Oh! ver goot, cried Gibault, sitting down beside our hero, and proceeding to fill his pipe, I will mire de countray, too. Ha! it be unmarkibly beautifulspecially when beholded troo one cloud of tabacca smoke.
Alas! Gibault, well have to move off sooner than we expected, for there it comes.
The two friends leaped up simultaneously, and, seizing their packs, hurried down the mound, entered the thick bushes, and vanished.
The object whose sudden appearance had occasioned this abrupt departure would, in truth, have been somewhat singular, not to say alarming, in aspect, to those who did not know its nature. At a distance it looked like one of those horrible antediluvian monsters one reads of, with a lank body, about thirty feet long. It was reddish-yellow in colour, and came on at a slow, crawling pace, its back appearing occasionally above the underwood. Presently its outline became more defined, and it turned out to be a canoe instead of an antediluvian monster, with Big Waller and Bounce acting the part of legs to it. Old Redhand the trapper and Hawkswing the Indian walked alongside, ready to relieve their comrades when they should grow tiredfor a large canoe is a heavy load for two menor to assist them in unusually bad places, or to support them and prevent accidents, should they chance to stumble.
Have a care now, lad, at the last step, said Redhand, who walked a little in advance.
Yer help would be better than yer advice, old feller, replied Bounce, as he stepped upon the ridge or mound which Marston and his companion had just quitted. Lend a hand; well take a spell here. I do believe my shoulders out o joint. There, gentlythats it.
Wall, I guess this is Eden, cried Big Waller, gazing around him with unfeigned delight. Leastwise, if it aint, it must be the very nixt location to them there diggins of old Father Adam. Aint it splendiferous?
Big Waller was an out-and-out Yankee trapper. It is a mistake to suppose that all Yankees guess and calculate, and talk through their nose. There are many who dont, as well as many who do; but certain it is that Big Waller possessed all of these peculiarities in an alarming degree. Moreover, he was characteristically thin and tall and sallow. Nevertheless, he was a hearty, good-natured fellow, not given to boasting so much as most of his class, but much more given to the performance of daring deeds. In addition to his other qualities, the stout Yankee had a loud, thundering, melodious voice, which he was fond of using, and tremendous activity of body, which he was fond of exhibiting.
He was quite a contrast, in all respects, to his Indian companion, Hawkswing, who, although about as tall, was not nearly so massive or powerful. Like most North American Indians, he was grave and taciturn in disposition; in other respects there was nothing striking about him. He was clad, like his comrades, in a trappers hunting-shirt and leggings; but he scorned to use a cap of any kind, conceiving that his thick, straight, black hair was a sufficient covering, as undoubtedly it was. He was as courageous as most men; a fair average shot, and, when occasion required, as lithe and agile as a panther; but he was not a herofew savages are. He possessed one good quality, however, beyond his kinsmenhe preferred mercy to revenge, and did not gloat over the idea of tearing the scalps off his enemies, and fringing his coat and leggings therewith.
Tis a sweet spot, said Redhand to his comrades, who stood or reclined in various attitudes around him. Such a place as Ive often thought of casting anchor in for life.
An why dont ye, then? inquired Waller. If I was thinkin o locating down anywhar, I guess Id jine ye, old man. But Im too fond o rovin for that yet. I calclate itll be some years afore I come to that pint. Why dont ye build a log hut, and enjoy yerself?
Cause Ive not just come to that point either, replied the old man with a smile.
Redhand had passed his best days many years before. His form was spare, and his silvery locks were thin; but his figure was still tall and straight as a poplar, and the fire of youth still lingered in his dark-blue eye. The most striking and attractive point about Redhand was the extreme kindliness that beamed in his countenance. A long life in the wilderness had wrinkled it; but every wrinkle tended, somehow, to bring out the great characteristic of the man. Even his frown had something kindly in it. The prevailing aspect was that of calm serenity. Redhand spoke little, but he was an attentive listener, and, although he never laughed loudly, he laughed often and heartily, in his own way, at the sallies of his younger comrades. In youth he must have been a strikingly handsome man. Even in old age he was a strong one.
Ill tell ye whats my opinion now, boys, in regard to settlin down, said Bounce, who, having filled and lighted his pipe, now found himself in a position to state his views comfortably. Ye see, settlin down may, in a ginral way, be said to be nonsense. In pint o fact, there aint no sich a thing as settlin down. When a feller sits down, why, in a short bit, hes bound to rise up agin, and when he goes to bed, he means for to get up next mornin. (Here Bounce paused, drew several whiffs, and rammed down the tobacco in his pipe with the end of his little finger.) Then, when a feller locates in a place, hes sure for to be movin about, more or less, as long as hes got a leg to stand on. Now, what I say is, that when a man comes to talk o settlin down, hes losin heart for a wanderin life among all the beautiful things o creation; an when a man loses heart for the beautiful things o creation, hell soon settle down for good and all. Hes in a bad way, he is, and oughtnt to encourage hisself in sich feelins. I blieve that to be the feelosophy o the whole affair, and I dont blieve that nobody o common edicationI dont mean school edication, but backwoods edicationwould go for to think otherwise. Wot say you, Waller?
Sartinly not, replied the individual thus appealed to.
Big Waller had a deep reverence for the supposed wisdom of his friend Bounce. He listened to his lucubrations with earnest attention at all times, and, when he understood them, usually assented to all his friend said. When Bounce became too profound for him, as was not infrequently the case, he contented himself with nodding his head, as though to say, Im with you in heart, lad, though not quite clear in my mind; but its all right, Im quite sartin.
Well, then, resumed Bounce, turning to Redhand, what do you think o them sentiments, old man?
Redhand, who had been paying no attention whatever to these sentiments, but, during the delivery of them, had been gazing wistfully out upon the wide expanse of country before him, laid his hand on Bounces shoulder, and said in a low, earnest tone
Its a grand country! Dye see the little clear spot yonder, on the river bank, with the aspen grove behind it, an the run of prairie on the right, an the little lake not a gun-shot off on the left? Thats the spot Ive sometimes thought of locatin on when my gun begins to feel too heavy. Therell be cities there some day. Bricks and mortar and stone ll change its facean cornfields, an but not in our day, lad, not in our day. The redskins and the bears ll hold it as long as were above ground. Yes, Id like to settle down there.
Come, come, Redhand, said Bounce, this sort o thing ll never do. Why, youre as hale and hearty as the best on us. Wot on arth makes you talk of settlin down in that there fashion?
Ha! exclaimed Waller energetically, I guess if ye goes on in that style yell turn into a riglar hiplecondrikaint that the word, Bounce? I heerd the minister say as it was the wust kind o the blues. Whats your opinion o settlin down, Hawkswing?
To this question the Indian gravely replied in his own language (with which the trappers were well acquainted), that, not having the remotest idea of what they were talking about, he entertained no opinion in regard to it whatever.
Well, wotiver others may hold, remarked Bounce emphatically, Im strong agin settlin down nowhar.
So am I, out an out, said Waller.
Dat be plain to the naked eye, observed Gibault, coming up at the moment. Surement you have settle down here for ever. Do you spose, mes garçons, dat de canoe will carry hisself over de portage? Voilà! vat is dat?
Gibault pointed to the footprint of the grisly bear, as he spoke.
Its a bar, remarked Bounce quietly.
Caleb, added Waller, giving the name frequently applied to the grisly bear by western hunters. I calclate its nothin new to see Calebs fut in the mud.
Mais, it be new to see hims fut so big, you oogly Yankee, cried Gibault, putting Wallers cap over his eyes, and running into the bush to avoid the consequences.
At that moment a deer emerged from the bushes, about fifty yards from the spot on which the trappers rested, and, plunging into the river, made for the opposite bank.
Theres our supper, said Bounce, quietly lifting his rifle in a leisurely way, and taking aim without rising from the spot on which he sat or removing the pipe from his lips.
The sharp crack was followed by a convulsive heave on the part of the deer, which fell over on its side and floated downstream.
Big Waller gave utterance to a roar of satisfaction, and, flinging his pipe from him, bounded down the bank towards a point of rock, where he knew, from the set of the current, the deer would be certain to be stranded. Gibault, forgetting his recent piece of impertinence, darted towards the same place, and both men reached it at the same instant. Big Waller immediately lifted his little friend in his huge arms, and tossed him into the centre of a thick soft bush, out of which he scrambled in time to see his comrade catch the deer by the horns, as it floated past, and drag it on shore.
Hoh! I vill pay you off von time, cried Gibault, laughing, and shaking his fist at Waller. Then, seizing the last bale of goods that had not been carried across the portage, he ran away with it nimbly up the bank of the stream.
Big Waller placed the deer on his shoulders with some difficulty, and followed in the same direction.
On reaching the other end of the portage, they found the canoe reloaded and in the water, and their comrades evincing symptoms of impatience.
Come on, lads, come on, cried March, who seemed to be the most impatient of them all. Weve seen Caleb! Hes up the river, on this side. Get in! Hes sich a banger, oh!
Before the sentence was well finished, all the men were in their places except Black Gibault, who remained on the bank to shove off the canoe.
Now, lad, get in, said Redhand, whose usually quiet eye appeared to gleam at the near prospect of a combat with the fierce and much-dreaded monster of the Far West.
All right, mes garçons, replied Gibault; hand me mine gun; I vill valk on the bank, an see vich vay hims goso, adieu!
With a powerful push, he sent the light craft into the stream, and, turning on his heel, entered the woods.
The others at once commenced paddling up the river with energetic strokes.
Hes a wild feller that, remarked Bounce, after they had proceeded some distance and reached a part of the stream where the current was less powerful. Id bet my rifle hes git the first shot at Caleb; I only hope hell not fall in with him till we git ashore, else it may go hard with him.
So it may, said Waller; if it goes as hard wi Gibault as it did wi my old comrade, Bob Swan, itll be no fun, I guess.
What happened to him? asked March, who was ever open-eared for stories.
Oh, it was nothing very curious, but I guess it was onconvanient, as them coons from Ireland says. Bob Swan wenthe didaway right off alone, all by hisself, to shoot a grisly with a old musket as wasnt fit to fire powder, not to speak o ball. He was sich a desprit feller, Bob Swan was, that he cut after it without takin time to see wot wos in the gun. I follered him as fast as I could, hollerin for him to stop and see if he wos loaded; but I calclate he was past stoppin. Wall, he comes up wi the bar suddently, and the bar looks at him, and he looks at it. Then he runs up, claps the gun to his shoulder, and pulls the trigger; but it wos a rusty old lock, an no fire came. There was fire come from the bars eyes, though, I do guess! It ran at him, an he ran away. Of course Caleb soon came up, an Bob primed as he ran an wheeled about, stuck the muzzle of the old musket right into Calebs mouth, and fired. He swallered the whole charge, that bar did, as if it had been a glass o grog, and didnt he cough some? Oh no! an he roared, too, jist like this
Big Waller, in the excitement of his narrative, was about to give a vocal illustration, when Bounce suddenly extinguished him by clapping his hand on his mouth.
Hist! you wild buffalo, he said, youll frighten off all the bars within ten miles of us, if you raise your horrable trumpet!
I do believe, I forgot, said the Yankee with a low chuckle, when his mouth was released.
Well, but what happened to Bob Swan? inquired March eagerly.
Wot happened? I guess the bar cotched him by the leg, an smashed it in three places, before you could wink, but, by good luck, I come up at that moment, an put a ball right through Calebs brains. Bob got better, but he never got the right use o his leg after that. An we found that hed fired a charge o small shot down that bars throathe had!
Hallo! look! is yon Caleb? inquired March in a hoarse whisper, as he pointed with his paddle to a distant point up the river, where a dark object was seen moving on the bank.
Thats him, said Bounce. Now then, do your best, an well land on the point just below him.
Thats sooner said than done, remarked Redhand quietly, for theres another portage between us and Caleb.
As the old man spoke, the canoe passed round a low point which had hitherto shut out the view of the bed of the river from the travellers, and the vision of a white, though not a high, waterfall burst upon their sight, at the same moment that the gushing sound of water broke upon their ears. At any other time the beauty of the scene would have drawn forth warm, though perhaps quaint and pithy, remarks of admiration. Wood and water were seen picturesquely mingled and diversified in endless variety. Little islands studded the surface of the river, which was so broad and calm at that place as to wear the appearance of a small lake. At the upper end of this lake it narrowed abruptly, and here occurred the fall, which glittered in the suns bright rays like a cascade of molten silver. The divers trees and shrubs, both on the islets and on the mainland, presented in some places the rich cultivated appearance of the plantations on a well-tended domain; but, in other places, the fallen timber, the rank tangled vegetation, and the beautiful wild flowers showed that mans hand had not yet destroyed the wild beauty of the virgin wilderness. The sky above was bright and blue, with a few thin feathery clouds resting motionless upon its vast concave, and the air was so still that even the tremulous aspen leaves were but slightly agitated, while the rest of the forests drapery hung perfectly motionless.