Three days after the events narrated2 in the last chapter the fort of the fur-traders became a place of weeping; for on the morning of that day Maximus arrived with the prostrate3 form of Frank Morton, whom he had discovered alone in the igloo on the lake, and with the dreadful news that little Edith Stanley was nowhere to be found!
It may be more easily imagined than described the state of mind into which the parents of the child were thrown; but after the first burst of emotion was past, Stanley felt that a thorough and immediate4 search was the only hope that remained to him of finding his little one alive. Still, when he considered the intensity5 of the cold to which she must have been exposed, and the length of time which had already elapsed since she was missed, his heart sank, and he could scarcely frame words of comfort to his prostrated6 partner. Maximus had examined the immediate neighbourhood of the lake, in the hope of finding the tracks of the lost one; but a heavy fall of snow had totally obliterated7 these, and he wisely judged that it would be better to convey the sick man to the fort as quickly as possible and give the alarm, so that parties might be sent out to scour8 the country in all directions.
Frank was immediately put to bed on his arrival, and everything done in order to restore him. In this attempt they succeeded so far as to obtain all the information he could give concerning his fall; but he remembered nothing further than that Edith had been the means of bringing him to the snow-hut, where he lay in a deep, torpid9 slumber10, until the voice and hand of Maximus awakened11 him. When Frank was told that Edith was lost, he sprang from his bed as if he had received an electric shock. The confusion of his faculties12 seemed swept away, and he began to put on his garments with as much vigour13 as if he were well and strong; but ere he belted on his leather coat his cheek grew pale, his hand trembled, and he fell in a swoon upon the bed. This convinced him of the impossibility of doing anything in the search, and he was prevailed on, after two or three similar failures, to leave the work to others.
Meanwhile the mountains and valleys of Ungava were traversed far and near by the agonised father and his men. The neighbourhood of the lake was the first place searched, and they had not sought long ere they discovered the little sledge14 sticking fast among the rocks of the sea-coast, and Chimo lying in the traces almost dead with cold and hunger. The dog had kept himself alive by gnawing15 the deerskin of which the traces were made. Around this spot the search was concentrated, and the Esquimaux of the neighbouring camp were employed in traversing the country in all directions; but, although scarce a foot of ground escaped the eager scrutiny16 of one or other of the party, not a vestige17 of Edith was to be seen—not so much as a footprint in the snow.
Days and nights flew by, and still the search was continued. Frank quickly recovered under the affectionate care of the almost heartbroken mother, who found some relief from her crushing sorrow in ministering to his wants. But the instant he could walk without support, and long before it was prudent18 to do so, Frank joined in the search. At first he could do little, but as day after day passed by his strength returned so rapidly that the only symptoms that remained to tell of his late accident were his pale cheek and the haggard expression of his countenance19. But the mysterious disappearance20 of Edith had more to do with the latter than illness.
Weeks passed away, but still the dark cloud of sorrow hung over Fort Chimo, for the merry young voice that was wont21 to awake the surrounding echoes was gone. The systematic22 search had now been given up, for every nook, every glen, and gorge23, and corrie within fifteen miles of the spot where they had found the little sledge, had been searched again and again without success. But hope clung with singular tenacity24 to the parents’ hearts long after it had fled from those of the men of the fort and of the Esquimaux. Every alternate day Stanley and Frank sallied forth25 with heavy steps and furrowed26 brows to explore more carefully those places where the child was most likely to have strayed, expecting, yet fearing, to find her dead body. But they always returned to the bereaved27 mother with silent lips and downcast looks.
They frequently conversed28 together about her, and always in a hopeful tone, each endeavouring to conceal29 from the other the real state of his own mind. Indeed, except when necessity required it, they seldom spoke30 on any other subject.
One day Stanley and Frank were seated by the blazing stove in the hall conversing31 as usual about the plan of the search for that day. Mrs Stanley was busied in preparing breakfast.
“’Tis going to blow hard from the north, Frank,” said Stanley, rising and looking out of the window; “I see the icebergs32 coming into the river with the tide. You will have a cold march, I fear.”
Frank made no reply, but rose and approached the window. The view from it was a strange one. During the night a more than usually severe frost had congealed33 the water of the lake in the centre, and the icebergs that sailed towards the Caniapuscaw River in stately grandeur34 went crashing through this young ice as if it had been paper, their slow but steady progress receiving no perceptible check from its opposition35. Some of these bergs were of great size, and in proceeding36 onwards they passed so close to the fort that the inhabitants feared more than once that a falling pinnacle37 might descend38 on the stores, which were built near to the water’s edge, and crush them. As the tide gradually rose it rushed with violence into the cavities beneath the solid ice on the opposite shore, and finding no escape save through a few rents and fissures39, sent up columns or spouts40 of white spray in all directions, which roared and shrieked41 as they flew upwards42, as if the great ocean were maddened with anger at finding a power strong enough to restrain and curb43 its might. At intervals44 the main ice rent with a crash like the firing of artillery45; and as if nature had designed to carry on and deepen this simile46, the shore was lined with heaps of little blocks of ice which the constantly recurring47 action of the tide had moulded into the shape and size of cannon48 balls.
But such sights were common to the inhabitants of Fort Chimo, and had long ago ceased to call forth more than a passing remark.
“May it not be possible,” murmured Stanley, while he leant his brow on his hand, “that she may have gone up False River?”
“I think not,” said Frank. “I know not how it is, but I have a strange conviction that she is yet alive. If she had perished in the snow, we should certainly have found her long ago. I cannot explain my feelings, or give a reason for them, but I feel convinced that darling Eda is alive.”
“Oh, God grant it!” whispered Stanley in a deep voice, while his wife hastened from the room to conceal the tears which she could not restrain.
While Frank continued to gaze in silence on the bleak49 scene without, a faint sound of sleigh-bells broke upon his ear.
“Hark!” he cried, starting, and opening the door.
The regular and familiar sound of the bells came floating sweetly on the breeze. They grew louder and louder, and in a few seconds a team of dogs galloped50 into the fort, dragging a small sled behind them. They were followed by two stalwart Indians, whose costume and manner told that they were in the habit of associating more with the fur-traders than with their own kindred. The dogs ran the sled briskly into the centre of the fort, and lay down panting on the snow, while the two men approached the hall.
“’Tis a packet,” cried Stanley, forgetting for the moment his sorrow in the excitement of this unexpected arrival.
In a moment all the men at the fort were assembled in the square.
“A packet! Where come you from?”
“From Moose Fort,” replied the elder Indian, while his comrade unfastened from the sled a little bundle containing letters.
“Any news? Are all well?” chorused the men.
“Ay, all well. It is many day since we left. The way is very rough, and we did not find much deer. We saw one camp of Indian, but they ’fraid to come. I not know why. But I see with them one fair flower which grow in the fields of the Esquimaux. I suppose the Indian pluck her, and dare not come back here.”
Stanley started, and his cheek grew pale.
“A fair flower, say you? Speak literally51, man: was it a little white girl that you saw?”
“No,” replied the Indian, “it was no white girl we saw. It was one young Esquimau woman.”
Stanley heaved a deep sigh and turned away, muttering, “Ah! I might have known that she could not have fallen into the hands of Indians so far to the south.”
“Well, lads, take care of these fellows,” he cried, crushing down the feelings that had been for a brief moment awakened in his heart by the Indian’s words, “and give them plenty to eat and smoke.” So saying he went off with the packet, followed by Frank.
“Niver fear ye; come along, honey,” said Bryan, grasping the elder Indian by the arm, while the younger was carried off by Massan, and the dogs taken care of by Ma-istequan and Gaspard.
On perusing52 the letters, Stanley found that it would be absolutely necessary to send a packet of dispatches to headquarters. The difficulties of his position required to be more thoroughly53 explained, and erroneous notions corrected.
“What shall I do, Frank?” said he, with a perplexed54 look. “These Indians cannot return to Moose, having received orders, I find, to journey in a different direction. Our own men know the way, but I cannot spare the good ones among them, and the second-rate cannot be depended on without a leader.”
Frank did not give an immediate reply. He seemed to be pondering the subject in his mind. At length he said, “Could not Dick Prince be spared?”
“No; he is too useful here. The fact is, Frank, I think I must send you. It will do you good, my dear boy, and tend to distract your mind from a subject which is now hopeless.”
Frank at first objected strongly to this plan, on the ground that it would prevent him from assisting in the forlorn search for Edith; but Stanley pointed55 out that he and the men could continue it, and that, on the other hand, his (Frank’s) personal presence at headquarters would be of great importance to the interests of the Company. At length Frank was constrained56 to obey.
The route by which he purposed to travel was overland to Richmond Gulf57 on snow-shoes; and as the way was rough, he determined58 to take only a few days’ provisions, and depend for subsistence on the hook and gun. Maximus, Oolibuck, and Ma-istequan were chosen to accompany him; and three better men he could not have had, for they were stalwart and brave, and accustomed from infancy59 to live by the chase, and traverse trackless wastes, guided solely60 by that power of observation or instinct with which savages61 are usually gifted.
With these men, a week’s provisions, a large supply of ammunition62, a small sledge, and three dogs, of whom Chimo was the leader, Frank one morning ascended63 the rocky platform behind the fort, and bidding adieu to Ungava, commenced his long journey over the interior of East Main.
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1
envelops
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的第三人称单数 ) | |
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narrated
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| v.故事( narrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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prostrated
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| v.使俯伏，使拜倒( prostrate的过去式和过去分词 )；（指疾病、天气等）使某人无能为力 | |
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7
obliterated
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| v.除去( obliterate的过去式和过去分词 )；涂去；擦掉；彻底破坏或毁灭 | |
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scour
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| v.搜索；擦，洗，腹泻，冲刷 | |
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torpid
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| adj.麻痹的，麻木的，迟钝的 | |
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slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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faculties
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| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
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13
vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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14
sledge
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| n.雪橇，大锤；v.用雪橇搬运，坐雪橇往 | |
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gnawing
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| a.痛苦的，折磨人的 | |
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scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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vestige
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| n.痕迹，遗迹，残余 | |
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18
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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disappearance
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| n.消失，消散，失踪 | |
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21
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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systematic
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| adj.有系统的，有计划的，有方法的 | |
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23
gorge
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| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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24
tenacity
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| n.坚韧 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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furrowed
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| v.犁田，开沟( furrow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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27
bereaved
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| adj.刚刚丧失亲人的v.使失去（希望、生命等）( bereave的过去式和过去分词)；（尤指死亡）使丧失（亲人、朋友等）；使孤寂；抢走（财物） | |
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28
conversed
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的过去式 ) | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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30
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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32
icebergs
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| n.冰山，流冰( iceberg的名词复数 ) | |
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33
congealed
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| v.使凝结，冻结( congeal的过去式和过去分词 )；（指血）凝结 | |
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grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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37
pinnacle
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| n.尖塔，尖顶，山峰；(喻)顶峰 | |
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38
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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39
fissures
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| n.狭长裂缝或裂隙( fissure的名词复数 )；裂伤；分歧；分裂v.裂开( fissure的第三人称单数 ) | |
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40
spouts
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| n.管口( spout的名词复数 )；（喷出的）水柱；（容器的）嘴；在困难中v.（指液体）喷出( spout的第三人称单数 )；滔滔不绝地讲；喋喋不休地说；喷水 | |
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41
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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42
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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43
curb
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| n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制 | |
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44
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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45
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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46
simile
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| n.直喻，明喻 | |
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47
recurring
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| adj.往复的，再次发生的 | |
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48
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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49
bleak
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| adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的 | |
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50
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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51
literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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52
perusing
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| v.读（某篇文字）( peruse的现在分词 )；（尤指）细阅；审阅；匆匆读或心不在焉地浏览（某篇文字） | |
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53
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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54
perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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55
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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constrained
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| adj.束缚的,节制的 | |
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57
gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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59
infancy
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| n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期 | |
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solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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61
savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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62
ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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63
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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