should continue on in that direction. I gave in to him. + +Our horses had hitherto held out well, but suddenly Mike's began to +stagger, and, almost before he could throw himself from its back, down +the poor animal fell. What had been the cause of the horse's death we +had not knowledge sufficient to ascertain; only one thing was certain,-- +that it was dead, and that we must take it by turns to ride, and thus +get on at a much slower pace. There was no use stopping to mourn our +loss, so, having taken off the saddle and bridle, we did them up in a +package, and placed them on the back of my steed. We did this lest the +dead horse should be recognised as having belonged to the Indians, and +some of their friends might discover it and pursue us. + +We had, shortly afterwards, a river to cross. True, we might have made +a raft, but as we were both good swimmers we determined to trust to our +own arms and legs for getting to the other side. After some persuasion +we induced the horse to go in; and then, Mike taking the rein, we each +of us put a hand on the saddle and swam over, I on one side and Mike on +the other. Though swept down for some distance, we got safe on shore at +last, but we had to trudge on in our wet clothes. Not only were we wet, +but so was our imperfectly dried meat; the consequence was, that when we +came to cook it in the evening it was scarcely eatable. Our clothes, +too, were damp when we lay down at night. + +I awoke shivering the next morning, though the fire was still blazing +near me; and when I tried to get up I was unable to stand. Mike was in +a state of great distress. The remainder of our provisions had become +worse; but even had the food been of the most delicate description, I +could not have touched it. + +Mike, faithful fellow that he was, immediately set to work to build a +hut, so that I might be sheltered from the heat of the sun as well as +from the wind. As soon as it was completed he carried me into it, and +closing the entrance, said he would set out in search of food. In a +short time he returned with some delicious strawberries, which greatly +refreshed me. + +For several days he tended me with the greatest care, and was fortunate +in trapping several young birds, which, though not very fat, served to +restore my strength. I asked him how he had managed to eat the dried +bear's meat, being very sure that he had not touched any of the birds he +had caught. + +"Bedad, Masther Roger, it's not the mate at all I've been ateing," he +answered. "I found no lack of big fellows with four legs hopping about +in the marsh down there, and, for want of better food, I took the +liberty of cooking them. They are not so bad, afther all; only the idea +of the thing was not plisant at first." + +Mike had been living on frogs, I found out, during all my illness; and +as for a whole day he was unable to catch any birds, I begged that he +would let me taste the frogs. I confess that I had no reason to +complain of the food, for he gave me the hinder legs alone, which I +should have supposed to have been those of small birds, had he not told +me what they were. + +I was at last strong enough to move about, and I proposed that we should +at once continue our journey. Mike agreed, therefore, that we should +start the next morning. + +When daylight arrived, he left the hut to look for the horse while I +prepared breakfast. He was a long time absent, and I began to grow +anxious, wondering what could have become of him. I waited and waited +till I could bear the suspense no longer, so, going to a height at a +little distance from the wood in which we had formed our encampment, I +gazed around on every side. Should any accident have befallen him, how +fearful would be my fate! I was also deeply grieved at the thought of +losing him; but I confess that selfish feelings for the time +predominated. There was a river, I should have said, in the distance, +and on looking in that direction I at length saw a figure moving towards +me. It might be Mike, or it might be an Indian, and perhaps an enemy. +Still, I did not think of concealing myself. + +Great was my joy when, as the person drew nearer, I recognised Mike. I +rushed down to meet him; but I saw that there was something wrong, by +the expression of his countenance. + +"What is the matter, Mike?" I asked. "I was terribly afraid that you +were lost." + +"Sure, a great deal is the matther," he answered. "That baste of a +horse has been afther drowning himself; and you will have to walk the +rest of the journey on foot, except when I carry you on me shoulders-- +and that I will do, as long as I have the strength, with the greatest +pleasure in the world." + +I assured Mike that I was so glad to see him, that I cared little in +comparison for the loss of the horse, for I felt perfectly able to walk +any distance. + +"Well, that is one comfort; and seeing that we have nothing to carry +except our spears, which will help us along, matthers might have been +worse," he answered. + +Both of us were determined to make the best of what had happened; so, +having eaten our breakfast, and packed up the remainder of our +provisions, we recommenced our march forward. Mike insisted on our +encamping early in the day, so that he might search for food; and before +dark he had procured a supply of the same description as that on which +we had been living for several days. + +The next morning we went on as before, and I felt my strength +considerably restored. Soon after noon, having reached the summit of a +height, we saw before us a wide river, connected with a series of small +lakes, their borders apparently deeply fringed with tall grass. This, +Mike said, he believed must be rice, and it would afford us a change of +diet if we could procure some; we accordingly made our way down towards +the nearest. We thought, also, that we might catch some unwary ducks, +if they were not accustomed to the sight of human beings. + +On getting close to the borders, we fancied we heard some sounds from a +brood of ducklings. We therefore crept cautiously along the shore, +when, to our infinite satisfaction, we caught sight of a couple of +ducks, and not one, but two broods. We had got almost near enough to +catch hold of the hindermost, when the cries of the mother-ducks warned +their young ones to make the best of their way from us. Eager to seize +our prey, we dashed into the water after them; when, to escape us, they +endeavoured to make their way through the high grass. + +We had each of us caught a couple, when what was our astonishment, on +pressing aside the grass, to see directly before us a canoe with three +girls in it! Two of them were busily employed in beating out the rice +into their canoe, while the one who sat in the bow, on hearing the noise +we made, turned her head with an inquiring but somewhat alarmed glance +towards us. Yes! I could not be mistaken; it was Lily! Just before +her sat Dora, while Ashatea occupied the stern. + +"Lily, Lily!" I exclaimed. "Don't you know me?" + +"Yes, yes! I do. O Dora, Dora! there is Roger and Mike Laffan. They +were not drowned, or killed by the Indians! I always said so," she +cried. + +In a moment their paddles were out, and, guided by Ashatea, they were +making their way towards us. + +"Come into the canoe!" they exclaimed in chorus. "There is room for +you; and we will take you to our friends. They will be so glad to know +that you are alive, though you both look sadly tired and thin." + +"No wonder, Misthress Lily," observed Mike; and he gave an account of my +illness. + +They were all eager to hear how we had escaped; and as the canoe skimmed +lightly over the smooth surface of the lake, urged by their paddles, I +told them all that had happened to us, from the time we left the camp of +our Indian friends. I then asked if Reuben and his companion had ever +been heard of. + +"Yes; it was they who told us that you had either been drowned or made +prisoners by the Indians," said Lily. "They escaped by running through +the rapids at a place where no canoe had ever before ventured. And +Reuben has undertaken to come up here and escort us back to the +settlement. We have been paying our long-promised visit to Ashatea; and +I can assure you she received us in the most hospitable manner. You +will like to see the beautiful dome-shaped wigwam her people built for +us, with a divan all round, and the floor covered thickly with matting. +We felt quite like Indian princesses, when she escorted us into it. It +is divided by a curtain into two portions. The inner serves as our +bedroom, and the outer as our drawing-room. As there is space for a +fireplace in the centre, we agreed that we should not object to spend +the winter in it; while at the present season it is delightfully cool +and pleasant." + +"Ah, but it is not equal to one of your comfortable houses," observed +Ashatea, who understood all that Lily said, and had, I found, improved +greatly in her knowledge of English, having spent a considerable time at +the settlement with Lily and Dora. + +We had some distance to go, I found, before we could reach the spot +where Kepenau and his people were now encamped. The chief had, Lily +told me, spent several months there; and had, besides, made a tour with +our missionary friend, Martin Godfrey, for the purpose of being +instructed in gospel truth, which he was most anxious to impart to his +countrymen. The chief had, some time before, learned to read, and had +devoted all his attention to the study of the Scriptures, so that he was +well able to carry the gospel to others. + +My uncles and aunt had been greatly grieved at my supposed loss, and it +had made them less contented with the settlement than they had before +been; Uncle Mark especially missed the assistance of Mike, though honest +Quambo had done his best to supply his place. + +Various schemes were afloat for occupying fresh territory, far to the +westward. Some speculators had visited our settlement, and my uncles +had listened to their descriptions of the advantages to be gained with +far more interest than they might otherwise have done. + +"I had hoped that we should remain where we are," said Lily. "I am +attached to the place, and should be content to spend the remainder of +my days here." + +"You have not got over many of them as yet, Lily," I said, looking up in +her face. + +"They may be many, in comparison with those which are to come," she +answered gravely, and I thought mournfully. + +"I hope to see you grow into a dear old woman, like Aunt Hannah. I like +to think of the future, and I want my future to be happy. However, it +will be a long, long time before you grow old, Lily." + +"I already feel old," she said; "or I did, at least, when they told me +that you were lost, Roger, though I did not believe it; but perhaps I +shall now feel young again. I have been very sorry, too, about poor +Ashatea," she continued in a whisper; "she has her troubles, though she +does not show what she feels by her countenance as much as we white +people do. A young Indian, who is said to be superior to most of his +people, has long wished to marry her; but as she is a Christian and he +is still a heathen, though I believe she likes him very much, neither +she nor her father will consent. This has produced a feud between them; +and the conduct of Manilick--for that is his name, which, I believe, +means a `pine-tree'--has caused them a great deal of anxiety. Kepenau +fears that Manilick will try to carry off his daughter by force, and he +is therefore obliged to keep scouts constantly watching the movements of +the young chief. Indeed, when you appeared through the rice grass I +fancied that you were Manilick, and that you might have come to carry us +all off together; not that I believe he would venture to injure any +white people, since he professes to be our friend." + +I was much interested in what Lily told me, for I fancied that Reuben +had lost his heart to the Indian girl. Still, superior as she was in +many respects to those of her race, she would scarcely have made a +fitting wife for a well-educated young man; though the rough traders and +hunters of the Far West frequently marry Indian wives, who make them as +happy as they wish to be, but are seldom able to bring up their children +properly, the chief objection to such alliances. + +While Lily was talking to me, Mike was recounting to Dora and Ashatea, +in his rich Irish brogue, our various adventures with the Indians. Thus +the time was passed while the girls paddled across the lake and up the +river till we reached Kepenau's lodges. + +As we neared the shore, we observed a large concourse of people +assembled near the wigwams. Many by their costume appeared to be +strangers, while others were Kepenau's own people. I saw that Ashatea +was regarding them with great interest. In front, on a rock, sat +Kepenau; and I judged by his attitude and the tone of his voice that he +was addressing them on a matter of importance, while they listened with +rapt attention. His right hand pointed to the sky, while his left was +directed towards the earth; and by the words which reached me I knew +that he was preaching the gospel--setting before the people the way of +eternal life. + +We all stopped at some distance to listen, and so intent were he and his +auditors that none perceived us. Ashatea, who stood next to Lily, was +regarding the scene with even greater interest than we were. I saw her +eye directed towards a young Indian, who by the ornaments on his dress I +guessed was a chief. I pointed him out to Lily. + +"Yes," she said, "that is Manilick. I am very glad to see him here, as +I hope he is receiving the truths which Kepenau is endeavouring to +impart." + +Ashatea was, I had no doubt, hoping the same. + +Kepenau had nearly brought his address to a conclusion when we arrived. +Now, rising from his seat, he took Manilick's hand, and spoke to him +affectionately, as it seemed to me. The young chief hung down his head, +and answered only in monosyllables. + +Kepenau, after speaking in the same way to others, offered up a prayer, +in which several of his own people joined. Not till then did he +discover us. With a look of surprise he at once advanced to greet Mike +and me, his countenance as well as his words exhibiting his +satisfaction. He afterwards turned again to the young chief, and +addressed him. He had, until now, I found, suspected that Manilick had +instigated the attack on us, if he had not taken part in it, and he +wished openly to exonerate him. Kepenau questioned me as to the dress +and appearance of the Indians who had made us prisoners. From my +description he was satisfied that they were really Sioux, and that +Manilick had nothing to do with them. + +We were anxious to return as soon as possible to the settlement, to +relieve the minds of our relatives but that evening, in consequence of +the fatigue and hardships I had endured, I was again taken ill. Kepenau +had a wigwam carefully built for me, in which Lily and Dora assisted +Mike in watching over me. Good food, however, was all I needed; and as +our Indian friends had abundance of fish and game, I was soon well +again. + +Just as I had recovered, we one evening saw a large canoe approaching +the camp. Who should step out of it but Uncle Mark, accompanied by +Reuben, Quambo, and several men! They had brought a quantity of goods +to supply their Indian friends. + +As may be supposed, Uncle Mark was delighted to find that I was alive; +and Quambo, in the exuberance of his joy, embraced Mike. + +"But where de fiddle?" he exclaimed, after their salutations had ceased. +"Just play one tune. It do my heart good, and we set all de camp +jigging." + +"Och, botheration! but the Ridskins have got it--bad luck to the +spalpeens! and sorra a one of thim can play a tune, or I would not mind +it so much," answered Mike. + +"But you must try to get him back," observed Quambo; "if dey not play on +him, dey not want him." + +"I'm mighty afraid it's burned, though," said Mike, with a sorrowful +countenance. + +When Uncle Mark heard of Mike's loss, he told Kepenau and Manilick. The +latter had that day paid a visit to the chief. They were both of +opinion that should the fiddle be in existence, it might, by proper +diplomatic proceedings, be recovered; and, greatly to Mike's joy, +Manilick undertook to ascertain what had become of it, and, if possible, +to restore it to its owner. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +UNCLE MARK'S CANOE--OUR START FOR HOME--THE RATTLESNAKES--MIKE LONGS FOR +HIS FIDDLE--OUR NIGHT ENCAMPMENT--JACQUES LEROCQUE'S FISHING JOKE-- +MIKE'S TERROR AT THE SUPPOSED INDIAN AMBUSCADE--THE PHANTOM BEAR--OUR +ARRIVAL AT HOME--KAKAIK AND THE FIDDLE--MIKE'S DELIGHT--KEPENAU'S SECOND +VISIT--REUBEN'S CHAGRIN--MR. SIMON SPARK'S ADVENT--HIS GLOWING +DESCRIPTION OF THE FAR NORTH-WEST--THE FOREST ON FIRE--OUR HUT +DESTROYED--OUR ESCAPE. + +The canoe in which Uncle Mark had come up had been built by some Indians +on the lake, who intended to dispose of it to the fur-traders; but, in +consequence of some dispute, they had refused to let them have it, and +had thereafter sold it to my uncles at a reduced price. + +It was of far superior construction to those we had hitherto seen used, +though of the same materials. + +Formed of large sheets of birch-bark, kept in shape by delicate ribs of +lance-wood or willow, it was nearly forty feet in length, and sharp at +both ends; and the seams where the bark was sewn together were covered +by a thick resinous gum, which became hard in the water. Like the small +canoes, it required careful handling; for, having no keel, it was easily +turned over. It was impelled by six or eight paddles,--three or four on +one side, and the same number on the other; one man steering with a +paddle, as well as paddling. + +Uncle Mark had come down one river, then across the lake, and up another +river, instead of the shorter route along the course of several narrower +streams with rapids, which necessitated the same number of portages. By +this means he was able to bring a cargo of cottons, cutlery, and other +heavy articles. He purposed returning by the same route, though it +might have been possible to carry the canoe across the portages, as the +bales of peltries occupied less space than the cargo he had brought. +There was sufficient room, too, for the four additional people the canoe +had now to carry. + +The day before we were to start, Ashatea appeared to be very unhappy. +It was, I concluded, at the thought of parting from Lily; but Lily +afterwards told me that it was more on account of Manilick, who still +refused to embrace Christianity. + +"We must pray for him," said Lily. "Kepenau has taken every opportunity +of speaking to him, and putting the truth plainly before him; but though +he would very gladly make Ashatea his wife, he still remains firm in his +heathen belief." + +We could no longer delay our return home, as the autumn was advancing, +and before long we might expect storms and frosts, which would make our +proposed voyage in the canoe both trying and dangerous. + +The whole tribe came down to the bank of the river at early dawn to see +us off, as Uncle Mark wished to cross the lake before sunset. We should +have to encamp for the night, and continue our voyage up the river next +morning. + +We made good progress down the stream, having the current with us, and +entered the lake just as the sun rose above what appeared like a sea +horizon, though we knew that the shore was not far off on the opposite +side. The calm lake shone like a burnished mirror. The shore we were +leaving was tinted with various colours, the higher ground here crowned +by groups of spruce-firs, and in other places rocky and barren, but +still picturesque in the extreme. + +I took a paddle and sat by Lily. Reuben and Mike also made themselves +of use; while Uncle Mark sat with Dora at the bottom of the canoe. It +was the first voyage I had ever taken on the lake, and Lily and I agreed +that it would be very pleasant to have a canoe or small vessel of our +own, and to cruise round the shores, exploring every inlet and creek. + +As the sun rose the heat became intense; not a breath of air stirred the +surface of the lake, and Lily, who had taken off her hat, was very glad +to put it on again. After paddling for some distance we landed to +breakfast, or rather to dine; for we did not intend to stop again till +we went on shore to encamp for the night. + +Wild rocks fringed the shore, and we had to exercise great caution in +approaching it, for the slightest touch would have knocked a hole in the +bow of our canoe, and we should very soon have had the water rushing in. +We had, therefore, to look out for some opening into which we could +slowly paddle till we found a landing-place. After making two or three +ineffectual attempts, we succeeded in finding a bank with an almost +perpendicular side, on to which we could at once step from the canoe. + +Immediately after landing, all hands set to work to collect wood for a +fire. An abundance lay on the ground, driven there by the wind. Lily +and Dora undertook to cook the breakfast, the materials for which +consisted of eggs, fish, maize cakes, and dandelion coffee--the roots +having been prepared by Aunt Hannah. We soon had a fire blazing up, +when, as Uncle Mark declared, Lily and Dora performed their duties in a +most efficient manner. + +Just as we had finished, one of the men, who were seated at some little +distance from us, started up, exclaiming, "Take care! take care! there +are rattlesnakes near us." + +Scarcely had he spoken when I saw one of the venomous creatures, the +sound of whose tail the man had heard, rearing its head not five feet +off from Lily. In another moment it might spring on her. Fortunately a +long thin stick lay close to me, which I seized, and with all my might +struck the snake a blow on the head which brought it to the ground, +while I cried out to Lily to run to a distance. Almost in an instant +the snake recovered itself, and sounding its rattle as it moved forward, +made an attempt to spring at me. Again I struck it; and Mike coming to +my assistance, it was quickly despatched. + +Where one rattlesnake is found, there are generally many more. Scarcely +two minutes had passed ere another made its appearance, crawling out of +a hole under a tree. While Mike and Reuben went to attack it, Uncle +Mark advised that we should all get on board without delay. Our +breakfast and cooking things were quickly packed up; and the second +rattlesnake being destroyed, Mike and Reuben followed us into the canoe. +Scarcely had we shoved off when three or four more rattlesnakes were +seen, and we felt thankful that none of us had been bitten by them. We +had literally encamped in the midst of a colony of the venomous +reptiles. + +We had to exercise the same caution in going out of the harbour as on +entering it; after which we continued our course to the eastward at a +moderate distance from the shore. + +"The day was, Masther Roger, when you and I would have been very happy +to have fallen in with as many of those same snakes as we could have +caught," observed Mike to me. "They're mighty good ateing, barring the +head and tail. At laste, the Ridskins hold to that notion." + +I was, I confess, very thankful that we had not been compelled to eat +the creatures; though I did not know what hunger might have induced me +to do. + +As we paddled on, Uncle Mark asked Lily and Dora to sing. They were not +girls to offer excuses, and declare that they were out of voice. + +"What shall it be?" said Lily. + +"Anything you like," replied Dora; and immediately they commenced a +melody which, although I had heard it before, sounded very sweet on the +calm water. + +Reuben and I joined in chorus; and the men, as well they might, +applauded heartily. Then one of them commenced a canoe-song, in which +they all joined. As soon as they ceased, Lily and Dora gave us a third; +and so we went on, singing and paddling over the calm water. + +"Och! but it's a sad pity that them Ridskins have got me beautiful +fiddle!" exclaimed Mike. "Would I not have been giving you all a tune! +Sure, if I do not recover it I will be breaking me heart intirely." + +He said this in so melancholy and yet comical a tone, that Reuben and I +burst out laughing. We reminded him that our Indian friend had promised +to try and recover his beloved instrument, and by degrees he regained +his spirits. + +The weather continued fine, and the water smooth as before. As I gazed +over the vast expanse spread out on our left, I could scarcely fancy +myself navigating an inland lake, small though it was compared to many +in that region. I thought, too, of how it would appear should a storm +arise, and the now tranquil surface be turned into foaming billows by +the furious wind. Our canoe, with sides not much thicker than a few +sheets of brown paper, would have been a frail bark for navigating the +lake under such circumstances. + +Evening was approaching, and though we had paddled on all day we could +not as yet see the mouth of the river, near which we intended to camp. +We redoubled our efforts, therefore, to gain it during daylight. + +The sun had almost reached the watery horizon to the west, when we +espied a clump of tall trees which marked the spot towards which we were +directing our course. Having rounded a point, we ran into a bay with a +grass-covered shore; and here we were able to land without difficulty. + +We unloaded the canoe, and carried our packages up to a grassy spot +underneath the trees. The men immediately set to work to collect bark +with which to form a wigwam for Lily and Dora; we contenting ourselves +with a lean-to, which would afford us protection from the night wind. +The usual fire was lighted, and as we were all very hungry, no time was +lost in cooking supper. As soon as it was over Lily and Dora retired to +their abode, as they had been up and ready to start some time before +dawn. + +We sat round the fire spinning yarns, as the sailors say, and singing +songs. We were speaking of the necessity of trying to get some more +fresh fish, as our stock was nearly exhausted, and Mike had told the +party how successful we had been till our hooks were bitten off. + +"But there is a place not far from here where we can catch fish without +hooks," was the answer. + +"Sure, and I should like to see it!" exclaimed Mike. "But how is it to +be done?" + +"Why, with nets, to be sure," said the canoeman. "And if you like to +come with me, I will show you how I do it." + +Mike at once agreed to the proposal. + +Hearing that some nets which would suit the purpose had been left _en +cache_ with other articles close at hand, Reuben and I and another man +agreed to accompany them. + +Jacques Lerocque, Mike's friend, was an amusing fellow, and fond of +practical joking. It struck me at the time that he was up to some +trick; but he put on so grave a face, and spoke so earnestly, that my +suspicions were banished. + +On reaching the cache, which was close to the camp, I found that the +nets were something in the form of hand-nets, only larger. We were also +provided with a lantern containing a thick tallow candle. + +"You see how to use these nets!" said Jacques. "We put them into the +water, and then hold the candle at the further end. When the fish see +the light, they swim towards it and are caught." + +The plan seemed very feasible, and Mike declared that he thought it was +a mighty convenient way of obtaining a supper. + +We were to fish in twos; one man to hold the net, and the other the +light. Reuben agreed to accompany Mike, and I was to take the other +man; while Jacques said he would superintend operations, promising us an +abundance of sport if we would follow his directions. + +Going on for half a mile over hard ground, we reached a marsh which was +connected with the lake. + +"It is very full of fish, which come in to feed on the insects clinging +to the reeds," observed Jacques, "But you must not mind wetting your +feet." + +However, having so recently recovered from a severe illness, I thought +it wiser, when it came to the point, not to do this; so Jacques took my +intended companion with him. + +"Here, Master Reuben, you take one bit of candle and I the other," said +Jacques, cutting the piece in the lantern in two. + +Reuben and Mike at once plunged into the marsh, and made their way +through the rushes. I heard their voices, although from where I stood I +could not see them. Presently Mike exclaimed-- + +"Here comes a big one! Howld the light furder back, Masther Reuben, +and, bedad, we'll have him. Sure, though, he's gone off; come a little +furder. There he is now; this time he'll be afther getting caught, sure +enough." + +Then the sound of splashing and the crackling of the reeds reached my +ears, when presently Mike cried out,--"Och! murther, but what are these +bastes about? They'll be biting off our noses, and bunging up our eyes! +But we must have the fish, though. Och! murther, murther!" + +Reuben's voice joined in chorus, though with varied exclamations. + +I ran to a point near the spot which my friends had reached, and there I +saw Mike bending down, holding the net in one hand, while he endeavoured +to beat off with his hat a swarm of mosquitoes which were buzzing +thickly round him. Reuben stood near holding out the candle, and a +second net in his other hand, which prevented him from defending his +face from the venomous bites of his persevering assailants. Still, +though his countenance exhibited the sufferings he was enduring, he +manfully kept his post. + +Just then the most fearful shrieks and cries rent the air, sounding like +the war-whoop of a band of savage Indians. + +"Och, but the Ridskins are upon us!" cried out Mike. "We must run for +it, Masther Reuben dear. Niver mind the nets, or the fish, or the +mosquito bastes. It's too much for any mortal man to stand, with the +savages into the bargain. Come along as fast as your legs can carry +you; but we will find Masther Roger first. We must not lave him behind +to be scalped; and as to Jacques and Tom Hodges, if they have not taken +care of themselves, it's more than we can do for them." + +Mike was rapidly uttering these expressions while, floundering along, he +made his way up to where I was standing. Whether or not Reuben was +aware of the true state of the case I could not tell, but he was +certainly following much more leisurely than might have been expected. +I had that moment caught sight of the grinning countenances of Jacques +and Tom over the rushes, and guessed that the former was playing off one +of his tricks. + +When Mike saw me, he exclaimed, "Run, Masther Roger, run! sure, don't +you hear the shrieks of the Indians? They will have the scalps off our +heads, if we don't show them our heels, before many minutes are over." + +I burst out laughing, and pointed to our two companions, who, however, +at that moment bobbed down and hid themselves among the rushes. + +Mike now began to suspect that a trick had been played him; but nothing +ever made him angry, so, laughing as I was doing, he exclaimed-- + +"Come out of that, ye spalpeens! It will be many a day before you get +me to go fishing with you again." + +Jacques, having had his joke, recovered the nets, and being well +experienced in the style of sport, in a short time caught half a dozen +fine fish, with which we returned to the camp. I was glad to roll +myself up in my blanket, and go to sleep under the shelter of our +lean-to; but the rest of the party sat up cooking and eating one of our +prizes. + +I was awoke before long by the sound of loud growlings, which made Uncle +Mark and several of the party start to their feet, with guns ready to +receive the bear from whom they expected an attack. Recollecting +Jacques' propensity to practical joking, I lay quiet; and I heard my +uncle come back soon afterwards, growling almost as much as the supposed +bear, and observing that the brute had got off, though it must have been +close to the camp. I said nothing, though I suspected who had performed +the part of the bear. The next morning I looked about, but could +discover no traces of such an animal. Jacques, if he had represented +it, kept his own counsel; and after we had started I heard him +complaining that his night's rest should have been so disagreeably +disturbed. + +Lily and Dora had been awakened, but they, trusting to the vigilance of +their protectors, had wisely gone to sleep again, being very sure that, +did any savage animal approach the camp, we should soon give a good +account of it. + +We had a long paddle up the river, and had again to encamp, but no event +worthy of mention occurred; and the next day, late in the evening, we +reached the settlement. Lily and Dora and Reuben went to their +respective homes; and after we had paid a visit to Uncle Stephen and +Aunt Hannah, to convince them that we were still alive notwithstanding +our perilous adventures, we returned to the hut, where we were welcomed +by our three canine friends, which had been left to guard it under +charge of one of Uncle Stephen's men. + +The autumn soon passed by, and once more the winter was upon us. We had +plenty of work in felling trees, and either burning them or dragging +them over the snow to places where we intended to cut them up. +Occasionally we paid a visit to the settlement; indeed, I was always +glad of an excuse for passing a few hours with Lily when I could spare +the time. I looked in, also, on my friends the Claxtons. Both they and +my uncles, as Lily had told me, were, I observed, becoming more and more +discontented with the settlement, as were likewise a number of other +people, and the attractions of the new regions of the far west were the +constant subject of conversation. We at the hut troubled ourselves much +less about such matters than did our friends. We had plenty of hard +work, and were pretty well tired when the day's labours were over. Mike +declared that the only drawback to his happiness was the loss of his +fiddle, which he never expected to see again. + +"Dat am de cause ob my grief," observed Quambo, putting his hand to his +heart. "If you did get it, would not we hab a dance! We would kick up +de heels all night long, to make up for lost time." + +It was some days after this that we one evening saw an Indian coming +through the opening which had now been made down to the river, walking +on snow-shoes, and with a package of some size on his back. + +"Here comes Kakaik! I wonder what him bring!" exclaimed Quambo, running +forward to meet our visitor. + +Kakaik having made signs that he had got something valuable, Mike +advanced with open mouth and outstretched hands. An idea had occurred +to him. + +"What is it, me friend?" he asked eagerly. + +The Indian began a long speech. + +"Och, man alive! just tell us what it's all about," cried Mike, who +could no longer restrain his curiosity. + +By this time Uncle Mark had come out of the hut. The Indian, however, +would go on with his address, of which we did not understand a word. +Mike kept all the time pointing to the package, and entreating him to +undo it. + +At length the Indian stopped and commenced untying the thongs which +secured the mysterious parcel, and exposed to the delighted eyes of +Mike--his fiddle and bow. + +"Sure, I thought so!" exclaimed the Irishman, eagerly grasping his +treasure. "Erin go bragh!--long life to yese, me jewil!" and clapping +the instrument to his chin, he made an attempt to play on it; but it +required, as may be supposed, no small amount of tuning. Mike at once +set to work, however, turning the keys and drawing the bow over the +strings, all the time uttering expressions of gratitude to the Indian, +and to all concerned in the recovery of the fiddle. The moment he had +tuned it to his satisfaction, he began playing one of the merriest of +jigs, in unison with his own joyous spirits. + +Quambo on hearing the sounds started up, snapping his fingers, kicking +up his legs, and whirling round and round in time to the tune. The +Indian, grave as was his exterior, forthwith joined him, out-vying him +in his leaps, and adding the wildest shrieks and shouts. I could not +long resist their example, and in a few minutes even Uncle Mark was +dancing away as vigorously as any of us; Mike all the time kicking his +heels, and bobbing his head with a rapidity which seemed to threaten the +dislocation of his neck. It was the wildest scene imaginable, and any +one observing us would have supposed that we had all gone mad. + +At last we had to stop from sheer want of breath, and on entering the +hut Kakaik informed us that it was through the exertions of Manilick +that the fiddle had been recovered. He had paid half-a-dozen yards of +cotton, the same number of strings of beads, a looking-glass, and a +frying-pan, for the treasure. It had been regarded with reverential awe +by the possessors. He sent it, however, as a gift to the rightful +owner, and declined to receive anything in return. + +"Faix, thin, I will be grateful to him till the end of me days," +answered Mike; "and I hope that you will receive, for your throuble in +coming, Masther Kakaik, my 'baccy-box, and half-a-dozen red cotton +handkerchiefs for your wife and childer, all of them bran-new, except +one which I wore as a night-cap when I last had a cowld, and another +which has been in use for a matther of a week or so." + +Kakaik accepted the proffered gifts with due gratitude, and further +informed us that the Indians from whom Mike and I escaped had succeeded +in regaining their encampment, though the fire had been close to their +heels; and until Manilick's ambassador visited them they had supposed +that we were destroyed. By the manner in which we had got away from +them, we were very much raised in their opinion; though they threatened, +should they ever catch hold of us, to have our scalps off our heads. + +"Much obliged to the gintlemen," remarked Mike; "but we will not let +them do that same if we can help it, and we'll show them that the +Palefaces have as much brains in their skulls as the Ridskins, cunning +as they think themselves." + +Kakaik consented to stop with us for the night, and we had several more +tunes from Mike's fiddle, and another dance, almost as boisterous as the +first. Kakaik, after remaining a day with us, took his departure, +loaded with as many articles as he could well carry; some forced on him +by Mike and Quambo, others being given by my uncle and myself as +presents to our friends. I should have said that Kakaik also told us +that Manilick was frequently at Kepenau's camp, and appeared to be +favourably received by Ashatea. + +Mike's fiddle was a constant source of amusement to us during the +remainder of the winter. + +Spring returned, whereupon Kepenau paid us another visit. He said that +he and his people had determined to move further westward, into an +unoccupied territory, and he feared that some time would pass before he +could again see our faces, but that he hoped occasionally to come with +the peltries he and his people might obtain. + +I accompanied him to the settlement. Lily was much grieved to find that +she and Ashatea were not likely to meet again for a long time. + +"I thought that she would have become like one of us," she said, "and +live in a comfortable house, and adopt our habits." + +"A flower of the forest cannot bloom on the mountain top; nor can one +born in the wilderness live happily in a city," answered Kepenau. +"Though she may not adopt the habits of the Palefaces, she loves them, +and the true faith they have taught her, and will ever pray to the same +God they worship to protect them from danger." + +Reuben scarcely attempted to conceal his disappointment, and even +offered to accompany Kepenau back to his lodges; but the chief shook his +head. + +"If it is not well for my daughter to dwell among your people, still +worse would it be for you to live with us, natives of the land," he +answered. "Stay with your parents, and support and protect them, and +you will be blessed, and made far happier than were you to follow the +desires of your heart." + +After spending some days with us, Kepenau took his departure. + +We were, as usual, very busy getting in the crops on our newly cleared +ground, and carrying on other agricultural pursuits. The summer was +intensely hot,--far hotter than I ever recollected it. The crops had +come up early, but the locusts appeared and destroyed every growing +thing which had risen above the surface. This greatly disappointed +those who had looked forward to an early harvest. + +About this time a stranger arrived at the settlement. He quickly made +himself known as Mr Simon Sparks; and said, moreover, that he was the +chief land agent of a new territory far to the west, which wonderfully +surpassed our settlement in richness of soil, and fertility, and +abundance of game. His accounts were eagerly listened to, and my uncles +were completely carried away, as were a large portion of the community. +Still, some of the older people were of the opinion that well should be +let alone; and that if we took as much pains in cultivating the ground +as we should have to do were we to make a long journey, we should prove, +notwithstanding the difficulties which might beset us, as successful in +the end. + +Mr Sparks, however, was not a man to be defeated in his object; he +continued arguing the point till he had won over a good many adherents. +Still, he had not gained a sufficient number to suit his purpose. + +"Well, friends," he said, mounting his horse one evening, as a large +number of the inhabitants were assembled in the chief open place in the +village, which was designated the Square, "do I look like a man who +would mislead you, or fail to carry out my promises? I have slain many +a bear, hunted the buffalo across the prairies, and, single-handed, +fought and defeated scores of Redskins. With such fellows as you at my +back, even if ten thousand were to attempt to stop us we would force our +way onward, and send them to the right-about. What are you afraid of? +If rivers are to be crossed, we can form rafts and swim our cattle over. +There is grass on the plains, and game in the forests to supply all our +wants; and a glorious country at the end of the journey, where happy +homes can be established, and wealth obtained for ourselves and our +children. I ask you again--Do you take me for a man who would bamboozle +you; or do I look like one who will prove true as steel, and fulfil all +his engagements, as an honest man should do? Those who believe that I +speak the truth, hold up their hands; and those who don't, keep them +down, and we part friends notwithstanding." + +Few of us could help confessing that, as Mr Simon Sparks, with his tall +sinewy figure, firm-set lips, and keen eyes, sat there on his +strongly-built mustang, his rifle held across his saddle, he did look +like a man very capable of doing what he said he had done, and what he +said he would do. Nearly all hands were raised up. + +"Thank you, friends," he said; "I will stay another day with you, and we +will talk the matter over again. If a fair number are determined to +move, we will go together; if not, I shall soon find others who know +their interests better than you seem to do." + +Saying this, he dismounted, and went to spend the evening with Mr +Claxton, who was one of his chief adherents. + +I returned home to report to Uncle Mark what Mr Sparks had said; but he +was doubtful about moving till he had secured a purchaser for the land +we had cleared with so much labour. + +We were about to turn in for the night, when Quambo, who had been to +look after the cattle and pigs, reported that he observed a peculiar +glare through the opening towards the west, though no camp-fire was +likely to be burning in that direction. We all hurried out to look at +what the black had described, and saw the brilliancy of the glare +rapidly increasing. + +"It is such a fire as it will take many bucketfuls of water to put out!" +exclaimed Uncle Mark. "As I live, boys, the forest is in flames! And +they are likely to extend pretty rapidly, too, with the wood dry as it +now is." + +"What had we better do?" I asked. + +"Collect our cattle, pigs, and poultry, take our guns and ammunition, +and a supply of food, and get out of the wood as fast as possible," he +answered, quite calmly. "In a few minutes, if I mistake not, we shall +have the forest blazing away all round us; and nothing that I know of +can save the hut from destruction. It will be fortunate if the village +itself escapes, for the forest comes close up to it on two sides; and +there will be no time to clear away the trees, and put an open belt +between the houses and the fire." + +Influenced by Uncle Mark's spirit, we immediately set to work to drive +in the cattle, set the pigs free, and collect the poultry. We loaded +the waggon with as many articles as it could carry; and harnessing the +oxen, commenced our retreat. + +We were not a moment too soon, for already the forest to the westward +was in a blaze, extending from the river far away to the north. A +narrow belt of trees alone remained between us and the conflagration, +the dense smoke, curling in thick wreaths, being sent by the wind +towards us, and making respiration difficult. While Uncle Mark took +charge of the waggon, the rest of us drove on the other animals, +directing our course to the settlement by the only open road. We knew, +indeed, that in a short time we might have the fire on both sides of us. + +The flames rose up high above the tops of the trees in the rear. The +crackling of the burning branches, and the loud reports as the thick +trunks were split in two by the heat, sounded alarmingly near--the whole +landscape before us being lighted up by the glare shed from the burning +forest. We might, we believed, escape with our lives, were we to leave +the waggon and the cattle, but that was very far from Uncle Mark's +thoughts. By voice and whip we urged on the oxen, and shouting, +shrieking, and using our thick sticks, we endeavoured to drive forward +our refractory charges. + +The inhabitants of the village must have seen the conflagration long +before this, and would, we hoped, be preparing for their escape. + +I remembered the fire on the prairie. Then only the grass was burning, +but now we should soon have the tall trees in flames on both sides of +us. In a few minutes the flaming masses might be tumbling down on our +heads, and overwhelming us. The thought of this prevented us from +relaxing our efforts. We ran here and there flourishing our sticks, +shouting and bawling till we were hoarse; still, we kept ahead of the +fire, although it was advancing rapidly in our track. The hut, +outbuildings, and enclosures must already, we knew, be reduced to a mass +of cinders; but there was no use thinking about that. We should be +fortunate, did we preserve the more valuable part of our property. + +At length the road became wider, and we got among clearings, which would +somewhat stop the progress of the flames, did they not impede them +altogether. We dared not halt, however, but pushed on, directing our +course to the south side of the village, where the country was +completely open, and no trees left standing. The river, too, ran in +that direction, and some flat marshes on the banks would afford security +to all fugitives. + +I was thinking all the time of Lily, and my uncle and aunt; and had not +my duty compelled me to remain with the cattle, I would certainly have +hurried on to warn them, in case they should not have discovered their +danger. However, I felt sure that Uncle Mark would not have forgotten +them, and that he was satisfied they would take the necessary steps to +escape. Uncle Stephen had also a waggon in which to convey his +household goods out of the way of danger. + +As we got near the village, we were satisfied that the inhabitants were +aroused; for already several waggons were moving forward in the +direction we were going, while we heard the shouts of the men driving +others in the rear. Fortunate, indeed, were those who had waggons, as +the rest of the people would have to carry on their shoulders everything +they wished to save. + +The wind, which had increased, hurried forward the fire with terrific +rapidity, and drove the smoke in dense masses round us, so that, bright +as were the flames, we could often see but a short distance ahead. The +shouts and cries of the terrified settlers increased in loudness. All +hope that the village would be preserved must by this time have been +abandoned. The fire was coming up from the west and north-west, leaping +at a bound, as it seemed, over the clearings; the burning branches, +driven by the wind, quickly igniting all combustible matters amid which +they fell. + +We at last reached the ground I have spoken of; but not without the loss +of some of our hogs, which had got away from us, in spite of our efforts +to drive them forward. Having early taken the alarm, we were the first +to arrive, but others from the village quickly followed; when we +immediately set to work to cut down every bush and blade of grass which +might catch fire. + +In a short time I heard Uncle Stephen's voice, and thankful indeed was I +to see Lily and Aunt Hannah safe. They had found time to load their +waggon with the most valuable part of their property and a store of +provisions. The Claxtons directly afterwards arrived, and reported that +there were still several persons remaining in the village, who believed +that the conflagration would not reach it, and that they would be +perfectly safe. We were, however, too busily engaged in clearing the +ground to think of anything else. + +It was fortunate that these precautions had been taken. In a short +time, as we looked towards the village, we saw the flames rising up in +all directions. The fire came working its way along; in some places in +thin lines, in others like a wave rolling over the sandy beach, and +consuming everything in its course. + +Before the night was half over a semicircle of flame was blazing up +round the spot we occupied; the river, which was here very broad, +preventing the progress of the fire in that direction. Still, a burning +brand, driven across a narrow part by the wind, might set some dry grass +or bushes on fire; and it was impossible to say how far it might then +extend. Frequently the stifling smoke almost prevented our breathing, +and we had to throw ourselves on the ground to escape it. + +All night long did the fire rage round us. The heat was intense, and +the smoke and fine black dust blown over us was most oppressive. +Happily, we had water near to quench our thirst, blackened though it was +with ashes; and we had reason to be thankful that we had reached a place +of safety--the only one near the settlement where we could have escaped +destruction. + +The women and children were placed in the waggons, where they +endeavoured to obtain some rest. The ground was too wet for the men to +lie down; and we therefore either leaned against the wheels of the +waggons or walked about. Indeed, we had ample occupation in beating out +the fire, which ran along the most dry portions of the ground we +occupied, wherever there was herbage of any description. + +Morning came: but the fire raged on; and there was but little chance of +our being able to move for some days to come. We had, however, no lack +of meat; for, besides the pigs and poultry, several deer and numerous +small animals rushed for safety towards our camp--only to meet the fate +they were attempting to avoid. Two or three bears, also endeavouring to +escape from the flames, were shot. No wolves or foxes came near us: +they had probably, exercising their cunning, made their escape from the +burning forest against the wind. + +Daylight showed us such a scene of desolation as I hope never again to +look on. Not a vestige of the village remained; while blackened +trunks--some with a few of their stouter limbs still branching from +them, others reduced to mere black poles, and many burned down to +stumps--appeared in every direction. The crops had disappeared; and not +even a fence was standing. + +Thus the settlers, with sorrowful countenances, beheld the labour of +years destroyed. + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +THE SETTLERS DETERMINE TO ACCEPT MR. SPARKS' OFFERS--LILY'S SORROW AT +LEAVING THE OLD SETTLEMENT--MODE OF ADVANCE--SABBATH OBSERVANCE ON THE +MARCH--WE ARE LEFT BEHIND, IN CONSEQUENCE OF OUR WAGGON BREAKING DOWN-- +OUR GREAT WANT OF WATER--A DANGEROUS DESCENT--THE HORRID SPECTACLE OF +THE WOLVES--OUR OXEN FLAGGING, I PROCEED FORWARD ALONE IN THE DIRECTION +OF A FIRE IN THE DISTANCE--MY JOY UPON DISCOVERING OUR FRIENDS--REUBEN +OFFERS TO ACCOMPANY ME BACK--WE GET LOST--FAITHFUL MIKE FINDS US-- +STRANGE HORSEMEN--MIKE, REUBEN, AND I TAKEN PRISONERS BY THE SIOUX. + +The fire gave more support to the schemes of Mr Sparks than did all his +arguments and glowing descriptions. Mr Claxton, my uncles, and most of +the settlers who possessed the means of transport, resolved to accept +his offers, and at once prepared for the journey. Those who had no +waggons made up their minds to remain where they were, and to cultivate +the ground, which the ashes would render more fertile than before. The +grass, after the first rain, would spring up and afford a rich pasture +for their cattle; and the charred trunks would enable them to rebuild +their log-huts and put up fences. I had reason afterwards to believe +that they chose the wisest course; though at the time I was well pleased +at the thought of the long journey we were to take, and the adventures +we might expect to meet with. + +I was surprised to find that Lily did not enter into my feelings. "I +would far rather have stayed where we were," she said. "The trees would +soon have become green again, and we could have cultivated the ground as +before, and the river and hills would have remained the same; though, as +Uncle Stephen and aunt, and you, Roger, wish it, I am ready to go." + +My uncles had saved a bag of dollars, and the Claxtons and others were +provided with cash. Therefore, as soon as the country was sufficiently +cool to enable the waggons to move, two were sent off to the eastward to +bring back such stores as were required; while the main body began to +move southward, along the bank of the river, to a spot where we intended +to cross. + +Our course for some distance was to be to the southward; after which we +were to turn to the south-west till we reached the prairie. I cannot +describe each day's journey. In front marched a body of a dozen men, +with their axes, to clear the road. The waggons, drawn by long teams of +oxen, followed; and the loose cattle, driven by the younger men and +boys, brought up the rear. + +While no fears existed of an attack from the Indians, the axemen +generally marched a day in advance of us, to cut a road through the +woods. Another party, acting as hunters, ranged on one side or the +other of the line of march in search of deer, bears, or any other +animals, and birds; and they contrived, when possible, to reach the +camping-ground an hour or two before the waggons, so that they might get +the fires lighted, and have the game they had killed cooking on the +spits, in readiness for the women and children. Reuben and I undertook +to hunt, since we were as good shots as any of the emigrants. We always +went together, and seldom failed to bring in game of some sort. + +As evening approached we made our way towards the spot fixed on for the +encampment. Before nightfall the main body usually arrived, and the +waggons were arranged in a circle, so as to form a sort of fortification +in case of attack from the Indians: though we had no great reason to +apprehend such an event at that period of our journey. No time was lost +in commencing supper; and as soon as it was over the women and children +went to rest inside the waggons, while the men not on guard lay down +either under them or in the neighbourhood of the fires. A spot was +always chosen--either by the side of a stream or near some pool--where +the cattle could find water and good grass. They were then turned out +to graze, under charge of a few armed men. Of course, we all kept our +rifles by our sides, so that we might be ready to defend ourselves at a +moment's notice. + +We met with very few Indians, and those we fell in with seemed disposed +to be friendly. They saw that we were merely passing through their +hunting-grounds, and had apparently no objection to our killing the +comparatively small amount of game we met with. Had we shown any +intention of settling, the case might have been different. + +We thus pushed on for many days together, halting only on the Sabbath, +to obtain the rest which both we and our cattle required. This was a +day we all enjoyed. One of the elders conducted a service, and the +wilderness we were traversing resounded for the time with praise and +prayer. + +Thus we travelled on day after day; but we made but slow progress +through the densely-wooded country, having sometimes to cut our way amid +the trees, though we were generally able to find a passage without +felling them. Occasionally, however, we were compelled to do even that, +and to drag the huge trunks out of the road, before the waggons could +proceed. We had also frequently to cross rivers. When no ford could be +found, we built large rafts, on which the waggons were ferried over, +while the oxen gained the opposite bank by swimming. They were +accustomed to the undertaking; and, strange as it may seem, we never +lost any by this means. + +At length we gained an open but more desert region. The ground was +stony and uneven, and we had rocky hills to ascend and dark gorges to +pass through. Water was scarce, and we had often to carry sufficient to +supply our wants for a couple of days; while our cattle suffered greatly +from thirst. We could no longer hunt in small parties, for fear of +encountering hostile Indians; but we were able to kill game without +going to any great distance from the camp, as we found several species +of deer inhabiting those wilds. + +My uncle's waggon was one day bringing up the rear of the train; and our +water being nearly exhausted, we were pushing forward as fast as the +oxen could move, in the hope of reaching a stream before dark, when one +of the wheels came off, and the waggon, in falling over, suffered +considerable damage. Under other circumstances, the train would have +stopped till our waggon was put to rights; but as most of the oxen were +suffering from thirst, and many of the party had no water remaining, it +was important for them to push forward without delay. We were therefore +compelled to remain by ourselves; but no Indians had as yet been seen in +this part of the country, and we hoped that we should escape without +being attacked. + +My uncles were not men to be frightened by difficulties. They and Mike, +with Quambo and I, immediately set to work to do what was necessary. We +unloaded the waggon, and commenced repairing the damage it had received. +This, however, took us some time, and it was quite dark before we got +the wheel on again and the waggon reloaded. Having been more provident +than the rest of the party, we were able to wet our beasts' muzzles, and +still have sufficient water to last ourselves for a few hours. + +As we wished to overtake our companions as soon as possible, we +immediately pushed forward, and soon got into a somewhat more level +country than we had lately been passing through; but the ground was very +hard, and in the darkness we could not perceive the tracks made by those +in advance. Had an Indian guide been with us, he would undoubtedly have +discovered them; but we had to trust to our own sagacity, and we had not +gone far when we found that we had got out of the right road. We did +our utmost to regain it, but in vain. Still, believing that we were +going in the proper direction, we proceeded onwards. The stars came out +brightly from the sky, and we shaped our course as directly as we could +by them. + +While Uncle Stephen drove, Uncle Mark and I, with Mike and Quambo, +marched on either side, our faithful dogs following at our heels. We +kept a look-out in every direction, lest we should chance to be observed +by a band of Indians, who, seeing a small party, might pounce down upon +us; still, we were all accustomed to look on the bright side of things, +and though we were aware of the possible danger, we were not +unnecessarily alarmed. Our chief anxiety arose from a fear of not +finding water for our thirsty beasts. They might hold out during the +cool hours of night; but should they not be supplied with the necessary +fluid, they must in a short time succumb, and dreadful indeed would be +the consequences to ourselves. + +When I occasionally went up to the waggon, I found Aunt Hannah and Lily +awake. They kept up their spirits very well, and naturally inquired +whether we had as yet discovered the track of those who had gone before. + +"Not yet," I answered in as cheerful a voice as I could command; "but we +soon shall, I dare say; and, at all events, we are going in the right +direction. The stars are shining brightly, and by them Uncle Stephen +can guide the waggon as well as if we had the train of our friends in +view. But we shall soon be up with them, I hope, and find them all +comfortably encamped." + +"I trust that we may," said Aunt Hannah, "if not, we shall find water, I +suppose, in a few hours, and we shall certainly overtake them +to-morrow." + +This showed what was passing in her mind. She had begun to suspect-- +what really was the case--that we had widely deviated from our course. +One thing was very certain,--that it would be destruction to stop; so, +although our oxen were beginning to show signs of fatigue, and we felt +our own legs aching, we continued to move forward. + +At length, about a couple of hours before dawn, we arrived at the edge +of a ravine, the sides of which, though not precipitous, appeared to be +_very_ steep, and down which it would have been madness to attempt +taking the waggon in the dark. We must either stop, or try to find a +passage across to the north or south. We had observed that the valleys +already passed by us were shallower to the southward; we therefore +turned our waggon in that direction, hoping shortly to discover a +practicable path, though we suspected that it would lead us even further +from the track of our friends. + +We went on and on, fancying that we could discern the bottom of the +valley more clearly than at first, and hoping soon to discover a +sufficiently gentle slope which we might be able to descend. But we +were deceived, and though Uncle Mark and I made our way down in several +places, we saw that the waggon would certainly be upset should we +attempt to get it down. We were almost in despair of success, for the +ravine appeared to run on to the southward with equally rugged sides as +at first. The panting oxen, too, could scarcely drag on the waggon, and +we began to fear that they would fall unless water should be found. We +urged them on, however, for stopping to rest would not avail them, and +might prove our destruction. + +Morning at length broke, when we saw a hill before us which seemed to be +the termination of the ravine; and as the light increased, to our joy we +caught sight of a silvery line of water making its way along the course +of the valley. Our eagerness to reach the bottom was now greater than +ever; and we could with difficulty restrain the oxen from rushing down +the bank. We had to keep at their heads, indeed, to prevent them +attempting so mad a performance. + +On we went, till we saw before us what we had so long been looking +for,--a gentle slope which it would be easy to descend, while on the +opposite side the ground was equally favourable for again ascending to +the same elevation as before. Putting the drag on the wheel, we +commenced the undertaking; and though I more than once feared that the +waggon would be upset, we reached the bottom in safety. Then, +immediately unyoking the tired oxen, we hurried to the fountain-head to +obtain water, while they rushed to a pool close below it, where they +could more easily drink. Near at hand was an abundance of fresh grass, +with which they quickly recruited their strength. + +Aunt Hannah and Lily offered to watch while we lay down and took the +sleep we so much required. + +"I will keep a look-out all round, and if I see any suspicious Indians +approaching I'll scream loud enough to wake you all," said Lily, half in +joke, as if she were not at all anxious on the subject. + +"One thing is very certain,--if they do come, we cannot run away from +them," observed Uncle Mark. "We must hope that they will prove +friendly, for if not we shall have to beat them or be cut to pieces. +However, we will trust to your watchfulness, and pick up a little +strength to continue our journey." + +We accordingly lay down under the waggon, and in less than a minute were +fast asleep. + +We rested till about ten o'clock, when Aunt Hannah, as Uncle Stephen had +desired, awoke us. Not a human being had approached the valley, though +she said that she had seen some creatures moving along on the top of the +heights; but what they were she could not make out, though they did not +look, she thought, like deer. + +Having taken a hurried meal, we again yoked the oxen; and going behind +with crowbars to assist, we commenced the ascent of the hill. It was +harder work than we expected, but, by making a zigzag course, in about +half an hour we got to the top. Looking ahead, the country appeared to +be pretty level, with rocky hills rising out of it in various +directions, but we expected to have no difficulty in making our onward +way. We had filled all our skin-bottles with water, and even should we +meet with no more till the following day the cattle would not materially +suffer. + +My uncles were of opinion that we had crossed near the source of the +stream at which the rest of the party must have stopped, and that by +verging to the right we should fall upon their tracks, although we did +not expect to meet with them till the close of the day, owing to the +direction we were taking. They might possibly have sent back to help +us; but as they had not many men to spare, it was more likely that they +would push forward, expecting us ultimately to overtake them. We kept a +look-out for water as we went along, that we might allow our animals to +drink, and thus be able to continue our journey the next day although +none should be found at the camping-ground. Still, though we went on +and on, no signs could we discover of our friends. Already the sun was +sinking towards the west. + +I had gone on ahead, and made my way up a hill over which we should have +to pass, that I might obtain before sunset a wide view around, when I +saw some way before me a number of creatures moving about. They seemed +to be very busy, but what they were doing I could not make out. Some +objects lay near them on the ground. I hastened on, and when I got +nearer I perceived that the objects were broken pieces of waggons,-- +several wheels, and portions of the woodwork,--while the animals, I had +no doubt, were wolves, from the horrid sounds which reached me; a +mixture of snarling, yelping, barking, and growling, for I cannot +otherwise describe the noise made by the creatures. + +Not wishing to approach closer by myself, I returned to tell my uncles +what I had seen. Uncle Mark and Quambo accompanied me back, and as we +got nearer the wolves looked up and snarled at us, and continued their +occupation; but what was our horror, on advancing a little further, to +discover that they were feeding on the dead bodies of a number of +persons stretched on the ground! A dreadful fear seized us. Could they +be those of our late companions? I shuddered, and burst into tears. + +Yes! there could be no doubt about it, I thought. There lay those we +had lately parted from in health and strength, cruelly murdered, and now +the prey of the savage wolves. Our friends the Claxtons!--Dora! honest +Reuben! and their parents! + +Then the fearful thought that such might ere long be our fate came over +me. + +"Can none have escaped?" I exclaimed. + +Uncle Mark advanced a few paces nearer the wolves, with his gun, ready +to fire should they attack him. He was looking at a man whom the wolves +had not yet torn to pieces. Apparently he was only just dead, and had +probably defended himself to the last, keeping his assailants at bay. + +"That man did not belong to our party," I heard Uncle Mark cry out. +"These people must have formed part of another emigrant-train." + +Quambo and I ran up to him. We then shouted together, and some of the +wolves nearest to us, startled by our approach, left their prey, when we +were convinced, by the dresses of the corpses, that Uncle Mark's surmise +was correct. This discovery somewhat relieved our minds. Our friends +might have escaped; but at the same time it was too evident that hostile +Indians were scouring that part of the country, and that we ourselves +might ere long be attacked, and share the fate of the unhappy persons we +saw before us. + +We now slowly retreated, shouting as we did so to keep the wolves at +bay, and turning every few paces to face them; for had they seen us fly, +they might have been induced to follow. They were now, however, happily +for us, too much engaged in their dreadful feast to take further notice +of us. + +Having told Uncle Stephen what we had seen, we turned the heads of the +oxen away from the spot, directing our course to the right, where the +ground appeared to be more even than any we had yet gone over. We +agreed not to let Aunt Hannah and Lily know of the dreadful scene we had +witnessed; but it was important to get as far as possible from the spot, +and we determined, if the oxen could drag the waggon, to continue on all +night. + +"Do you think it likely that the wolves, when they have finished their +horrible feast, will track us out?" I said to Uncle Mark. + +"I hope not," he answered. "Were they starving, they might do so; but +only the younger animals, which would have been prevented by their +elders from joining in the feast, may possibly follow us. If they do, +we can keep them at a distance, for they are more easily frightened than +the older brutes." + +The stars, as on the previous night, were very bright, and we were able, +by them, to keep a direct course. Our chief desire now was to rejoin +our friends, and next to that to find water. We, of course, as we moved +along, kept a strict watch, as before; but the scene I had witnessed +made me feel much more anxious than usual, and every moment I expected +to see a band of Indians start up from behind the rocks which here and +there rose above the plain, or to hear a flight of arrows whistling +through the air past our ears--perhaps to feel one sticking in my body. + +Uncle Stephen had advised Aunt Hannah and Lily to lie down in a space +left vacant for them in the middle of the waggon, where they would be +protected by the luggage piled up on both sides. + +We had now gone on many hours without water, and our cattle began to +show signs of being very thirsty. All we could do was to wet their +muzzles with a little of the water we had brought with us; but our lives +might depend upon our pushing on. + +As we generally marched apart--two of us on either side of the waggon-- +we had no opportunities for conversation, and were left, consequently, +to our own melancholy thoughts. Had I been by myself, or with male +companions only, I should not have cared so much; but my mind was +troubled by the idea of what might be dear Lily's fate, and that of Aunt +Hannah, should we be attacked, or should our cattle break down and we be +unable to proceed. + +The oxen went slower and slower, notwithstanding every effort of Uncle +Stephen to make them move at their usual pace. At last they came to a +stand-still. Mike and Quambo, who at the time were ahead, endeavoured +in vain to induce them to move on. Uncle Mark and I ran forward to +assist them. As I was about to do so I caught sight of a ruddy spot in +the distance, away somewhat to the left. That must be a fire, I +thought, and I pointed it out to Uncle Mark. + +"It may be the camp-fire of our friends," he observed; "but we must not +be too sure, for it may be that of a band of Indians." + +He asked Uncle Stephen what he thought. + +"The Indians generally take care to have their fires in places where +they cannot be seen from a distance, so that is much more likely to be +what you at first supposed," he answered. "At all events, we will try +and find out." + +"If the oxen cannot be got to move, I will go on and ascertain," I said. +"I can direct my course by the fire, and will approach cautiously. +Should I discover that Indians are encamped there, I will hurry back and +let you know. We must then try and make our way in some other +direction." + +"I am afraid, Roger, that in such a case our hope of escape will be very +small," said my uncle in a grave tone. "Unless we can find water in +some hollow in which it will be possible to conceal ourselves, at the +return of day, the Indians are sure to see us. Should they cross our +track, they are equally certain to come upon us before long. We must, +however, hope for the best. Go forward as you propose, and may Heaven +protect you, my boy." + +Without stopping to bid Lily and my aunt good-bye I hurried on, keeping +my gaze on the fire, which, growing brighter as I advanced, enabled me +without difficulty to direct my course for it. The ground was tolerably +even, but sloped slightly downwards in the direction I was taking. The +fire, indeed, when I first saw it, appeared to be in a hollow, or at all +events at a lower elevation than that where we were standing. I looked +back once or twice, and quickly lost sight of the waggon. So far I was +satisfied that, should the people who had made the fire be Indians, they +would not discover the waggon until daylight, by which time I hoped we +should be able to conceal ourselves among the hills in the +neighbourhood. + +I hurried on as fast as I could venture to move, ignorant of what was +before me. It would be useless, I knew, to attempt concealing my trail, +but as I did not intend to go nearer the camp-fire than was necessary to +make out who were there, I hoped some time would elapse after I had +retreated before the Indians could discover that any one had been near +them. Now and then, when crossing a hill, I lost sight of the fire, and +had to direct my course by the stars overhead. Again I saw it before +me, blazing brightly. I hoped that Uncle Stephen was right in his +conjectures. The fire, however, was further off than I had supposed, +and the greater part of an hour was consumed before I got close enough +to see the figures moving about it. + +I now crept on as noiselessly as I could, for I knew that the least +sound would be conveyed to the quick ears of the Redskins. Fortunately +there were a number of bushes in the neighbourhood, behind which I could +conceal myself. + +As I was going on I heard voices, and stopped breathlessly to listen. +They did not sound like those of Indians, and presently I saw a couple +of figures pass in front of the fire. I almost shouted for joy as I +distinguished by their outlines against the bright blaze that their +dress was that of white men. I felt sure that the people I saw before +me were our friends; still, caution was necessary, for it was possible +that they were prisoners of the Indians, saved from the caravan lately +destroyed, only to meet with a more cruel death by torture. There might +be a large party of Indians encamped. + +Presently two other fires came into view, which had been hitherto +concealed by the thick bushes surrounding the hollow in which the camp +was formed. I crept on and on, crouching down like a panther about to +spring on its prey. The voices became more and more distinct, and at +last I found myself on the top of the bank, with only a few bushes +intervening between me and those encamped below. + +On pushing aside the branches my eyes were greeted by the pleasant sight +of waggons, cattle, and a number of people; some cooking before the +fires, others preparing their resting-places for the night. Not far +off, at the lower part of the hollow, for it could scarcely be called a +valley, was a pool reflecting the stars overhead. + +Feeling sure that I saw my friends before me, I now rushed down the +slope towards them. The first person I met was Reuben Claxton. + +"Why, Roger! where have you come from?" he exclaimed. "We were very +anxious about you, and my father had determined, should you not appear +soon, to return with a party to your relief." + +I quickly told him what had occurred, several others gathering round to +hear my account. They were greatly alarmed at the description I gave of +the remains of the emigrant-train we had discovered. I pointed out that +their own camp was formed with less care than usual; of which fact they +were convinced, but excused themselves on the plea that they had arrived +very tired just at dark, having had a rough country to traverse, and +that their cattle had suffered from want of water since the last place +they had stopped at. The way I had approached showed them how easily +they might have been surprised by a party of hostile Indians. + +I told them that I must be off again at once, as I was anxious to get +back to our waggon, in order that we might join them without delay. +Reuben offered to accompany me, and I was very glad to have him. We +therefore set off immediately. + +It was necessary to be careful, however, to keep a direct course; and +this could only be done by watching a star which I had marked, +overhanging the spot where I had left the waggon. By any deviation to +the right hand or to the left we might easily pass it. + +Reuben told me that many of the emigrants had become very anxious, and +the account I had brought would make them still more so. Could they +venture back alone, he thought they would be willing to return to the +settlement. + +"For my own part, I like the wild sort of life we are leading; but I +should be happier if I knew that Lily and my aunt were in safety, +whereas they are exposed to as much danger as we are," I observed. + +More than once I thought that we had gone wrong, as it was impossible to +distinguish objects clearly in the gloom of night. I fancied that we +must have performed the distance; still I could nowhere see the waggon. +The dreadful thought occurred to me that some prowling Indians might +have pounced upon it, and carried it off. + +"I hope not," said Reuben, when I told him my fears. "We may not have +gone far enough yet; or we are perhaps too much on one side or the +other." + +We went on a little further, trying to pierce the gloom. Then we +stopped to listen, but could hear no sounds. + +"We must have gone wrong," I said; "for I am certain that we should +otherwise have got up to the waggon by this time." + +Still Reuben thought that I might be mistaken. + +"Let us shout, and perhaps they will hear us;" and before I could stop +him, he cried out at the top of his voice--"Hallo! Mr Tregellis, +whereabouts are you?" + +Thinking it too probable that Indians were not far off, I dreaded lest +the shout might be heard by them, and I advised Reuben not to cry out +again. + +I was still fearing that we had missed the waggon, when a voice reached +our ears. It was that of Mike. + +"Is that you, Masther Roger? If you are yourself, come on here; but if +not, I'll throuble you to stop where you are, or I'll be afther shooting +you through the head." + +"All right, Mike!" I exclaimed, as we made our way in the direction +from whence the voice came. + +He had grown anxious at my long delay, and had got leave from my uncles +to try and find out what had become of me. + +We soon got back to the waggon; and by giving the patient oxen the +remainder of our water, they having in the meantime cropped some grass, +we were able to move forward. The road, in the dark, was difficult; but +we managed to reach the camp without any accident, and were heartily +welcomed by our friends. + +Those who wished to return had, we found, summoned a meeting, and it was +settled that the matter should be decided by the majority of votes. My +uncles turned the scale in favour of going on. They pointed out that it +would be as dangerous to retreat as to advance. + +Mr Sparks urged that it would be madness to give up the enterprise. +Water, he assured us, would be found at the end of every day's march, or +even oftener; and though Indians might be met, with our rifles we could +without difficulty keep them at bay, as none of them were likely to +possess firearms--their only weapons being bows and arrows and spears. +His remarks prevailed; and it was agreed that after a day's rest, which +the cattle greatly required, we should recommence our march. + +Once more we were making our toilsome way across the desert. For two +days we had moved on without interruption, keeping scouts out as usual +on either side to give notice should any Indians approach. Reuben and +I, and other young men, performed that necessary duty for several hours +each day. + +Early in the morning of the second day we caught sight in the distance +of a couple of horsemen with long spears in their hands. They galloped +towards us, apparently to ascertain who we were; then, wheeling round, +they quickly disappeared, and though we were on the watch we saw no more +of them. When we halted at noon, we of course reported the +circumstance. As it showed that Redskins were in the neighbourhood, +several more men were told off to act as scouts, with orders to retreat +towards the train the moment they might see any Indians, whether few or +many. + +Reuben, Mike, and I were advancing as I have described, somewhat ahead +of the train, when towards evening we entered a valley, the hills +sloping away on either side of it. At the further end we expected to +find a stream, at the side of which we could encamp. I was leading, +Mike was next to me, and Reuben was nearest the train. The ground I was +traversing was somewhat rough, and I was leaping from one rock to +another, when I fell and sprained my ankle. Just as I got up--being +then on higher ground than my companions, and having a more extensive +view--I saw a large band of horsemen approaching at full gallop. I knew +at once that they were Redskins. + +"Indians! Indians!" I shrieked out to Mike. "Tell Reuben to run and +let our friends know that the enemy are upon us." + +Mike shouted at the top of his voice, as I had desired him. I saw +Reuben set off, and Mike following him. Presently Mike stopped and +looked back to see what had become of me. I endeavoured to run, but +found it impossible to move. Before I had made a second step, I sank to +the ground. + +"Sure, you are not coming, Masther Roger," cried Mike, on seeing me +fall. + +The pain I endured prevented me speaking. + +Mike rushed back towards me, crying out all the time, "Come along! come +along!" But move I could not. + +He was still at some distance from me, when, looking round, I saw that +the Indians were rapidly approaching. I made signs to him to save +himself, but he either did not, or would not, understand them. + +"Go back! go back!" I at length cried out. + +"Arrah! and sure, not till I've got you on me back," he answered, still +making his way towards me. + +I felt very certain that, with me to carry, he could not possibly reach +the train before the Indians would be up with us, and he could scarcely +have failed to know this. + +"Cling to me back, Masther Roger, and I'll show the Ridskins how a +bog-trotter can get over the ground;" and stooping down, he seized my +arms and threw me on his back. "Now, here we go!" he cried out, and +began leaping over the ground with as much agility as if he had had no +burden to carry. + +But his efforts, as I feared they would be, were in vain. A wild whoop +sounded in my ears, and looking back I saw upwards of a dozen Indians in +their war-paint--their feather-plumes and cloaks flying in the air, as +they galloped forward on their mustangs over the rocky ground, sending +the stones and dust flying away from their heels. I expected every +instant to feel one of those ugly-looking spears plunged into my back. +One of the painted warriors was just about to finish my career, when I +heard a loud voice shouting in an authoritative tone; and instead of +transfixing me, he let the point of his spear fall, then, seizing me by +the collar, dragged me up on his steed, and laid me across his saddle in +front of him. Another treated Mike in the same manner, in spite of his +struggles to free himself. I made no resistance, knowing it was useless +to do so. + +The two Indians who had captured us wheeled their horses round and +galloped away, and we met crowds of other warriors galloping at full +speed in the track of the first. I got one glance round, which enabled +me to see that the enemy were close up to the waggons, while the puffs +of smoke and the report of rifles showed that my friends were determined +to defend themselves. Several of the Indian saddles were emptied in a +minute, but still a whole host of the savages appeared charging down on +the train. Whether or not Reuben had succeeded in getting under shelter +of the waggons, I could not tell. I saw no more, for my captor galloped +off with me round the hill, and they were concealed from view, though I +could still hear the sound of the shots and the shrieks and shouts of +the combatants. I had no hope of escaping with life, and believed that +I was reserved to suffer the fearful tortures to which the Redskins so +frequently subject their prisoners. + +After going some distance the Indian stopped, and lifting me up from the +painful position in which I lay, placed me behind him; fastening me by a +leather strap round his body, and so securing my arms that I could not +move. He had previously deprived me of my rifle, which I had hitherto +held firmly in my grasp, hoping against hope that I might have an +opportunity of using it. I saw Mike not far off, he having been treated +much in the same manner, though not without the assistance of another +Indian, who had accompanied the one on whose horse he was placed. + +Having secured us, the Indians again galloped forward. After going some +distance, I saw that we were approaching a more wooded region than the +one we had left, with a stream or river running through it; and I +thought that I could distinguish cliffs, below which the river, in part +of its course, made its way. + +I could manage to turn my head, and as I did so I fancied that I +discerned another horseman coming up behind us, with a prisoner, whom I +naturally feared was Reuben. Further off were numerous Indians, but +whether they formed the whole of the body which had attacked the train +or not I could not make out. If they were, I had great hopes that the +Redskins had been defeated, although they would probably wreak their +vengeance on us, their unfortunate captives. Still, in either case I +felt sure that we should be put to death--though I rejoiced in the +belief that Lily and my other relatives and friends had escaped; for as +none of the Indians I had seen had firearms, I had good reason for +hoping that our party had gained the victory. Should Mr Sparks prove +equal to his professions, by leading them well and taking the necessary +precautions against surprise, they might still fight their way through +the hostile territory. + +My mind being relieved of anxiety about my friends, I was able to think +more about myself and Reuben and Mike. Had we any chance of escaping? +I was determined, at all events, to make the attempt; and I was very +sure that they would do likewise. I resolved, could I get near enough +to Mike, to tell him of my intention, and to advise him to keep up his +spirits; and before long I had an opportunity. + +"Bedad! it's what I have been afther thinking about," he answered. +"I'll let young Reuben know me thoughts, too. We've outwitted the +Ridskins once before, and, sure, we'll thry to play them another trick." + +He spoke in a tone of voice which showed that no coward fears had +overcome him. + +We galloped on until we reached the wood, where our captors dismounted, +aided by the third Indian I have mentioned. I had scarcely thought +about my foot during my ride, but when I was cast loose and attempted to +move by myself, I found that I could not stand, and presently sank to +the ground. Mike, on finding himself at liberty, hurried to my +assistance, and, taking off my shoe, examined my ankle. + +"It's a bad sprain," he observed; "but maybe these rid gintlemen will +just let me get some cowld wather. I'll bathe it and bind it up, and in +the course of a few days, or in less time than that, it will be all to +rights again." + +I could only smile, not believing that I should be allowed many days to +get well. + +He then carried me under the shade of a tree, against the trunk of which +I reclined. The pain rapidly went off, and I was better able to +consider our position, and the possibility of escape. + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +MY SPRAINED ANKLE--MIKE'S DEVOTION--REUBEN BROUGHT TO THE CAMP--THE +INDIANS BIND US TO TREES--THE DEBATE ON OUR FATE--I AM RELEASED BY SANDY +MCCOLL--OLD SAMSON AGAIN--THE SECRET CAVERN--SAMSON IS VERY KIND AND +ATTENTIVE TO ME--HIS CLOSE ATTENTION TO MY ACCOUNT OF THE BURNING OF THE +SETTLEMENT, AND THE RESCUE OF LILY AND ME WHEN CHILDREN--I RECOVER, AND +SAMSON AND I LEAVE THE CAVERN TO RECONNOITRE--THE INDIAN MASSACRE-- +SANDY, REUBEN, AND MIKE ARE HOTLY PURSUED--OUR FORTRESS BESIEGED--WE +HOLD OUT, AND BEAT OFF OUR BESIEGERS--OUR START--THE ELK. + +The Indians, instead of binding Mike, as I expected they would do, +allowed him to come and sit by me under the tree; narrowly watching him, +however, though they did not interfere with us. + +"Faix, thin, Masther Roger, I don't think these Ridskin gintlemen can be +intending to do us much harm, or they would not be afther letting us sit +so quietly by ourselves," he observed. + +"I am not so confident of that, Mike," I answered. "We must wait till +the rest come up, to judge how they will treat us; at all events, I +would advise you, when you get the chance, to mount one of their best +horses and gallop off. I am afraid that I shall be unable to make the +attempt, or I would try it." + +"Why, thin, Masther Roger, would you be afther belaving that I would go +and desart you? Even if they were to bring me a horse, and tell me to +mount and be off, it would break me heart intirely to think that I had +left you to their tinder mercies. Whativer they do to you, they may do +to me; and I'll stop and share iverything with you." + +"I deeply feel your generosity, Mike," I said; "but you might have saved +yourself and got back to the waggons, had you not attempted to carry me +off, and I therefore wish you to try and escape if you have the +opportunity." + +Mike laughed and shook his head; and when I still urged him to escape if +he could, he put on that look of stolidity which an Irishman so well +knows how to assume, and refused to reply to any of my remarks. + +While we had been talking, the Indian I had seen following us +approached, having slowly walked his horse, which had apparently been +lamed. I now caught sight of the person behind him, and with much +concern recognised my friend Reuben. One of our captors assisted him to +dismount; and Reuben, with his hands bound, was dragged forward to a +short distance from us, where he was compelled to sit down on the +ground, the Indians intimating by signs that he must not move. He +looked very melancholy, evidently imagining that he was soon to be put +to death. I tried to cheer him up by telling him that we had not been +ill-treated. + +"That may be," he answered; "but I know their treacherous nature. +Depend upon it, when they all eat together, and talk over the number of +their warriors who have been slain, they will wreak their vengeance upon +us. Are you prepared to die, Roger? We must make up our minds for +that, and we may consider ourselves fortunate if we are not scalped and +flayed first. I have often read, with very little concern, of the +dreadful tortures the Redskins inflict on their prisoners, little +dreaming that I should ever have to suffer the same." + +"It is not wise to anticipate evil," I said. "Let us hope for the best; +and perhaps means may be offered us, that we do not now think of, to +make our escape." + +"I don't see where they can come from," he replied. "These fellows keep +too sharp a look-out on us to give us a chance. Look there! here come +the whole tribe of savages, and they will soon settle our fate." + +He pointed as he spoke to a large number of horsemen galloping across +the country from different directions, towards us. They halted outside +the wood, and several of them appeared to be wounded; but they did not +allow themselves to exhibit any sign of suffering. Having taken the +saddles and bridles from their horses, the greater number led them down +towards the water to drink; while six, who, from their more ornamental +dresses, appeared to be chiefs, advanced towards us. Their principal +man, or head chief, spoke to us; but as we could not understand what he +said, we knew that it would be useless to reply. He then pointed to +Mike and me, and addressed a few words to his companions. They nodded, +and we were led to separate trees, to which we were bound, with our +hands secured behind us in a very unpleasant fashion. + +Matters now began to look more serious than at first. Darkness was +coming on, and our captors lighted a large fire near to the spot where +we were bound, and those among them who acted the part of cooks began +dressing the evening meal. They then sat down to discuss it--an +operation which was soon concluded. We in the meantime were left bound +to the trees, watching what was going on. After supper, a similar fire +having been lighted near where we were bound, the principal Indians took +their seats round it and began to smoke their long pipes, while, as I +suspected, they deliberated on our fate. They were some little distance +off, but the flames from the fire cast a red glow on their figures, and +enabled me to observe the expression of the countenances of those turned +towards me, from which, with painful anxiety, I endeavoured to learn how +they were disposed towards us. Though I could hear their voices, I +could not understand a word that was said. + +After talking for some time, one of them, whose back, however, was +towards me, got up and addressed his companions. He spoke at some +length, and I would have given much to know what he was saying. His +spear he held with one hand; with the other he pointed, now to the sky, +now to some unseen distant object, now he waved it in the air. The +other Indians gazed up at his countenance, as if greatly moved by his +address; but whether he was pleading for us or advocating our death, I +could by no means discover. In vain I listened to catch any words I +might understand. + +At last he brought his address to a conclusion, and sat down; when +another slowly rose and commenced a harangue which was equally +unintelligible to me. Still, I felt very sure that the discussion was +one on which our lives depended; and, judging from the countenances of +the Indians, I was nearly certain that they intended to kill us. + +The next speaker was even more long-winded than the first. I thought +that he would never bring his address to a conclusion. + +A fourth man got up. His face was also turned away from me. His action +was more vehement than that of his predecessors, and the tones of his +voice afforded me but very little hope of mercy from his hands. + +While he was speaking, another Indian, whom I had not hitherto seen, +stalked into the circle, and regarding the speaker with a fixed and, as +I thought, somewhat contemptuous look, sat himself down among the +others. His appearance evidently created a considerable amount of +astonishment, little as the natives are accustomed to show their +feelings. So soon as the last had ceased speaking, he rose and +addressed the assembly. As he did so, it struck me that he bore a +strong resemblance to Manilick, though he was much more gaudily dressed +than I had ever seen that young chief. + +All eyes were turned towards him as he spoke, and scarcely had he +commenced when I heard a voice whisper in my ear, "Trust to me!" At the +same moment I felt that the thongs which bound me were being cut, and +the next instant I was at liberty; but, recollecting my sprained ankle, +I feared that it would not avail me. To my surprise, however, when I +tried to move I found that I could do so without much pain. + +I slipped round the tree, when I felt my hand grasped by that of my +deliverer, who, discovering that I could move but slowly, stooped down +and lifted me on his back. The darkness prevented me from seeing who he +was, but I felt convinced, from his dress and the tone of his voice, +that he was a white man. He moved along cautiously under the trees +towards the bank of the river. + +"Can you swim?" he asked in a low voice, "Yes--like a fish," I answered. + +"Then we will take to the river at once. There are horses waiting on +the opposite side, lower down. We can float with the current till we +reach them," he continued. + +We were not more than three or four minutes in reaching the bank, and we +at once glided in so as to create no splash. + +"Strike out towards the middle of the river," he whispered; "but do so +as gently as possible." + +I followed his directions, and found that I could swim without any pain +to my ankle. + +"Now throw yourself on your back, and we will float down with the +current," he said. + +We could all this time hear the voice of the Indian addressing the +assembly of warriors. So intent were they in listening to what he was +saying, that they had evidently not discovered my escape. + +"Can nothing be done to save my companions?" I asked, thinking of the +dreadful fate which might await Reuben and Mike. + +"Others will look after them," he answered. "Don't speak, lest the +water should convey your voice to the shore." + +After we had gone some distance he told me to turn round again and swim, +so that we might make more progress. + +"Now make for the shore," he said. + +In a short time we gained a spot where the trees grew close down to the +bank. Climbing up there, he led me through the wood. On the further +side I found a man holding three horses. + +"Glad to get you out of the clutches of the Indians, my son Reuben," he +said. + +"I am not Reuben," I answered; "but I heartily wish that he had escaped. +I am Roger Penrose." + +"Why, Sandy McColl, I told you to try and set Reuben at liberty; though +I am glad to see you, Roger," said the speaker, whom I now recognised as +the old trapper, Samson Micklan. + +"I should have been discovered if I had attempted to reach the two +others, for they were much nearer the fire; and, in truth, I could not +distinguish one from the other," said Sandy. + +"Well, we must see what can be done to rescue Reuben and the Irishman," +said old Samson. "Our friend Manilick promised to plead for you and +Mike, and, should he fail, to come and let me know; and he will, I +trust, exert his influence in favour of Reuben, when he finds that you +have got off. At all events, the Indians will not put their prisoners +to death till they get back to their lodges, and we must try and set +them at liberty before then. Though they have vowed to have my hair, I +fear them not, for I have outwitted them a hundred times--and intend to +outwit them as many more, if I have the chance. But we must not delay +here, for when they find that you have got away they will suspect that +you took to the river, and will scour the banks in search of you." + +Anxious as I was to save my friends, I had no wish again to fall into +the hands of the Indians, I therefore very readily mounted one of the +horses. + +"If you, Samson, will go on to the cave with this young man, I will +return and try to help the others," said Sandy. "Maybe, while the +Indians are looking for me, they may leave them unguarded, and I may +have a chance of carrying out my object." + +"That's what we'll do, then," answered old Samson. "I needn't tell you +to be cautious, because I know that you will be so." + +As he spoke, Samson threw himself on one of the horses, and took the +rein of the third. "We shall better deceive the Redskins if we take +this one with us," he observed. "They may possibly discover that it has +no rider; but it will puzzle them, at all events, if they come upon our +trail, and they will be less likely to suspect that you are watching +them." + +"Don't fear for me," answered Sandy. "I'll keep my wits about me; and +if the other two can make good use of their legs, we will overtake you +before long, should I manage to set them free. If I am caught, why, I +shall only suffer the fate I have often thought would be my lot." + +Saying this, Sandy again plunged into the wood out of which we had come; +while Samson and I galloped away across the country. It was too dark to +discern objects at any distance, but my companion seemed to be +thoroughly acquainted with the ground. At last I saw before me a hill, +rising out of the plain. As I got nearer, I observed that the sides and +summit in many places were covered with trees; in others, it was barren +and rocky. We directed our course towards a gap in the hillside, up +which we wound our way. + +"Can you walk?" asked old Samson. + +"I will try," I answered, imitating his example and dismounting--when I +soon found that I could get on better than I should have supposed +possible. + +He led two of the horses, while I followed with the third; but, passing +amid the trees, the animals had to lower their heads to enable them to +creep under the boughs. + +On getting out of the wood, I found that we were proceeding up a steep +zigzag path, along which two people could not make their way abreast. +At last we reached a narrow terrace, with a few trees growing on it. We +made our way between them till Samson entered a cavern, the mouth of +which would admit only a horse, or, at the utmost, a couple of persons +at a time. I followed; and having gone through this narrow archway, +Samson told me to stop. He then, using his flint and steel, lighted a +torch, and by the flame I discovered that we were in a large vaulted +chamber. On one side there were some rude stalls, and litter for +horses; on the other, a couple of rough bunks, and a table and some +stools, showed that it was used as a human habitation. + +"This is my home and fortress," said Samson. "I come to it occasionally +when tired of hunting; and I always keep here a store of provisions. At +the further end is a spring of water, so that I might hold it for any +length of time against a host of foes. I have never as yet been +attacked, for the Indians know that they could not attempt to drive me +out with impunity, and think it wiser to leave me and my companion +unmolested." + +I asked him how he came to know that we had been captured by the +Indians. + +"Because I witnessed with my own eyes what happened," he answered. "I +was on the hillside overlooking the train, but had no time to warn you +of the approach of the enemy, nor could I at first help you; but I saw +you three carried off, and then made my way here to get the assistance +of Sandy, who had remained at home, as well as the three horses." + +I asked him if he thought that our friends had escaped. + +"I know that the Indians were beaten off," he answered; "but whether any +of the emigrants were killed or wounded, I cannot say. They continued +their course, and must have encamped shortly afterwards by the side of +the river. They will there have formed a strong camp, which the Indians +will not venture to attack. Their road will lead them not far from +this, when you can rejoin them, and I will pay them a visit." + +"But I could not show my face among them without Reuben and Mike. I +should feel as if I had deserted my friends, without attempting to +rescue them," I said. + +"A very right spirit, my lad," answered old Samson; "but you could have +done nothing, and would only have lost your life if you had made the +attempt. Sandy has a long head on his shoulders, and a brave heart; and +if any man can circumvent the Redskins, he can. He has a good drop of +their blood in his veins, with the brains of a white man, and knows all +their ways." + +These assurances somewhat relieved my mind. The exertions I had made, +however, had brought on the pain in my foot; and after having eaten some +food which Samson gave me, I was thankful, by his advice, to lie down in +Sandy's bunk. I slept, but not soundly, for I fancied that I heard the +voices of the Indians consulting as to our fate; and then, in my dreams, +I saw them approaching with their scalping-knives to take the hair off +my head. Such being the character of my dreams, I was glad to awake and +find myself in comparative safety. + +Old Samson was listening at the entrance of the cave. He had, I found, +the means of barricading it with stout timbers, so that no foes could +force their way in without paying dearly for the attempt. I rose from +the bunk, intending to join him, but he told me to lie quiet. I obeyed, +and was soon asleep; and when I again awoke daylight was streaming +through the entrance. I looked round, but Samson was not to be seen. + +On attempting to get up, I found that my ankle was much swollen, and +that I could not walk. With a groan I sank back again on the bunk, and +waited anxiously for Samson, wondering what had become of him. The +horses were still there, munching their fodder, so he was not likely to +have gone far. At last I saw him at the entrance. + +"Well, lad, you may get up now, and have some breakfast," he said. + +I told him that I could not walk, as I was suffering severely from my +ankle. + +"That's a bad job," he observed; "I intended to have moved away from +this. There are more Redskins in the neighbourhood than I like, as no +game can be got while they are here." + +I asked if Sandy had appeared, and brought any tidings of Reuben and +Mike. + +"No," he answered; "for the reason I have given, they could not make +their way across the country in daylight. But that is no reason why +Sandy should not have succeeded. He may have set them at liberty, and +concealed them and himself in some other place. There are several caves +like this in different directions, which seem to be made by nature as +refuges from the Indians. The only difficulty is to get to them without +being tracked, as it is always a hard job to escape the keen eyes of the +Redskins, although the horsemen of the plains are not so clever in +tracking a foe as those who go on the war-path on foot. That makes me +hope that we shall hear of our friends, though it may be some time +hence." + +These remarks of old Samson again somewhat relieved my mind. I then +asked him when he thought that the emigrant-train would pass by; and +whether he could manage to let me join it on horseback, for I thought +that I could ride although I could not walk. + +"I much doubt whether it will pass this way at all," he answered. "It +will either turn back, or, if the leader is a man of judgment, he will +conduct it by a different route, further to the south. Your uncles, Mr +Claxton, and their companions are brave men, but they will not wish to +encounter the savage hordes who have assembled to stop their progress on +the road they intended taking." + +I was very glad to hear this opinion from one who was so well able to +judge rightly, and I felt more reconciled than I otherwise should have +been at remaining inactive; for, as to moving, unless I was placed on +horseback, I knew that was impossible. As far as I could tell, it might +be many days before I could recover, as a sprain, I was aware, is +frequently as difficult to cure as a broken bone; still, I did not like +to keep old Samson in the cave, should he wish to go out for the purpose +of ascertaining what had become of Sandy. I told him that I should not +be at all afraid of staying by myself, if he could manage to close the +entrance behind him. + +"I have no desire to show myself on the plain, or I should have a dozen +Redskins galloping after me; and though I should not fear to meet twice +as many, provided I could take shelter behind some big trees, I would +rather not meet them where I should be exposed to their arrows," he +answered. "We must make up our minds to be prisoners for some days to +come; and keep a constant watch, too, lest they should get upon our +trail, and find their way up here." + +"But how can you manage to keep watch alone? You will require some +sleep," I observed. + +"Two or three hours are quite sufficient for me; and they are not likely +to attack us for the first hour or two before and after midnight," he +answered. "If they come at all during the night, it will be soon after +dark, or just before dawn. I know their ways, and have thus been +frequently enabled to get some necessary rest, even when I knew that +they were on my trail." + +"But you would surely be better for more than two or three hours of +sleep; and if you will drag my bunk to the door, I will keep watch while +you rest." + +To this he would not agree. "You require all the sleep that you can +get," he said. "No enemy, either, is able to break in on us unawares. +I have made arrangements in case of an attack, as you would have seen, +had you examined the entrance. There is a thick door which can be slid +across it; and in the door several loopholes, so that Sandy and I could +hold it against any number of Indians who might manage to make their way +up the hill." + +From what old Samson had said, I fully expected that the cave would be +attacked; for I did not suppose that the Indians, scouring the country, +would fail to observe our tracks. + +The entrance was always kept closed, and we should have been in darkness +had it not been for a rude lamp, fed by bear or deer fat, which stood on +the table. The old hunter and his companion had stored up a large +supply of dried grass for the horses, so that it was not necessary to +turn them out to feed. He allowed me to sleep as much as I could, and +when I was awake he generally seemed disposed to enter into +conversation. He told me many of his adventures and escapes from +Indians, and appeared to like to have me talk to him, and to hear all +about my uncles, Aunt Hannah, and Lily. + +One day I began repeating to him the history Uncle Mark had given me of +his and Uncle Stephen's arrival in America. As I went on, I saw that he +was listening with more and more interest; and when I described how, on +reaching the village where my parents had lived, they found it burnt to +the ground, and discovered Lily and me, and our murdered mothers, he +exclaimed-- + +"Did your uncles learn the name of the little girl's mother?" + +"No," I answered; "she died before she had time to utter it, and could +only commit her infant to their charge." + +"Strange!" exclaimed the old man. "I had a daughter, my only child, +living in that village; and she, with her husband and babe, were, I had +every reason to suppose, slaughtered by the savages who attacked the +place. Yet it is possible that their infant may be the very one your +uncles saved; but, alas! I can never be sure of that." + +"But I think that you may have very satisfactory proofs whether or not +Lily is your daughter's child," I answered, "for Aunt Hannah has +carefully preserved her clothing, and some ornaments which her mother +wore, and which you may be able to recognise." + +"That I certainly should," said old Samson, "for I had but a few days +before parted from my daughter to proceed eastward. On hearing of the +massacre, I returned; but finding the whole village a mass of blackened +ashes, and being unable to gain any tidings of the beings I loved best +on earth, I had no doubt left on my mind that they had all perished. +Having thus no one to care for, I took to the life I have since led-- +which I had before only occasionally followed, after the death of my +wife and the marriage of my daughter, for the sake of the sport it +afforded me." + +From this time forward old Samson constantly spoke about Lily; and, +persuaded by his own hopes that she was his grand-daughter, he seemed to +be fully convinced that such was the case. His anxiety to see her, and +to examine the clothes and ornaments which Aunt Hannah had preserved, +increased every day; but how were we to find Lily and Aunt Hannah? Had +our friends turned back; or had they pushed forward, fighting their way +successfully towards the fertile region to which they were bound? +Neither he nor I could bring ourselves to contemplate what might +otherwise have happened--had they been overwhelmed by the hordes of +savages, and met the fearful fate which had overtaken the smaller band +whose remains we had discovered? + +The old trapper went out every day to ascertain if the Indians had moved +away from the plain below us--should he find the country open, he +intended, he said, to go in search of Sandy, and those he might have +rescued--but he as often returned with the information that the Indians +still occupied the country. I, of course, greatly hampered him, for he +would not leave me in the cavern for long together. Had he been by +himself, he could easily have started at night and made his escape. + +Gradually my ankle regained strength, and Samson now made me get up and +walk about to try it. Unwilling longer to detain him, I at last +declared that it was quite well, making light of the pain I still felt +when I walked, and begged to accompany him the next time he went out. +He consented. "But you must not go without a weapon; and you can use it +well, I know," he observed, as he drew a rifle from under his bunk. He +produced also a powder-horn, which I slung over my shoulder, and a bag +of bullets. The great drawback to our place of concealment was, that +although well hidden from the sight of those in the plain, we had to go +some distance before we could obtain a view of the surrounding country. + +Leaving the horses in the stable, and the entrance open, we set out. +Then going some distance down the hill, we made our way through the +thick wood which covered its sides, and were just emerging into the open +space, when, through the bushes, I caught sight of several horsemen +galloping across the country. I made a sign to my companion to keep +concealed, and crept forward on my hands and knees. As I looked out, I +discovered the object of the Indians. A solitary waggon had just come +into view, and they were about to attack it. + +I drew cautiously back, for though the Indian warriors were probably +intent on the business in hand, their keen eyes might have detected me. +I asked Samson if we could assist the unfortunate people in the waggon. + +"I fear not," he answered. "We might kill a few of the Redskins; but +unless the travellers possess a number of rifles, and make a bold stand, +we cannot help them. We will, however, be ready to take a part if we +have opportunity." + +As the horsemen approached, three rifles alone opened fire upon them +from behind the waggon. One of their number fell, but several dashed +forward; while others, circling round, prepared to attack the devoted +emigrants from the opposite side. The affair, which was a short one, +was dreadful to witness. We should, I saw well enough, lose our lives +did we show ourselves. Indeed, before we could have got up to the +waggon, all its defenders were killed by the savages surrounding it; and +we knew too well that those inside must, according to their cruel +custom, have been put to death, whether women or children. The Indians +of the plains have no compassion either for age or sex. The dreadful +thought occurred to me that those we had seen slaughtered might be our +own friends. It was evident, however, from his calmness, that the idea +of such a thing had not crossed old Samson's mind. + +After plundering the waggon of everything they considered of value, the +savages set it on fire. While it was burning, and they were still +gathered round it, a dreadful explosion took place, scattering +destruction among them. Panic-stricken, and not knowing what might next +happen, the survivors mounted their horses and galloped off. A keg of +powder, which they must have overlooked, had probably exploded. + +"They deserve their punishment," said the old man, "and they will not +come back again in a hurry; so we may now descend into the plain, and +see if we can learn who the unfortunate people were." + +This was what I was wishing to do. We accordingly left the wood and +made our way down the hill, towards the remains of the waggon. We had +not got far, however, when we caught sight of three horsemen galloping +across the plain towards us. My companion scrutinised them narrowly. + +"If they are friends, they have reason for their hurry; and if enemies, +the sooner we get under cover the better," he observed. "We must not +now attempt to reach the waggon. Ah! I understand all about it. See! +out there come a dozen or more horsemen. They must be Indians in +pursuit of the first--who, if I mistake not, are our friends. Come on, +Roger! they will reach the hill as soon as we do." + +As he said this we retreated to the foot of the hill, and began to climb +it as rapidly as we could. + +"But, if these are our friends, will they find their way to the cave?" +I asked. + +"Yes, yes! Sandy knows it as well as I do," he answered, without +stopping. + +We were just approaching the entrance of the cave, when the war-whoops +of the Indians, and their loud cries, as they shouted to each other, +reached our ears. + +"They are making their way up the hill," said Samson. "Get inside, lad, +and prepare to close the entrance when I tell you." + +The loud rustling sound of persons making their way through the +brushwood was heard, and presently Sandy, accompanied by Reuben and +Mike, sprang out from among the trees, and rushed towards the mouth of +the cavern. + +"No time to be lost," sang out Sandy. "The Redskins are at our heels!" + +In a moment they were all three within the cave. Old Samson was still +outside, and I saw him lift his rifle and fire. At the same moment two +arrows flew past his head--one sticking in the woodwork, the other +entering the cavern--and just then I caught sight of the fierce +countenances of half-a-dozen red warriors who were making their way +between the trees. Their leader, springing forward tomahawk in hand, +nearly reached Samson; when, with the agility of a far younger man, he +sprang through the opening, and I immediately closed the door--the sharp +blade of the weapon burying itself deep in the wood. + +"Now, we'll give it them!" exclaimed Samson, as he and Sandy opened +three of the concealed loopholes, through which we thrust the barrels of +our rifles and fired on our assailants. Their leader fell dead, shot +through the heart by Samson. Two others were severely wounded, but +numbers were following them, and rushing forward with their hatchets, +dealt desperate blows on the door. + +"You may cut away pretty hard, my laddies, before you break that in," +observed Sandy, as he reloaded his rifle. Samson and I were doing the +same, and again we fired; but most of the Indians, knowing the time we +should take to do that, sprang aside, and only one of them was hit. + +"You will find two more rifles in yonder chest," said Samson to Reuben +and Mike. "Quick! load them, and we'll astonish the Redskins." + +While he was speaking, the blows on the door were redoubled, and in +spite of its strength it appeared every instant as if it would give way. +Samson was, in the meantime, ramming down his charge, and again his +rifle sent forth its deadly contents. Instead of firing together, we +now followed each other, allowing a few seconds to elapse between each +shot, thus making our assailants afraid of approaching the door. We +guessed that they were collected on either side, where our rifles could +not reach them. + +In a couple of minutes or so Reuben and Mike had found the rifles, and +loaded them. + +"Now!" said Samson, "you two and Roger fire together; and then Sandy and +I will take your places, and try what we can do." + +We waited till the savages, losing patience, again attacked the door +with their axes, in a way which threatened each instant to bring it +down, when we all three ran out the muzzles of our rifles and fired. +Another savage was, at all events, hit; but they had been on the watch, +and had actively sprung, some on one side and some on the other, so that +we could not be certain what execution had been done. The moment, +however, that our rifles were withdrawn, as many as could attack the +door leaped forward, and began hacking away with greater fury than +before. Scarcely had the first strokes been given when Samson and Sandy +fired into their midst, killing two of the most determined--the bullets +passing through the bodies of the first and wounding others behind them. +Five rifles, however, were more than they were prepared to encounter. +They must have guessed that we had increased our number, for, with cries +of rage and disappointment, they deserted the door and got under +shelter. + +"Hurrah! we have beaten them," I cried out, and was turning to Reuben to +shake hands, and to ask how he and Mike had escaped, when Samson +observed-- + +"We must not be too sure that they will not make another attempt, for +they are up to all sorts of tricks, and will not give in so easily." + +"What are they likely to do?" I asked. + +"Try to burn us out," answered Samson. "But we must be prepared, and +show them that five well-handled rifles can cope with all the arrows and +hatchets among them. We do not lack ammunition, and might stand the +siege for a month or more." + +Samson's surmises were correct. Though we could not see the Indians, we +heard their voices, and the sound of chopping, and presently a bundle of +fagots was thrown down in front of the door. + +"Stand ready," said Samson, "and fire, if we can catch sight of one of +them through the loopholes." + +Another and another fagot followed, but as yet so carefully had they +been thrown that we could not get a shot. It appeared to me that they +were dropped from above. The pile was increasing, and soon rising +higher than the loopholes, prevented us from seeing any one. Presently +we heard the sound of crackling, and the flames rapidly caught the pile. + +"Close the loopholes," said Samson. "We'll keep out the smoke as long +as we can. The door is tough, too, and will stand the flames better +than our enemies suppose." + +We all stood with our rifles in our hands, ready for any emergency. + +"Should the door burn through and the cavern fill with flames, we must +rush out, lads, rather than be stifled; and we may be pretty sure of +knocking over four or five Redskins, if they stop to give us the +chance," said Samson, who had not for a moment lost his calm manner. +"It may be the smoke won't be more than we can bear. See! I am +prepared for everything." He pointed to a mass of woodwork, which leant +against the wall of the cavern. It was longer than the width of the +door, and of a height which would enable us to fire over it. "This will +serve as a barricade," he said. "When the Indians fancy that they are +going to get in without difficulty, they will find themselves stopped in +a way they little expect." + +The crackling sound of the flames increased, and thin wreaths of smoke +found their way in through the crevices between the woodwork and the +rock; still the stout door resisted the fire, which we began to hope +might burn itself out without igniting our defences. We could hear the +voices of the Indians outside. They were, we guessed, piling up more +fagots, as the others had burned down. + +Sandy put his hand to the door. "It's getting very hot," he said. + +"Well, then," exclaimed old Samson, "we must get our barricade ready, +should the door give way, and then crouch down behind it. The nearer we +are to the ground, the less we shall suffer from the smoke." + +We accordingly dragged the heavy piece of woodwork from the place where +it had been standing, to the position it was to occupy, where we laid it +flat on the ground. It was at the proper moment to be lifted up, and +supported by stout pieces of timber, serving as props, on the inner +side. It would thus shelter us, and prevent our enemies from entering. + +The door took even longer than we had expected to burn through; but at +last, here and there, the forked flames were seen making their way +through it, and after this its complete destruction was rapid. Down the +upper part came with a crash, followed by the shouts of the Indians, and +a shower of arrows--which, however, flew over our heads. No further +attempts were made to increase the pile of fagots; our foes supposing +that their work was accomplished, and that, even were we not suffocated +by the smoke, we should speedily become their victims. We knew that the +Indians were not likely to rush through the flames; we therefore waited +concealed on either side, behind the rock, till they had somewhat +subsided. + +Old Samson listened eagerly for any sounds which might indicate that the +attack was about to be recommenced. + +"Now, lads! up with the barricade!" he shouted out; and with one united +effort we lifted it from the ground, directly across the doorway. +Scarcely was it securely fixed before the Indians, who had not perceived +what we were about, leaped over the burning embers and came rushing on. +Our five rifles rang out together, and as many Redskins bit the dust. +The rest found themselves stopped by the barricade; and with the +crowbars which we had used to get it in position we struck furiously at +their heads, beating them back into the hot embers, where several of +them, stunned by our blows, were quickly suffocated, or burned to death. +The remainder, believing success hopeless, fled from the spot, and made +their way down the hill to where they had left their horses. On this we +dashed out and followed them, picking off several more. We should have +pursued them further, had not their numbers made it prudent for us to +remain under shelter of the wood. + +On reaching their steeds they mounted and galloped off. In their haste +to attack us, they had not taken the trouble to destroy the horses which +Sandy, Reuben, and Mike had ridden, and which were grazing at a little +distance. Having caught them without much difficulty, we returned with +them to the cave. + +"This will no longer be a secure hiding-place for us," observed Samson, +"for the Indians are sure ere long to come back and attempt to revenge +themselves. They will watch day after day for weeks together, till they +see some of us go out in search of game; and they will then manage to +get between us and the cave, so as to cut us off. I can pretty well +guess the sort of tricks they will try to play us; and it is not always +easy to circumvent them." + +Samson's advice was not to be despised. The Indians, however, were not +likely to come back that day, so that we might take some hours' rest +before preparing for our departure--our wish being to try and ascertain +the course followed by the emigrant-train, which we would then endeavour +to overtake. This, as we had horses, we might hope to do in the course +of a week or ten days, even supposing that it had pushed forward without +any stoppages. + +With such ammunition and provisions as we could carry, we started on our +journey just after the sun had gone down, as Samson thought it prudent +to get some distance ahead during the hours of darkness, so that, should +our enemies be on the look-out for us, we might escape unobserved. + +Well-armed and well mounted as we were, we did not fear any ordinary +band, possessed only of bows and arrows, we were likely to encounter +while on the road. Our chief danger would lie in being attacked while +encamped at night. To guard as much as possible against surprise, we +chose a spot difficult of access, or one by the side of a broad stream, +with a few trees which might afford us shelter, without concealing the +approach of our foes; or else we threw up a breastwork of logs and +branches, behind which we could be protected from the arrows of our +assailants. The old trapper and Sandy were adepts at making +arrangements of this kind, and were never at a loss. Of course, one of +the party, or sometimes two, kept guard; our horses being hobbled near, +as we always chose localities where there was an abundance of grass. We +could thus, in case of alarm, immediately bring them in under such +protection as we had formed for ourselves. They, of course, ran a +greater risk of being shot than we did, but that could not be helped. + +I had naturally been curious to know how Reuben and Mike had escaped +from the Indians. Reuben told me that he had given himself up for lost +when he heard the chiefs discussing, as he supposed, what they should do +with us. Each in succession made a long speech, becoming more vehement +as they proceeded. He fully expected to be flayed alive, or roasted +over a slow fire, or shot to death with arrows aimed so as to avoid +vital parts. He had not recognised Manilick, and was therefore not +aware that we had a friend in the council. The warriors at last ceased +speaking, when he saw one approaching with uplifted tomahawk, which he +fully expected would be buried in his brain. What was his surprise to +find, instead, the thongs which bound him severed, and to feel himself +at liberty! He stood for a moment or two irresolute, not knowing what +to do. + +"Run! my friend, run!" said the Indian; "make for the river, and you +will escape." + +He was not slow to obey the command, but before doing so he looked +wistfully at Mike, whose bonds were also cut, as his had been, and by +the same friendly Indian. Mike immediately started off with him, but +they had not got far when they met Sandy, who had been on the watch for +them; and all three slipping noiselessly into the stream, swam across +it. On landing, Sandy led them on foot at a rapid pace to a rocky hill +some five or six miles away from the river. Having proceeded along it, +the nature of the ground being such that even an Indian could not +discover their trail, Sandy led them to a cave very similar to the one +we had occupied. Here, he assured them, they would run little risk of +being discovered. Sandy supplied them with game, and finally succeeded +in getting possession of three horses, which he managed to carry off +from the Indians. He did not call it "stealing" them, observing that +they had all doubtless been taken from white men. On these they had +finally made their escape and joined us, though, as we had seen, hotly +pursued. + +I asked Reuben if he liked the sort of life we were leading. + +"I shall be very thankful to find myself safe in some settlement where +the war-whoops of the Indians are not likely to be heard," he answered. +"I used to like to hear about such adventures as we are going through, +but I confess that I consider them very unpleasant realities." + +I was very much inclined to agree with Reuben. One thing, however, was +certain--for the present we must make up our minds to go through +whatever came in our way. + +Day after day we travelled on, encamping as I have previously described +at night, or sometimes pushing forward during the hours of darkness and +halting in the day-time. By doing this we saved ourselves the labour of +forming defences, as we could in a moment mount and be in readiness to +encounter a foe. We had, however, greatly exhausted our stock of +provisions, and it became necessary to look after game with which to +replenish our store. This we had hitherto avoided doing, as when +hunting we should of necessity be separated, and if discovered by +enemies we might be cut off in detail. We agreed, at last, that hunt we +must; for we had all been on a very slender allowance of food, and were +beginning to feel the pangs of hunger. Our horses, too, from being +constantly on the move, now showed signs of fatigue. We accordingly +halted earlier than usual one day, on the side of a tree-covered knoll, +from which we could obtain a good look-out over the surrounding country. +Here we resolved to remain for a couple of days, for, having seen no +signs of Indians, we hoped to be unmolested. After putting up the +framework of a lean-to, to afford us shelter at night, we ate the +remainder of our provisions; and while Sandy took the horses down to a +stream which flowed below us, we lay down to rest, keeping our rifles by +our sides. + +I had been dreaming of venison, and buffalo humps, and other prairie +luxuries, when I heard Reuben whisper-- + +"See! Roger, see! There's a magnificent deer within easy shot." + +I instinctively rose to my knees, with my rifle in my hand, and levelled +it at the animal. It was a fine elk, as I knew by the thick branchy +horns. At the same moment old Samson sat up. Reuben, knowing that he +was not so good a shot as I was, did not attempt to fire. I felt +somewhat nervous lest I might miss, though old Samson was not likely to +let the deer escape even if I did so. I pulled the trigger, however, +and the deer, giving one bound from the earth, fell over, shot through +the heart. The sound awoke Mike, and we all rushed down to take +possession of our prize. We very quickly cut it up, and shouldering the +better portions, carried them to our encampment. Here we soon had a +fire blazing, and some rich steaks before it. + +Though we had now obtained sufficient food to last us for some days, yet +we remained for the time we had determined on, in order to dry the +venison, so that we might cure it, and prevent its becoming unfit for +use. We were fortunate in killing another deer almost in sight of our +camp; so, with renewed strength after our long rest, we again set out, +hoping before long to gain tidings of our friends, whom Samson still +persisted in believing were ahead of us. I had my doubts on the +subject, but felt that I ought to yield to his better judgment. + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN. + +SAMSON'S ADVICE ABOUT BUFFALO-HUNTING--I SEE BUFFALO IN THE DISTANCE-- +OVERTAKEN BY A TERRIFIC STORM--BENIGHTED ON THE PLAIN--HUNGER-STRICKEN, +I ALLOW MY HORSE TO TAKE HIS OWN WAY--I SWOON AWAY--THE SPANIARDS FIND +ME--PABLO, THE COOK--THE PRAIRIE ON FIRE--INDIANS APPROACHING, I DASH +THROUGH THE FLAMES--MY POOR HORSE IS FRIGHTFULLY SCORCHED--THE WOLVES IN +PURSUIT--I TAKE REFUGE IN A TREE--MY HORSE IS DEVOURED BY THE WOLVES-- +THE WOLVES DEPART IN CHASE OF BUFFALO--I DESCEND, AND EAT THE LOATHSOME +WOLF-FLESH IN MY HUNGER--LIGHTING A FIRE, I CAMP FOR THE NIGHT--SHOOTING +A BEAVER. + +In vain we searched for the trail of our friends. We ought to have +caught them up by this time, even Samson acknowledged, unless they had +pushed on more rapidly than ox-trains generally travel. + +Our provisions again ran short, and it was necessary to replenish our +larder. Though we saw deer in the distance, they scented us, and we +could not get up to them; but we were in the region where buffalo might +be found, and we hoped to fall in with a herd. I had gained experience, +when with the Indians, in hunting these creatures, and both Samson and +Sandy were well acquainted with their habits, but Reuben had never even +seen them. Hunger, however, compelled us to follow a course on which we +should not otherwise have ventured. + +Old Samson advised our inexperienced companion how to act. + +"One thing remember, my boy--do not shoot any of us," he observed; "and +take care that the buffalo do not run their horns into you or your +horse. The chances are that it is better acquainted with the habits of +the buffalo than you are, so let it have its own way. It will generally +manage to carry you out of danger, if you give it the rein. Don't fire +till you can aim at the animal's shoulder or chest; and the moment you +fire, load again. Pour in the powder, and drop the ball after it; you +ought to be able to do so at full gallop. If you fancy you can manage +this, you may try your hand, should you get near any buffalo; otherwise, +just keep out of their way. If you manage to sight any, bring me word. +A single fat cow is all we want, but they are harder to get up to than +the bulls." + +I saw that Reuben was not very confident of his skill. He therefore +undertook to act as a scout, keeping an eye on Samson's movements. +Sandy and I agreed to ride to some distance: he was to go to the north, +I to the south; and we were afterwards to meet under a hill we saw in +the distance. In case of the appearance of Indians, we were immediately +to try and reunite. + +These arrangements being made, I galloped off in the direction proposed. +I had ridden for some time, when, on mounting a slight elevation, I saw +afar off a number of black dots sprinkling the plain, and knew that they +must be buffalo, though I was unable to determine in what direction they +were heading. I therefore galloped on in order to ascertain this point, +as it was necessary to do so before returning to inform Samson of my +discovery. On descending to the lower ground they were lost to view; +but I hoped, by moving forward, again to catch sight of them. On I +galloped, without observing the sudden change which had taken place in +the weather, so eager was I to get up with the buffalo. + +Not till I had gone much further than I had supposed necessary, did I +begin to suspect that, instead of feeding, as I had at first fancied, +they were going at full rate, and that I must push my horse at his +utmost speed to come up with them; still I did not like the idea of +allowing them to escape me, without ascertaining whereabouts they were +to be found. I forgot at the moment that all I had to do was to come +upon their trail, and that we could then easily follow them up, however +far they might go. On I went, however, looking out for some higher +ground, from which I might again catch sight of them and mark their +course. Eager in the pursuit of the animals, I did not notice how time +went by, or how far I was going, and thought not of the danger to which +I should be exposed if I encountered hostile Indians, nor of the +difficulty I might experience in regaining my companions. + +I believed that I was pushing due south, but it did not occur to me that +I was running any risk of losing myself. Once again I caught sight of +the buffalo; but though I had gained on them, they were still a long way +off. I knew, therefore, that they must be moving rapidly; but yet I +wished to get nearer to them, and if possible to kill one of the rear of +the herd, and return with the meat, in case my friends should have been +less successful. Being also desperately hungry, I contemplated eating a +slice, even though I might not have time to cook it first. I had, of +course, flint and steel, and should not have been long in lighting a +fire. + +I was first made aware of the storm which had for some time been +brewing, by a bright flash of lightning which almost blinded me, +followed quickly by a rattling peal of thunder; making my horse give a +start, which, had I not had a firm hold of the saddle with my knees, +would have unseated me. Another and still brighter flash was quickly +followed by a yet louder peal. My horse stood still, trembling +violently, and afraid to move. In a wonderfully short time the whole +sky was overcast with a dense mass of black clouds; and then, after a +succession of almost blinding flashes of lightning and terrific peals of +thunder, down came the rain in torrents, completely concealing from view +all objects at a distance. + +Had I remained perfectly still, I might have ascertained the direction +in which I was going, but when I attempted to make my horse move on he +wheeled round and round, and the rain quickly obliterated the track I +had previously made. I was thus utterly unable to determine what course +to pursue. There was no wind, even, to guide me, and the rain came down +perpendicularly, so that I was in a few minutes wet to the skin. I +thought that perhaps my horse's instinct would lead him back to his +equine associates; or, if he was an old buffalo-hunter, that he might +follow the trail of the herd we had been pursuing. + +I was anxious to obtain both food and shelter. If I could overtake the +buffalo, I might satisfy the cravings of hunger; but how to find +shelter, was a more difficult point to settle. I therefore gave my +steed the rein, and for some time he went in what I supposed was a +straight course. Again, however, the lightning burst forth, with even +more fearful flashes than before, while the thunder rattled like peals +of artillery fired close to my ears. My steed again stood stock-still; +and when I attempted to urge him on, he, as before, wheeled round and +round. Every moment I expected to be struck by the lightning, which, +coming down from the clouds in forked flashes, ran hissing over the +ground like fiery serpents. + +I was aware, from the time I had been out, that evening must be +approaching, but, more suddenly than I had calculated on, darkness came +down upon me, and I found myself benighted on the open plain, without +the slightest means of guiding my course. Still, I might perish if I +remained where I was, so I thought that the best thing I could do was to +move on, if I could get my horse to carry me. The thunderstorm, +however, continued to rage with unabated fury, and while it lasted I +could not induce my steed to move. I got off and tried to lead him, but +he plunged so much that I was afraid he would break away, so I therefore +mounted again. He went on at first slowly, but suddenly, for what +reason I could not tell, he broke into a gallop, and with all my efforts +I was unable to check him. The darkness, too, prevented me from seeing +the features of the country, and I was thus utterly unable to ascertain +in what direction I was going. + +All night long he continued; sometimes stopping to regain breath, and +then going on again, in spite of the thunder and lightning. The rain +had ceased, and the water gradually drained out of my clothes, but I +felt very damp and uncomfortable. + +At last dawn broke, and the storm gradually died away, but not a gleam +of ruddy light indicated in what direction the sun was to be found. +Although not thirsty, I was suffering greatly from the pangs of hunger, +and felt myself growing weaker and weaker. The appearance of the +country was strange, and I could not discern any object which could +enable me to determine what course my horse had taken. + +Although I could not obtain food for myself, I got off, and loosening +the bridle, allowed my steed to crop the grass, in order that he might +recruit his strength; for my life would depend, I knew, on his being +able to carry me back to my companions, or to go in chase of game. +After he had fed for a couple of hours I again mounted and let him go +on, when he at once took the course he had before been pursuing. + +I looked about on every side, in the hope of seeing some bird or animal +that I might shoot. The smallest would have been welcome, but neither +large nor small appeared. I was now becoming very faint; while my head +felt giddy and my eyes dim. I endeavoured to rouse myself, but in vain. +Trying to stand up in my stirrups to look round, I fancied I saw before +me a wood. Could I but reach it, I might shoot a bird or squirrel, or +some other of its inhabitants. + +Another evening was approaching, as I calculated, when I neared the +wood. I have a faint recollection of reaching it; then, utterly +exhausted, I felt myself slip from the saddle. I disengaged my foot, +and was aware that I had reached the ground, on which I stretched +myself, trying to hold the rein in my hand. The next instant I must +have swooned. There I lay, utterly unable to help myself--my faithful +horse standing over me. + +How long I had thus lain, I cannot say. Certain it is that, +providentially, no wild beasts came near me, or I should have become an +easy prey. When I returned to semi-consciousness, I found several +people standing round me, one of whom had poured some brandy down my +throat, while others were rubbing my feet and hands. I again closed my +eyes, unable to make out who the strangers were. They gave me, I +believe, more brandy, diluted with water, and then some broth, the +effect of which was that I speedily regained a little strength. + +In half an hour I was able to sit up. I then discovered that the +Samaritans who had relieved me were Spaniards, who, having encamped +under shelter of the wood, had, while in search of game for breakfast, +discovered me at early dawn. When I was sufficiently recovered, they +moved me to their camp where they intended remaining for a day to dry +their clothes and packages, which had been saturated by the rain. They +formed a large party, bound across the continent with goods for traffic; +for only a strong body of well-armed men could venture to travel, with +the certainty of meeting bands of hostile Indians, who would be +restrained from attacking so formidable a force through dread of their +rifles. + +The day's rest, and the careful treatment I received from the Spaniards, +quickly restored my strength. They had all been in the States, and +consequently many of them could speak English; but I had no wish to live +long amongst them, for, though kind to me, many of them were fierce, +desperate characters, long accustomed to savage warfare with the +Indians, and held life at a remarkably cheap rate. The one who was +especially attentive to me was old Pablo,--who acted as cook,--and he +was constantly bringing me the most delicate messes he could concoct. + +By the time they were ready to start I was well able to sit my horse. +The question now was, In what direction should I proceed? They assured +me that, were I to attempt to make my way back to my friends, I should +certainly be cut off by the Indians, who were tracking their footsteps, +looking out for stragglers, and ready to pounce down upon them should +they be found unprepared. They advised me to accompany them, and +afterwards to try and make my way northward with any party of white +trappers or hunters who might be going in that direction. + +Pablo strongly urged me to take this course. He had his reasons, he +said, for wishing to go to the northward, and would accompany me. +Though his appearance was not attractive,--for he looked more like an +old Jew pedlar than a son of the prairies, as he called himself,--I had +confidence in him. I should have said that my new friends were +accompanied by a small party of Indians, who acted as guides. To these +people Pablo had an especial aversion, the cause of which he did not +divulge to me; but I believe that his reason for wishing to quit the +party was to get away from the Indians. + +The Spaniards remained a day longer than they intended; but we started +at dawn, and made considerable progress during the cooler hours of the +morning. The sun then came out with withering heat, and the air +appeared to me to be unusually oppressive; while, notwithstanding the +rain, the grass rapidly became as dry as before. A brown hue pervaded +the landscape. + +We halted at night by the side of a stream, which, though very small, +afforded water for our horses. By this time I felt quite myself again, +and capable for any exertion. + +The next day, about noon, I observed the Indian chief, who acted as our +principal guide, standing up in his stirrups and looking anxiously +towards the south-west. He exchanged some words with our white leader; +but still they advanced. + +I now noticed a long thin line of what appeared like mist rising above +the horizon, but rapidly increasing in height and extending on either +hand. The rest of the party also began to look anxious. I remembered +the appearance of the prairie fire from which I had before so narrowly +escaped, and I now became convinced that we were about to encounter a +similar danger. + +The clouds of smoke rose higher and higher, and extended further both +east and west. Here and there, however, there were gaps, and our +leaders seemed to consider it possible that we might make our way +through them. At all events, we continued to advance. + +The Spaniards began to talk vehemently to each other, evidently not +liking the appearance of things. The gaps, towards the broadest of +which we had been directing our course, now began to close up, and +presently a number of deer came scampering by, only turning slightly +aside to avoid us. Whole herds followed--their instinct telling them it +was time to make their escape from that region. Our leaders thought +likewise; so, turning our horses, we galloped back in the direction from +whence we had come. + +The whole party had been riding in somewhat less compact order than +usual, and they now became widely scattered. I was on the extreme +right, and ahead of most of them. Pablo was near me. I urged on my +steed to its utmost speed, for I knew how rapidly the fire would spread +over the tall, dry grass through which we had passed. Before us was +what, in the winter season, would have been a marsh. It was now mostly +solid, and here the grass grew even more luxuriantly than in other +places. By keeping to the right, I avoided it. + +In our rear I heard a thundering sound, intermixed with loud bellowing, +and glancing round for a moment I caught sight of a herd of buffalo, +which, mad with fright, were dashing on to escape the flames, the +crackling and hissing sound of which, I fancied, could now be heard. +Another glance showed me the horse of the chief plunging in the marsh, +and the frantic herd bearing down directly upon him and several of the +Spaniards, who, it seemed to me, must inevitably be overwhelmed; but I +had to take care of myself, though I would gladly have gone to their +assistance had I been able to do so. Recollecting how Mike and I had +before escaped, I kept verging more and more to the right, where the +country was higher, and the grass would, I knew, though equally dry, be +much shorter. The fire too, in that direction, seemed to be advancing +much more slowly than it was behind us. I therefore shouted to Pablo to +follow me, but was uncertain whether he heard my voice. + +I at length lost sight of my companions, but as I without difficulty +kept well ahead of the flames, I was satisfied that I had followed the +wisest course. + +On looking round I saw a number of animals following me: straggling +buffalo, deer of several descriptions, wolves, and many smaller +quadrupeds. It would not do, however, to stop for a moment; so I pushed +on as fast as my horse could go, and after galloping several miles I was +satisfied that I had gained considerably on the fire. + +Looking to the right, it appeared to me that I might double on it, as it +seemed not to be extending in that direction. I was therefore about to +change my course with that object, when I saw scampering along the plain +a band of Indians, who, I guessed, from the tall plumes on their heads, +their long spears, and general appearance, were on the war-path, and +would not hesitate to take the scalp of a white man for the sake of +adding to their trophies. Were I to continue as I had been going, I +should ride almost into their midst. Of one thing, however, I felt +sure--they would not willingly advance nearer the approaching fire. + +They soon espied me, and several detached themselves from the main body +and galloped forward. Should they come near me, my fate, I felt sure, +would be sealed. I had not a moment to deliberate. I would rather rush +through the flames than trust myself to their tender mercies; so, +turning my horse's head, I galloped back towards the advancing fire. +Directly in front of me was a spot where the flames reached to a much +less height than in other places, and the belt of fire seemed also much +narrower. Unstrapping the blanket I carried on my saddle, with +desperate energy I tore off a broad strip and fastened it over my +horse's eyes. The larger portion I threw over my own head, fastening +the ends round my body. + +Before I had finished this operation I heard the wild whoops of the +Indians directly behind me. Tightening the rein, I dug my heels into my +horse's flanks and urged him forward, steering him between the +numberless animals escaping from the fire. My poor horse knew not where +he was going. I waited till the smoke began to curl round my head, then +drawing the blanket over my face and chest, in total darkness I dashed +forward into the midst of the flames. The heat was intense, and I felt +that my boots were scorching, but the blanket kept the smoke from my +mouth and nostrils, and I was able, though with difficulty, to breathe. +I could feel the flames round me, and hear their crackling sound, so my +only hope of safety depended on my horse keeping his legs. Should he +fall, I must be destroyed. + +He kept up wonderfully, and at length I knew that the worst was past. I +threw the blanket from my head, for I had begun to fear that I should be +suffocated. I was able to draw a free breath, though the air was full +of smoke. I had passed safely through the fire, but my clothes were +scorched, and my poor steed was fearfully burnt. The ground, too, over +which I was passing was still strewed with smouldering embers, which my +horse's hoofs threw up behind him at every step. + +The fire went rolling on. As I looked down my poor steed's neck and +shoulders, I saw that the hair had been completely singed off. A plunge +in cold water, therefore, could alone restore him. A dreadful thirst, +besides, had seized me. I knew by the course the fire had taken, that +away to the eastward I should find a broad stream or marsh. I therefore +rode towards it, and the instinct of my steed showed him that I was +proceeding to where he could obtain relief from his sufferings. + +After galloping along for some distance, having to hold him up with all +the strength I could muster, I saw before me the bright water shining +between the scorched trees. As I neared it, nothing could restrain the +suffering animal. Springing down the bank, he plunged in, carrying me +with him. I had not time to stop him; but after a minute I got him into +shallow water, and was able to leap off his back on to the shore. + +Scarcely had I dismounted, when a chorus of howls saluted my ears; and +looking up, I saw a score or more of wolves, which had observed me as +they were following in the rear of the fire, according to their custom, +to feed on the carcasses of the animals which had fallen victims to the +flames. Some had sprung into the water, and were swimming towards me; +others came along the bank. I fired at the nearest and knocked him +over--the others I attacked with my gun barrel, keeping the cowardly +creatures at bay; but their sentinels, who remained on the upper part of +the bank, were all the time uttering the fearful howls they make to +summon their companions to attack a living animal, or to feed on the +carcass they have discovered. I knew that in a few minutes I should be +surrounded by a whole army of the savage creatures, and though I might +keep a few at bay, I should be unable to resist the numbers which would +ere long surround me. + +My horse seemed aware of his danger. Driving back the wolves, I +reloaded my rifle, and then shouting and firing at the most daring, +while the howling pack retreated I mounted and dashed forward. The +wolves sprang up round my horse's legs, trying to seize his neck, but I +beat them off; and, maddened with terror, he galloped on, sending those +his heels reached right and left. Scorched and suffering from the +flames though he was, he strained every muscle to keep ahead of the +yelping pack, and soon completely distanced them; still, their horrid +yelps told me that they were continuing the pursuit. As I looked over +my shoulder I could see a long line of fresh animals joining from all +sides. + +On and on we went, till we left behind the region blackened by the fire, +and I saw before me a wood which the flames had not reached. I made for +it, hoping that the wolves would not follow; or, if they did, then I +might climb a tree, and defend my horse with my rifle as I sat amid the +branches. + +I reached the wood, and discovered on the very borders just such a tree +as I desired. The poor animal was trembling all over, and looked in a +wretched plight. My first aim was to make a fire, through which I knew +that the wolves would not venture to pass. While engaged in collecting +fuel, their yelps again sounded in my ears, and before I could produce a +flame I saw them coming on. My only chance now was to mount the tree. +Springing on to my horse, I climbed from his back into the fork of the +tree, where I was out of the reach of my foes. This was the last +service my faithful horse rendered me. + +On looking towards the wolves, I perceived, to my dismay, that there +were several large white ones among them, the most savage of their +tribe. I now knew that I must abandon all hope of saving my horse. I +fired at the nearest white wolf and knocked the creature over, but this +did not avail my poor steed, for in an instant he was surrounded and +pulled to the ground, where the dreadful brutes quickly destroyed him. +I loaded and fired, in revenge, as fast as I could; and though at each +shot I killed a wolf, it appeared in no way to diminish their numbers, +while the living lost no time in devouring their dead companions. +Directly I killed a white wolf, the yelling brutes set upon him and tore +him to pieces. + +Strange as it may seem, I felt an extraordinary pleasure in thus +destroying the most savage animals of those wilds; but fortunately I +remembered in time that if I continued my sport I might exhaust my +ammunition. I therefore only fired when I was certain of bringing down +one of the larger animals. + +Darkness was coming on, but still the wolves showed no inclination to +take their departure. As far as I could tell, they might starve me to +death. Not a particle of my horse was by this time left, for they had +torn even the saddle and bridle to threads, and, excepting the wood and +ironwork, had devoured the whole. + +Matters were becoming serious, for I was already desperately hungry. +Could I have discovered even a small bird or any creature in the tree, I +might have satisfied the gnawings of my stomach, and held out longer. + +At length, when I was beginning to despair of relief, my ear caught the +same yelping, yelling sound which had warned me of the approach of the +wolves when I was in the river. On looking out, I saw a couple of +buffalo bulls galloping across the prairie, with a pack of wolves on +their trail. The animals still surrounding the tree also heard the +sounds. They looked up wistfully at me, making a few desperate efforts +to reach the branch on which I was seated; but finding that all their +attempts were vain, first one started off in the direction the other +pack had taken, then another and another went away. In a few minutes +only three hungry animals remained, gnawing at the bones of the white +wolves and some of their own nearer relatives whom I had shot. These I +did not fear to encounter. Killing one from where I sat, and then +reloading, I jumped down from my perch. The brutes snarled, and one of +them made a spring at me; but I shot him, and knocked the other over +with the butt of my rifle, thereby saving a charge of powder and lead. + +Hunger induced me to cut a slice out of one of the wolves, although it +was with no pleasant feelings that I did so. For some minutes I gnawed +away at the unsavoury morsel, till nausea compelled me to stop. I then +set to work to collect sticks and branches, the waning daylight scarcely +affording me sufficient time to pick up as many as I required. With +those I could obtain I lighted a fire, spreading it in a circle; then, +satisfied that it would burn brightly for a couple of hours, and that no +wolves would venture to break through it, I lay down to obtain the rest +I so much needed. + +When I awoke, a circle of hot embers alone remained. As I had a small +supply of wood yet unconsumed, I began to throw on stick after stick, to +keep up the fire as long as possible, when I again heard that horrid +yelping close to me, and through the darkness I could see the glaring +eyeballs of numberless wolves gathering round. They dared not, however, +pass the fiery boundary, and I knew that I was safe as long as I could +keep up even a slight blaze; still, my stock of wood was growing less +and less, and should a black gap appear in the circle, some of the most +savage might break through. + +Having exhausted the last twig, I saw that I must do something to rid +myself of my foes. Seizing a burning branch, the end of which remained +unconsumed, I waved it round and round in the faces of the wolves, +shouting at the same time at the top of my voice. It had the effect I +wished; for, a panic seizing them, away they all scampered, leaving me +once more alone. I lost no time in springing over the fire and +collecting a sufficient quantity of wood to enable me to keep it blazing +till the morning. + +The wolves did not return; and at dawn, having cut some more slices from +one of the wolves which I had drawn inside the circle, I set off, with +my face to the northward, hoping almost against hope that I might fall +in with some of my late companions, or that I might find the means of +supporting existence till I could strike the trail of old Samson and my +other friends,--or the emigrant-train, should they have got so far +south. Happily I saw no more of the wolves, and by keeping along the +bank of the river, which here ran north and south, I avoided the +district ravaged by the fire. Through not falling in with any of the +Spaniards, I began to fear that they must have perished. + +The first day I fortunately shot a beaver; and having cooked it, I made +a hearty meal--stowing away the rest in my wallet. That night I slept +up among the branches of a tree, which were so placed that I had no fear +of falling down; and next morning, greatly refreshed, I pushed forward +on my solitary journey. + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE. + +I FIND POOR PABLO, AND ASSIST HIM--ROASTED SQUIRREL--PABLO'S REASON FOR +DESIRING TO JOIN THE ENGLISH--WE STALK A BUFFALO--PABLO'S TERROR AT THE +APPROACH OF INDIANS--MY SURPRISE AT BEING WELCOMED BY MANILICK--MIKE'S +JOY AT SEEING ME ALIVE--WE AGAIN START IN THE DIRECTION OF THE +WAGGON-TRAIN--OLD SAMSON, REUBEN, AND SANDY NEARLY ROASTED ALIVE BY THE +APACHES--QUAMBO'S CARE OF "DE FIDDLE"--LILY'S RELATIONSHIP TO OLD +SAMSON--KEPENAU AND MANILICK--CONCLUSION. + +I had been trudging on for some hours, directing my course by the sun, +which shone brightly from an unclouded sky, when, feeling weary, I sat +down to rest under the shade of a tree not far from the river's brink. +Scarcely had I stretched out my legs, when I heard a voice, in a tone of +suffering, calling to me; and going in the direction from whence it +proceeded, what was my surprise to see, among the branches of a tree, my +late companion Pablo! + +"Misericordia, Senor Roger!" he cried out. "I am starving, and too weak +to get down of myself." + +I climbed up and gave him some of the beaver-flesh, which soon revived +him. He told me how he had been frightened up the tree by the wolves, +and that, having lost his gun and his flint, he had no means of +defending himself, or of lighting a fire, and should certainly have +perished had I not come to his aid. Having assisted him down, I led him +towards the river, where he quenched his thirst. + +We made but little progress that day, for Pablo was ill able to walk; +so, having reached a spot where we could obtain sufficient bark and wood +to build a hut and keep up a blazing fire all night, we encamped. +Leaving Pablo to finish the hut, I set off in search of game. I brought +down two black squirrels; and I afterwards came upon several bushes of +berries, which would add a variety to our meal. + +On my return to the camp, I found that Pablo had finished all the +arrangements, and we soon had one of the squirrels roasting before the +fire. + +Pablo opened his heart to me. I had been the means, he said, of saving +his life, and he should ever be grateful. The reason, he told me, of +his being so anxious to join the English, was, that he had met with a +missionary--who proved to be no other than our friend Martin Godfrey-- +and that his object, therefore, was to live with those who held the same +opinions, for he was sure that they were the right ones. He cared +nothing for all the fatigue and danger he might have to go through, +provided that he gained his wishes at last. + +We travelled on for several days, sometimes having to encamp in the open +prairie, where we were more especially exposed to the risk of being +attacked by wolves, or run over by a stampede of buffalo--though we did +not trouble our heads much on that score. Our chief risk lay in +encountering any bands of hostile Indians who might be traversing the +open prairie, as it would be scarcely possible to conceal ourselves from +them. I could only hope that, in the event of our being seen, they +would not attack two wayworn travellers who could not injure them. +Pablo, however, observed that there were some tribes who would murder us +for the sake of our scalps, so as to be able to boast that they had +killed two enemies in battle. He had no affection for the Indians, and +was inclined to doubt whether they possessed any good qualities. + +How we should have got across the wide extent of prairie we traversed I +know not, had we not been able to stalk a buffalo, by getting well to +leeward of it, whereupon I brought it down with my rifle. Its stomach +was full of water, with which we quenched our thirst; and the flesh +afforded us food for many days--partly eaten fresh, and partly dried in +the sun, and turned into a coarse description of pemmican. We were +hoping soon to strike another river, where we could obtain water. This +kept up our spirits; and we certainly needed something to do that, for +we were growing weary of our long tramp across the open country. As may +be supposed, too, we kept our eyes about us as we walked along; for +should we espy any suspicious horsemen, our best chance of escaping, we +agreed, would be to fall flat on the ground, where we might be hidden by +the grass. + +The sun was already verging towards the west, when Pablo, who happened +at the moment to be looking eastward, exclaimed, "Here come Indians! +here come Indians! Down--down!" + +We both dropped to the ground, hoping that we had not been seen, and +that they would pass by on one side or the other. I could catch sight, +as I lay, of their feather, metal, and shell ornaments glittering in the +sun, and of their spear-heads with long tufts waving in the wind. They +were pushing rapidly across the prairie; but at the distance they still +were from us I could not distinguish the tribe or nation to which they +belonged. They might be Apaches or Comanches, deadly foes; or a tribe +keeping up a friendly intercourse with the white men. + +At first I was doubtful in what direction they were going, but I was +soon convinced that they were riding directly towards the spot where we +lay, and that our chance of escape from their eagle-eyes was small +indeed. I observed their leader at length stand up in his stirrups and +gaze around. From this I felt nearly sure that we had been seen, and +that he was looking for us. + +"We are sure to be discovered," I whispered to Pablo. "Our wisest mode +of proceeding will be to stand up and face them boldly. It will be +better to die on our feet, than to be speared like skulking foxes." + +"Do as you think best," answered Pablo. + +I immediately rose, and, with outstretched hand, advanced towards the +Indians. Their leader galloped forward, then, greatly to my surprise, +threw himself from his horse as he got up to me, and putting out his own +hand, took mine. + +"I have been searching for you! Don't you know me?" he exclaimed. + +As he spoke I recognised Manilick, the young chief, Ashatea's lover. + +"I happily met the friend of my tribe, Samson Micklan, who, with his +companions, are anxious about you," he continued. "Confident of your +courage and hardihood, they would not believe that you were lost; and +they urged me to make a circuit to the south, in the possibility of +coming on your trail. Glad I am to have fallen in with you, for I had +almost given you up as lost. Right heartily will our aged friend +rejoice that you have been found." + +I thanked Manilick warmly for the interest he had taken in me, and +inquired whether the waggons had turned back or continued their course +westward, and whether they had been overtaken. He replied that Samson +had discovered their trail, but, in his search for me, he had lost so +much time, that he had not yet been able to come up with them. + +As the party had several spare horses, Pablo and I were at once provided +with steeds. We then pushed on at a quick rate, Manilick observing that +he wished to reach the camp of a friend the following day. + +I inquired who the friend was. + +"Kepenau," he answered. "He has, with his whole tribe, moved westward, +under my protection. He has buried the hatchet with all mankind, and +has induced me to follow his example, provided we are not attacked; for +should we be, even he allows that it is both lawful and right to defend +ourselves. The good preacher, Martin Godfrey, has accompanied him, for +the purpose of instructing his people and mine; and he afterwards +intends to visit the Palefaces settled in other parts of the country." + +"And has his daughter accompanied him?" I asked, looking at the young +chief. + +"Yes," he answered, with a smile; "and she is shortly to become my wife, +as she is satisfied that I am now a believer in the same faith she has +long held. I bless the day, too, when she won me over, though I had not +before supposed it possible that I could abandon the religion of my +forefathers." + +I told Manilick how glad I was to hear this, and wished him every +happiness. + +We encamped that night in a wood near a stream, which we reached just +before dark. The same precautions were taken against surprise which our +small band had considered necessary; for, Manilick told me, should the +Apaches discover his trail, they would be certain to attack him. + +"However," he observed, "we have hitherto been preserved by the Great +Spirit, and we have no fear of the result of a fight." + +"Then you cannot be said altogether to have buried the hatchet," I +observed. + +"We have resolved to attack no one, and the sin will lie with those who +attack us," he answered; "while it is possible, we will avoid a quarrel, +and proceed peaceably on our way." + +As Manilick's party was numerous and well-armed, they were calculated to +inspire respect; and if any foes did approach the camp, they probably +thought it prudent to retire to a distance. + +The next morning we continued our march, and towards evening came in +sight of a thick wood. I saw that Manilick's eagerness increased as we +rode on. We were still at some little distance from the wood, when I +observed a man with a gun in his hand issuing from under the shelter of +the trees. He looked towards us, apparently suspicious as to who we +were. I had no doubt, from his appearance, that he was a Paleface; and +as we got still nearer to him, to my infinite satisfaction I recognised +Mike Laffan. He knew me almost at the same moment, and throwing up his +cap, and giving vent to an Irish shout of joy, he ran forward. + +"Sure! is it you, Masther Roger dear, alive and well?" he exclaimed. +"It brings back joy to me heart, for it was mighty throubled at the +thoughts that you were lost intirely." + +I jumped from my horse to receive the greetings of the honest fellow. +He had, I found, overcome with the poignancy of his feelings at the +thought of my death, been knocked up, and had remained with Kepenau, +whose camp he told me was concealed within the wood. He led the way +round to a narrow opening, where Manilick dismounted. Proceeding +through it, we soon reached an open spot on which Kepenau had pitched +his tents. He himself was the first person who advanced to greet us. +Behind him stood Ashatea, a lovely specimen of an Indian girl, her +countenance beaming with that intelligence which education could alone +have given her. Though she met Manilick with a bashful reserve, I had +little doubt that she had at length bestowed on him the heart he sought. +Still I recollected honest Reuben's admiration. Yet I was very glad +that it was so; for, charming as he might deem her, she was still a +child of the desert,--and one of our fair countrywomen would, I was very +sure, make him a far more useful and companionable wife than Ashatea +would prove. + +Kepenau told me that he intended to pitch his tents in the neighbourhood +of the proposed settlement--remarking that he should now have no fear of +his people being seduced by the terrible "fire water"--and that he hoped +to change his skin-tents into substantial dwellings like those of the +Palefaces, and to cultivate the ground instead of depending on the chase +for subsistence. In the meantime, however, he and his people must hunt +the buffalo and deer to obtain support for themselves and their +families; and he was only awaiting the arrival of Manilick and his tribe +to set out with that object, as provisions were already running short in +the camp. Though I had borne the journey, I felt too much exhausted and +weak to accompany him; and as both Mike and Pablo were much in the same +condition, they insisted on taking care of me and themselves without +troubling the Indians, who had plenty to do in guarding the camp and +looking after the horses. + +Mike and Pablo soon became great friends; and though I had no real +authority over either of them, they took a pleasure in serving me. + +"Sit still and be aisy for once in your life, Masther Roger," said Mike, +as he brought a bundle of sticks and piled them up on the fire he had +lit. "Sure, Pablo and I can do all the work, without you throubling +yourself. There's Misthress Ashatea and the young chief billing and +cooing at her tent-door like two turtle-doves; and if they were to see +you moving about, maybe they'd think it necessary, out of courtesy, to +come and help you--and it would be a pity to disturb them." + +Mike's arguments prevailed, and for once in my life, as he advised, I +did sit quiet,--and very glad I was to do so,--while I watched the +Indians through the trees making preparations for their departure. + +The young chief, after a short rest, started off with some of his best +hunters in search of a herd of buffalo which had been seen in the +neighbourhood; and before the end of the next day they returned with an +ample supply of meat. After remaining a couple of days to dry what was +not required for immediate consumption, the camp was broken up, and we +proceeded in the direction it was said the waggon-train had taken. We +were, however, not able to travel very much faster than the steady-going +oxen, and we therefore had little hope of overtaking it before it had +reached its destination. + +As trails were discovered which were pronounced to be those of Apaches, +I felt some anxiety lest old Samson and his companions might have been +attacked and overpowered. + +"He is too well acquainted with their ways to be caught," observed +Kepenau. + +I remembered, however, the eagerness the old man had shown to overtake +the train, in order that he might ascertain whether Lily was, as he had +hoped, his grand-daughter; and he might thus push forward, when his +usual prudence would have induced him to remain concealed, or to have +retreated from his foes. + +We advanced like an army in an enemy's country--with scouts ranging on +either side, so that there was no probability of our being taken by +surprise; while our main body was too numerous to have invited an +attack. + +We had made good progress for several days, when the sound of +rifle-shots reached our ears through the still air of a warm summer +noon. Directly afterwards the scouts came in with the intelligence that +a large number of Indians were collected in the neighbourhood of what +looked like a log-hut, on the bank of a stream in the plain below us. +We were, at the time, approaching the edge of a plateau over which we +had been travelling. In the far distance rose some blue hills, spurs of +a still more lofty range of mountains. It was at the foot of these +hills that the new settlement was, I understood, to be formed. + +While our main body advanced slowly for the sake of the women and +children, Manilick, with a chosen band of warriors, rode rapidly +forward. He at once expressed his opinion that a small party of white +men had taken refuge in the hut, to defend themselves against the +Apaches, and that it was our duty to hasten to their relief. We waited +among the trees on the upper portion of the slope, to give time to our +main body to appear just before we should reach the enemy--who, finding +themselves menaced by superior numbers, would in all probability take to +flight. At the proper moment Manilick shouted "Forward!" and we rapidly +descended the hill. + +We did not arrive a moment too soon, for the fire of the little garrison +had begun to slacken, and the besiegers were preparing to scale the +walls. On seeing us approach, and observing the large number of armed +men who at that moment reached the edge of the height, they took to +flight, and endeavoured to make their escape to the southward. We +gained a bloodless victory, for Manilick would not allow them to be +pursued. + +No sooner had the enemy retreated than the door of the hut was thrown +open, and old Samson, followed by Reuben and Sandy, rushed out, while +the hut burst into flames--the savages having just before set fire to it +in several places. + +"You have come just in time to save us from roasting!" exclaimed the old +trapper, recognising Manilick, but not seeing me. "We caught sight of +the Apaches bearing down upon us, and had just time to take shelter in +the hut and barricade the doors and windows, before they readied it. +They carried off our good steeds, but we have secured our packs and +arms." + +At length catching sight of me as I rode out from among the men, he +expressed his satisfaction with a vehemence I had never before seen him +exhibit--almost bursting into tears as he shook my hand. + +"I should have grieved if you had been lost, Roger, and I had had to +announce the sad tidings to my young grand-daughter; for that your Lily +is my grand-daughter, I feel as sure as I do of my own existence. I +have dreamed about her every night since you told me her history, and +something tells me I must be her grandfather. Nothing must now stop us. +Our friend Manilick will supply us with horses, and we shall reach the +settlement before nightfall. They are all safe there long ago, for I +came upon their trail; and they were strong enough to beat off any of +the Redskins who may have attempted to interfere with them." + +Notwithstanding Samson's eagerness, we had to wait till the main body +came up, when, horses having been supplied to my three friends, they, +with Mike and I, and six of Manilick's tribe, set forward at a rapid +rate in the direction of the new settlement. + +The sun had not yet set when we saw before us, on the banks of a clear +stream backed by a wood, some white tents, and the canvas covers of a +number of waggons. My heart began to beat with the anticipation of once +more meeting Lily, my uncles and aunt, and other friends. As we +approached the bank we were observed by the inhabitants, who at once +assembled, rushing from all quarters with arms in their hands. On our +drawing still nearer, however, they recognised us, and coming down to +the water, pushed off on a large raft, which they propelled with long +poles to the side on which we stood. + +The first to spring on shore was Uncle Mark. He received Reuben, Mike, +and me as people risen from the dead. Quambo followed closely, and, +taking me in his arms, gave me a hug, in his joy, which almost squeezed +the breath out of my body. Mike came in for the same sort of greeting. + +"Och, sure! do you take me for a baby?" exclaimed Mike--"though you +would have squeezed the life out of me if I had been one. But I am +moighty plased to see you; and, bedad, we'll be footing it away to the +sound of me fiddle, I am hoping, before many hours are over. You have +got it all safe?" + +"Yes. I keep de fiddle all right, and let no one play on it--not even +myself," observed Quambo. + +"True for you, Quambo," said Mike, laughing; "for the best of raisons-- +there's no one else but meself could make the music come out of it." + +Our Indian escort having set off to return to the camp, according to +orders, we crossed the river to the opposite bank, where our relatives +had collected to receive us. + +Lily looked somewhat pale. Though she had not abandoned all hope, she +had been fearfully anxious about me; and she made me promise not to go +wandering again over the wilds, if I could help it. Mr and Mrs +Claxton and Dora had been equally anxious about Reuben, and were +proportionably thankful to get him back safe. + +Old Samson stood gazing at Lily while I was talking to her. He then +hastened up to Aunt Hannah. + +"You have been a mother to that sweet child, and I will bless you for it +as long as there is breath in my old body," he said. "But I want to +take her from you. She is mine by right, for I am, I believe, her only +living relative. You have got the proofs; and if you do not wish to try +the feelings of an old man, which he thought were long ago dead and +gone, show me the things you have taken care of since she was committed +to your charge." + +Aunt Hannah looked very much surprised at first; but the truth quickly +dawned on her. + +"You shall see them, Mr Micklan, for they are safe in my box in the +waggon; and if you recognise them, as you expect to do, Lily shall call +you `Grandfather;' but as to giving her up--No, no! you will not expect +that of us. For sixteen years she has been our child, and we have loved +her, and love her still, as if she were our own. You would not be so +hard-hearted, even if you have the right, as to deprive us of her!" + +"Well, well--I cannot gainsay you; but only let me know that I have got +some one to love, and I will give up my wandering life and come and +settle down among you." + +Lily and I accompanied Uncle Stephen and Aunt Hannah, with the old +hunter, to the waggon, where the baby-dress and the ornaments she had +worn were soon produced. + +Samson gazed at them, without speaking, for some seconds. Then he +exclaimed, "Yes, yes! there is no doubt about it.--Come, Lily, do not be +afraid of your old grandfather. I will not run away with you; but just +let me love you, and watch over you, and take care of you, and I shall +be content, and end my days more happily than I had ever hoped to do." + +Lily came forward and put her hand into that of the old man, who, +stooping down, kissed her fair brow, and pressed her to his heart. + +After this a change seemed to come over Samson Micklan. He was no +longer the rough old trapper he had hitherto appeared--though he worked +as hard as any one in the camp, and took especial delight in assisting +to build the house Lily was to occupy. + +Every one, as may be supposed, was busy from sunrise to sunset, and a +village soon sprang up in that hitherto desert spot. Our Indian friends +rendered us important assistance, by supplying us with the meat they +obtained in their hunting expeditions, as also by acting as our +guardians; for they were constantly on the watch, and no foes would +venture to attack us while supported by such formidable allies. The +settlement flourished and rapidly increased, for we were soon joined by +other parties from the eastward; and even my uncles acknowledged that +they had no desire to make another move--greatly to Aunt Hannah's +satisfaction. + +Lily, in course of time, became my wife; and Mr Micklan, loved and +respected by the whole of the community, lived to hear the prattle of +his great-grandchildren. + +Our friends Reuben and Dora both married happily, and we, who were once +hardy backwoodsmen, became quiet and contented citizens. I own that +though the life we had led possessed its attractions, our present +condition was on many accounts preferable. + +Mike and Quambo purchased a lot between them at a short distance from +the settlement, and became prosperous farmers; but they remained +bachelors to the end of their days--Mike declaring that the sound of his +fiddle was more satisfactory to his ears than the scolding of a wife or +the squalling of children. Albeit, he never failed to bring it on his +frequent visits, to the infinite delight of my youngsters, who +invariably began to dance and snap their fingers when they caught sight +of him and his sturdy nag approaching our door. + +Kepenau and Manilick, having become civilised themselves, laboured +incessantly in the civilisation of their people--aided by our revered +friend, Martin Godfrey, who eventually settled down among them. + +We were not altogether without some trials and troubles, but we had also +much to make us happy; and I can honestly say that we had good reason to +be thankful--though we could never be sufficiently so--to that Merciful +Being who had preserved us amid the many dangers we had passed through +during the period I have described. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Afar in the Forest, by W.H.G. 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