CHAPTER SIX.
PADDLING UP STREAM.
THE FIRST CAMP--RAPIDS--A PORTAGE--INDIANS ATTACK THE CANOES--A RACE FORLIFE--HE'S WON JUST IN TIME--MORE RAPIDS IN AN AWKWARD PLACE--THE CANOESPOLED UP STREAM--AN UPSET--THE INDIANS AGAIN, AND HUGH IN DANGER--OTHERCANOES TO THE RESCUE.
For the first day we made good progress, stopping only a short time toland and cook our provisions. We then paddled on until nearly dark,when we went on shore, unloaded our canoes, hauled them up, lighted afire for cooking, and pitched a small tent for Rose, in front of whichMadge, as she always afterwards did, took up her post to be ready toguard her in case of danger.
As soon as supper was over, two men were placed on watch, and the restof the party lay down round the fire with our buffalo-robes spread onfresh spruce or pine boughs as beds. Before dawn we were aroused byUncle Donald.
The morning was calm, the stars were slightly paling, a cold yellowlight began to show itself. Above the river floated a light mistthrough which objects on the opposite bank were dimly seen, while on theland side a wall of forest rose up impenetrable to the eye. From thedying embers of the camp fire a thin column of smoke rose high above thetrees, while round it were the silent forms of the Indians, lyingmotionless at full length on their backs, enveloped in their blankets.To stretch my legs I walked a few paces from the camp, when I wasstartled by a sudden rush through the underbrush. For a moment Ithought of the Blackfeet, but the movement proved to be made by a minxor marten, which had been attracted to the spot by the remains of lastnight's meal.
On hearing Uncle Donald's voice the Indians started to their feet, andafter a hurried breakfast, the canoes being launched and the baggagestowed on board, we proceeded on our voyage. The mist by degreescleared away, the sun mounting over the hills, lighted up the scenery,and our crews burst into one of the songs with which they were wont tobeguile the time while plying their paddles. Having stopped as beforeto dine we were paddling on, when we heard a low ceaseless roar comingdown between the high banks. In a short time we saw the waters rushingand foaming ahead of us, as they fell over a broad ledge of rocks.
"Can we get over there?" asked Hugh.
"No," I answered; "see, Uncle Donald is steering in for the shore."
We soon landed, the canoes were unloaded, and being hauled up the bank,each was placed on the shoulders of two men, who trotted off with themby a path parallel to the river; the rest loaded themselves with thebales. Hugh and I imitated their example, Madge carried as heavy apackage as any of the men, and Rose begged that she might take charge ofa small bundle, with which she trotted merrily off, but did not refuseto let Madge have it before she had gone half-way. After proceeding fornearly a mile among rocks and trees, the canoes were placed on the bankswhere the river flowed calmly by, and the men returned for the remainderof the baggage. Three trips had to be made to convey the whole of thecargoes above the falls. This is what is called "making a portage."
Re-embarking, on we went until nightfall. During the next few days wehad several such portages to make. We were at times able to hoist oursails, but when the stream became more rapid and shallow, we took topoling, a less pleasant way of progressing, though under thesecircumstances the only one available. Occasionally the river openedout, and we were able to resume our paddles.
We had just taken them in hand and were passing along the east bank whenHugh exclaimed, "I see some one moving on shore among the trees! Yes, Ithought so; he's an Indian," and he immediately added, "there areseveral more."
I shouted to Uncle Donald to tell him, and then turned to warn Pierreand Corney.
Scarcely had I spoken than well-nigh fifty savages appeared on thebanks, and, yelling loudly, let fly a cloud of arrows towards us, whileone of them shouted to us to come to shore.
"Very likely we'll be after doin' that, Mister Red-skins," cried Corney.
And we all, following Uncle Donald's example, turning the heads of ourcanoes, paddled towards the opposite bank.
We were safe for the present, and might, had we chosen, have picked offseveral of the savages with our rifles; Corney and Pierre had liftedtheirs for the purpose, but Uncle Donald ordered them not to fire.
"Should we kill any of them we should only find it more difficult tomake peace afterwards," he observed.
The river was here wide enough to enable us to keep beyond range oftheir arrows, and we continued our course paddling along close to thewestern bank. After going a short distance we saw ahead of us a lake,which we should have to cross. The Indians had disappeared, and I hopedwe had seen the last of them, when Corney shouted out that he had caughtsight of them running alone; the shore of the lake to double round it.Their object in so doing was evident, for on the opposite side of theupper river entered the lake, rounding a point by a narrow passage, andthis point they hoped to gain before we could get through, so that theymight stop our progress.
"Paddle, lads--paddle for your lives!" cried Uncle Donald. "We mustkeep ahead of the red-skins if we wish to save our scalps."
We did paddle with might and main, making the calm water bubble roundthe bows of our canoes.
Looking to our right, we every now and then caught a glimpse of theBlackfeet, for such we knew they were by their dress. They werebounding along in single file among the trees, led apparently by one oftheir most nimble warriors. It seemed very doubtful whether we couldpass the point before they could reach it. We persevered, for otherwisewe should be compelled either to turn back, or to run the risk of beingattacked at one of the portages, or to land at the western side of thelake, and to throw up a fort in which we could defend ourselves shouldthe Blackfeet make their way across the river. It was not likely,however, that they would do this. They had already ventured muchfarther to the north than it was their custom to make a raid; and shouldthey be discovered, they would run the risk of being set upon by theShoushwaps, the chief tribe inhabiting that part of the country, andtheir retreat cut off. Still it was of the greatest importance to loseno time, and we redoubled our efforts to get by the point. The Indianshad a greater distance to go; but then they ran much faster than wecould paddle our canoes. As we neared the point, I kept looking to theright to see how far our enemies had got. Again I caught a glimpse oftheir figures moving among the trees, but whether or not they were thoseof the leaders I could not distinguish.
Uncle Donald reached the point, and his canoe disappeared behind it.Hugh and I next came up, closely followed by the other two. We couldhear the savage shouts and cries of the red-skins; but there was now agood chance of getting beyond their reach.
"There goes the captain's canoe," I heard Corney sing out; "paddle,boys, paddle, and we'll give them the go-by!"
We had entered the upper branch of the river; the current ran smoothly.Still we were obliged to exert ourselves to force our canoes up againstit. Looking back for a moment over my shoulder, I could see the leadingIndians as they reached the point we had just rounded. Enraged at beingtoo late to stop us, they expended another flight of arrows, several ofwhich struck the water close to us, and two went through the after endof Pierre's canoe, but fortunately above water.
Though we had escaped for the present, they might continue along theeastern bank of the river, and meet us at the next portage we shouldhave to make. The day was wearing on, and ere long we should have tolook out for a spot on which to camp, on the west bank, opposite to thatwhere we had seen the Indians.
We had got four or five miles up the river when the roaring sound ofrushing waters struck our ears, and we knew that we should have to makeanother portage. The only practicable one was on the east bank, and asit would occupy us the greater part of an hour, we could scarcely hopeto escape the Indians, even should they not already have arrived at thespot. On the left rose a line of precipitous rocks, over which weshould be unable to force our way. At length we got up to the foot ofthe rapids. Uncle Donald took a survey of them. I observed on the westside a sheet of water flowing down smoother and freer f
rom rocks thanthe rest.
"We must pole up the rapids, but it will need caution; follow me," saidUncle Donald.
We got out our long poles, and Uncle Donald leading the way, wecommenced the ascent.
While resting on our paddles Corney and Pierre had overtaken us, and nowfollowed astern of Uncle Donald, so that our canoe was the last. We hadgot nearly half-way up, the navigation becoming more difficult as weproceeded. The rocks extended farther and farther across the channel,the water leaping and hissing and foaming as it rushed by them. One ofour Indians sat in the bows with a rope ready to jump out on the rocksand tow the canoe should the current prove too strong for us. RedSquirrel stood aft with pole in hand guiding the canoe, while Hugh and Iworked our poles on either side. Corney and Pierre were at some littledistance before us, while Uncle Donald, having a stronger crew, got wellahead.
"We shall soon be through this, I hope," cried Hugh; "pretty tough workthough."
As he spoke he thrust down his pole, which must have been jammed in ahole, and his weight being thrown upon it, before he could recover itbroke, and over he went; I in my eagerness, leaning on one side,attempted to grasp at him, the consequence was that the canoe, swinginground, was driven by the current against the rock. I heard a crash, thefoaming water washed over us, and I found myself struggling in itsmidst. My first impulse was to strike out, for I had been a swimmerfrom childhood.
Notwithstanding, I found myself carried down. I looked out for Hugh,but the bubbling water blinded my eyes, and I could nowhere see him normy Indian companions; still I instinctively struggled for life.Suddenly I found myself close to a rugged rock, whose sides afforded themeans of holding on to it. By a violent effort I drew myself out of thewater and climbed to the top. I looked round to see what had become ofthe rest of the crew; my eye first fell on the canoe, to which Hugh wasclinging. It was being whirled hurriedly down the rapids; and somedistance from it, indeed, almost close to where I now was, I saw thehead of an Indian. His hands and feet were moving; but instead oftrying to save himself by swimming towards the rock on which I wasseated, he was evidently endeavouring to overtake the canoe. I couldnowhere see our other companion; he had, I feared, sunk, sucked under bythe current. A momentary glance showed me what I have described.
Directly I had recovered breath I shouted to Pierre and Corney, but theroar of the waters prevented them from hearing my voice; and they andtheir companions were so completely occupied in poling on their canoesthat they did not observe what had occurred. Again and again I shouted;then I turned round, anxiously looking to see how it fared with Hugh andthe Indian.
The canoe had almost reached the foot of the rapids, but it went muchfaster than the Indian, who was still bravely following it. He hadcaught hold of one of the paddles, which assisted to support him. I wasnow sure that his object was to assist Hugh, for he might, as I havesaid, by swimming to the rock and clutching it, have secured his ownlife until he could be taken off by Corney or Pierre. Hugh still heldtight hold of the canoe, which, however, the moment it reached the footof the rapids, began to drift over to the eastern shore.
Just then what was my dismay to see a number of red-skins rush out fromthe forest towards the bank. They were those, I had no doubt, from whomwe were endeavouring to escape. They must have seen the canoe, and wererejoicing in the thoughts of the capture they were about to make.Hugh's youth would not save him from the cruel sufferings to which theywere wont to put their prisoners, should they get hold of him, and thatthey would do this seemed too probable. I almost wished, rather than heshould have had to endure so cruel a fate, that he had sunk to thebottom. Even now the Indian might come up with the canoe, but would itbe possible for him to tow it to the west bank, or support Hugh whileswimming in the same direction. Though the rock was slippery I atlength managed to stand up on it, and as I did so I gave as shrill ashout as I could utter. One of the Indians in Corney's canoe glanced atme for a moment. He at once saw what had happened, and I guessed fromhis gestures was telling Pierre as well as Corney of the accident. Inan instant the poles were thrown in, and the Indians seizing theirpaddles, the canoes, their heads turned round, were gliding like airbubbles down the torrent.