Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1914-09-03
CHAPTER II.
Northward Bound.

CHAPTER II.
Northward Bound.
Curran had borrowed an alarm
clock from Ted Fisk, for the Job of
rounding up his men must begin
early. Before the last of the stars
had disappeared, while the moon had
sunk below the tree-line and the
faint glow Of coming redness began
TO rise over the deep-toothed outline
Of dark conifers, he Jumped out Of
bed.
On this day Of departure II be-
hooved chief Of brigade to put on
some style, 30 when he left the house
he wore new high black moccasins
tied above his calves with bright
red tasseled cords, so the soft
leather would not slip down.
About his waist he sported a gay
sash, and the collar Of his blue
flannel shirt was fastened with
bright neckerchief tied in front. His
woolen cap was gaudy with many
hues.
Al the end Of the first days jour
ney, Of course, all this finery would
be packed away in his bag, to come
forth again whenever he gave the
men a half-day's rest on Sundays,
and also when they should come in
sight Of Tshemuak Post. several
weeks hence.
He hurried away from the post
and reached a shack, the door Of
which he pounded with his fist.
"All right. Coming" sounded a
gruff voice. A moment later the
door was thrown open an6 there ap-
peared a sharp, bleared face sur
mounted by an untidy shock of hair.
Ready in minute" said the man
calmly. Gust got to pull my boots
on. Them new shoe-packs O. mine
are tight fit"
He went indoors, but soon re-
turned and stood before Curran on
sturdy, bowed legs, showing bulging
arms that nearly reached his knees.
His body was bent askew and his
head was deeply set between heavy,
broad shoulders. He was commonly
known as Mashkaugan, the hunch-
back, owing to an accident in his
youth.
Yet the muscles at the sides Of his
neck, trained by the tug of the
tump-line, stood out marvelously.
The whole makeup Of the man indi-
Gated tremendous brute force. Those
able to judge deemed him wonder
full man in canoe.
"Come along" SAID Curran,
We've got to rout out those chaps
in a hurry. They've had all the fun
that was coming to them"
They met 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.e 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
dians 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 afoat 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 and 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.
were being made up. A couple of
hundred-pound bags Of -four 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 hand. The man, fitting
the head-piece over his forehead,
would rise, grunting with desperate
effort.
"Ill have them juggling with
three apiece in a week or so," said
Curran. "There won't he 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
Diled on tarpaulins near the shore.