Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1914-07-04

III a hurry. luty VIC Hdu oil Tic Aull
that was coming to them"
They met a few men who were
making their way toward the post,
and bade them hasten. Several more
had to be dragged out of bed none
too gently. The remainder of the
brigade was finally rounded up and
brought to the landing, where they
slaked their devouring thirsts with
copious dipperfuls Of water.
These were the voyageurs who
constituted the crew for Tshemuak
Post, motley lot of French Cana
dams and half-breeds whose Ian
guage was a tumble Of Montagnais
Indian, English and French.
The long canoes, with high sterns
and bows, were lying on the shore,
having been carefully searched for
leaks and gummed over the day be-
fore. They were brought down from
the bank and put afloat gently, for
an injured canoe may mean loss of
life and goods, and is certain to
cause a waste of time.
Ted Fisk was up anc carried a
lantern. He opened the door Of the
shed in which the loads for the bri-
gade had been placed. The amount
looked positively formidable. Stand
ing at the door, he checked every
package, box, bag and roll of blan-
kets that was taken out.
Men at the landing were placing
poles at the bottom of the canoes to
keep the goods from getting wet if
water was shipped aboard or rain
fell These poles were covered with
fir boughs.
On the floor of the sh the loads
were being made up. A couple of
hundred-po bags Of flour per man
would suffice, for the voyageurs were
none too steady on their legs. Their
faces pictured that sadness of the
morning after first displayed by
Noah.
The long thongs were tied around
the two bags. Curran and the agent
would lend a hand. The man, fitting
the head-piece over his forehead,
would rise, grunting with desperate
effort.
"I1l have them Juggling with
three apiece in a week or So" said
Curran. There won't ! much tai
low on their bones by that time, III
warrant"
Ted Fisk nodded, keeping careful
watch of his list, until all the great
bags Of -four had been taken out and
piled on tarpaulins near the shore.
Then the two men went to the
river to direct the slowing of the
stuff. This proceeded slowly, for the
men were none too lively after the
previous nights dancing and the
whisky they had absorbed. From
one canoe to the other Curran ran,
directing, ordering and swearing at
the men.
1--WE have one load terrible for dis
voyage" complained one of them.
Curran moved toward him with
flaming eyes, but Ted gripped his
arm and held him.
Easy Hold hard, Boyce! You
haven't got them away yet. You
know you can't do a thing if they
should take it into their muddled
heads to refuse to start. You're not
on Hudson Bay now. Better give
'em a little time. They're bound to
grumble, but they'll get on all right
If you don't hustle them too hard
dom in those words, and, perforce,
had to let up little in his drying.
Finally the whole of the flour was
slowed and the men were called to
breakfast, but appetites were dis
tinctly below par, although the huge
pint cups of tea were stimulating
and grateful. The men drank the
bitter stuff greedily and asked for
NOR
After this they carried down the
pork, and pals Of cleo and jam, the
kegs Of powder, bars of lead for
bullets, rolls of netting Irvine, and
so many other things that it did not
seem as if five twenty-four-foot
canoes could possibly carry all the
stuff.
Yet it was all finally loaded, and,
after this was accomplished, there
was profound study of each canoe
and corrections were made when
they seemed rather too far down at
bow or stern, or listed to one side
or the other. The proper balance of
such craft is important. 1t is an
art demanding experiences. The cor
rect result once obtained will always
be maintained, the men remember
inc where every bag and box is
slowed
Before eleven o'clock everything
was ready Mashkaugan, who was
second in command, returned with
the men ,)ward their shacks and
tents, where personal outfits were
packed and brought out. A few of
them had wives to bid good-by, but
the bunch back saw to it that the
adieus were not prolonged.
The noon meal, like the breakfast,
was not an attractive feast, for
mouths were still very dry and
muscles sore from the unwonted
work after a period of idleness.
There was scanty joy also at the
prospect of long journey under or
ders of a driver like Curran; but
finally the entire population of Big
Rat Post had gathered on the
sharply sloping bank of the river.
Curran bade the agent and his
wife good-by, entered his canoe, and
gave a swift glance at the entire
outfit. Mashkaugan had the stern
paddle and Jacques Clairay, who
would act as chief on the return,
was at the bow.
The dignity of chief Of brigade
hardly allowed Curran t. use pad
die. He waved his hand to the peo-
n