the story of a pioneer-第7章

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simplest　manner。　　My　brothers　and　I　were　to　do

the　work　out　of　doors；　an　arrangement　that　suited

me　very　well；　though　at　first；　owing　to　our　lack　of

experience；　our　activities　were　somewhat　curtailed。　

It　was　too　late　in　the　season　for　plowing　or　planting；

even　if　we　had　possessed　anything　with　which　to

plow；　and；　moreover；　our　so…called　‘‘cleared''　land

was　thick　with　sturdy　tree…stumps。　　Even　during

the　second　summer　plowing　was　impossible；　we

could　only　plant　potatoes　and　corn；　and　follow　the

most　primitive　method　in　doing　even　this。　　We　took

an　ax；　chopped　up　the　sod；　put　the　seed　under　it；

and　let　the　seed　grow。　　The　seed　did　grow；　tooin

the　most　gratifying　and　encouraging　manner。　　Our

green　corn　and　potatoes　were　the　best　I　have　ever

eaten。　　But　for　the　present　we　lacked　these　luxuries。



We　had；　however；　in　their　place；　large　quantities

of　wild　fruitgooseberries；　raspberries；　and　plums

which　Harry　and　I　gathered　on　the　banks　of　our

creek。　　Harry　also　became　an　expert　fisherman。　

We　had　no　hooks　or　lines；　but　he　took　wires　from

our　hoop…skirts　and　made　snares　at　the　ends　of

poles。　　My　part　of　this　work　was　to　stand　on　a　log

and　frighten　the　fish　out　of　their　holes　by　making

horrible　sounds；　which　I　did　with　impassioned

earnestness。　　When　the　fish　hurried　to　the　surface

of　the　water　to　investigate　the　appalling　noises

they　had　heard；　they　were　easily　snared　by　our

small　boy；　who　was　very　proud　of　his　ability　to

contribute　in　this　way　to　the　family　table。



During　our　first　winter　we　lived　largely　on　corn…

meal；　making　a　little　journey　of　twenty　miles　to　the

nearest　mill　to　buy　it；　but　even　at　that　we　were

better　off　than　our　neighbors；　for　I　remember　one

family　in　our　region　who　for　an　entire　winter　lived

solely　on　coarse…grained　yellow　turnips；　gratefully

changing　their　diet　to　leeks　when　these　came　in　the

spring。



Such　furniture　as　we　had　we　made　ourselves。　　In

addition　to　my　mother's　two　chairs　and　the　bunks

which　took　the　place　of　beds；　James　made　a　settle

for　the　living…room；　as　well　as　a　table　and　several

stools。　　At　first　we　had　our　tree…cutting　done　for

us；　but　we　soon　became　expert　in　this　gentle　art；

and　I　developed　such　skill　that　in　later　years；　after

father　came；　I　used　to　stand　with　him　and　‘‘heart''

a　log。



On　every　side；　and　at　every　hour　of　the　day；　we

came　up　against　the　relentless　limitations　of　pioneer

life。　　There　was　not　a　team　of　horses　in　our　entire

region。　　The　team　with　which　my　brother　had

driven　us　through　the　wilderness　had　been　hired

at　Grand　Rapids　for　that　occasion；　and；　of　course；

immediately　returned。　　Our　lumber　was　delivered

by　ox…teams；　and　the　absolutely　essential　purchases

we　made　‘‘outside''　（at　the　nearest　shops；　forty

miles　away）　were　carried　through　the　forest　on　the

backs　of　men。　　Our　mail　was　delivered　once　a

month　by　a　carrier　who　made　the　journey　in　alter…

nate　stages　of　horseback　riding　and　canoeing。　　But

we　had　health；　youth；　enthusiasm；　good　appetites；

and　the　wherewithal　to　satisfy　them；　and　at　night

in　our　primitive　bunks　we　sank　into　abysses　of　dream…

less　slumber　such　as　I　have　never　known　since。　

Indeed；　looking　back　upon　them；　those　first　months

seem　to　have　been　a　long…drawn…out　and　glorious

picnic；　interrupted　only　by　occasional　hours　of　pain

or　panic；　when　we　were　hurt　or　frightened。



Naturally；　our　two　greatest　menaces　were　wild

animals　and　Indians；　but　as　the　days　passed　the　first

of　these　lost　the　early　terrors　with　which　we　had

associated　them。　　We　grew　indifferent　to　the　sounds

that　had　made　our　first　night　a　horror　to　us　all

there　was　even　a　certain　homeliness　in　themwhile

we　regarded　with　accustomed；　almost　blase　eyes　the

various　furred　creatures　of　which　we　caught　distant

glimpses　as　they　slunk　through　the　forest。　　Their

experience　with　other　settlers　had　taught　them　cau…

tion；　it　soon　became　clear　that　they　were　as　eager

to　avoid　us　as　we　were　to　shun　them；　and　by　common

consent　we　gave　each　other　ample　elbow…room。　

But　the　Indians　were　all　around　us；　and　every　settler

had　a　collection　of　hair…raising　tales　to　tell　of　them。　

It　was　generally　agreed　that　they　were　dangerous

only　when　they　were　drunk；　but　as　they　were　drunk

whenever　they　could　get　whisky；　and　as　whisky　was

constantly　given　them　in　exchange　for　pelts　and

game；　there　was　a　harrowing　doubt　in　our　minds

whenever　they　approached　us。



In　my　first　encounter　with　them　I　was　alone　in

the　woods　at　sunset　with　my　small　brother　Harry。　

We　were　hunting　a　cow　James　had　bought；　and　our

young　eyes　were　peering　eagerly　among　the　trees；

on　the　alert　for　any　moving　object。　　Suddenly；　at

a　little　distance；　and　coming　directly　toward　us；　we

saw　a　party　of　Indians。　　There　were　five　of　them；

all　men；　walking　in　single　file；　as　noiselessly　as　ghosts；

their　moccasined　feet　causing　not　even　a　rustle

among　the　dry　leaves　that　carpeted　the　woods。　　All

the　horrible　stories　we　had　heard　of　Indian　cruelty

flashed　into　our　minds；　and　for　a　moment　we　were

dumb　with　terror。　　Then　I　remembered　having　been

told　that　the　one　thing　one　must　not　do　before　them

is　to　show　fear。　　Harry　was　carrying　a　rope　with

which　we　had　expected　to　lead　home　our　reluctant

cow；　and　I　seized　one　end　of　it　and　whispered

to　him　that　we　would　‘‘play　horse；''　pretending　he

was　driving　me。　　We　pranced　toward　the　Indians

on　feet　that　felt　like　lead；　and　with　eyes　so　glazed　by

terror　that　we　could　see　nothing　save　a　line　of　moving

figures；　but　as　we　passed　them　they　did　not　give

to　our　little　impersonation　of　care…free　children　even

the　tribute　of　a　side…glance。　　They　were；　we　realized；

headed　straight　for　our　home；　and　after　a　few　mo…

ments　we　doubled　on　our　tracks　and；　keeping　at　a

safe　distance　from　them　among　the　trees；　ran　back

to　warn　our　mother　that　they　were　coming。



As　it　happened；　James　was　away；　and　mother　had

to　meet　her　unwelcome　guests　supported　only　by

her　young　children。　　She　at　once　prepared　a　meal；

however；　and　when　they　arrived　she　welcomed　them

calmly　and　gave　them　the　best　she　had。　　After　they

had　eaten　they　began　to　point　at　and　demand　ob…

jects　they　fancied　in　the　roommy　brother's　pipe；

some　tobacco；　a　bowl；　and　such　triflesand　my

mother；　who　was　afraid　to　annoy　them　by　refusal；

gave　them　what　they　asked。　　They　were　quite

sober；　and　though　they　left　without　expressing　any

appreciation　of　her　hospitality；　they　made　her　a

second　visit　a　few　months　later；　bringing　a　large

quantity　of　venison　and　a　bag　of　cranberries　as　a

graceful　return。　　These　Indians　were　Ottawas；　and

later　we　became　very　friendly　with　them　and　their

tribe；　even　to　the　degree　of　attending　one　of　their

dances；　which　I　shall　describe　later。



Our　second　encounter　with　Indians　was　a　less

agreeable　experience。　　There　were　seven　‘‘Mar…

quette　warriors''　in　the　next　group　of　callers；　and

they　were　all　intoxicated。　　Moreover；　they　had

brought　with　them　several　jugs　of　bad　whisky

the　raw　and　craze…provoking　product　supplied　them

by　the　fur…dealersand　it　was　clear　that　our　cabin

was　to　be　the　scene　of　an　orgy。　　Fortunately；　my

brother　James　was　at　home　on　this　occasion；　and

as　the　evening　grew　old　and　the　Indians；　grouped

together　around　the　fire；　became　more　and　more　ir…

responsible；　he　devised　a　plan　for　our　safety。　　Our

attic　was　finished；　and　its　sole　entrance　was　by　a

ladder　through　a　trap…door。　　At　James's　whispered

command　my　sister　Eleanor　slipped　up　into　the

attic；　and　from　the　back　window　let　down　a　rope；

to　which　he　tied　all　the　weapons　we　hadhis　gun

and　several　axes。　　These　Eleanor　drew　up　and　con…

cealed　in　one　of　the　bunks。　　My　brother　then　di…

rected　that　as　quietly　as　possible；　and　at　long　in…

tervals；　one　member　of　the　family　after　another　was

to　slip　up　the　ladder　and　into　the　attic；　going　quite

casually；　that　the　Indians　might　not　realize　what　we

were　doing。　　Once　there；　with