Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1914-09-17

ders, birches and dark fire appeared
to rush by them like things endowed
with life. 2
At all times the stroke of the pad.
die astern was timed to second ol
the drive of the iron-shod pole quick.
ly averted impending disaster.
Travelling with you. is liberal
education" he once told the voyage:
ur after they had passed a particu.
larly dangerous place.
But Mashkaugan only grunted
having failed perhaps to grasp the
sense of the words, and padded on
with great driving strokes which he
could keep up long after Lorimer's
arms were aching.
at would be hard going for a bri-
gade," remarked Lorimer, at the
boiling Of noontime kettle of tea.
Indians come this way with pelts
Not so very bady," replied Maskau-
gan, struggling his shoulders.
Finally they reached Mumukesku
Lake. It was like a small inland
sea.
They were held at the outlet by
the wind, as the waves were danger
Gus and the storm blasts alternating
with pelting squalls Of rain could
not be affronted.
1t was their first day in idleness,
for they had not rested on Sundays.
They spent it in making needed re-
pairs to their clothes. Toward night
fall, when the rain had ceased, they
carefully attended to few small
leaks in the canoe, drying the bark
with torch of birch rind, for the
melted gum will not stick to a wet
surface.
1t proved to be long day. The
half-breed could hardly be made to
talk, and Lorimer's thoughts revert
ed to Tshemuak Post and the woman
who was waiting for him.
The desolation of the immense
sheet of water, whose further shores
were invisible, the sodden moisture Of
everything, the growing chilliness Of
damp bodies conspired to dull Lori
mer's mind until he became con-
scious of a sense of distress.
From time to time, as he looked at
his companion, he found Mashkau-
gan's eyes fixed upon him strange
ly; but whenever this happened
Mashkaugan would look away, ap-
parently unconcerned, and scan the
raging waters of the lake through
the opening Of the tent.
But on the next day the sun was
fluffy clouds journeyed peacefully
while the waters rippled pleasantly
on the gravel of the shore.
They left the outlet and padded
up the northern shore of the lake.
Toward evening they arrived at an
encampment of Indians and re-
mained with them for the night.
AS they set about the cheerful
fires before the tents, Lorimer ques-
toned the men carefully.
A tall youth showed surprise when
Lorimer announced his intention Of
exploring the rivers, hut the older
ones merely nodded. saying nothing,
for they believed that white men
were apt to be foolish or else were
ever searching for rocks and other
things that were Of no concern to
sensible people
Lorimer sought his tent and blank
cts. early, but Mashkaugan re-
who were only too glad to talk long
to one who had just arrived.
what is in the mind of the white
man l know not" he said negligent
ly in answer to some questions.
Neither do l care, for my time is
paid and we have plenty of food
with u.s."
eve do not like those other riv-
ers," said very nld man, shaking
his head. "Our Manitou limos have
told of evil things upon their wa
ters."
Mashkaugan appeared to be start
led at this information.
There can be nothing that is
worse than the White Rapids, he
said.
THAT also is a place that is ac-
cursed" answered the old man, who
rose and went off to his tent.
His only son, fine lad, met his
death in them," Mashkaugan was
swallowed him he was never seen
again."
"This man Uapishiu, of the yell
low Hair, knows little of this coun-
try" said another Indian. "Curran,
the man with the thin face, knows
all about it. He has talked with us
when we have been to Tshemuak.
We told him that the river to the
north is trapped over, being a good
country, and he knows he gets all
the fur. We also told him that the
river to the east and the other be-
yond come from barren lands where
there is little fur and the caribou
pass in small numbers. No men
can live there-nothing but winde-
gos and spirits of evil things"
1T Is an order from the COM
pany," said MashkAugan uneasily.
This was enough, for all men knew
how powerful the companv was Did
it not seem to be master Of all lands
and en-even of the beasts and
fowls and fishes the whole world
over?
But when the old man who had
sought his tent discussed the mat
ter with his wife he had many
things to say.
"The company sends men to travel
and look over the lands; but it never
sends men unless some one has told
them that country is worth looking
over. Curran must have told them.
For some purpose of his own he lied.