CHAPTER FIFTEEN.
END OF THE VOYAGE--PLANS AND PROSPECTS--EXPLORING PARTIES SENT OUT.
Three weeks alter the departure of the Esquimaux from the neighbourhoodof Ungava Bay, the echoes of these solitudes were awakened by the merrysong of the Canadian voyageurs, as the two canoes of Stanley and hiscomrades swept down the stream and approached the spring at the foot ofthe flat rock.
As the large canoe ran its bow lightly on the sand, the first man wholeaped ashore was La Roche. He seemed even more sprightly and activethan formerly, but was a good deal darker in complexion, and muchtravel-stained. Indeed, the whole party bore marks of having roughed itpretty severely for some time past among the mountains. Edith's facewas decidedly darker than when she left Moose, and her short frockconsiderably shorter in consequence of tear and wear.
"Bad luck to ye, Losh! Out o' the way, an' let yer betters land beforeye," exclaimed Bryan, as he jumped into the water, and dragged the canoetowards the beach.
The only marks that rough travelling had put on Bryan were one or twoadditional wrinkles in his battered white hat; as for his face, it wasalready so thoroughly bronzed by long exposure, that a week or two moreor less made no difference in its hue.
"Jump into my arms, Miss Edith," said Francois, as he stood in the waterbeside the canoe.
"Steady, boy; mind the gum," cried Massan, as Oolibuck strained thecanoe roughly in shouldering a package.
"Look out ashore, there," cried Dick Prince, throwing the tent poles onthe beach as he spoke.
Regardless of the warning, Gaspard did not "look out," and received arap on the leg from one of the poles, whereat he growled savagely, andthrew down a sack, which rested on his shoulder, so violently that itnearly knocked over Ma-istequan, who was passing at the time with thecamp-kettle in his hand.
"What an ould buffalo it is!" exclaimed Bryan, pushing Gaspard rudelyaside with his left shoulder, and hitching off La Roche's cap with hisright, as he sprang back to the canoe for another load. "Pardonay mwa,Losh, may garson," he exclaimed, with a broad grin. "Now thin, boys,out wid the fixin's. Faix it's mysilf is plazed to git ashore anyhow,for there's nothin' gone into my intarior since brickfust this mornin'."
At this moment the bow of the other canoe grated on the sand, and FrankMorton leaped ashore.
"Capital place to camp, Frank," said Stanley, who had just finishedpitching the tent on the scrimp herbage that forced its way through thesand. "There's a splendid spring of pure water below yonder rock. I'vejust left my wife and Eda busy with the tea-cups, and La Rochepreventing them from getting things ready, by way of helping them."
"It does indeed seem a good place," replied Frank, "and might do fortemporary headquarters, perhaps, while we make excursions to the coastto fix on a spot for our new home."
Stanley gazed contemplatively around him as his friend spoke. "Hand methe telescope, Frank; it strikes me we are nearer the sea than youthink. The water here is brackish, and yonder opening in the mountainsmight reveal something beyond, if magnified by the glass."
After a lengthened survey of the surrounding hills, Frank and Stanleycame to the conclusion that they could make nothing of it, at least thatnight; and as it was becoming gradually dark, they resolved to postponeall further consideration of the subject till the next day.
Meanwhile, the men busied themselves in preparing supper, and Chimounexpectedly lent them some assistance by bringing into camp a ptarmiganwhich he had just killed. True, Chimo had, in his innocence, designedthis little delicacy of the season for his own special table; but nosooner was he seen with the bird between his teeth, than it was snatchedfrom him and transferred to the pot forthwith.
The following day was an era in the existence of the travellers. Forthe first time since commencing their arduous voyage, the cargoes wereleft behind, and the canoes paddled away, light and buoyant, on a tripof investigation. Stanley had rightly judged that they were now nearthe sea, and the great breadth of the river led him to believe thatthere might be water sufficient to float the vessel in which the goodsfor the station were to be forwarded. If this should turn out as heexpected, there could not be a better spot for establishing a fort thanthat on which they had encamped, as it was situated just below the lastrapids of the river; had a fine spring of fresh water in its vicinity;and was protected from the cold blasts of winter, to some extent atleast, by the surrounding mountains.
"Now, Frank," added Mr Stanley, after stating his opinion on thispoint, "what I mean to do is this: I shall take the large canoe, withDick Prince, Francois, Gaspard, La Roche, and Augustus--the last tointerpret should we fall in with Esquimaux, whom I am surprised not tohave found hereabouts. With these I will proceed to the sea, examinethe coast, observe whether there be any place suitable for building on,and, if all goes well, be back to supper before sunset. You will takethe other canoe, with Bryan, Massan, Oolibuck, and Ma-istequan, andproceed down the opposite side of the river a short way. Examine theshores there, and above the island; see whether there be any placebetter than where we stand for a permanent residence; and at night weshall compare notes. My wife and Eda shall remain in camp under thecare of Oostesimow and Moses."
"And pray who is to defend your poor wife and innocent child in theevent of an attack by a band of savage natives?" inquired Mrs Stanley,as she joined her husband and Frank.
"No fear of the wife and child," replied Stanley, patting his betterhalf on the shoulder. "If Indians should find out the camp, Oostesimowcan palaver with them; and should Esquimaux pay you a visit, Moses willdo the polite. Besides, had you not interrupted, I was going to havegiven special instructions to Frank regarding you. So, Master Frank, bepleased to take Eda off your shoulder, and give ear to my instructions.While you are examining the other side of the water, you will keep asmuch as possible within eye-shot, and always within ear-shot, of thecamp. In a still day like this a gun-shot can be heard five or sixmiles off; and should you see any sign of the natives having been hererecently, return instantly to the camp."
Frank promised implicit obedience to these instructions, and the wholeparty then set to work to pile the goods on a ledge in the steep cliffsbehind the spring, so that a fortress was soon formed, which, with twosuch stout and courageous men as Moses and Oostesimow, armed with twoguns each, a brace of pistols, two cutlasses, and an ample supply ofammunition, could have stood a prolonged siege from much more practisedenemies than Indians or Esquimaux. After having completed thesedefensive arrangements, and provided occupation for those who remainedin camp, by laying on them the duty of having the goods examined, inorder to see that nothing had been damaged by wet or rough usage, thetwo canoes pushed from the shore, and bounded lightly away, while themen sang merrily at their easy labour; for now that the canoes werelight, they might have been propelled by two men. Frank directed hiscourse obliquely up the river, towards the island already alluded to,and Stanley proceeded with the current towards the narrows beyond whichhe expected to catch sight of the sea.
After passing above the island, which was found to be low and thinlycovered with vegetation and a few scrubby bushes, Frank and his menpushed over to the other side and proceeded carefully to examine thecoast. It was found to be much the same as that which they had justleft. A narrow belt of sandy and shingly beach extended along themargin of the river, or, as it might be more appropriately termed, thelake, at least in as far as appearance went. This strip or belt wasindented here and there with numerous bays and inlets, and in manyplaces was intersected by rocky capes which jutted out from themountains. These mountains were bare and precipitous, rising abruptly,like those on the other side, from the edge of the sand, and ascendingin a succession of terraces, whose faces were so steep that it wasalmost impossible to scale them. They could be ascended in succession,however, by means of the ravines and numerous gullies which rose inrugged and zigzag lines from the beach to the mountain tops. In thevery first of these gullies in which the exploring party landed, theyfound the remains of an Esqu
imau summer encampment. These consisted ofa few stunted trees, which appeared to have been built in the form ofrude huts; but they were thrown about in some confusion, and altogetherbore evidence of having remained in a state of ruin for many years.Another discovery of a more satisfactory kind was made--namely, thetracks of deer, which were so fresh as to induce Frank to take his rifleand mount the ravine in search of the animals, accompanied by Massan,whose natural temperament was exceedingly prone to enjoy the excitementof the chase. So much, indeed, was this the case, that the worthy guidehad more than once been on the point of making up his mind to elope tothe backwood settlements of the States, purchase a rifle and ammunitionthere, don a deerskin hunting-shirt, and "make tracks," as he styled it,for the prairies, there to dwell and hunt until his eye refused to drawthe sight and his finger to pull the trigger of a Kentucky rifle. ButMassan's sociable disposition came in the way of this plan, and thethought of leading a solitary life always induced him to forego it.
"It's my 'pinion, sir," remarked the guide, as he followed Frank up theravine, the sheltered parts of which were covered with a few clumps ofstunted pines--"it's my 'pinion that we'll have to cut our logs a longbit up the river, for there's nothin' fit to raise a fort withhereabouts."
"True, Massan," replied Frank, glancing from side to side, hunterfashion, as he walked swiftly over the broken ground; "there's not atree that I can see big enough to build a backwoods shanty with."
"Well, master, 'twill do for firewood, if it's fit for nothin' else, andthat's a blessin' that's not always to be comed by everywhere. Let's bethankful for small matters. I see sticks growin' up them gulliesthat'll do for stakes for the nets, an' axe handles, an' paddles, an'spear shafts, an'--"
The honest guide's enumeration of the various articles into which thesmall timber of the place might be converted was brought to a suddenpause by Frank, who laid his hand on his shoulder, and while he pointedwith the butt of his rifle up the ravine, whispered, "Don't you seeanything else up yonder besides trees, Massan?"
The guide looked in the direction indicated, and by an expressive gruntshowed that his eye had fallen on the object referred to by hiscompanion. It was a deer which stood on an overhanging ledge of rock,high up the cliffs--so high that it might easily have been mistaken fora much smaller animal by less practised sportsmen. Below the shelf onwhich it stood was a yawning abyss, which rendered any attempt to getnear the animal utterly hopeless.
"What a pity," said Frank, as he crouched behind a projecting rock,"that it's out of shot! It would take us an hour at least to get behindit, and there's little chance, I fear, of its waiting for us."
"No chance whatever," replied Massan decidedly. "But he's big enough tocover from where we stand."
"To cover! Ay, truly, I could point straight at his heart easy enough--indeed I would think it but slight boasting to say I could cover his eyefrom this spot--but the bullet would refuse to go, Massan; it's farbeyond shot."
"Try, sir, try," exclaimed the guide quickly, for as they spoke the deermoved. "I've been huntin' on the Rocky Mountains afore now, an' I knowthat distance cheats you in sich places. It's not so far as youthink--"
He had scarcely finished speaking when Frank's rifle poured forth itscontents. The loud echoes of the crags reverberated as the smokefloated away to leeward. The next instant the deer sprang with one wildbound high into the air--over the cliff--and descending with lightningspeed through the dark space, was dashed almost in pieces on the rocksbelow.
Massan gave a low chuckle of satisfaction as he walked up to the mangledanimal, and pointing to a small round hole just over its heart, he said,"The old spot, Mr Frank; ye always hit them there."
Having paid Frank this compliment, Massan bled the animal, which was inprime condition, with at least two inches of fat on its flanks, andhaving placed it on his shoulders, returned with his companion to thecanoe.
While Frank was thus engaged, Stanley had descended towards the shoresof Ungava Bay, which he found to be about twenty-five miles distant fromthe encampment beside the spring. He made a rapid survey of the coastas they descended, and sounded the river at intervals. When he reachedits mouth he had made two important discoveries. The one was, thatthere did not seem to be a spot along the whole line of coast so wellfitted in all respects for an establishment as the place whereon theirtents were already pitched. The other was, that the river, from itsmouth up to that point, was deep enough to float a vessel of at leastthree or four hundred tons burden. This was very satisfactory, and hewas about to return to the camp when he came upon the deserted Esquimauvillage which, a few weeks before, had been the scene of a murderousattack and a hasty flight. On a careful examination of the place, themarks of a hasty departure were so apparent that Stanley and his menmade a pretty near guess at the true state of affairs; and the formerrightly conjectured that, having made a precipitate flight inconsequence of some unexpected attack, there was little probability oftheir returning soon to the same locality. This was unfortunate, but inthe hope that he might be mistaken in these conjectures, and that thenatives might yet return before winter, he set up a pole on aconspicuous place, and tied to the top of it a bag containing two dozenknives, one dozen fire-steels, some awls and needles, several pounds ofbeads, and a variety of such trinkets as were most likely to proveacceptable to a savage people.
While Bryan was engaged in piling a heap of stones at the foot of thispole to prevent its being blown down by the wind, the rest of the partyre-embarked, and prepared to return home; for although the camp besidethe spring was scarcely one day old, the fact that it was likely tobecome the future residence of the little party had already invested itwith a species of homelike attraction. Man is a strange animal, andwhatever untravelled philosophers may say to the contrary, he speedilymakes himself "at home" _anywhere_!
"Hallo, Bryan!" shouted Stanley from the canoe, "look sharp; we'rewaiting for you!"
"Ay, ay, yer honour," replied the Irishman, lifting a huge mass of rock;"jist wan more, an' it'll be stiff an' stidy as the north pole himself."Then in an undertone he added, "`Look sharp,' is it ye say? It's bluntye are to spake that way to yer betters. Musha! but it's mysilfwouldn't give a tinpinny for all that bag houlds, twinty times doubled;an' yit thim haythens, thim pork-faced Huskimos, 'll dance round thishere pole wi' delight till they're fit to dhrop. Och! but salvages is aquare lot; an', Bryan, yer a cliver boy to come this far all the way tosee thim."
With this self-complimentary conclusion, Bryan resumed his place at thepaddle, and the party returned to the camp.
Here they found things in a most satisfactory state. Frank and hisparty had returned, and the deer, now cut up into joints and steaks, wasimpaled on a number of stakes of wood, and stuck up to roast round alarge and cheering fire. The savoury steam from these, with therefreshing odour of the tea-kettle, produced a delectable sensation inthe nostrils of the hungry explorers. Stanley's tent was erected withits back towards the mountains and its open door towards the fire, whichlighted up its snug interior, and revealed Mrs Stanley and Edithimmersed in culinary operations, and Chimo watching them with a look ofdeep, grave sagacity--his ears very erect, and his head a good dealinclined to one side, as if that position favoured the peculiar train ofhis cogitations. La Roche was performing feats of agility round thefire, that led one to believe he must be at least half a salamander. Ata respectful distance from Stanley's tent, but within the influence ofthe fire, the men were employed in pitching, for the first time, thelarge skin tent which was to be their residence until they should builda house for themselves; and on a log, within dangerous proximity to themercurial La Roche, sat Frank Morton, busily employed in entering in hisjournal the various events of the day.
There was much talk and loud laughter round the fire that night, for thedifferent parties had much to tell and much to hear regarding thediscoveries that had been made, and discussions as to the prospects ofthe expedition were earnest and long. It was generally admitted thatfirst appearanc
es were, upon the whole, favourable, although it couldnot be denied that the place looked dreadfully barren and rugged. Underthe happy influence of this impression, and the happier influence of thesavoury steaks on which they had supped, the entire party lay down torest, and slept so profoundly that there was neither sound nor motion toindicate the presence of human beings in the vast solitudes of Ungava,save the fitful flame of the fire as it rose and fell, casting a luridlight on the base of the rugged mountains, and a sharp reflection on thedark waters.