CHAPTER FIVE.
ICE LOOKS UNPROPITIOUS--THE START--AN IMPORTANT MEMBER OF THE PARTYNEARLY FORGOTTEN--CHIMO.
Stanley's forebodings and Massan's prognostications proved partlyincorrect on the following morning. The mouth of the river, and the seabeyond, were quite full of ice; but it was loose, and intersected in alldirections by lanes of open water. Moreover, there was no wind.
The gray light of early morning brightened into dawn, and the firstclear ray of the rising sun swept over a scene more beautiful than everfilled the fancy of the most imaginative poet of the Temperate Zones.The sky was perfectly unclouded, and the surface of the sea wascompletely covered with masses of ice, whose tops were pure white likesnow, and their sides a delicate greenish-blue, their dull, frostedappearance forming a striking contrast to the surrounding water, whichshone, when the sun glanced upon it, like burnished silver. The massesof ice varied endlessly in form and size, some being flat and large likefields, others square and cornered like bastions or towers--here aminiature temple with spires and minarets, there a crystal fortress withembrasures and battlements; and, in the midst of these, thousands ofbroken fragments, having all the varied outlines of the larger masses,appearing like the smaller houses, cottages, and villas of this floatingcity of ice.
"Oh how beautiful!" exclaimed little Edith, as her father led her andMrs Stanley towards the canoes, which floated lightly in the water,while the men stood in a picturesque group beside them, leaning on theirbright red paddles.
"It is indeed, my pet," replied Stanley, a smile almost of sadnessplaying around his lips.
"Come, George, don't let evil forebodings assail you to-day," said MrsStanley in a low tone. "It does not become the leader of a forlorn hopeto cast a shade over the spirits of his men at the very outset." Shesmiled as she said this, and pressed his arm; but despite herself, therewas more of sadness in the smile and in the pressure than she intendedto convey.
Stanley's countenance assumed its usual firm but cheerful expressionwhile she spoke. "True, Jessie, I must not damp the men; but when Ilook at you and our darling Eda, I may be forgiven for betraying apassing glance of anxiety. May the Almighty protect you!"
"Is the country we are going to like this, papa?" inquired Eda, whoseintense admiration of the fairy-like scene rendered her oblivious of allelse.
"Yes, dear, more like this than anything else you have ever seen; butthe sun does not always shine so brightly as it does just now, andsometimes there are terrible snow-storms. But we will build you a nicehouse, Eda, with a very large fireplace, so that we won't feel thecold."
The entire population of Moose Fort was assembled on the beach towitness the departure of the expedition. The party consisted of fifteensouls. As we shall follow them to the icy regions of Ungava, it may beworth while to rehearse their names in order as follows:--
MR. AND MRS. STANLEY and EDITH. FRANK MORTON. MASSAN, the guide. DICK PRINCE, principal hunter to the party. LA ROCHE, Stanley's servant and cook. BRYAN, the blacksmith. FRANCOIS, the carpenter. OOLIBUCK, AUGUSTUS, and MOSES, Esquimau interpreters. GASPARD, labourer and fisherman. OOSTESIMOW and MA-ISTEQUAN, Indian guides and hunters.
The craft in which these were about to embark were three canoes, two ofwhich were large and one small. They were made of birch bark, asubstance which is tough, light, and buoyant, and therefore admirablyadapted for the construction of craft that have not only to battleagainst strong and sometimes shallow currents, but have frequently to becarried on the shoulders of their crews over rocks and mountains. Thelargest canoe was sixteen feet long by five feet broad in the middle,narrowing gradually towards the bow and stern to a sharp edge. Itsloading consisted of bales, kegs, casks, and bundles of goods andprovisions; each bale or cask weighed exactly 90 pounds, and was calleda _piece._ There were fifteen pieces in the canoe, besides the crew ofsix men, and Mr Stanley and his family, who occupied the centre, wheretheir bedding, tied up in flat bundles and covered with oiled cloth,formed a comfortable couch. Notwithstanding the size and capacity ofthis craft, it had been carried down to the beach on the shoulders ofMassan and Dick Prince, who now stood at its bow and stern, preventingit with their paddles from rubbing its frail sides against the wharf;for although the bark is tough, and will stand a great deal of tossingin water and plunging among rapids, it cannot sustain the slightest blowfrom a rock or other hard substance without being cracked, or having thegum which covers the seams scraped off. To those who are unacquaintedwith travelling in the wild regions of the north it would seemimpossible that a long journey could be accomplished in such tenderboats; but a little experience proves that, by judicious treatment andcareful management, voyages of great length may be safely accomplishedin them--that they are well adapted for the necessities of the country,and can be taken with greater ease through a rough, broken, andmountainous region than ordinary wooden boats, even of smaller size,could be.
The second canoe was in all respects similar to the one we havedescribed, excepting that it was a few inches shorter. The third wasmuch smaller--so small that it could not contain more than three men,with their provisions and a few bales, and so light that it could withthe greatest ease be carried on the shoulders of one man. It wasintended to serve as a sort of pioneer and hunting craft, which shouldlead the way, dart hither and thither in pursuit of game, and warn themain body of any danger that should threaten them ahead. It was mannedby the two Indian guides, Oostesimow and Ma-istequan, and by FrankMorton, who being acknowledged one of the best shots of the party, wasby tacit understanding regarded as commissary-general. It might havebeen said that Frank was the best shot, were it not for the fact thatthe aim of Dick Prince was perfect, and it is generally admitted thatperfection cannot be excelled.
Although differing widely in their dispositions and appearance, the menof the expedition were similar at least in one respect--they were allfirst-rate, and had been selected as being individually superior totheir comrades at Moose Fort. And a noble set of fellows they looked,as they stood beside their respective canoes, leaning on their little,brilliantly coloured paddles, awaiting the embarkation of their leaders.They all wore new suits of clothes, which were sufficiently similar togive the effect of a uniform, yet so far varied in detail as to divestthem of monotony, and relieve the eye by agreeable contrast of brightcolours. All of them wore light-blue cloth capotes with hoods hangingdown behind, all had corduroy trousers gartered below the knee, and allwore moccasins, and had fire-bags stuck in their belts, in which werecontained the materials for producing fire, tobacco, and pipes. So farthey were alike, but the worsted belts of some were scarlet, of otherscrimson, and of others striped. Some gartered their trousers withthongs of leather, others used elegant bands of bead-work--the gifts,probably, of sorrowing sweethearts, sisters, or mothers--while thefire-bags, besides being composed some of blue, some of scarlet cloth,were ornamented more or less with flowers and fanciful devices elegantlywrought in the gaily-dyed quills of the porcupine.
On seeing Stanley and his wife and child approaching, Massan gave theorder to embark. In a moment every man divested himself of his capote,which he folded up and placed on the seat he was to occupy; then,shaking hands all round for the last time, they stepped lightly andcarefully into their places.
"All ready, I see, Massan," said Stanley, as he came up, "and the iceseems pretty open. How say you? shall we make a good day of it?"
Massan smiled dubiously as he presented his thick shoulder as a supportto Mrs Stanley, while she stepped into her place. He remembered theconversation of the previous evening, and determined that, whatevershould happen, he at least would not cast the shadow of a doubt on theirprospects. But in his own mind he suspected that their progress wouldbe interrupted ere long, as the wind, although very light--almostimperceptible--was coming from the north-west.
"It'll be full flood in less nor half an hour," he replied, "and--(takecare, Miss Edith, give me your little hand; there, now, jump light)--andwe'll be past the p'int
by that time, and git the good o' the ebb tillsun-down."
"I fear," said Frank Morton, approaching, "that the ice is rather thickfor us; but it don't much matter, it will only delay us a bit--and atany rate we'll make good way as far as the point."
"True, true," said Stanley; "and it's a great matter to get fairlystarted. Once off we must go forward. All ready, lads?"
"Ay, ay, sir."
"Now, Frank, into your canoe and show us the way; mind we trust to yourguidance to keep us clear of blind alleys among these lanes of water inthe ice."
At this moment Edith--who had been for the last few minutes occupied inalternately drying her eyes and kissing her hands to a group of littlechildren who had been her play-fellows during her sojourn at the fort--uttered a loud exclamation.
"Oh! oh! papa, mamma--Chimo!--we've forgot Chimo! Oh me! don't go awayyet!"
"So we have!" said her father; "dear me, how stupid to forget our oldfriend!--Hallo! Frank, Frank, we've forgot the dog," shouted Stanley tohis young comrade, who was on the point of starting.
On hearing this, Frank gave a long, shrill whistle. "That'll bring himif he's within ear-shot."
When the well-known sound broke upon Chimo's ear, he was lying coiled upin front of the kitchen fire, being privileged to do so in consequenceof his position as Edith's favourite. The cook, having gone out a fewminutes previously, had left Chimo to enjoy his slumbers in solitude, sothat, when he started suddenly to his feet on hearing Frank's whistle,he found himself a prisoner. But Chimo was a peculiarly strong-mindedand strong-bodied dog, and was possessed of an iron will! He was of theEsquimau breed, and bore some resemblance to the Newfoundland, but wasrather shorter in the legs, longer in the body, and more powerfullymade. Moreover, he was more shaggy, and had a stout, blunt,straightforward appearance, which conveyed to the beholder the idea thathe scorned flattery, and would not consent to be petted on anyconsideration. Indeed this was the case, for he always turned away withquiet contempt from any of the men who attempted to fondle him. He madean exception, however, of little Edith, whom he not only permitted toclap him to any extent, but deliberately invited her to do so by layinghis great head in her lap, rubbing himself against her, and wagging hisbushy tail, as if to say, "Now, little girl, do what you will with me!"And Eda never refused the animal's dumb-show request. When she was veryyoung and had not much sense--at which time Chimo was young too, butpossessed of a great deal of sense--she formed a strong affection forthe Esquimau dog, an affection which she displayed by putting her littlearms round his neck and hugging him until he felt a tendency tosuffocation; she also pulled his ears and tail, and stuffed her fatlittle hands into his eyes and mouth,--all of which dreadful actions sheseemed to think, in her childish ignorance, must be very pleasant toChimo, and all of which the dog appeared really to enjoy. At allevents, whether he liked it or not, he came regularly to have himselfthus treated every day. As Eda grew older she left off choking herfavourite and poking out his eyes, and contented herself with caressinghim. Chimo also evinced a partiality for Mr Stanley and Frank Morton,and often accompanied the latter on his hunting excursions; but healways comported himself towards them with dignified hauteur, acceptingtheir caresses with a slight wag of acknowledgment, but never courtingtheir favour.
On jumping up, as we have already said, and observing that the door wasshut, the dog looked slowly and calmly round the apartment, as if todecide on what was best to be done; for Chimo was a dog of great energyof character, and was never placed in any circumstances in which he didnot pursue some decided course of action. On the present occasion therewas not a hole, except the key-hole, by which he could hope to make hisescape. Yes, by-the-bye, there was a hole in the window, which was madeof parchment; but as that was merely the bullet-hole through which theanimal that had given his skin for a window had been shot, and was notlarger than a shilling, it did not afford much hope. Nevertheless Chimoregarded it with a steady gaze for a minute or two, then he turned tothe fire, and having satisfied himself that the chimney wasimpracticable, being full of flames and smoke, he faced the window oncemore, and showed his teeth, as if in chagrin.
"Whew-ew! Chimo-o-o!" came Frank's voice, floating faintly from afar.Chimo took aim at the bullet-hole. One vigorous bound--a horriblecrash, that nearly caused the returning cook to faint--and the dog wasfree.
"Ah, here he comes!--good dog!" cried Frank, as the animal came boundingover intervening obstacles towards the canoes. Chimo made straight forthe small canoe, in answer to his master's call; but, like many dogs andnot a few men, he owned a higher power than that of a master. The voiceof his little mistress sounded sweetly in his ear, like the sound of asilver bell. "O Chimo, Chimo! my darling pet! come here--here." It wasa soft, tiny voice at the loudest, and was quite drowned amid thetalking and laughter of the men, but Chimo heard it. Turning at a sharpangle from his course, he swept past the light canoe, and bounding intothat of Mr Stanley, lay down beside Eda and placed his head in her lap,where it was immediately smothered in the caresses of its youngmistress.
Mr Stanley smiled and patted his little girl on the shoulder, as hesaid, "That's right, Eda; the love of a faithful dog is worth having andcherishing." Then turning towards the stern of the canoe, where Massanstood erect, with his steering paddle ready for action, he said to thatworthy--
"Now, Massan, all ready; give the word."
"Ho, ho, boys; forward!"
The paddles dipped simultaneously in the water with a loud, gurglingsound; the two large canoes shot out into the stream abreast of eachother, preceded by the light one, which, urged forward by the powerfularms of Frank and the two Indians, led the way among the floating fieldsof ice. The people on shore took off their caps and waved a lastfarewell. Dick Prince, who possessed a deep, loud, sonorous voice,began one of those beautiful and wild yet plaintive songs peculiar tothe _voyageurs_ of the wilderness. The men joined, with a full, richswell, in the chorus, as they darted forward with arrow-like speed--andthe voyage began.