Winter adventures of three boys in the great lone land

Front matter

Ch Copyright N o .

SM,..XVi

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Chapter I

Sagasta-weekee — A Happy Home in the Great Lone Land — Three Boys there Welcomed — The Sudden Coming of Winter — Various Sports Discussed — Hurrah for the Dogs ! — Useful Animals — Dog-whips — Kinesasis, the Dog-keeper. . *13

CHAPTER 11 .

Bringing Home the Dogs — The Thin Ice — Method of Crossing Dangerous Places — The Dogs’ Summer Home — The Return Trip — The Unexpected Goose Hunt — The Saucy Fox — Kinesasis’s Question — “Why do the Geese go to the South Land?’’. 24

CHAPTER HI.

Selecting Their Dogs — Various Methods of Breaking Them In — Frank’s Success by Kindness with Monarch — Sam’s Troubles with Spitfire — Conquered at Last — Training and Capturing Dogs with Dogs — Alec’s Train of Part Staghounds. 37

CHAPTER IV.

Numerous Dogs — Useful Animals — Food Supply — Frozen Fish — Bringing Them Home — Vigorous Work for Boys and Dogs — Frank’s Tumble — Sam’s Ducking — Skating Parties — Alec’s Thrilling Adventure — The Race for Life — Northern Gray Wolves — Their Cunning — Their Various Stratagems — Mr. Ross Fears — The Search .Party — Alec Rescued — The Wolves Shot. ........ 52

CHAPTER V.

The Invitation to the Indian School Examination and Sports — Trapping Experiences — The Cunning Cross Fox — Frank Seeking Aid from Memotas — Method of Successful Trapsetting — Joyous Trip to the Mission — An Abiding Christian

Civilization for the Indians — Sam’s and a Young Indian’s Novel Hunting Methods — Wild- cats Captured — The Queer Battle Between a Fox and a Wild Cat. . . . . .71

CHAPTER VI.

The Winter Birds of the Great Lone Land — The Whisky Jack — The Ptarmigan — Their Beds in the Snow — Mission Visits — Cupid’s Darts — The Wood Supply — Primitive Way of Capturing Partridges — Great Snowy Owls — Methods of Capture — Sam’s Experience — The Fearful Grip of the Owl’s Claw 88

CHAPTER VH.

Wounds from Claws versus Teeth Discussed — Mr. Ross’s Story of the Battle with the Eagles — Their Mountain Eyrie — Their Hunting Skill — Their Voracity — The Eaglets — The Conflict — The Result — The Painful Wounds. . . . loi

CHAPTER VIII.

Sundays in the Great Lone Land — Services at the Mission — By Skiff or Canoe in Summer — By Dog-train in Winter — Napoleon, the Tame Bear, and His Load — Services at Sagasta-weekee — Missionary Journeys — Native Ministers — The Queer Sermon — Happy Christmas Times — New Year’s, the Great Day — Oo-che-me-ke-se-gou, the Kissing Day — Varied Experiences — The Great Feast — Happy Indians — Thanksgiving, no

CHAPTER IX.

The Indian School Examinations — The Prizes — Noble Indian Boys — The Skates to Kepastick — The Various Sports — Foot Races — The Skating Race — Tricky Clerk Outwitted — Frank and Kepastick Tie as Winners — Football — Hockey.- 127

CHAPTER X.

The Great Race with the Dog-trains — Careful Preparations by Alec — The Different Breathing Places — The Treacherous Half-breeds — Their Signal Failure — Alec’s Triumph. . 138

CHAPTER XL

Pasche Disappears — The Search — Big Tom and Mustagan — The Whisky Jacks — Pasche Found in a Hollow Tree — Chased by an Angry Moose Bull— Pasche Rescued— His Quaint Account of His Adventures. ...... 148

CHAPTER XH.

Kinesasis’s Wonderful Story — How He Wooed Shakoona — Their Youthful Da3'^s — Miskoodell Rescued from the Bear — Oosahmekoo with His Gold — Kinesasis’s Successful Hunt — His Furs Stolen — Marries Shakoona — Conflict with the Old

CHAPTER XIII.

Comments on Kinesasis’s Wonderful Story — The Pack of Furs Recovered — Honesty of Indians — Their Different Hunting Grounds — The Golden Rule — The Dishonest Foreign Indian — His Sudden Death. . . . . . .177

CHAPTER XIV.

Home Amusements and Studies — Happy Days at Sagasta-weekee — Stories of the Early Hunters — Methods of Hunting Before the Introduction of Firearms — Wolves More Dreaded Then — Story of Two of Kinesasis’s Children — Killed by Wolves — Shakoona’s Sorrow — Saved by the Caresses of Little Children. ......... 185

CHAPTER XV.

The Beavers, and Something About Them — Two Hunters at Sagasta-weekee — A General Invitation to a Beaver Hunt Accepted — The Preparations — The Trip — Dog-traveling in the Woods — Saucy Wild Animals — The Wolf’s Cove — The Boys’ Plunge in the Snowdrift — The Rescue. . . . .194

CHAPTER XVI.

Still on the Way to the Beaver House— The Winter Camp in the Woods — Work for All— Feeding the Dogs — Our Boys Guarding Their Own Train — The Evening Meal — Bitter Cold — Milk in Lumps of Ice — Evening Prayers — The Wintry Camp Bed — Tucked In — Mysterious Sounds in the Forest — Smothering Sensations — Sam’s Nightmare — Breakfast — Tricky Dogs — Methods of Capture — Carioles and Sleds Reloaded — Trains Harnessed — Journey Resumed. ..... 210

CHAPTER XVII.

Still on the Way to the Beavers — The Blizzard in the Camp — Sleeping and Eating under Difficulties — Vicious Little Beaver Dogs — The Beaver House — Preparations for Their Capture — The Beavers’ Kitchen — Discovered by the Little Dogs — How Destroyed — The Method of Capture — Man’s Experience versus Animal Instinct — The Rich Harvest of Beavers. 228

CHAPTER XVIII.

Wise Economy of Indian Hunters — Game Never All Killed — Beavers’ Tails — The Boys Interested in Them — Preparations for the Return Trip — Loads Packed — Wolverines — Their Cunning Theft of Five Beavers — Dogs and Men on Their Trail — Surviving Beavers Already at Work — The Return of the Hunters — Captured Wolverines — ^Journey Resumed — The Camp — The Cry of “Wolves !” 245

CHAPTER XIX.

The Coming Battle with the Wolves — Thorough Preparations — The Cry of the Wolves for Reinforcements — The First Attack and Repulse — Wounded Wolves Devoured — Memotas’s Comments — The Second Attack — The Powder Explosions — Final Victory — Dogs Reluctant to Attack Wolves — Explanations — Mr. Ross’s Story of the Bears Stealing His Pigs — Dogs More Confident in Attacking Bears. .... 259

CHAPTER XX.

A Bear Hunt in Winter — Mustagan a Famous Indian Guide — Bears’ Den — How Discovered — Boys’ Perplexity — The Journey to the Den — A Cold Morning — The Telltale Column of Steam — The Attempt to Dig Down to the Bears — Total Failure — Successful Tunneling Operations — Exciting Fight in the Icy Cavern — The Battles Between the Men and Dogs and the Escaping Bears. . . . . . . .275

CHAPTER XXL

The First Signs of Spring — The Eagle Moon — Expressive Indian Names for Some of the Months — Chats Among the Boys About the Phenomena of the North Land — Power of the Frost — Cunning of Animals — Cleverness of the Guides — Invitation to a Muskrat Hunt — Gladly Accepted — Habits of These Little Animals — Methods of Capture — Their Many Foes — The Queer Battle Between Wild Cats and Wolverines. . . 297

CHAPTER XXH.

Niskepesim, the Goose Moon — Excitement Among the Indians — The First Goose — Their Northern Migrations — Feeding Grounds — Methods of Hunting Them — Nests — Decoys — Our Boys Off with the Indians — The Shooting Grounds — Their Camp — Great Success — Frank’s Queer Accident — Hit by a Dead Goose — Sam’s Comments — Laden with Spoils. . 312

CHAPTER XXHL

Sudden Transition from Winter to Spring — Interesting Phenomena — Sam’s Last Great Run with His Dogs — His Unique Adventure — The Open Water — His Novel Raft — Suscessful Crossing — Frank’s and Alec’s Duck-shooting Trip — The Mighty Nelson — A Hunter’s Paradise — Returning Under Difficulties — One More Shot at the Wild Geese — Frank and Alec Both Through the Rotten Ice — The Rescue — Alarming Rumors — The Fair Visitants at Sagasta-weekee. . . 327

CHAPTER XXIV.

The Arrival of the Spring Packet — Welcome Letters — Arrangements for the Home-flitting — Sam’s Raillery — Rachel and Winnie at Sagasta-weekee — Happy Hours — Canoeing Excursions — The Cyclone — Young Excursionists Exposed to Its Awful Power — The Narrow Escape — The Refuge of the Rock — Napoleon, the Tame Bear, in Possession — Gun Signals — The Happy Rescue. . . . . . . . .341

CHAPTER XXV.

Homeward Bound — Farewell to Sagasta-weekee — Old Norway House — Sam’s Clever Surmisings — A Glad Surprise for Frank and Alec — Sam’s Well-deserved Ducking — A Glorious Evening— The Early Call— Just One More Sweet “Good-bye” — “All Aboard !” — On Great Lake Winnipeg — Sam’s Successful Shot at a Bear — Red River — First Glimpse of the Prairies — Fort Garry— The Bells of St. Boniface— The Long Trip Across the Plains — The Exciting Buffalo Hunt — Saint Paul’s — Still On by Lakes and Rivers — Montreal— On Board Ship — The Ocean Voyage — Liverpool — Home at Last. . . .361

II Illustrations

FACING

PAGE

The Battle with the Eagle Fro 7 itispiece

Alec’s Race with the Wolves 52

Dog-traveling under Auroral Lights 71

Very Glorious Was the Scenery loi

Summer Sunday Trips to Church no

Churchgoing in Winter 118

Norway House, the Hudson Bay Company’s Trading Post 127

Alec, Victor in the Dog Race 138

Pasche Treed by a Moose 148

The Meeting of Kinesasis and Shakoona 161

A Winter Scene in the Great Lone Land 185

The Capture of the Beavers 228

The Last of the Buffalo 245

Explosions Mingled with Yells of Pain and Terror 259

The Bear Still Holding On to His Pig 272

Sam with His Dogs on the Ice Raft 327

Rachel and Winnie 341

The Village of Those Noted Warriors of the Plains 361

IN THE

GREAT LONE LAND

CHAPTER I.

Sagasta-weekee — A Happy Home in the Great Lone Land — Three Boys There Welcomed — The Sudden Coming of Winter — Various Sports Discussed — Hurrah for the Dogs — Useful Animals — Dog-whips — Kinesasis, the Dog-keeper.

While a wintry storm was raging outside, in the month of November, three happy, excited boys were gathered around the breakfast table in a cozy home in a far North Land.

To those who have not read of the previous doings of these young lads we would say that our heroes were three noble boys from across the sea. They had come out the previous summer from Great Britain by the Hudson Bay Company’s ship and had had several months of most delightful and exciting adventures in the wild North Land. They were the guests of Mr. Ross, a retired official in the Hudson Bay Company, who, when his long term of active service in the fur trade had ended, had preferred remaining in the country rather than returning to any other land. During the many years he had traded with the Indians he had ever been on the most friendly terms with them. He had observed so many noble traits and characteristics in them that he and his family preferred spending the greater portion of each year surrounded by them. Then the quiet charm of such a life had more attraction and a greater fascination for them than the rush and worry and demands of our so-called highest civilization.

Mrs. Ross was a native Indian woman, but, like many other wives of Hudson Bay officials, was a highly educated woman. The years spent in foreign lands at the best of schools had not spoiled her. She was beloved and honored by all who knew her, and she was indeed a benediction and a blessing among the poor of her own people.

The musical and expressive Indian names of Minnehaha and Wenonah had been given to the two bright, winsome little girls in the household, while the wee brother was called by the old Scottish name of Roderick.

Cordially had Mrs. Ross, with her husband, welcomed the three boys, who at their special request had come out to be their guests, or rather, more correctly, to be loved members of their own household, for at least twelve months in that land. Sagasta-weekee, the house full of sunshine, was the beautiful Indian name given to the cozy, comfortable house which Mr. Ross had built for himself and household. It was a delightful home, well furnished with everything essential to the enjoyment and comfort of all its inmates.

We need not here repeat all that has been previously mentioned about the three heroes of our story. Suffice it to say that Frank, the eldest, was 14 the son of an English banker; Alec was a genuine Scottish lad, while Sam was a jolly Irish boy. They had a splendid trip across the ocean, and had met with varied adventures while on the long journey up the rivers and across the portages between York Factory, on the Hudson Bay, where they had landed, and Norway House, where they had been welcomed by Mr. Ross.

The summer and autumn months had been full of wonderful and exciting trips and adventures. Their last excursion, which had so recently ended, had been one of great pleasure and intense excitement. It had been made in canoes to a distant part of the country where reindeer and other large game abounded. The boys would have been delighted to have there remained longer, but the experienced guide and canoemen had been quick to notice the significant actions of the wild beasts, as well as the frightened cries and incessant flights of the wild geese and ducks to the South Land.

Spurred on by the signs of coming winter, they had pushed on toward home with unremitting toil and but little rest, and had fortunately managed to land the boys safely at Sagasta-weekee the day before the wintry gale broke upon them.

Great indeed was the amazement of our three boys at the transformation wrought by this sudden incoming of winter.

People living in more southern latitudes, where the transition from one season to another is so slow and almost imperceptible, can hardly realize the suddenness with which the Frost King can set up his 15 throne and begin his despotic reign. There are no long premonitions of his coming. No noisy heralds for weeks warn of his approach. The birds and beasts seem to have some mysterious intimations that he draweth near, and act accordingly. But man knoweth not of his approach; he heareth not his stealthy steps.

Yesterday may have been balmy and reposeful, with only a few breezes from the summer South Land. To-day the wild north winds may howl and shriek, while full of frost and pinching cold is the icy, biting air. Yesterday the waves may have been merrily rippling in the sunshine on the beautiful lakes. To-day, after a night of storm and boreal tempest, the ice is rapidly forming, and is binding down in strongest fetters the highest billows.

Mr. and Mrs. Ross were much pleased and amused at the genuine excitement of the lads as they realized the wondrous transformation wrought by this first wintry storm, and the possibilities it opened up to them for other kinds of sport than those in which, for some time past, they had been so deeply interested. Eager and excited as they were, they had as yet no definite plan of action for their winter amusement. So sudden had been the transition, there had been no time to think. However, with boyish candor and joyous anticipation, they were all ready with their suggestions.

‘‘Skates !” shouted Alec, as he caught a glimpse of an icy expanse that glittered in the distance as a ray of sunshine shot out through the parting clouds and for a moment rested upon it.

i6

‘‘Toboggans !” cried Sam, as he saw a steep hillside one mass of beautiful snow.

“Let us make an ice boat,” said Frank. Although he had never seen one, yet he had eagerly read much about them, and at the sight of the frozen lake was wild to set about the manufacture of one of these dainty craft, that he might enjoy the exhilarating sport he had so long anticipated.

“Capital suggestions are all of these,” said Mr. Ross. “Still, as the ice is not yet twenty-four hours old, and therefore not very safe for skating, and the snow has not yet fallen in sufficient quantity upon the hills to make them smooth enough for tobogganing, and the carpenter will require some time to make an ice boat, and we will have six good months of winter in which to enjoy these and other sports, my suggestion is that we get ready to-day to start, as soon as the ice will be safe, for the island fisheries and bring home the dogs.”

“The dogs ! the dogs ! yes, hurrah for the dogs !” cried all the boys in unison.

So everything was for the moment forgotten, or postponed, in their eager anticipation to become intimately acquainted with the dogs, about which they had heard so much. During the summer months the dogs were sent away to a distant island, where they were cared for by Kinesasis, a careful old Indian, who with a few nets easily caught all the fish they required for food. This island was quite out of the route of travel, and so our young friends had seen but little of Mr. Ross’s dogs, about which many interesting stories had been told them. Now at the 2 17 prospect of soon seeing them they were greatly delighted.

Although so much can be done with dogs in winter in those high latitudes, there is practically no use for them in summer. It is true that some enterprising missionaries had used them for plowing up their little potato fields and gardens, and yet it was slow work and not long continued. But through the long winter the dog is practically the only draft animal that can be utilized by the inhabitants of those regions. From the far-off forest the wood for fuel is dragged home by the dogs. The frozen fish, which are caught and piled up on stages beyond the reach of wolves or other wild beasts, are drawn home to the villages from the distant fisheries by the well-trained dogs.

When a Christian decides to exchange his old wigwam for a house, all the squared timber and logs required in its construction are dragged, if not floated by water in the summer time, it may be several miles, by the dogs. Christian hunters use them to drag home the moose and reindeer or other heavy game they may shoot. Formerly their wives and mothers had to do this heavy work, but now Christianity has relegated this and many other heavy duties to the dogs.

Hov/ever, the greatest and most arduous work to which the dogs are put is that of drawing the carioles and dog-sleds of travelers and tourists or fur traders for long distances through various parts of that great northern land. Without the dogs, traveling in that country would be practically impossible in the winter months. So full of lakes and rivers is the country that it is possible to go almost anywhere in a birch canoe in summer by making occasional portages. But when the severe cold freezes up those water stretches and the snow lies thick, and there is not the least vestige of a road or trail, then the value and sagacity of the dogs are seen and the power and endurance of the guides and drivers are put to the severest test.

Mr. Ross still prided himself on his splendid dogs. In his younger days he had the reputation of being one of the most active and energetic of the young officers in the service of the Hudson Bay Company. His father, who was for many years one of the chief factors in the Company’s service, was proud of his son’s endurance and skill, as well as of his tact and ability in managing strange Indians and thus opening up new trading posts among them. So constantly employed had he been in thus advancing the interests of this fur-trading corporation that some winters he traveled thousands of miles with his own dog-train and guides. In his wanderings he had met with some strange adventures, and had passed through some trying ordeals. Later on we may hear from his own lips the recital of some of these stirring events.

Now, however, that he had retired from active service he had left these long and dangerous journeys to be taken by younger men. Still, the love for the dogs was so ingrained within him, and he had so much work for them to do, that he was the possessor of some very valuable trains, which every 19 winter did his work and gave him as much pleasure as ever a man derived from the possession of a fine carriage and a splendid span of horses.

Knowing well the habits of the old Indian who had charge of his dogs, Mr. Ross said to the boys :

‘Tt is very likely that Kinesasis will come in to-day with some of the dogs. If he does we will harness them up to-morrow, and if the ice is strong enough to be safe we will return with them for the others. I understand he has a number of fine young dogs ; doubtless there will be enough to make a good train for each of you, after they are broken in. So there will be plenty of work for all to-day, to get ready for the first day’s outing with dog-trains.”

Soon everybody was at work. Indian women, under Mrs. Ross’s direction, were busily employed in making large mooseskin moccasins and mittens. Beautiful white blanket overcoats, with warm capotes or hoods, had already been made for each of the boys. They were to be worn over the deerskin suits when they stopped to rest in the heavy trail, and also while the boys were riding over the long stretches of icy roads where it was possible for the dogs to easily draw them.

While the Indian women were thus busily engaged in fitting out the warm apparel necessary for traveling in such a cold land the boys were making themselves useful, under Mr. Ross’s guidance, in overhauling carioles, dog sleds, harness, robes, snowshoes, and other things essential for the trip on the morrow. While almost everything was novel

and strange to them, they were most interested in 20 the heavy dog-whips, and, boylike, must try their hands in wielding them. These whips differed very much from anything they had ever seen in civilization. While the handles were only eighteen inches in length, the lashes, which were loaded with shot, were over fifteen feet long. To skillfully handle one requires much care and practice. An inexperienced person is apt to get into trouble when he first attempts to use one.

Sam was the first of the boys to attempt to display his skill, but he soon found that a heavily loaded dog-whip was a different weapon from an Irish shillalah. He had admired the skill and dexterity with which Mr. Ross, at the boy’s request, had used one, and, foolishly thinking that he could successfully imitate him, had with any amount of assurance made the attempt. To his surprise and chagrin the cracker of the whip, instead of exploding with a pistol-shotlike report at a spot about fifteen feet away, as it had done for Mr. Ross, had by some remarkable movement, entirely unexpected, squarely landed with stinging effect upon his nose !

Alec was the next to try his skill. He was a little more successful than Sam, in that he escaped inflicting any injury upon himself, but he succeeded in striking Frank upon his ear, although he stood fully six feet away from the spot at which Alec had aimed. Frank, with his ear hot and stinging from the effects of the blow so unexpected and so unintentionally given, wisely decided that he would postpone his first attempt with a weapon that seemed to

be as uncertain as a boomerang.

To the great delight of the boys, as Mr. Ross had predicted, toward evening in came Kinesasis with about a dozen dogs at his heels. The splendid animals were delighted to get home again after their long summer’s outing, and joyously they greeted Mr. Ross and the other inmates of the household. To our three boys, who had arrived since their departure, they were somewhat distant and unsociable. It is a well-known fact that the native dogs are much more hostile to white people than to the natives. This offishness and even hostility on the part of the dogs did not much disturb the boys. They, boylike, had all confidence in themselves that by tact and kindness they would soon become warm friends, and in this they were not disappointed. After Kinesasis had seen the dogs well fed and put into their kennels he was taken into the kitchen and given a hearty meal. A pipe of tobacco was then put in his hands, and shortly after he had begun to smoke he made his report of his summer’s doings to Mr. Ross.

To the great delight of Frank, Alec, and Sam, Mr. Ross was able to inform them that the number of young dogs of the right age to break into work was so large that he would be able to furnish each of them with a capital train, which they should have charge of and call their own as long as they remained in the country.

The few short hours of sunshine of that November day sped away all too soon for the completion of the work to be done, and so by lamplight willing hands toiled on until everything was ready for the

journey. So rapidly did the temperature fall, and 22 so intense became the cold, that Mr. Ross decided that with careful, experienced Kinesasis as their guide the ice would be quite strong enough to bear them on the morrow, and so if the storm was not too severe they would be off as soon as there was sufficient light, as it was too risky to travel in the dark over such thin ice.

Cozy were the beds and warm were the blankets into which three happy, excited boys tumbled that night, and if in their pleasant dreams there were sounds of cracking whips and jingling, musical dogbells — well, we will not envy them, still we wish we were there.

CHAPTER IL

Bringing Home the Dogs — The Thin Ice — Method of Crossing Dangerous Places — The Dogs’ Summer Home — The Return Trip — The Unexpected Goose Hunt — The Saucy Fox — Kinesasis’s Question, “Why Do the Geese Go to the South Land?”

Long before daylight the next morning the lamps were brightly burning in Sagasta-weekee. As it was fully twenty miles to the island where Kinesasis had kept the dogs, and Mr. Ross was anxious that they should return home that night, it was absolutely necessary that every hour of the daylight should be utilized. Thus it was that all were stirring long before daybreak. A good warm breakfast was eaten and all final preparations made.

As Kinesasis had brought back with him twelve dogs, they were thus able to rig out three trains for the trip. Extra sleds and harness were taken along, as well as food and blankets, in case any serious accident or delay should happen to them. In such a land it is always best to be prepared for any emergency.

The boys were very proud and happy in their new mooseskin costumes and snow-white blankets, only relieved by the black stripes on the sleeves and skirts. Kinesasis, who had been on the lookout, at length reported the morning star, just visible as the harbinger of dawn. This was good news, and so the start was soon made.

Mr. Ross up to a late hour the previous evening 24 had not thought of going, but now, at the sight of the dogs and the preparations for the journey, he seemed to catch the enthusiasm of the boys, as well as the fire of earlier days, and resolved to accompany them. Three Indian dog-drivers had been secured, while Kinesasis, old as he was, was proud to act the part of guide for the whole party.

Sam shared a large cariole with Mr. Ross, while Frank and Alec occupied another. To each cariole was assigned a careful driver. The third Indian made up his load of several dog-sleds piled on each other. All were well loaded with supplies. Kinesasis armed himself with a stout pole about ten feet long, which he carried as an Alpine climber would his alpenstock, although it weighed as much as a dozen of them. The boys were surprised at seeing him thus encumber himself with a pole so heavy. They were also perplexed, when it grew lighter, to see a similar one tied on to the sled of the third driver. However, before the journey was finished they saw the wisdom of his forethought.

At first some of the dogs seemed to resent the restraint of the harness, and acted as though they would still have preferred the liberty which had been theirs all through the summer months. Others, however, seemed to be delighted to hear the music of the little open bells with which the collars of their harness were decorated, and joyously barked and jumped about as though, in glad sport, they were dancing to the music they themselves were making.