The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1899-02-24
TREED BY WOLVES
T GOT the outlines of the following
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story from De Hert1e, and send it as
a companion sketch to the ''Ruttling
Season." However, word about DE
Hertle. There was quite romance
about his being among the Indians,
and at some future time l may be
tempted to write it up, for it shows
how man can sacrifice position and
family itself for sublime love.
When | first went to Mingan to as
sumo charge of that post, | found DE
Hertle, middle-aged man, with an In
dian woman for wife, and Il growing
up family of French half-breeds, most
beautiful and intelligent children.
He was at home and fluent in French,
English and Latin, and, being an OBJ
servant man, and having read every
thing he could lay his hands On, was
a most amusing and instructive conf
panion.
r. NJ. Ballantyne mentions him in his
book, "Hudson's Bay" but under an
other name.
think it was the first or second day
after my arrival that l noticed man of
about 20, who was hobbling about in
the most odd gait / ever saw, and his
moccasins were OF abnormal shortness.
i said to De Hertle, who happened to
be chatting with me at the time:
whats the trouble with that fell
low? Look how he walks"
''That poor man. he replied, follow
ing the Indian with his eyes, "has had
all his toes and fingers frozen off. He
was only q youth at the time, but
showed wonderful brewery and endur-
ance. However, if you would like to
hear the story, / will come over after
tea and tell you the facts as they hap
pened."
assured him it would give me great
pleasure not only to see him but to
hear the story. With this he took his
way and l turned my steps toward the
cooper shop, to see how the work there
was progressing, thanking the fates as
poor Ballantyne had done in the years
gone by for having such an agreeable
person about the post as De Hertle, for
this is the great drawback that pre-
sents itself to an unmarried officer in
the company's service on outpost duty
the want of genial and suitable COM
panionship.
According to this promise, De Hertle
turned up in the early part of the even
ing, and after we had replenished the
fire in the old-fashioned chimney and
filled our pipes, we drew up our chairs
to the hearthstone and De Hertle be-
gan:
THAT poor, unfortunate young man,
regarding whom you questioned me to-
day, is n nephew of my wife, and the
way he became crippled, as you noticed,
happened years ago, when he was quite
boy.
THE winter when this took place his
father (my wife's brother) and myself
went from here to the Moisic. as it was
likely to be year of foxes on the coast,
and there is no better place to hunt
them than on the sands on each side of
that great river.
eve built ourselves small log cabin
to house our families in common. and
by the time all was finished snug to
our satisfaction it was time to set our
traps.
"Fox-trapping, when they are plenti-
full, is q very pay;2g business. as the
silver or black ones. as you know. are
very valuable. The intense Geld of De-
cember began to make itself felt, and
as the fish had left the shore to deep
water, and partridge, rabbits and other
small game were becoming scarce, we
were glad to see that the cold wave
from the far north had brought down
to the coast innumerable f1ocks of
ptarmigan, and thus we were assured
of plenty until the warm weather of
early April drove them back from
whence they came.
I'm very severe winters, such as
the one l mention, the cold drives
everything south-wolves from the bar
rem grounds among the other animals.
"Old Jerome Valois had four children
two sons and two daugi The
boys were the youngest at i time 1
am speaking of, being respec,-, y nine
and seNea years Of age. Tbs enc you
saw to-day William. was the CIDER.
"Wiliia.a had had a gun Tor over a
year. and was quite a good shot and
successful hunter, young as he was.
Nearly every day he ano us little
brother. ark (the latter toe,.Try the
bag and licl up the ga1ne) used to
sally forth, and at night return both
loaded with ptarmigan.
'Along the sea coast, on the west side
OF the Moisic, there is only narrow
fringe OF queen wood, and back of this
barren grounds, studded with clumps
of willows. stretched as far as the eye
could reach, here and there a few stunt
ed poplar and pitchpine trees relieving
the monotony of the dreary waste of
country.
"The boys in hunting were led lar
afield by the flocks of ptarmigans, and
often they only reached home an ncur
CT two after dark, but no anxiety was
every felt for their prolonged absence.
lone night-it was the 9th of jan
Larry, and intensely cold - the boys
failed to come, even at the latest Lour
they had ever been absent before
Their parents now became thoroughly
alarmed. and waited and watched the
long night through, firing guns at in.
terya!s Linking to guide their loot
steps hogneward.
An hour before dawn jerome and
lad made our preparations to go in
search as soon as daylight would allow
Of us picking up their tracks It was
useless to leave before. as we might &C
in a wrong direction, and, fortunately