Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-10-10


ly. and the daily increasing warmth OF
the sun FASTENED the movement Of the
trappers. Mukee's people from the
western Barren lands arrived first.
bringing with them great loads OF
musk OK and caribou skins and an
army Of big footed, long legged Mac
kenzie hounds that pulled like horses
and walled like whipped puppies when
the huskies and Eskimo dogs set upon
them.
From east and west and south all
trails now led to the post. BY the end
of the third day after the arrival Of
the company's supplies babel OF
lighting, yelling. ceaselessly moving
discord had driven forth the pence and
quiet in which Cummins' wife had
died. The fighting and discord were
among the dogs, and the yelling was
necessary human accompaniment. Half
Il hundred packs. almost as wild and
as savage as the wolves from whom
half Of them possessed strong inheri-
| tance Of blood. were thrown suddenly
into warning confusion.
There was no cessation in the battle
Of the fangs. Half a dozen battles
were fought to the death each day
and night. Those that died were chief.
ly the south bred curs-mixtures Of
mastiff. Great Dane and sheep dogs
and the fatally slow Mackenzie hounds.
Yet beyond all this discord and
bloody strife there was a great, throb-
bling human happlness-a beating Of
honest hearts filed to overflowing
with the joys Of the moment, a weld
ing Of new friendships. a renewal Of
old ones. a closer union of the broth
erhood that holds together all things
under the cold gray Of the northern
skies. There were no chickering's among
the hunters.
These were days of Unprecedented
prosperity and triumph for the baby.
as they were for the company. The
cabin was half filed with strange
things. for all went to look upon the
little Melissa and gave something to
her. There were polar bears teeth,
brought down by the little black men
who in turn had got them from the
wood. bits Of fur. bushy foxtails. lynx
paws. dried fruits. candy bought at
fabulous prices In the store and musk
always and necessarily MUSHROOM
Mukee's people Of the West Barrens.
Jan had not played upon his violin
since the coming Of Jean de Gravois.
but one evening he tuned his strings
and said to Melissa:
They have been good to you. my
Melissa. | will give them re museek
Of re violon."
1t was the big night at the post-the
night that is known from Athabasca to
Hudson bay as the night of the carl
bou roast. A week had passed. and
there were no more furs to be disposed
Of. In the company's ledger each man
had received his credit, and in the com.
pany's store the furs were piled high
and safe. Three caribou had been kill.
ed by Perez and his hunters. and on
this night. when Jan took down his
violin from its peg on the wall. huge
fire blazed in the open. and on splits six
inches in diameter the caribou were
roasting.
The air was filled with the sound and
odor of the carnival. Above the fight
ing and snarling of dogs the forest
people lifted their voices in wild cele
brat1on. forgetting In this one holiday
Of the year the silence that they would
carry back into the solitudes with
them. Shrill voices rose in meaning
less cries above the roaring Of the fire
Caribou whips snapped f1ercely. Chip
pewayans. Crees. Eskimos and breeds
crowded in the red glare. The factors
men shouted and sang like mad. fol
this was the company's annual good
time"-the show that would lure many
Of these same men back again at the
end Of another trapping season.
Huge boxes Of white bread were
placed near to the fire. A tub of rea
butter. brought 5000 miles from across
the sea for the occasion. was set on Y
gun case thrown where the heat played
upon 1t In yellow glory. In giant cop
per kettle. over smaller fire. dubbed
and steamed half barrel OF coffee.
The richness of the odors that drift
ed In the air set the dogs gathering
upon their hauhches beyond the wait
Ing circle OF masters. their lips drip
ping, their fangs swapping in an eager
ness that was not for the flesh OF bat
tie. And above It all there gea u,e(
down billion stars from out of the
skies and the aurora flung its banner.
through tho pale night
Seated upon the edge Of one OF thu
bread boxes, Jan began to pmy.
was not the low. sweet music Of Cum
minis and the little Melissa that he play
ed now. but wild, wailing song tina
he hnc found in the autumn winds
1t burst above the cracking Gre an,
the tumult Of man and dog In a weir
and savage beauty thst hushed al
sound, and life about him became lik
life struck suddenly dead After
while bis violin sang lower song. ant
sweeter; and still softer 1t became, ant
more sweet, until he was playing tina
which be loved most Of all-the must
that had filed the little cabin whel
Cummins' wife died.
As he continued to play there cam
an interruption to the silence-a low re
frain that was almost like that Of tn
moaning wind. 1t grew beyond tn
tense circle Of men. until song Of in
finite sadness rose from the throats o
a hundred dogs in response to Jal
Thoreau's violin.