By the middle of July the Bradfords had two sluices3 in operation, and were taking out from thirty to fifty dollars a day. The Thirty-six were working with varying success on the hillsides. Their first supply train of horses had arrived with provisions and the mail, including a few Seattle newspapers only three weeks old.
About this time the leader of the Thirty-six invited David to join a small party which he was going to take north on an exploring trip. He needed a young fellow, he said, to take charge of a cabin at Champlain's Landing, twenty-five miles north of Pennock's Post, for a week or two, until one of Moran's men could be spared.
[257]
David begged to be allowed to go, since he was not imperatively4 needed at Alder5 Creek6, and his father consented, believing that the experience would be valuable as a training in self-reliance. He warned his son, however, that he might be very homesick and lonely. As David had never been homesick in his life, that malady7 had no terrors for him, and he declared that he was quite willing to take the risk.
Thus it happened that he found himself one afternoon starting down the gorge8 from Moran's Camp in company with the captain, a civil engineer named Dunn, who had recently arrived, and Greenwood, who had been a cook in the army. Three others had already set out with horses to make the journey overland, while the captain's party was to proceed by boat down Lake Dasar-dee-ash and its outlet9 river to the Landing. There the parties would unite and continue the journey by land, leaving David at the cabin.
At the shore of the lake Paul Champlain was encamped. He was that member of the Thirty-six who had selected on the north branch of the Alsek the landing place called by his name, and had built the storehouse there, while Pennock's party and the Bradfords, on the same stream, were building Pennock's Post. He was a Michigan man of French descent, possessing a thorough knowledge of woodcraft and a magnificent physique. By the captain's directions he had hired[258] and brought up the boat which had been built near this point earlier in the season.
Hardly had the tents been pitched on a gravelly open space overlooking the water, when a cold and drenching10 rainstorm came on. A fire was kindled11 with difficulty, around which the shivering party gathered to cook and eat their evening meal. Rubber blankets and oiled canvas were pressed into service to protect them from the storm, but there was no keeping entirely12 dry in such a downpour. Around the small tent which had been assigned to David, the ground was so level that the water was presently standing13 an inch deep, and only by hastily digging a ditch was he able to prevent it from being flooded. As it was, he found a comparatively dry spot along the centre of his blanket-bed when he crawled in out of the rain, and having rolled up his damp coat for a pillow, he went to sleep in a twinkling in spite of all discomforts14.
By morning the sky cleared, tents were struck, provisions and goods of all kinds were put aboard the little craft, and soon they were sailing merrily northward15 before the wind, the captain at the helm, Champlain holding the sheet in his hand that he might let it go instantly in case of a squall, Mr. Dunn on the centre seat, and Greenwood and David sitting forward near the slender mast. Occasionally they were obliged to bail16, but considering the fact that there was[259] not a drop of paint on the boat, she was remarkably17 seaworthy.
It was a glorious morning. A fresh, bracing18 wind blew from the south. The cloud-flecked mountains loomed19 sharp and blue around the lake, and the great range on the western shore was especially grand and imposing20. David discovered beneath one of its glaciers22, several thousand feet above the lake, what appeared to be a yawning cave as big as a house, and the captain's glass brought it out more distinctly. Here was a natural wonder fairly begging to be visited, and right well would David have liked to explore its mysteries; but time was precious to the voyagers, and they held their course steadily23 to the north, crossing the mouth of a great bay which extended several miles eastward24. There was a similar bay to the west, but the lake narrowed again as they approached the outlet. At noon they landed for dinner in a little cove21, which they named Shelter Bay, and there, the wind deserting them, they had recourse to the oars25 and rowed the short distance to the river, after which the current assisted them. The water was here so clear that they could see the fish as they darted26 away from the shadow of the oars. Several yellow-legged plover27 were shot along the banks, but no attempt was made to bag ducks, as it was their breeding season.
Early in the evening they reached the sandy bluff28 near Pennock's cabin and moored29 the boat to a tree.[260] The cabin was now deserted30 by human beings, but when David opened the door a fat ground-squirrel scurried31 across the floor and ran out through a hole under the side log. It seemed too bad that such a stanch32 dwelling33 should be given over to neglect, but such is often the case in a new country. The travellers did not sleep in it, for the mosquitoes were in possession. They pitched their insect-proof tents by the side of the river and passed the night in comfort.
But before they turned in, Champlain and David took trout34 flies and lines and sauntered down the stream to try to discover what kind of fish they had seen. They cut rude willow35 poles and fished carefully but in vain until they came to the mouth of Frying-Pan Creek. Here the current of the brook37 cleared for a space the now muddy river water, and Champlain had a rise almost immediately. A few seconds later he landed a delicately spotted38, gamy fish about eight inches long, which he recognized as a grayling. The sport became exciting at once, and David soon had half a dozen catches to his credit. When the anglers could no longer induce a rise, they marched back to camp in triumph with a handsome string.
The voyage was continued next day. Champlain entertained his companions with an account of his successful moose-hunt a few weeks previous, which had relieved the hunger of the northernmost party of the[261] Thirty-six. Then he told of the difficulties he and others had overcome in rafting the goods from their great cache and Pennock's Post down to the Landing. He had shot an otter39 on one of his journeys along the stream, but said he had seen hardly a trace of beavers40.
The river now became extremely tortuous41. Greenwood wondered how it could make so many loops without tying itself into a knot, and expressed a decided42 preference for walking as a means of getting to the Landing. As he was taking his turn at rowing at that moment, it was easy to account for his sudden feeling in the matter.
By skilful43 use of helm and paddle Champlain guided the boat through a number of rocky stretches in safety, but he was not to be invariably so successful. David, who had been intently gazing forward, suddenly shouted a warning. Five or six boulders44 lay in the stream so nearly submerged that they could hardly be discerned from a distance, while others just below the surface betrayed their position only by eddies45. Champlain put all his strength into the paddle, but in that current the heavy boat could be swerved46 but little. A dangerous eddy48 was barely avoided, but beyond and directly in their path a ragged49 rock appeared. How the paddle flashed! And how the rowers struggled! But in a moment it was evident that the boat must strike.
Crunch50! went her side against the rock. She careened as she stopped, and the current piled up against[262] her, while her passengers fully36 expected shipwreck51 and instinctively52 measured the distance to the shore. But the force of the stream, instead of swamping the stout53 little craft, swept her past the obstruction54, and all breathed freely once more. By great good fortune not the least damage had been sustained.
Early in the afternoon they passed between Father and Son, otherwise known as Mount Champlain and Mount Bratnober respectively. The pass was about a mile wide, with perpendicular55 cliffs several thousand feet high on either side. In this wild place they found the forest recently burned, and in one spot near the base of Mount Bratnober smoke was still rising. It was this great conflagration56, covering thousands of acres, which had filled the atmosphere with smoke a few weeks before and caused the sun to look like a blood-red ball as it sank in the west. Champlain related how, in company with a Canadian government surveyor, he had climbed the mountain which had received his name. He was sure they could have seen Mount St. Elias in the west had not clouds obscured the view. They noticed a flock of mountain sheep, but did not get near enough for a shot.
The voyage was presently enlivened by a race with a brood of little ducks which Mother Mallard had taken out for an airing,—or "watering," as David put it. There were a dozen of the little fellows not two weeks[263] out of the shell, and what a splashing they set up when they saw the strange, oared57 craft bearing down upon them! The mother duck quacked58 anxiously from the rear of her flotilla and urged the youngsters forward at the top of their speed, which proved just about equal to that of the boat.
The little ducks could not fly, and the river was so narrow that at first they dared not swerve47 toward either shore, but flapped and paddled and splashed straight down the river. Not until they became utterly59 exhausted60 did they seek the bank. Then one by one, as a convenient log or hole appeared, they dropped away from the others and hid themselves while the terrible monster went by. The old duck paid not the slightest attention to these stragglers, but continued with that part of her brood which was still in danger, turning her head from side to side and talking vigorously in duck language to her terrified children.
Finally only one duckling remained in the middle of the river, probably at once the strongest and most foolish of the brood. He did not know enough to follow the example of his brothers and sisters, but kept splashing along until he could flee no longer. Then he too sought the friendly bank. And now, having seen all her brood safely disposed, the brave mother-bird made use of her wings, rising in a graceful61 sweep and turning back up-stream to gather her scattered62 family.
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1
hardy
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| adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的 | |
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vigor
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| n.活力，精力，元气 | |
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sluices
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| n.水闸( sluice的名词复数 )；（用水闸控制的）水；有闸人工水道；漂洗处v.冲洗( sluice的第三人称单数 )；（指水）喷涌而出；漂净；给…安装水闸 | |
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imperatively
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| adv.命令式地 | |
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alder
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| n.赤杨树 | |
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creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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7
malady
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| n.病，疾病(通常做比喻) | |
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8
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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outlet
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| n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄 | |
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drenching
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| n.湿透v.使湿透( drench的现在分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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11
kindled
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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12
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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13
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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14
discomforts
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| n.不舒适( discomfort的名词复数 )；不愉快，苦恼 | |
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15
northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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bail
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| v.舀（水），保释；n.保证金，保释，保释人 | |
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remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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18
bracing
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| adj.令人振奋的 | |
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loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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21
cove
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| n.小海湾，小峡谷 | |
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22
glaciers
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| 冰河，冰川( glacier的名词复数 ) | |
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23
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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24
eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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26
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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plover
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| n.珩，珩科鸟，千鸟 | |
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bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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29
moored
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| adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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30
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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31
scurried
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| v.急匆匆地走( scurry的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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32
stanch
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| v.止住（血等）；adj.坚固的；坚定的 | |
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33
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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trout
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| n.鳟鱼；鲑鱼(属) | |
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willow
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| n.柳树 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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38
spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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39
otter
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| n.水獭 | |
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40
beavers
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| 海狸( beaver的名词复数 )； 海狸皮毛； 棕灰色； 拼命工作的人 | |
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41
tortuous
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| adj.弯弯曲曲的，蜿蜒的 | |
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42
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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43
skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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44
boulders
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| n.卵石( boulder的名词复数 )；巨砾；（受水或天气侵蚀而成的）巨石；漂砾 | |
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45
eddies
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| （水、烟等的）漩涡，涡流( eddy的名词复数 ) | |
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46
swerved
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| v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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47
swerve
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| v.突然转向，背离；n．转向，弯曲，背离 | |
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48
eddy
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| n.漩涡，涡流 | |
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49
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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50
crunch
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| n.关键时刻；艰难局面；v.发出碎裂声 | |
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51
shipwreck
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| n.船舶失事，海难 | |
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52
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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54
obstruction
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| n.阻塞，堵塞；障碍物 | |
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55
perpendicular
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| adj.垂直的，直立的；n.垂直线，垂直的位置 | |
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56
conflagration
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| n.建筑物或森林大火 | |
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57
oared
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| adj.有桨的v.划（行）( oar的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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58
quacked
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| v.（鸭子）发出嘎嘎声( quack的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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59
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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60
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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61
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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62
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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