Ungava | Page 9

bold adventure? The question should have been, `Who will be
first to volunteer?'"
At this moment the door of Stanley's apartment opened, and his wife
appeared leading Eda by the hand.
"Here are two volunteers," she said, with a smile; "pray put us at the
head of your list. We will go with you to any part of the world!"
"Bravo!" shouted Frank, catching up Eda, with whom he was a great
favourite, and hugging her tightly in his arms.
"Nay, but, wife, this is sheer folly. You know not the dangers that await
you--"
"Perhaps not," interrupted Mrs Stanley; "but you know them, and that is
enough for me."
"Indeed, Jessie, I know them not. I can but guess at them.--But, ah!
well, 'tis useless to argue further. Be it so; we shall head the list with

you and Eda."
"And put my name next," said a deep-toned voice from behind the
other men. All turned round in surprise.
"Dick Prince!" they exclaimed; "you here?"
"Ay, lads," said a tall man of about forty, who was not so remarkable
for physical development (though in this respect he was by no means
deficient) as for a certain decision of character that betrayed itself in
every outline of his masculine, intelligent countenance--"ay, lads, I'm
here; an' sorry am I that I've jist comed in time to hear that you're sich
poor-spirited rascals as to hang back when ye should jump for'ard."
"But how came you so opportunely, Prince?" inquired Stanley.
"I met an Injin, sir, as told me you was goin' off; so I thought you might
want me, and comed straight back. And now, sir, I'm ready to go; and
so is Francois," he continued, turning to that individual, who seized his
hand and exclaimed, "That am I, my boy--to the moon if ye like!"
"And Massan, too," continued Prince.
"All right; book me for Nova Zembla," replied that worthy.
"So, so," cried Mr Stanley, with a satisfied smile. "I see, lads, that we're
all of one mind now. Is it not so? Are we agreed?"
"Agreed! agreed!" they replied with one voice.
"That's well," he continued. "Now then, lads, clear out and get your kits
ready.--And ho! Barney, give these men a glass of grog.--Prince, I shall
want to talk with you this evening. Come to me an hour hence.-- And
now," he added, taking Eda by the hand, "come along, my gentle
volunteers; let's go to supper."
CHAPTER FOUR.

EXPLANATORY, BUT NOT DRY!--MURDEROUS DESIGNS
THWARTED BY VIGOROUS TREATMENT--THE CATTLE PAY
FOR IT!--PREPARATIONS FOR A LONG, LONG VOYAGE.
In order to render our story intelligible, it is necessary here to say a few
words explanatory of the nature and object of the expedition referred to
in the foregoing chapters.
Many years previous to the opening of our tale, it was deemed
expedient, by the rulers of the Hudson's Bay Fur Company, to effect, if
possible, a reconciliation or treaty of peace between the Muskigon
Indians of James's Bay and the Esquimaux of Hudson's Straits. The
Muskigons are by no means a warlike race; on the contrary, they are
naturally timid, and only plucked up courage to make war on their
northern neighbours in consequence of these poor people being
destitute of firearms, while themselves were supplied with guns and
ammunition by the fur-traders. The Esquimaux, however, are much
superior to the Muskigon Indians physically, and would have held their
adversaries in light esteem had they met on equal terms, or, indeed, on
any terms at all; but the evil was that they never met. The Indians
always took them by surprise, and from behind the rocks and bushes
sent destruction into their camps with the deadly bullet; while their
helpless foes could only reply with the comparatively harmless arrow
and spear. Thus the war was in fact an annual raid of murderers. The
conceited Muskigons returned to their wigwams in triumph, with
bloody scalps hanging at their belts; while the Esquimaux pushed
farther into their ice-bound fastnesses, and told their comrades, with
lowering brows and heaving bosoms, of the sudden attack, and of the
wives and children who had been butchered in cold blood, or led
captive to the tents of the cowardly red men.
At such times those untutored inhabitants of the frozen regions vowed
vengeance on the Indians, and cursed in their hearts the white men who
supplied them with the deadly gun. But the curse was unmerited. In the
councils of the fur-traders the subject of Esquimau wrongs had been
mooted, and plans for the amelioration of their condition devised.
Trading posts were established on Richmond Gulf and Little Whale

River; but owing to circumstances which it is unnecessary to detail here,
they turned out failures, and were at length abandoned. Still, those in
charge of the districts around