CHAPTER VI

I MEET WITH AN ACCIDENT

I had expected to see tilled fields, shingled houses, perhaps a distant village or at least a clearing, with blackened stumps, a tiny shack, or rude buildings marking the outposts of the settlements. Instead, I found myself upon the banks of a great lake, the wooded shores unbroken by clearing, field, or house as far as eye could reach. A lake of the wilderness, silent, bathed in a vast solitude, and with naught but the forest-clad hills reflected on its placid blue bosom. Far out upon its surface a solitary loon swam slowly, a tiny ripple marking his wake, and from his throat came a peal of weird, maniacal laughter.

Echoing from the hills, multiplied a thousandfold, from every direction the sounds poured forth, as though the woods were filled with demons, mocking my disappointment and my plight.

A half-hour previously I had been filled with happiness and elation at the thought that my journey was over. Now I was cast down, discouraged, and ready to give up, for I realized that to cross the lake was impossible and that for miles and miles I must push through the forest around its shores ere I could hope to proceed on my southerly course. Dimly I remembered that Joe had spoken of a lake and no doubt this was the very one he had in mind, but whether the settlements were to the south, east, or west I knew not. With wistful, weary eyes I gazed across the broad, blue expanse of waters, and the forests beyond seemed vast indeed, and to penetrate them and find my way to civilization through their labyrinths seemed a hopeless, endless task.

Gradually, however, a measure of common sense returned to me, and I realized that I was terribly hungry and that here was as good a place as any in which to camp. No doubt the lake teemed with fish, and presently I had baited my hook and had cast the line into deep water from a jutting ledge. Scarcely had the hook descended when it was seized and a moment later a large salmon-trout was floundering about among the ferns behind me. Three of the great fellows were landed, and, well satisfied with my success, I soon had one broiling over my fire. After my meal I felt far better and gradually my first disappointment wore away and I began to plan for the future. If I was compelled to walk about the lake I would not want for food, at any rate, and, moreover, I thought, traveling along the shore would be far easier than tramping through the woods or clambering among the boulders and up and down the high banks of the river. By the time the setting sun painted the lake with crimson and gold and the distant forests turned purple and blue in the fading light I was again cheerful and went to sleep upon a bed of fragrant fir in a lean-to, fully expecting to resume my way upon the morrow.

Traveling along the shore of the lake was by no means as easy as I had anticipated, for dense brush and a tangle of brambles grew close to the water’s edge in many places and here and there deep alder swamps compelled me to make long detours. But in the swamps I found frogs, which gave me a change of diet, and I managed to capture a fine, big turtle that was sunning himself on a log on the lake’s shore. Two days of weary tramping brought me to the western end of the lake and once more I became utterly discouraged as I saw that my efforts had been in vain. The outlet of the lake was a broad, swiftly flowing river which barred me from the farther shore as effectually as the lake itself. My case seemed hopeless indeed, for the river, where it emptied into the lake, was, I knew, fully as wide and impassable as the outlet, and I could see no way of reaching the country to the south save by retracing my steps for miles, crossing the river where it was narrow, and then following down its other bank. The very thought of this made me sick at heart, for it meant over a week’s steady walking through the forest. Moreover, my shoes—light, rubber-soled affairs which I had donned only to wear in the canoe—were almost worn out, my clothes were in rags and tatters, and my flesh was scratched, bruised, and torn by brambles, brush, and stones. My coat, flannel shirt, hat, corduroy trousers, and heavy boots had all gone down with the canoe and I had been compelled to journey through the forest and endure all my hardships in light tennis-shoes and with only a white cotton shirt and a pair of thin worsted trousers for my costume.

Although I had satisfied my most pressing needs, which were food, fire, and shelter, yet I had suffered a great deal from exposure, the bites of black flies and mosquitoes, and the scratches of brush and brambles. Hitherto my mind had been so filled with more important matters that I had paid little heed to these discomforts, yet now my sufferings came back to me and I could scarce bring myself to think of again facing the long journey necessary to carry me back to a spot where I could ford the river.

To add to my misery it commenced to rain and I was forced to build a lean-to and a fire and to camp where I was by the outlet of the lake. It was no drizzle, such as I had experienced hitherto, but a torrential downpour, the water falling in perfect sheets and at times completely blotting the farther shores from my view. Within a few hours the river was a foaming torrent and the waters of the lake had risen perceptibly. Huddling in the shelter of my rude hut and striving to keep warm in the glow from my fire, I gazed upon the gray, wind-lashed lake and the dripping, sodden shores, feeling unutterably miserable. Near my camp a large log was stranded on the beach and idly I watched it as the waters crept higher and higher, and I began to wonder if the lake might not rise to the spot whereon I had made my lean-to. I was pondering on this and had almost decided to brave the elements and make another shelter on higher ground when a sudden gust of wind whipped the water into foam-capped waves and with a final lurch the log slipped from the shore and floated, bobbing up and down, on the surface of the lake. A moment later it had felt the suction of the current and, lurching and rolling, was drawn rapidly toward the river. It was a small matter, but it was of the greatest importance to me, as it pointed a way by which I might escape from the wilderness.

For the first time it now occurred to me that by means of a few logs I could build a raft and cross the lake as soon as the storm passed and the waters were again calm and peaceful.

My first idea was to gather together logs which had been cast on the beach, float them in shallow water to a spot near my camp, and then bind them together with moosewood bark, vines, and roots until I had formed a raft which would support my weight. Accordingly, I set forth on the following morning to gather my logs together, but I soon found that my scheme was worthless, for the high water and wind had carried off any stranded logs and trees which were buoyant enough to float, and during the entire forenoon I did not succeed in finding a single log which would serve my purpose. At one spot, however, I discovered a number of dead trees lying on the bank well away from the shore, and I decided that if these could be rolled or pulled to the lake they would serve excellently. It seemed an easy matter to accomplish, but the very first log which I selected proved how futile were my efforts. The fallen tree was some twenty feet in length and over eight inches in diameter at the largest part, and while its weight was not so tremendous, yet its length and the numerous stubs of branches which projected from it prevented me from making the least headway. After hours of back-breaking toil I succeeded in prying it up and in placing small limbs beneath it, but despite every effort I was utterly unable to force the log sideways or endways or to roll it along. Finally exhausted, hungry, and discouraged, I gave up in despair and made my way to my fire to cook my meal. The fire had been built near a good-sized tree and as I approached my camp I discovered that the flames had spread to the tree, had eaten their way through the trunk, and that it had fallen upon my lean-to, which was a broken, flattened mass of twigs and branches. It was a small loss, but I was thankful that I had not been within the shelter when the tree came crashing down upon it. The next instant I gave a shout of joy, for the fire had shown me a way to solve my difficulties with the logs. Dolt that I was not to have thought of it before. I could cut the logs into easily handled lengths by means of fire, and for that matter could fell standing trees by the same means, more easily, if more slowly, than by an ax.

The tree which had been accidentally cut down was scarcely six inches through, but it was a green, live tree and I realized that much larger dead trees could be cut in less time, and as soon as I had eaten I gathered up a firebrand and started toward the logs on which I had labored so strenuously and with such poor success. Placing a pile of dry twigs and branches under a log, I soon had them ablaze and threw more dry sticks around and over the trunk. Very soon the dry wood of the tree had caught fire and was burning merrily, but, much to my chagrin, I found that the flames were spreading along the surface of the log, fanned by the breeze from the lake. For a moment I was in a quandary to prevent the entire log from being consumed before it was cut through. Then, gathering up handfuls of the soft, damp earth and moss, I plastered it over the surface of the log on either side of the fire. Had I possessed a birch-bark dipper I could easily have thrown water upon it, but I had not used a birch-bark dish for days and had no time in which to fashion one at the moment. The wet earth checked the spread of the flames, and as fast as the heat dried it off I threw on more, and within an hour the log cracked, sagged, and a moment later broke in two. My experiment was a success, and, quickly raking away the fire, I started it in another place. All through the afternoon I worked and before nightfall had six lengths of smooth, dry logs cut and ready to roll to the lake. They were all free from projecting branches and stubs, which I had also burned off. My eyes were smarting with smoke, my skin was scorched, and my hands black with muck and grime, and I was inexpressibly tired, but I was supremely happy, for I felt that the worst of my labors were over and that within a couple of days I would be paddling across the lake toward the southern shore.

A bath in the lake did much to refresh me, for although the water was icy cold, it served to relieve my numerous burns and the irritation of my eyes, and the next morning I felt well able to resume my work of getting the logs to the water’s edge.

It was not difficult to pry up the short, eight-foot lengths and to place branches beneath them, and at the end of an hour I saw the first log slip down the bank to the shore and splash into the water. I fairly cheered as the piece of trunk floated within a few feet of the beach and I felt as much elated and as proud as though I had launched a ship. Hastily dragging it to the shore, I secured it to the bushes and climbed up the bank to attack a second log.

Experience had taught me much and I found far less work in prying up and sliding this log than I had expended on the first. In a short time I had it beside its fellow on the beach, and when I at last ceased my labors to prepare my midday meal only two logs remained upon the bank.

I was very tired, for I had worked ceaselessly since early morning, but I had accomplished a great deal and felt that I had earned a few hours’ rest. It was a pleasant afternoon, warm and balmy, with a soft, blue haze half-veiling the distant woods and hills, and had I possessed the necessities of life and a canoe I would have been glad to spend many days camping on the borders of the lovely forest lake. As I rested, lying upon the mossy bank and gazing off across the sparkling water, I was attracted by a slight rustle near at hand, and, turning my head, saw a graceful deer step forth from the ferns. For a moment the splendid creature stood, suspiciously sniffing the air, and then, scenting no danger, trotted to the water’s edge and plunged into the lake.

Straight toward the opposite side he swam, his antlers, ears, and nose alone showing above the rippling surface of the water, and a long, silvery wake trailing behind him. How I envied his powers of swimming and how I longed for a means to slay him, for my admiration of his beauty and grace was as nothing compared with my longing for broiled venison and for some tough buckskin with which to cover my poor, blistered, bruised feet. Perhaps, I thought, I might devise some trap with which to capture a deer, or by finding a runway I might noose one, and I sighed to think how I was compelled to suffer and to win a bare existence although surrounded by game which would furnish me with innumerable comforts.

But if I was to complete my raft it was high time I resumed my labors. Arising regretfully, for my rest upon the moss was delightful, I tramped through the woods to the two remaining logs.

Presently I had pried one of the logs from behind some projecting stumps and, having placed branches beneath it to hold it up, I dropped my lever and started back to secure some pieces of wood I had used as rollers. In doing this I stepped upon the other log, my foot slipped, I fell crashing backward, my arm knocked the props from under the log, and with a thud it dropped, pinning my foot beneath it.

A terrific pain shot through my leg, I writhed and twisted, shrieking in agony as I strove to free my foot, and sweat poured from my face with the torture, but still my leg remained fast wedged between the logs, and I saw before me a lingering, terrible death.

Of what use had been all my trials my hard, weary tramping, and my strivings to reach my fellow-men? Of what avail my brave conquering of nature and my struggle to live? Caught like a rat in a trap, I would die by inches here by the borders of the lake and years later some wandering hunter would find my whitened bones and in them read the story of my awful fate. Better by far if I had shared Joe’s death in the swirling waters of the river. Half-crazed by pain and maddened to think of my helplessness, I gathered all my strength, gritted my teeth, and with a last despairing effort threw myself sideways and shoved with my free foot upon the log. My foot seemed torn from the ankle, and my whole spine seemed seared with red-hot iron, but despite the agony I knew that I was free; I rolled forward on my face and mercifully lost consciousness.