Ungava

by R. M. Ballantyne

  CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE.

  A STIRRING PERIOD IN THE LIFE OF MAXIMUS.

  Intermingled joy and sorrow is the lot of man. Thus it has ever been;thus, no doubt, it shall continue to be until the present economy shallhave reached its termination. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth doright?" is a sufficient reply to those who would fain have it otherwise.But, independently of this view of the subject, may we not, with thepainter's eye, regard joy as the light, sorrow as the shade, in thepicture of life? And who would have a painting _all_ light or _all_shadow?

  Maximus found it so in his experience. The shadows in the picture ofhis life had of late been broad and dark, but a flash of vividbrilliancy had crossed it when he found his bride. Afterwards the lightand shade were chequered, as we shall see.

  On leaving Moose, Maximus proceeded a day's journey along the coast, andat night, as the weather was fine, he encamped with his wife and OldMoggy and Chimo on the open seashore. Here he held a consultation as totheir future proceedings. As long as they were on the shore of James'sBay they were in danger of being found by Indians; but once beyondRichmond Gulf they would be comparatively safe, and in the land of theEsquimaux. After mature deliberation it was resolved that they shouldtravel during the night, and rest and cook their food during thedaytime, when a fire would not be so likely to attract attention ifkindled in sequestered places.

  This plan answered very well, and they passed stealthily along the coastwhen the Indians, if there were any there, were buried in repose. Onapproaching the camp of the tribe, however, from whom Aneetka had beentaken, Maximus deemed it advisable to paddle far out to sea--the weatherbeing fortunately calm--and to rest for a day and a night as well asthey could in their frail bark. Maximus sat in the stern of the canoeand steered; his wife sat in the bow and paddled day after day asvigorously as if she had been a man. As for poor Old Moggy, she sat inthe middle and paddled a little when she felt cold; but she slept duringthe greater part of the journey. Chimo conceived it to be his duty toenjoy himself, and did so accordingly, at all times and in everypossible way.

  During that livelong day and night, and all the following day, thegiant's arm never flagged; Aneetka, too, rested only once or twice atthe earnest request of her husband; but the little bark never onceslackened its speed until the second night. Then Old Moggy wasawakened.

  "Mother," said Aneetka, who acted as interpreter between her husband andthe old woman, "we want to sleep for an hour or two. You seem to haverested well. Will you wake and watch?"

  The old woman yawned, rubbed her eyes, and assented, after the questionhad been twice repeated. Then laying their heads on opposite sides ofthe canoe, without otherwise changing their positions, the husband andwife sank into repose.

  Two hours afterwards the old Indian woman, who had remained motionlessas a dark statue all the time, uttered a slight sound. Instantly thesleepers awoke, for those who are in the midst of danger sleep lightly.

  "It is time to go on," said the old woman, as she lay back again in herlair, rolled herself up into a bundle, and went to sleep.

  Maximus and his wife resumed their paddles, and the light craft glidedswiftly on its way to the far north.

  As the sun rose they neared the land, and soon after they were seatednot far from a high cliff, eating their breakfast beside a small fire,which sent so thin a column of smoke into the air that it was almostdissipated ere it reached the tree-tops. It was hoped that the Indianshad been now so far overshot that there was no danger of even astraggler being near them. But they took the precaution to load theirtwo guns with ball, and lean them against a tree within reach of theirhands. When the meal was over, Maximus retired from the fire a fewpaces, and throwing himself at full length on the green moss beneath atree, he fell into a sound sleep.

  He had not lain thus more than quarter of an hour when he was startledby the report of a gun, which was followed by a wild scream and a chorusof unearthly yells. At the same instant, and ere he could attempt torise, his legs and arms were pinioned to the ground by four powerfulIndians. For an instant Maximus was paralysed. Then the terriblereality of his position, the scream of Aneetka, and the sight of thethong with which his captors were about to bind him, caused his spiritto rebound with a degree of violence that lent him for the moment thestrength of a giant. With a shout, in which even a tone of contemptseemed to mingle the Esquimau hurled his captors right and left, andsprang to his feet. The Indians fled; but one, who was a moment laterin rising than the others, received a blow that felled him instantly.Maximus glanced quickly round in search of his wife, and observed herbeing hurried away by two Indians. As the arrow leaps from the bow theEsquimau sprang forward in pursuit. The Indians saw him coming. Inbitter anger they prepared to let her go and fly, for having droppedtheir guns in the scuffle they were unable to fire upon theirapproaching foe. But there were other Indians in the bush whose weaponswere levelled at the breast of Maximus, and the next moment would havebeen his last, but for a stone thrown from the cliffs above, whichstruck him on the forehead and stretched him bleeding and insensibleupon the ground.

  When Maximus recovered from the effects of the blow, he found himselflying on the cold earth in total darkness, and firmly bound hand andfoot. It is impossible to describe the agony of that bold spirit as helay writhing on the ground, in the vain effort to burst the cords thatbound him. He thought of Aneetka and his own utter helplessness, whileshe was, no doubt, in urgent need of his strong arm to deliver her. Thethought maddened him, and again he strove in vain to burst his fetters,and yelled aloud in despair. The echoing rocks gave back his cry, andthen all was silence. The dreadful thought now flashed across him thatthe Indians had buried him alive in some dark cavern, and brave thoughhe was, he trembled in every limb with agony.

  Thus Maximus lay until the grey dawn shone in upon him, and showed thathe was in a cave. Scarcely had he noted this fact when the figure of aman darkened the cave's mouth and approached him. As the Indian bentover his helpless foe he revealed the savage features of Meestagoosh.For an instant he cast a look of mingled hatred and triumph on hisenemy; then drawing a scalping-knife from his girdle, he stooped and cutthe thong that bound his feet, at the same time signing to him to rise,for he knew that Maximus did not understand Indian. The Esquimauobeyed, and was led by the Indian through the woods towards the cliffwhere the struggle of the previous night had taken place. Here theycame suddenly into view of the Indian camp.

  There were no tents: several green blankets that lay on the moss underthe trees indicated where the party had lain during the night; and at aconsiderable distance apart from these sat Old Moggy, with her faceburied in her skinny hands. Beside her stood Aneetka, with a calm butslightly anxious expression on her pale countenance. Chimo was held ina leash by an Indian. From the fact of the Indians being without tentsor women, and having their faces daubed with red paint, besides beingarmed with knives, guns, and tomahawks, Maximus concluded that theycomposed a war party.

  On seeing her husband, Aneetka uttered a suppressed cry and boundedtowards him; but ere she had proceeded two paces an Indian laid his handon her arm, and led her back to where the old woman sat. Meestagooshled Maximus to the same spot, and having confronted him with his wife,he said to the latter,--"Now, she-bear of the north, translate betweenus. If I think you tell lies, the dogs shall have your bones to pick."

  Aneetka replied meekly, "You cannot hurt one hair of our heads unlessthe Great Spirit permit you."

  "We shall see," retorted the Indian with a scornful laugh. "Tell thepolar bear," continued Meestagoosh, in a contemptuous tone, "that I didnot expect to catch him so soon. I have been fortunate. It was kind ofhim to come in my way, and to bring his she-bear with him. Tell himthat I and my braves are going to pay a visit to his nation, to take afew scalps. I let him know this piece of good news because he willnever know it from his friends, as he shall be food for dog very soon."

  On this being translated, the face of Maximus assume
d an expression ofdeep gravity mingled with sadness. His mind flew to the far north, andhe thought of the midnight assault and the death-cry of women andchildren. The nature of the Esquimau was too noble and generous to beeasily ruffled by the contemptuous tone of such a man as Meestagoosh;but his heart sank within him when he thought of the power as well asthe will that the Indian had to put his threat into execution.

  "Tell him," said Maximus quietly, "that I have no wish to talk with him,but remind him that Indians are not gods; they are men."

  "Yes, he says truly," retorted Meestagoosh, "the Indians are men, butEsquimaux are dogs."

  While this conversation was going on, and the Indians were intent uponthe scene, Old Moggy, who was not deemed worthy of being noticed,contrived unobserved to possess herself of a knife, and springingsuddenly towards Maximus with an agility of which she seemed utterlyincapable, she endeavoured to cut the thongs that bound his arms. Herhand was caught, however, by Meestagoosh, in time to frustrate herintention. Without deigning a word of remark, the Indian struck her aheavy blow on the cheek with the back of his open hand, which nearlystunned her. Staggering backward, she fell upon the ground with a lowwail.

  The bosom of Maximus felt as if it would burst with rage. Before anyone could prevent him, he raised his foot and struck Meestagoosh soviolently on the chest that he fell as if he had been shot. In a momenthe recovered, drew his knife, and springing like an infuriated tiger athis enemy, drove it with deadly force at his throat. Fortunately thearms of Maximus were tied in front of him, so that by raising them hewas enabled to guard his chest and receive the stab on his wrist. Theknife passed quite through the fleshy part of his left arm, but in doingso it severed one of the cords that bound him. Thought is not quickerthan the mighty wrench with which the Esquimau burst the remaining cordand dashed his opponent to the ground. Before the astonished Indianscould level their guns, Maximus had seized Aneetka in his arms and wasbounding madly towards the cliff, which was not more than fifty yardsdistant. Every gun poured forth its deadly contents before he gainedit; but his very nearness to the Indians seemed to contribute to hissafety, and the suddenness of his flight rendered their hasty aimuncertain. In another moment he was round the point and behind thesheltering cliff, while the Indians uttered a terrific yell and dartedforward in pursuit. Just about thirty paces beyond the point of thecliff that hid him for a few moments from view was the cave in whichMaximus had spent the night. Quick as thought he sprang up the steepshort ascent that led to its narrow entrance and darted in.

  Scarcely had he placed Aneetka behind a projection that formed an ampleshelter at the mouth of the cave, when Chimo, who had broken from hiscaptors, also darted in and crouched at his master's feet. Meanwhilethe Indians came sweeping round the point, and seeing by the entrance ofthe dog where the fugitives had taken shelter, they bounded up theascent. The first who reached the cave's mouth rashly passed theentrance. Ere he could fire his piece he received a blow from the fistof the Esquimau that fractured his skull, hurled him down the steepascent, and dashed him against his comrades in the rear. This suddenrepulse effectually checked the Indians, who are notoriously bad atstorming. Indeed they would never have ventured to enter the cave inthis manner had they not known that Maximus was totally unarmed.

  Withdrawing to a distance of about forty yards, the Indians now formedin a line, and loading their guns, fired volley after volley into thecave's mouth. But Maximus and his wife crouched with the dog behind theledge of rock at the entrance, and remained there in perfect safety. Ina few minutes the Indians ceased firing, and one of their numbercautiously approached the cave, supposing, no doubt, that the fusillademust have wounded if it had not killed those within; but the instant hepassed the entrance, knife in hand, he was caught in the powerful armsof Maximus and hurled down the slope.

  A yell of indignation from the Indians followed this feat, and anothervolley was fired into the cave, but without effect; and the savages,seeing that it was impossible in this way to dislodge their foe,assembled in a group to consult.

  Meanwhile Old Moggy had made good use of the opportunity thus affordedher to effect her escape. She darted into the bushes and made for therocky ground in the rear of the camp. In doing so she happened to passthe tree against which leaned the two guns belonging to her friends.They had escaped notice during the _melee_ of the previous day, and,with the shot-belts and powder-horns, remained where they had beenplaced when she and her companions landed. The old woman eagerly seizedthese, and clambered with them over the rocks at a rate that would havedone credit to more youthful limbs. On reaching a ridge of rock thatoverlooked the cave where Maximus was sheltered, Old Moggy became awareof how matters stood. She could also see, from her elevated position,that a track, or the bed of a dried-up watercourse, led through thebushes towards the cave. Without a moment's delay she descended it;but, on drawing near to the cave, she found that there was a barren spotof about thirty yards in extent between the place of refuge and the edgeof the bushes. This open space was completely exposed to the view ofthe natives, who at that time were firing across it into the cavern;for, after their consultation, they had changed their position andrenewed the fusillade. Moggy was now in despair. She knew that itwould be impossible to pass the open ground without being shot, and shealso felt certain that, when the Indians found their present attemptswere fruitless, they would resort to others, in prosecuting which theywould in all probability discover her. While she meditated thus, shelooked earnestly towards the cave, and observed the astonished gaze ofMaximus fixed upon her; for, from his position behind the ledge of rock,he could see the old woman without exposing himself to the Indians.While they gazed at each other a thought occurred to Old Moggy. Shemade a series of complicated signs, which, after frequent repetition,were understood by Maximus to mean that he was to expose himself to theview of the Indians. Instantly comprehending her meaning, the Esquimaustepped boldly from his place of concealment and shook his fistcontemptuously in the face of his enemies. A shower of bullets and ayell of rage followed the act. This was just what Old Moggy hadexpected and desired. Not a gun remained undischarged, and before theycould reload, she passed quickly over the open ground and bounded intothe cave, where she turned and shook aloft the two guns with a hoarselaugh of triumph ere she sought the shelter of the ledge of rock.

  The Indians were so filled with fury at being thus outwitted by an oldwoman, that they forgot for a moment their usual caution, and rushed ina body up the slope; but ere they had accomplished half the distance twoof their number fell, to rise no more. This was sufficient to checktheir career. Howling with baffled rage, and without waiting to pick uptheir fallen comrades, they darted right and left to seek the shelter ofthe bushes, for they could no longer remain in the open ground, now thattheir enemies were armed.

  For nearly an hour after this all was silence. Maximus and hiscompanions could only form conjectures as to the movements of theIndians, for none of them were to be seen. However, as they had noresource but to remain in their retreat until night-fall, theyendeavoured to make the place as comfortable as possible, and busiedthemselves in cleaning their arms.

  It happened that from the cave's mouth they could see their canoe, whichstill lay on the beach where they had originally left it; and, whilethey were looking at it, they perceived one of the Indians stealing downtowards it. Fortunately Maximus had a gun in his hand ready loaded, andthe instant the Indian appeared he fired and shot him. No second Indiandared to venture towards the little craft, although it lay only a fewyards distant from the edge of the forest; for they knew that thewatchful eye of the Esquimau was upon them, and that instant death wouldbe the fate of him who should make the attempt. The little canoe nowbecame an object of intense interest to both parties. The Indians knewthat if their foe should succeed in reaching it he could easily escape.This, of course, he could not hope to do as long as daylight lasted; noreven when night should arrive, unless it were a very dark one. But, onthe other ha
nd, they knew that they did not dare to venture near it solong as there was sufficient light to enable Maximus to take aim at themwith his deadly gun. Both parties, therefore, remained silent andapparently inactive during the remainder of the day.

  But the busy brains both of Indians and Esquimaux were, during thisweary interval, employed in planning how to circumvent each other. Asthe shades of night deepened, each became more watchful. Once only didMaximus move from his post, in order to go to the farther end of thecave, where the large powder-horn had been placed for safety. As he didso, Chimo, who was tied to a rock, tried to follow him, and on findingthat he was restrained, uttered a loud, mournful howl. This cry sent athrill to the heart of Maximus, for it immediately occurred to him thatany attempt to leave the cave stealthily would instantly be intimated tothe watchful foe by the dog, and to take Chimo with them was impossible.

  "The dog must die," said Old Moggy, who divined at once what was passingin the man's mind.

  Maximus shook his head sadly.

  "I cannot kill Chimo," he said to Aneetka; "he is Edith's dog."

  Aneetka made no reply, for she felt the power of her husband's objectionto injure the dog of his little favourite; yet she could not butperceive that the cry--which was invariably repeated when any of theparty moved away from the animal--would betray them in the moment ofdanger. Nothing further was said for some time, but Old Moggy, who hadno tender reminiscences or feelings in regard to the dog, proceededquietly and significantly to construct a running-noose on the stoutthong of leather that encircled her waist and served as a sash.

  While she was thus engaged the sun's last rays faded away and the nightbegan to deepen around them. To the satisfaction of both parties thesky was draped with heavy clouds, which gave promise of a night ofintense darkness. This was absolutely essential not only to the Indiansbut to Maximus, who had at length formed a plan by which he hoped toturn the dreaded cry of the dog to good account, although he had littlehope of saving it from the Indians, should he succeed in escaping withthe women. As the night grew darker he began to put this plan inexecution.

  Taking his station at the entrance of the cave, he took a long andsteady aim at the bow of the canoe, which could now be only seen dimly.Having adjusted the gun to his satisfaction he marked its positionexactly on the rock, so that, when the canoe should be entirely hid fromsight, he could make certain of hitting any object directly in front ofit. Then he ordered Moggy and his wife to keep moving about the cave,so that the howling of Chimo should be kept up continually, and thus notappear unusual when they should really forsake the cave and attempttheir escape. In order to show that he was still on the alert, heshortly after aimed at the canoe, which was now quite invisible, andfired. The effect was more startling than had been expected. Adeath-cry rent the air and mingled with the reverberations of the shot,proving that it had taken deadly effect on one of the Indians, who,under cover of the darkness, had ventured to approach the coveted canoe.A volley was instantly fired in the direction of the cave from variousparts of the bushes, but without effect.

  Maximus now kept up a continued fire, sometimes discharging a successionof rapid shots, at other times firing at irregular intervals of fromthree to ten minutes. This he did purposely, with a view to his futureplans. In the meantime the dog was made to keep up a continuoushowling.

  "Now, Aneetka," said Maximus, as the ring of his last shot died away,"go, and may the Great Spirit guide thee!"

  Without a word of reply, the two women glided noiselessly like shadowsinto the thick darkness. About two minutes after they had disappeared,Maximus again fired several shots, taking care, however, to pointconsiderably to the right of the canoe. Then he ceased for threeminutes, and again fired several shots irregularly. At the last shot hepassed from the cave so silently and quickly that even Chimo wasdeceived, and snuffed the air for a moment ere it renewed its sadwailing. In less than two minutes the Esquimau had glided, with thenoiseless tread of a panther, to the spot where the canoe lay. Here hefound his wife and the old woman crouching beside it. The water's edgewas about ten yards distant. A few seconds would suffice to lift thelight bark in his powerful arms and launch it. Aneetka and the oldwoman, who had already received minute instructions what to do, hadglided quietly into the sea the instant Maximus touched them; for, as wehave said, it was intensely dark and they could not see a yard beforethem. The women now stood up to the knees in water, with their paddlesin their hands ready to embark.

  Stooping down, the Esquimau seized the canoe; but, just as he was aboutto lift it, he observed a tall dark object close to his side.

  "Wah!" whispered the Indian, "you are before me. Quick! the Esquimaudog will fire again."

  The words of the Indian were cut short by the iron gripe of Maximus onhis throat, and the next instant he was felled by a blow that would havestunned an ox. So decided and quick was the action that it was notaccompanied by more noise than might have been caused by the Indianendeavouring to lift the canoe, so that his comrades were not alarmed.Next moment the canoe was in the water. But the long silence, which hadnow been unbroken for eight or ten minutes, except by the howling ofChimo in the cave, began to arouse the suspicion of the red men; and nosooner was this the case than they glided from the bushes in alldirections with noiseless tread. In a second or two the body of theirfallen comrade was discovered, and a yell of fury rent the air (forconcealment was now unnecessary), while they dashed into the water inpursuit. The darkness favoured the fugitives for a few seconds, andenabled the women to embark; but just as Maximus was about to step intohis place, Meestagoosh seized him by the throat!

  Maximus was possessed of that ready presence of mind and prompt energyof character which are so necessary to a warrior, especially to him whowars with the prowling and stealthy savage. Almost in the same instanthe gave the canoe a shove that sent it bounding out to sea, and raisedhis hand to catch the invisible arm which he knew must be descendingwith the deadly knife towards his heart. He succeeded so far that,although he did not arrest it, he turned the blow aside, receiving onlya slight wound on the shoulder. Ere it could be repeated, he dealt hisadversary a blow on the forehead, and hurled him back insensible intothe water.

  The Esquimau immediately glided out into deep water; and now, for thefirst time in his life, he felt keenly the disadvantage of not beingable to swim. This is an art which the inhabitants of the icy seas havenever acquired, owing probably to the shortness of the season of openwater, and the intense cold of the ice-laden seas, even in summer. TheIndians, on the contrary, who live beside the warm lakes and rivers ofthe interior, are many of them pretty expert swimmers. Thus it happenedthat Maximus was obliged to stand up to his neck in the water, notdaring to move or utter a sound, while his friends and foes alike soughtin vain for him in the darkness.

  While he stood thus, uncertain how to act, he heard the water ripplingnear to him, and distinguished the hard breathing of a swimmer. Soon heobserved a dark head making straight towards him. A sarcastic smileplayed for a moment on the face of the gigantic Esquimau, as he thoughtof the ease with which he should crush his approaching foe; and his handwas already raised to strike when it was arrested by a low whine, andthe next moment Chimo was endeavouring to clamber upon his shoulder!

  It instantly occurred to Maximus that he might turn the dog's swimmingpowers to good account. Seizing Chimo by the flanks with both hands, heturned its head out to sea, and keeping it in that position, was draggedinto deep water. When he had been thus conveyed what appeared to beabout fifty yards, he uttered a low cry. He was heard by the Indians aswell as by those in the canoe; but the latter happened to be nearer tothe spot, and a few strokes of the paddles sent them alongside of theircomrade, who quickly caught the stern of the bark. The women pliedtheir paddles, the Esquimau gave a shout of triumph, and half immersedin the water, was dragged away from shore. A yell of anger, and, soonafter, a desultory discharge of firearms, told that the Indians hadgiven up the chase.

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sp; But it was now a question how Maximus was to be got into the canoe. Thefrail bark was so crank that a much lighter weight than that of theburly Esquimau would have upset it easily; and as the stern was sharp,there was no possibility of climbing over it. This was a matter ofconsiderable anxiety, for the water was excessively cold, being ladenwith ice out at sea. While in this dilemma, the canoe grated on a rock,and it was discovered that in the dark they had well-nigh run against alow cape that jutted far out from the land at this part of the coast.Here Maximus and the dog landed, and while the one shook its wet sides,the other wrung the moisture from his garments; after which necessaryoperation he leaped, with his canine friend, into the canoe, and theypushed well out to sea.

  When daylight returned, they were far beyond the reach of their Indianenemies.

  CHAPTER THIRTY SIX.

  HAPPY MEETINGS AND JOYOUS FEASTINGS--LOVE, MARRIAGE, DESERTION,DESOLATION, AND CONCLUSION.

  After the escape narrated in the last chapter, the stout Esquimau andhis companions travelled in safety; for they had passed the country ofthe Indians, and were now near the lands of their own people.

  But if Maximus had not now to fight with men, he was not exempted fromdoing fierce battle with the elements of these inhospitable climes. Forhundreds of miles he travelled along the east coast of Hudson's Bay andthe southern shores of the Straits, now driven ashore by the storm, anoninterrupted by drift-ice, and obliged to carry his canoe for miles andmiles on his shoulders, while the faithful Aneetka trudged by his side,happy as the day was long; for, although her load was necessarily aheavy one, her love for Maximus made it rest lighter than the eider-downthat floated from her fingers when she plucked the wild birds for theirevening meal. Moggy, too, waddled along after her own fashion, with aresolution and energy that said much for her strength and constitution.She only carried the light paddles and a few trifling articles that didnot incommode her much.

  During the spring and summer and autumn they pursued their arduousjourney, living from hand to mouth on the produce of their guns, nets,seal-spears, and fishing-lines, which generally supplied them withenough for their daily wants, sometimes with abundance, but notunfrequently with just sufficient to keep them alive. Three or fourtimes they met with Esquimaux, and rendered essential service to them,and to the fur-traders, by telling them of the new fort at Ungava,recounting the wonders of the store there, and assuring them that thechief desire of the traders, after getting their furs, was to do themgood, and bring about friendly intercourse between them and the Indians.

  Late in the autumn the three voyageurs drew near to Ungava Bay, and inpassing along the coast opposite to the island on which Edith had spentthe winter, they overtook Annatock and his whole tribe, with a flotillaof oomiaks and kayaks, on their way to the same place. At the mouth ofthe bay they were joined by the Esquimaux of False River, who werecarrying supplies of seal-blubber to the fort for the use of the dogs inwinter, and a few deerskins to trade.

  It was a bright and beautiful autumn afternoon (a rare blessing in thatdreary clime) when they passed the narrows of the river, and came insight of Fort Chimo.

  On that day an unusually successful deer-hunt had taken place, and thefiddle had, as Bryan expressed it, been "sarved out" to the men, for thepurpose of rejoicing their hearts with sweet sounds. On that day asmall band of Indians had arrived with a rich and unusually large stockof furs, among which there were one or two silver foxes and a choice lotof superb martens. This tended to gladden the heart of Stanley; andtruly he needed such encouragement. At one of the Company's inlandtrading-posts such a bundle of furs would have been received as a matterof common occurrence; but it was otherwise with the poverty-strickenUngava, from which so much had been expected before its dreary, barrencharacter was known.

  On that day, too, a picturesque iceberg had grounded near the fort athigh water, and Frank took Edith in the small canoe to paddle her amongits peaked and fantastic fragments.

  "You will be steersman and sit in the stern, Eda," said Frank, as theyembarked. "I will stand in the bow and keep you clear of ice-tongues."

  "How beautiful!" exclaimed the delighted child, as their light craftglided in and out among the icy pinnacles which overhung them in someplaces as they passed. "Don't you hear a strange noise, Frank?"

  Truly Frank did hear a strange noise, and beheld a strange sight, for atthat moment the Esquimau flotilla passed the narrows and swept round thebay; while the natives, excited by their unusual numbers and theunexpected return of Maximus, yelled and screamed and threw about theirarms in a manner that defies description.

  "There must be strangers among them," said Frank, as he paddled towardsthe shore; "they are too numerous for our friends of False River."

  "That seems to be an Indian canoe coming on ahead," remarked Stanley,who, along with his wife and most of the men, had hurried to the beachon hearing the shouts of the approaching multitude.

  "Can it be possible?" exclaimed Frank, as the canoe drew near; "does itnot look like Maximus--eh?"

  "Oh! o-o-o-oh! there's Chimo!" screamed Edith, her eyes dancing withmingled amazement and delight.

  The dog in his anxiety to reach the shore had leaped into the water; buthe had miscalculated his powers of swimming, for the canoe instantlydarted ahead. However, he was close on the heels of Maximus.

  "Give him a chare, bays," cried Bryan, as he ran down to the beachwaving a large hammer round his head. "Now thin, hooray!"

  The appeal was responded to with heartfelt energy by the whole party, astheir old comrade sprang from the canoe, and leaving his wife to lookafter herself, ran toward Stanley and Frank and grasped them warmly bythe hands, while his huge face beamed with emotion.

  "I hope that's your wife you've brought with you, Maximus," saidStanley.

  "I can answer for that," said Frank; "I know her pretty face well."

  "Ah! le poor chien," cried La Roche; "it vill eat Miss Edith, I ver'much b'lieve, voila!"

  This seemed not unlikely, for the joy manifested by poor Chimo at thesight of his young mistress was of a most outrageous character, insomuchthat the child was nearly overturned by the dog's caresses.

  "Musha! what have ye got there, Maximus?" said Bryan, who had beengazing for some time past in solemn wonder at the figure of Old Moggy,who, regardless of the noise and excitement around her, was quietlycarrying the goods and chattels from the canoe to the beach. "Shureye've found yer ould grandmother. She's the mortial parsonification ofmy own mother. Faix if it wasn't that her proboscis is a taste longer,I'd swear it was herself."

  At this point Massan stepped forward and took Maximus by the arm.

  "Come along, lad; there's too much row here for a comfortable palaver;bring your wife wi' you. Ye've run out o' baccy, now? Of coorse yehave. Come, then, to the house; I'll fill yer pipe and pouch, too,boy.--See after his canoe, La Roche; and bring the old ooman, Bryan."

  "Mind yer own consarns an' let yer shupariors proceed ye," said Bryan,as he shoved past, and tucking Old Moggy's arm within his own, marchedoff in triumph to the fort.

  Meanwhile, the main body of Esquimaux had landed, and the noise andconfusion on the shore were so great that scarcely an intelligible soundcould be heard. In the midst of all this, and while yet engaged incaressing Chimo, Edith felt some one pluck her by the sleeve, and onlooking round she beheld the smiling faces of her old friends Arnalooaand Okatook. Scarcely had she bestowed a hearty welcome on them, whenshe was startled by an ecstatic yell of treble laughter close to herear; and turning quickly round, she beheld the oily visage of Kaga withthe baby--_the_ baby--in her hood, stark naked, and revelling in mirthas if that emotion of the mind were its native element--as indeed itwas, if taken in connection with seal-fat.

  Scarcely had she recovered from her delight at this meeting, when shewas again startled by a terrific shout, and immediately after Peetootperformed a violent dance around her, expressive of unutterable joy, andfinished off by suddenly seizing her in his arms, after which he fled,hor
rified at his own presumption.

  To escape from this scene of confusion the traders returned to the fort,having directed the Esquimaux to pitch their camp on the point below;after which they were to assemble in the yard, for the double purpose ofpalavering and receiving a present of tobacco.

  That night was spent by the inhabitants of Fort Chimo in rejoicing. Inher own little room Edith entertained a select tea-party, composed ofArnalooa, Okatook, Peetoot, Chimo, and the baby; and really it would bedifficult to say which of them made most noise or which behaved mostobstreperously. Upon mature consideration we think that Chimo behavedbest; but that, all things considered, is not saying much for him. Werather think the baby behaved worst. Its oily visage shone again like alustrous blob of fat, and its dimples glided about the surface in anendless game of hide-and-seek! As for Peetoot, he laughed and yelleduntil the tears ran over his cheeks, and more than once, in the excessof his glee, he rubbed noses with Chimo--a piece of familiarity whichthat sagacious animal was at length induced to resent and put a stop toby a gentle and partial display of two tremendous rows of white ivory.

  In the hall Stanley held a levee that lasted the greater part of theevening; and in the men's house a ball was got up in honour of thegiant's return with his long-lost Aneetka.

  Ah, reader! although the countenances of the men assembled there weresunburnt and rough, and their garments weather-worn and coarse, andtheir language and tones unpolished, think not that their hearts wereless tender or sympathetic than the hearts of those who are nurtured insofter scenes than the wilds of Ungava. Their laugh was loud anduproarious, it is true, but there was genuine, heartfelt reality in it.Their sympathy was boisterously expressed, mayhap, if expressed at all,but it was truly and deeply felt, and many an unbidden tear glanced fromthe bronzed cheeks of these stalwart men of the north, as they shooktheir gigantic comrade by the hand and wished him joy, and kissed hisblooming bride.

  Aneetka had long since laid aside her native garb, and wore the moregraceful and womanly costume of the Indian women, and Maximus wore thecapote and leggings of the voyageur. But there were not wantinggentlemen from the camp at the point whose hairy garments and hoods,long hair and beards, did honour to the race of the Esquimaux; and therewere present ladies from the same place, each of whom could a _tail_unfold that would have been the admiration and envy of tadpoles, had anysuch creatures been there to see them. They wore boots too, to which,in width at least, those worn by fishermen are nothing. Some of themcarried babies in their hoods--little naked imps, whose bodies and headswere dumplings (suet dumplings, we may add, for the information of thecurious), and whose arms and legs were sausages.

  Bryan was great that night--he was majestic! The fiddle all but spoke,and produced a sensation of dancing in the toes of even those whohappened to be seated. Bryan was great as a linguist, too, andexhibited his powers in this respect with singular felicity in the vocalentertainment that followed the dancing. The Esquimau language seemed amere trifle to him, and he conversed, while playing the violin, withseveral "purty craytures" in their native tongue, with an amount ofvolubility quite surprising. Certainly it cannot be said that thosewhom he addressed expressed much intelligence; but Esquimaux are notusually found to be quick in their perceptions. Perchance Bryan wasmetaphysical!

  Mirth, hearty, _real_ mirth reigned at the fort, not only that day, butfor many a day afterwards; for the dangers, and troubles, and anxietiesof the first year were past. Hope in the future was strong, despite thepartial failures that had been experienced; and through the goodness ofGod, all those who composed the original band of the "forlorn hope" werereunited, after many weary months of travel, danger, and anxiety, duringpart of which a dark and dreary cloud (now happily dispelled) hadsettled down on Fort Chimo.

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  Years have rolled away since the song and shout of the fur-trader firstawakened the echoes of Ungava. Its general aspect is still the same,for there is no change in the everlasting hills. In summer the deerstill wander down the dark ravines and lave their flanks in the river'sswelling tide, and in winter the frost-smoke still darkens the air andbroods above the open water of the sea; but Fort Chimo, the joy andwonder of the Esquimaux and the hope of the fur-trader, is gone, and agreen patch of herbage near the flat rock beside the spring aloneremains to mark the spot where once it stood.

  In the course of time the changes that took place in the arrangements ofthe Fur Company required the presence of Stanley at another station, andhe left Ungava with his wife and child. The gentleman who succeeded himwas a bold, enterprising Scottish Highlander, whose experience in thefur trade and energy of character were a sufficient guarantee that thebest and the utmost would be done for the interests of the Company inthat quarter. But however resolute a man may be, he cannot make furs ofhard rocks, nor convert a scene of desolation into a source of wealth.Vigorously he wrought and long he suffered, but at length he wascompelled to advise the abandonment of the station. The Governor of theCompany--a man of extraordinary energy and success in developing theresources of the sterile domains over which he ruled--was fain to admitat last that the trade of Ungava would not pay. The order to retreatwas as prompt and decisive as the command to advance. A vessel was sentout to remove the goods, and in a brief space of time Fort Chimo wasdismantled and deserted.

  The Esquimaux and Indians soon tore down and appropriated to their ownuse the frames of the buildings, and such of the materials of the fortas had been left standing; and the few remnants that were deemedworthless were finally swept away and every trace of them obliterated bythe howling storms that rage almost continually around these desolatemountains.

  And now, reader, it remains for me to dismiss the characters who haveplayed their part in this brief tale. Of most of them, however, I havebut little to say, for they are still alive, scattered far and widethroughout the vast wilderness of Rupert's Land, each acting his busypart in a new scene; for it is frequently the fate of those who enterthis wild and stirring service to be associated for a brief season underone roof, and then broken up and scattered over the land, never again tobe reunited.

  George Stanley, after a long sojourn in the backwoods, retired from theservice, and, with his family, proceeded to Canada, where he purchased asmall farm. Here Edith waxed strong and beautiful, and committedappalling havoc among the hearts of the young men for thirty milesaround her father's farm. But she favoured no one, and at the age ofseventeen acquired the name of being the coldest as well as the mostbeautiful and modest girl in the far west.

  There was a thin young man, with weak limbs and a tendency to fall intoa desponding state of mind, who lived about three miles from MrStanley's farm. This young man's feelings had been so often laceratedby hopes and fears in reference to the fair Edith, that he mounted hispony one evening in desperation, and galloped away in hot haste todeclare his passion, and realise or blast his hopes for ever. As heapproached the villa, however, he experienced a sensation of emptinessabout the region of the stomach, and regretted that he had not takenmore food at dinner. Having passed the garden gate, he dismounted,fastened his pony to a tree, and struck across the shrubbery towards thehouse with trembling steps. As he proceeded, he received a terrificshock by observing the flutter of a scarf, which he knew intuitivelybelonged to Edith. The scarf disappeared within a bower which stood notmore than twenty yards distant from him, close beside the avenue thatled to the house. By taking two steps forward he could have seen Edith,as she sat in the bower gazing with a pensive look at the distantprospect of hill and dale, river and lake, in the midst of which shedwelt; but the young man could as easily have leaped over Stanley'svilla, farm and all, as have taken these two steps. He essayed to doso; but he was rooted to the ground as firmly as the noble trees underwhich he stood. At length, by a great effort, he managed to crawl--ifwe may so express it--to within a few yards of the bower, from which hewas now concealed only by a few bushes; but just
as he had screwed uphis soul to the sticking point, and had shut his eyes preparatory tomaking a rush and flinging himself on his knees at Edith's feet, he wasstruck powerless by the sound of a deep sigh, and, a moment after, wasall but annihilated by a cough!

  Suddenly the sound of horse-hoofs was heard clattering up the avenue.On came the rider, as if in urgent haste. In a few seconds a curve inthe avenue brought him into view. He was a man of handsome and massiveproportions, and bestrode a black charger that might have carried aheavy dragoon like a feather. A wheel-barrow had been left across thetrack, over which the steed went with an easy yet heavy bound,betokening well-balanced strength and weight; and a bright smile lightedup the rider's bronzed face for an instant, as his straw-hat blew off inthe leap and permitted his curling hair to stream out in the wind. Ashe passed the bower at a swinging gallop, an exclamation of surprisefrom Edith attracted his attention. The charger's hoofs spurned thegravel while he was reined up so violently that he was thrown on hishaunches, and almost before the thin young man could wink in order toclear his vision, this slashing cavalier sprang to the ground andentered the bower.

  There was a faint scream, which was instantly followed by a sound sopeculiar that it sent a thrill of dismay to the cavity in which theheart of the weak young man had once lodged. Stretching out his hand heturned aside the branches, and was brought to the climax ofconsternation by beholding Edith in the arms of the tall stranger!Bewildered in the intellect, and effectually crippled about the kneesand ankles, he could only gaze and listen.

  "So you have come--at last!" whispered Edith, while a brilliant blushoverspread her fair cheek.

  "O Edith!" murmured the stalwart cavalier, in a deep musical voice, "howmy heart has yearned for this day! How I have longed to hear your sweetand well-remembered voice! In the desolate solitudes of the far north Ihave thought of you. Amid the silent glades of the forest, when aloneand asleep on my mossy couch or upon my bed of snow, I have dreamed ofyou--dreamed of you as you were, a fair, sweet, happy child, when wewandered together among the mountains of Ungava--and dreamed of you as Ifancied you must have become, and as I now find you to be. Yes, belovedgirl, my heart has owned but one image since we parted, years ago, onthe banks of the Caniapuscaw River. Your letters have been my bosomfriends in all my long, long wanderings through the wilderness; and thehope of seeing you has gladdened my heart and nerved my arm. I haveheard your sighs in every gentle air that stirred the trees, and yourmerry laugh in the rippling waters. Even in the tempest's roar and thethundering cataract I have fancied that I heard you calling forassistance; and many a time and oft I have leaped from my couch to findthat I did but dream. But they were pleasant and very precious dreamsto me. O Edith! I have remembered you, and thought of you, and lovedyou, through months and years of banishment! And now--"

  Again was heard the peculiar sound that had thrilled with dismay thebosom of the weak young man.

  "Halo! whence came this charger?" shouted a hale, hearty voice, asStanley walked towards the bower. "Eh! what have we here?" heexclaimed, rushing forward and seizing the stranger in hisarms,--"Frank--Frank Morton!"

  This was too much. The weak young man suddenly became strong asHercules. He turned and fled down the avenue like a deer. The pony,having managed to unfasten its bridle, stood in the centre of the waygazing down the avenue with its back towards its master. Unwonted firenerved the youth's limbs; with one bound he vaulted leap frog over theanimal's back into the saddle, dashed his spurs into its sides, and fledlike a whirlwind from the scene of his despair.

  Frank Morton and George Stanley, being both men of promptitude anddecision, resolved that one month was long enough to make preparationsfor the marriage; and Edith, being the most dutiful daughter that everlived, did what she was bid.

  That beautiful cottage which stands in the midst of most exquisitescenery, about two miles from Stanley's villa, is inhabited by FrankMorton and his family. That crow which you have just heard proceed fromthe nursery was uttered by the youngest of five; and yonder little boywith broad shoulders, who thrusts his hands into his pockets in adecided manner, and whistles vociferously as he swaggers down theavenue, is Master George F. Morton, on his way to school.

  La Roche and Bryan were so fortunate as to be appointed to the sameestablishment after leaving Ungava--somewhere near the mouth of theMackenzie River, and within the region of all but perpetual frost andsnow. They are sometimes visited by Esquimaux, which is fortunate; for,as Bryan says, "it guves him an opportunity o' studyin' the peecoolierdialects o' their lingo."

  Dick Prince was the only one who lost his life in the "forlorn-hope."He was drowned while out shooting in the bay alone in his canoe. Asudden storm upset his frail bark and left him struggling in the water.Prince was a strong swimmer, and he battled long for his life; but theice-laden sea benumbed his hardy limbs, and he sank at last, without acry, to rise no more. He was a noble specimen of his class--a brave,modest, unobtrusive son of the forest, beloved and respected by hiscompanions; and when his warm heart ceased to beat, it was felt by allthat a bright star of the wilderness had been quenched for ever. Hisbody was found next day on the beach, and was interred by his mourningcomrades in a little spot of ground behind the fort. It was many a longday after this melancholy event ere Massan could smile; and when thefort was finally deserted, he put in practice his long-meditatedintention of becoming a hunter and taking to the Rocky Mountains, wherehe wanders now, if he has escaped the claws of the dreaded grizzly bearand the scalping-knife of the Red Indian.

  Moses, finding the life of a fur-trader not quite to his taste, rejoinedhis countrymen, and reverted to killing seals and eating raw blubber.The two Indians also returned to a purely savage life, which, indeed,they had only forsaken for a time. Augustus and Oolibuck died; and thelatter left a son, who has already rendered good service as interpreterto the arctic expeditions, as his worthy father did before him.Francois and Gaspard are still together at one of the posts of theinterior. They are now fast friends, and have many a talk over the dayswhen they quarrelled and messed together at Fort Chimo.

  As for the poor Esquimaux, they were for a time quite inconsolable atthe departure of the fur-traders, and with a species of childlikesimplicity, hung about the bay, in the hope that they might, after all,return. Then they went off in a body to the westward, and the region ofUngava, to which they had never been partial, was left in its originaldreary solitude. It may be that some good had been done to the souls ofthese poor natives during their brief intercourse with the traders. Wecannot tell, and we refrain from guessing or speculating on a subject soserious. But of this we are assured--if one grain of the good seed hasbeen sown, it may long lie dormant, but it _cannot_ die.

  Maximus accompanied his countrymen, along with Aneetka and Old Moggy,who soon assumed the native costume, and completely identified herselfwith the Esquimaux. Maximus was now a great man among his people, whoregarded with deep respect the man who had travelled through the landsof the Indians, had fought with the red men, single-handed, and hadvisited the fur-traders of the south. But the travelled Esquimaux wasin reality a greater man than his fellows supposed him to be. He fullyappreciated the advantages to be derived from a trading-post near theirice-girt lands, and resolved, when opportunity should offer, to do allin his power to strengthen the friendship now subsisting between theIndians and the Esquimaux of Ungava, and to induce his countrymen, ifpossible, to travel south towards the establishment on James's Bay.

  He still retains, however, a lingering affection for the spot where hehad spent so many happy days, and at least once a year he undertakes asolitary journey to the rugged mountains that encircled Fort Chimo. Asin days of yore, with wallet on shoulder and seal-spear in hand, thegiant strides from rock to rock along the now silent banks of theCaniapuscaw River. Once again he seats himself on the flat rock besidethe spring, and gazes round in sadness on those wild, majestic hills, orbends his eye upon the bright green spot that indicates the ancient siteo
f the trading-post, not a vestige of which is now visible, save thelittle wooden cross that marks the lonely grave of Dick Prince; and thebroad chest of the giant heaves with emotion as he views these recordsof the past, and calls to mind the merry shouts and joyous songs thatused to gladden that dreary spot, the warm hearth at which he was wontto find a hearty welcome, and the kind comrades who are now gone forever. Ungava spreads, in all its dark sterility, around him, as it didin the days before the traders landed there; and that bright interval ofbusy life, in which he had acted so prominent a part, seems now but thefleeting fancy of a bright and pleasant dream.

  THE END.