Chapter 14 Chapter Fourteen Several Hikes

The new home was tidied up quickly.The camp bed was set up in the hall, just waiting for someone to sleep.Mike Knapp, a carpenter, made a large table with thick legs, heavy and bulky, and no matter how heavy the dishes were placed on it, it would not weigh the table.There are solid benches installed around the table, but they are fixed, so the term "furniture" is not very appropriate, because furniture is supposed to be movable.Finally a few light chairs and two large chests make up all the equipment in the house. The inner bedrooms were also prepared, divided into six separate rooms by planks, only two of which received any light from the last windows at the front and back of the room.Each single room has only one bed and one table.Paulina Barnett and Madge shared the room facing the lake.Jasper Hobson gave Thomas Black another single room with light facing the courtyard, and the astronomer immediately moved into it.As for himself, after his companions had taken up residence in the new house, he settled into the dimly lit little room adjoining the dining room, which was barely lighted by a small round window cut in the wall.Mrs Jolliffe, Mrs Mac Knapp, and Mrs Ray occupied the other single rooms with their husbands.These are three happy families, in perfect harmony, and it would be cruel to separate them.Besides, this little community was soon to have a new addition, and one day Master Mac Knapp did not hesitate to ask Mrs Polina Barnett if she would do her the honor of being godmother to his children at the end of the year .Lady Paulina Barnett consented contentedly.

The sledge was unloaded, and the bedding was sent to the different rooms.People climbed the ladder at the end of the corridor at the door, and piled up utensils, food, and ammunition that were not in use for a while in the attic.Winter clothing, whips or coats, and fur coats were put into large lockers to keep out the moisture. With these latest tasks completed, the lieutenant set to work on the future heating of the room.He sent for a great deal of firewood in the hills, for he knew that he might not be able to venture out for a few weeks in the winter, and he even thought of taking advantage of the appearance of the seals along the coast to stockpile a large quantity of oil—with these Only effective methods can overcome the severe cold of the Arctic.Under the command of the lieutenant, several condensers were installed in the house to absorb the humidity in the house and prevent ice from forming in their dwelling.

This really serious heating problem kept Lieutenant Hobson on his mind from time to time. "Ma'am," he sometimes said to the female travellers, "I am a descendant of the Arctic, and I have some experience with it, and in particular, I have read over and over again about wintering in the Arctic. No amount of measures are taken to winter in the Arctic." Not too much. Everything has to be forethought, because the slightest omission can spell irreparable winter disaster." "I believe you, Mr. Hobson," replied Lady Polina Barnett, "and I see that the cold has met such a formidable adversary as you. But don't you think the question of food is just as important?"

"Exactly the same, ma'am, I intend to live on local resources in order to conserve our stock. So in a few days, when we're more or less settled, we'll organize a couple of hunts to get some food. As for the fur animals , we will round up later and fill the company's warehouse. Also, this is not the time to hunt mink, ermine, fox, and other fur animals. They have not yet grown a thick winter coat. If it is put into the warehouse, the price of the leather will lose 25%. This cannot be done. What we have to do now is to prepare the food in Fort Hope first. Our hunters should only shoot those reindeer, moose and Yellow deer. Indeed, feeding 20 people and feeding 60 dogs is worth our efforts.”

People saw the Lieutenant as an organized man.He wanted to move in an orderly manner, and if his companions gave him a helping hand, there was no doubt that he could do a difficult job. During this time of year, it is almost always sunny.The snow season is still five months away.When the main house was finished, Jasper Hobson had the trusses built, and a large kennel for the sled dogs.This "dog house" was built at the foot of the headland, against the slope, forty paces to the right of the main house.The large living quarters to be built in the future are located to the left of the main house, opposite the dog house, and as for the warehouse and ammunition depot, they will be built in front of the fence.

Perhaps out of a little too much caution, Jasper Hobson decided to build the wall before winter came.A fence wall firmly nailed to the ground with pointed beams can ensure the safety of the business station, not only to prevent the attack of big animals, but also to resist the attack of human beings. If there is a hostile Indian or other people If the faction comes to commit the crime.The lieutenant had not forgotten the footprints of some party on the seashore, which was less than two hundred miles from Fort Hope.He knew the ferocity of these nomadic hunters, and he thought it best to be prepared for a surprise attack anyway.A blockade surrounded the trading post, and at the two front corners on the side facing the lagoon Master Mac Knapp had built two small wooden sentinels, very suitable for sentinels.

With a little effort—these intrepid workmen were at work—it was possible to finish all this new work before winter came. During this time, Jasper Hobson organized various hunts.He postponed for a few days his original plan to go to the seashore to hunt seals, and devoted himself to hunting ruminants, drying the meat and storing it, so as to ensure the supply of food in the winter fort. So beginning on August 8 Sabine and Marbor went, sometimes alone, sometimes with the Lieutenant and Sergeant Long, who were also quite skilled, and hunted every day within a radius of several miles.They were often accompanied by the inexhaustible Pauline Barnett, with a gun in her hand, with which she was skilled, never lagging behind her hunting companions.

During the whole of August, the hunting was fruitful, and the storage attic was full.It may be said that Marbor and Sabine knew everything about the tactics and tactics of the animals that frequented this place, especially the suspicious deer.How patiently the two hunters guarded the leeward to avoid the keen sense of smell of these beasts!Sometimes on the dwarf birch bushes they waved the handsome antlers of a former hunt to attract the deer, which—the Garibou by their Indian name—was deceived by appearances into the range of the hunters, Therefore, the hunter never let them go.A snitch familiar to both Sabine and Marbor also frequently informs the hiding places of deer.This is a small owl the size of a dove that is active during the day.It made a sound like a child's cry to call the hunter, so the Indians named it "the messenger bird". About 50 reindeer fell under their guns.The venison was stored in large quantities in long strips, and the hide was tanned for shoemaking.

Reindeer isn't the only stored food.The arctic hare, which breeds extremely rapidly in this region, also makes up a large share of it.They don't look as fast as their European counterparts and are foolish enough to kill.These hares are big, with long ears, brown eyes, and snow-white fluff like white swans. Each one weighs about 10 to 15 catties.The hunters have caught a large number of hares, and the meat is absolutely delicious.Hundreds of wild rabbits were smoked, and some were turned into delicious minced meat under Mrs. Jolliff's skillful hands. While food storage piled up for later, daily eating was not neglected.Many arctic hares were a daily dish, and these hunters, and Mike Knapp's carpenter's men, always snatched up fresh and tasty game.In the kitchen, Madame Jolliff cooked these rodents in various ways, and the little clever woman did better than ever, to the great delight of the corporal, who kept learning what was said about her, and no one knew what to do. He praised her generously.

Several species of waterfowl also greatly delightfully improve the daily menu.Not to mention the various wild ducks on the shore of the lagoon, it is worth mentioning that there are also large groups of waterfowl that were knocked down among the sparse willow bushes.These birds belong to the partridge class, which is recorded in Zoology.So when Lady Polina Barnett first asked Sabine the names of the birds, the hunter replied: "Ma'am, the Indians call them 'willow grouse,' but we European hunters think they are really big grouse." In fact, it may be said that they are large white partridges with black spots on the tip of their tails.This is excellent game and is easy to prepare as it only needs to be cooked over a high heat to be eaten.

In addition to all kinds of game, lakes and small rivers also provide aquatic products.No one is a better fisherman than the peaceful and calm Sergeant Long.Or lure a fish into a bait, or beat the water with a rod with a hollow hook, with dexterity and patience unmatched only by Mrs. Polina Barnet's companion, the faithful Mary Odd exception.For several hours, these two famous disciples sat together, holding jun poles, watching their prey with alert eyes, without saying a word; thanks to them, there was never a shortage of "seafood" ’, while the lagoon or creek daily supplied them with all kinds of good and beautiful salmon. These almost daily game drives run until the end of August, during which time the hunters often deal with extremely dangerous game.Jasper Hobson notes with some concern that bears are abundant in the area.Indeed, few days go by without seeing these vicious predators.They have opened fire on these horrific visitors many times.Sometimes, this is a group of the most common brown bears in the "Jintu" area, and sometimes, it is a large polar bear, which may appear more in the area around Bathurst Point in early winter.Indeed, explorers and whalers encounter this animal many times a day, as can be seen in tales of wintering in the frigid regions. Marbor and Sabine also spotted packs of wolves on several occasions, fleeing like a tidal wave when hunters approached, and howling wolves could often be heard, especially when the pack was chasing reindeer or "vapiti".These were big bad wolves, three feet tall, with long tails, and their fur would turn white as winter approached.This place where the animals gather makes it easy for them to find food, so their numbers increase.In the bushes, it is common to see caves with several openings, in which wolves live like foxes.During this period, well-fed wolves run away when they see hunters from afar.It shows the cowardice of this wolf species.But when hungry, wolves become very fearful and pack together, and since their burrow is here, it should be known that it does not leave this place even in winter. One day the hunters brought back to Fort Hope a hideous animal which neither Lady Polina Barnet nor the astronomer Thomas Blake had yet seen.This is a foot-moving animal, much like the American wolverine, a ferocious carnivore with a crouched body, short legs, sharp hooks on its paws, a large jaw, fierce eyes, and a soft waist like all cats. . "What is this frightful beast?" asked Lady Paulina Barnett. "Ma'am," Sabine replied, always with an indisputable tone in his replies, "a Scot will tell you it's 'Quick Hachi'; Call it 'Changul Kau'." "And you?" asked Mrs. Polina Barnett. "Us, we call it the Wolverine," Sabine replied, obviously pleased with the answer. Indeed, the wolverine is the true zoological name of this strange quadruped, a fearsome nocturnal creature that lives in tree cavities or rock crevices and feeds on beavers, muskrats, and other rodents. Openly hostile to foxes and wolves, not afraid to snatch prey from them. This animal is cunning, muscular, and has a keen sense of smell. It can survive in the highest latitudes. Its fur has a short undercoat and is almost black in winter. In company They account for a large amount of exports. Native flora receive as much attention as animals on these hikes.But plants are not as diverse as animals, because plants do not have the characteristics of animals to migrate to warmer climates in winter.On the hills on the east bank of the lagoon are pine and fir trees.Jasper Hobson also observed certain "red-husk trees," species of the genus Populus, with tall trunks and yellow young leaves that turn green in late autumn.But there are few such trees, and not many quite small larch, because the slanting sun is not enough to make them lively.Certain black fir trees do well, especially in valleys out of the north wind.The tree is very popular because of the fine beer made from its buds, which is called "fir tree beer" in North America.People picked a lot of leaf buds and shipped them back to the pantry in Fort Hope. Other vegetation included dwarf birches, two-foot-tall shrubs that grow in colder climates, and cedar groves, which make good firewood. As for wild plants, there are very few that grow naturally on this land and can be used as food.Mrs. Jolliffe was very interested in "utility" plants, and so far she had encountered only two plants worth cooking. One plant has a spherical root that is hard to see because its leaves fall off during flowering, leaving only a wild onion.This wild onion provides a generous amount of egg-sized shallots, a perfect vegetable replacement. Another plant, known throughout North America as "labrador tea," grows luxuriantly among the willow groves and shrubs around the lagoon, and is a favorite food of arctic hares.This tea, steeped in boiling water, and with a few drops of brandy or gin, makes a fine drink, and saves the Chinese teas brought from Leylinesburg. However, in order to prevent the shortage of edible vegetables in this latitude, Jasper Hobson has prepared a certain number of seeds, which he intends to plant when the sowing season comes.He brought mainly sorrel and horseradish seeds, whose antiscurbic properties are inestimable in this region.One hopes for a spot where the seeds can be successfully established in the spring, away from the wind that would blow away any vegetation like a fire. Also, there is no shortage of ascorbic medicines in the medicine cabinet of the new commercial station, and the company provides several cases of lemon and lime juice, which are treasures that cannot be missing on any polar expedition.But it is important to conserve this and other stockpiles, for continued bad weather will cut Fort Hope off from all other southern trading posts.

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