Фредерик Марриет
The Settlers in Canada
"I believe you are right, Mary," replied Captain Sinclair; "only I do not see any definite hope of our being united. Can you give me any prospect to cheer me?"
"We are both very young, Captain Sinclair," observed Mary; "in a year or two, my uncle and aunt may be less lonely and more comfortable than at present. In a year or two the war may end, and you may honorably retire upon half-pay; in fact, so many chances are there which are hidden from us and come upon us so unexpectedly, that it is impossible to say what may take place. And if, after waiting patiently for some time, none of these chances do turn up, you have yet another in your favor."
"And what is that, Mary?"
"That, perhaps, I may be tired of waiting myself," replied Mary, with a smile.
"Upon that chance, then, I will live in hope," replied Captain Sinclair; "if you will only reward me when you consider that my faithful service demands it, I will serve as long as Jacob did for Rachel."
"Do so, and you shall not be deceived at the end of your services, as he was," replied Mary; "but now let us return to the house."
Captain Sinclair departed the day afterward, quite satisfied with Mary's resolution.
CHAPTER XXXII
As Henry had predicted, during the autumn the whole family were fully employed. The stock had increased very much, they had a large number of young calves and heifers, and the sheep had lambed down very favorably. Many of the stock were now turned into the bush, to save the feed on the prairies. The sheep with their lambs, the cows which were in milk, and the young calves only were retained. This gave them more leisure to attend to the corn harvest, which was now ready, and it required all their united exertions from daylight to sunset to get it in, for they had a very large quantity of ground to clear. It was, however, got in very successfully, and all stacked in good order. Then came the thrashing of the wheat, which gave them ample employment; and as soon as it could be thrashed out, it was taken to the mill in a wagon, and ground down, for Mr. Campbell had engaged to supply a certain quantity of flour to the fort before the winter set in. They occasionally received a visit from Captain Sinclair and the Colonel, and some other officers, for now they had gradually become intimate with many of them. Captain Sinclair had confided to the Colonel his engagement to Mary Percival, and in consequence the Colonel allowed him to visit at the farm as often as he could, consistently with his duty. The other officers who came to see them, perceiving how much Captain Sinclair engrossed the company of Mary Percival, were very assiduous in their attentions to Emma, who laughed with and at them, and generally contrived to give them something to do for her during their visit, as well as to render their attentions serviceable to the household. On condition that Emma accompanied them, they were content to go into the punt and fish for hours; and indeed, all the lake-fish which were caught this year were taken by the officers. There were several very pleasant young men among them and they were always well received, as they added very much to the society at the farm.
Before the winter set in the flour was all ready, and sent to the fort, as were the cattle which the Colonel requested, and it was very evident that the Colonel was right when he said that the arrangement would be advantageous to both parties. Mr. Campbell, instead of drawing money to pay, this year for the first time received a bill on the government to a considerable amount for the flour and cattle furnished to the troops; and Mrs. Campbell's account for fowls, pork, etc., furnished to the garrison, was by no means to be despised. Thus, by the kindness of others, his own exertions, and a judicious employment of his small capital, Mr. Campbell promised to be in a few years a wealthy and independent man. As soon as the harvest was in, Malachi and John, who were of no use in thrashing out the corn, renewed their hunting expeditions, and seldom returned without venison. The Indians had not been seen by Malachi during his excursions, nor any trace of their having been in the neighborhood; all alarm, therefore, on that account was now over, and the family prepared to meet the coming winter with all the additional precautions which the foregoing had advised them of. But during the Indian summer they received letters from England, detailing, as usual, the news relative to friends with whom they had been intimate; also one from Quebec, informing Mr. Campbell that his application for the extra grant of land was consented to; and another from Montreal, from Mr. Emmerson, stating that he had offered terms to two families of settlers who bore very good characters, and if they were accepted by Mr. Campbell, the parties would join them at the commencement of the ensuing spring.
This was highly gratifying to Mr. Campbell, and as the terms were, with a slight variation, such as he had proposed, he immediately wrote to Mr. Emmerson, agreeing to terms, and requesting that the bargain might be concluded. At the same time that the Colonel forwarded the above letters, he wrote to Mr. Campbell to say that the interior of the fort required a large quantity of plank for repairs, that he was authorized to take them from Mr. Campbell, at a certain price, if he could afford to supply them on these terms, and have them ready by the following spring. This was another act of kindness on the part of the Colonel, as it would now give employment to the saw-mill for the winter, and it was during the winter, and at the time that the snow was on the ground, that they could easily drag the timber after it was felled to the saw-mill. Mr. Campbell wrote an answer, thanking the Colonel for his offer, which he accepted, and promised to have the planks ready by the time the lake was again open.
At last the winter set in, with its usual fall of snow. Captain Sinclair took his leave for a long time, much to the sorrow of all the family, who were warmly attached to him. It was arranged that the only parties who were to go on the hunting excursions should be Malachi and John, as Henry had ample employment in the barns; and Martin and Alfred, in felling timber, and dragging up the stems to the saw-mill, would, with attending to the mill as well, have their whole time taken up. Such were the arrangements out of doors, and now that they had lost the services of poor Percival, and the duties to attend to in doors were so much increased, Mrs. Campbell and the girls were obliged to call in the assistance of Mr. Campbell whenever he could be spared from the garden, which was his usual occupation. Thus glided on the third winter in quiet and security; but in full employment, and with so much to do and attend to, that it passed very rapidly.
It was in the month of February, when the snow was very heavy on the ground, that one day Malachi went up to the mill to Alfred, whom he found alone attending the saws, which were in full activity; for Martin was squaring out the timber ready to be sawed at about one hundred yards' distance.
THE INDIAN LETTER. P. 295.
"I am glad to find you alone, sir," said Malachi, "for I have something of importance to tell you of, and I do not like at present that any body else should know any thing about it."
"What is it, Malachi?" inquired Alfred.
"Why, sir, when I was out hunting yesterday, I went round to a spot where I had left a couple of deer-hides last week, that I might bring them home, and I found a letter stuck to them with a couple of thorns."
"A letter, Malachi!"
"Yes, sir, an Indian letter. Here it is." Malachi then produced a piece of birch bark, of which the underneath drawing is a fac-simile.
"Well," said Alfred, "it may be a letter, but I confess it is all Greek to me. I certainly do not see why you wish to keep it a secret. Tell me."
"Well, sir, I could not read one of your letters half so well as I can this; and it contains news of the greatest importance. It's the Indian way of writing, and I know also whom it comes from. A good action is never lost, they say, and I am glad to find that there is some gratitude in an Indian."
"You make me very impatient, Malachi, to know what it means; tell me from whom do you think the letter comes?"
"Why, sir, do you see this mark here?" said Malachi, pointing to one of the lowest down on the piece of bark.
"Yes; it is a foot, is it not?"
"Exactly, sir; now, do you know whom it comes from?"
"I can't say I do."
"Do you remember two winters back our picking up the Indian woman, and carrying her to the house, and your father curing her sprained ankle?"
"Certainly; is it from her?"
"Yes, sir; and you recollect she said that she belonged to the band which followed the Angry Snake."
"I remember it very well; but now, Malachi, read me the letter at once, for I am very impatient to know what she can have to say."
"I will, Mr. Alfred; now, sir, there is the sun more than half up, which with them points out it is the setting and not the rising sun; the setting sun therefore means to the westward."
"Very good, that is plain, I think."
"There are twelve wigwams, that is, twelve days' journey for a warrior, which the Indians reckon at about fifteen miles a day. How much does fifteen times twelve make, sir?"
"One hundred and eighty, Malachi."
"Well, sir, then that is to say that it is one hundred and eighty miles off, or thereabouts. Now, the first figure is a chief, for it has an eagle's feather on the head of it, and the snake before it is his totem, 'the Angry Snake,' and the other six are the number of the band; and you observe, that the chief and the first figure of the six have a gun in their hands, which is to inform us that they have only two rifles among them."
"Very true; but what is that little figure following the chief with his arms behind him?"
"There is the whole mystery of the letter, sir, without which it were worth nothing. You perceive that little figure has a pair of snow-shoes over it."
"Yes, I do."
"Well, that little figure is your brother Percival, whom we supposed to be dead."
"Merciful heavens! is it possible?" exclaimed Alfred; "then he is alive?"
"There is no doubt of it, sir," replied Malachi; "and now I will put the whole letter together. Your brother Percival has been carried off by the Angry Snake and his band, and has been taken to some place one hundred and eighty miles to the westward, and this information comes from the Indian woman who belongs to the band, and whose life was preserved by your kindness. I don't think, Mr. Alfred, that any white person could have written a letter more plain and more to the purpose."
"I agree with you, Malachi; but the news has so overpowered me, I am so agitated with joy and anxiety of mind, that I hardly know what to say. Percival alive! we'll have him, if we have to go one thousand miles and beat two thousand Indians. Oh, how happy it will make my mother! But what are we to do, Malachi? tell me, I beseech you."
"We must do nothing, sir," replied Malachi.
"Nothing, Malachi!" replied Alfred with surprise.
"No, sir; nothing at present, at all events. We have the information that the boy is alive, at least it is presumed so; but of course the Indians do not know that we have received such information; if they did, the woman would be killed immediately. Now, sir, the first question we must ask ourselves is, why they have carried off the boy; for it would be no use carrying off a little boy in that manner without some object."
"It is the very question that I was going to put to you, Malachi."
"Then, sir, I'll answer it to the best of my knowledge and belief. It is this: the Angry Snake came to the settlement, and saw our stores of powder and shot, and every thing else. He would have attacked us last winter if he had found an opportunity and a chance of success. One of his band was killed, which taught him that we were on the watch, and he failed in that attempt: he managed, however, to pick up the boy when he was lagging behind us, at the time you were wounded by the painter, and carried him off, and he intends to drive a bargain for his being restored to us. That is my conviction."
"I have no doubt but that you are right, Malachi," said Alfred, after a pause. "Well, we must make a virtue of necessity, and give him what he asks."
"Not so, sir; if we did, it would encourage him to steal again."
"What must we do then?"
"Punish him, if we can; at all events, we must wait at present, and do nothing. Depend upon it we shall have some communication made to us through him that the boy is in their possession, and will be restored upon certain conditions—probably this spring. It will then be time to consider what is to be done."
"I believe you are right, Malachi."
"I hope to circumvent him yet, sir," replied Malachi; "but we shall see."
"Well; but, Malachi, are we to let this be known to any body, or keep it a secret?"
"Well, sir, I've thought of that; we must only let Martin and Strawberry into the secret; and I would tell them, because they are almost Indians, as it were; they may have some one coming to them, and there's no fear of their telling. Martin knows better, and as for the Strawberry, she is as safe as if she didn't know it."
"I believe you are right; and still what delight it would give my father and mother!"
"Yes, sir, and all the family too, I have no doubt, for the first hour or two after you had told them; but what pain it would give them for months afterward. 'Hope deferred maketh the heart sick,' as my father used to read out of the Bible, and that's the truth, sir. Only consider how your father, and particularly your mother, would fret and pine during the whole time, and what a state of anxiety they would be in; they would not eat or sleep. No, no, sir; it would be a cruelty to tell them, and it must not be. Nothing can be done till the spring, at all events, and we must wait till the messenger comes to us."
"You are right, Malachi; then do as you say, make the communication to Martin and his wife,—and I will keep the secret as faithfully as they will."
"It's a great point our knowing whereabouts the boy is," observed Malachi; "for if it is necessary to make a party to go for him, we know what direction to go in. And it is also a great point to know the strength of the enemy, as now we shall know what force we must take with us in case it is necessary to recover the lad by force or stratagem. All this we gained from the letter, and shall not learn from any messenger sent to us by the Angry Snake, whose head I hope to bruise before I've done with him."
"If I meet him, one of us shall fall," observed Alfred.
"No doubt, sir, no doubt," replied Malachi, "but if we can retake the boy by other means, so much the better. A man, bad or good, has but one life and God gave it to him. It is not for his fellow-creatures to take it away unless from necessity. I hope to have the boy without shedding of blood."
"I am willing to have him back upon any terms, Malachi; and, as you say, if we can do it without shedding of blood, all the better; but have him I will, if I have to kill a hundred Indians."
"That's right, sir; that's right; only let it be the last resort; recollect the Indian seeks the powder and ball, not the life of the boy; and recollect if we had not been so careless as to tempt him with the sight of what he values so much, he never would have annoyed us thus."
"That is true; well then, Malachi, it shall be as you propose in every thing."
The conversation was here finished; Alfred and all those who were possessed of the secret never allowed the slightest hint to drop of their knowledge. The winter passed away without interruption of any kind. Before the snow had disappeared the seed was all prepared ready for sowing; the planks had been sawed out, and all the wheat not required for seed had been ground down and put into flour-barrels, ready for any further demand from the fort. And thus terminated the third winter in Canada.
CHAPTER XXXIII
It was now April, and for some days Malachi and John had been very busy, assisted by the Strawberry; for the time had come for tapping the maple-trees, to make the maple-sugar, and Mrs. Campbell had expressed a wish that she could be so supplied with an article of such general consumption, and which they could not obtain but by the bateaux which went to Montreal. In the evening, when Malachi and John were, as usual, employed in cutting small trays out of the soft wood of the balsam-fir, and of which they had already prepared a large quantity, Mrs. Campbell asked Malachi how the sugar was procured.
"Very easily, ma'am: we tap the trees."
"Yes, so you said before; but how do you do it? Explain the whole affair to me."
"Why, ma'am, we pick out the maple trees which are about a foot wide at the bottom of the trunk, as they yield most sugar. We then bore a hole in the trunk of the tree, about two feet above the ground, and into that hole we put a hollow reed, just the same as you would put a spigot in a cask. The liquor runs out into one of these trays that we have been digging out."
"Well, and then what do you do?"
"We collect all the liquor every morning till we have enough to fill the coppers, and then we boil it down."
"What coppers will you use, then?"
"There are two large coppers in the store-room, not yet put up, which will answer our purpose very well, ma'am. They hold about a hogshead each. We shall take them into the woods with us, and pour the liquor into them, and boil them down as soon as they are ready. You must come and see us on the boiling-day, and we can have a frolic in the woods."
"With all my heart," replied Mrs. Campbell. "How much liquor do you get from one tree?"
"A matter of two or three gallons," replied Malachi; "sometimes more and sometimes less. After we have tapped the trees and set our trays, we shall have nothing more to do for a fortnight. The Strawberry can attend to them all, and will let us know when she is ready."
"Do you tap the trees every year?"
"Yes, ma'am, and a good tree will bear it for fifteen or twenty years; but it kills them at last."
"So I should suppose, for you take away so much of the sap of the tree."
"Exactly, ma'am; but there's no want of sugar-maples in these woods."
"You promised us some honey, Malachi," said Emma, "but we have not seen it yet. Can you get us some?"
"We had no time to get it last autumn, miss, but we will try this autumn what we can do. When John and I are out in the woods, we shall very probably find a honey-tree, without going very far. I did intend to have looked out for some, if you had not mentioned it."
"I know one," said Martin, "I marked it a fortnight ago, but I quite forgot all about it. Since the mill has been in hand, I have had little time for any thing else. The fact is, we have all plenty to do just now."
"That we certainly have," replied Henry, laughing; "I wish I could see the end of my work in the barn; I doubt if I shall be able to get out with my rifle this winter."
"No, sir, you must leave the woods to John and me," replied Malachi. "Never mind, you shan't want for venison. Do you require the sledge to-morrow, Mr. Alfred?"
Malachi referred to a small sledge which they had made in the winter, and which was now very useful, as they could, with one horse, transport things from place to place. It was used by Alfred for bringing down to the storehouse the sacks of flour as fast as they were ground in the mill.
"I can do without it for a day. What do you want it for?"
"To bring all the honey home," said Emma laughing.
"No, miss, to take the coppers out into the woods," replied Malachi, "that they may be ready for the liquor. As soon as we have tapped the trees, we will look for the honey."
"Did you send your skins down to Montreal by the bateaux?" inquired Mr. Campbell.
"Yes, father," replied Alfred; "Mr. Emmerson took charge of them, and promised to deliver them to the agent; but we have not so many this year as we had last. John has the largest package of all of us."
"Yes, he beats me this year," said Malachi; "he always contrives to get the first shot. I knew that I should make a hunter of the boy. He might go out by himself now, and do just as well as I do."
The next morning Malachi went out into the woods, taking with him the coppers and all the trays on the sledge: during that day he was busy boring the trees and fitting the reed-pipes to the holes. Strawberry and John accompanied him, and by sunset their work was complete.
The next morning when they went out, only Malachi and John took their axes with them, for John could use his very well for so young a lad. They first went to the tree which Martin had discovered; he had given a description where to find it. They cut it down, but did not attempt to take the honey till the night, when they lighted a fire, and drove away the bees by throwing leaves upon it, and making a great smoke; they then opened the tree, and gained about two pails full of honey, which they brought in just as the family were about to go to bed. When they went out the next morning, they found a bear very busy at the remains of the comb, but the animal made off before they could get a shot at him.
Every morning the Strawberry collected all the sap which had run out of the trees, and poured it into the coppers which had been fixed up by Malachi, ready for a fire to be lighted under them. They continued their search, and found three more hives of bees, which they marked and allowed to remain till later in the season, when they could take them at their leisure. In a fortnight, they had collected sufficient liquor from the trees to fill both the coppers to the brim, besides several pails. The fires were therefore lighted under the coppers, and due notice given to Mrs. Campbell and the girls, that the next day they must go out into the woods and see the operation; as the liquor would, toward the afternoon, be turned into coolers, which were some of the large washing-tubs then in use, and which had been thoroughly cleansed for the purpose.
As this was to be a holiday in the woods, they prepared a cold dinner in a large basket, and gave it in charge of Henry. Mr. Campbell joined the party, and they all set off to the spot, which was about two miles distant. On their arrival, they examined the trees and the trays into which the juice first ran, the boilers in which the liquor was now simmering over the fire, and asked questions of Malachi, so that they might, if necessary, be able to make the sugar themselves, after which the first cooler was filled with the boiling liquor, that they might see how the sugar crystallized as the liquor became cold. They then sat down under a large tree and dined. The tree was at some distance from the boilers, as there was no shade in the open spot where Malachi had placed them, and the afternoon was passed very agreeably in listening to Malachi's and Martin's stories of their adventures in the woods. While they were still at dinner, Oscar and the other dogs which had accompanied them had strayed to about a hundred yards distant, and were soon very busy scraping and barking at a large hole.
"What are the dogs after?" said Alfred.
"Just what the Strawberry wants, and told me to get for her," replied Malachi; "we'll dig him out to-morrow."
"What is it, Strawberry?" said Mary.
The Strawberry pointed to her moccasins, and then put her finger on the porcupine-quills with which they were embroidered.
"I don't know the English name," said she, softly.
"A porcupine you mean," said Mary, "the animal those quills come from."
"Yes," replied the Strawberry.
"Is there a porcupine there, Malachi?" said Mrs. Campbell.
"Yes, ma'am, that is certain; the dogs know that well enough, or they would not make such a noise. If you like, we will go for the shovels and dig him out."
"Do, pray; I should like to see him caught," said Emma, "it shall be our evening's amusement."
Martin got up and went for the shovels; during his absence, the dinner was cleared away, and the articles replaced in the basket; they then all adjourned to where the dogs were still barking and scratching.
It was more than an hour before they could dig out the animal, and when at last it burst away from the hole, they could not help laughing as they witnessed the way in which one or two of the dogs were pricked with the quills of the animal, who needed no other defense; the dogs ran back, pawed their noses, and then went on again. Oscar was too knowing to attack it in that way; he attempted to turn it over, so that he might get at its stomach, when he would soon have killed it, but Martin dispatched the poor beast with a blow on the nose, and the dogs then rushed in upon it. They amused themselves selecting all the best of the quills for the Strawberry, and then they went back again to the coolers, to see the sugar which had been made.
As they neared the spot, Emma cried out, "There is a bear at the cooler; look at him."
Malachi and John had their rifles ready immediately. Mrs. Campbell and Mary were much alarmed, as the animal was not one hundred yards from them.
"Do not be afraid, ma'am," said Malachi; "the animal is only after the sugar. He likes sugar just as well as honey."
"I don't doubt but he's the same beast that you saw at the honeycomb the other day," said Martin. "Let us stay where we are, and watch him. We may lose a few pounds of sugar, but I expect he will make you laugh."
"I really see nothing laughable in such a terrific brute," said Mrs. Campbell.
"You are quite safe, ma'am," said Martin, "Malachi and Mr. John have both their rifles."
"Well, then, I will trust to them," said Mrs. Campbell, "but I should prefer being at home, nevertheless. What a great brute it is."
"Yes, ma'am; it is a very large animal, that's certain; but they are not very fat at this time of the year. See how he's smelling at the liquor, now he's licking the top of it with his tongue. He won't be satisfied with that, now that he has once tasted it. I told you so."
The eyes of the whole party, some frightened and some not, were now fixed upon the bear, who, approving of what he had tasted as a sample, now proceeded to help himself more liberally.
He therefore placed his paw down into the contents of the cooler, but although the surface of the liquor was cool, the lower part was still scalding hot, and he had not put his paw in for a moment, when he withdrew it with a loud roar, rearing up and sitting upon his hind legs, and throwing his burned paw in the air.
"I said so," observed Malachi, chuckling; "he has found it hotter than he expected."
John, Alfred, and Martin burst out laughing at the sight; and even Mrs. Campbell and the two girls could not help being amused.
"He'll try it again," said Martin.
"Yes, that he will," replied Malachi. "John, be all ready with your rifle, for the brute has seen us."
"Why, he won't come this way, will he?" exclaimed Mrs. Campbell.
"Yes, ma'am, that he most likely will when he is angry; but you need not fear."
"But I'm afraid, Malachi," said Mary.
"Then perhaps you had better go about fifty yards back with Mr. Campbell, where you will see the whole without danger. There he goes to it again; I knew he would."
Martin, who had got all the dogs collected together and fast by a piece of deer's hide, as soon as they had discovered the bear, went back with Mr. and Mrs. Campbell and the girls.
"You need have no fear, ma'am," said Martin; "the rifles won't miss their mark, and if they did, I have the dogs to let loose upon him; and I think Oscar, with the help of the others, would master him. Down—silence, Oscar—down, dogs, down. Look at the Strawberry, ma'am, she's not afraid, she's laughing like a silver bell."
During this interval, the bear again applied to the cooler, and burned himself as before, and this time being more angry, he now gave another roar, and, as if considering that the joke had been played upon him by the party who were looking on, he made directly for them at a quick run.
"Now, John," said Malachi, "get your bead well on him, right between his eyes."
John kneeled down in front of Malachi, who had his rifle all ready; much to the horror of Mrs. Campbell, John permitted the bear to come within twenty yards of him. He then fired, and the animal fell dead without a struggle.
"A good shot, and well put in," said Malachi, going up to the bear. "Let the dogs loose, Martin, that they may worry the carcass; it will do them good."
Martin did so; the dogs were permitted to pull and tear at the dead animal for a few minutes, and then taken off; in the mean time, Mr. Campbell and the ladies had come up to where the animal lay.
"Well, ma'am, isn't John a cool shot?" said Malachi, "Could the oldest hunter have done better?"
"My dear John, you quite frightened me," said Mrs. Campbell; "why did you allow the beast to come so near to you?"
"Because I wanted to kill him dead, and not wound him," replied John.
"To be sure," replied Malachi; "to wound a bear is worse than leaving him alone."
"Well, Malachi, you certainly have made a hunter of John," said Mr. Campbell. "I could not have supposed such courage and presence of mind in one so young."
John was very much praised, as he deserved to be, by the whole party; and then Malachi said, "The skin belongs to John, that of course."
"Is the bear good eating now?" said Mrs. Campbell.
"Not very, ma'am," replied Malachi, "for he has consumed all his fat during the winter; but we will cut off the legs for hams, and when they are salted and smoked with the other meat, you will acknowledge that a bear's ham is, at all events, a dish that any one may say is good. Come, John, where's your knife? Martin, give us a hand here, while Mr. Campbell and the ladies go home."
