Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1904-03-23
pausing at his task. with his face as

"Assuredly." said Jean Breboeuf.
lis as | told you. Moreover. in
sist to you. my brothers. that the signs
have not been right for this trip AZ
any time. For myself. look for moth
ing b,:t disaster"
The humor of Jean Breboeufs ve-y
gravity appealed so strongly TO his
Older comrades that they broke out in
% laughter. and so all fell again to
their tasks. in sheer light-heartedness
forgetting thu superstitions OF their
class
Thus a. length the party took shi,
again. and in time made the head ~
Inc great bay within whose arms they
had been for some time encamoed
ihey won up over the sullen rapids OF
the river which came into the bay.
telling sometimes waist-deep at tho
cordelie. yet complaining not at all.
So in time they came out on the wide
cXpenSe or the shallow lake of tho
Winnebagoes. which body Of water
thoy crossed directly coming into tho
quiet channel OF the stream which fell
in upon its western shore Up this
stream in turn steadily they passed.
amid a panorama filled with constan,
change Sometimes the gentle river
bent away in long curves. nth hardly
a ripple upon its placid sr;face. save
where now and again some startled
hsh sprang into the air in fright or
sport. or in the rush upon its prey.
Then the stream would lead away into
vast seas Of marsh lands. waving in
iilimitable reaches OF rushes. OF fl m ed
with the unspeakably beautiful 81 cen
OF the graceful wild rice plant.
In these wide levels now and ayain
the channel divided. or lost itself in
little cul de Sacs, from which the mad
dlers were Obliged to retrace their way.
All about them rose myriads OF birds
and wild fowl, which made their nests
among these marshes. and the babbling
chatter Of the rail, the high-leyed
calling of the coot. or the clamoring
G. the BODYBUILDING mallard assailc1
their ears hour after hour as they
PASSED on between the lcafy shores.
Then, again. the channel would sweep
to one side of the marsh. and give Wow
10 wide vistaS of high and rolling lands.
dotted with groves OF hardwood. with
here and there swamp OF cedar or OF
tamaracl. Little herds of ell and
droveS OF deer fed en- the grass-covcred
slopes. as fat. as sleek and fearless of
mankind as though :hey dwclt domes.
ticatcd in some noble park.
1t was land obviously bat little
'nown. even to the most adventurous.
and 90 chance would have II. they met
not even wandering party of the ma
tive tribes. Clearly now the little
boat was elm bins, climbing SLOWLY
and gently. yet surely. upward from
the level OF the great Lake Michiganon.
In time the little river brOadened and
fattened out into wide. shallow ey-
panses, the waters known as the Lakes
OF the Foxes; and beyond that it be-
came yet more shallow and uncertain |
winding among quasing bogs and un- |
known marshes; Yet still. whether by |
patience. or by cheerfulness, or by de- |
termination. the craft stood on and on. |
and so reached that end OF the water
way which, in the opinion of the more
experienced Du Mesne. must surely be
the place known among the Indian
tribes as the place for the carrying
of boats"
Here they paused for a few days. at
that mild summit of land which marks
'HC pCA -eRe1t DclWttn inc east bound
and the west bound waters; yet. i'm
PEELED ever by the eager spirit of the
adventurer, they made their pause but
short. In time they launched their
craft on the bright. smooth flood of
the river of the Ouisconsins. stained
coppery-red by its far-of, unknown
course in the north. where il had
bathed leagues of the roots of pine and
tamarack and cedar. They passed on
steadily westward. hour after hour
with the current of this great stream
among little islands covered with tim
Der; passed along bars of white sand
and flats of hardwood; beyond forest
covered knobs. in the openings OF
which one might now and again SEQ
great vistas OF scenery now peaceful
and now bold. with turreted knobs
and sweeping swards of green. As
though some noble house of old En-
gland were set back secluded within
these wide and well-kept grounds.
The country now rapidly lost its
mar5hy character, and as they ap-
preached the mouth of the great
stream, it being now we'll toward tho
middle of the summer, they reached.
suddenly and without forewarninE.
that which they long had sought.
The sturdy paddlers were bending to
their tasks. each broad back swinging
in unison forward and back over the
thwart, each brown throat barred TO
the air, each swart head uncovered to
the glare of the midday sun. each mar
row-bladed paddle keeping unison with
those before and behind. the hand OF
the paddler never reaching higher than
his chin. since each had learned the
labor-saving fashion of the Indian ca
noeman. The day was bright and
CHEEKY. the air not too ardent and
across the coppery waters there
stretched slants of shadow from tho
empowering forest trees. They were