Over the Rocky Mountains, Robert Michael Ballantyne [classic novels for teens txt] 📗

off, so that our travellers were ultimately enabled to remove to a place of safety. But the flames had only been checked; they soon spread again, and, away to leeward of them, set the whole region on fire. From their new encampment that night, they could see rolling clouds of smoke mingling with tongues of flame which shot up, ever and anon, above the trees, and brought out in strong relief, or cast into deep shadow, the crags, gorges, and caverns of the mountains--presenting a scene of terrible devastation and indescribable sublimity.


CHAPTER FIVE.


DESCRIBES A QUIET NOOK, AND SHOWS HOW LARRY CAME BY A DOUBLE LOSS, BESIDES TELLING OF WONDERFUL DISCOVERIES OF MORE KINDS THAN ONE.

We must guard the reader, at this point, from supposing that our adventurers were _always_ tumbling out of frying-pans into fires, or that they _never_ enjoyed repose. By no means. The duty which lies upon us, to recount the most _piquant_ and stirring of the incidents in their journeying, necessitates the omission of much that is deeply interesting, though unexciting and peaceful.

For instance,--on one occasion, Larry and Bunco were deputed to fish for trout, while our hero and the trapper went after deer. The place selected by the anglers was a clear quiet pool in a small but deep rivulet, which flowed down the gentle slope of a wooded hill. The distant surroundings no doubt were wild enough, but the immediate spot to which we refer might have been a scene in bonnie Scotland, and would have gladdened the heart of a painter as being his _beau ideal_, perhaps, of a "quiet nook." The day was quiet too; the little birds, apparently, were very happy, and the sun was very bright--so bright that it shone through the mirror-like surface of the pool right down to the bottom, and there revealed several large fat trout, which were teazed and tempted and even exhorted to meet their fate, by the earnest Larry. The converse on the occasion, too, was quiet and peaceful. It was what we may style a lazy sort of day, and the anglers felt lazy, and so did the fish, for, although they saw the baits which were held temptingly before their noses, they refused to bite. Trout in those regions are not timid. We speak from personal experience. They saw Larry and Bunco sitting astride the trunk of a fallen tree, with their toes in the water, bending earnestly over the pool, just as distinctly as these worthies saw the fish; but they cared not a drop of water for them! Larry, therefore, sought to beguile the time and entertain his friend by giving him glowing accounts of men and manners in the Green Isle. So this pleasant peaceful day passed by, and Pat's heart had reached a state of sweet tranquillity, when, happening to bend a little too far over the pool, in order to see a peculiarly large trout which was looking at him, he lost his balance and fell into it, head first, with a heavy plunge, which scattered its occupants right and left! Bunco chuckled immensely as he assisted to haul him out, and even ventured to chaff him a little.

"Yoo's good for dive, me tink."

"True for ye, lad," said Larry, smiling benignantly, as he resumed his seat on the tree-trunk, and squeezed the water out of his garments. "I was always good at that an' it's so hot here that I took a sudden fancy to spaik to the fishes, but the dirty spalpeens are too quick for me. I do belaive they're comin' back! Look there at that wan--six pound av he's an ounce."

Not only did the six-pounder return to the pool almost immediately after Larry left it, but a large number of his brethren bore him company, and took up their former position as if nothing had happened. Nay, more, the surprise had apparently so far stirred them up and awakened them to a perception of their opportunities, that the six-pounder languidly swallowed Bunco's hook and was in a moment whisked out of his native pool and landed on the bank,--for the anglers fished with stout cord and unbending rods!

"Musha! but ye've got 'im," exclaimed Larry.

"Yoos better take noder dive," suggested his friend.

"Hooroo!" shouted Larry, as he whipped another large fish out of the pool.

This, however, was the last for some time. The trout, ere long, appeared to have settled down into their former lazy condition, and the anglers' hopes were sinking, when it suddenly occurred to the Irishman, that if the fish were stirred up with a pole they might be again roused to an appreciation of their advantages. Accordingly a pole was cut, the trout were judiciously stirred up, and several of them actually took the bait in the course of the afternoon--whether under the influence of the unwonted excitement we do not pretend to say, but certain it is that before sunset an excellent dish was secured for supper!

Equally peaceful and pleasant were the experiences of our hero and the trapper on that tranquil day. They wandered about in a state of silent happiness all the forenoon; then they shot a grizzly bear, the claws and teeth of which were claimed by Will, as he had drawn first blood. After that a deer chanced to come within range of the trapper, who brought it down, cut off the best parts of the meat, and, kindling a fire on the spot, sat down with his companion to a fat venison steak and a pipe.

"This sort o' life is what I calls happiness," said Big Ben, puffing out a cloud, through the hazy curls of which he gazed at a sunny landscape of unrivalled beauty.

"So it is," assented Will Osten, with enthusiasm.

"An' yet," pursued Big Ben, thoughtfully, "when I come to think on't, this sort o' life would be no happiness to an old man, or to a weak one."

"No, nor to a woman," added Will.

"Not so sure o' that," said the trapper; "I've know'd Injun women as was about as good hunters as their husbands, an' enjoyed it quite as much."

"That may be so, Ben, but women of the civilised world would scarcely think this a happy sort of life."

"P'raps not," returned Ben. "Happiness is a queer thing, after all. I've often thought that it's neither huntin' nor farmin', nor fair weather nor foul, that brings it about in the heart o' man or woman, but that it comes nat'ral to man, woman, and child, when they does what is best suited to their minds and bodies, and when they does it in the right way."

"Which is very much like saying," observed Will, "that happiness consists in obeying the laws of God, both natural and revealed."

"Just so," assented the trapper, after a few moments' consideration, "though I never quite thought of it in that light before."

Thus they conversed--or, rather, in somewhat similar strains they chatted, for they did not pursue any subject long, but allowed their minds to rove where fancy led--until evening began to close; then they carried their meat into camp and closed the day with a sumptuous feast of fish, flesh, and fowl, round a blazing fire, while the stream, which formed their beverage, warbled sweet music in their ears.

This, reader, is a specimen of one of their quiet days, and many such they had; but as these days of peace bore no proportion to the days of toil and trouble, we must beg you to be content with the account of this one as a fair sample of the rest, while we carry you over the Rocky Mountains and bear you down their western slopes towards the Pacific Ocean.

The mountains being crossed, the future course of our travellers was down hill, but in some respects it was more toilsome than their uphill journey had been. The scenery changed considerably in respect of the character of its vegetation, and was even more rugged than heretofore, while the trees were larger and the underwood more dense. Many a narrow escape had Will and his friends during the weeks that followed, and many a wild adventure, all of which, however, terminated happily--except one, to which we now request attention.

They had reached the Fraser River--that celebrated stream of British Columbia which waters a country that was destined in after years to become one of the great gold-mining regions of the world. On the afternoon of which we write, the party rode with difficulty down the rugged banks of the river, which, roaring through a narrow valley, had overflowed its banks, so that the trail was completely covered, the horses being frequently up to the girths in water. In the course of the day they came to a place where the trail passed along the face of a lofty cliff of crumbling slate. The path was only just wide enough for the horses to pass. On the right rose a perpendicular precipice. On the left, a few yards below, the swollen waters of the Fraser roared and boiled down their rocky bed with tremendous velocity. On turning a projection they found the track barred by a huge rock which had recently slipped down the mountain side. As it was impossible to pass the obstacle either above or below, there was nothing for it but to cut down trees, use them as levers, and dislodge the mass. It was discovered, when they dismounted to undertake this task, that Larry O'Hale was amissing. Will Osten had just uttered an exclamation of surprise, and the others had not had time to reply to the question, "Hallo! what's become of Larry?" when that worthy's voice was heard shouting in the distance, and his horse's hoofs were heard clattering along the narrow track as he approached at full gallop.

"Hooroo! howld on, doctor; hi' Bunco an' Ben, look here. Goold, avic, goold, I've got it at long last, sure enough!"

"You've got rid of your senses at last," said Will, as his comrade almost rode him down. "Have a care, man! What makes you ride at such a pace?"

"Goold! goold! goold!" cried the excited Irishman, plucking a little bag from his breast, leaping off his horse, and pouring the contents--a mass of glittering lumps and particles--on a flat stone. "Didn't I tell ye I was born to make my fortin' out o' goold? There's plenty more where that comed from. Come back an' I'll show 'ee the place!"

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Larry," said Will, examining the so-called gold, "but I have seen this stuff before, and I believe it to be a substance which is not worth its weight in brass. Many poor fellows have been deceived by it before _now_."

Larry's face elongated very much at this. "What say _you_, Ben?" he inquired.

"I fear me that it an't worth picking up," replied the trapper, fingering the shining particles. "Leastwise I once collected a bag o' the same an' showed it to a man in the settlements who got the credit o' bein' a knowin' fellow in regard to metals. He told me it was somethin' that I don't remember the name of, but worth nothing, so I heaved it away."

Thus doubly assured, Larry sighed deeply as he collected the shining metal into the bag, and stood eyeing it disconsolately. At this point Bunco chuckled.

"Worse luck to it," cried Larry, starting