Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1914-08-08


a strange spirit of exultation or de-
fiance. Death IN the waters of the
lake could not, he believed, come to
him until his work was finished, un-
less it had been decreed for him as
the swift vengeance Of the windegos
of the great waters. Then it would
torments they had already inflicted
on him. The fact that he could not
swim made him certain.
Very few of the canoe Indians of
the north can swim even a few
strokes. The long winter prevents
bathing, and in the summer the wa
ters are too rapid and the lakes al
ways icy-cold. The man who hangs
'on to an upset canoe has chance Of
being saved, but the swimmer has
little or none. He is either dashed
against rocks or paralyzed by the
cold.
1t was an insane thing for any
man to tackle the short, choppy
waves, whose foam-crowned heads
were swept Of spune by the bowling
wind 1t is unlikely that any other
man could have battled against
them as did Mashkaugan upon that
day. The power that he put into his
strokes as he met the pillows was
uncanny and heroic.
To start at all had been utter fol-
ly, but, once he found himself in the
turmoil, the conflict became a ire
mendous thing.
The fear of devils might easily
overcome him, yet in actual danger
he was absolutely dauntless. His
frail craft met the waves and rose
above demonstrating on it's stern
and rushing bow on into the next
trough as if intent on burying itself
forever. Yet it rose again and
again, owing to the hunchback's
marvellous skill and great power,
and he seemed to Joy in the battle.
But now the curling tops began
from time to time to rise a little
above the gunwhales, just splashing
and again this happened, and the wa
ter could not be bailed out.
The canoe began to rise more and
more sluggishly and to fall with a
heavier thud, refusing to answer
swiftly the mighty strokes of its &C.
cupant.
shore, Mashkaugan began to realize
that only by miracle would he win
his battle. Yet his face showed no
sign Of despair.
Death in open conflict was a thing
he never dreaded. 1t was a great,
Joyous, lustful thing to affront.
AS the moment of defeat APP
preached the deeply sunken eyes
cleaned with the passion of strife
and the man looked ahead, bearing
an air of defiance such as his ances-
ters might have shown when tied to
the stake awaiting torture.
Through the flying spume he
could see that he was nearing the
shore. 1t was not more than a hun
dred yards away, and he battled
more fercely than ever.
Nearer and nearer he came to it.
Every wave he met seemed about to
overwhelp, him finally, yet he kept
on and on until the distance became
vely short.
Then a tremendous wave turned
his bow aside, and for a terrible mo-
ment he was in the trough of the
waves. An amazing effort righted
the boat for a moment. By this time
it was nearly half full of water.
Once more he cast his eyes on the
shore to measure the remaining dis
lance
Suddenly he saw standing among
the rocks the same dread figure that
had terrified him in the morning.
The great unkempt thing that
looked like a mocking imitation of
the man he had thrust in the boiling
rapids opened its mouth and shouted,
but the roar of the waves drowned
all other sounds.
ut is the coming of DEATH" said
Mashkaugan.
Then the man cast away his
paddle. Crossing his arms upon his
chest, he awaited his fate.
The next wave swept over the frail
craft. 1t sank deeply, only to come
up again, rolling like log upon the
waters.
For an instant Mashkaugan had
caught the edge of the canoe. but il
was torn from his grasp. He went
down-ever so far. He came M
again and was tossed farther to-
ward shore by the next billow. Once
more he strangled beneath the sur
face, making but futile effort to
save himself.
The man on the edge of the shore
cast himself in The water. He spent
the little strength that had returned
to him, struggling with the waves.
In a few seconds his right hand
reached some part of the hunch-
backs coat. He grasped it and
fought again to return to shore,
whittier wind and wave were push
ing him.
Two or three strokes only were
needed, and the two rolled ashore on
a spit OF sand.
Atuk, the Nascaupee, who had just
rushed down, entered the water TO
his knees end dragged out Mashkau-
gan's limp form, while Lorimer stag
gered to his feet
Gu DTL,D