The Great Lone Land: A Narrative of Travel and Adventure in the North-West of AmericaButler, William Francis, Sir
History
The Great Lone Land: A Narrative of Travel and Adventure in the North-West of America
Butler, William Francis, Sir
Northwest, Canadian -- Description and travel
Glad to escape from the suffocating hole, I emptied my fire-bag of
tobacco among the group and got out into the cold night-air. What a
change! Over the silent snow-sheeted lake, over the dark isles and the
cedar shores, the moon was shining amidst a deep blue sky. Around were
grouped a few birch-bark wigwams. My four dogs, now well known and trusty
friends, were holding high carnival over the heads and tails of Chicag's
feast. In one of the wigwams, detached from the rest, sat a very old man
wrapped in a tattered blanket. He was splitting wood into little pieces,
and feeding a small fire in the centre of the lodge, while he chattered
to himself all the time. The place was clean, and as I watched the little
old fellow at his work I decided to make my bed in his lodge. He was no
other than Parisiboy, the medicine-man of the camp, the quaintest little
old savage I had ever encountered. Two small white mongrels alone shared
his wigwam. "See," he said, "I have no one with me but these two dogs."
The curs thus alluded to felt themselves bound to prove that they were
cognizant of the fact by shoving forward their noses one on each side of
old Parisiboy, an impertinence on their part which led to their sudden
expulsion by being pitched headlong out of the door. Parisiboy now
commenced a lengthened exposition of his woes. "His blanket was old and
full of holes, through which the cold found easy entrance. He was a very
great medicine-man, but he was very poor, and tea was a luxury which he
seldom tasted." I put a handful of tea into his little kettle, and his
bright eyes twinkled with delight under their shaggy brows. "I never go
to sleep," he continued; "it is too cold to go to sleep; I sit up all
night splitting wood and smoking and keeping the fire alight; if I had
tea I would never lie down at all." As I made my bed he continued to sing
to himself, chatter and laugh with a peculiar low chuckle, watching me
all the time. His first brew of tea was quickly made; hot and strong, he
poured it into a cup, and drank it with evident delight; then in went
more water on the leaves and down on the fire again went the little
kettle.` But I was not permitted to lie down without interruption. Chicag
headed a deputation of his brethren, and grew loud over the recital of
his grievances. Between the sturgeon and the Company he appeared to think
himself victim, but I was unable to gather whether the balance of
ill-treatment lay on the side of the fish or of the corporation. Finally
I got rid of the lot, and crept into my bag. Parisiboy sat at the other
side of the fire, grinning and chuckling and sipping his tea. All night
long I heard through my fitful sleep his harsh chuckle and his song.
Whenever I opened my eyes, there was the little old man in the same
attitude, crouching over the fire, which he sedulously kept alight. How
many brews of tea he made, I can't say; but when daylight came he was
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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