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16 - In the Heart of the Rockies by G A Henty · In the Heart of the Rockies

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Speaker 1: Recording is in the public domain. Read by Alan Kamer,
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Speaker 1: Chapter fifteen, The Colorado well Boys, Harry Wade began, after
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Speaker 1: they had smoked for some time in silence. We've got
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Speaker 1: to look at this matter squarely. So far we have
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Speaker 1: got out of a mighty type place better than we expected.
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Speaker 1: Yesterday it seemed to us that there warn't much chance
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Speaker 1: of our carrying our hair away. But now we are
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Speaker 1: out of that scrape. But we are in another pretty
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Speaker 1: nigh as bad though there ain't much chance of the
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Speaker 1: Redskins getting at us. That ere so, Harry, we are
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Speaker 1: in a pretty tight hole. You bet they ain't likely
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Speaker 1: to get our scalps for some time. But there ain't
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Speaker 1: no denying that our chance of carrying them off is
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Speaker 1: dog gone small. You bet there ain't, Jerry sam Picks,
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Speaker 1: said them Pies and barmit will camp outside here, for
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Speaker 1: they know that they have got us in a trap.
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Speaker 1: They mayn't attack us at present, but we have got
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Speaker 1: to watch night and day. Any dark night they may
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Speaker 1: take it into their heads to come up, and there
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Speaker 1: won't be nothing to prevent them, for the rustling of
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Speaker 1: the stream among the rocks would cover any little noise
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Speaker 1: they might make the first we should know of It
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Speaker 1: would be the yell of the varmint at the foot
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Speaker 1: of this barrier, and afore we could get to the top,
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Speaker 1: the two on guard would be tomahawked, and they would
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Speaker 1: be down on us like a pack of wolves. I
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Speaker 1: would almost as soon put down my rifle and walk
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Speaker 1: straight out now and let them shoot me if I
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Speaker 1: knew they would do it without any of their devilish tortures.
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Speaker 1: As go on night after night, expecting to be woke
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Speaker 1: up with their war yell in my ears, of course,
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Speaker 1: they will always be keeping a watch there at the
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Speaker 1: mouth of the canyon. A couple of boys are enough
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Speaker 1: for that, for they will know that if we ride
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Speaker 1: out on our horses, we must go right up the valley,
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Speaker 1: and it is a nasty place to gallop through in
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Speaker 1: the dark. Besides, some of them will no doubt be
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Speaker 1: placed higher up to cut us off. And if we
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Speaker 1: got through, which ain't likely, they could ride us down
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Speaker 1: in a few hours. If we crept out on foot
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Speaker 1: and got fairly among them the trees, we should be
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Speaker 1: no better off, for they would take up our trail
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Speaker 1: in the morning and hunt us down. I tell you fairly, boys,
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Speaker 1: I don't see any way out of it. I reckon
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Speaker 1: it will come to our having to ride out together
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Speaker 1: and to wipe out as many of the utes as possible.
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Speaker 1: Afore we go down. What do you say? Chief Leaping
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Speaker 1: Horse agrees with his white brother straight Harry, whose mind
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Speaker 1: you knows, well, go on, then, Harry, Sam said, I
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Speaker 1: thought that you had made an end of it, or
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Speaker 1: I wouldn't have opened out. I don't see no way
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Speaker 1: out of it at present, but if you do, I
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Speaker 1: am ready to fall in with whatever it is. I
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Speaker 1: see but one way out of it. Boys, It is
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Speaker 1: a mighty risky thing, but it can't be more risky
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Speaker 1: than stopping here. And there is just a chance. I
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Speaker 1: spoke to the chief last night, and he owned that
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Speaker 1: it didn't seem to him there was a chance in
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Speaker 1: that or any other way. However, he said that if
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Speaker 1: I went, he would go with me. My proposal is this,
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Speaker 1: that we take to the river and try and get
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Speaker 1: through the canyons. There was a deep silence among the men.
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Speaker 1: The proposal took them by surprise. No man had ever
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Speaker 1: accomplished the journey, though two parties similarly attacked by Indians,
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Speaker 1: had attempted to raft down some of the canyons higher up,
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Speaker 1: one party perished to a man. One survivor of the
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Speaker 1: other party escaped to tell the tale. But as to
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Speaker 1: the canyons below through which they would have to pass,
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Speaker 1: no man had ever explored them. The Indians regarded the
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Speaker 1: river with deep awe, and believed the canyons to be
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Speaker 1: peopled with demons. The enterprise was so stupendous, and the
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Speaker 1: dangers to be met with so terrible, that ready as
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Speaker 1: the Western hunters were to encounter dangers, no one had
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Speaker 1: ever attempted to investigate the windings and turnings of the
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Speaker 1: river that, for two thousand miles made its way through
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Speaker 1: terrific precipices, and ran its course some three thousand feet
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Speaker 1: below the surrounding country until it emmerg urged onto the
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Speaker 1: plains of Mexico. That was why I was so anxious
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Speaker 1: to reach the river, Harry went on, after a pause.
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Speaker 1: I wanted to see whether there were some trees by
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Speaker 1: which we could construct a raft near its bank. Had
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Speaker 1: there not been, I should have proposed to follow it
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Speaker 1: up or down as far as we could make our way,
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Speaker 1: in hopes of lighting on some trees. However, as it is.
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Speaker 1: They are just handy for us. I don't say as
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Speaker 1: we shall get through, boys, but there is just a
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Speaker 1: chance of it. I don't see any other plan that
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Speaker 1: would give us a show. Jerry was the first to speak, well, Harry,
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Speaker 1: you can count me in. One might as well be
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Speaker 1: drowned in a rapid, or carried over a fall as killed,
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Speaker 1: or worse, taken and tortured by the redskins. That is
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Speaker 1: so Jerry. Sam Hicks agreed, while Ben said, while if
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Speaker 1: we get through, it will be something to talk about
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Speaker 1: all our lives. In course, there ain't no taking the horses.
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Speaker 1: That is out of the question. Ben. We shall not
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Speaker 1: have much time to spare, for the Utes may take
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Speaker 1: it into their heads to attack us any night. And besides,
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Speaker 1: we have no means of making a big raft. We
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Speaker 1: might tie two or three trunks together with the lariats
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Speaker 1: and spike a few cross pieces on them. We might
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Speaker 1: even make two such rafts. That is the outside they
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Speaker 1: will carry us and our stores. But as for the horses,
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Speaker 1: we must either leave them down in the hollow for
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Speaker 1: the Indians to find, or put a bullet through their heads.
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Speaker 1: I expect the latter will be the best thing. For
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Speaker 1: them poor beasts. No want trees, the chief said, got horses, skins,
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Speaker 1: make canoes. You are right, Chief Harry, exclaimed, I never
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Speaker 1: thought of that. That would be the very thing. Canoes
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Speaker 1: will go down the rapids where the strongest rafts would
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Speaker 1: be dashed to pieces, and if we come to a
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Speaker 1: bad fall, we can make a ship to carry them around.
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Speaker 1: The others were no less pleased with the suggestion, and
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Speaker 1: the doubtful expression of their faces as they assented to
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Speaker 1: the scheme now changed to one of hopefulness, and they
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Speaker 1: discussed the plan eagerly. It was agreed that not a
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Speaker 1: moment should be lost in setting to work to carry
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Speaker 1: it out, and that they should forthwith retreat to the
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Speaker 1: mouth of the lower canyon. For all entertained a secret
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Speaker 1: misgiving that the Utes might make their attack that night,
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Speaker 1: and felt that if that attack were made in earnest
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Speaker 1: it would succeed. It was certain they would be able
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Speaker 1: to find some point at which the lower gorge could
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Speaker 1: be held, and at any rate a day would be gained,
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Speaker 1: for at whatever hour of the night the Indians came up,
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Speaker 1: they would not venture farther until daybreak, and there would
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Speaker 1: probably be a long palaver before they would enter the
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Speaker 1: lower canyon. Tom had not spoken. He recognized the justice
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Speaker 1: of Harry's reasoning, but had difficulty in keeping his tears
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Speaker 1: back at the thought of his horse being killed. For
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Speaker 1: well nigh a year, it had carried him well, he
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Speaker 1: attended and cared for it. It would come to his
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Speaker 1: call and rub its muzzle against his cheek. He thought
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Speaker 1: that had he been alone, he would have risked anything
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Speaker 1: rather than part with it. Don't you like the plan, Tom,
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Speaker 1: Harry said to him, as having packed and saddled the horses,
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Speaker 1: they rode together down the canyon. I don't suppose the
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Speaker 1: passage is so terrible. After all, I'm not thinking of
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Speaker 1: the passage at all, Uncle Tom said, almost indignantly. It
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Speaker 1: will be a grand piece of adventure. But I don't like.
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Speaker 1: I hate the thought of my horse being killed. It
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Speaker 1: is like killing a dear friend to save one's self.
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Speaker 1: It is a wrench lad Harry said kindly. I can
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Speaker 1: quite understand your feelings, and I don't like the thought myself,
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Speaker 1: but I see that it has got to be done,
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Speaker 1: and after all, it will be better to kill the
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Speaker 1: poor brutes than to let them fall into the hands
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Speaker 1: of the Indians who don't know what mercy to their
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Speaker 1: beasts means, and will ride them till they drop dead
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Speaker 1: without the least compunction. I know it is better, Uncle, ever,
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Speaker 1: so much better, but it is horrible all the same. Anyhow,
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Speaker 1: don't ask me to do it, for I could not.
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Speaker 1: I will see to that. Tom, you shall be one
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Speaker 1: of the guards of the canyon. You would not be
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Speaker 1: of much use in making the canoes, and you won't
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Speaker 1: have to know anything about it till you go down
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Speaker 1: and get on board. Tom nodded his thanks. His heart
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Speaker 1: was too full for him to speak, and he felt
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Speaker 1: that if he said a word he should break down altogether.
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Speaker 1: They rode rapidly along, passed through the little valley where
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Speaker 1: the bear had been killed without stopping, and went down
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Speaker 1: the lower canyon, carefully examining it to fix upon the
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Speaker 1: most suitable point for defense. There had been no recent fall,
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Speaker 1: and though at some points great boulders lay thickly, there
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Speaker 1: was no one place that offered special facilities for defense.
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Speaker 1: Look here, boys, Harry said, reining up his horse, at
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Speaker 1: a point within two hundred yards of the lower end.
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Speaker 1: We can't do better than fix ourselves here, and our's
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Speaker 1: work will get up a wall that will puzzle the
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Speaker 1: redskins to get over. And there is the advantage that
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Speaker 1: a shot fired here by the guard will bring our
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Speaker 1: whole force up in a couple of minutes. I vote
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Speaker 1: we ride the horses down to the river and let
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Speaker 1: them pick up what they can, and then come back
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Speaker 1: here and build the wall. It will be getting dark
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Speaker 1: in an hour's time, and we may as well finish
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Speaker 1: that job at once. Ben and Sam, you may as
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Speaker 1: well pick out a couple of young fir trees and
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Speaker 1: bring them down at once. Then there will be no
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Speaker 1: time lost. Five of us will be enough for the wall.
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Speaker 1: Keep your eyes open, likely enough, there is a bear
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Speaker 1: or two about, and it would be a great thing
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Speaker 1: for us to lay in a stock of meat before
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Speaker 1: we start. As soon as they issued from the gorge,
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Speaker 1: the horses were unsaddled and the stores taken off the
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Speaker 1: pack animals. As they were doing this, Harry said a
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Speaker 1: few words in a low tone to Sam. He then
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Speaker 1: carefully examined the trees and picked out two young furs.
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Speaker 1: Sam and Ben took their axes, and the other five
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Speaker 1: went up the gorge again and were soon hard at
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Speaker 1: work collecting boulders and piling them in a wall. There
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Speaker 1: is a gun, Uncle Tom's claimed presently, Well, I hope
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Speaker 1: they have got sight of a bear. We shall want
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Speaker 1: a stock of meat badly. A dozen shots were fired,
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Speaker 1: but Tom thought no more of it as he proceeded
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Speaker 1: with his work. The bottom of the canyon was but
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Speaker 1: fifteen feet wide, and by the time it was dark
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Speaker 1: they had a solid wall across it, nearly six feet high,
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Speaker 1: with places for them to stand on to fire over. Now,
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Speaker 1: then Tom, you may as well take posts here at once.
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Speaker 1: I will send Sam or Ben up to watch with you.
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Speaker 1: I don't think there is a shadow of chance of
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Speaker 1: their coming to night, but there is never any answering
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Speaker 1: for redskins. I would leave hunting dog with you, but
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Speaker 1: we shall want him to help make the framework for
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Speaker 1: the canoes. The Indians are a deal handier than we
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Speaker 1: are in making lashings. I will send your supper up here, Lad,
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Speaker 1: and your buffalo robes. Then you can take it by
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Speaker 1: turns to watch and sleep. I reckon, we shall be
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Speaker 1: at work all night. We have got to get the
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Speaker 1: job finished as quick as we canter of. An hour later,
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Speaker 1: Sam Hicks came up. Have you got the trees down, Sam,
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Speaker 1: Lord bless you didn't take a minute to do that.
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Speaker 1: We got them down and split them up, then lit
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Speaker 1: a fire and got the meat over it and the
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Speaker 1: kettle and mixed the dough. Did you kill another bear?
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Speaker 1: We heard you firing. No, the critter was too high up,
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Speaker 1: and I ain't much good at shooting. Perhaps they will
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Speaker 1: get sight of him tomorrow, and Harry and the Chief
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Speaker 1: will bring him down if he is within range of
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Speaker 1: their shooting irons. It is tarnal dark up here. In
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Speaker 1: twenty minutes, two lights were seen approaching, and Harry and
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Speaker 1: hunting Dog came up carrying pine wood torches. Each had
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Speaker 1: a great faggot of wood fastened on his back, and
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Speaker 1: Harry also carried the frying pan, on which were a
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Speaker 1: pile of meat and two great hunks of bread, while
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Speaker 1: hunting Dog brought two tin pannikins of hot TEA. That
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Speaker 1: will make it more cheerful for you, Harry said, as
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Speaker 1: he unfastened the rope that tied the faggot to his shoulders. Now,
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Speaker 1: hunting Dog, get a good as soon as you can,
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Speaker 1: and then come down again to us. The fire was
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Speaker 1: soon blazing merrily, and Tom and Sam sat down to
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Speaker 1: enjoy their meal. Don't you think one of us ought
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Speaker 1: to keep watch? Sam? Not a bit of it, Sam said,
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Speaker 1: the Redskins will never dare to enter that canyon until
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Speaker 1: after dark. And if they started now and made their
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Speaker 1: way straight on, they would not be here for another
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Speaker 1: three or four hours. I would bet my boots they
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Speaker 1: don't come at all to night. Even if they were
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Speaker 1: not scared at us, they would be scared at coming
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Speaker 1: near the river in the dark. No, we will just
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Speaker 1: take our meal comfortable and smoke the pipe, and then
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Speaker 1: I will take first watch, and you shall take a sleep.
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Speaker 1: We ain't closed an eye since the night before last.
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Speaker 1: Tom indeed was nearly asleep before he had finished his pipe,
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Speaker 1: and felt that he really must get a nap, so,
12:49
Speaker 1: saying to Sam be sure and wake me in two hours,
12:53
Speaker 1: he rolled himself in his robe and instantly fell asleep.
12:56
Speaker 1: It seemed to him that he had only just gone off.
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Speaker 1: When Sam ran housed him. He leaped to his feet. However,
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Speaker 1: rifle in hand, anything the matter? Sam, Everything quiet, The
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Speaker 1: miner replied, what did you wake me for? Then? I
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Speaker 1: have not been asleep five minutes. Well, according to my
13:14
Speaker 1: reckoning mate, you've been asleep better than five hours. It
13:18
Speaker 1: was about half past eight when you went off, and
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Speaker 1: I reckon, it is too now, and we'll begin to
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Speaker 1: get light in another hour. I would not have waked
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Speaker 1: you until daybreak, but I found myself dropping off. I
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Speaker 1: am awfully sorry, Tom began. Don't you trouble youngin. By
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Speaker 1: the time you have been as long in the west
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Speaker 1: as I have, you won't think anything of two nights.
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Speaker 1: Watch now, you keep a sharp lookout. I don't think
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Speaker 1: there is much chance of their coming, but I don't
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Speaker 1: want to be woke up with a red skin coming
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Speaker 1: right down on the top of me. I see you
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Speaker 1: have let the fire out, Sam, Tom said, with a
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Speaker 1: little shiver. I put it out hours ago. Sam said,
13:54
Speaker 1: as he prepared to lie down. It would never have
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Speaker 1: done to keep it all night, for a red skin
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Speaker 1: would see my head over the top of the wall,
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Speaker 1: while I should not get a sight of him till
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Speaker 1: he was within arm's length. Tom took up his post
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Speaker 1: and gazed earnestly into the darkness beyond the wall. He
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Speaker 1: felt that his sense of vision would be no use whatever,
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Speaker 1: and therefore threw all his faculties into that of listening
14:18
Speaker 1: slight as was the chance of the Indian's coming. He
14:22
Speaker 1: yet felt somewhat nervous, and it was a satisfaction to
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Speaker 1: him to see beyond the mouth of the canyon the
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Speaker 1: glow of the fire, by which, as he knew, the
14:30
Speaker 1: others were hard at work. In an hour, the morning
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Speaker 1: began to break, and as soon as he could see
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Speaker 1: well up the canyon, he re lighted the fire, jumping
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Speaker 1: up to take a look over the wall every minute
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Speaker 1: or so. It was not long before he saw his
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Speaker 1: uncle approaching with a kettle. I saw your smoke, Tom,
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Speaker 1: and guessed that you would be glad of a mug
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Speaker 1: of hot tea. You have seen no signs of Indians.
14:53
Speaker 1: I suppose we have heard nothing Uncle. As the scene
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Speaker 1: up to half an hour ago, there was no possibility
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Speaker 1: of making out anything. But I have not even been listening.
15:05
Speaker 1: Sam went on guard directly. We had finished supper, and
15:08
Speaker 1: I asked him to call me in two hours, but
15:10
Speaker 1: he did not wake me until two o'clock. He's a
15:14
Speaker 1: good fellow. Harry said, well, don't wake him now. I
15:18
Speaker 1: can't leave you the kettle, for we have to keep
15:20
Speaker 1: boiling water going, but you can put his tin into
15:23
Speaker 1: the ashes and warm it up when he wakes. Here
15:25
Speaker 1: are a couple of pieces of bread. Why do you
15:28
Speaker 1: have to keep the kettle boiling uncle to bend the
15:31
Speaker 1: wood with The piece we are working on is kept
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Speaker 1: damp with boiling water. We hold it for a time
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Speaker 1: over the fire, pouring a little water on it as
15:39
Speaker 1: fast as it evaporates. That softens the wood, and we
15:43
Speaker 1: can bend it much more evenly than we could if
15:45
Speaker 1: we did it by force. Besides, when it is fastened
15:48
Speaker 1: into its position, it remains when it is dry in
15:52
Speaker 1: that shape, and throws no strain onto anything. Are you
15:56
Speaker 1: getting on well, capitally? We should have done both the
16:00
Speaker 1: frames mine now, but we were obliged to make them
16:03
Speaker 1: very strong so as to resist the bumps they are
16:05
Speaker 1: sure to get against the rocks. When they are finished,
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Speaker 1: you might almost let them drop off the top of
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Speaker 1: a house. They will be so strong and elastic. If
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Speaker 1: the Indians will but give us time, we shall make
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Speaker 1: a first rate job of them. Three hours later, Harry
16:19
Speaker 1: came up again with the kettle and some cooked meat.
16:22
Speaker 1: Sam had just woke up and was quite angry with
16:25
Speaker 1: Tom for not rousing him before. The others have been
16:28
Speaker 1: working all night. He said, and here I have been
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Speaker 1: asleep for five hours. A nice sort of mate. They
16:34
Speaker 1: will think me, well, but you were watching five hours, Sam,
16:38
Speaker 1: and I would a deal rather work all night than
16:40
Speaker 1: stand here for two hours in the dark, wondering all
16:43
Speaker 1: the time whether the Indians are crawling up and expecting
16:46
Speaker 1: at any moment to hear a rush against the wall.
16:49
Speaker 1: I am going to take your place, Sam, when you
16:51
Speaker 1: have finished your breakfast, Harry said, as he came up.
16:55
Speaker 1: If the Utes found out last night that we had gone,
16:57
Speaker 1: their scouts may be coming down before long. My rifle
17:01
Speaker 1: shoots a bit straighter than yours, does it. Ain't the rifle, Harry,
17:05
Speaker 1: Sam said, good temperedly. It is the eye that is wrong,
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Speaker 1: not the shooting. Iron I never had much practice with
17:12
Speaker 1: these long guns, but when it comes to a six shooter,
17:15
Speaker 1: I reckon. I could do my share as well as most,
17:18
Speaker 1: but they won't give me a chance with it. I
17:21
Speaker 1: hope they won't, Sam. I'm sure they won't as long
17:24
Speaker 1: as there is light, and I hope that before it
17:26
Speaker 1: gets dark they will conclude to leave us alone. A
17:30
Speaker 1: vigilant watch was kept. Now. I think I saw a
17:34
Speaker 1: head look out from that corner. Tom exclaimed suddenly, two
17:37
Speaker 1: hours after Sam had left them. I am quite sure
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Speaker 1: I did Tom. We must wait until he shows himself
17:43
Speaker 1: a bit more. I reckon. It is a good three
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Speaker 1: hundred yards off, and a man's head is a precious
17:49
Speaker 1: small mark at that distance. Stand a bit higher and
17:52
Speaker 1: lay your rifle on the wall. Don't fire if he
17:55
Speaker 1: only puts his head out. They know we can shoot,
17:58
Speaker 1: so there is not any occasion. And to give them
18:00
Speaker 1: another lesson, I don't hold the killing unless you have
18:03
Speaker 1: got to do it. Let him have a good look
18:06
Speaker 1: at us when he goes back and tells the tribe
18:09
Speaker 1: that there is a three hundred yards straight passage without shelter,
18:13
Speaker 1: and a strong wall across the end of it, and
18:16
Speaker 1: two white men with rifles ready to shoot. I reckon,
18:19
Speaker 1: they will know a good deal better than to try
18:21
Speaker 1: to come up it, as long as there is light. Besides,
18:25
Speaker 1: they won't think there is any occasion to hurry, for
18:28
Speaker 1: they won't count on our taking to the river, and
18:30
Speaker 1: will know that we shall be keeping watch at night.
18:33
Speaker 1: So it may very well be that they will reckon
18:36
Speaker 1: on wearing us out, and that we may not hear
18:38
Speaker 1: of them for a week. There is the fellow's head again.
18:42
Speaker 1: The head remained visible round the corner of the rock
18:44
Speaker 1: for two or three minutes. He knows all about it now, Tom,
18:48
Speaker 1: you won't see any more of him to day. I
18:51
Speaker 1: will go down and lend them a hand below. Tom
18:55
Speaker 1: asked no questions about the horses. He had thought of
18:57
Speaker 1: them a score of times as he stood on guard,
19:00
Speaker 1: and the thought had occurred to him that it was
19:02
Speaker 1: possible the shots he had heard while they were building
19:04
Speaker 1: the wall on the previous afternoon had been the death
19:08
Speaker 1: shots of the horses. It did not occur to him
19:11
Speaker 1: when Sam was telling the story about the bear that
19:14
Speaker 1: this was a god up tale, but when he came
19:17
Speaker 1: to think it over, he thought it probable that it
19:19
Speaker 1: was so. Sam himself was not much of a shot,
19:23
Speaker 1: but Ben, although inferior to Harry or either of the
19:26
Speaker 1: two Indians, shot as well as Jerry, and would hardly
19:29
Speaker 1: have missed a bear three or four times running. Each
19:32
Speaker 1: time the thought of the horses occurred to him, he
19:34
Speaker 1: resolutely put it aside and concentrated his mind upon the
19:38
Speaker 1: probable perils of the passage down the canyons and the
19:42
Speaker 1: wonderful gorges they would traverse and the adventures and excitement
19:46
Speaker 1: they were sure to pass through. He thought how fortunate
19:49
Speaker 1: it was that they had taken the precaution of sending
19:51
Speaker 1: their specimens of quartz back to the fort, for were
19:54
Speaker 1: they in the canoes, the fruits of the journey would
19:57
Speaker 1: be irrevocably lost were these to upset. For now the
20:01
Speaker 1: Indians had twice discovered the presence of whites in the valley,
20:05
Speaker 1: they would be sure to watch it closely, and it
20:07
Speaker 1: would not be possible to go up to the mine
20:09
Speaker 1: again unless in strong force. The day passed quietly, Harry
20:14
Speaker 1: brought up Tom's meals, and late in the afternoon all
20:17
Speaker 1: hands came up and the wall of stones was raised
20:20
Speaker 1: four feet, making it almost impregnable against a sudden attack.
20:25
Speaker 1: The two Indians took post there with Tom and watched
20:28
Speaker 1: alternately all night. The Utes, however, remained perfectly quiet. They
20:33
Speaker 1: probably felt sure that the fugitives must sooner or later
20:36
Speaker 1: be forced to surrender, and were disinclined to face the
20:40
Speaker 1: loss that must occur before so strong a position defended
20:44
Speaker 1: by seven men armed with rifles and revolvers, could be carried.
20:48
Speaker 1: At three o'clock on the following afternoon, hunting dog came up. Tom,
20:53
Speaker 1: go down and get dinner, he said, hunting dog, go watch.
20:58
Speaker 1: Tom took his rifle and started down the canyon. Come on, lad,
21:02
Speaker 1: his uncle shouted. We are pretty near ready for a
21:04
Speaker 1: start and have all had our dinner, so be quick
21:07
Speaker 1: about it. We want to get well away from here
21:09
Speaker 1: before night. Tom went to the fire and ate his meal.
21:14
Speaker 1: As he sat down, he saw that the stores, blankets,
21:16
Speaker 1: and robes had all been carried away. When he finished,
21:20
Speaker 1: his uncle led him down to the river. Two canoes
21:23
Speaker 1: were floating in the water, and the other men were
21:26
Speaker 1: standing beside them. There, Tom, what do you think of them? There?
21:30
Speaker 1: Splendid uncle, it seems impossible that you can have built
21:33
Speaker 1: them in two days. Five hands can do a lot
21:37
Speaker 1: of canoe building in forty eight hours work, Tom. The
21:40
Speaker 1: canoes were indeed models of strainth if not of beauty.
21:44
Speaker 1: They were each about twenty feet long and five feet wide.
21:47
Speaker 1: Two strong pieces of pine two inches square ran along
21:50
Speaker 1: the top of each side, and one of the same
21:53
Speaker 1: width but an inch deeper, formed the keel. The ribs,
21:57
Speaker 1: an inch wide and three quarters of an inch thick,
22:00
Speaker 1: were placed at intervals of eighteen inches apart. The canoes
22:04
Speaker 1: were almost flat bottom. The ribs lay across the keel,
22:07
Speaker 1: which was cut away to allow them to lie flush
22:10
Speaker 1: in it, a strong nail being driven at the point
22:13
Speaker 1: of junction, these being the only nails used in the
22:16
Speaker 1: boat's construction. The ribs ran straight out to almost the
22:20
Speaker 1: full width of the canoe and were then turned sharp up,
22:24
Speaker 1: the ends being lashed with thongs of hide to the
22:27
Speaker 1: upper stringers. Outside the ribs were lashed longitudinal wattles of
22:32
Speaker 1: tough wood about an inch wide. They were placed an
22:35
Speaker 1: inch apart, extending over the bottom and half way up
22:38
Speaker 1: the side. Overall was stretched the skin, five horses hides
22:42
Speaker 1: having been used for each boat. They were very strongly
22:46
Speaker 1: sewed together by a double row of thongs. The overlaps,
22:50
Speaker 1: having before been sowed, been smeared with melted fat. Cross
22:55
Speaker 1: pieces of wood at the top kept the upper framework
22:57
Speaker 1: in its place. The hair of the skin was outward,
23:01
Speaker 1: the inner glistened with the fat that had been rubbed
23:04
Speaker 1: into it. They are strong, Indeed, Tom said they ought
23:08
Speaker 1: to stand anything. Uncle. Yes, I think they would stand
23:11
Speaker 1: a blow against any rock. If it hadn't a cutting edge.
23:15
Speaker 1: They would just bound off as a basket would of
23:18
Speaker 1: course they are very heavy for canoes, but as they
23:21
Speaker 1: won't have to carry more than the weight of four
23:23
Speaker 1: men each, they will draw a little over a couple
23:26
Speaker 1: of inches or so of water. That is why we
23:29
Speaker 1: made them so wide. We could not get strength without weight.
23:33
Speaker 1: And as there is no saying what shallows there may be,
23:36
Speaker 1: and how close in some places rocks may come up
23:38
Speaker 1: to the surface, we were obliged to build them wide
23:41
Speaker 1: to get light draft. You see, we have made ten
23:45
Speaker 1: paddles so as to have a spare one or two
23:48
Speaker 1: in case of breakage. We have two spare hides, so
23:52
Speaker 1: that we shall have the means of repairing damages. Tom
23:55
Speaker 1: said nothing about the horses manufactured into a boat. As
23:59
Speaker 1: the skins were, there was not much to remind him
24:02
Speaker 1: of them. But he pressed his uncle's hand and said,
24:05
Speaker 1: thank you very much. Uncle. I don't mind so much now,
24:09
Speaker 1: but I should not like to have seen them before.
24:12
Speaker 1: That is all right, Tom. It was a case of necessity.
24:15
Speaker 1: Sam and Ben shot them directly we got here. The
24:19
Speaker 1: stores were all laid by the boats, being divided between them,
24:22
Speaker 1: so that the cargoes were in all respect stuplicates of
24:25
Speaker 1: each other. Before Tom came down. Some had already been
24:29
Speaker 1: placed in each boat, with a blanket thrown over them.
24:33
Speaker 1: You've got the gold, I suppose. Uncle. You may bet
24:37
Speaker 1: that we did not leave that behind. There is half
24:39
Speaker 1: in each boat, and the bags are lashed to the timbers,
24:42
Speaker 1: so that if there is an upset, they cannot get lost.
24:46
Speaker 1: How are we going? We have settled that you and
24:48
Speaker 1: I and the two Indians shall go together, and the
24:51
Speaker 1: rest in the other boat. The Indians know nothing of
24:54
Speaker 1: canoeing and won't be of very much use. I know
24:58
Speaker 1: you were accustomed to boats, and I did some rowing
25:01
Speaker 1: when I was a young man. I wish we had
25:04
Speaker 1: a couple of Canadian Indians with us, or of half breeds.
25:07
Speaker 1: They are up to this sort of work, and with
25:10
Speaker 1: one in the stern of each canoe, it would be
25:12
Speaker 1: a much less risky business going down the rapids. However,
25:16
Speaker 1: no doubt we shall get handy with the paddles before long.
25:19
Speaker 1: When everything was ready, Harry fired his rifle, and in
25:22
Speaker 1: a couple of minutes, hunting Dog came running down. The
25:26
Speaker 1: others had already taken their seats. He stepped into Harry's boat,
25:30
Speaker 1: and they at once pushed off. The river was running
25:33
Speaker 1: smoothly here, and Harry said directly, we get down a
25:37
Speaker 1: little way. We will turn the boat's head up stream
25:40
Speaker 1: and practice for a bit. It would never do to
25:42
Speaker 1: get down into rough water before we can use the
25:45
Speaker 1: paddles fairly. Tom sat in the bow of his boat.
25:48
Speaker 1: Hunting dog was next to him. Then came the chief,
25:51
Speaker 1: and Harry sat in the stern. A paddle is a
25:54
Speaker 1: much easier implement to manage for a beginner than is
25:58
Speaker 1: an oar, and it was not long before they found
26:00
Speaker 1: that they could propel the boats at a fair rate.
26:03
Speaker 1: In a short time, they had passed the end of
26:05
Speaker 1: the shelf at the mouth of the canyon, and the
26:08
Speaker 1: cliffs on that side rose as abruptly as they did
26:10
Speaker 1: on the other. The river was some eighty yards wide.
26:15
Speaker 1: We will turn here, Harry said, and paddle up. We
26:19
Speaker 1: shan't do more than keep abreast of these rocks now,
26:22
Speaker 1: for the stream runs fast. Though it is so smooth.
26:25
Speaker 1: They found, indeed, that they had to work hard to
26:27
Speaker 1: hold their position. Now, Tom, Harry sang out, it is
26:31
Speaker 1: you and I do the steering. You know, when you
26:34
Speaker 1: want the head to go to the right, you must
26:36
Speaker 1: work your paddle out from the boat. When you want
26:39
Speaker 1: to go to the left, you must dip it in
26:40
Speaker 1: the water rather farther out, and draw it towards the boat.
26:44
Speaker 1: Of course, when you've got the paddle the other side,
26:47
Speaker 1: you must do just the contrary. You must sing out
26:50
Speaker 1: right or left according as you see rocks ahead, and
26:53
Speaker 1: I shall steer with my paddle behind. I have a
26:57
Speaker 1: good deal more power over the boat than you have,
27:00
Speaker 1: and you must depend upon me for the steering, unless
27:03
Speaker 1: there is occasion for a smart swerve. At first the
27:06
Speaker 1: two boats shot backwards and forwards across the stream in
27:09
Speaker 1: a very erratic way, but after an hour's practice, the
27:13
Speaker 1: steersmen found the amount of force required. An hour later,
27:17
Speaker 1: Harry thought that they were competent to make a start,
27:20
Speaker 1: and turning, they shot rapidly past the cliffs. In a
27:23
Speaker 1: couple of miles. There was a break in the rocks
27:26
Speaker 1: to the left. We will land there, Harry said. There
27:30
Speaker 1: are trees near the water and bushes farther up. We
27:33
Speaker 1: will make a camp there. There is no saying how
27:36
Speaker 1: far we may have to go before we get another opportunity.
27:39
Speaker 1: We have done with the utes for good and can
27:42
Speaker 1: get a sound night's sleep if you Chief will start
27:45
Speaker 1: with hunting dog. As soon as we land, we will
27:48
Speaker 1: get the things ashore and light the fire. Maybe you
27:51
Speaker 1: will be able to get a bear for us. They
27:54
Speaker 1: did not trouble to haul up the canoes, but fasten
27:56
Speaker 1: them by the head ropes, which were made from lariats
28:00
Speaker 1: to trees on the shore. Daylight was beginning to fade
28:03
Speaker 1: as they lighted the fire. No time was lost before
28:06
Speaker 1: mixing the dough, and it was in readiness by the
28:09
Speaker 1: time that there were sufficient glowing embers to stand the
28:12
Speaker 1: pot in. The kettle was filled and hung on a
28:15
Speaker 1: tripod over the fire. In a short time, the Indians
28:18
Speaker 1: returned empty handed. No fine bear, the chief said, Getting
28:23
Speaker 1: too dark to hunt tomorrow morning, try Harry got up
28:27
Speaker 1: and went to the boots and returned directly with a
28:30
Speaker 1: joint of meat. Tom looked up in surprise. It is
28:33
Speaker 1: not from yours, Tom, Jerry said, as he saw him
28:36
Speaker 1: looking at it. We took the hind quarters of the
28:39
Speaker 1: four pack ponies, but left the others alone. It was
28:42
Speaker 1: no use bringing more, for it would not keep. So
28:45
Speaker 1: it is horse flesh. Tom rather shrank from the idea
28:48
Speaker 1: of eating it, and nothing would have induced him to
28:51
Speaker 1: touch it. Had he thought that it came from his
28:53
Speaker 1: own favorite. Some steaks were cut and placed in the
28:56
Speaker 1: frying pan, while strips were hung over the fire for
28:59
Speaker 1: those preferred the meat in that way. Tom felt strongly
29:03
Speaker 1: inclined to refuse altogether. But when he saw that the
29:07
Speaker 1: others took their meat as a matter of course and
29:09
Speaker 1: proceeded to eat it with a good appetite, he did
29:11
Speaker 1: not like to do so. He hesitated, however, before tasting it.
29:16
Speaker 1: But Harry said, with a laugh, fire away, Tom, you
29:20
Speaker 1: can hardly tell it from beef, and they say that
29:22
Speaker 1: in Paris lots of horse flesh is sold as beef. Thus,
29:26
Speaker 1: encouraged Tom took a mouthful and found it by no
29:30
Speaker 1: means bad, For from their long stay in the valley,
29:33
Speaker 1: the animals were all in excellent condition, and he acknowledged
29:36
Speaker 1: to himself that he would not have known the flesh
29:39
Speaker 1: from beef. I call it mighty good for a change,
29:42
Speaker 1: Jerry said, out on the plains, where one can get buffalo,
29:46
Speaker 1: one would not take horse for choice. But as we
29:49
Speaker 1: had been eating deer and bear meat for about a year,
29:52
Speaker 1: horse meat ain't bad by no means what you won't
29:55
Speaker 1: take another bit? Tom and not tonight, Jerry. Next time
29:59
Speaker 1: I shall be all right. But it is my first trial,
30:02
Speaker 1: you know, and though I can't say it is not good,
30:06
Speaker 1: it gives me a queer feeling, so I will stick
30:08
Speaker 1: to the bread. Well, boys, Harry said, presently, we have
30:12
Speaker 1: made a first rate start and have got out of
30:14
Speaker 1: a big scrape easier than I ever looked for. We
30:18
Speaker 1: could not have got two better canoes for our work
30:20
Speaker 1: if we had had them brought special from Canada, and
30:23
Speaker 1: it seems to me that they ought to go down
30:25
Speaker 1: pretty near anywhere without much damage. We shall get real
30:29
Speaker 1: handy with our paddles in two or three days, and
30:31
Speaker 1: I hope we shan't meet with any big rapids until
30:34
Speaker 1: we have got into the way of managing them. Well,
30:37
Speaker 1: you bet, Harry, we have got out well, said Jerry.
30:41
Speaker 1: I tell you it looked down right ugly, and I
30:43
Speaker 1: wouldn't have given a continental for our chances. As for
30:46
Speaker 1: the rapids, I guess we shall generally find rocks on
30:49
Speaker 1: one side or the other, or we could make our
30:52
Speaker 1: way along and we can let down the canoes by
30:55
Speaker 1: the ropes. Anyhow, we need not get scary over them,
31:00
Speaker 1: meaning out of that valley with our hair on the
31:02
Speaker 1: thought of them does not trouble me. A cent end
31:06
Speaker 1: of chapter fifteen,