The Canadian Highland

It was on our third portage through Hill River that poor Angus got his arm caught between logs used to roll the York Boat on land. Liam and Angus continually play, especially around places where they shouldn’t be. The bottom of a boat while it’s being rolled on land is one of those places.

  I knew the boats were large, but I had no idea how difficult it would be to land and move on foot around rapids and falls. The first portage was what they call a semi-decharges. The rapid was not very steep, so it was not necessary to remove all of the cargo from our boat to make our way up the river.

  All of us were expected to help where we could. The boat was pulled by the men, inch by inch, through the water and along the shore, and Liam, Angus and I were expected to carry supplies. On the first portage, we only needed to make five trips from where we landed to where we put back in the water. The path along the river was not very steep and rocky.

  It was only another hour on the water when we had to get out of the boat and unload again. Our second portage was much longer than the first. Since all we were doing was bypassing a rapid, there was once again no need to fully remove all the supplies from our boat. But to make things easier on Papa, Willie and the others who had to drag the boat along the shore, we did what we could.

  After the second portage we made camp for the night. The men needed all of their strength to drag the boat along the shore, and no one had the energy to continue on to the next portage. Tents were put up in haste, and a fire was started in short order. After a cup of tea and something to eat, Papa and Willie started to come around a little, but I could tell they were in a lot of pain. Willie was constantly rubbing the back of his neck, and every so often he grimaced when he touched a spot that was tender and sore.

  If only it was just pain we had to contend with here. Every day, as dusk approaches, the mosquitoes come out in full force. Standing close to the fire provides some relief, yet the warmth of the flames combined with the summer heat makes an unbearable combination, matched only by the never ending insect noises.

  Unable to stand it any longer, Liam and Angus made a mad dash for the water. Splashing around, holding their breath underwater, they were able to go where the insects couldn’t. I was about to tell them to get out when all I saw Doctor Edwards run into the water to join them. “Come in,” he called out to everyone. “The water is quite cool, and it provides relief from the insects. Too many bug bites can make a person sick.” With a smile on his face, he concluded, “As the only doctor in our group, I demand everyone come in the water. It’s the best medicine you can find out here!”

  Looking at Mama, we both nodded as we followed the doctor’s orders. With Calum in her arms, she carefully waded out in the water. Papa and Willie looked like children, the way they were splashing each other. Looking in George’s direction, he had taken off his shirt to wash away some of the dirt. I didn’t want anyone to see me staring at him, so I quickly turned away.

  Holding my shoes, I could feel the stones and sand rub all over the bottom of my feet, almost tickling them. Carefully, I walked out into the river up to my waist, yet I didn’t go any further: I don’t know how to swim. That didn’t matter to me though. What was important was how happy everyone was for a short time splashing in the river.

  Everyone spent a long time in the water. Papa, Willie, and most of the other men started to strip and wash their clothes. Using rocks, they started to scrub what dirt they could off their shirts and pants. Most of the men were naked, so I turned immediately around and made my way back to the shore.

  I dried myself by sitting close to the fire. I could still hear the buzzing of mosquitoes, but it was not as bad as before. Using my fingers as a brush, I ran them through my hair and tried to wring out as much water as I could. I would probably go to sleep feeling wet, but I hoped my damp clothes would help to keep me cool on this hot summer night.

  Our third portage the next day was a full descharges. The entire boat needed to be emptied of its supplies so it could be dragged on land to bypass a waterfall called the White-Mud Falls. I understand why we made camp early yesterday. This portage was the worst one yet.

  Two of the York Boats made shore on this side of the falls, while the three others in our party were unloaded across the river. On our side, Governor MacDonell and Doctor Edwards walked out to determine the best way to move around the waterfall. Fur traders travel by canoe: small, light water crafts that can be carried by two or three men. A York Boat, however, is too large a vessel to be carried, so it must be dragged along the ground using a suitable path that is not too steep.

  It took almost everyone to pull the boat ashore. I had no idea how we were going to move it until I saw Doctor Edwards with an axe in his hand. To move the boat uphill, we would need logs to go underneath it in order to roll it. It would take hours to move the boat, since the logs had to continually be pulled out from the back and placed in front, allowing you to move the boat only a few feet at a time.

  The logs were cut quickly. The crew of each boat usually stayed with themselves, but the difficulty of this job made it necessary for everyone to work together. Soon, MacDonell’s boat was being rolled through the forest, with some men pulling with ropes, others pushing from the back, and a group moving the logs along the bottom. The work was tremendous, and it took eighteen men almost three hours to move the boat through the forest around the waterfall.

  After a small break, it was time to move our boat. As much as I wanted to help, I knew I would simply be in the way. My job was to take care of the children. Mrs. Docherty and Mama were by the shore preparing food and drink for everyone once the portage was complete. I could see how dangerous the work was. The boat could slip off a log and crush someone if they were not careful. I ordered Liam and Angus to stay clear, to be near me, but Calum took up most of my attention. This is no place for a toddler, and yet here he was, whimpering and squirming as I held on to him as tightly as possible. No amount of crying was going to make me let go so he could run off and go somewhere he shouldn’t. I felt I had things under control when all of a sudden I looked around to see the boys were missing. My eyes darted left and right as I tried to figure out where they had gone off to. My whole body started to shudder as the screams of a child started to rise up into the sky.

  “Oh my God!” I screamed as I ran towards the boat. “Everyone stop!”

  “Hold,” MacDonell ordered. “What the hell just happened?” Quickly, our Governor started to walk from the front of the boat around to the back to find out where the noise was coming from.

  “Oh, my son!” Mr. Docherty yelled. What have you done to yourself?” Near the back of the boat, Angus’ left arm was pinned between two logs. He could not move, and he was crying uncontrollably. By his side, his father was bent over, trying to see if he could pull him free.

  “Don’t try to move him,” commanded Doctor Edwards. “You may do more harm if you simply try to pull him loose.” Moving closer, Doctor Edwards got on his knees to see what happened. As he was working on a solution to free the poor boy, he tried to calm him down with soothing words. “Angus, you are going to be alright, but we will need to move the boat back a little to free you. Young man, what was it you were trying to do?”

  “All I wanted was to help a little. Please don’t be mad Papa.”

  “Everything is going to be fine my boy,” he said as calmly as he possibly could although his voice quivered slightly as he spoke. “Now be a good lad and do everything the doctor tells you to do.”

  “Angus,” started Doctor Edwards, “You are going to have to hold very still while we push the boat back a little to free your arm. Do you think you can do that for me?” Angus nodded weakly.

  Pulling the Doctor off to the side, Governor MacDonell asked, “So what is to become of this boy? Damn Selkirk for allowing women and children on this first voyage to Red River. Only men can make this trip safely.”

  “Governor,” I started, shocked
at myself for addressing Governor MacDonell directly, “I take responsibility for what has happened here to Angus Docherty. It is my job to look after the little ones, and I failed to keep the boys clear of the boat. This will never happen again sir.” Governor MacDonell looked at me with both anger and surprise, yet I felt more still needed to be said. “I disagree with the idea women and children should not be on this voyage. Men have caused more disturbances than we have, and given the chance, you will one day see exactly how useful we can be.”

  I felt my father’s hand on my shoulder, pulling me back a couple of feet. Everyone was quiet, surprised I would criticize something our leader said. I dare not look MacDonell directly in the eye, for fear he would strike me for being so disrespectful. Yet the opposite of what I expected happened. Taken by surprise at first, Governor MacDonell started to smile and then laugh. What I said was not a joke, but soon enough everyone was laughing except for me, Mr. Docherty, and of course Angus.

  “Molly,” Mr. MacDonell started, “I have heard from others about the type of person you are: a person not to be trifled with. Where does someone so young learn such boldness? Perhaps you are right. Women and children do serve a useful purpose. If anything, they can be here to keep the men in order. Come now Miss. Fraser, let’s get back to the business before us and see what we can do to set little Mr. Docherty free.”

  Taking two ropes used to pull the boat through the forest, Doctor Edwards wrapped them tightly around each log that Angus’ arm was wedged between. He gathered all the men close to him to give further instructions. “Men,” Doctor Edwards commanded, “I will count to three and then we will very carefully lift the boat on this side a few inches from where it lies. We may only hold it for a few seconds at most, so those who are most able bodied should do the lifting. I’ll also need two men on each log. Once the command is given to lift, they will need to pull both logs away from each other. Mr. Docherty and I will then carefully pull Angus to safety. Men, are there any questions?”

  There was silence as everyone nodded impatiently. This had been one of the longest days so far on our river voyage, and everyone just wanted it to finish as soon as possible.

  “All right men,” yelled MacDonell authoritatively, “Let’s get this done.” Everyone got into position. Holding on to Calum in my arms, I also made sure Liam, tearful Liam, was well behind me out of harm’s way. Poor Angus had his eyes closed, expecting the worst.

  “One, two, three, lift men, give it all you’ve got.” With a creak from the boat and several groans and grunts from everyone else, the vessel started to rise up off its log cart. “Now men, pull those logs away from that boy’s arm.” Although wedged in tightly, Angus’ arm gave way very easily once the two logs were pulled apart. You would think he was happy to be free, but once he escaped his prison, he let out a yell that made me pull back a couple of paces. The accident didn’t do any damage to his lungs.

  On cue, everyone dropped what they were doing. The boat landed with a large thud back on the logs. “Be careful you bastards,” Governor MacDonell angrily barked, “That boat has to take us much further up the river. Don’t ever drop it again!”

  Papa and Willie were tired, leaning up against the boat, trying to catch their breath. Doctor Edwards and Mr. Docherty were leaning over Angus, tending to his wounds. Amidst the yells, screams, and tears, I heard Doctor Edwards call me over.

  Angus had a huge gash along his hand where he must have been scraped by a piece of bark. Ripping off part of his shirt, Doctor Edwards tried to stop the bleeding, but the wound was very deep, and his cloth started to turn red in his hands. A look of worry spread across his face.

  “Molly,” he said, “You will need to bring your brothers back to camp and get my small medical case. Do you know about the case I am talking about?”

  I nodded.

  “Good. We cannot move Angus yet until I have wrapped up his arm. Mr. Docherty, your son does have a break, and I will also have to see if I can stitch up this cut on his hand. God knows the last thing I want to do is to cauterize the wound.” I could see he was thinking about what he had to do to stop Redden’s stump of an arm from bleeding all over once he cut it off. It can stop infection, but the last thing poor Angus needs is hot metal searing his poor little hand. “Go on now Molly, hurry.”

  With my brothers in tow, I hurriedly ran through the forest to where Mama and Mrs. Docherty were. The smell of broth cooking over the fire made my mouth water, but this was not the time to think about food. “Mrs. Docherty,” I stated, “You must come quick. Angus has had an accident. He is with Doctor Edwards and your husband. Mama, you’ll have to mind the boys while I fetch the Doctor’s medical case.”

  “What accident?” Mrs. Docherty exclaimed. “Is my poor boy going to be alright?”

  “I don’t know,” I said honestly. “I think he may have a broken arm, so the Doctor does not want him moved until he can look after him properly.”

  “Oh my poor Angus,” Mrs. Docherty started to cry. “What foolishness have you gotten yourself into? Take me to him, quickly now.”

  Picking up the medical case, Mrs. Docherty and I started to run through the forest back to the accident. As we got closer, we had to pass around the men, painfully slumped over, as they continued to move the boat through the forest back to the shore at the top of the waterfall. Once we got to Angus, Doctor Edwards had him sitting up, with his left arm carefully placed on his father’s lap. Seeing us run so fast towards them, Doctor Edwards had to yell at us to be careful. “Ladies, hold up. I don’t want Angus moved until I can tend to his wounded arm more carefully.”

  “Is he alright Doctor?” Angus’ mother begged.

  “Your son is a brave, strong lad Arwen. He will be fine, but the next few days are not going to be easy. A broken arm needs to be still to heal properly, and keeping him still is something we will not be able to do. Molly, bring the case over here please.”

  Dutifully, I brought the case over to Doctor Edwards as Mrs. Docherty sat next to her son and started to kiss his face wildly. Children are so precious, I thought to myself, but for Mrs. Docherty, Angus is the only child she has.

  Wrapping his broken arm and wounded hand, Doctor Edwards helped the boy to his feet. Nestled between both of his parents, we slowly made the trip back to camp. Both boats were now in the water, and everyone had found a place to sit. Too tired to go for a swim, everyone just lazed around, with the sound of insects buzzing in the air the only thing to be heard. After some tea and broth, I helped Doctor Edwards suture the wound on Angus’ hand. With each prick of the needle, he let out a little yelp of pain. I think Angus was even too tired to do much more than that.