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LEFT ON LABRADOR

Or The Cruise of the Schooner-Yacht "Curlew" as Recorded by "Wash"

by

C.A. STEPHENS

Author of "Lynx-Hunting," "Fox-Hunting," "Camping
Out," "Off to the Geysers," "On the Amazons," Etc.

Illustrated

[Illustration]

New York
Hurst & Company
Publishers

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Sequel to the "Graphite Lode."--The Fifteen Thousand
Dollars, and how it was invested.--About the Yacht.--
The Schooner "Curlew."--Capt. Mazard.--Guard.--The
Gloucester Boys.--"Palmleaf, Sar."--Getting Ready
for the Voyage.--Ship-Stores.--The Howitzer.--The
Big Rifle.--A Good Round Bill at the Outset 9

CHAPTER II.

Up Anchor, and away.--What the Old Folks thought of
it.--The Narrator's Preface.--"Squeamish."--A
North-easter.--Foggy.--The Schooner "Catfish."--
Catching Cod-Fish on the Grand Bank.--The First
Ice.--The Polar Current.--The Lengthening Day.--Cape
Farewell.--We bear away for Cape Resolution.--Hudson's
Straits.--Its Ice and Tides 28

CHAPTER III.

Cape Resolution.--The Entrance into Hudson's Straits.--
The Sun in the North-east.--The Resolution Cliffs--
Sweating among Icebergs.--A Shower and a Fog--An
Anxious Night.--A Strange Rumbling.--Singular
Noises and Explosions--Running into an Iceberg.--In
Tow.--A Big Hailstone drops on Deck.--Boarding an
Iceberg.--Solution of the Explosions.--A Lucky Escape 45

CHAPTER IV.

The Fog lifts.--A Whale in Sight.--Craggy Black
Mountains capped with Snow.--A Novel Carriage for the
Big Rifle.--Mounting the Howitzer.--A Doubtful
Shot.--The Lower Savage Isles.--A Deep Inlet.--
"Mazard's Bay."--A Desolate Island.--An Ice-Jam.--A
Strange Blood-red Light.--Solution of the Mystery.--
Going Ashore.--Barren Ledges.--Beds of Moss.--A Bald
Peak.--An Alarm.--The Schooner in Jeopardy.--The
Crash and Thunder of the Ice.--Tremendous Tides 69

CHAPTER V.

A Dead Narwhal.--Snowy Owls.--Two Bears in Sight.--
Firing on them with the Howitzer.--A Bear-Hunt among
the Ice.--An Ice "Jungle."--An Exciting Chase.--The
Bear turns.--Palmleaf makes "a Sure Shot."--"Run,
you Black Son!" 93

CHAPTER VI.

The Middle Savage Isles.--Glimpse of an Esquimau
Canoe.--Firing at a Bear with the Cannon-Rifle.--A
Strange Sound.--The Esquimaux.--Their Kayaks.--They
come on board.--An Unintelligible Tongue.--"Chymo." 106

CHAPTER VII.

The Husky Belles.--_We-we_ and _Caubvick_.--"_Abb_,"
she said.--All Promenade.--Candy at a Discount.--
"_Pillitay, pillitay!_"--Old Trull and the Husky
Matron.--Gorgeous Gifts.--Adieu to the Arctic Beauties 125

CHAPTER VIII.

The Husky Chief.--Palmleaf Indignant.--A Gun.--Sudden
Apparition of the Company's Ship.--We hold a Hasty
Council.--In the Jaws of the British Lion.--An Armed
Boat.--Repel Boarders!--Red-Face waxes wrathful.--
Fired on, but no Bones Broken 140

CHAPTER IX.

A Barren Shore, and a Strange Animal, which is captured
by blowing up its Den.--Palmleaf falls in with the
Esquimaux, and is chased by them.--"_Twau-ve!_"--"A
Close Shave."--An Attack threatened.--The Savages
dispersed with the Howitzer 162

CHAPTER X.

The Dip of the Needle.--The North Magnetic Pole.--A
_Kayak_ Bottom up, with its Owner Head down.--
Ice-Patches.--Anchoring to an Ice-Floe.--A Bear-hunt
in the Fog.--Bruin charges his Enemies.--Soundings.--
The Depth of the Straits 186

CHAPTER XI.

"Isle Aktok."--A Sea-Horse and a Sea-Horse Hunt.--In
High Spirits.--Sudden Interruption of the Hunt.--A
Heavy Gun.--The Race to the Ledge-Tops.--Too Late.--A
Disheartening Spectacle.--Surprised by the Company's
Ship.--The Schooner in Peril.--Capt. Mazard bravely
waits.--The Flight of "The Curlew" amid a Shower of
Balls.--The Chase.--Left on the Islet.--A Gloomy
Prospect.--"What shall we have for Grub to _ate_?"--
Wild-Geese.--Egging.--"Boom!"--A Sea-Horse Fire 200

CHAPTER XII.

The "Spider."--Fried Eggs.--The "Plates."--"Awful
Fresh!"--No Salt.--Plans for getting Salt from
Sea-Water.--Ice-Water.--Fried Goose.--Plans to
escape.--A Gloomy Night.--Fight with a Walrus.--
Another "_Wood-Pile._"--Wade Sick.--A Peevish
Patient and a Fractious Doctor.--The Manufacture of
Salt 226

CHAPTER XIII.

More Salt.--Some Big Hailstones.--A Bright Aurora.--The
Lookout.--An _Oomiak_ heaves in Sight.--The Huskies
land on a Neighboring Island.--Shall we join them?--A
Bold, Singular, not to say Infamous, Proposition from
Kit.--Some Sharp Talk.--Kit's Project carried by Vote 250

CHAPTER XIV.

We set up a Military Despotism on "Isle Aktok."--"No
Better than Filibusters!"--The Seizure of the
Oomiak.--The Seal Tax--A Case of Discipline.--
_Wutchee_ and _Wunchee_.--The Inside of a Husky
Hut.--"Eigh, Eigh!"--An Esquimau Ball.--A Funeral.--
Wutchee and Wunchee's Cookery.--The Esquimau Whip 267

CHAPTER XV.

Winter at Hand.--We hold a Serious Council.--"Cold! oh,
how Cold!"--A Midnight Gun.--The Return of "The
Curlew."--"A J'yful 'Casion."--A Grand Distribution
of Presents.--Good-by to the Husky Girls.--A Singular
Savage Song.--We All get Sentimental.--Adieu to "Isle
Aktok."--Homeward Bound.--We engage "The Curlew" and
her Captain for Another Year 291

INTRODUCTION.

Those of our readers who may have read "Camping Out," the first volume
of the "Camping-Out Series," will probably recall the circumstance of
the graphite lode, and the manner in which it was left to Raed to
dispose of. As the reason was too far advanced at the time of his
negotiations with the unknown gentlemen to permit of a trip to
Katahdin that fall, the whole affair was postponed till the following
spring.

On the 27th of April, Raed set out for Bangor. At Portland, Me., he
was joined by the gentlemen (their names we are not at liberty to
give); and at Bangor Kit met the party. Thence they went up to the
mountain, where they had no difficulty in rediscovering the lode. That
the examination was satisfactory will be seen from the first chapter
of young Burleigh's narrative, which we subjoin. It is an account of
their first yacht-cruise north. The schooner "Curlew," with the party,
sailed from "Squam" (Gloucester, north village) on the 10th of June.

On the 7th of July they made Cape Resolution on the north side of the
entrance of Hudson Straits. Thenceforward, till their escape from that
icy passage in August, their voyage was one continued series of
startling adventures amid some of the grandest and most terrible
scenery the earth affords.

Of the plan of self-education adopted and acted upon by these young
gentlemen we may remark, that it is singularly bold and original in
its conception. If persevered in, we have no doubt that the result
will fully justify their expectations. Unless we are much mistaken, it
will be, as they modestly hope, a pioneer movement, looking to a
much-needed revolution in the present sedentary programme of
collegiate study.

LEFT ON LABRADOR.

CHAPTER I.

Sequel to the "Graphite Lode."--The Fifteen Thousand Dollars,
and how it was invested.--About the Yacht.--The Schooner
"Curlew."--Capt. Mazard.--Guard.--The Gloucester
Boys.--"Palmleaf, Sar."--Getting Ready for the
Voyage.--Ship-Stores.--The Howitzer.--The Big Rifle.--A Good
Round Bill at the Outset.

Raed got home from Katahdin on the night of the 15th of May. Kit came
with him; and together they called on Wade and the writer of the
following narrative early on the morning of the 16th. Brown enough
both boys looked, exposed as they had been to the _tanning_ winds for
more than a fortnight.

"Jubilate!" shouted Raed, as I opened the door. "Latest news from
Mount Katahdin,--graphite stock clean up to the moon!"

Wade came _looking_ down stairs, nothing on but his gown and slippers.
At sight of his tousled head both our callers gave a whoop of
recognition, and set upon him,--shook him out of his slippers, and
pulled him down the steps on to the sidewalk barefoot; thereby
scandalizing a whole houseful of prim damsels across the street, who
indignantly pulled down their curtains. Such a hand-shaking and
back-patting as ensued! All the hardships and discouragement we had
endured on our last season's expedition seemed to bear an exultant
harvest in this our final success.

"But you haven't been to breakfast!" exclaimed Kit.

"So they haven't!" cried Raed. "Well, can't do business till they have
their breakfast. We'll leave 'em to guzzle their coffee in peace. But
hurry up! We must hold a council this morning,--have a grand pow-wow!
Come round at nine sharp."

They were off.

We ate breakfast, and went down to Raed's, where we got into the back
parlor, shut the doors, and proceeded to pow-wow. Wade was chosen
president of the meeting; Kit, secretary.

"First," said Raed, "allow me to give an account of my stewardship. No
need of going into details. We went up to Katahdin; found the lode.
Messrs. _Hammer and Tongs_ were well satisfied. The fifteen thousand
dollars was paid without so much as winking. Might have had twenty
thousand dollars just as well; but I didn't know it when I made the
offer. Hope you won't be dissatisfied with me. Here's the money; two
checks,--one on the First National Bank for nine thousand dollars, the
other on the Maverick National Bank for six thousand dollars."

"I move we accept the gentleman's statement, and tender our sincere
thanks for his eminently successful services," said _a voice_.

The motion was seconded by Kit, and carried.

"Question now arises," Raed resumed, "What shall we do with this
money? Of course we must plant it somewhere, have it growing, what we
don't want to use immediately."

"Might speculate a little with it," suggested Wade, "so as to double
it up along."

"And risk losing the whole of it," put in Kit.

"'Nothing risked, nothing gained,'" quoted Wade. "What say, Raed? Why
not buy gold?"

"Better put it into bonds," said Kit; "safer, a good deal."

"Don't know about that," remarked Wade. "Your abolition government may
turn a somersault some fine morning."

"Well, it won't strike on its head if it does,--like a certain
government we've all heard of," retorted Kit.

"Call the president and secretary to order, somebody!" cried Raed.

"Now about buying gold," he continued. "There's nothing to be made in
gold just now, especially with fifteen thousand dollars: if we had a
million, it might be worth talking of. I really don't just know where
to put our little fifteen thousand dollars to make it pull the
hardest. Suppose we run down and have a talk with our legal friend,
Mr. H----" (the same who had advised us relative to the "lode").

"All right."

We went down. Our gentleman had just come in. Raed stated our case.
H---- heard it.

"So you want to speculate a little," said he pleasantly. "Good boys.
That's right. Won't work yourselves; won't even let your money work
honestly: want to set it to cheating somebody. Well, you must remember
that the biter sometimes gets bitten."

"Oh! we don't want anything hazardous," explained Raed.

"Yes, I see," remarked Mr. H----; "something not too sharp, sort of
over and above board, and tolerably safe."

"That's about our style," remarked Wade.

"Well, I'm doing a little something by way of Back-Bay land
speculation. That would be near home for you; and you can go in your
whole pile, or only a thousand, just as you choose."

"Back-bay land," said Kit. "Where is this Back-bay land?"

"Well, there you've got me," replied Mr. H----, laughing. "It would
be rather hard telling where the _land_ is. In fact, the _land_ is
most all _water_. The land part has yet to be made. There's room to
make it, however. I mean out in the Back Bay, north-west of the city
here, along the Charles River. City is growing rapidly out that way.
We have got up a sort of company of share-owners of the space out on
the tidal marsh. These shares can be bought and sold. As I said, the
city is growing in that direction. There's a steady rise in value per
square foot. Value may double in a year. Put in ten thousand now, and
it may be worth twenty by next year at this time."

"But is there really any bottom to it?" asked Wade.

"Oh, yes! geologists think there's bottom out there somewhere. But we
shareholders don't trouble ourselves about the bottom."

"I mean bottom to the _company_," interrupted Raed.

"Yes, yes. Well, that's another matter. But then you will be dealt
honestly with, if that's what you mean by _bottom_. Of course, you
must take the risk with the rest of us. You put in ten thousand: and,
if you want me to do so, I will be on the lookout for your interests;
tell you when to sell, you know; and, in case there should be like to
come a crash, I'll tip you a wink when to stand from under."

"Then you advise us to invest in this?" queried Raed.

"Well, I should say that it was as well as you can do."

"What say, fellows?" Raed inquired, turning to us.

"Perhaps we could not do better," said Kit. "I suppose this property
comes under the head of real estate; and real estate is generally
considered safe property. You call it real estate, don't you, Mr.
H----?"

"Yes, yes; as near real estate as anything. It's kind of amphibious;
half real estate certainly,--more'n half when the tide is out."

So we purchased that afternoon, through Mr. H----, ten thousand
dollars' worth of Back-bay _land_. Of our remaining five thousand
dollars, we put three thousand dollars into 5-20 bonds, and deposited
the remaining two thousand dollars ready for immediate use. That was
about all we did that day.

In the evening we went to hear Parepa, who was then in town; and the
next morning met at nine, at Raed's again, to pow-wow further
concerning the yacht.

"It is too late," said Kit after we were again snug in the back
parlor, "to get a yacht built and launched so as to make a voyage this
summer. Such a vessel as we want can't be built and got off the
stocks in much, if any, less than a year. What are we to do
meanwhile?--wait for it?"

"No," said Wade.

"No," said Raed.

"What then?" asked Kit.

"Hire a vessel," I suggested.

"Can we do that?" asked Wade.

It seemed likely that we could.

"Has it ever occurred to any of you that we none of us know anything
about sailing a vessel?--anything to speak of, I mean?" Kit inquired.

We had all been vaguely aware of such a state of things; but not till
now had we been brought face to face with it.

"It would be the worst kind of folly for us to go out of port alone,"
I couldn't help saying.

"Of course it would," replied Kit.

"I'm well aware of that," said Raed. "We shall have to learn
seamanship somehow."

"Besides," remarked Wade, "sailing a vessel wouldn't be very light nor
very pleasant work for us, I'm thinking. If we could afford to hire a
good skipper, it would be better."

"We shall have to hire one till we learn how to manage a vessel
ourselves," replied Raed.

"And not only a skipper, but sailors as well," said Kit. "What shall
_we_ be able to do the first week out, especially if it be rough
weather?"

"Do you suppose we shall be much seasick?" Wade asked suddenly.

"Very likely we shall be sick, when it's rough, for a while," said
Raed. "We must expect it, and get over it the best way we can."

"Now, suppose we are able to hire a schooner such as we want, with a
skipper, and a crew of five or six," he continued: "where shall we
make our first cruise?"

"Along the coast of Maine," I suggested. "From Casco Bay to Eastport.
Several yachts were down there last summer. Found good fishing. Had a
fine time. There are harbors all along, so that they could go in every
night."

"Just the place for our first voyage!" exclaimed Wade.

"It seems to me," replied Raed, "that if we hire a good stanch
schooner and skipper, with a crew, we might do something more than
just cruise along the coast of Maine, fish a little, and then come
back."

"So it does to me," said Kit. "We should never get on our polar voyage
at that rate. If we are going into all this expense, let's go up as
far as the 'Banks' of Newfoundland, anyway."

"And why not a little farther," said Raed, "if the weather was good,
and we met with no accident? If everything went well, why not sail on
up to the entrance of Hudson Straits, and get a peep at the
Esquimaux?"

"Raed never'll be satisfied till he gets into Hudson Bay," laughed
Wade. "What is there so attractive about Hudson Bay? I can't imagine."

"Because," said Raed, "it's an almost unknown sea. Ever since it was
first discovered by the noble navigator, who perished somewhere along
its shores, it has been shut up from the world in the hands of a few
selfish individuals, who got the charter of the Hudson-bay Company
from the King of England. They own it and all the country about it and
run it for their own profit only. About that great bay there is a
coast-line of more than two thousand miles, with Indian tribes on its
shores as wild and savage as when Columbus first came to America. Just
think of the adventure and wild scenery one might witness on a voyage
round there! It's a shame we Americans can't go in there if we want
to. The idea of letting half a dozen little red-faced men in London
rule, hold, and keep everybody else out of that great region! It's a
disgrace to us. Their old charter ought to have been taken away from
them long ago. I don't know that I shall go there this year, nor next:
but I mean to go into that bay sometime, and sail round there, and
trade and talk with the savages as much as I choose; and, if the
company undertakes to hinder me, I'll fight for it; for they've no
moral right nor business to keep us out."

"Good on your head!" cried Kit, patting him encouragingly.

"A war with England seems to be imminent!" exclaimed Wade. "Methinks I
hear the boom of cannon!"

Raed looked dubious a moment, but immediately began to laugh. He is
rather apt to fly off on such tangents. We have to sprinkle him with
ridicule a little: that always brings him out of it all right again.

"Well," said he, "waiving that subject, what say for going as far
north as Hudson Straits, if everything should work favorably?"

We had none of us anything to urge against this.

"But we must not forget that we have not yet hired a vessel," added
Kit.

"No," said Raed; "and the sooner we find out what we can do, the
better."

That afternoon Wade and I went down to the wharves to make inquiries.
Raed and Kit went out to Gloucester, it being quite probable that some
sort of a craft might be found out of employ there. Wade and I were
unable to see or hear of anything at all to our minds in our harbor,
and came up home at about seven, P.M. Kit and Raed had not got back;
nor did they come in the morning, nor during the next day. A few
minutes before eight in the evening, however, we received a despatch
from Portland, Me., saying, "Come down and see it."

We went down on the morning train. The boys were at the depot.

"Couldn't find a thing at Gloucester nor Newburyport nor Portsmouth,"
said Raed. "But I think we've struck something here, if we can stand
the expense."

"Eight out here at the wharf," said Kit.

We walked across.

"There she is!" pointed Raed.

A pretty schooner of a hundred and seventy tons lay alongside.

"One year old," Raed explained. "Clean and sweet as a nut. Here from
Bangor with pine-lumber. Captain's a youngish man, but a good sailor.
We inquired about him. Appears like a good fellow too. Has been on a
cod-fisher up to the Banks; also on a sealer off Labrador. He's our
man, I think."

"And the best of it all is," said Kit, "he owns the schooner; can go
if he's a mind to. So we sha'n't be bothered with any old musty-fusty
owners."

"Well, what does he say?" asked Wade.

"He says he will put us up there this summer if we will give him a
hundred dollars per month, pay full insurance fees on the vessel,
hire him six good seamen, and give three hundred dollars for the use
of schooner; we, of course, to furnish ship-stores and provide a
cook."

"Gracious! that's going to cost us something," said I.

"Yes; but it's about the best and only thing we can do," said Kit.

"Why does he want a new crew?" Wade asked. "Why does he not keep these
he has?"

"Says that these are all inexperienced,--green hands," replied Raed.
"If we are going up there among the ice on a dangerous coast, he wants
Gloucester boys,--Gloucester or Nantucket; prefers Gloucester. Thinks
six Gloucester lads will be about the right thing."

"Where is he?" asked Wade.

"Up at the Preble House."

We went up; when Wade and I were formally introduced to Capt. George
Mazard of the schooner "Curlew." Had dinner with him. Liked him. He
appeared then, as we have since proved him, a thoroughly good-hearted,
clear-headed sailor. As Raed had hinted, he was quite a young
man,--not more than twenty-seven or eight; middle height, but strong;
face brown and frank; features good; manner a little serious; and
attentive to business when on duty. On the whole, the man was rather
grave for one of his years. Occasionally, however, when anything
particularly pleased him, he developed a vein of strong, rich mirth,
which would endure for several hours. He impressed us at once as a
reliable man,--one to be depended on under any ordinary circumstances.
We decided (very wisely as I now think) to accept his offer; and,
after dinner, went down to the Marine Insurance Office to take out a
policy on the vessel. On learning that we were intending to enter
Hudson Straits, the agent refused to underwrite us: it was too ugly a
risk. He either couldn't or didn't want to understand the object of
our voyage. Here was a _stick_. Capt. Mazard declined to sail
uninsured unless we would take the risk. We did not much like to do
that. Finally Raed offered on our side to assume one-half the risk.
After some hesitation, this was agreed to; and a paper to that effect
was drawn up and signed.

We then went down to the wharf where "The Curlew" lay.

A fine, shaggy Newfoundland dog, black as a crow, came growling up the
companion-way as we jumped down on deck, but, perceiving the captain,
began to race and tear about with great barks of canine delight.

"That's a jolly big dog!" Kit remarked. "Keeps watch here while you
are off?"

"Yes, sir. Don't want a better hand. Never leaves the schooner
without I bid him. Wants his dinner too, I guess. I haven't been here
since last night."

"What's his name?" said Wade.

"Guard."

"He's a noble fellow," observed Raed. "Hope you will take him along
with you."

"I should be loath to go off without him."

Some changes below deck seemed necessary; and we arranged for having
the hold floored over, and a sort of rough saloon made, running nearly
the whole length of the vessel. Off the forward end of this saloon was
to be parted a cook's galley, with another section for the seamen's
berths. Also arranged for a skylight in the deck; in short, for having
the schooner made as convenient as possible for our purpose, at our
expense.

Leaving Capt. Mazard to superintend these changes, we went back to
Gloucester in the morning, and during the day managed to hire six
sailors, young fellows of eighteen and twenty, save one, an old
sea-dog of fifty or thereabouts, at forty dollars per month. They
looked a little rough, but turned out to be very good sailors; which
was the most we wanted. Their names, as they gave them to us, were
Richard Donovan, Henry Corliss, Jerry Hobbs, Thomas Bonney, and George
Weymouth. The elder salt called himself John Somers; though it leaked
out shortly after that he had formerly flourished under the less
euphonious patronymic of Solomon Trull.

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