CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.
THE THOMPSON RIVER--OUR PARTIES RE-UNITE--HIPPOPHAGOUS STORES--INDIANREVENGE--WE BUILD A RAFT AND TWO CANOES--THE RAPIDS, AND OUR DANGERS--INDIANS IN AMBUSH.
We had reached the banks of the Thompson, and were contemplating thepossibility of descending it on a raft, when Stalker arrived andinformed us that he had met an Indian who told him that, though we mightpossibly cut our way through the forest, we should find it a veryarduous undertaking; that we might descend the Thompson by water, butthat there were some fierce rapids on the way, into which, if we onceplunged, we should inevitably be lost, and that we should in a muchshorter time reach Cariboo if we went down the Frazer than by any otherway. I agreed to his suggestion, though I still held to the opinionthat one of the shortest roads from Red River to New Westminster will befound by the way we came and down the Thompson, and that with the aid ofsmall steamers and ferry boats, and a gang of navvies and lumberers, itmight speedily be made practicable. Yet, as we wished to get toCariboo, we followed the Indian's advice.
Some days passed before we all again met on the banks of the FrazerRiver. Trevor and his party had met with numerous adventures, the mostserious of which was the loss of one of our horses, laden with numerousvaluables. Three horses had fallen over a cliff into the river. Two,after great exertions, had regained the bank; but the third was sweptdown the stream and never seen again. Our provisions were growingshort, and though game was occasionally shot, it was not in quantitiessufficient to make amends for the amount we exhausted, and we wereunwilling to go on short allowance--thereby lessening our strength andpower of endurance and impeding our progress. We accordingly determinedto go on till we found some place where there was sufficient pasturagefor our horses to give them a chance of life, to kill and dry the fleshof some of them to replenish our stock of meat, and, with ampleprovisions for the voyage, to commence our descent of the Frazer.
The matter was earnestly discussed over our camp fire the evening of ourre-assembling. We all know that the navigation of an unknown river on araft is a most dangerous proceeding. If once a strong current gets holdof a raft, it is almost impossible for those on it to guide it properly.I therefore proposed that, besides a raft, we should form two dug-outcanoes--that one should go ahead as pilot, and the other he attached tothe raft to carry a rope on shore, so as to stop the raft whennecessary. We were fortunate in soon finding an open, well-grassedvalley suited for our object, where we might leave the horses which wedid not require to kill. Of course, it was very likely that they wouldbe taken possession of by Indians of bears. In every other respectthere was no fear about their being able to take cure of themselvesduring any ordinary winter. Stalker told us a story which shows thatpeople can exist even during the most severe winter with very littleshelter, if they have a moderate supply of food. The event occurredmany years ago.
An officer of one of the fur trading companies of those days hadreceived directions to establish a trading post on the banks of one ofthe rivers in that district. Either he or one of his brother officershad some time previously had to punish an Indian for some offencecommitted against the community. The man was hung; his tribe looked on,acknowledging the justice of his sentence, and took their departurewithout any expression of anger. The post was established, and as thenatives in the neighbourhood were supposed to be friendly, it was onlypartly fortified. As soon as the house was built, a party of hunterswas sent out to a spot four or five days' march off, known to bewell-stocked with beavers. One of them, a half-bred, Pierre Dorie byname, had his Indian wife and two small children with him, one threeyears old, the other only four mouths. Huts were built; and while thetrappers were out, this faithful squaw of Dorie took charge of them.While she was occupied in her household affairs, one evening soon afterwinter had commenced, expecting the return of her husband and hiscompanions, one of the hunters staggered into her hut mortally wounded.He had barely time to tell her that her husband and the rest weremurdered by Indians, and to advise her to fly, when he fell down dead.
With that courage and presence of mind which Indian women possessgenerally in so remarkable a degree, she prepared to escape with herchildren. Immediately hurrying out, she caught, with some difficulty,two horses, and, returning with them, packed up all the provisions thehut contained and some blankets and clothes. These she placed on onehorse, and, mounting the other with her two infants, set out for thenewly-built post, hoping to arrive in time to give notice of what hadoccurred, and put the officer in charge on his guard. She hadaccomplished two days of her journey without meeting with enemies, when,on the third, as she was pushing on as fast as the strength of herhorses would allow, she espied in the distance a large body of Indianson horseback, galloping towards the fort. Her heart misgave her. Sheinstantly dismounted, just in time to conceal herself and her horses ina copse ere the Indians passed by. Still fearing that they might be inthe neighbourhood, she dared not light a fire or go in search of water.Early the next day she again set out, and late in the evening approachedthe spot where she expected to find the fort. It had disappeared,--aheap of ashes alone marking the place where it had stood. Still hopingto find some of the inmates alive, she concealed her children and thehorses in a thick wood, and, arming herself with an axe and knife, creptcautiously towards the spot. Everywhere, traces of blood met her view.Still she hoped that some one might be concealed near. She called overthe names of those who had been left in the fort. No one replied. Shewaited. Again she called. The melancholy howl of the prairie wolf wasthe only reply. She drew a little nearer. By the light of smoulderingtimbers, which a puff of wind just then fanned into a flame, she saw aband of those voracious creatures engaged in a banquet on the remains ofher friends. A new terror seized her. They might attack her infants,whom she had left sleeping on the ground. Hurrying back, her heartsinking with dread, she was just in time to drive several away who wereapproaching the spot. The next morning she set out for a range of hillsin the neighbourhood, bordering a river which falls into the Columbia.Here she proposed to remain during the winter.
After looking about on all sides, she selected as her abode for thewinter a rocky recess in the hills, near which a stream bubbled forth.She had in her possession a large buffalo robe and two deer skins. Withthese, aided by fir bark and cedar branches, she constructed a hutsufficiently large to afford shelter for herself and children. Shesoon, however--finding that her provisions would not last her during thewinter--killed the two horses, and smoke-dried their flesh. Their skinsfurther improved her tenement. In this cheerless and wretched abode,the poor widow with her infants spent the livelong winter, not evenseeing at a distance a human being passing by finding, towards the endof March, that her stock of provisions was growing short, she packed upthe remainder, and, with as much covering as she could carry in additionto her youngest child on her back, set out, holding the other by thehand, towards a spot on the Columbia river, by which she knew theCompany's canoes would certainly pass. Fortunately, she met a tribe offriendly Indians, who treated her and her children with the greatestkindness, and after residing with them for some weeks, she saw thelooked-for trading canoes arrive, and was ultimately restored to herfriends.
We had plenty to occupy us in the construction of our raft and twocanoes. The raft was to be just large enough to carry six men andReady. Each canoe was to be capable of carrying two men, though theordinary crew was to consist only of one man. Not one of us had everbefore made a dug-out, and as the huge trunks of two trees which we hadfelled for the purpose lay prostrate before us, the undertaking seemedalmost hopeless. "Nothing try, nothing have," cried Trevor, seizing anaxe and chopping away at the branches. We next cut the first tree intothe proposed length, and smoothed off the upper part for the gunwale.On their flat surface I marked off the shape, as I used to do whencutting out a vessel as a boy.
"Let us give her good floors and all the beam we can, and she will bestiff," said Trevor.
This we did; and as we proc
eeded with our work, we were well satisfiedwith it, and found that we could get on far more expeditiously than atfirst. While Trevor and I worked away on the canoes, the other men wereprogressing with the raft, and preparing the other log for ourfinishing. The first canoe was completed and launched with due ceremonyunder the name of the _Hope_. The next was called the _Beauty_. Theyboth swam pretty well, but the sides being rather thick they were deeperin the water than was desirable. Still, as they were much moremanageable than a raft could be, I regretted that we had not time tobuild more canoes large enough to carry all the party, and ourprovisions and goods. We made several additional paddles, as also asupply of poles, which were loaded on to the raft. The last thing Ithought of was a mast and sail for the raft, as, under manycircumstances, it might enable us to guide the raft, especially if thewind was against us, and a rapid near at hand.
One lovely bright morning we cast off from the shore, and commenced ourperilous undertaking. Quick-ear had been down the river in his youth,but it was so long ago that he had forgotten the distances. All hecould say was, that there were several dangerous rapids; but he couldnot say where they occurred. Stalker went first, and acted as pilot,and Garoupe had charge of the tender. The raft was tolerably heavilyladen, and required careful handling. Each man on the raft had a poleas well as a paddle, to be used as circumstances required. I acted ascaptain, for I certainly knew as much about the navigation as any one onboard, and it was necessary that some one should be in command. I alsosteered with a long oar fixed on a triangle at one end of the raft,while the rest of the party were arranged with paddles on either side.In the centre we placed the stores, and close to them Ready generallytook his post, while the stores and provisions were placed round it.The scenery was grand--much as I have before described it--lofty, ruggedmountains, their summits covered with snow, sometimes near, sometimes inthe far distance; steep precipices, rugged wild rocks, and forests oftrees of every size, with many fallen ones, some just uprooted, otherssoft from decay; here and there green glades, marshes, and other openspaces; while, by the sides of the rivers, and frequently in midcurrent, huge water-worn boulders, which it was often no easy matter, inour downward course, to avoid.
For several days the weather was fine, and we went on smoothly enough--camping at night on convenient spots. To prevent accidents, we unloadedour raft, placed the goods in the centre of the camp, and drew up ourcanoes. On the fourth night of our voyage, Ready, who was our mostvigilant watcher, suddenly broke into a loud bark, and started towards acopse close to us. I sprang to my feet; so did Peter, who said that hesaw a dark form moving among the trees. Whether it was a bear or ahuman being he could not tell. Whatever it was, it made its escapebefore Ready could come up with it, and I called him back lest he shouldbe injured if allowed to be without support. Of course, the whole campwas aroused. Two scouts crept out cautiously, but could discovernothing, and the opinion was, that some small animal had aroused Readyand that Peter's imagination had conjured up the figure in the wood. Ithought it better, however, to keep on watch during the remainder of thenight. Ready was far from easy, and several times started up anduttered low growls and short shrill barks.
We embarked at the usual hour in the morning. In a short time Stalkercame back and reported that the navigation was far more difficult thanheretofore, though with caution we might get through. "Let's try it byall means," was the cry. We were getting bold, and thought that wecould do anything with our raft. Stalker, accordingly, again went onahead, and we poled and paddled towards an opening among the rocks whichhe pointed out. Suddenly our poles lost bottom, and we found the raftwhirled on at a rate which prevented me from guiding it in the way I hadhitherto done. The paddles were almost useless. All we could do was tolet the raft drive on, and to try and avoid the dangers as theyappeared. We had passed several rocks, against which, if we had touchedthem, the raft might easily have been knocked to pieces, when a hugerock appeared before us, round which the water rushed with the force ofa mill stream.
In vain Garoupe tried to tow us off from it--it was too late to attemptto carry a rope to the opposite shore--in vain all hands paddled to keepit clear. The raft struck, and remained caught by the rocks, the waterimmediately swelling up and threatening to sweep off the goods on it.Garoupe, instantly telling Swiftfoot to jump in, paddled off with a ropeto the opposite shore. In the meantime, I saw that the water wasshallow between the raft and the shore near which we were jammed.Accordingly, I told Quick-ear to try it, which he did, and finding itshallow, began at once to carry the goods on shore. This appearing thebest thing to be done, Trevor, I, and Peter set about helping him. Wehad already landed several things, and Trevor and Peter were with Gabyon the raft, when, suddenly, from its being so much lightened, thecurrent lifted it up, and away it went floating off the rock and downthe stream. Garoupe and Swiftfoot made an attempt to stop it with therope, but that snapped, and the raft was hurried on. I ran along thebank, which was here tolerably smooth. I saw Trevor sounding with hispole, and the next moment he and his two companions leaped overboard,and attempted to drag the raft towards the shore. Utterly hopeless wasthe attempt. It was forced from their grasp. I saw Gaby franticallypulling at it; but his foot slipped, and he let go his hold. The othertwo leaped on it, and on it floated, while he with difficulty gained apointed rock in the middle of the stream, where he sat, by no means like"Patience on a monument smiling at Grief," but frantically calling outfor the canoe to come to his rescue.
While this was taking place, Garoupe and Swiftfoot had embarked in thecanoe, and were going in pursuit of the raft; but the channel they tookcarried them at a distance from poor Gaby--besides which, he would haveupset the canoe had he attempted to get into it Quick-ear and I ran on,he taking the lead, over the rocky ground, with a rope which he hadbrought on shore, hoping to render assistance to our companions on theraft. Gaby, believing himself abandoned, shouted more frantically thanever. I could only urge him to stick fast till we could return to hisassistance; and the rocks soon hid him from sight. Once more, after anarduous run over rough boulders, among which I expected every instant tofall and break my legs, if not my neck, I again caught sight of the raftsticking fast between two rocks. Ready had, as he always did, keptclose to my heels whenever he saw that there was work to be done, andwhen I put the end of the rope Quick-ear had brought into his mouth, heat once comprehended that he was to swim off with it to Peter, to whom Ishouted to call him. Ready accomplished his task, and we now thoughtthat, at all events, we should be able to land the remainder of thegoods. Once again Quick-ear and I waded off with the assistance of therope; though the water was deeper and the current stronger than Ifancied, with a heavy load on my shoulder; just, however, as we got onthe raft it swung round, and the cleat to which the rope was fastenedgave way.
The raft floated off into deep water, and was carried quickly towardssome swifter rapids than we had just passed. Though we might escapewith our lives, still, the greater part of our provisions would bedestroyed, and without them we could not hope to prosecute our voyageround to Cariboo. Just at that critical moment the canoes reached us.Stalker and Garoupe towed with all their might. We all paddled, and, atlength, finding bottom with our poles, forced the raft into a countereddy, and then, without much trouble, reached the shore.
Our difficulties had now, however, only just begun. We had to unloadthe raft, and to transport all our goods by land to the foot of therapid. However, with larger canoes, Stalker was of opinion that weshould have had no difficulty in getting down the rapid. Each packagewas done up so as to weigh as much as a man could carry over roughground. On examination, it was found that the bank opposite to that onwhich we had hitherto camped was the easiest for the portage. With muchcaution, and the aid of all our ropes, we therefore towed our raftacross the river, and began unloading. Stalker, meantime, paddled upthe stream to relieve poor Gaby from his unpleasant position. The restof us were so busily occupied that we scarcely noted how time
sped. Ihad made one trip to the end of the portage, and was lifting up anotherload, when Gaby's voice saluted my ears. His clothes, still wet, clungto his thin body, and his countenance wore a most lugubrious expression.
"I guess, friend, we are in a pretty fix," he observed.
He then told me that while he had been on the rock he saw three Indiansin their war-paint and feathers, who had emerged from the wood and stoodeyeing him as he sat on the rock; that soon they were joined by others,who drew their bows with arrows pointed at him; that one shot, but thearrow fell short, and that they shook their heads as if of opinion thatthey could not reach him. They then disappeared into the depths of theforest. This information, coupled with what Peter had asserted he hadseen the previous night, made us fear that we were watched by Indians,who would very likely fall on us, if they found us unprepared to receivethem. We considered ourselves, therefore, fortunate in having crossedthe river so that they could not reach us unless they had canoes, and wehad seen none on our way down. It was very heavy work carrying ourproperty along the portage. When Stalker undertook to carry the raftdown the rapid Gaby volunteered to accompany him. All we could do wasto bring up the goods we had at first landed to a camp near the raft.We formed it among rocks which would afford us good shelter on eitherside should we be attacked by Indians. However, as the tribes in thatdirection are generally friendly to the white men, we did not expect tobe attacked by a large body, though we thought it very possible that afew individuals might have formed a plan to cut us off and possessthemselves of our property. So we kept a sharp look out, and thepossibility of being attacked added greatly to our difficulties.
The Perils and Adventures of Harry Skipwith by Land and Sea Page 21
