CHAPTER XVIII.
ON TO THE WHITE HORSE RAPIDS.
For a brief instant, as the deer rushed upon him, Earl was fairlyparalyzed, having had no idea that the wounded animal might attack him.But as those glaring eyes came closer and the antlers were lowered, herealized that something must be done, and leaped to the inner side ofthe narrow cliff.
Crash! the deer had struck him on the arm. It was a heavy blow, and onlythe sharp rock to one side of him saved the youth from serious injury.Then, as the animal bounded back for a second attack, Earl shoved outthe gun, pressed it at the deer's breast, and sent the beast tumblingfrom the cliff into the gulch below. It was done so rapidly that theanimal had no time to save itself. It went down with a crash and a dullthud, and, looking over the rocks, the boy saw that it lay on its backunable to run off on account of a broken leg. As soon as he could, hereloaded the shot-gun and put his game out of its misery.
"That was a narrow escape, and no fooling!" he half muttered, as helooked about for some place where he might descend to the bottom of thegulch. A quarter of an hour later he had the deer bound on top of a treebranch, and was dragging it toward the lake shore.
"A deer!" cried Randy and Foster Portney, simultaneously, as they caughtsight of the prize. "Well, that was well worth going after!" continuedthe latter.
"You had a narrow escape!" exclaimed Randy, when Earl's story was told."If you hadn't shoved him over, he would have gored you to death."
It was quite dark by the time they went into camp. The deer was soon cutup, and they dined that evening on the choicest of venison steak. Theremainder of the meat was hung up to dry, while a portion of it wasthoroughly salted.
In addition to the fire in the camp stove, a big blaze was lit on theshore, that Dr. Barwaithe and the others might be guided hither if theysucceeded in finding the _Wild Goose_. But the night wore away withoutinterruption, and by six o'clock the next morning the search for themissing craft was renewed.
"We're most down to Tagish Lake, I reckon," remarked Captain Zoss. "Idon't believe the _Wild Goose_ could go through, 'ceptin' she was bottomside up and minus our traps, which I don't hope fer, eh?"
The entrance to Tagish Lake was reached, and they were speculating onwhat to do next, when Randy shouted, "Here they come, and they have the_Wild Goose_ in tow!"
His announcement proved correct, and quarter of an hour later Wodleysent his own craft up to the bank with a swish through the water-grassand tundra, or moss, which was now beginning to show itself on everyside. The _Wild Goose_ was close behind, and they noted withsatisfaction that she seemed to be in the same condition as they hadleft her.
"We found her stuck in the mud on the other side," announced Dr.Barwaithe. "The wind had just sent her along and left her, and the onlydamage done is to some of the provisions which were soaked by the rainand snow."
"We can be thankful it's not worse," replied Foster Portney. "If she hadnot turned up, I don't know what we would have done."
Dr. Barwaithe had become well acquainted with the party, and had givenMrs. Wodley some medicine containing a large quantity of quinine, forthe woman was suffering from chills and fever, something frequently metwith in Alaska.
It did not take long for both parties to haul their boats into TagishLake, and once on that broad sheet of water, all sail was set for thesix miles of river which connects that body of water with Marsh Lake,called by many Mud Lake, on account of its shallowness and soft bottom.
As they skimmed along, Earl and Randy, under the directions of theiruncle, sorted over the provisions, putting aside for immediate use suchas would not keep after being wet. This had scarcely been finished whenthe end of Tagish Lake appeared in sight.
"There is some sort o' a camp ahead," announced Captain Zoss. "Don'tlook like er miner's strike, either. Injuns, I'll bet!"
The captain was right. The camp was a rude one, consisting of half adozen huts and dugouts. The Indians numbered about two score, and theywere the most disagreeable Randy and Earl had yet beheld. Each waspainted from forehead to chin with greasy black and red paint, and allwore filthy skin suits which could be smelt "further than you could seethem," according to Randy's notion. The Indians tried to sell them somefish, but the members of the party declined, and pointed to the deermeat. Then one of the Indians begged Earl to let him have the deer'shead and antlers for a string of beautiful pike, and the youth made thetrade; for although he would have liked to keep the trophy, carrying itup into the gold regions was out of the question. The deer meat had beendivided with the Wodley party, and now a similar disposition was made ofthe fish.
The day was fine, with the wind in the right direction, and soon theycame to the end of Marsh Lake, which is fifteen miles long, and heavilyfringed on all sides with timber and brush. On several occasions theyran in water so shallow they were in danger of going aground; but thesharp eyes of Captain Zoss saved them, and the second day saw themencamped within sight of the fifty-mile river which connects Marsh Lakewith Lake Labarge, the last of the lakes they were to traverse on theway to the gold regions.
"By day after to-morrow we'll strike the White Hoss Rapids," saidCaptain Zoss. "Then, I reckon we'll have jest sech a time as we had upter Homan Rapids."
"Excuse me!" rejoined Earl. "One such experience is enough in alifetime."
"I have been talking to Wodley," put in Foster Portney. "He has beenthrough the rapids, and he says he will give us a hand when we getthere. He advises taking the boats through almost empty."
The captain "allowed" this would be safer, although, to be sure, itwould also be far more laborious, for everything not left in the boatwould have to be carried over the roughest kind of a trail, running somedistance away from the stream.
The two parties camped side by side, and it made each feel more at hometo have the other at hand, for among these lofty and cold-lookingmountains one was very apt to have a lonely feeling creeping over him ifno companion were at hand.
"How a man could attempt this trip all alone is something I can'tunderstand," observed Randy. "Imagine getting lost in those mountainsover yonder! It makes a fellow shiver to think of it!"
"Men have been lost out here," replied Dr. Barwaithe, gravely, "and lostso thoroughly they have never been heard of again. If a man gets lost inthe mountains, and he is of a nervous temperament, the chances are thatafter a week or a month of it he will lose his mind and go crazy."
"I guess that is what would happen to me," answered Randy. "Oh, what'sthat stung me? A mosquito, I declare! Who would expect to find one ofthose pests at this season of the year?"
"You'll get mosquitoes enough presently," replied Foster Portney. "Don'tyou remember the mosquito netting I brought along? During the shortsummer here the insects are apt to worry the life out of a person."
"I suppose they thrive in this moss that I see around," said Earl. "Whatdid you say it was called, Uncle Foster? tundra?"
"Yes, tundra, Earl. The moss is thicker than this up in the north andcovers everything. If it wasn't for the moss, I think the ground mightthaw out more in the summer, but as it is, the moss prevents the sunfrom striking in, and the ground is as hard as in midwinter six or eightfeet below the surface."
"The moss doesn't seem to have any effect on the berry bushes, though,"said Randy. "I see 'em everywhere. Do they bear fruit?"
"Oh, yes, they have everything in the way of berries up here, Randy. Butthey are rather small, and they haven't the flavor of those at home. Theberries have to take the place of larger fruits, such as apples, pears,and peaches, and the birds live on them."
"Well, we won't starve as long as we have berries, birds, and fish,"said Earl. "I don't see where this cry of starvation comes in, I mustsay."
"O' course ye don't--not now!" burst in Captain Zoss. "But wait tillwinter sets in. Then the berries will be gone, an' birds will be mightyscarce."
"But we'll have the fish, captain. We can cut holes in the ice on theriver and spear them, as we do down in Maine."
"Wa
ll, maybe, my lad. But ye don't catch me a-tryin' it when I kin gitanything else--not with the ice eight or ten feet thick an' the mercurydown to forty below nuthin' at all!"
It was not long after that they turned in, and never did they sleep moresoundly, although a number of mosquitoes visited them. Foster Portneywas the first to get up, and by the time the boys followed, a delicioussmell of frying fish and boiling coffee was floating through the air.
A ten minutes' ride on the lake brought them close to the entrance ofthe river. Here the water was broken up into a dozen currents, swirlingthis way and that and throwing the spray in every direction. On eitherside of this watercourse were high walls.
"Now fer the tug o' war!" said Captain Zoss, and immediate preparationswere made to shoot the canyon and the falls of which Randy and Earl hadheard so much. Once past that dangerous spot, the remainder of the tripto the gold regions would be an easy one.