Gulf and Glacier; or, The Percivals in Alaska
Page 4
CHAPTER IV.
THE GLACIER AND THE BEAR.
Thus far the trip had been free from special adventure beyond theordinary happenings in the course of an extraordinary journey. Buton the day following the departure from Banff, one or two incidentsoccurred to break the monotony. In the first place, there was Tom'saffair with the bear. But I must retrace my steps slightly, beforeintroducing Bruin.
The Excursion left Banff on the ninth morning from Boston. The road nowlay through a wilderness of mighty hills. Onward and upward labored thetrain, following the curves of mountain streams, rattling in and outof tunnels, and creeping cautiously over high trestles that creakedominously beneath the heavy cars.
An observation car had been added, and here the Percivals gathered,defying cinders and wintry air. Far above the ravine through which thestubborn Canadian Pacific had pushed its way, they caught glimpsesof snow-banks and glaciers, which sent foaming torrents down themountain-side to join the Kicking-Horse River.
Late in the afternoon they whirled around the last dizzy curve, plungedinto a snow-shed and out again, and halted for the night beside apicturesque little hotel in the very heart of the Selkirks.
Most of the party, including all the Percivals except Tom, at oncestarted along a forest path for new wonders that were said to liebeyond. Adelaide Selborne was too tired to go, and her brother, havingseen her comfortably resting in a delightful little room in the hotel,hurried off to join the rest.
Bessie, who had lingered behind a moment to pick a handful of starrywild flowers, heard his steps and turned to greet him with a brightlook of welcome. "I'm so glad you've come," she said, in her frank way."You see, Randolph has gone ahead with Pet Sibley, and Kittie is withFred, so I was kind of rear-guard, all alone."
"What kind of a flower is that?" he asked.
Bess did not know, nor did her companion.
"It seems so strange to find real wild wild-flowers," she exclaimed."The little home violets and mayflowers seem as tame as possible,compared."
"This forest has never been cut into," observed Rossiter, as theysauntered along the narrow path. The lofty trees, unscarred by axeor fire, towered high above them; beside the path waved tall ferns,starred here and there with boughs of the white blossoms the littleCaptain had been picking. An unseen stream, hastening downward fromfar-away rocky heights, called softly through the dim aisles.
After a mile or two of this thick wood, they emerged upon rough, openground, over which they hurried, crossing a rude bridge which spannedthe torrent, and--there was the Great Glacier of the Selkirks!
Bessie caught her breath, in the wonder and grandeur of it.
For in comparison with this mighty stream of ice, the glaciers ofEurope are but frozen rivulets. All the Swiss glaciers combined wouldnot reach the bulk of this monster, which covers thirty-eight squaremiles of mountain-side with a moving mass of ice five hundred feetthick. It is fitly guarded by the solitary peak of "Sir Donald," whosetop is lost in clouds eight thousand feet above the valley.
They moved forward at length, climbing to the edge of the glacier, andeven mounting upon its wrinkled back.
The advanced division of the party were already quite at home withthe big glacier, and sang their gay songs as merrily as in the cosey"Kamloops." Fred and Randolph caught tin cupfuls of water from an icyrill, and passed it to the rest.
"I wish," said Bessie, "that I could run up to that next corner. Theview would be splendid."
Kittie and the rest were just starting downward. Mr. Selborne heard theCaptain's remark, and instantly was at her side.
"Come on," he said. "We can do it and catch up with the rest beforethey reach the hotel."
Bessie, remembering her experience on Mount Washington the year before,hesitated. But the opportunity was too tempting.
"I'll go," she said hastily, "if you'll hurry, please. Mother willworry about me if I stay up here too long."
Aided by a strong hand and arm, she clambered up over the bowlderswhich lay along the mountain slope in a confused mass.
"There!" she exclaimed, in the same tone of triumph with which she hadannounced the success of her fire on the shores of Nipissing, "we'vedone it, haven't we?"
After all, it was hardly worth the climb, for the newly gained positiononly disclosed further reaches, each promising a better outlook thanthe next below. Rossiter glanced at the gathering clouds.
"Perhaps we'd better start, Miss Bessie," he said, "if you've got yourbreath."
If truth be told, Bess would have liked a little longer rest; but shedid not like to confess the fatigue she felt. Besides, it was all downhill now, so she held out her hand to her companion without misgiving.
Before they had gone twenty yards, moving cautiously down from bowlderto bowlder close beside the ice, the air darkened and a fine rain setin.
SHE CLAMBERED UP OVER THE BOWLDERS.]
"That will hurry the rest along," thought Bessie, "for they're alreadyin the easy part of the path, and they can run." But she said nothingto distress her escort, who was already troubled enough by the prospect.
"Be careful!" he called suddenly, as he saw Bessie spring over a mimicchasm, and barely miss losing her balance on the further side. "Therain makes these rocks slippery, and"--
He was interrupted by a cry from Bess. She sank down on a bowlder andlifted a white face to him.
"My ankle," she said. "I've turned it, and it hurts--dreadfully!"
"Let me help you, dear."
He was used to calling his sister that, you know.
Bessie clung to his arm and tried to rise, but sank back with a sharplittle moan of pain.
"It's no use," she gasped. "I can't stand. You'll have--to go--and sendsomebody up--for me."
She looked so white that he thought she was going to faint. But thelittle Captain had no idea of giving way, if she could possibly helpit.
"Go, please," she repeated, clutching the rough rim of the rock tocontrol herself.
Rossiter looked around, above, below. Not a living creature was insight. It was no use to call for help, in that grim solitude. The raindrifted across the black forest in gray columns.
"Won't you leave me?" pleaded Bessie again.
For reply he stooped, and lifting her in his arms as if she were achild, began to pick his way downward, slowly and cautiously.
At the end of half a dozen rods his breath was gone. He placed hisburden gently on the rocks.
"O, Mr. Selborne!" cried Bess, with quivering lips, "it's hurting youworse than me. Please"--
But he had rested enough, and just smiling for reply, started along thepath once more.
It was now raining heavily, and the traveled way became more and moredifficult to distinguish in the gathering dusk. Bessie was a strong,healthy young girl, and no light weight for a man to carry.
The bridge was reached at last, and, narrow and slippery as it was,stretching above a deep and swift mountain stream, crossed in safety.
In a few moments they were at the edge of the forest; but Rossiter,little used in late years to active sports or athletic exertion of anykind, felt his strength leaving him. Great beads of perspiration stoodon his forehead, though the air was bitter cold and the rain like ice.
He staggered and saved himself with difficulty from falling, withBessie in his arms. As he placed her on the ground at the mossy foot ofa huge tree, he spoke to her, but she did not answer. This time she hadfainted in earnest.
* * * * *
But it is time to return to the solitary representative of the Percivalfamily--or at least of the younger portion of it--who found moreattraction at the base of the mountain than on its lofty and ice-cladslopes. Mr. and Mrs. Percival had gone to the hotel at once, and wereglad to rest there while the tireless young people "explored."
The moment the train had stopped and the passengers began to pour outof the cars, Tom had caught sight of an animal which by this time hadbecome pretty familiar to the travelers; namely, a bea
r. At almostevery station they had passed, since leaving Winnipeg, was one or moreof these furry friends in captivity. Tom had made overtures to all ofthem, sometimes barely escaping a dangerous scratch or bite from thehalf-tamed animals. The boy was just now an ardent naturalist, in hisimpulsive way, and felt a great interest in every strange creature onfour legs--especially bears.
Here was a good chance then, to cultivate Bruin's acquaintance. WhileTom was providing himself with lumps of sugar at the hotel, his sistersand the rest of the party started up the forest path for the Glacier,as we have seen.
"Feed the black bear all you want to, but don't fool with thecinnamon," called the clerk after heedless Tom, who was already out ofhearing.
Blackie was within a few rods of the hotel, and Tom was soon havinggreat fun with him, tossing him lumps of sugar, and then holding themup while the bear, who was only a half-grown cub, stood clumsily onhis hind legs and, supporting himself against the boy's shoulders,stretched out his little gray snout for the coveted sweets.
They were in the midst of their frolic when Tom heard a chain rattle,up toward the woods. Something was moving among the stumps--anotherbear.
"Good-by, Pomp," shouted Tom, letting his shaggy playmate down ratherunceremoniously on all fours. "I must call on your cousin, over there."
Pomp gazed at him with what Tom afterward declared was a most meaninglook in his twinkling eyes, and galloped after him--only to be jerkedsprawling at the end of his tether. Then he sat down, after the mannerof his kind, and watched the retreating form of the dispenser of sugar,shaking his head gloomily.
"I'll save a lump for you and be back before long, old fellow," calledTom encouragingly over his shoulder.
The cinnamon proved to be double the size of his black neighbor.Instead of ambling up to his visitor as the other had done, heretreated a pace or two, and eyed him with such an unpleasantexpression that Tom stopped short.
"Come, Brownie," said he, in his most cajoling tones. "Here's somesugar for you." And he tossed him a lump.
Cinnamon stretched out his paw, raked the lump nearer, and bolted it.The taste was pleasing, and he slowly advanced, dragging his heavychain after him.
"Friendly enough," said Tom to himself. "I'll try him with a lump in myhand."
The bear took it rather too greedily for the comfort of the holder, butseemed in nowise inclined to hostile measures.
"Stand up!"
Bruin clumsily erected himself on his haunches, and caught the sugartossed to him.
Tom was delighted.
"Now put your paws up on my shoulders and get it." He stood back to theanimal and looked at him over his shoulder.
Up came Cinnamon again, though rather sullenly, and reaching both pawsaround Tom's neck from behind, clasped them on the boy's breast.
"There, there!" cried Tom; "that'll do, old fellow. You're too heavyfor me. Get down!"
A low growl from a shaggy throat within three inches of Tom's ear, wasthe only reply.
Tom held up his last lump of sugar, and while his unwelcomecomrade-in-arms was crunching it, strove to wriggle himself from thebear's embrace.
It was of no use. The big, furry necklace only clasped the moretightly, and the menacing growl came again deeper than before.
The boy's courage began to fail him. He looked down at the two greatpaws on his chest, armed with long, sharp claws. The bear's breath camehot and fast on the back of his neck.
"Halloo! help!" shouted Tom desperately.
A savage snarl from the rear told him that a repetition of the crymight be fatal to him. The bear's patience began to give out. Thegrowls came nearer together, and more angrily. Every moment Tomexpected to feel those long, white teeth in his scalp. To make mattersworse, he now seemed to remember the words the hotel man had shoutedafter him, though he had paid no attention to them at the time.
If Randolph and the rest would only come! It was not like a fight witha wild bear. That would be bad enough. But to be killed by a chainedbeast, as a result of his own folly!
Both hope and courage were at the lowest ebb, and the danger reallyvery great, when Tom's hand felt in the lining of his coat a hard bunch.
Cautiously, with trembling hands, he ripped out the lining andextracted--a solitary lump of sugar which had slipped down through ahole in his pocket.
He held it out at arms-length. After a fruitless attempt to supporthimself with one paw and reach the sugar with the other, the bearrelaxed his hold and dropped upon all fours.
To fling down the sugar and dart out of the radius of that hard-troddencircle was the work of a moment. Tom was safe!
The bear sprang after him, his little eyes twinkling with rage; butthe chain held fast, and his late captive left him sprawling among thestumps.
I am not sure that Tom would have told this story at all, had notRandolph, one or two nights later, caught sight of ten red marks on hisroom-mate's breast. Then it all came out, as you have it.
During the struggle with Bruin the sky had darkened, and it now beganto rain heavily.