It
was quite possible that a good deal of time might have to be spent
looking for the trail, for it was old and would not be easily
found. It was hard to decide what was best to do.
Going ashore the men hastily examined the trail. The council which
followed resulted in a decision to keep to the river. The work
would be harder, but we should probably make as good progress and
reach Seal Lake as soon as by going through the lakes.
Above this point the river swings more to the north, and the
current grows swifter as you ascend. A little before noon we
landed at Point Lucie, a high, sandy point, which stands out into
the river at the foot of the first rapid. Here the trappers leave
their boats and make no attempt to take canoes farther up, but
portage their provisions and traps the remaining 40 miles to Seal
Lake. It seemed quite thrilling to have arrived at the wonderful
rapids I had heard so much about. It made me tremble a little to
think of sometimes being on them in a canoe, for there was so much
water, and the river looked so big.
Below Point Lucie a broad bed of loose rocks reached high up at its
foot, and in the curve of the point were great sand and gravel-
covered hummocks of ice. For some distance below us the farther
and right bank of the river was lined with huge ice-banks, still 10
and 12 feet thick, which extended up almost to where the river came
pouring out from the foot of Mount Sawyer, in a leaping, foaming
torrent. At this point the river spread out over a bed of loose
rocks about half a mile wide, which broke the water into channels,
the widest, deepest, and swiftest of which flowed along the farther
shore. The smaller and shallower ones curved into the bay above
Point Lucie. A short distance above us several of these united,
and from there the water was deep and swift and poured round Point
Lucie with tremendous force. Around the curve of the bay and
stranded in the river-bed were more ice-banks.
While George, Joe, and Gilbert were busy preparing lunch Job
disappeared into the woods. Some time later he came back with four
stout dry poles. They were about nine feet long and two and a half
inches in diameter at the lower end. After lunch the work of
shaving and shoeing them began, and the crooked knife came into
use. It was fine to watch Job's quick, deft strokes as he made
them ready. The "shods" George had brought from Missanabie. These
were made at Moose Factory, and were the kind used throughout the
James Bay country. They were hollow cone-shaped pieces of iron a
quarter of an inch thick and open down one side, so that they might
not break with the strain. They were 4 inches long, rounded and
solid at the small end, and on either side, about an inch from the
top, was a hole to admit the nail which fastened the pole in place.
When finished they looked as if meant for heavy work.
All being now ready to proceed George said: "We will get in around
the point, Mrs. Hubbard."
I wondered why, and concluded it must be because the water was so
swift at the point. I still wondered why George did not stay to
help Job; for as all their conversations were carried on in Indian,
I was in darkness as to what was to happen. In silence I waited
for developments. A little distance above the point, near where
the water was deeper and not so swift, I looked back, and to my
astonishment I saw Job poling the canoe through the swift water
alone. But this was mild surprise compared with what was awaiting
me.
We were soon in the canoe, and for nearly half a mile they poled up
the swift current. The water was deep, and sometimes they bent
over the poles till their hands dipped into the water. It seemed
as if they must certainly fall overboard. I expected every minute
to find myself perforce taking a header into the deep water.
Sometimes we brushed the edge of a big ice-bank. The moment the
poles were lifted the canoe stopped its forward movement, and if
they were not quickly set again it began to slip back with the
current. At last the water became too shallow and rough and we
went ashore. Here the portaging began, and I climbed up over the
ice-banks and walked along the shore. Even while ice and snow
lingered, the flowers were beginning to bloom, and I found two tiny
blue violets. On reaching the deepest part of the bay I turned to
look back. Job was bringing one of the canoes up the rapid with
two full portage loads in it. I could scarcely believe what I saw,
and ran eagerly down to secure a photograph of this wonderful feat.
But my powers of astonishment reached their limit when later I saw
him calmly bringing the canoe round the bend at the foot of Mount
Sawyer and up into the narrower part of the river. Now I was not
alone in my wonder. Both George and Joe watched with interest
equal to mine, for even they had never seen a canoeman pole in
water so rough.
Job looked as if in his element. The wilder the rapid the more he
seemed to enjoy it. He would stand in the stern of the canoe,
right foot back, left forward with leg against the thwart, with set
pole holding it steady in the rushing, roaring water while he
looked the way over, choosing out his course.
