University of Virginia Library

6. CHAPTER VI.

Gordon had built a log dwelling for the reception
of Cameron and his daughter on their

arrival. It was settled between our hero and Mr
M'Donald, that the old Scot should never know
to whom he was indebted. The building was
like all others in that country, and consisted of
four apartments, three of them as rude as might
be. The fourth being designed for Flora, was
finished with all the taste and ingenuity Gordon
could exert. The walls were squared by the
axe, plastered with mud, and washed with the
white clay of the prairies; the same the Indians
use to cleanse their leathern garments. The floor
was neatly jointed and planed, and the windows
were, as we are credibly informed, the first glazed
ones ever seen at Pembinaw. Those of the other
houses were of oiled paper, or parchment. In
short all was comfortably, if not elegantly arranged.

At this time, news came that Governor Semple,
Duncan Cameron and Flora, had arrived at Fort
Douglass. Mr Semple was detained there by
business, and Cameron was obliged to proceed to
Pembinaw; but unwilling to expose his daughter
to the danger of starvation, he left her with the
Governor. When the clansman arrived at Pembinaw,
Gordon, under pretence of hunting, saddled
his horse and rode to Fort Douglass, where he
was cordially received. Flora, indeed, on the first
opportunity, urged the impropriety of his visit, but
as Gordon informed her that Mr Semple would
ascend the river in a few days, and that his presence
would add to the security of the journey,
she gave up the argument.

The colonists had ploughed and planted Indian
corn and such vegetables as were most likely to

succeed in that climate; but when the harvest
was nearly ripe for the sickle, clouds of grasshoppers
swept the land like the samiel, and left
not a green blade behind. The Catholic priest
publicly anathematized them in vain. The inhabitants
were obliged to resort to the chase for
their daily subsitence, but as if all things conspired
against Lord Selkirk's schemes of colonization,
the buffaloes emigrated to the Missouri. [52]
Provisions began to fall short at Fort Douglass,
and all persons connected with the establishment
were put on short allowance, to the great annoyance
of the Canadians, whose digestive organs
equal those of wolves in power.

In another week the new settlers for whom Mr
Semple waited, arrived, and he prepared to depart.
A small portion of the stores of the fort
was put on board the boat, and the party moved
up the river. The third day of their progress
brings us to the time when our story commenced.

After leaving the boat as before related, Gordon
ascended a small rising ground, and looked
round for the wild cattle. His practised eye soon
discovered a solitary buffalo, grazing at a great
distance. The sun was fast sinking, and it was
evident that to reach and kill the animal before
dark, he must exert himself to the utmost. He
threw his gun upon his shoulder, and was about
to start, when his ear was saluted by a low whistle.
He well understood it to be an Indian signal,
meaning `you are in danger; keep out of
sight.' The warning came from a small ravine at
the foot of the hillock; one of the thousand

channels by which the snow and rain of the prairies
find their way to the river. Gordon descended
into the hollow and returned an answering
sign. A tall Indian, mounted on a powerful
charger, emerged from the ravine, and the bois
brulé recognized Wawnahton. The horse appeared
to have been hard ridden, and the face,
hands and dress of the rider were stained with
blood. His feet were placed in huge wooden
stirrups, drawn up short, but he sat firm and erect,
managing his steed with a cord fastened round the
under jaw. Three bounds placed him at Gordon's
side.

`How! metah kodah, what are you doing
here?' he asked.

`I have come to kill a cow for our people. Our
children are crying for food.'

`I have heard that you are as good a hunter as
if you had been born in a Dahcotah lodge. But
while you approach the buffalo beware that you
are not yourself approached.'

`Who should approach me, if not some of your
people? and they seldom come so low on the
river.'

`Listen. There is a hunter who thirsts for
your blood. It is the Englishman — the old woman
who persuaded me to come to Pembinaw.
Do you see, yonder?' he continued, pointing to
a distant strip of wood, such as always fringes the
border of a prairie stream. `He is there, and
nineteen half-breeds with him. There were twenty
this morning.' Drawing his robe aside, he
showed a scalp in his belt. `Keep a good watch

to-night, for they have been watching your boat
all day.'

`You have killed one of his followers then.
Why did you so? And why should he seek our
lives? None of us ever opposed his trade.'

`He hates you, and if you encamp on this side
of the river, not one of you will see the sun rise
tomorrow. I was in quest of the Khakhatons
with ten men, when we discovered the party.
They were too many for us, but I was resolved
not to return home without a scalp, and followed
them. A man without a scalp is lying below the
river bank yonder, with an arrow sticking in him.
I saw that he was a Khakhaton by his features.
Besides, these mongrels spoil our hunting grounds.
They ride hundreds together and scare away the
buffalo. I will not suffer them to hunt on my
land.'

`I cannot return to the boat empty. Our women
are dying with hunger. I must kill something,
cost what it may.'

`That is the way with you men who wear hats.
You go through fire for your women. But I have
provided for that too. Do you see the wood at
yonder bend of the river? I killed a fat cow,
and hung its flesh in those branches at noon.
Your big canoe will soon be there; but mount
behind me and we will be before it. Come, jump
up.'

Gordon sprang on the horse behind him, and
half an hour's ride brought them to the spot.
Gordon had began to thank the chief, but the latter
cut him short. `When your big canoe arrives,'

said he, `make a fire and eat. Then as
soon as it is dark, leave the camp and hide yourselves.
Do not suffer yourselves to be surprised.
I will be nigh you, and ten good bows shall not
be wanting, in time of need. But stay — I have a
pistol that is useless for want of ammunition;
give me some of yours.' And having tied up the
powder and ball he received from Gordon in the
corner of his calico shirt, with a sinew, he galloped
away through the wood.

When the boat rounded to at the spot where
he was standing, our hero communicated the intelligence
he had obtained to Mr Semple, and recommended
to place the women and children in
safety on the opposite shore, while the men should
remain, and expect the half-breeds. `We can
make a breastwork of logs,' he said, to compensate
for the disparity of numbers, and we shall
have the Sioux on our side.'

But to these and many more good reasons for
fighting, Governor Semple gave no heed. He resolved
to follow Wawnahton's advice to the letter.

The engagés had toiled all day; but the sight
of the meat gave them fresh spirits. They kindled
a huge fire, and beguiled the time with their
pipes, and a greasy pack of cards. They even
heard the announcement that their labor had not
ceased, without a murmur. They did not ask Mr
Semple's reasons; it was enough for them that he
was their bourgeois; but they said to one another,
that Monsieur Gordon had probably seen signs of
Indians.

It would be difficult to find a people so well

fitted to endure the hardships of the Indian trade
as the Canadians. They assume the manners
and habits of the aborigines with perfect ease.
For a stipend of from one to two hundred dollars
per annum, they toil incessantly, through hot and
cold, wet and dry. Carrying heavy burthens on
their heads, laboring at the oar, wading for hours
in rapids, and half the time subsisting on food that
our dogs would reject, they are always polite
and cheerful, and generally obedient.

On this occasion, when the repast was over, a
number of large logs were laid on the fire, that its
continued light might deceive the enemy, and the
party were ordered to embark. The oars were
muffled with strips of buffalo skin, and after rowing
a few hours they put ashore and passed the
rest of the night without molestation.