Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-21

the edge of the cove in which the disenbar-
kation was made, and here Du Mesne and
his followers soon kicked away the twigs
and leveled out a smooth place upoD the
grass Each man produced from his belt q
broad-bladed knife, and for the moment dis
appeared In the deep fringe of evergreens
which lined the shore. Fairly in the twink
ing or an eye rude frame of benz poles
was made, above which were spread STRIPS
of unrolled birch bark from the cargo OF
the canoe. Over the spaces left uncovered
by the supply of bark sheets there were
laid down long mats made by Indian hands
rom dried reeds and bulrushes, affording
no inconsiderable protection against the
weather. Inside the lodge bales of goods
and packages Of provisions were quickly ar
ranged in comfortable fashion. Gaudy blan-
kets were spread upon layers of soft skis
of the buffalo. The Indian woman had
meantime struck fire, whose faint blue
smoke curled lakeward in the soft evening
air. Quickly, and with the system of ex-
perienced campaigners, the evening bivouac
had been prepared; and wildly lictuI esque
1t must have seemed to bystande- had
there been indeed any possible spectator
within many leagues.
Far enough was this from the turmoil OF
London, which Law and his companion had
left nearly q year before; far enough stnf
from the wild capital OF New Franco, wnere
they had spent the winter. after landing,
as much by chance as through an plan, at
the port Of the st. Lawrence. Ever demon
of unrest drove Law forward; ever there
beckoned to him that irresistible west OF
which he was one of the earliest to feel the
charm. Farther and farther westward,
swift and sWifter than ever the boats or
the fur traders had made the journey be-
FORE he and his party. led by Du Mesnr, the
ex-galley slave and wanderer whom Law
had by chance met again, and gladly, at
Montreal, had made the long and dangerous
run up the lakes past MtchilfmackInac,
down the lake of Michiganon, headed to-
ward the interior of new continent wnlCh
was then, as for generations after then, the
land Of WOndrous distances, OF Rrani enter
prfses of MAGNIFICENT promises and i'm
mense fulfllments. The bales and bundles
Of this bivouac belonged to John Law,
bought by gold from the gaming tables OF
Montreal and Quebec, and ventured in the
one great hazard which appealed to him
most irresistibly, the hazard of life and for
tune in far land, where he might live
neighbored, and where he might forget.
Gambler in England gambler again in New
France now trading fur merchant and
voyageur, he was. as always. an adventur-
er. Du Mesne and his hardy crew hailed
him already as new captain of the trails,
new coureur, won from the old world by
the savage witchery of the new. He was
their brother: and had he indeed owned
longer years of training. his keerness OF
eye, his strength of arm, his :irelessness OF
limb could hardly have been greater than
they seemed in his first voyage to the west.
"Tous les printemps.
Tant des nouvelles"
about the camp, casting the while a eau
tious eye to note the progress Of the threat
ening storm.
'sTous les amants
Changent des mattresses
Jamais lie bon win n'endort-
L'amour me reveiilef'
Go be continued tomorrow.}. a