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Updated: May 3, 2025
"Fort Chipewyan at last," said Reuben, resting his paddle across the canoe and looking earnestly towards the horizon; "I hope we ain't too late after all our pushin' on. It would be hard to find that Monsieur Mackenzie had started." "Too much ice in the lake," said Swiftarrow. "He has not gone yet." "I'm not so sure o' that," observed Lawrence.
At half-past twelve he called up Reuben Guff and his son and Swiftarrow, who were the most intelligent members of his party, to view a spectacle which they had never before seen.
"Father," he said, "you have always advised me to think well before speaking." "I have, lad; it's the natur' of our forefathers an' a very good natur' too. I'd be sorry to see it go out of the family." "Well, then; I've thought my best about goin' with 'ee on this trip," returned the youth, "an' I've resolved to go on one condition that Swiftarrow goes with us."
"'Tis like a glimpse o' paradise," exclaimed Reuben, as the whole party rested on their paddles for a few minutes to gaze upon it. "Ho!" exclaimed Swiftarrow, with a nod to his friend, which evidently was meant for assent. "Betterer nor the Hudson," said Ducette, one of the Canadians, with a look of admiration. "Does it beat Scottisland, monsieur?" asked Lawrence, with a somewhat sly expression.
Swiftarrow assented with another "Ho," and Lawrence moved his gun into a handy position to be ready for an emergency; but there was no other sign of man's presence than the wreath of smoke. All was perfectly silent. The air too was quite still, and the surface of the lake resembled a sheet of glass. "Strange," observed Reuben, "red-skins ain't usually so shy.
It consisted of three canoes the large one with Mackenzie and five men; a small one, with English Chief and his two wives, and Coppernose; and another small one, containing Reuben, his son, Swiftarrow, and Darkeye. Two of the Canadians were also attended by their wives; so that the party numbered sixteen souls, five of whom were women.
I would feel like a murderer if I was to leave one o' God's creeturs to perish in the wilderness. What think you, Lawrence?" "I think you are right, father," replied the youth, with a deep sigh. "An' what says Swiftarrow?" "Go back," was the Indian's prompt and laconic answer.
Soon afterwards they came to a river too deep to ford, but one of their guides swam across and brought over a raft that lay on the other side. This ferried most of them over, but Swiftarrow and some of the others preferred to swim across. At length, after many days of suffering and toil they crossed the last range of mountains and began to descend.
Here Reuben Guff and his son found Swiftarrow, as they had expected, and proposed to him that he should accompany them on their voyage north, a proposal which he accepted with pleasure, for the strong-boned Indian had an adventurous spirit as well as a healthy frame.
As he was the son of a chief, and, it was to be feared, might prejudice the natives against them, Reuben Guff was directed to pursue him. That worthy took with him Swiftarrow, and exerting his long sinewy legs to the utmost, soon overtook the fugitive and brought him back. But it was no part of Mackenzie's plan to tyrannise over men.
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