The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1912-08-10

|
The next morning two Chlppewavans
trailed In with team OF mongrel ours
from the south Thereafter Cunmins
round but little time to devote to Me
iisse. The SNOW was softening rand
~. 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 nm
army of big footed. long legged Mac
kenzie hounds that pulled like horses
and walled Ike whipped puppies when
the huskies and Eskimo dogs set upon
them.
From east and west and south ali
trails now led to the post. By the en-,
OF the third day after the arrival Ut
the company's supplies babel OF
lighting. yelling. ceaselessly moving
discord had driven forth the peace ana
quiet In which Cummins' wife had
died. The fighting and dIscord were
among The dogs, and the yelling was
necessary human accompaniment. Half
hundred packs, almost as wild and
as savage as the wolves from whom
half Of them possessed q strong inheri
lance of blood were thrown suddenly
into warning confusion.
There was no cessation In the battle
OF the fangs. Half dozen battles
were fought to the death each day
and night Those that died were chief
ly the south bred ours mixtures of
mastiff. Great Dane and sheep dogs
and the fatally slow Mackenzie bounds.
Yet beyond all this discord and
bloody strife there was great, throb
bling human happiness-a beating OF
honest hearts fled to overfo
with the joys OF the moment, a weld
ing of new friendships. a renewal Of
old ones. 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
coast people: strange gods carved from
wood. bits of fur. bushy foxtails. lynx
paws. dried fruits. candy bought at
fabulous prices In the store and musk
always aud necessarily musk-from
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."
II 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 mar
pnny's store the furs were piled high
and safe. Three caribou had been kill
ed by Perez and his hunters. and OF
this night, when Jan took down Mi
violin from its peg on the wall, a hug
Ere blazed In the open, and on spits si'
roasting
The air was filled with the sound an,
odor of the carnival. Above the fight
ing and snarling of dogs the fores
people lifted their voices In wild ce e
bration. forgetting In this one holida.
OF the year the silence that they woult
carry back into the solitudes witt
them Shrill voices rose In meaning
less cries above the roaring of the fire
Caribou whips snapped aercely. Chip
pewayans, Crees, Eskimos and breed
crowded In the red glare. The factor
men shouted and sang like mad. TO
this was the company's annual "goo'
time"-the show that would lure man.
Of these same men back again at tn
end of another trapping season.
Huge boxes of white bread wer
placed near to the fire. A tub OF rea
butter, brought 5000 miles from acros
the sea for the occasion, was set on
gun case thrown where the hent playe,
/, upon It in yellow glory. In a giant COP
per kettle. over a smaller Dire. bubbie'
and steamed half a barrel Of coffee
The richness of the odors that drift
ed In the air set the dogs gatherin
upon their launches beyond the wal
ing circle OF masters, their lips drill
ping. their fangs Swapping In an eagel
ness that was not for the tiesh of ba
tie. And above II all there gleame
down a billion stars from out OF tn
skies and the aurora flung its banner
through the pale night
Seated upon the edge OF one of tn
bread boxes, Jan began to play.
was not the low, sweet music of Gun
minis and the little Melisse that he pla!
ed now, but a wild, wailing song thi
he had found in the autumn wind
-. aaI,i Are nm