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Updated: June 22, 2025
Now high, now low, now prolonged and in different tones, came out from that great birch-bark horn those peculiar notes, some of which were not unlike the sounds made by the domestic cow when separated from her calf. For once in his life Mustagan was a complete failure. For blow as much as he would and great were his exertions no calf appeared in answer to his calls.
For I knew it was from Mustagan, and that it meant we would soon be free. But I saw that the bears had heard it, and were very uneasy, as they had been at all sounds. For a time they stopped eating berries and stood up and listened. However, when it came again and again, so bird-like, they lost their fear and again began eating the berries."
These relics of that sad expedition, in which about a hundred and forty of the bravest of men perished, some of whom might have been saved if Paulette had been true, are now in the Greenwich Museum. But although Mustagan had been long years thus employed he was yet in the full vigour of life, and as a hunter was unexcelled.
Glancing over the landscape, and taking notice of the hills in the distance and the amount of country that the storm had swept over, Mustagan and Mr Ross came to the conclusion that between twenty and thirty feet of snow were between them and the icy cave where these bears were drowsily sleeping away the long winter months.
So, while the men were digging, Mr Ross and Mustagan were constantly travelling on their snowshoes with a compass to try and help the diggers, who were rapidly pushing on their work. The boys could hardly understand how it was that it could be so cozy and comfortable in the tunnel while outside the cold was so terrible.
At times they were able to fire into large flocks, then again they tried their skill on a single bird as it rapidly flew by. Said Mustagan to Alec: "You take gun, I take bow and arrow, and we see who shoot best." "All right," said Alec, "I'll try." So it was decided that when the next duck flew over them Alec was to try first.
Taking his hand out of his mitten, Mustagan wet his fingers with his saliva and then immediately rubbed it on the deerskin string. As fast as it was thus wet it froze as stiff as wire, and stood straight out from the stick. Rapidly did the Indian thus wet the whole string, the loop of the slip noose included, until the whole stood out as though made of steel wire.
The next operation was to have these trees all cut up in lengths that could be easily handed, and then dragged home by the dogs on their long sleds when there was abundance of snow on the ground. Sam asked for the privilege of accompanying Mustagan. As the walk was only a few miles, the old Indian was pleased to have the bright young paleface go with him.
Then the question next asked is: "How much will each supply to make it a grand success?" Thus there is started a spirit of emulation that would astonish some white folks. Big Tom says: "I saw the tracks of a moose. I will give half of him, when I shoot him," he adds, while the quiet laugh goes round. Mustagan says: "I saw the steam curl up from a bear's den.
The last to come in was Mustagan, and his face was that of a man who has bad news but, by intense effort, shows it not in his countenance, but keeps it locked up in his heart. Few and yet searching were the words uttered at the camp fire as each one had declared to Mustagan that there had been no fresh signs.
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