The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1905-10-26
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AZ exfsnsive rgiou about the bead ~atfr
Of the Peace River. Across which 10 pfinsss
The wosds "Unssplorrd."
IL trsci ~ large ~ the STATE OF Maine
walled round 70 The south bv that uans
verse range Of the Rockies Ia which th'
Fraser River risrs; ard the scene Of THU
narrative 10 the valley OF email tributary
ro~ known ~ MeDoasal's Creek.
Along the cresk for dis.sree cf sessrs
miles there are grassy plsts Of alinvia
tsesdo~s Of such fertility aud suoh sylvan
beauty that in the summer Of 1894 one Roe.
coe keDosgsi vas tempted 10 settle there,
having |, 10 mind 10 keep cattle and sheep,
Lofty crAss sheltered the valley on the
wes, ~, ;.Edlssaiost The almost perpendic.
ulsr face of one Of these MeDougal cop-
strueted . comfortable shack Of pine logs
and "splIts,r and adj lining II built log
shed for the tires cows, which one by one
he led upthere from the nearest human hab
i,ation, nfty miles lower down the river.
To thb remote spot, during the summer
Of 1886, be brought his wife and two little
boys, Donald and james, aged ten and
eight. Potatoes and turnips are lsaid to
have grown we'll here. and McDougal might
perbsps have made home for bimself and
family and done well. But he seems TO
have lacked the patience to work and walt
and during the season of 1897. having heard
glowing accounts Of the gold found In the
lKlondIke region, he grew discontented, and
left bis family.
He cannot be said to have deserted them,
for he left them good stock OF fiour In
sacks, and other supplies; the cows, too,
afforded milk and butter In abundance. Yet
II was lIttldless than foolhardy to leave the
woman and boys at such distance from
human aid and companionship. They sp-
pear, however, to have passed the following |
winter without accident or trouble. but ip
oil that time did not see human being, ex-
cept an Indian fquaw, who came OCCASION
ally TO beg.
But 10 April calamity fell on them. Mrs.
McDougal suffered serious injury while
attempting to lead one Of the cows. 10.
nammaticn ensued, from which she died on
the fourth night after. without medical aid,
and attended only by the boys and the
squaw, who chsnced to come to them. The
grief and terror OF the poor lads knew no
bounds.
The squaw, saturnipe, bideous old crea.
ture, took up her abode with them. Per-
hsps the dying mother had asked her to do
90. She cooked their food after amanner,
but was very wasteful and dirty. At times.
however, she went of to snare ptarmigan f,
ard hares, and once fetched home beaver,
the tail Of which she cooked with curious
ceremonies and devoured with much gusto I
Her name WAS Mizzkook--at least. that WAS
what little Jimmy and Donald called her.
Sometimes she slept over day or two, q
and would not get up to prepare food. q
When she had cooked, sbe gorged herself,
then slept again. fhe lads learned to make I
q kind Of flour pone for Themselves, which
they ate 10 milk, during these long periods I
Of slumber.
After this fashion they lived through the
summer, the boys hoping every day that r
their father would come back. Donald got Il
out the scvthe and put mp little hay In g
the meadow. They also planted patch Of d
potatoes. Their COWS now gave but little
milk; but - the season advanced they Il
gathered berries. z
Neither Indians nor Wild beasts had q
troubled them thus far, In summer or win. ID
Ter; but one day In September Of that au-
heard their three cows and their e.
calves bswling 10 frightful manner at . u
up the meadow, and on running to CT
earn the cause OF the commotion, beheld Il
;errible spectacle. In
An enormous animal, the like OF which II
hey had never seen, had killed one Of the B
lows, and WAS carrying It away to the h
woods. The calf followed after, bleating b
The other two cows stood at q e,
distance, believing loudly. "a
To Donald and Jimmy ths huge animal
eemed to be white, or nearly 30. II was 70
'robsbly = asilver.tip" grizzly bear. 1t ~
eemed TO them to be larger than any one tn
I the cows, and its strength must have v
sen prodisious, for 1t carried the body Of a
be COW, large one, with apparent ease.
The fear inspired In Jimmy and Donald th
y this savage incurslon cannot be easily
escribed. Awe struck, they stared 1t the tt
'hIte monster, then ran back to the shack ne
, call old Mizzkook. The latter, rousing sll
'om her slumbers Of repletiop, issued ca,
,rtb, and on seeing the great tracks Of the fe,
ear In the black loan Of the meadow, was tn,
no loss to comprehend what had hap su
sned, lur
Neesqsoom Neesquoom she mutterd, La
some excitement, and babe the: boys prt
i've the cows to the shed and shut them AMI
,. lib
Nor would sbe permit them TO be turned
!, the next day, but assisted the boys to
il and fetch dry grass and water from the
eek for them, The calf had not come ]
Ick. Ing
Nothing further WAS seen OF the bear for ma
week or more, and they had turned out aid
Q cows again when the siver-tip' made VA
cond descent on them, killingsnd carry. Liu
{ Of another COW. A calf, too, WAS dis. gen
led ; spd the foray was made 30 near the iat4
sck that the boys saw the bear approach vel
d heard Iis terrific roar - 1t rushed upon bti
e little herd. pei
So frightened. 90 filed with horror was /
tie jimmy that be shrieked Ard ran 10 one
ie himself 10 the fsrest corner OF the forl
Ack. Old Aizztock came forth, aud stood and
,mblibg, rolling her eyes, ard granting den
angc execrstions. Donald, who WAS old kne
ouxh to think Of defending their proper. the
longed for . gun but they hsd nothing coit
the yav of 0eauons ssya 4 dull se gths hea