At first it seemed as if I could not; but after a
struggle they were passed, and we had again a bear trail to follow.
On the way we passed great beds of blossoming cloudberries, which
with blossoms of the bunchberry, the Labrador tea, and the pale
laurel, made up the list of flowers found so far. Towards evening
we stopped to make camp at the edge of rougher country, a mile and
a quarter up the Wapustan. The map grew slowly during these days,
and the desire to reach Seal Lake grew stronger and stronger.
Near the camp was a big boulder, and lying round and over it were
numbers of wigwam poles. They were very old, and looked as if it
might have been many years since they had been used. George said
it was a winter camp. In the winter time the Indians, in making
their camps, dig down into the snow to a rock to build their fire.
At a number of places on our journey we found poles lying round a
boulder in this way.
When camp was nearly made, Job came in triumphantly waving an axe
over his head. He and Joe had taken some of the outfit forward as
far as Duncan M'Lean's tilt, and there had found an axe. There was
great rejoicing over it. Job said he should carry the axe with the
sugar after this.
I had been shooting at an owl that afternoon - from a distance that
made it quite safe for the owl; and while the men prepared supper I
cleaned my revolver. I was greasing it and putting some of the
grease into the barrel when George said: "Don't put too much grease
in it. If you put too much in the bullet will just slip and - "
"Might kill something," I finished for him.
Then came George's rare laugh. It is like a baby's in that it
expresses such complete abandon of amusement.
Presently he asked: "When you were shooting at that bear the other
day, where did you aim?"
"Oh, any place," I replied; "just at the bear." Peals of
uncontrolled laughter greeted this announcement and cooking
operations were, for the time being, suspended. When they were
able to go on with the preparations for supper I could now and then
hear them laughing quietly to themselves.
Bed seemed specially good that night, for I was very tired. How
long I had been asleep I could not tell; but some time in the night
I was awakened by sounds outside my tent, as of someone or
something walking about. At first I thought it was one of the men;
but presently decided it was not, and became very wide awake. I
thought about the bear trail, but did not quite believe it was the
bear either.
