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THE RED MOUNTAIN
OF ALASKA.
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“‘no THE RESCUE!’ SHOUTED THE BOYS.”
THE RED MOUNTAIN
OF ALASKA.
BY
WILLIS BOYD ALLEN
AUTHOR OF “ PINE CONES,” “THE NORTHERN CROSS,”
‘SILVER RAGS,” **KELP,”’ ETC.
FULLY ILLUSTRATED
BOSTON
ESTES AND. LAURIAT
PUBLISHERS
COPYRIGHT, 1889,
By ESTES & LAURIAT.
i
“irvA
==
——
C. J. PETERS & SON,
TYPOGRAPHERS AND ELECTROTYPERS,
145 HIGH STREET, BOSTON.
TO MY COUSIN,
Bathte,
WITHOUT WHOSE HELP THE DUTTONS WOULD NEVER
HAVE GONE TO ALASKA,
I AM HEARTILY GLAD TO DEDICATE THIS
STORY OF THEIR ADVENTURES.
CHAPTER
CONTENTS.
A REMARKABLE LETTER
TREED BY A MooOsE .
Trp’s PrickLty BEAR
An UNSEEN ENEMY .
RAFT-BUILDING
THROUGH THE ENEMY’s LINES
Out OF THE FRYING-PAN .
A STARTLING DISCOVERY .
From VICTORIA TO SITKA .
Day AND NIGHT IN ALASKA .
THE CHILKOOT PAss .
An Escapt, AND A NEw Enemy.
Nat’s SHacey Purp .
To THE RESCUE! .
UNDER THE EARTH .
A Mystery ExPpLAINED
A REUNION .
A Lesson In BripGE-MAKING
CAPTURED BY Brown BEARS.
Hatt! .
WINTER-QUARTERS
PEESCHEE’Ss MARVELLOUS STORY.
9
PAGE
102
113
Jal)
125
140
148
164
169
184
IS
205
216
230
239
251
10
CHAPTER
DOCELEE
2 D.G INE
2. Oe
XXVI.
XOOVAIE
SONI
XXIX.
XXX.
CONTENTS.
CHRISTMAS IN ALASKA
THE LIEUTENANT’S STORY CONCLUDED .
SNOWED UP
PEESCHEE’S Map AGAIN .
For Lirt ork DEATH .
WoLF AGAINST MAN
OVER THE IcE
CoNCLUSION
PAGE
261
280
298
314
319
328
336
339
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
“<1 THE RESCUE!’ SHOUTED THE BOYS” . . . . Frontispiece
ReerabimbimsVENP = — 6 eh wee ee we a es ol wn ZO
“TT WAS EVIDENT THAT AFFAIRS WERE REACHING A CRISIS” 305
Pit) SEARTED ACROSS THE LAKE”. . ... . . . . ss 88
IMRSENBITMEEY OIE Vins ch Pw wee ea OT
IectOUlMERED THE CANOR”. :°. . . 5 « «+s « « - 60
“ JOHN WAS PUTTING THE LAST TOUCHES ON”. .... . 62
PstireeOnwo THE RANT RUSHED” . .°... 0. 6 5. 20... 88
PROMNGNEOOSHENEIROW, 60s. 5 i a ke oe eae ee QO
He ROYAL BARGE BROUGHT UP THE REAR”. ... ... . 98
DeceMRKeU MMO ANON fo 6 Ue fee bw Be me ws ee. 108
“THE INDIANS WERE GAMBLING IN DEAD EARNEST” . . . 109
PREMPEE MIDAS KEN Ratko Ee ee ew oe ADS
Mee Go WP. THM YUKON. .)...<.. 0) 6 6 le ew we ew we OF
Perec ACHUND) 970% 0s se eh la Oo ee ee we | 140
ori Cup. ‘Drop it, Nari?” .-. . . . ... .° 159
Petes NOMORDINARY SIGHT” , 2 6. wow we we ewe ULRY
SttewAS STUDYING THE MAP”... . ... . « « « 195
RUPTERUIESEOVIOAD | FeO eM mt ge ge ao ee whe ar 208
BUILDING THE BRIDGE Prk cine oa!
‘“T COME FROM THE GREAT MEDICINE MAN” ..... . 223
me TUNO TI ORV ATA oe etl oe ce we we tl ew LOO
“A DISH OF VENISON IS SMOKING ON THE TABLE”. . . . 253
“WITHIN A ROD OF THE HUT WERE A DOZEN SHADOWY
ener eam ie Sacer se rome ie Ui ae ite weet eg oe BOO
THERE WAS A SHARP REPORT, AND WITH ONE LEAP SHE FELL, 325
11
THE RED MOUNTAIN
OF ALASKA,
CHAPTER I.
A REMARKABLE LETTER.
7 SPACIOUS, comfortable-looking house, in the
ey outskirts of one of the largest manufacturing
@ towns of Massachusetts ; the dining-room is
ity hghted, and a wood fire fine: and snaps cheerily
in the open fireplace, for it is late October, and the even-
ings are cold. Around the cosey tea-table are gathered
the family, namely: John Dutton, Esq., proprietor of the
celebrated Sheldon Paper Mills; Mrs. John Dutton; Miss
Florence Dutton, age fifteen, commonly addressed as
“Flossie,” or “ Floss;” and Masters Robert, Hugh, and
Nathaniel Dutton, ages respectively seventeen, fifteen,
and twelve years. Flossie and Hugh, it will be noticed,
are twins.
Only three more personages in the town of Sheldon are
at present sufficiently important to merit an introduction.
13
14 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
They are, in fact, members of the Dutton household, two
of them actually signing that name as their own, and the
third plainly desirous of doing so, were he able. All
three are in the dining-room at the present moment, and
the fact of their familiarity with the family is evident from
the interest with which they listen, with open eyes and
mouths, to the letter which their master is reading aloud.
Without further ceremony, allow me to present: Chloe
(Dutton), decided brunette, nurse of all the childen suc-
cessively, maid-of-all-work, and devoted slave to Miss
Flossie’s slightest whim; Teddy (Dutton), remotely de-
scended from County Kildare, red-haired, freckled, four-
teen years old, errand-boy, helper, and mischief-maker in
general, particularly attached to the oldest son; Carlo
(Dutton), at the side of pale, sweet-faced little Nat, —a
shaggy, coal-black, silken-haired fellow, from the south
coast of Newfoundland, as faithful a servant and friend
as any in the country.
And now for the letter. Mr. Dutton has evidently just
reached home from the mills, for his hat, coat, and cane
are lying on the sofa where he has dropped them, and he
is still out of breath from the quick half-mile walk. All
eight of the Duttons listen eagerly while he reads : —
“Fort WRANGEL, ALASKA TER., Sept. 5, 1868.
“My DEAR Brotuer, — It is a long time since I have
written to you. The uncertainty of the mails in this new
adopted country of ours, the constant disputes with Rus-
A REMARKABLE LETTER. 15
sian traders who are angry at having their hunting-ground
sold over their heads — or under their feet, rather ! — and
the treachery of the native Innuits, as well as the reck-
less behavior of our own troops, have kept my hands full
and my head in a continual worry since the establishment
of the post. Sometimes I wish the government had kept
her seven millions in her pocket, and left this desolate
country to take care of itself. It was an immense respon-
sibility to shoulder. Have you any idea of the size of the
‘Northwest Territory,’ old fellow? Are you aware that
it contains something over five hundred thousand square
miles, or about one-sixth of the entire extent of the
United States and Territories? This vast country is
covered throughout its southern districts with jungles and
forests, reaching far up the sides of its lofty mountains,
which smoke night and day. The portions nearer the
Arctic Sea consist mostly of dreary morass and mossy
‘tundra, as it is called, under which lies a deep layer
of ice, never thawing, winter or summer. But in the rest
of the territory are splendid forests, as I have said.
There are mountain peaks reaching (in Mt. Wrangel) the
enormous height of twenty thousand feet above the sea;
there is a river, the noble Yukon, over two thousand
miles in length —a rival of the great Mississippi itself.
Among the hills are winding streams and pleasant valleys,
where brilliant wild-flowers blossom, insects hover over
them in the sunshine, and birds dart to and fro as merrily
as in our old New England orchards. The woods are full
16 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
of game. There is no place in the world where bears,
black, brown, grizzly, and cinnamon, with two or three
other varieties, are found in such abundance. Moose have
not learned to fear the rifle, and wild goats clamber over
the rocks in full sight. The imland districts of Alaska
are almost absolutely uninhabited. The whole interior
population of Indians is probably less than three thousand,
while no white man ever passes beyond the protection of
the trading-posts and forts.
“By this time, my dear John, you are beginning to
wonder why I have launched forth into this lecture on
the resources of our National Purchase. Ah, you have
noticed, have you, that I have omitted an important item ?
Vegetation, game, ihhabitants, scenery — but nothing said
about wealth !
“Yes, wealth. Reports must have reached you of the
startling discoveries of Haley and others. Little did the
Hudson’s Bay fur-hunters dream that they were camping
each night on a gold mine; or that the very rivers down
which they paddled, in pursuit of some paltry, frightened,
furred creature, were full of gleaming particles of the
precious metal ! ;
‘Without doubt, the coasts of Alaska are veined
throughout their length and breadth with gold and
silver. Shafts are being sunk in all directions, ‘and
mines located. Haley found it paid him to dig out
lumps of rock, a small bit at a time, and simply crush
them in a mortar.
A REMARKABLE LETTER. 17
“But I am not going to tempt you to rush for the
‘diggings, my boy. There's better game in the cover!”
“What in the world does the man mean!” exclaimed
Mrs. Dutton. “ He’s as mysterious as a sphinx, and here's
the supper all getting cold. Let’s have the rest of the
letter afterwards.”
3 Whereupon arose a chorus of “Oh, no, no! Read on,
read on! Never mind the supper yet—let’s find out
what he means by ‘better game’! ”
Mr. Dutton accordingly found his place again, and,
holding the letter so as to get a little better light upon it,
resumed his reading.
“YT know you will be incredulous when I say there is
more valuable treasure to be found in Alaska than gold
— knowing, as you do, that there are no diamonds in the
territory. Nevertheless, 1 am right. Among the many
ores which exist here, in more or less abundance, is one
which furnishes a strange metal, well known in medicine
and the arts. Its chemical symbol is He. Ah, you
start now! I see you have not forgotten those tiresome
lectures at Harvard ; you know at last that I am speak-
ing of Mercury, which is obtained almost entirely from
the beautiful crimson ore known as ‘ Cinnabar.’ ”
Mr. Dutton paused, and glanced about the eager circle
of listeners.
18 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
“Now, shall we have supper? The griddle-cakes are
hot,” said Mrs. Dutton, plaintively, taking advantage of —
the silence, and playing her highest card. In vain! Even
Teddy testified with open mouth and round, light blue
eyes to his interest in the subject.
The vote was none the less emphatic because unex-
pressed in words. The reading continued.
“Cinnabar is worked to a considerable extent in only
half a dozen spots on the globe — Spain (which supplies
England), Idria, Peru, Japan, and one or two other places.
It has been discovered in California. All the mines in
the world, taken together, yield only a trifle over three
thousand tons a year, including the new American
mines.
‘No ore is so easily decomposed as cinnabar; it is
effected by direct exposure to the oxidizing flame of a
furnace, the mercury vapor being collected in condensers.
I believe the metal can be even more economically sepa-
rated by the use of an iron retort in which it can be
readily volatilized, without the escape of vapors. By the |
old way, nearly half is wasted in the process.
“Now as to its value. This varies largely from year to
year. It runs from fifty cents to two dollars a pound,
avoirdupois. One dollar a pound, or two thousand
dollars a ton, would be a low average.
“But a ton, you say, is an enormous amount. Thirty
tons is a hundreth part of the world’s annual product.
A REMARKABLE LETTER. 19
“What would you say, John, to fifty tons a year, or
even one hundred? In the countries I have mentioned,
the ore crops out, or is found below the surface, in narrow
veins, among much schist and slate. What would you
say to a whole mountain of cinnabar !”’
Mr. Dutton looked up with a prolonged “ Whew-w!”’
and Carlo gave a short yelp. As no one else seemed
disposed to conversation, the letter was resumed.
“To make a long story short (for I can see now that
you are getting excited, as plainly as if I were sitting with
you in your cosey dining-room in Sheldon, where you will
probably read this letter), the following facts have recently
come to light; no one, until this letter was read, John,
knew of them. No one knows of them now, except your
family, myself, and Peeschee. The last named gentle-
man is a Chilkat Indian, whose name in honest English
is ‘The Fox.’ Call him which you like, he has served us
a good turn. This is how it came about.
“T was off hunting with a party of Indians from the
vicinity of the fort. We were in camp about twenty
miles inland from Wrangel, when something came bound-
ing into the circle of firelight like a deer. It was the
Fox, who threw himself panting at our feet, his teeth
chattering, and his face fairly gray with terror. As soon
as he could talk we made out his story. He had left Ins
village a week before, on a trapping expedition. While
20 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
at work among his traps, he had accidentally run on to
the line set by a wandering party of Tak-heesh natives
from the interior, and had ignorantly — so he assured us
again and again — taken several pelts from their traps.
‘A dozen Tak-heesh had come suddenly upon him,
taken him prisoner, and vowed he should die for the
offence. Poor Peeschee in vain asserted his innocence.
To the stake he should go. On the second day of his
captivity, he had escaped by gnawing his thongs while
his captors were dozing after a hearty meal of bear meat,
and had been running all the afternoon, he said.
“We felt a little nervous about the pursuers, but those
Tak-heesh are cowards unless they are terribly roused, and,
sure enough, when they turned up the next morning, a
rifle volley into the air put the entire crowd to flight.
The Fox was as grateful as a dog, and, the day after
we reached Fort Wrangel, he did me the good turn I
referred to.
“He came quietly to the barracks, inquired for my
room, found me alone, and then and there told me the
wonderful story which set me to writing this long letter
—an offence, John, which I seldom commit, you'll
acknowledge.
‘What the Fox had to say was ce tava this: Last
autumn he made one of his solitary expeditions over the
mountains, in search of furs. He penetrated far into the
interior, reaching a district absolutely unknown to him
before that trip. He describes it as abounding in game,
A REMARKABLE LETTER. OA
and heavily wooded. ‘There were many rapid streams,
all seeming to be well stocked with trout, grayling, and
other fish.
“ As often occurs in Alaska, the weather was cloudy for
fully ten days at a stretch. Toward the close of a dull,
drizzly afternoon, Peeschee stopped for the night on the
bank of a swift brook. Suddenly the clouds in the west
began to break away, and, as they gradually parted,
there appeared high in the heavens what seemed to be a
mountain of fire. It was a soft, glowing crimson, and
from its summit rose a huge column of smoke; it was
beyond a doubt a mountain peak; Peeschee had never set
eyes on it before in his life. Within five minutes the
clouds had closed in again, and the wonderful peak was
out of sight. )
“The next three days he spent in travelling straight
uphill toward the Red Mountain. After much struggling
through jungles and morasses, fording streams, and
encountering wild beasts by day and night, he claims
that he reached the base of the peak, and discovered the
cause of its strange color. He brought a piece of the
live rock itself, and showed it to me. I have it in my
desk now. Itis a magnificent specimen of cinnabar in
the ore, deep crimson in color, promising to yield, if
worked, an enormous percentage of weight of the pure
metal.
“Jobn, that was a mountain of mercury! It waits
for some one to take those red heaps of granite and
929 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
quartz, fuse them, and bear away such a fortune as you
could not make in a century of prosperous mill operation
at Sheldon. Will you come? Shall we share the Red
Mountain, old fellow, as we used to share the red apples
in grandfather’s orchard ?
“This is what I propose. You have been in indifferent
health for a good many months. You need a change;
you have a competent superintendent in practical charge
of the mills; you always liked hunting and camping-out.
Take the boys along, and meet me at some point in west
central Alaska — say old Fort Yukon. I will come from
the west, you from the east, if you like, striking up through
Canada and across from the Hudson’s Bay post in British
America. From Fort Yukon we can proceed together to
the Red Mountain, make a rough survey, lay out our
claim, and the followmg spring commence work in
earnest. In other words, you can start from Sheldon as
soon as the spring of ’69 opens, reach the Alaska boun-
dary by the first of July, and before the winter shuts
down we shall have finished all our prospecting, and be
ready to take out ore in the following May.
“Qne more point to consider, and then I have done.
It is, I admit, an important point. How shall we find
this half-fabulous ‘Red Mountain’ after we have effected
a union of forces at Fort Yukon? Here we must rely
entirely on Peeschee. He proposes to start from the
fort (which is situated on nearly 67° N. lat., 145° long.
W.), and strike due south. You will be glad to hear this
A REMARKABLE LETTER. 23
when I add that the Arctic Circle passes directly through
the fort. After travellmg something over two hundred
miles straight into the wilderness, the Fox says we shall
find ourselves at the foot of a lofty range of mountains.
From this point he bears away slightly to the east, and
within three or four days expects to reach his old camp-
ing-ground, from which he obtained his first view of the
flaming peak. Now will begin by far our hardest fight
with the forces of nature. Peeschee has drawn a map,
94 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
which he professes to understand, and by which he pro-
poses to follow as nearly as possible his former route to
the base of the mountain and up its steep sides. I have
borrowed this map or chart, and will trace it here for
you.*
“It’s a curious-looking affair, but, with Peeschee as
guide, 'd stake it against a government chart. Every
mark on it means something to him. I'll give you his
explanation at some other time.
‘“‘ Now, then, once more, will you come ?
‘ Your affectionate brother,
“Dick Dutron.
“P, §. Write full particulars, exactly when and
where you will meet me. Sorry you must leave Mrs. D.
and Florence behind. Of course, you'll come.”
* See Illustration, page 23.
CEEAP TER 1.
TREED BY A MOOSE.
JUST five months after
the letter of Lieutenant
Richard Dutton was read
aloud in his brother’s co-
sey dining-room, a group
of people are assembled
on the platform of the
Sheldon railroad station.
There 1s a tallish, brown-
bearded gentleman, with
clear, bright eyes, and an
exceedingly gentle voice;
a lady, of refined face and manner, and close beside her
a young girl; four boys, one of them freckled and sandy-
haired ; a negro woman, with a red bandanna handker-
chief around her black neck ; and a young Newfoundland
dog, full of quiet surprise at all this commotion. Several
large trunks and cases are piled upon the platform, await-
ing transportation.
Presently the train comes in sight, around a curve, and
25
96 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
slows up at the station, rmging and hissing vigorously.
People, dog, and baggage are hurried on board, the con-
ductor waves his hand, and, with renewed clangor of bell
and hiss of steam, the train starts for Boston, bearing —
you know as well as [— the entire Dutton family away
from their home.
Dick Dutton was right. The letter could not be
resisted. A favorable answer had been sent, thorough
preparations made during the winter months, the mill
wound up to run for a full year without the personal
supervision of the owner — and off the party are starting,
this twenty-fifth day of March, 1869, on their long and
divided journey. |
_ All the family, I said. You see, there has been a
shght change of plan. After the letter had been care-
fully considered, and it had been voted unanimously that
Mr. Dutton and the boys should make the trip to our
northwest province, Mrs. Dutton had unexpectedly
asserted herself.
“Dick’s plan is a good one,” she said, “with one
exception.”
‘What is that, my dear?” inquired Mr. Dutton,
mildly.
““T do not propose to stay at home while you are off in
the woods for a year. Florence and I will take the
regular San Francisco route to Sitka, join Dick at his
post, and start inland with him, meeting you at the fort.”
Mr. Dutton was astonished, but, as his wife's remark
TREED BY A MOOSE. Ti.
had rather the appearance of a decision than a suggestion,
he wisely refrained from opposing it.
“You shall certainly go, my dear, if you wish to,” said
this exemplary husband. And she did.
Certain modifications of the original route had also been
made. The “itinerary” was finally laid out as follows : —
The “military section,’ as Flossie laughingly called
the lieutenant’s party, were to meet at Sitka, and “pack”
over the mountains to the headwaters of the Yukon
River, moving down-stream until they should reach Fort
Selkirk, where they would await the eastern party,
instead of at Fort Yukon. Mr. Dutton and the boys
decided to follow the regular traders’ route from Ottawa,
northward and westward to Fort Churchill, on Hudson’s
Bay. From there a nearly westerly course, bearing a
little to the north, above Athabasca Lake and below (on
the map) the Great Slave, would bring them to Fort
Simpson; thence over a lofty pass in the Chippeway
division of the Rocky Mountains into New Columbia, and
to Fort Selkirk, which is situated exactly 62° 45’ north,
137° 22’ west from Greenwich.
There! We've done with figures and theoretical geog-
raphy for a while; practical geography we must study in
spite of ourselves. Once in Alaska territory, we must
examine our surroundings, and pick our way, almost inch
by inch, for we have no reliable guide to the interior of
this great, desolate region. If we want a map, we must
make one.
98 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
We do not need to follow the Dutton family over the
first portions of their respective routes, which are more
or less familiar to travellers. Mrs. Dutton, Florence, and
Chloe sailed from New York for Aspinwall, crossed the
Isthmus, took steamer again at Panama, and reached San
Francisco safely, after a journey of nearly six thousand
miles. Here they rested a week, and completed their
outfit necessary for a summer in the woods. On a bright
morning in May they started in a sailing vessel for Vic-
toria and Sitka. So much for the ladies’ party.
The sterner portion of the family had hardly a more
eventful trip until they left Fort Churchill. From this
point the boys had plenty of shooting, and Mr. Dutton
had much ado to keep them within reach of camp. The
trip, however, was quickly made, the “ Rockies” sur-
mounted, and by the second week in June the party were
descending the western slopes of the mountains within
one hundred and fifty miles of Fort Selkirk.
It was ten o’clock in the forenoon when Mr. Dutton,
whose orders were obeyed by every one in the expedition,
called a halt, on the first day after the high peaks were
left behind.
It was a curious company that was gathered there.
Mr. Dutton and the three boys were browned from ex-
posure to the sun and all sorts of weather; while Teddy
was burned a bright red, and fairly peppered with freckles.
Carlo was in the highest of spirits, and gambolled about
the party like a six-months-old pup. There were two
TREED BY A MOOSE. 29
Indian guides, strong-limbed, quiet fellows, named Joe
and Jim.
At Mr. Dutton’s word, these two last named threw
down their heavy packs, and drew themselves up with an
air of relief. |
“Ugh!” grunted Joe, wiping his forehead. “Much
hot comin’. No-see-’ems and skeeters dis night.”
“ Midges? Have you felt any, Joe?” asked Mr.
Dutton, recognizing the Indian term for those tiny
tormentors.
“No feel ’em. Smell ’em,’
?
said Joe, gravely, sniffing
the air.
Mr. Dutton laughed, and turned his attention to select-
ing a good “nooning”’ spot where they could spend the
hottest hours of the day.
They had halted beside a swift-running stream, whose
waters, though white with glacial silt, promised sport for
Hugh, the fisherman of the party. All around them was
a forest of immense spruce trees, through which they had
been travelling since early morning. The ground was
everywhere covered with thick moss, and long, gray
streamers hung from the lofty boughs overhead.
“T tell you what, father!” exclaimed Robert, with
enthusiasm, ‘“‘this would be a jolly place to camp in for
a week. ‘There’s plenty of water, and Ill warrant the
woods are full of game.”
“A good place enough, Rob, but we’ve no time to lose.
The mosquitoes are getting thicker and hungrier every
30 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
day, and before long we shall have to rush to the settle-
ments for our lives. They are the pest of Alaska, you
know.”
“ But, father, we are within a few days’ march of Fort
Selkirk, and are ahead of time.”
‘“T want to see mother,”
““ Don't you, Rob ?”
The older brother made no further protest, but began
interposed little Nat, quietly.
preparations for a short hunt before dinner.
?
“T won't be gone long, father,” said he, shouldering
his Winchester, and starting off at an easy gait.
“Won't you take one of the guides with you, my
bows.
“Oh, no, thank you. They’ve had enough to do, pack-
ing our blankets through the woods. Good-bye. Ill
keep within hearing of a gun-shot.” And he was gone.
Mr. Dutton now busied himself about his “skeleton
tent,” as he called it—a device of his own, for relief
from the attacks of gnats, mosquitoes, and other insects,
while on the march. |
It was a very simple arrangement; merely an “A”
tent made of mosquito netting. It was large enough to
accommodate all the party.
A few minutes sufficed to pitch it carefully, so that no
rent should be made in its meshes. The guides, Nat, and
Mr. Dutton then crept under its folds, and, stretched out
comfortably on rubber blankets which had been first
spread to keep out dampness, all four fell fast asleep.
TREED BY A MOOSE. 81
Hugh whistled for Carlo, and took his way, fishing-
tackle in hand, down to an inviting pool just in sight
through the trees.
When Mr. Dutton awoke it was high noon. The guides
were already preparing the noon meal, one of them build-
ing a good fire, laying the sticks all one way, for conven-
ience of cooking; the other engaged in dressing a fine
mess of trout which bore witness to Hugh’s success.
Nat strayed about the camp, looking for flowers — the
delicate Linnea, or twin-flower, the violet, the cornel,
and others familiar in the home woods. The oldest boy
had not returned, and Mr. Dutton began to feel anxious
about him. He fired his rifle three times, a signal that
always meant, “Answer, and come into camp!” But
there was no reply.
At one o'clock they sat down to dinner, worried and
perplexed by Rob’s absence. ‘Two hours passed, and still
he did not appear. It was time to resume march. Ata
word from the captain, Joe, the Indian, took up his rifle,
and plunged into the woods, in the direction the missing
boy had taken.
When Robert left the camp, he had no definite inten-
tion, save that he would skirt round the base of a low
hill, about a mile away, and return to camp within an
hour or two. He hoped to come across some sort of
game; a brace of grouse, at least, of which there are
several varieties in British America. His Winchester
rifle had half a dozen cartridges in it, and Robert was a
52 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
good shot. He had no fear of missing a partridge or
ptarmigan at thirty yards, with a single ball.
The forest floor was encumbered with fallen and de-
cayed logs, into whose crumbling sides he sank so often
that his progress was slow. There was very little under-
erowth to impede his way, however, and within half an
hour he reached sharply rismg ground, which told him he
was at the foot of the hill he had seen from camp.
Up to this pomt he had kept within hearing of the
stream, but now he turned off at right angles, thinking
he would walk fifteen minutes and then retrace his steps.
Before he had advanced far in this new direction, he
found himself following a sort of trail. Indeed, it was
almost a beaten path in the woods.
“Ah!” said Rob to himself, with some dissatisfaction,
“we have struck civilization again! MHere’s a regular
route for fur-traders, ve no doubt. Well,” he solilo-
quized, as he sauntered lazily along the path, “I might as
well — halloo !” |
He stopped and examined a track that was plainly out-
lined in a patch of mud. It was shaped like the print of
a huge human foot, fourteen inches long at the very
least. Robert had not “trailed” from the Hudson’s Bay
settlements for nothing. He knew that no man had left
that footprint. It was undoubtedly the track of a bear,
and an enormous one, too; possibly a grizzly.
The boy’s heart beat so hard that it seemed as if he
must stifle. The “sign” was fresh. It certainly was not
TREED BY A MOOSE. 33
half an hour old, for the water was still oozing into it
from the sides.
Should he go on? The ambition of Robert’s life just
now was to shoot a grizzly, but he knew the danger to a
single hunter if he should meet one of these terrible
brutes alone.
It flashed across the boy’s mind at the same moment
that the trail he was following was very closely con-
nected with that peculiar track. It was no hunter’s at
all. It was one of the famous “ bear-roads,’ for which
the great Northwest is noted, and which thread the
densest forests in every direction.
Only six charges in that rifle! But the temptation
was too great. Robert concluded at least to follow the
path cautiously for a short distance. Perhaps he could
come upon his shaggy game unexpectedly. Perhaps he
could stalk him !
With these thoughts passing swiftly through his mind,
he examined the lock of his rifle carefully, assured him-
self that the cartridges were in place, and, stooping over
like an old hunter, advanced softly along the trail.
At every slightest sound in the forest his heart gave an
answering thump; but no bear appeared. He was
beginning to think of turning back toward the camp,
when a curious noise fell upon his ears. It was a succes-
sion of dull blows, like that of a farmer driving a stake
into the ground.
A sudden turn of the path brought him unexpectedly
34 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
upon a singular scene. About a hundred yards away, the
trail was blocked by a huge, dark form. It stood about
four feet high, and was covered with long, shaggy fur of
a dirty brown color. Robert recognized the animal at
once, although it was back to him. It was the Brown
Bear, Ursus Arctos, of the cold countries. It was with a
feeling half chagrin and half relief that the boy knew
in a moment it was no grizzly before him. That it was,
on the other hand, his very ughest and most formidable
relative south of the Arctic Circle was equally certain.
But what was the occasion of the bear’s quiet attitude ?
A glance along the path explained matters. Directly
facing the bear stood an old bull moose, his spreading
antlers touching the boughs on each side of the path.
The big fellow was not standing at his full height. His
head was slightly lowered, and his eyes fixed intently on
those of his near neighbor. Neither of the animals paid
the shghtest attention to the new-comer.
There seemed to be no good reason why there should
be a quarrel. There was plenty of room, with a little
squeezing, for a bear and a moose, even if both, as was
the case, were larger than the average, to pass each other
comfortably. But neither of them thought of yielding an
inch ; they glared silently at each other, like two team-
sters who have unexpectedly met in a narrow alley.
Neither one would back out, that was settled.
The moose raised one of his great hoofs, and struck it
upon the ground several times, making moss and mud fly,
CRISIS.
WERE REACHING A
S
>
uv
THAT AFFAIR
IT WAS EVIDENT
TREED BY A MOOSE. 37
while his eyes seemed fairly to flash fire. Huis long,
ungainly head drooped lower ; it was evident that atfairs
were reaching a crisis, and Robert concluded it was time
toact. An old hunter would have walked backward softly
to the turn in the path, and then run for his life, leaving
the two forest princes to fight 1t out as they pleased.
Unfortunately, the boy did no such thing. He raised
his rifle, sighted a spot in the very centre of the moose’s
broad breast, and fired.
At the very same instant, the latter made up his mind
to knock that bear into small bits, and bounded forward.
The bear was watching for this, and rose on his haunches
to meet his antagonist.
So it happened that the rifle ball, instead of doing its
work as was intended, merely scored the bear's right
shoulder, and inflicted a slight wound on the flank of the
moose.
Both the brutes were startled by the heavy report of
the gun, and enraged by the sting of the ball. The im-
petus of the big “horned horse”’ was so great that he
could not stop himself, but struck the bear squarely on
the snout, causing Bruin to roll over backward, with the
moose on top of him.
The two huge creatures scrambled to their feet, and
simultaneously caught sight of Robert, who pluckily drew
a bead on the brown, struggling mass, and fired a second
time, with as little apparent result as before.
Then he started for the nearest tree, which, luckily for
38 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
him, was a good-sized spruce, with two or three boughs,
or stubs of them, close to the ground.
He had to drop his rifle, and deed had no time to
spare, for by a common impulse both the late enemies
rushed against their common foe.
Robert drew a long breath as he seated himself, not
very comfortably, on a stout branch, some twenty feet
from the ground. To his relief, the bear concluded that
his honor had been vindicated, and ambled off on his
“road” at a swilt pace, which took him out of sight in
two minutes.
Not so-the big moose. Pawing the ground, and snort-
ing fiercely, he continued to charge up and down, under
the tree, until at last, perceiving that his hated assailant
was for the time out of his reach, he sullenly commenced
a slow walk to and fro, like a sentinel on guard duty;
now and then casting vindictive glances into the ever-
green boughs overhead.
Faintly three rifle shots came echoing through the
woods, but Robert could not reply. He had given his
party no idea of where he was going. Plainly his position
was a disagreeable one, not to say positively dangerous.
What was to be done?
CHAPTER III.
TED'S PRICKLY BEAR.
SOON as Joe, the younger and
more agile of Mr. Dutton’s two
Indian guides, struck into the for-
est, he formed a definite plan of
action in his mind.
He had seen his young master
start off in his expedition, and had
noted the direction he had taken..
Once out of sight of camp, the trail
was lost in the deep green moss that covered the ground
everywhere. Joe, however, was not at a loss for the route
he should take. He reasoned that the boy would, in the
main, keep the direction he had at first taken, and would
follow the stream up toward the hills, good shooting being
generally found near water; moreover, the brook would
be an infallible guide back to camp.
Swiftly and stealthily as a cat the Indian glided through
the dark shadows of the forest, in and out among the
trunks of the evergreens. Now and then he would utter
a grunt of satisfaction as his quick glance fell upon a’
39
40 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
broken twig, or a red mass of crumbling wood where
Robert had placed an incautious foot.
Arriving at the bear path, he did not hesitate a moment,
but followed it with a swift, shambling gait like the awk-
ward trot of the animals who had trodden down the path
for him:
When he perceived the big track in the mud, he started,
paused, and examined it carefully; then felt of the
handle of his long knife—he had brought no other
weapon — and kept on as before.
If you had been watching him, a few minutes later, you
would have seen him suddenly come to a standstill, listen
eagerly, and then creep forward on hands and knees.
Presently he dropped flat on the ground, and began
wriggling forward as. silently as a snake, but more
slowly.
From his perch, Robert caught sight of a dark figure
crouching on the moss, a hundred feet away, to the lee-
ward. At first he turned sick with fear, thinking it was
a puma, making ready for a sprmg. Then he recognized
with delight the homely features of his guide.
The besieger just then was wandering moodily about,
at about the same distance the other side of the tree, his
attention being distracted by a swarm of mosquitoes who
kept him stamping and licking furiously. It was evident
that he had not the least idea of the Indian’s presence.
The latter wriggled nearer the tree, nearer, — until he
could lay his hand on the repeating rifle.
TED’S PRICKLY BEAR. Aq
The slight noise he made in cocking the piece caused
the moose to look up quickly, half turning as he did so,
and exposing his broad, brown side.
A shot rang out, and another. The moose started for
the tree like hghtning, but before he had covered half the
distance he fell headlong. To leap to his side and plunge
the keen blade of the knife into his throat was but an
instant’s work for the Indian, who had despatched many
a moose in his day.
As Robert descended stiffly from his tree, and saw the
poor creature’s huge bulk stretched out, helpless and still,
he felt a pang of remorse.
“Tt’s too bad, Joe,” he said, gazing at his prostrate
enemy.
“Hm. You no kill ’im, he kill you,” remarked the
other, in soft gutturals. “ You lucky git way from ’im,
9?
yls.
They cut several slices of meat from the moose, and
Joe took especial pains to carry away the muzzle, or
upper lip, which is esteemed a dainty among hunters.
The magnificent antlers they were of course obliged to
leave behind.
The Indian had as yet made no allusion to the bear.
When they had travelled about half way to the camp,
and had been walking in silence for some time, he sud-
denly asked : —
“You shot at bear, too?”
Robert laughed rather shamefacedly.
49 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
“Yes, I did, Joe. I guess I didn’t hurt him much, and
Pm glad I didn’t. One of those splendid creatures is
enough to kill in a day.”
“You no fire when you see ’im gain,” remarked the
Indian. ‘No hurt poor bear,” he added.
Rob caught the twinkle in his companion’s eye.
“ You're laughing at me, old fellow!” he cried, good-
naturedly. “ Never mind, [ll pay you up some day.”
“No shoot bear when you ’lone,’ said Joe, more
soberly. ‘Nor moose, too. Wait for Injun come, he
help shoot.”
‘“* Well, Pll be more careful another time. Hullo, here
Wwe are at camp. Sorry you were worried, father,’
as he saw Mr. Dutton’s look of relief at his approach.
“T was worried, Rob,” said the older man, earnestly,
“and I thank God that you're back safe. If I had
realized half the dangers and hardships of this wild coun-
try, 'd never have come. I suppose Dick is used to them,
and don’t mind meeting a grizzly, or fighting mosquitoes
for a week at a time, or running on to a tribe of hostiles.
I confess I do.”
‘“‘ But, father, we were never so well in our lives. Just
‘ look at Nat, there!”
And, indeed, it did one good to glance at the little
fellow’s brown, healthy face.
¢ Well, well,” said Mr. Dutton, brightening, “ we're all
in safe keeping, no doubt. Tell me about your adven-
ture, Rob. It’s too late to move further to-night, and we
TED’S PRICKLY BEAR. 43
could hardly find a better camping-ground. The tents,
boys!”
This last was addressed to the guides, who at once
quietly set about their preparations for the night. While
the boys gathered eagerly about Rob, as he described the big
game he had seen, two tents of light, strong drilling were
taken from the packs and pitched. They were of the
‘Shelter ” form, with side flaps that were secured to the
ground by pegs. These were necessary to keep out
the little winged tormentors whose falsetto songs already
began to ring unpleasantly in the ears of the hunters.
The mosquito bars were now stretched across the front
of the tents, admitting light, air, and nothing else, unless
perhaps the midges, or no-see-’ems, whose approach the
Indians feared.
In the midst of Rob’s glowing account, there arose a
series of howls and cries, mingled with the barking of a
dog, close by the camp.
All hands seized rifles and axes, and ran to the rescue.
“Oh, murther! Oh, save me, quick! She’s comin’
alther me, sure! Come quick wid yer guns! ”
A moment later a shout of laughter went up from the
rescuers. Hven the taciturn Indians smiled.
There was the valiant Teddy, with his hair fairly
standing on end, glaring wildly at a small black animal,
which crouched in a tree, about ten feet from the ground.
“Sure, I have fixed it wid me eyes,” said Teddy. “I
have a shpell on it, I have. If I look off, it'll jump.”
AA THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
“Why, what is it, Ted ?”’ inquired Mr. Dutton, putting
on a sober face.
“Can't ye see, sur-r, it’s a shmall little bear, bad luck
to him! Sure, I looked to see the ould one come rushing
out o the bushes ivery minute, and that’s why I called
2?)
yez.
All this time Carlo was barking furiously at the little
animal, whatever it was.
“T think the safest way,” said Mr. Dutton, suppressing
a smile once more, “is to leave Teddy here for a while to
watch the beast. If the she-bear attacks you, be sure
to call us, Ted,” he added, making as if he would walk off.
But the Irish boy set up a mournful wail that would
have touched a heart of stone.
“Och, don’t lave me, sur! Tl be kilt entirely!”
“Oh, Ted!” called out Hugh, who could no longer
keep silence, “killed by a—hedgehog! Think of it!
Don’t you see his prickles?”
Poor Teddy grew even redder than before as he exam-
ined the animal anew, and for the first time noticed the
quills.
He slunk back to camp, and it was a long time before
the boys ceased to allude to “ Ted’s prickly bear.”
The night passed quietly, and an early start was made
next morning. Before they halted for their noon rest,
they had made a good fifteen miles, due west. Nat was
tired, and when they started for their afternoon tramp,
Jim, the older and larger Indian, had a curious pack upon
TED’ S PRICKLY. BEAR. 45
his back. It was, in fact, no other than Nat himself,
comfortably seated in a natural chair, formed by cutting
a distorted birch close to the ground, and using the stump
of a bent bough fora seat. A belt was carried around
the Indian’s waist, to steady the chair, but the weight
came largely upon his forehead, which held the loop of a
leather thong supporting this human piece of baggage.
Mr. Dutton had seen Peruvian natives carry travellers in
this way, over dangerous mountain passes, and Jim found
that it worked to a charm.
At about three o’clock the leader of the party uttered
a cry of delight.
“Look!” he said, pointing forward. “The head-
waters of the Pelly!”’
“What is the Pelly, father?” asked the oldest boy.
“The northern branch of the Yukon, Rob. Where
that river joins the old ‘ Lewis,’ or properly the Yukon
itself, is Fort Selkirk, and there we shall find your mother,
Flossie, and Dick.”
“Hooray!” shouted Hugh, catching his father’s enthu-
siasm. ‘‘ How long will it take to reach them?”
“TJ should think that by day after to-morrow we ought
to come in sight of the chimneys of the old fort. As soon
as possible we will build a raft, and finish our journey by
water.”
An hour’s fast walking brought the party to the edge
of a small lake. On the southern shore were high bluffs,
crowned with evergreen forests. Just before them lay a
46 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
little meadow. Its bright green grass was dotted with
dandelions and buttercups; butterflies, red and yellow,
floated gracefully in the sunshine. A cloud of waterfowl
rose from the reeds near by, and, flying low over the
smooth water, plunged into 1t again not half a mile away,
with a deal of splashing.
Not a breeze stirred the surface of the lake; the hills
along its shore were reflected as in a mirror.
“ Beautiful, beautiful!”” murmured Mr. Dutton, baring
his head for a moment, and gazing over the tranquil
scene. “ Why should not one settle here, and spend his
days within sight of this lovely sheet of water? No
cares, but plenty of —”
“Mosquitoes!” interrupted one of the Indians, gravely.
The boys burst into a shout of laughter at the sudden
conclusion of their father’s soliloquy, and ran gleefully
down to the water’s edge. |
cried little Nat presently, holding
fee
“‘ See, father, see
up a small brown animal in his arms. It was a young
marmot, a species which furnishes to the Indians of the
interior their blankets, these bemg made of numerous
skins of the little creatures, sewed together.
After an inspection by all the boys, the captive was
permitted to waddle off at the top of his speed, presuma-
bly in the direction his parents had taken.
“Camp, boys, camp!” called Mr. Dutton, and all
hands set busily to work, preparmg for the night. The
tent was pitched on the bank of a tiny stream that fell
TED’S PRICKLY BEAR. 47
musically over a mossy ledge, into the lake itself. The
boys cut and broke armfuls of boughs from the young
spruces that grew thickly along the edge of the forest,
and threw them into the camp fora bed. Nat was left
to kindle the fire, a task at which he was a particular
adept. With bits of bark and dried twigs he soon had a
jolly blaze mounting up through the larger sticks, and the
camp was ready. Rob strolled off with his gun, and Hugh
with fishing-rod and flies, as usual. Mr. Dutton took
shelter behind a mosquito net, and registered in his diary
the events of the day, the various sorts of plants and
living creatures he had observed; and the situation and
most striking characteristics of the lake before him. Then
he took out his map of the British provinces and Alaska,
settling his position beyond a doubt, and marking his
camping spot with a pencilled cross. Those boys who
would like to know just where the party was encamped
may make a cross on their maps at exactly lat. 61° 30’
N., long. 128° 10’ W. from Greenwich. If the map isa
good one, they will find this lake, shaped something like
a horseshoe, with the open end toward the north. On the
east bank of the right-hand arm of the horseshoe was
“Camp Prospect,” as Mr. Dutton named their halting
place.
CHA PIR aay:
AN UNSEEN ENEMY.
HE afternoon had been
ny .
iy so bright, friends seemed
i
Ta i so near, and camp was so
~ ~~ ie Ss .
Re i pleasantly situated, that
3 ihc a acy the Duttons looked for-
wf i ees DA
won wt ib
Yin. Ward to a peaceful, rest-
eee te ae a ful night. They were
Apes rath Nites _ doomed to serious dis-
appointment.
Hugh came back from the lake empty-handed, and
Robert was the lucky one this time, bringing back from
his hunting expedition a fine bag of black duck, and a
good fat rabbit.
While Joe was preparing the ducks for supper, Teddy,
whose bump of curiosity was always leading him to poke
about among bushes and under logs, came rushing back
to camp, and breathlessly announced an important dis-
covery.
“ Sure, it’s a bear this time,” he stammered, looking
over his shoulder. “ Ye’ve tould me toime and toime
48
AN UNSEEN ENEMY. 49
agin that the print of a bear’s fut looks like a man’s boot.
Sure, there’s wan here in the bushes that’s the very image
o wan, toes an’ all. Oh, wirra, wirra, he'll ate us up
p) bP)
before mornin
‘Hush, Teddy,” exclaimed Mr. Dutton, authoritatively.
“Tell us where you saw the track.”
“ Jist beyant in the bushes.”
“Come, Joe, we'll look at it.”
The rest wanted to follow, but Mr. Dutton bade them
stay where they were. He had uncomfortable misgivings
regarding that track, with its toes so plainly marked.
What if it were not a bear’s footprint at all! Whatif —
His worst fears were realized when he saw the Indian’s
manner on looking at the track.
“H’m!” he grunted, with a slight start, as he stooped
low to examine it. “H’m! Him no bear!”
* What-is 1t, then ?”
‘¢ Him man’s foot.”
e Mihite 2.’
‘Now Injun.’
“ How old is the sign?”
“¢ Half-hour, maybe.”
Here was intelligence, to be sure, of a decidedly unpleas-
ant character.
While they had been building their camp, discussing
their plans, roaming about the woods, dark forms had
been flitting to and fro among the shadows of the forest,
within a stone’s throw. Glistening eyes had been watch-
50 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
ing them, probably with looks of hate. For a friendly
band would have advanced at once, where the party of
whites was so evidently a harmless one, with its four
boys and one middle-aged man.
The two guides now held a short consultation, and, on
Mr. Dutton’s return to camp, they darted into the woods.
The hour spent before their return was one of extreme
anxiety. The boys knew nothing of their father’s appre-
hensions, and chatted merrily over the supper-getting,
which, in the absence of the guides, they took into their
own hands.
If the Takheesh Indians, in the borders of whose coun-
try they now were, should take the warpath, they were
greatly to be feared. Their tribe had been foully treated
by the traders, and, though few in numbers, the Alaska
Indians are known to be among the fiercest and most im-
placable of their race when their evil passions are once
roused. And if there was danger to his own party, what
of the other, near by, containing his brother, wite, and
daughter ?
While these thoughts were chasing one another through
Mr. Dutton’s troubled mind, Joe returned, and shortly
afterward his comrade.
The information they brought was not reassuring.
They had struck the trail of the strange Indians, they
said, in several parts of the surrounding forest, and,
though they did not come upon the band, the guides were
pretty sure that they were encamped just beyond a little
AN UNSEEN ENEMY. 51
ridge, about two miles southwest of Camp Prospect.
They had probably been startled, Joe intimated, by the
report of Rob’s gun.
The boys by this time had been acquainted with the
situation, and the faces of the company were clouded.
“ Well,” said Mr. Dutton, at last, “we won't try to
cross a bridge before we come to it. The Indians will not
dare to attack us to-night, while we are all in camp, nor
are they fond of roaming the woods after dark. Well
take turns keeping guard, however, and while one
watches the rest shall sleep.”
It was still so early in the evening that no thoughts of
sleep could be entertained for an hour or two. Mr. Dut-
ton was determined that his boys should not worry away
their chances for a night’s rest. He therefore proposed
telling stories until bedtime.
“That is,” said he, with a good-natured slap on Joe’s
broad shoulders, “I don’t mean to do all the talking
myself. You can begin, old fellow.”
The Indian’s dark eyes lhghted up. Taciturn as he
was on ordinary occasions, he was renowned among his
comrades as a recounter of marvellous tales and _hair’s-
breadth escapes. Joe was a good story-teller, and he
knew it.
As full of airs as a young lady who is asked to play,
and “has left her music at home,” Joe coughed and
smoked, and pretended indifference, but, after the proper
amount of urging, raised himself upon elbow instead of
52 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
squatting in the traditional Indian fashion, and, having
replenished his pipe (which, however, soon died out),
began as follows. I do not attempt to spell out his pecu-
liar dialect, or indicate the expressive grunts and gut-
turals which served as punctuation marks.
“About ten years ago,” he said, “I was guiding, near
Fort Churchill, with my brother, John Feathertop.”’
“T didn’t know you had a brother, Joe,” interrupted
Nat.
“Dead now,’ remarked the narrator, laconically,
then resumed his story.
“We started out, one fine morning, from the fort, and
by the end of the next day reached a lake about thirty
miles away, where the fishing was good.
“Two men — white men — were with us. They were
from a big town in the States — New — New —”
“York ?” suggested Rob.
“That's it. They paid us well, and were full of fun.
On the lake we had two good canoes, hidden in the bushes
at different points. John and I soon found one of
them, drew the paddles from a hollow log close by, and
started across the lake for the other canoe.
“We paddled straight across a wide bay, in a north-
east direction, took our bearings from a bunch of rocks
just above water (there were half a dozen gull’s-nests on
them, and the birds flew up slowly as we paddled past) ;
then worked up to a point heavily wooded with black
growth, and John landed.
AN UNSEEN ENEMY. 53
“Pretty soon I heard a squirrel chatter, and right
afterward a bird sound, like this.”
Here Joe imitated pretty closely the long, plaintive
whistle of the hermit thrush.
W:
yy Vy
Y, W) Ny
(Za
tf ile
——
2 ea =
a5 : Sez illite
eS Se =
“WE STARTED ACROSS THE LAKE.”
The boys nodded to their father, to show that they
recognized the notes ; and Joe gravely proceeded.
““T knew then that something was out of the common,
and that John apprehended danger ; otherwise he would
not have called me at all, or would have sung out my
name. ‘The squirrel and the bird meant ‘ trouble — come
54 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
quick, but carefully.’ If the bird had sung first, it would
have meant, ‘ Stay there; I’m coming back.’
“ T answered the bird call, and stepped out of the canoe,
pulling it up a little on a big rock. Then I went into
the bushes and found John.
‘He was standing near an old pine stub that had been
our landmark for the second canoe. It ought to have
been just six paces from that stub, in a little overgrown
run, covered with brush. The fir and spruce, with a few
white cedars, grew so thick along the edge of the run
that nobody would have found the canoe without a hard
hunt, and a hint as to its hiding-place. Nobody in the
world knew of that place but John and I. The canoe
was gone.”
Joe paused impressively, having dropped his voice to
its lowest gutturals in pronouncing the two words,
“Canoe gone!’ —and looked around the firelit circle of
faces to observe the effect.
The result of the survey proving satisfactory, he
lighted his pipe anew with a blazing twig from the camp-
fire.
“ But that wasn’t the worst of it,’ he continued, more
solemnly than ever. ‘ There wasn’t the faintest sign of
any stranger there. Not a track showed in the earth
between that spot and the lake. Not a twig, as far as
we could see in any direction, was broken or bent; even
the boughs that had been thrown over the run were
absolutely undisturbed.
AN UNSEEN ENEMY. isis
“Simply, the canoe was not there. In some mysterious
way it had been drawn out from its hiding-place, and had
totally disappeared.
“T said there was no track. Stop — there was one.
John pointed it out after we had been there a minute.
It was a mere touch on the moss — so light as hardly to
bend down the soft tops— yet, here and there, plainly
enough marked when once we had found one, were the
prints of a child’s or a young girl’s foot. The strange
part of it was the lightness. We found one spot where
she or it had stepped fairly on a piece of soft, muddy
soil. As I live, masters, the print was not half a day old,
and was not so deep.”
Joe measured off about an eighth of an inch on his
thumb-nail. Nat crept more closely to his father, and
glanced over his shoulder. There was always something
uncanny about Joe’s stories; and, indeed, Mr. Dutton
began to repent having called for the performance on this
particular night.
“ Hurry up, Joe,” he exclaimed, “and get to the point
of your story. What made the tracks around the run?
Some light-footed Indian squaw, I suppose!”
“No squaw, replied Joe, with dignity. “Track too
ver’ light, you see.”
But, as I said, I will not try to give the story in Joe’s
peculiar dialect. Here is the rest of it, translated into
English. |
“We could make nothing of the tracks, and pretty
56 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
soon we paddled back to camp, after having searched the
point over for the missing canoe. Nota sign of it could
we find.
“When we returned to our two hunters, they laughed
at us, but were angry, too, because they had but one
canoe to fish from. Only one of them could go out at a
time. |
‘¢ We took a few trout in the lake, but the fish did not
rise well, and after a couple of days we pushed on to a
small pond five miles above.
“Tt was all white water between, so we had to carry.
It took five trips to get across, for it’s the hardest carry
in all the north country.
“The last time we took the canoe. It was rather
heavy for that style of craft, and there was one point,
just opposite a big waterfall in the river, where it had to
be lugged straight uphill for fifty rods or more.
“ John and I got underneath, and the New York men
pulled on a rope hitched round the bows.
“Tt was a hard tug, but we got there at last.
‘We built a brush camp pretty near the shore of the
upper pond, and laid out for a fortnight’s stay at least.
There was deer-sign in the woods, and if the rises in the
pond at sunset meant anything, they meant all the fish
we could eat, and more, too.
“Well, sir, if you'll believe me, we'd no sooner got
settled down in camp than everything began to go wrong.
“ John cut his hand that very night mending a leader,
AN UNSEEN ENEMY. 57
so he could hardly hold a paddle. One of our blankets
yy had a hole burnt in it the next
5 #, fro! morning; our best rifle missed
s/t" fre when we had a fine buck
,, caribou In easy range; it rained
Nim hard and was broiling hot
4, Vos
4 Ua), -. by turns; and at last John
\ a eee through clumsy paddling
Roo
vy : with his lame hand,
vill ‘
see
iN, SW «run the canoe square
)
im)
, ih on to a rock, near the
outlet, and put a hole
“out, through the birch.
“Solt sao: Use,
/ ’ [ 2, ss ty
we agreed, he and hy i
I, ‘the trip’s be- ee .
witehed. What- A
ever it was that aN ; —
took that canoehas ,__ bee . * Veer:
sent us bad luck.’ SN OS a
«Then we re- ' Vi
membered an old pi.
story of how an in-
nocent Indian girl ly, : “es
was shot by trap- a Wm? GpHILL WORK. Gi
pers in that region years before ; shot because some skulk-
58 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
ing chap in her tribe had stolen a pelt or two, and these
fellows wanted to square the account. |
“John shook his head, and said he believed the spirit
of the girl was abroad in the woods, and would be the
death of us if we didn’t go out.
‘‘ He wanted to tell the two gentlemen about it, but I
told him they'd laugh at him, and we'd better wait a
while before doing anything.
“* Hm,’ said John, ‘if we want to go back, who can
hinder ?’
‘“* You'd have to go alone,’ said I, ‘ for I won’t leave a
party Ive once taken into the woods, spirit or no spirit.’
“That night one of our two masters was taken with
fever and chills, though he had been perfectly well
an hour before. John looked hard at me as we sat by
the fire, but I pretended not to see him. |
“Next morning the poor gentleman was rather worse
than better. Part of the time he was out of his head, |
and kept raving about somebody he thought was trying
to drown him in the canoe. 7
“<< Don't tip it over! Don't trp it ever! hed (ery, am
the most awful way, starting up and then sinking back
with a choking sound as if he were going under water.
“As soon as I got a chance I called Jolin out into the
brush a bit.
“<¢John,’ said I, ‘I had a queer dream last night.’
“«« So did I,’ said he, quietly.
“‘<]T dreamed I found that canoe.’
AN UNSEEN ENEMY. 59
feo did I.’
“Tt was placed across two flat, mossy rocks, and in it
was the body of a young squaw— ’
“Before John had time to say, ‘So it was!’ (as I’ve
no doubt his dream was exactly the same as mine) we
were called to hold the sick man, who was now quite out
of his head, and muttering strange things that nobody
but John and I understood.
“He grew quieter after a while, and slept. The other
gentleman, worried and troubled as he was, took his
rifle and started round the shore of the lake for game.
‘“‘ Before long I heard the crack of his piece, and not a>
minute later a doe dashed past the camp.
“Her tongue was out, and I could see that she was
wounded ; but she was out of sight with three bounds.
As she went past us she half turned her head, and gave
me one swift look from her big, frightened eyes. I’m an
old hunter, sir, but I declare to you I never had a deer
nor a living animal look at me so before. I found a
single red spot on a green leaf in her tracks, after she had
gone. °
“This was at about noon. The master came back
more tired and anxious than ever. As soon as dinner
was over, he wanted me to go and hunt up that doe.
“Generally, I'd want no better job, for I knew by the
way she ran that she was shot to death, and I wouldn’t
have to go far. But, sir, I hated to go. I’d have taken
John, but he said he must stay in camp and gum that
60 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
leak in the old canoe before dark. I left him getting
his gum and some bark to burn and sear with.
“ Well, it took longer than I thought it would. For
upwards of three miles I tramped through the black
‘¢T SHOULDERED THE CANOE.”’
growth to the head of the pond, following the trail, which
wasn't the easiest to keep in sight. There wasn’t a
broken limb or even a bent brake; and on the ground
scarcely a track, she was so light.
AN UNSEEN ENEMY. 61
“The sun was well down, and it was getting pretty
shady in the woods when I struck a plain carry, made by
traders in old times, from the head of the pond to a chain
of lakes and a post beyond.
“ After following this about a hundred rods, I came to
a standstill. A small sheet of water was just in front of
me; but what I noticed most was a lot of big, mossy
rocks along the shore. They were the very rocks that I
had seen in my dream!
“ And there, sir, not quite as I had dreamed it, but
pulled up a little across the opening of the carry, was the
lost canoe.
“Y came up to it with a creeping all over me, from
head to foot. I knew what I should find there, even
before I saw the patch of soft brown and white over the
edge of the canoe.
“There, just as she had stumbled and fallen, in her
last feeble effort to reach the water, lay the beautiful doe,
the blood still flowing from the fatal bullet-hole. She
was quite dead.
“Perhaps you'll laugh at me, sir, when I tell you I
didn’t cut her up ?
“I took her out easy, and laid her on the moss, out of
sight of the carry. She was a small, slender thing, and
hited easy. I threw some brush over her, and shouldered
the canoe, which was not so large as the one we had
brought with us from the first lake, and in five minutes
was paddling down the lower pond as if all the spirits of
the forest were after me.
62 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
“At last I came in sight of John Feathertop, just
putting the last touches on the bottom of the damaged
canoe, and then, I confess, for the first time I breathed
freely. |
“ic a wii i
‘JOHN WAS PUTTING THE LAST TOUCHES ON.”?
“The gentleman asked me where the doe was, but I
took no notice, and he supposed I felt bad at not finding
her, so he said nothing more about it.
“ The next day the sick man was well enough to move,
AN UNSEEN ENEMY. 63
and we all started for home, although the two New
Yorkers wanted to stay and finish their sport.”
‘Why did they go out, then ?
“ Because they could not stay without guides. And
both guides refused, quietly and respectiully, but firmly,
to spend another day in that locality.
“We got out in safety, with the exception of the
lighter canoe. That we left behind. Why? Because it
had carried the dead; because the dead had claimed it ;
because it belonged to the dead.
“ John Feathertop and I, as well as Jim here, were
poor enough ; but there wasn’t money enough in all the
-Hudson’s Bay territory to hire us ever to visit that lake
again.”
As Joe concluded his story, with a furtive glance at
the staring eyes about him, a loon in the lake below
suddenly made night hideous with its maniac laughter.
Mr. Dutton could feel little Nat shiver in his arms.
CHAPTER V.
RAFT-BUILDING.
Se peel was plain that Joe's story, instead of quieting
“i lg the boys, as their father had intended, had
ee ig We wrought them to a high pitch of nervousness,
ae would have to relax before sleep visited the little
camp by the headwaters of the Pelly that night.
‘“Now, boys,’ he exclaimed in his cheery, wholesome
tones, that of themselves began at once to put to flight the
imaginary terrors of the night, “ Z’m going to tell you a
story. The difference between mine and Joe’s is, princi-
pally, that mine is true!”
Joe withdrew his pipe from his lips, and gazed reproach-
fully at Mr. Dutton; contented himself with a shake of
his head, at the idea of his veracity being questioned ;
and began to puff again at his tobacco.
“That is,” added Mr. Dutton, changing his position in
the tent so as to rest more easily, and at the same time
face the boys, “the main facts are true. It’s about a
severe cold snap that took place in Atlanta, Georgia,
not long ago.”
Thereupon he proceeded to narrate the following story,
64
RAFT-BUILDING. 65
giving the negro dialect with such excellent effect as to
make the boys laugh heartily at some points, and to bring
tears to their eyes at others.
Lex had been busy all day, partly in efforts to keep out
from under customers’ feet, partly in running errands.
When he turned away from the store at night, and started
for home, he was very tired.
“Hi!” chattered Lex, as he pattered along the side-
walk, “ain’t dis yere cold, jes’ !”
It was cold, and was growing colder. The sun had
muffled itself in a bank of clouds, as it hurried off toa
warmer climate, turning a very cold shoulder indeed
upon Lex and his surroundings. As soon as the sun
was well out of the way, presto! up dodged the sly
breezes that had kept quiet since morning, and, spying
the black boy on his way home, made for him with
eager glee.
They could not do much with his hair, to be sure, it
curled so tightly and closely to his round head; but, to
make up for that, they pinched his ears, and pulled off
his tattered hat, tweaked his fingers and toes, whooped
and hallooed at him, and threw dust in his astonished
black eyes, until he felt as if he were in the paws of a
sort of great Polar tiger, playing with him cruelly and
breathing on him from her icy jaws.
So the wind kept on blowing, harder and harder, and
the mercury in the thermometers sought to hide itself in
66 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
their bulbs, until the very light of the moon above the
chimney-tops seemed to come down frozen.
Colder and colder it grew. In the North, people would
not have been surprised at it, but Atlanta folks were not
used to such cold, and it took them by surprise.
George Alexander Jackson, or “ Lex,” as he was called
for short, hurried along till he reached a small cabin on
the outskirts of the city, and, slamming the door behind
him, stood shivering before the stove, whose firelight, |
shining out between the bars in front, fell pleasantly on
the floor, and danced all about the white kitten who
blinked sleepily at Lex.
“Well, Lex, got home fm yo’ wo’k agin, ain’t ye!”
said a stout black woman, cheerily, coming up to him and
drawing his woolly head to her motherly bosom. “ Po’
little boy! He’s done run all d’ way home, — now, ain't
ye, honey ?”
Lex bobbed his head, and squirmed with the cold.
“Dar, dar, chile, you jes’ stay right in mammy’s arms
till ye get wo’'m an’ comf’ble. Reckon ’twon’t be so cold
ter-morrer. An’ de Lo’d will pervide!”
Chloe Jackson was one of the old slaves who had “ got
religion,’ as her master had sneeringly said. ‘Truly she
had “got” it, firmly enough, and not even her freedom
in these later days was so precious to her. To Lex, re-
ligion as yet meant mostly —“mammy,’ and he would
have been as much alarmed had she stopped using Scrip-
ture phrases as if she had stopped breathing.
RAFT-BUILDING. 67
A comfortable sense of warmth stole through Lex’s
sturdy little frame, as he watched his mother going about
the room in her preparations for supper. On the table,
bare, but clean, were set three plates of different sizes,
and in varied stages of repair; a small teapot, a plate of
hoe-cakes, and a cracked mug full of a dark liquid that
Lex’s critical eye told him was molasses.
A cup and saucer for Chloe herself completed the tea-
set, and Lex was told to take his place beside his mother
and sister, the latter beng a year or two younger than
himself. His father had gone quietly away to another
country five years before, leaving his poor black earth-
clothes in the little burying-ground outside the city.
“Be quiet, chilluns!”’ said Chloe, softly, raising her
hand. Then she proceeded to say grace — rather longer
than common, Lex thought, sniffing the hoe-cakes with
his eyes shut. |
“QO Lo’d,” she concluded, her voice beginning to trem-
ble strangely, “bress dese yere chilluns! O doan fergit
yo brack chilluns, what yo’ led outen de wildness, O
Lo’d, an’ don’t let dese yere little ones freeze wid cold, or
die fer want of food, an’ doan, O Lord — Amen.”
Lex looked up, surprised at her abrupt close, and caught
sight of two big tears rolling down her cheeks.
“OQ mammy! mammy! what ye done cry fer?” he
begged, laying his head again on her shoulder. “ What
makes y’ ask Mass, Lo’d”’ (she never could break him of
saying that) “ter keep us f’m freezin’ ?”
68 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
“ Dar, chile,” she said, almost sharply, “doan ye go ter
axin’ questions. De Lo’d an’ I done got two er free
secrets what pickaninnies mus’n know nuf’n’ ’bout. You
jes eat yo’ supper an’ be quiet.”’
His thoughts diverted for a few minutes by this last
suggestion, Lex busied himself with his bread and
molasses. Then he asked, —
“Mammy, who was it you read ’bout in de Bible dat
got fo’ or five t’ousand hoe-cakes f’m a flock of crows?”
“Laws-a-me, jes’ hear him!” cried mammy, an ill-
suppressed chuckle of fun driving the anxiety out of her
face fora moment. “’Twas meat, meat, chile, what dem
birds bro’t to ’Lijah.”
‘An’ would dey brung meat to us, mammy, ef we wus
mighty hungry ?”
“YT reckon so, honey,” said Chloe, with a sweet look of
faith in her honest eyes. “ He’s never fergot us yit.”
So Lex was satisfied, and returned to his post by the
fire. Presently he looked up, with a little shiver.
‘‘Mammy, please put some mo’ wood on de fire.”
Mammy glanced up quickly, then came to the small
stove, and stirred the brands together till they crackled
and blazed again.
“Lex,” she said, quietly, “I’m gwine out fer a little
while. You an’ Bess stay here an’ ‘have yerselves till I
git back.”
Without further words, she drew a faded shawl over
her head, and went out into the bleak night.
RAFT-BUILDING. 69
It was half an hour or more before she came back.
She kept her shawl about her till she had sent the chil-
dren out of the room on an errand, then deposited upon
the floor a few sticks of wood she had brought in. When
they returned, she was replenishing the fire.
*Pears colder “n ever,’ she said. ‘You chillun ’d
better go ter bed now.”
And they went, curling up in a heap of straw and
under a patched quilt in one corner of the hut.
“ Are ye sho’ de crows will come, mammy?” yawned
Lex, as she tucked the ragged edges of an old blanket
around him.
>
“¢ Sho’, honey,” she replied, heartily.
“ An’ could — dey — brung — wood?” — but Lex was
too sleepy to wait for an answer.
It will be long before the Atlanta people forget the
night of January 26, 18—. The bitter wind which
only a few weeks before had urged a conflagration to
do its fearful work, until a whole city seemed mounting
to heaven in a chariot of fire, now with icy coldness crept
in noiselessly, to counteract the efforts of the very element
it had so lately helped.
In the night Lex had a curious dream. He thought
he saw his mother creep softly into the kitchen, and bear
the old pine table out of the house. Then there seemed
to come a cracking noise, and presently the firelight shone
out merrily through the little bars, and Lex felt warm
and comfortable. Mammy stayed by the stove, occasion-
70 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
ally throwing in bits of wood, until his dream carried him
elsewhere.
The next morning Lex was waked by hearing Bess
crying softly beside him.
‘“ What’s de matter, Bess?” he asked, sleepily.
“ T’se s-so cold!”’ she sobbed, cuddling up close to him.
But mammy’s ears had eaught the sound too, and she
was beside her little black lambs in a moment, covering
them with the shawl she had worn the night before. As
she did so, Lex felt something soft and warm between
him and Bess. It was the white kitten. It struck Lex
as strange that the white kitten should prefer his bed to
the floor underneath the stove, where she was usually
found on other mornings. At that same moment he
observed that the steam was not puffing from the tea-
kettle, as was its wont.
‘Wh-what’s de matter wid de stove, mammy?” he
stammered, rubbing his eyes.
“ Doan you bodder yo’ head ’bout dat ar stove,” said
Chloe, with great cheerfulness. “I jes’ let de fire go
down a little b’fo’ breakfas’, dat’s all.”
“ B-but — whar’s de table ?”
Chloe turned her head away at first, without answer-
ing. She had loved the little four-foot table, at which
she and her husband had sat so often, and it had been a
sore sacrifice to burn it up. But she had all her mother-
hood stirred in defence of her children. She fought the
cold as if it had been a living thing. |
RAFT-BUILDING. el
Just then Bess, catching the look, gave a little miser-
able wail of distress and cold.
At that cry, the fierce light that sometimes comes into
the mild eyes of her race flashed in Chloe’s as she
crouched by the httle heap of straw, and glanced ner-
vously about the room.
There were only two wooden pieces of furniture that
had survived the demands of that night; an old, broken-
legged stool, which her husband had brought from the
plantation, and which had always been specially set apart
for him; and a small shelf, high up on the opposite wall,
on which were laid a worn Bible and hymn-book.
Chloe rose, hesitated a moment, then stepped across the
room, swiftly reached up, and, taking the two books from
their resting-place, laid them carefully and reverently
upon a few wisps of clean straw, in a corner of the hut.
Next, she gave the shelf a wrench that brought it down
~ with a cloud of dust, and, without pausing, —as if she
were afraid of repenting,— opened the stove-door and
thrust in the fragments upon the glowing brands.
All these proceedings Lex and Bess and the white
kitten watched with intense interest, and with very dubi-
ous faces. Bess no longer cried, but had hard work to
keep her lip from quivering. Kitty put out one dainty
paw, shook it as if she had dipped it into cold water,
curled up again in Lex’s bosom, and made a brave
attempt to purr.
Lex privately thought it might be about time for the
no, THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
ravens. It comforted him a little, he hardly knew why,
to think that they would be black, like himself — these
chosen messengers from heaven. He was cut short in his
reflections by mammy.
“Tse owine out again,” she said, in a queer voice Lex
had never heard. “I’se gwine out ter git somefin fer ye
ter burn an’ ter eat.”
‘“¢ But dem — dem crows, mammy ?”
“T’se ewine ter look fer em.” And she was gone.
‘““Mebbe dey mout ‘light down round de house,” medi-
tated Lex. “Tl jes’ keep de cat inside de do’, any-
ways.”
This time it was an hour before Chloe returned, weary,
footsore, slow of speech, benumbed with cold. She had
left the shawl, you see, over little Bess.
In her pocket she brought a few chips, two bits of
coal, and a fragment of bread-crust. With the remains
of last night’s supper, for which she had used the last
crumb of provisions in the house, they made a meagre
breakfast. The children were not allowed to get up, so
they did not miss the table so much.
Still the ravens did not come. Chloe dragged herself
out once more, and returned — empty-handed !
It was Sunday, and the church-bells, in the wealthier
part of the city, rang merrily. But congregations that
morning were small. Those whose conscience permitted
them to do so stayed at home. The lower streets were
thronged with poor people, crying for bread and fuel.
RAFT-BUILDING. 73
The little white kitten, and many other kittens that day,
white and black, mewed piteously for the meat the ravens
did not bring.
“Mammy,” said Lex, “I’se powful hungry. Doan y’
tink it’s bout time fer ’em?”’
The three-legged stool had gone long ago. Mammy,
her brave heart battling against the numb despair that
was creeping over her, laid her poor rough hand on the
boy’s head, and sang : —
“Oh, my way’s cloudy —
My way —
Oh, send dem angels down.”
“Mammy!” Lex suddenly broke out, with a sharp
ery, “ was dat “Lijah white?”
Poor mammy! Perhaps if she could have had an
image of Hlijah’s swarthy face as it must really have
looked, she would have been comforted. As it was, she
was fain to lay her finger on the child’s trembling lips,
and go on singing.
In the west the sun glowed in all its mockery of red
light, like a painted furnace in a frame of ice. The
wind, — ah, that remorseless wind ! — springing up again,
blew out the last spark of fire, and thrust itself through
the wide cracks in the little hut.
Still mammy sat stiffly, forming the words with her
lips : —
“Send dem angels down, —
My way’s clo-o-udy —”
74 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
“Mammy,” moaned Lex once more, “’pears like dem
crows lost dar way, ’r else dey doan come to no brack
folks. Dar pry 1s!” he shrieked out, all at once, jump-
ing to his feet and almost upsetting mammy, who raised
herself more slowly and listened.
Yes! it was-a low, heavy rumble of wheels over the
frozen ground. Nearer and nearer it came. Chloe darted
to the door. They were stopping — two big wagons, one
loaded high with wood, the other with baskets of provis-
ions of every sort conceivable. The driver was a
wealthy resident of Atlanta, well known throughout the
city, and, doubtless, throughout heaven, too, God bless
him !
So the ravens had come, and Chloe and her little ones
knew no more want that winter. The next morning the
following telegram quivered over the wires to the great
Northern newspapers, in the files of which you can find
it if you look : —
“ ATLANTA, Ga., Jan. 27. The severe weather of the
past week caused great suffermg among the poor. On
Saturday it was learned that hundreds of poor women
and children were huddling around their last burning
stick of wood, and the Constitution of Sunday morning
made an appeal to the citizens to send to the paper
money, provisions, and fuel, which would be distributed
by its business department.
‘‘ At noon there were gathered together about sixty
wagons, containing wood and provisions. Merchants
worth hundreds of thousands of dollars took their places
RAFT-BUILDING. 75
as drivers, each with a wood-wagon and a _provision-
wagon under his charge, and started on a tour of the
city, working all day until nightfall.
“All day the Constitution office looked more lke a
military supply depot than a newspaper office. Hundreds
of sacks of flour, coffee and sugar, sides of meat and
hams, and on the sidewalk cords of wood were seen, while
the streets were full of people, clamorous for relief. No
distinction was made in the distribution in regard to
color.”
Who shall say, boys, that men are not still about their
Father’s business ?
When Mr. Dutton concluded, Nat was already yawn-
ing, and the relieved expression of the other boys’ faces
showed that their pulses were beating calmly once more.
“ Now,” said the father, “we'll go to sleep.”
It was easier to say “sleep” than to do it, after all.
Never did a night seem so long to the boys as they lay
huddled together in the tent. Perhaps little Nat, now
that he had recovered from his nervousness, was the
bravest of all. He said his prayers composedly, took off
his jacket, and Jay down in the tent with perfect trust
in both his heavenly and his human father, feeling very
sure that he would be well taken care of until morning.
Mr. Dutton watched, rifle across his knee, until twelve
o clock. Then he called Rob, who kept guard till two.
The guides relieved him, and he slept heavily for the next
two hours.
76 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
At four o'clock the whole camp was astir. Mr. Dutton,
who had decided upon a definite course, gave his orders
quietly. First, a good breakfast, in which hot coffee and
Rob’s rabbit played a prominent part. It was wonderful
how much better they all felt after this. Teddy, rein-
forced by a huge lump from the savory stew, declared
himself ready to fight “‘ivery Injun in Alashky.”
No alarm had been given during the night, and all
were alert for the day’s work.
Already the terrors of the dusky evening twilight
seemed a thing of the past.
“The first thing,” said Mr. Dutton, cheerily, as they
rose from their meal, “is to find some good large logs
floating in the lake. Half a dozen will do.”
y)
‘“There’s a lot of them down there,” said Hugh, point-
ing. “TI crept out on them yesterday when I was fish-.
mow
“What are you going to do with them, papa ?”’ asked
Nat.
“T think it best that we should finish our journey, if
possible, on a raft, though it will take all day to make
one. We should be liable to lose our way by shore, and
I’ve noticed that the undergrowth of bushes and deep
moss is growing much more troublesome as we approach
the coast.”
‘But how about the Indians ?”
“Tf they are really hostile, we shall be safest on our
raft, for then they cannot reach us without coming mto
RAFT-BUILDING. 77
full view. Yes, by all means, it is best to take to the
water.”
“To the water, then!’’ cried Robert, seizing an axe,
and starting for the point indicated by Hugh.
“To the water!” echoed all, and a general stampede
toward the lake would have followed had not the leader
checked it.
“Wait! wait!” he called out, laughing. “There's
work here for some to do. Nat, do you straighten out
all the pieces of cord you can find in the packs. They
must be used for fastening the cross pieces together.
Hugh, you may busy yourself about camp. Take down
the tent, to begin with, and pack it up for transporta-
tion.” |
“ But, father, I thought you said we should stay here
another day. Sha’n’t we need the tent — ?”’
“ Another day, my boy, but not another night! No,
we shall take the ‘ night boat,’ and before sunrise to-mor-
row we must be thirty miles from here, if it can be done.”
Mr. Dutton now dispatched the two guides into the
woods, to reconnoitre. They joined him shortly afterward
at the water’s edge, and reported all quiet; no new signs
of the enemy.
How those axes did flash through the air! Branches
were lopped off from the fallen trees where it was neces-
sary, but for the most part they had been broken or
rubbed away in the wild rush they must have recently
made from their native heights, in the current of a glacial
78 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
torrent. The ends of four of the largest logs were
notched, and the big timbers “ saddled” on each other.
Then, although they lay quite firmly together, they were
lashed with stout cords. Two other pieces were saddled
across from side to side in the same way, at even distances
between the ends of the oblong raft, and on these four
cross-pieces was laid a dry, compact floor or deck of
logs, running lengthwise of the raft, and secured by notch-
ing and tying at the outside corners. It was eight
o'clock in the evening when the last log was fastened in
its place.
The day had passed without a visit from the savages,
but there had been an indication of their presence which
had disturbed Mr. Dutton. |
About the middle of the afternoon a light column of
thin blue smoke had been seen to ascend from just beyond
the ridge before referred to. Within three minutes a
similar smoke arose from a hill-top on the opposite side
of the lake. Then both disappeared. It was plainly a
signal. It looked as if the natives were gathering in
force. Perhaps it was not a band of Takheesh after all,
but some strange, unknown tribe from the interior, far
more savage and uncivilized.
Supper was eaten in silence.
“Now,” said Mr. Dutton, quietly, “ we'll rest an hour
or two under the mosquito tent.”
The netting had been left out for this especial purpose,
and the whole party crawled under its meshes, thankful
RAFT-BUILDING. 79
to stretch themselves out on their blankets for even that
short time,
They had done little during the day except hard work,
standing half the time up to their knees in water, while
the mosquitoes were buzzing in swarms around their
heads.
Hugh had taken half a dozen trout, and Robert had
shot a green-winged teal.
At just half past ten o’clock Mr. Dutton gave the sig-
nal for rising. They rubbed their stiff and weary limbs,
and, one by one, scrambled, yawning, to their feet.
“Do up the blankets, boys. Joe, is the raft ready?
Have you got the poles on board, and the mast rigged
with the braces ?”’
ois.’
“Now, Rob —that’s it, take everything with you, and
scatter the fire a little. Good-bye, Camp Prospect !”’
They stepped on board their rough craft, and the three
men took positions with the long push-poles Joe had
provided.
“Now, then; off she goes!”
And off she went, away from the silent shore, toward
the middle of the lake.
A gentle breeze was blowing from the east. Mr. Dut-
ton spread the cotton tent in such a way as to shelter the
younger boys, and at the same time help their progress
a little as a sail. From the time they left the shore, they
spoke in low tones, in order not to apprise any lurking
80 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
enemy of their departure. In this way they moved slowly
but steadily on their course down the lake, the little
waves rippling against the sides of the raft, and a startled
Quack ! now and then betraying the presence of a duck
paddling about in the water.
It was now near midnight, but they were so far north
that they could have read a newspaper easily had such a
commodity been furnished by the Alaska press.
The mosquitoes were so voracious that the “skeleton
tent ’’ was pitched on the raft, and afforded intense relief
to those of the crew who could be spared to take refuge
under it.
Hugh, Nat, Teddy, and Carlo were the first to take
advantage of the netting, and in five minutes all four
were fast asleep, Nat’s head resting lovingly on Carlo’s
black fur.
Robert came over to his father’s side.
‘Where are you aiming for, father? How far do you
expect to go?”
‘“‘Tf the traders’ and travellers’ stories are correct, this
lake is about a dozen or fifteen miles long, by an average
of three wide. At the foot of it, the river Pelly starts in
a series of rough but not dangerous rapids. I studied this
all out at home, for I could see that we were likely to
travel on or beside the river, from its source to its union
with the Yukon proper.”
“And do you expect to cross those rapids to-night,
sir?”’ asked Robert, in amazement.
RAFT-BUILDING. 21
“T do,’ said Mr. Dutton, firmly. “About ten miles
from their foot, the river widens into a small pond, which
contains one island. On that island we shall camp —”
“Look, father, what 1s that ?”’ interrupted Rob, eagerly.
“Tt looks like a man swimming. Isn't it?”
A moment’s scrutiny and a single question to the
guides explained the true character of the swimmer. It
was not an Indian or a white man. What they saw was
simply the head of a large black bear, swimming across
at the narrowest part of the lake.
Robert was eager to get out his Winchester and shoot
the animal, but his father said no. He did not dare to
fire a gun, lest he should put the natives on their guard.
“‘ Besides,” he said, “‘ we could not possibly secure either
carcass or skin, and we must not join the large army of
thoughtless people who take animal life ‘ for fun.’”’
The bear looked neither to right nor left, but swam on,
and presently they saw him drag himself out of the water
and disappear in the forest.
The raft had now turned the bend of the horseshoe,
and was heading northwest. The east wind, drawing in
around the high hills I have already spoken of, on the
southern shore of the lake, was still slightly astern, and
helped the raft so that the poles were not used.
They now drew near the opening which, they could
plamly see, marked the exit of the Pelly River. Already
they could hear the rush of the “rip”? waves, where the
fierce current contended with the eternal rocks.
82 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
Bump! went the raft on a huge boulder. Carlo
became uneasy, and, getting out somehow from under
the mosquito canopy, advanced gravely to the forward
end of the raft.
Thump! went the raft again. Still it kept the main
channel, and was not appreciably the worse for wear.
A sort of steering oar had been arranged for this
craft by the boys, and by a diligent use of this, as well
as the push-poles, no great damage was done to the vessel
or passengers.
Presently the raft began to run more smoothly. She
was passing swiftly down between the shadowy banks of
the Pelly, picturesque and grand by daylight, but solemn
and awe-inspiring in the dim, brown dusk. of the northern
night. Overhead, a thick bank of fog was stealing across
the sky, concealing stars and moon.
Still on the raft rushed. Strange shapes seemed to
throng the banks. The boys thought they could see
huge elks, gigantic serpents, even lions and tigers, along
the shore. These were but the ghosts born of darkness
and imagination.
They hoped now that they were well beyond their
unwelcome and unseen visitors of the night before. Cer-
tainly no Indian war-party could have kept up with them
had they started on shore at the same time. The only
danger was that some roving band of Takheesh had been
warned by that column of blue smoke that a raft was
going down the rapids soon.
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RAFT-BUILDING. 85
“ Hivery foot is clear gain,’ said Mr. Dutton. “ We
must be getting pretty well down to the little lake where
[ intend we shall camp. I believe there are some light
rips just before we reach there, but I think we've got over
the worst of — ”
A startled grunt from Joe, who was at the forward end
of the raft, mterrupted him.
ew hat is it, boy?”
Joe pointed ahead, and at the same moment Carlo gave
a sharp, angry yelp.
In the dim light could be seen a row of dark figures
stretched entirely across the stream, about three hundred
yards below them. Beyond a doubt they were Indians.
In profound silence the raft swept forward, with
its tremendous momentum, and in another moment it
was upon them.
CHART va:
THROUGH THE ENEMY’S LINES.
a gem
i 4 N catching sight of the shad-
owy line of enemies, stretched
across the river in the direct path
of the swiftly moving raft, Mr.
Dutton’s first impulse had been
to seize his rifle, which was fully
charged with reserve cartridges,
and was close at hand. The time
was so short that he had barely
an opportunity to cock the piece before the voyagers were
in the very midst of the band of Indians, who crowded
about the raft, and, half wading, half floatimg down-
stream with the clumsy raft, began urging it toward the
right bank of the river.
Before any of them could climb upon the raft, Mr.
Dutton discharged his rifle into the air; at exactly the
same moment Carlo gave a fierce yelp, and Teddy, who
for the first time realized the condition of affairs, uttered
an unearthly howl of dismay.
At the report of the rifle, the natives fell back in con-
86
THROUGH THE ENEMY’S LINES. 87
sternation, putting their hands to their ears; and the
apparition of the huge, shaggy Newfoundland, together
with Teddy’s outcry, put a climax to their Imght. Tum-
bling and splashing in the water, they made for the
shore, and, before the Duttons fairly knew what had hap-
pened, the river was as silent as a grave, save for the
rushing of the muddy waters around the rocks and the
protruding logs of the raft.
“Out with your poles, boys! Push for your lives —
they may be back, or send their arrows after us at any
minute !”’ cried the leader, seizing one of the long poles,
and suiting the action to the word.
The raft, which had already touched bottom, now glided
off into deeper water, and soon was swinging down-stream
without interruption, save an occasional thump upon a
hidden boulder. For half an hour the voyage continued
in perfect silence, Nat, Hugh, and Ted sleeping quietly in
their tent, and the attention of the rest being concentrated
on keeping the raft in the channel. Once it grounded on
a sandbar, but the two Indians, leaping into the water
and standing waist-deep, succeeded in heaving it off.
At length, to the intense relief of all, the river began
perceptibly to widen. The banks became more and
more obscure in the mists of early morning. The speed
of the raft slackened, and the poles now and then failed
to touch bottom. Beyond a doubt, they were emerging
into the broad lake to which they had been anxiously
looking forward throughout the long night.
88 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
As the daylight grew brighter, they could soon make
out a low, wooded island ahead. Toward this they
moved, and ere long the logs grated on the pebbles, some
half-dozen rods from shore.
Again the Indians entered the water, but, like the
raven from the ark, this time they did not return. They
disappeared for a few moments; then, having explored a
small bit of the rocky island, came running back, not to
climb on board, but to drag and push the raft a few yards
nearer the shore.
Carlo plunged into the water, and swam lke an otter
to the island. Nat, Hugh, Rob, and even Mr. Dutton
himself, were carried ashore ou the stout shoulders of the
guides. It remained only to bring Teddy ; but, to every-
body’s surprise, that valiant youth refused to set foot on
dry land.
‘¢ Sure, I’m safer.on the raft,’ he said. “Tl megane
going into the woods again till I see the sojers.” So he
was left to guard the ship.
Blankets and tents were landed, a roaring fire made,
and soon the whole party were sound asleep. ¢
CHAPTER VIL.
OUT OF THE ERYING-PAN.
OUR friends slept well that night,
— or morning, rather,— it was ten
o'clock before the camp was fairly
astir. Teddy begged to come ashore
at last, and complained bitterly of
the “‘muskayters,’ who, he said,
made such a noise about his ears
that he was awake all the time he
was sleeping.
Jim waded out to the raft to brmg him in. The
Indian was observed to stoop and examine something
closely near the end of one of the logs. He brought
Teddy to land on his back, and then handed Mr. Dutton
a fragment of a peculiar-shaped arrow, which he said he
had found sticking in the raft.
“What do you make of it, Joe?” asked Mr. Dutton.
The two Indians examined the ugly-looking shaft nar-
rowly, and exchanged a few guttural remarks in their own
tongue. Jim gave the verdict, laconically, as usual.
‘“‘ Ayan moose arrow.”
89
90 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
“Then it was not a war party that we saw?” ex-
claimed the leader. The arrow 1s pictured below.
SOINo.) 4 Ettnad!
“ But who or what are the Ayans?”’
‘‘Injuns round here,” said Joe, with a sweep of his
arm. ‘No Takheesh yit.”
Mr. Dutton was greatly gratified at this information.
The band they had come upon, then, was simply a hunt-
<= wa =
AS . S
\ \
~
AYAN MOOSE ARROW.
ing-party of river Indians, who were probably attracted
to the travellers by curiosity. When the gun was fired,
or after the Indians had reached the shore, it was likely
that one or two arrows had been discharged at the fast
disappearing raft. No trouble, then, was to be appre-
hended, after all.
They were making leisurely preparations to break
camp once more, when a slight splashing in the lake
caused Teddy, who was nearest the water, to glance up
from his work.
was “ down-east’’ in every shrewd twinkle of his eye and
intonation of his voice. This, with the fact that he was
a dead shot, and immensely powerful in his arms, is all
we need to know at present of Solomon Baronov. We
shall be better acquainted with him by and by. Getting
wind of the heutenant’s expedition, he had petitioned at
once to join it, on small pay, as general hunter and guide.
At the present moment he was swinging along at an
easy gait, behind the Indians, smoking a well blackened
briar-wood as he walked.
A small schooner had been chartered, and lay at the
wharf in waiting for her passengers and freight. These
were soon on board, sails were hoisted, and the Walrus
began to plough the waters of the sound. Sitka was
left behind, Mt. Edgecumbe passed, and the prow of the
schooner turned northward.
The short voyage was without special incident, and
early on the morning of the fourth day, Saturday, the
Walrus let go her anchor in Chilkoot Inlet.
Canoes — and the schooner’s boat — were now taken
to the extreme head of the inlet, an all-day’s hard pull.
At noon the party stopped for lunch under some large
cedars near the shore. Grass grew on all sides shoulder-
high ; enormous dandelions, buttercups, and violets dotted -
the moist banks, while briars and berry vines, covered
with snowy blossoms, grew in rank profusion over boul-
der and fallen trunk.
THE CHILKOOT PASS. LAr
Soon after leaving this spot, the little flotilla entered
the narrow portion of their course, known as Dayay
Inlet. Again Florence’s girlish adjectives of admiration
were called into play by the dark masses of foliage cloth-
ing the steep hills on each side of the stream, and the
frequent cataracts that dashed down from the far-off
heights.
The end of open navigation was reached at last, but
the banks were too soft at this point to admit of a camp.
The swift Dayay River was therefore followed up for a.
mile, and here the really wild life commenced. Tents
were pitched and fires lighted at once. Solomon slouched
off with his rifle, and presently returned with a couple of
rabbits, which he threw down for his contribution to the
evening meal. :
After supper, the whites gathered about the fire in front
of the largest tent, which was devoted to the ladies, and
told stories. How dim and weird the twisted shapes of
the trees in the dusky northern twilight! How ceaseless
and cold the rush of the white, icy river! The Indians at
once organized themselves into gambling parties, and
added their doleful wails to the hooting of an owl some-
where in the forest.
“Hark!” said Solomon, suddenly, letting his hand
drop instinctively upon his rifle, then continuing the
story he had just been telling, but plainly with every
sense on the alert.
Flossie looked up inquiringly, but, guided by an
128 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
expressive gesture of the hunter’s big hand, said
nothing.
Before Solomon had reached the end of his story —
which indeed had assumed a remarkably rambling char-
acter during the last few mimutes—the snapping of a
twig close by was heard by all, and a moment later
three men walked into the circle of firelight.
“ Ayans!” grunted the Fox, just loud enough for his
master to hear.
The new-comers merely glanced around the group, and
then joined the Chilkats, by whom, however, they were
coldly received.
Finding their presence unwelcome, they retired a short
distance, threw themselves down on their blankets, and
were soon apparently sound asleep.
In the morning the Ayans were missing, together with
several small articles, of more or less value, about the camp
— including an embroidered handkerchief, which Flossie
had incautiously left on a log near the fire on the previous
evening. As it was Sunday, this day was spent quietly
in camp.
Monday’s journey was a hard one. For ten miles the
party straggled along the banks of the Dayay, up whose
milky current the “ packers ” dragged the canoes, heavily
loaded with baggage. More than a dozen times the
ladies had to be carried across the stream, as the trail
struck its bends and long, winding détours. Chloe at
first objected seriously to this method of ferriage.
THE CHILKOOT PASS. 129
’
“Dat’s a po contrivance,’ she said, anxiously, as she
watched a broad-shouldered Chilkat lift Florence and
carry her across to the opposite bank. “He'll go an’
drop me, sho’.”
“But how are you going to cross, Chloe?” asked her
mistress, amused.
“T dunno, Mis’ Dutton, I dunno. ’Pears like I done
got far’s I e’n go.” |
“Oh, nonsense, Chloe,’ and Mrs. Dutton gathered up
her skirts preparatory to her own embarkation. “If I
can go, you can.”
A compromise was finally effected by employing two
Indians, instead of one, to carry the black woman, who
uttered various uncouth cries at every step of her bearers,
and clung so tightly to their necks as almost to choke
them.
The scenery grew more and more wild as the expedi-
tion advanced. Baird’s Glacier seemed fairly to overhang
the valley. Heavy clouds rested on the summits of the
highest mountains during the day, rising only as evening
came on.
That night, the air was much colder than before ; big-
ger fires and more blankets were called into requisition.
The canoes were now concealed in the bushes, a few
yards from the shore, and the baggage packed upon the
backs of the Indians, the men carrying about one hun-
dred pounds each, and the boys less weight, proportion-
ately to their strength.
130 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
_ The travelling now became so difficult that Lieutenant
Dutton was in serious doubt whether it was practicable
for ladies to advance farther into the wilderness. He
accordingly summoned a council of war.
“ Hila,” said he, addressing Mrs. Dutton, “the trail is
decidedly rough — much rougher than I expected, I must
say. There seem to be thousands of acres of these
fallen trees — ” |
‘We can chmb over them,” interpolated Mrs. Dutton,
with energy.
“There are boggy places between — ”
“We will wade through them.”
“There are numerous bears in the neighborhood, Sol-
omon informs me.” |
“So much the better for the commissariat.”’
“The Ayans have got wind of our approach — ”
“ Let them come.” |
“In short,’ shouted Dick, in desperation, “it’s going
to be a mighty hard road to travel. The question is,
Shall we return, or go on?”
Mrs. Dutton rose to the occasion. She did not argue
or discuss. She pointed to the mountain pass before
them, and said just two words : —
“GOON |
It was on the evening of this same day that they
reached a wild and desolate district, known to the Ind-
ians as the “stone houses.” These consisted merely of
huge boulders piled pell-mell in great heaps, with crev-
THE CHILKOOT PASS. sy
ices and caves between, where shelter could be found.
There were banks of deep snow close by, and closing the
gaps between mountains on every side were walls of blue
ice.
The lieutenant and Solomon set to work at once, and
in a short time had one of these caves cleared out, car-
peted with moss and spruce boughs, and provided with
two front curtains, one of drilling and one of netting, as
a protection against mosquitoes, which even at this alti-
tude were inclined to be troublesome.
This comfortable little retreat was bestowed upon Mrs.
Dutton, her daughter, and maid, and, with a bright fire
crackling just before the entrance, was really as cosey-
looking a camp as one could wish.
“Oh, look!” cried Flossie, just as the cave was fin-
ished, “ there’s some kind of a creature crossing the snow,
away off there! ”’
Solomon looked up from his work, and viewed the dis-
tant animal with a professional eye.
“ A mountain goat,” said he, picking up his rifle. “I
guess I'll go ’w’ stir him up a leetle —no, I don’t want
anybody but the Fox, thar,” he added, as a dozen or more
Chilkats came forward to join him.
The goat’s hair was white, and he could hardly be dis-
tinguished against the snow. Sending Peeschee round in
the rear of the animal, the hunter crept cautiously toward
a certain bold bluff of bare rocks, half-way between him
and the game.
32 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
After an absence of some twenty minutes, Peeschee
appeared beyond the goat, which started on a quick run
toward the bluff. There he was seen to pause suddenly,
and wheel about. But it was too late. A puff of smoke
-arose from between the rocks, a sharp report rang out
across the valley, and the goat made his last leap, falling
headlong over the bluff to the boulders at its base. Solo-
mon and Peeschee now descended the cliff in more lei-
surely fashion, and presently were seen bending over the
game, which was evidently stone-dead.
What were the two men about? Were they preparing
to bring the carcass of the goat into camp? Not they.
The day’s work had been too arduous to invitea “ lug ” of
a hundred-and-fifty-pound goat across half a mile of rough
rocks and deep snow. They busied themselves for some
time at the foot of the bluff, and then were seen coming |
back to their party. Peeschee bore his share of the
results of the hunt — a hide of snow-white hair, reaching
an almost furry softness on the neck and breast parts of
the animal. Solomon did not want the hide. The
handle of his hunting-knife had been cracked in some
way the day before. He proposed to occupy his leisure
moments in manufacturing a new one from the glossy
ebony horns, the points of which protruded from the
pocket or pouch of his hunting shirt. In each hand, it
should be added (Peeschee carried the empty rifle), Baro-
nov swung what might well be taken for an uncommonly
large “Indian club.” They were the hind-quarters of
THE CHILKOOT PASS. ies
the goat, which were straightway added to the bill of
fare of the party.
It was thought best to rest a day at the Stone Houses,
and the decision was a fortunate one, for by eleven in the
forenoon a driving hailstorm set in, and throughout the
remainder of the day it rained and snowed furiously by
turns. The ladies were quite comfortable in their snug
cave, the front opening of which was overhung by a
broad boulder, forming a natural lintel. The Indians
crept into the crevices among the rocks, like so many
marmots. Solomon improved the time by fashioning the |
new horn handle to his knife.
Next morning the expedition was en route at half past
three. The sun shone brightly, and scattered the fogs
from the valleys. The hardest day’s march of all was
before the Duttons. through what 1s now called Perrier
Pass.
Up, up they mounted, over dreary wastes of snow and
ice, the Indian packers going ahead and often pausing to
cut steps in the glacier slopes, or looking back and gestic-
ulating to point out the best route. At noon all hands
reached the summit of the pass, a trifle more than four
thousand feet above the level of the sea. A cold, clammy
fog drifted around them; nothing was to be seen but
snow and ice and a few stretches of bare rock. |
On one of these last they paused for a dry and cold
luncheon, there being no fuel of any kind near. On
again, down a steep descent, the Indians using snow-
184 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
shoes, which they had brought on their backs for that
purpose.
Now they came to a frozen lake. One swallow, swiftly
darting across its still, white expanse, was the only sig
of life. |
Nightfall — or what would have been nightfall at
home —came down upon them while they were still
tramping wearily through the snow, and it was nearly
midnight when the broad waters of Lake Lindeman
stretched out before them. Tents were hastily pitched,
and, thoroughly exhausted, the whole party threw them-
selves down on their blankets and forgot snow, ice, weari-
ness, and mosquitoes, yes, even apprehensions of the
sullen Ayans, in refreshing sleep.
We have already seen how Mr. Dutton and the boys
built their raft near “Camp Prospect.” It is needless to
describe the process again. Lieutenant Dutton went to
work with his forces in much the same way, and the-
result was a craft considerably stronger and handsomer
than the former — as government work is usually more
thorough than that of private contractors! In addition
to ropes at the corners of the raft, the logs were fastened
together with stout wooden pins, driven into auger holes
which had been bored for that purpose at the points where
the logs were mortised and saddled. An elevated deck
of spruce poles, high and dry above the water, furnished
comfortable quarters for the gentler members of the expe-
dition.
THE CHILKOOT PASS. 135
On the second Monday morning, the twenty-eighth of
June, the voyage down the river began. All the Indians
except Peeschee and half a dozen of the most trusted Chil-
kats were paid, discharged, and sent home across the pass.
For two weeks the raft sailed, bumped, floated its
way down-stream. Just below Lindeman was another
lake, thirty miles long. Its shores were low and boggy,
but the hills in the background gave a liveliness to the
landscape, which was increased by the abundance of little
streams that came leaping down from the far-away glaciers,
to pour their ice-cold waters into the larger river.
Now and then, but rarely, large game appeared on
shore. Solomon and Flossie became firm friends, and
had many a long talk together as they sat on the raised
deck, looking out over lake or stream.
“What do you do in the winter?” the girl asked, on
one of these occasions.
“Oh, I jest hang raound, pretty much. Sometimes I
hev a line o’ traps to tend.”
“What do you do with the poor little creatures after
you catch them ?”’
“Sell their pelts,” said Baronov, laconically.
“ Why, how much are they worth ?”
“Oh, a good beaver skin ‘Il bring abaout two dollars
an’ a half. They’re the commonest fur animal in Alasky
that’s wuth ketchin’. Mush-rat pelts air wuth five cents.
A sea-otter’s skin kin be sold anywheres for seventy-five
dollars and up’ards.”’
136 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
‘“¢T wonder if there are really any ‘blue foxes’ ?” asked
Floss. “I had such a pretty boa last winter. It was
just the color of a maltese kitten, only the fur was just
as long and silky!”
“Oh, yes, thar’s some islands whar the blue foxes are
commoner than red. Thar’s eight or ten thaousand pelts
sent off every year. The Injuns on them islands kill off
the red foxes all they kin, so’s to leave only pure blue ones.”
“Poor little things! ’’ mused the girl. “ How they
must wish they didn’t have any fur at all. I wouldn't
like to be a blue fox.”
“Wal, I d’no,” said Solomon, “I reckon they kind o
look daown on the red ones, an’ git some comfort out
o that. It’s astonishin’ haow foxes — an’ folks — do like
to look daown!”’ |
Day after day the raft surged onward, drawing con-
stantly nearer its destination. On Friday noon, July 9,
it was only forty-five miles from Fort Selkirk. The banks
were now steep and forbidding, and the river full of dan-
gerous rapids. More than once Florence and Chloe went
ashore and walked over a “ carry,” while the rest of the
y)
party shot the swift water, or “rips,” as they were called.
Mrs. Dutton never deserted the ship.
All that Friday night they kept on, not daring to halt
lest some unforeseen accident should cause them to miss
their appointment. For Saturday, July 10, was the day
set for the union of forces.
Only twelve miles away! Perhaps it was the effect of
YUKON.
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THE CHILKOOT PASS. 139
the gloomy gorges through which they were shooting, or
the heavy clouds which settled down over the river, be-
tokening a coming storm ; but the party could not shake
off a strange sensation of fear, of dread of some discovery
to take place, of an actual shrinking terror, that gained
on them momently as they swept onward.
High noon, and the site of Fort Selkirk only five miles
away, according to the confident assertion of Peeschee,
the Fox.
Three miles, — two, — one!
A clump of blackened, ruined chimneys comes into
view, on a little raised plateau ahead.
Dick Dutton strained his eyes, Mrs. Dutton looked
eagerly in the same direction, Flossie waved her hand-
kerchief and Chloe her red bandanna; but there was no
response, though by all previous calculations the British-
American party ought to have arrived several days in
advance of the Sitkans.
The raft grounded, and the Duttons, with hearts full of
forebodings, hurried up to the ruined fort. Their worst
dread was realized. The ground was trampled with the
recent tread of many feet, but no other sign of the dear
ones they longed for was to be seen. While they stood
staring silently at the ground, the wind began to moan
uneasily through the spruce tops, a few great drops of
rain came splashing down, and in another minute, with a
glittering flash of lightning, the storm burst upon them.
CHAPTER XII.
AN ESCAPE, AND A NEW ENEMY.
{[@—r & OMING upon his sister's handkerchief, Robert’s
Fe ] heart sank within him. Until his father and
4 brothers were safe inside the hut, and the
. tattered caribou hide drawn across the en-
trance, the boy did not dare to speak of his
CHILKAT BRACE-
LET, MADE FROM 7:
SILVER COIN. discovery.
As they threw themselves down on the skins and
blankets that carpeted the cabin, the fire flared up for a
moment. Instantly Mr. Dutton saw by Robert’s expres-
sion that something had gone wrong.
“What's the matter, my boy?” he asked quietly, after
waiting a moment for the former to speak.
Robert handed him the handkerchief, without a word,
hardly daring to look into his father’s face as he did so.
Mr. Dutton controlled himself by a strong effort.
“It is Flossie’s?”
“Yes; sir.”
There was another silence, that threatened to be broken
by a wail from Teddy. While Hugh was hushing him
up, Carlo gave a low growl, and at the same moment the
hide across the doorway was pushed aside.
140
AN ESCAPE, AND A NEW ENEMY. 141
“Be still, Carlo!” commanded Mr. Dutton. “ What
is it?”’ he added more sharply to the new-comer, forget-
ting that the Ayans spoke and understood only their own
language.
But, to the surprise of all, the visitor, though evidently
one of the tribe, replied in broken English. By the dim
light they could make out that it was the ill-favored
squaw to whose pappoose Ted had given the sugar.
“ S-s-t !’’ she hissed, looking over her shoulder. “ Bad
Injun hear. No speak loud.”
“What do you want ?”
“You ’fraid, ‘cause find white girl’s han’chif.”
The boys gathered more closely about the speaker.
Mr. Dutton’s voice trembled in spite of himself.
“Well, well, my good woman, go on. Is—is she
alive ?”’ |
“ White girl not hurt. Nobody hurt. Bad Injuns go
look for white people comin’. Think he come steal furs.
Injun take han’chif.”
The man gave a long sigh of relief.
“ What do your tribe mean to do?” he asked.
“They go hunt for white people. P’r’aps kill ’em.”
“ And we —”
“You stay here with squaws.”
There was no trace of humor in the woman's voice
or face. She was simply telling facts as she knew
them.
“You git off to-night, go tell white peovle,” she added,
rising to leave the hut.
142 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
‘‘ When shall we try it?” eagerly inquired Rob and
Hugh, in a breath.
“ When ungaik (grouse) call t’ree times.”
And she was gone.
Preparations for departure were hastily made. The
rifles, of which, fortunately, the Ayans had not yet seen
fit to deprive them, were carefully examined.
“What day of the month is it?”’ asked Nat, while
they were resting on their arms, listening for the signal.
“The twenty-ninth of June, my boy.”
“¢ And how far are we from the old fort, papa?”
‘¢ About two hundred and fifty miles.”
“Then, if we start to-night, we shall get there before
the tenth of July, sha’n’t we, sir?”
“Please God,” replied his father, earnestly, “we shall
be there by the fifth, at the latest. Then we can prepare
for trouble, and, if they have not yet arrived, we can
even go up the Yukon a bit to meet them. But I think
they will be there, for we allowed several days to spare,
and Dick always was a prompt fellow.”
For half an hour nobody spoke. Then Teddy started up
and put his hand to hisear. The others listened intently.
‘““ Qo-oo-00 !”’ the sound came faintly from the forest.
The Duttons started to their feet and peered out of the
hut. What was their disappomtment to find that the
Indian — presumably Loklok — occupying the hut oppo-
site and almost adjoining their own had left his front
entrance wide open, so that it would have been almost
AN ESCAPE, AND A NEW ENEMY. 143
impossible for five men and a big dog to get past and out
through the narrow passage-way already referred to
without discovery. They softly withdrew ito the
recesses of their own apartment for further deliberation.
““ Qo-o0-00! Oo-oo-o0!” plainer than before. The
grouse was getting impatient.
A low exclamation from Nat directed the attention of
the rest to Carlo, who was thrusting his black snout
between the spruce limbs forming the rear wall of the
hut. The close air of the place disturbed the Newfound-
land, and, on being checked at the front door, he was
bound to get out by hook or crook.
The dog’s instinct had led him to the loosest place in
the wall. His masters took the hint. and softly widened
the aperture that Carlo’s nose had begun. In three min-
utes it was large enough to allow a. human body to pass,
and one by one the captives — for such EY practically
were — squeezed through.
How delicious the cold night air, after the foul, tainted
atmosphere of the Ayan hut! The dogs discovered them
at once, and set up a doleful howling, but the natives
were apparently too well used to midnight concerts of
that sort to trouble themselves as to its cause.
The very uproar made by these canine performers
served, in fact, to cover the slight noise made by the
escaping party. They crept around behind the huts, Nat
holding Carlo by the collar, and Mr. Dutton leading the
way down to the shore of the river.
144 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
Joe and Jim were wide awake, and had managed, dur-
ing the earlier hours of the night, to edge the raft off
from the banks, so that it swung free in deep water, held
only by the rope.
One dark form after another crept on board. A
quick sweep of Joe’s sharp hunting-knife severed the
tightly drawn hawser, and away swept the raft to
freedom.
“Glorious! glorious!” exclaimed Mr. Dutton, in low |
tones, gazing back at the fast dwindling village, where
nothing was stirring but the wolfish dogs, who howled a
dismal farewell from the landing.
The energies of all the party were now bent on keeping -
the raft free from obstructions. Once they grounded on
a mud flat, but, by poling the free end of the raft up-
stream. they got the force of the current to help them,
and presently swung off again. The sun rose brightly
shortly after two o'clock, but the refugees dared take no
moment of rest. Hugh managed to secure half a dozen
erayling as they swept along, and these were cooked over
a fire of twigs hastily collected at the lower end of a
small island, where they ventured to halt a few minutes
after ten hours’ steady progress.
At noon they reached another lake, and here their
advance was slow, as hardly a breath of wind was stir-
ring. The rays of the sun were intensely hot, and the
attacks of both mosquitoes and gnats incessant.
By six o’clock they had reached the lower end of the
AN ESCAPE, AND A NEW ENEMY. 145
lake, and just at the outlet they ventured to enjoy an
hour’s refreshing rest. ,
Hugh knocked over a brace of spruce grouse with his
shotgun, and these, with a mess of fish caught by little
Nat during their tedious sail across the lake, made a very
good supper.
It now seemed improbable that the Indians would pur-
sue them closely, so long a time had elapsed without
their appearing in the rear. All the Alaskan tribes,
Mr. Dutton knew, were sluggish in their disposition, and
preferred to hunt their game down deliberately rather
than with undue haste.
At a little after seven the raft resumed its voyage,
keeping steadily onward until midnight.
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SNOWED UP. 311
“Took at his tail, missus!”’ whispered Chloe. “He's
as scaret as lam. Oh, Lor’! what shell we do!”
She was right. The big Newfoundland’s tail was be-
tween his legs, and he was trembling from head to foot. |
“Wake up, wake up, John!” cried Mrs. Dutton, arous-
ing her sleepy husband. <“There’s something outside the
hut. Look at the dog!”
By this time little Nat and Flossie were beside their
mother.
Again that fearful howl, so much nearer, and repeated
in such prolonged chorus, that every one started. The
women shook with fear.
“Let's go out and see what it is,’ said Nat, calmly,
stepping toward the door and opening it.
Mr. Dutton sprang forward, dragged the boy back, and
slammed the door again; none too soon, for within a rod
of the hut were a dozen dark, shadowy forms, with fiery
eyes and snarling mouths. Even as Mr. Dutton closed
the door two or three of them sprang forward.
A renewed howl arose at their disappointment.
“ Wolves,” said Mr. Dutton, calmly, turning to his wife.
“ As long as we keep indoors we are safe.”
Mrs. Dutton shuddered, as she thought of the freedom
with which they had all strayed away from the hut during
the past week.
“They have found game scarce, just as we have,”
added Mr. Dutton, “and that makes them ugly and
bold” —
$12 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
He was interrupted by a renewed howling and snarling
outside, accompanied by a scratching and ripping sound.
Then came a rifle shot, close by, a sharp yelp, and a
tremendous scampering of feet. The door opened, admit
ting the welcome form of Solomon, rifle in hand.
“The pesky critters have got into our stores,” said he,
hastily. “Come out here quick, an’ bring your rifle to
keep ’em off, while I see haow much mischief they’ve
done.”
Mr. Dutton turned pale, but did as he was bid. Al-
ready the fierce creatures were gathermg for another
onslaught. A well aimed ball scattered them again, and
a hasty examination was made of the storage tent.
When the hunter and Mr. Dutton reéntered the hut
they were silent. Hach bore in his arms a few pieces of
meat and fish. As they laid these fragments on the table
at which they had so recently sat with shouts of merri-
ment, Mr. Dutton turned his face away from his wife’s
inquiring look.
in one of the chimneys, where a huge column of smoke
was kept going, night and day. No better manufacturer
of pemmican could be found than Solomon, who was now
in his element. )
As fast as the meat was ready, it was stored away in a
little cellar hole, which was dug out under the flooring of
the cooler of the two huts. In this way over a hundred
pounds of fine dried meat was preserved for future use.
The vegetables and small fruits had not been harmed by
the wolves. |
Chloe announced in woful tones, one morning early in
January, that the tea was all gone; but Peeschee there-
WOLF AGAINST MAN. S00
upon pulled down his precious bundles of Labrador Tea, ©
from which he showed the negro woman how to concoct
a beverage which, if not equal to that produced by the
famous Japanese herb, was at least hot and refreshing,
and not at all unpalatable. Peeschee, moreover, went out
for an hour or two, one day, and brought in a big pouch
full of a crinkled, black substance, which Richard, on
inspecting it, pronounced to be the “edible lichen” of the
Russian fur-hunters. On being boiled, this gave a rather
sticky but not ill-tasting dish, somewhat resembling sago.
Now and then a rabbit was knocked over, and afforded
a pleasant variety in the monotonous régime to which our
adventurers had for some time been reduced.
The snow increased in depth, after a week’s thaw in
January, and the mercury dropped until it marked 40°
below zero, beyond which Mr. Dutton’s provoking ther-
mometer, like Gilbert White’s, would not register.
In March a few puffs of warmer breeze from the south,
and the swelling buds of willow and alder, told that
spring was coming. The wolves no longer troubled them,
having learned at last that too much famiharity with
these human intruders meant a flash of lightning, a peal
of thunder, and sudden death. Caribou afforded easier
prey, and off streamed the remnant of the pack to some
part of the country where they could obtain better returns
for less labor than around the Dutton camp.
Game now became plenty, and famine was no longer
feared. The days lengthened, and snow-banks began to
334 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
disappear before the coaxing rays of the sun, which shone
on them for twelve hours together.
In April there was such a freshet in the little brook
near by that the safety of the huts themselves was threat-
ened, and the fire in one of them was actually put out,
one night, by invading rills of melted snow.
On May Day a sound was heard which brought tears to
the eyes of Mrs. Dutton. It was a robin’s whistle, half
cheery, half plaintive, reminding her of the old home-
orchard, where she had played in the tall grass, and picked
buttercups, when she was a little girl.
And now it was time to make preparations for an early
start southward. Flossie’s weakness had entirely disap-
peared, and she was never in better spirits or health. It
was the same with all the rest.
On the last evening before setting out anew on their
long journey, now nearing its end, the whole party stood
before the door of the little hut, looking wistfully along
the path they were to take on the morrow. There were
the mountains, covered, as they had ever been since last
autumn, with seemingly eternal banks of clouds.
Suddenly Mr. Dutton seized his wife’s arm. His face
was lighted with a strange expression. His hand
trembled.
“What is it, dear?”
He pointed, without a word, to the eastern sky.
Oh, wonder of wonders! Through a rift in the snowy
banks of mist there towered, faintly visible in the rays
WOLF AGAINST MAN. 335
of the setting sun, a single peak, mounting into the blue —
sky, one hundred miles away.
It was of the most exquisite rose-color, as fair to look
upon as the blush upon a girl’s cheek.
“Can it be ?—”’
“The Red Mountain! The Red Mountain of Alaska!”
CHAPTER XXIX.
OVER THE ICE.
mag HLL, I swan! I'd ruther travel tew miles through
4 the woods than one on this ice. Do you
“Tm sure I can’t tell, Solomon. If this glacier is
what is meant by those wavy cross-lines on the map, we
shall probably get over it in the course of three or four
hours.”
Solomon groaned so comically that Flossie laughed out-
right.
“7 don’t mind it a bit,” said she, merrily. “ This
reminds me of when I was in Switzerland, Solomon. We
often walked on a glacier, though none of them were as
large as this.”
The Duttons, you see, were fairly en route once more.
Not without a feeling of sadness, they bade farewell to
the huts that had sheltered them so long, knowing the
extreme improbability of their ever beholding them again.
In easy stages they had journeyed to the eastward.
After about a week of steady ascent, they had come to a
broad river of ice, bordered by immense moraines, or
banks of stone and gravel, pushed up by the glacier. No
336
OVER THE ICE. Bat
one could doubt that this was the one remaining object
indicated on the map between them and the lofty peak
which was their goal.
They had caught several glimpses of the mountain,
which did not appear so red as they drew near to it.
A dark column of smoke hung over it continually, and
now and then rumblings and even sharp reports could be
heard, denoting that it was an active volcano.
As this became evident, some new thought could be
plainly seen to be working in the lieutenant’s mind. He
made repeated examinations of Peeschee’s map, compared
it with a small travelling-map of Alaska carried by his
brother, and covered the backs of both with figures.
Sormething perplexed and troubled him, but as yet he
held his peace, and the others refrained from disturbing
him with questions.
The journey now became really perilous, as well as
exceedingly laborious. They could only advance five or
six miles a day after they left the glacier, for the ground
was encumbered with underbrush and fallen trees, the
valleys were filled with soft and treacherous mud, and
thin layers of moss often covered a deep sub-stratum of
slippery ice, on which the negro woman, in particular,
floundered about like a seal. |
Besides, the air was steadily growing rarer as well as
more chilly. By his pocket barometer, which formed a
part of the same instrument with the thermometer, Mr.
Dutton found, on the tenth day from winter-quarters,
338 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA.
that they had actually reached an altitude of ten thou-
sand feet above the level of the sea. He consulted seri-
ously with his brother and Solomon as to the propriety
and feasibility of leaving the women while the rest should
go on, accomplish the necessary prospecting, and return
to them, —the whole expedition then to proceed directly
toward the coast.
Richard agreed that this would eventually be a wise
method of procedure, and two days later a comfortable
little brush camp was built in accordance with this plan.
Joe and Jim were left with Mrs. Dutton, Chloe, Flossie,
Nat, and Ted. The other six pushed on toward the
granite peak, which now towered into the clouds directly
before them. At the end of the third day they returned,
their pockets bulging with ore. Robert told the story of
their visit to the great object of the whole trip, as follows.
CHAPTER XOX X.
CONCLUSION.
secs TTHN we left you, mother,’ he began, taking a
. comfortable position before the fire, “we —
WA dropped all care for any special trail, and just
i ci: for the Red Mountain itself, right before our
eyes.
“You've noticed that it hasn’t seemed so red lately ?
Well, we'd all thought of the same thing, but nobody
hiked to say anything about it. We crossed a small gla-
cler, about three miles from here, and pretty soon met
another, coming straight down from our mountain.
Peeschee himself didn’t know where he was, for he’d
never been there before. The cliff where he picked up
his rocks last fall was round further to the north, he said.
“We climbed up over the moraine, which was a huge
one, and started straight up the glacier, instead of
across it.
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