A Cry in the WildernessWaller, Mary E. (Mary Ella)
General
A Cry in the Wilderness
Waller, Mary E. (Mary Ella)
New York (N.Y.) -- Fiction; Québec (Province) -- Fiction
For weeks, yes, for months, he never mentioned that night or the
journal. He never spoke of keeping or returning it. So far as I
actually knew he might not have read it; but I was aware of a change in
his manner to me. His kindness and thoughtfulness for his household
were universal; they included me. From that day, however, when he made
his appearance at breakfast, immaculate and seemingly as fresh as if
from a good sleep, I became the object of his special thought, his
special solicitude.
I was sure Cale noticed this at once. It dawned upon Jamie slowly but
surely, and a more bewildered youth I have never seen. I knew he was
trying to rhyme ever present facts with my sentiment about leaving
Lamoral as expressed to him so recently. Mrs. Macleod, if she
perceived the change in Mr. Ewart's manner towards me, gave no sign
that she did--and I was grateful to her. She and I were much together,
for we were busy getting ready for the camp outing. We were to start
within ten days. The Doctor wrote me that he envied me the extra four
weeks; he promised his friend to be with him the first of August.
When all was in readiness, Mr. Ewart, with the load of camp belongings,
left three days in advance of us. We were to meet him at Roberval.
XXVII
In the wilds of the Upper Saguenay! By the lake that, in this
narration at least, shall have no name. It is long, narrow, winding at
its southern extremity; at its northern, it is expanded pool-like among
forest-covered heights the reflection of which darkens and apparently
deepens it where its waters touch the marginal wilderness! In camp by
the margin of the lake, beneath some ancient pines, rare in that
region, and surrounded by the spicy fragrance of balsam, spruce and
cedar, that came to us warm from the depths of the seemingly
illimitable forest behind us!
What a day, that one of our arrival! We journeyed by steamer across
Lake St. John. We came by canoe on the river, by portage; and again by
canoe on river or lake, as it happened. We camped for one night in the
open. On the second day there were several portages; many of our camp
belongings were borne on the backs of sturdy Montagnais, friends of old
André, and led by André the Second, a strapping youth of sixty. There
followed a journey of nine miles up the lake, our lake; and, then, at
last, in the glow of sunset, we had sight of old André coming to
welcome us in his canoe that floated, a "brown leaf", on the golden
waters! I heard the soft grating of the seven keels on the clear
shining yellow sands of a tiny cove--and Mr. Ewart was first ashore,
helping each of us out, welcoming each to this special bit of his
beloved Canadian earth.
"Our home for ten weeks, Miss Farrell," he exclaimed, giving me both
hands. "Steady with your foot--you must learn to know the caprices of
your own canoe--"
"My own?"
"Yes, this is yours for the season; we don't poach much on one
another's canoe preserves here in Canada. This is our fleet."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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