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Updated: May 3, 2025
They had not gone far when they struck a rock and were driven down sideways with great violence, Mackenzie, followed by his men, jumped into the shallow to turn the canoe straight, but in a moment the water deepened and they had to scramble inboard again hurriedly. Swiftarrow by some mischance was left behind to struggle on shore as best he might.
As we have said, Mackenzie took nine men with him on this occasion, our friends Reuben, Lawrence, and Swiftarrow being among the number, and two of them being young Indian hunters of that region, who were supposed to be acquainted with at least part of the route they were about to pursue, and who were to act as interpreters.
It was ten feet deep, horizontally, five feet high, and six feet wide. "I wish we could find him," said Lawrence as he kindled the camp-fire. "Ha! Swiftarrow has found something better," said Mackenzie, as the Indian strode into camp laden with the tongue, marrow-bones, and other choice portions of an elk which he had killed a short distance down the river.
You'd better tell the poor old creetur', Swiftarrow; you understand her ways and lingo better than me." Silently the Indian went to the old woman, and laid the bloody garments before her. At first she did not understand what had happened.
He drew from his breast the bloody portions of dress which had belonged to the slaughtered Indian. "The son of the old woman has gone to the happy hunting-grounds," said Swiftarrow, referring to the heaven of the Indian, as he lifted and examined the dress. "Ay, ay," said Reuben sadly, "'tis the chances of the wilderness.
Swiftarrow," exclaimed Reuben, as he sauntered up to the savage, with his gun on his shoulder, "ye seem to be beautifyin' yerself to-day not goin' to get married, eh?" Swiftarrow, whose long hair hung over his face like a glossy curtain, tossed aside his locks and gazed earnestly at the hunter.
They were also tormented by hosts of mosquitoes, and at times they found difficulty in procuring food despite the ability of our friends Reuben, Swiftarrow, and Lawrence, who were constituted hunters to the expedition. At other times, however, the supply of food was abundant and varied.
Meanwhile Mackenzie, accompanied by Swiftarrow, went off on foot to survey the river ahead. He walked as long as daylight permitted, but found that there seemed to be no end to the rapids and cascades, and returned to camp with worn-out moccasins and wounded feet.
Removing the pipe from his lips, he puffed a volume of smoke through his nostrils, and said: "Swiftarrow will go." Backwoodsmen seldom take long to mature their plans, and are generally prompt to carry them into execution.
"It's of no manner of use, you see," he said to Swiftarrow, when conversing on the subject, "for me to go off on a v'yage o' diskivery w'en a gentleman like Monsieur Mackenzie, with a good edication an' scienteefic knowledge and the wealth of a fur company at his back, is goin' to take it in hand.
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