[Contents]CHAPTER XXXIVA BOLD VENTUREThe feast lasted until the morning sun reddened the waters of Lake Superior and awoke the white-throats and thrushes of the island, for Ganawa and his sons had as much to tell to Jack Dutton as he had to tell to them.On Michipicoten Island, Jack Dutton and Pierre Landeau had stopped only two nights; but by this time Jack had so completely given up the idea that he should ever see his friend Bruce on Lake Superior, that he and Pierre had struck out for Caribou Island without leaving any message or blazing any trees near their camp.On the first quiet day the four rowed their boat among the big rocks in search of Pierre Landeau’s canoe. They found it on the bottom in fifteen feet of water, sunk by the rocks Pierre had used to balance the craft[269]while he was fishing. If the canoe had not sunk, Pierre might have reached shore. But for the body of the drowned man they searched in vain; wind and waves had carried it into deep water.Jack Dutton put up a cross on the southern point of the island with the brief inscription: “Pierre Landeau, Partner of Jack Dutton. 1776.”Bruce and Jack salvaged the sunken canoe. By means of a long pole with a hook at the end, they raised the craft on end. The stones rolled out and the canoe rose to the surface by its own buoyancy.Two canoes and a sailboat gave the campers more than enough room to take away all their furs and other things. So they remained an extra week for drying and smoking a canoe-load of caribou meat.There was some discussion as to the route they should take to the mainland. They rejected the plan of returning by way of Michipicoten Island, because that route would have landed them on a shelterless[270]coast nearly two hundred miles from the Soo. With a steady northwest breeze they struck out boldly for Whitefish Point, over a stretch of open water of some sixty miles. Every man was keenly alive to the risk they were taking. One man steered and managed the sail, while the other three used paddle and oars. The summer breeze blew steadily in their favor, and although the two canoes which they towed decreased their speed, thePiraterounded Whitefish Point when the sun was still two hours high. They remained several days at this camp to fish and rest. Although the adventurers brought no gold rock with them, they sold their fur and dried meat at good prices to the traders at the Soo.The three white men decided not to return to New England, but to remain as traders in the Great Lakes country; and for years till the time of his death, Ganawa camped near the post of his white sons, who saw to it that his old age was made comfortable.[271]There was a strange story told by Indians and Frenchmen, which the lads at first could not understand. The Bostonnais had made war on the English and the king was sending over many redcoats to conquer them, but the Bostonnais under their chief, George Washington, had driven the English war canoes out of their harbor.It took some time before the three white men learned the real meaning of this story; but after some months they understood that the long-threatened Revolutionary War had broken out, that the battle of Lexington had been fought and that Washington had compelled the British to evacuate Boston.Of Hamogeesik no news ever reached the Soo. Bruce and Ray felt sure that he had been the man that had followed them on the Michipicoten. When Hamogeesik left the Ininiwac people a white man of bad reputation was with him. There was a rumor that the two had planned to go to Caribou Island. If they went, they never returned. In some way the great wilderness[272]of lake and forest had swallowed them up, and there was nobody to mourn their death.During the trying years of the Revolutionary War, Jack Dutton and the Henley brothers did much to keep the Northwestern Indians from actively joining the British as the Iroquois had done under their great chief Joseph Brant.Many streams have been polluted and many lakes have disappeared since the days of Ganawa and his white sons, but the waters of Lake Superior are as clear as they were at that time, and the islands of the big lake and many parts of the shore are as wild and beautiful as they were more than a hundred years ago.May Gitche Gumee, the Big Blue Sea Water, its wild islands and wooded shores remain for ever a playground and a land of joy and adventure for All America!THE END[273]
[Contents]CHAPTER XXXIVA BOLD VENTUREThe feast lasted until the morning sun reddened the waters of Lake Superior and awoke the white-throats and thrushes of the island, for Ganawa and his sons had as much to tell to Jack Dutton as he had to tell to them.On Michipicoten Island, Jack Dutton and Pierre Landeau had stopped only two nights; but by this time Jack had so completely given up the idea that he should ever see his friend Bruce on Lake Superior, that he and Pierre had struck out for Caribou Island without leaving any message or blazing any trees near their camp.On the first quiet day the four rowed their boat among the big rocks in search of Pierre Landeau’s canoe. They found it on the bottom in fifteen feet of water, sunk by the rocks Pierre had used to balance the craft[269]while he was fishing. If the canoe had not sunk, Pierre might have reached shore. But for the body of the drowned man they searched in vain; wind and waves had carried it into deep water.Jack Dutton put up a cross on the southern point of the island with the brief inscription: “Pierre Landeau, Partner of Jack Dutton. 1776.”Bruce and Jack salvaged the sunken canoe. By means of a long pole with a hook at the end, they raised the craft on end. The stones rolled out and the canoe rose to the surface by its own buoyancy.Two canoes and a sailboat gave the campers more than enough room to take away all their furs and other things. So they remained an extra week for drying and smoking a canoe-load of caribou meat.There was some discussion as to the route they should take to the mainland. They rejected the plan of returning by way of Michipicoten Island, because that route would have landed them on a shelterless[270]coast nearly two hundred miles from the Soo. With a steady northwest breeze they struck out boldly for Whitefish Point, over a stretch of open water of some sixty miles. Every man was keenly alive to the risk they were taking. One man steered and managed the sail, while the other three used paddle and oars. The summer breeze blew steadily in their favor, and although the two canoes which they towed decreased their speed, thePiraterounded Whitefish Point when the sun was still two hours high. They remained several days at this camp to fish and rest. Although the adventurers brought no gold rock with them, they sold their fur and dried meat at good prices to the traders at the Soo.The three white men decided not to return to New England, but to remain as traders in the Great Lakes country; and for years till the time of his death, Ganawa camped near the post of his white sons, who saw to it that his old age was made comfortable.[271]There was a strange story told by Indians and Frenchmen, which the lads at first could not understand. The Bostonnais had made war on the English and the king was sending over many redcoats to conquer them, but the Bostonnais under their chief, George Washington, had driven the English war canoes out of their harbor.It took some time before the three white men learned the real meaning of this story; but after some months they understood that the long-threatened Revolutionary War had broken out, that the battle of Lexington had been fought and that Washington had compelled the British to evacuate Boston.Of Hamogeesik no news ever reached the Soo. Bruce and Ray felt sure that he had been the man that had followed them on the Michipicoten. When Hamogeesik left the Ininiwac people a white man of bad reputation was with him. There was a rumor that the two had planned to go to Caribou Island. If they went, they never returned. In some way the great wilderness[272]of lake and forest had swallowed them up, and there was nobody to mourn their death.During the trying years of the Revolutionary War, Jack Dutton and the Henley brothers did much to keep the Northwestern Indians from actively joining the British as the Iroquois had done under their great chief Joseph Brant.Many streams have been polluted and many lakes have disappeared since the days of Ganawa and his white sons, but the waters of Lake Superior are as clear as they were at that time, and the islands of the big lake and many parts of the shore are as wild and beautiful as they were more than a hundred years ago.May Gitche Gumee, the Big Blue Sea Water, its wild islands and wooded shores remain for ever a playground and a land of joy and adventure for All America!THE END[273]
CHAPTER XXXIVA BOLD VENTURE
The feast lasted until the morning sun reddened the waters of Lake Superior and awoke the white-throats and thrushes of the island, for Ganawa and his sons had as much to tell to Jack Dutton as he had to tell to them.On Michipicoten Island, Jack Dutton and Pierre Landeau had stopped only two nights; but by this time Jack had so completely given up the idea that he should ever see his friend Bruce on Lake Superior, that he and Pierre had struck out for Caribou Island without leaving any message or blazing any trees near their camp.On the first quiet day the four rowed their boat among the big rocks in search of Pierre Landeau’s canoe. They found it on the bottom in fifteen feet of water, sunk by the rocks Pierre had used to balance the craft[269]while he was fishing. If the canoe had not sunk, Pierre might have reached shore. But for the body of the drowned man they searched in vain; wind and waves had carried it into deep water.Jack Dutton put up a cross on the southern point of the island with the brief inscription: “Pierre Landeau, Partner of Jack Dutton. 1776.”Bruce and Jack salvaged the sunken canoe. By means of a long pole with a hook at the end, they raised the craft on end. The stones rolled out and the canoe rose to the surface by its own buoyancy.Two canoes and a sailboat gave the campers more than enough room to take away all their furs and other things. So they remained an extra week for drying and smoking a canoe-load of caribou meat.There was some discussion as to the route they should take to the mainland. They rejected the plan of returning by way of Michipicoten Island, because that route would have landed them on a shelterless[270]coast nearly two hundred miles from the Soo. With a steady northwest breeze they struck out boldly for Whitefish Point, over a stretch of open water of some sixty miles. Every man was keenly alive to the risk they were taking. One man steered and managed the sail, while the other three used paddle and oars. The summer breeze blew steadily in their favor, and although the two canoes which they towed decreased their speed, thePiraterounded Whitefish Point when the sun was still two hours high. They remained several days at this camp to fish and rest. Although the adventurers brought no gold rock with them, they sold their fur and dried meat at good prices to the traders at the Soo.The three white men decided not to return to New England, but to remain as traders in the Great Lakes country; and for years till the time of his death, Ganawa camped near the post of his white sons, who saw to it that his old age was made comfortable.[271]There was a strange story told by Indians and Frenchmen, which the lads at first could not understand. The Bostonnais had made war on the English and the king was sending over many redcoats to conquer them, but the Bostonnais under their chief, George Washington, had driven the English war canoes out of their harbor.It took some time before the three white men learned the real meaning of this story; but after some months they understood that the long-threatened Revolutionary War had broken out, that the battle of Lexington had been fought and that Washington had compelled the British to evacuate Boston.Of Hamogeesik no news ever reached the Soo. Bruce and Ray felt sure that he had been the man that had followed them on the Michipicoten. When Hamogeesik left the Ininiwac people a white man of bad reputation was with him. There was a rumor that the two had planned to go to Caribou Island. If they went, they never returned. In some way the great wilderness[272]of lake and forest had swallowed them up, and there was nobody to mourn their death.During the trying years of the Revolutionary War, Jack Dutton and the Henley brothers did much to keep the Northwestern Indians from actively joining the British as the Iroquois had done under their great chief Joseph Brant.Many streams have been polluted and many lakes have disappeared since the days of Ganawa and his white sons, but the waters of Lake Superior are as clear as they were at that time, and the islands of the big lake and many parts of the shore are as wild and beautiful as they were more than a hundred years ago.May Gitche Gumee, the Big Blue Sea Water, its wild islands and wooded shores remain for ever a playground and a land of joy and adventure for All America!THE END[273]
The feast lasted until the morning sun reddened the waters of Lake Superior and awoke the white-throats and thrushes of the island, for Ganawa and his sons had as much to tell to Jack Dutton as he had to tell to them.
On Michipicoten Island, Jack Dutton and Pierre Landeau had stopped only two nights; but by this time Jack had so completely given up the idea that he should ever see his friend Bruce on Lake Superior, that he and Pierre had struck out for Caribou Island without leaving any message or blazing any trees near their camp.
On the first quiet day the four rowed their boat among the big rocks in search of Pierre Landeau’s canoe. They found it on the bottom in fifteen feet of water, sunk by the rocks Pierre had used to balance the craft[269]while he was fishing. If the canoe had not sunk, Pierre might have reached shore. But for the body of the drowned man they searched in vain; wind and waves had carried it into deep water.
Jack Dutton put up a cross on the southern point of the island with the brief inscription: “Pierre Landeau, Partner of Jack Dutton. 1776.”
Bruce and Jack salvaged the sunken canoe. By means of a long pole with a hook at the end, they raised the craft on end. The stones rolled out and the canoe rose to the surface by its own buoyancy.
Two canoes and a sailboat gave the campers more than enough room to take away all their furs and other things. So they remained an extra week for drying and smoking a canoe-load of caribou meat.
There was some discussion as to the route they should take to the mainland. They rejected the plan of returning by way of Michipicoten Island, because that route would have landed them on a shelterless[270]coast nearly two hundred miles from the Soo. With a steady northwest breeze they struck out boldly for Whitefish Point, over a stretch of open water of some sixty miles. Every man was keenly alive to the risk they were taking. One man steered and managed the sail, while the other three used paddle and oars. The summer breeze blew steadily in their favor, and although the two canoes which they towed decreased their speed, thePiraterounded Whitefish Point when the sun was still two hours high. They remained several days at this camp to fish and rest. Although the adventurers brought no gold rock with them, they sold their fur and dried meat at good prices to the traders at the Soo.
The three white men decided not to return to New England, but to remain as traders in the Great Lakes country; and for years till the time of his death, Ganawa camped near the post of his white sons, who saw to it that his old age was made comfortable.[271]
There was a strange story told by Indians and Frenchmen, which the lads at first could not understand. The Bostonnais had made war on the English and the king was sending over many redcoats to conquer them, but the Bostonnais under their chief, George Washington, had driven the English war canoes out of their harbor.
It took some time before the three white men learned the real meaning of this story; but after some months they understood that the long-threatened Revolutionary War had broken out, that the battle of Lexington had been fought and that Washington had compelled the British to evacuate Boston.
Of Hamogeesik no news ever reached the Soo. Bruce and Ray felt sure that he had been the man that had followed them on the Michipicoten. When Hamogeesik left the Ininiwac people a white man of bad reputation was with him. There was a rumor that the two had planned to go to Caribou Island. If they went, they never returned. In some way the great wilderness[272]of lake and forest had swallowed them up, and there was nobody to mourn their death.
During the trying years of the Revolutionary War, Jack Dutton and the Henley brothers did much to keep the Northwestern Indians from actively joining the British as the Iroquois had done under their great chief Joseph Brant.
Many streams have been polluted and many lakes have disappeared since the days of Ganawa and his white sons, but the waters of Lake Superior are as clear as they were at that time, and the islands of the big lake and many parts of the shore are as wild and beautiful as they were more than a hundred years ago.
May Gitche Gumee, the Big Blue Sea Water, its wild islands and wooded shores remain for ever a playground and a land of joy and adventure for All America!
THE END
[273]