THE YOUNG ALASKANS ON THE TRAIL
BY
EMERSON HOUGH
AUTHOR OF "THE YOUNG ALASKANS" "THE STORY OF THE COWBOY"
ILLUSTRATED
HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS NEW YORK AND LONDON MCMXI
BOOKS BY
EMERSON HOUGH
THE YOUNG ALASKANS. Ill'd. Post 8vo $1.25
YOUNG ALASKANS ON THE TRAIL. Ill'd. Post 8vo 1.25
HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK
COPYRIGHT, 1911, BY HARPER & BROTHERS
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
[Illustration: See page 75 AROUND THE CAMP-FIRE]
CONTENTS
CHAP. PAGE
I. TAKING THE TRAIL 1 II. THE GATE OF THE MOUNTAINS 10 III. STUDYING OUT THE TRAIL 23 IV. THE GREAT DIVIDE 37 V. CROSSING THE HEIGHT OF LAND 43 VI. FOLLOWING MACKENZIE 53 VII. AROUND THE CAMP-FIRE 69 VIII. A HUNT FOR BIGHORN 83 IX. A NIGHT IN THE MOUNTAINS 102 X. HOW THE SPLIT-STONE LAKE WAS NAMED 112 XI. LESSONS IN WILD LIFE 119 XII. WILD COUNTRY AND WILDERNESS WAYS 134 XIII. THE CARIBOU HUNT 143 XIV. EXPLORING THE WILDERNESS 158 XV. IN THE BIG WATERS 168 XVI. THE GRIZZLY HUNT 181 XVII. THE YOUNG ALASKANS' "LOB-STICK" 191 XVIII. BAD LUCK WITH THE "MARY ANN" 200 XIX. NEW PLANS 207 XX. THE GORGE OF THE MOUNTAINS 217 XXI. THE PORTAGE OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 226 XXII. EAST OF THE ROCKIES 232 XXIII. THE LAND OF PLENTY 236 XXIV. THE WHITE MAN'S COUNTRY 244 XXV. HOW THE ERMINE GOT HIS TAIL BLACK 249 XXVI. TRAILING THE BEAR 254 XVII. THE END OF THE OLD WAR-TRAIL 264 XXVIII. STEAMBOATING IN THE FAR NORTH 274 XXIX. A MOOSE HUNT 286 XXX. FARTHEST NORTH 294 XXXI. HOMEWARD BOUND 307 XXXII. LEAVING THE TRAIL 317
ILLUSTRATIONS
AROUND THE CAMP-FIRE _Frontispiece_
THE BEAR BROKE COVER WITH A SAVAGE ROAR _Facing p._ 186
MOISE AT HOME " 266
THE PORTAGE, VERMILION CHUTES, PEACE RIVER " 302
THE YOUNG ALASKANS ON THE TRAIL
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: The Young Alaskans on the Trail by Emerson Hough
- 2: Were cast away for some time on the slopes of Kadiak Island
- 3: He may be a relative of old Sir Alexander Mackenzie
- 4: When they get east of the Rockies
- 5: That Moise is as strong as a horse
- 6: Rob had a book open in his lap now
- 7: Said Moise again a little later
- 8: Moise and I'll get up and smoke
- 9: But their first movement awakened Jesse
- 10: Sang out Moise about this time
- 11: Where there's wagon trail to Lake McLeod
- 12: It would be simpler to go up through McLeod Lake
- 13: The portage is just eight hundred and seventeen paces
- 14: The blankets and tent will make the seats
- 15: Replied Alex in a reassuring way
- 16: John taking that place for the Jaybird
- 17: We'll show those boy how a Companee man make the portage
- 18: She'll make pemmican not the honter
- 19: Don't we catch any of those feesh
- 20: Moise now took the heavier pack on his own broad shoulders
- 21: About how they did in the rapids of the Fraser River
- 22: Moise was by this time examining the load of the Mary Ann
- 23: Suppose the eddy catches her bow and swings her up stream
- 24: Moise and Rob are already past it
- 25: Or other things also bear or bighorns
- 26: S'pose we no get feesh in the north
- 27: Whitefeesh she'll be all right
- 28: So he'll see Wiesacajac walk off in woods
- 29: He'll be black where Wiesacajac hold heem over the fire
- 30: What's the map got to do with game laws
- 31: Grizzlies or bighorns Have you never killed a bighorn
- 32: Alex now took up his pack again
- 33: They followed Alex up the mountain slopes
- 34: Alex spoke rather sternly this time
- 35: Alex was on the point of using his rifle
- 36: We'll have to make two trips down to the bivouac
- 37: With a bit of bacon and some bannock that I'll make
- 38: We'll double portage these loads for one trip
- 39: And Moise nodding a quiet assent
- 40: He'll make hont sometime in that country
- 41: An' Wiesacajac begin to sweem toward them
- 42: An' they all know Wiesacajac was there
- 43: The Injuns always stake out a hide
- 44: Sometimes in tanning a buffalo hide
- 45: Who seemed to be more savage than Alex
- 46: Moise seemed to be very much pleased with the experience
- 47: Because they couldn't paddle or pole or track
- 48: Although time and again he cautioned Moise
- 49: And Moise expressed his disgust
- 50: Much to the amusement of Moise
- 51: And he called these mountain caribou the reindeer
- 52: Of course I'd know the river was downhill
- 53: But either a moose or a caribou has very keen scent
- 54: And fired at the shoulder of the distant caribou
- 55: Moise said good hunters didn't do that
- 56: The moose or the caribou may be many miles away
- 57: And yet another smaller stream
- 58: Moise shaking his head as he answered
- 59: They soon left the Finlay gap behind them
- 60: She'll always ron those rapeed
- 61: My onkle he'll ron them in beeg boat many tam
- 62: My onkle she'll made me a map of the Parle Pas
- 63: Moise shall we make a hunting camp here
- 64: And maybe the bears aren't badly scared
- 65: Where evidently another coulee came down
- 66: As most of our big Alaska bears
- 67: Alex spoke a word or so to Moise
- 68: Presently Moise smiled and nodded vigorously
- 69: Moise and I have determined to do this
- 70: And always when the voyageurs pass
- 71: Including the heavy grizzly hide
- 72: Moise by this time had lighted his pipe
- 73: And if you and Moise got left alone
- 74: When Moise had interpreted this speech
- 75: Naturally he relied very much upon Moise
- 76: Alex waved a hand as a sign of his ignorance
- 77: Alex was something of a general in work of this sort
- 78: Which only Alex made throughout
- 79: He swung the Jaybird up on his broad shoulders
- 80: Portaging over that twelve miles there
- 81: Then came the answering Halloo
- 82: Moise talked awhile further with the two reticent breeds
- 83: He'll tol' me ol' Picheu he'll keel two bear this last week
- 84: Even old Picheu smiled happily at this
- 85: The dugout had just swung out of sight around the bend
- 86: And those was what you call wissel weasel
- 87: Cigous he'll got very hongree
- 88: He noticed that Moise was whistling
- 89: Until at length Moise turned about
- 90: Moise thinks you'll find him dead
- 91: Yet yielded to the wish of Moise
- 92: Illustration MOISE AT HOME Moise and his wife met
- 93: When were you planning to leave for Vermilion
- 94: Alex laughed and beckoned to the clerk
- 95: And maybe Moise will like this stuff
- 96: Alex and Moise also having rooms given to them
- 97: The pilot in the pilot house up above
- 98: Alex signaled to his young charges to open up their battery
- 99: But Moise volunteered to walk along the beach with the boys
- 100: Not so bad a general was Moise
- 101: All of which came out as Moise had predicted
- 102: Yonder is the Company's wheat field
- 103: Breaking away to shake hands with Alex and Moise
- 104: Everything has to portage there
- 105: Regarding their further stay at Fort Vermilion
- 106: You'll come back some more bimeby
- 107: The Jaybird will carry all of us
- 108: He saw Alex looking at him curiously
- 109: Ready to accompany them as far as Athabasca Landing
- 110: And have a go at this Yellowhead Pass
