The splendid creature almost reached the
shore when a bullet dropped in front of him, and he turned back.
His efforts were now no match for the swift paddle strokes that
sent the canoe lightly towards him, and soon a shot from George's
rifle ended the struggle. He was towed ashore, bled and
gralloched, and brought to camp in the canoe.
Most of the afternoon was spent in cutting up the caribou, and
putting it on a stage to dry. While they were busy with their task
there came again the sound of the wild goose call. Seizing the
rifles, George and Gilbert made off across the island, and soon
came back with two young geese, and word that there was another
there but too far out in the water for them to get it. Whereupon
Job and Joe went off in the canoe, and after a short time came back
with a third. This made a pretty good day's hunt. George's record
was, one spruce partridge, two young geese, and one caribou.
We had young wild goose for supper that night. I think I never
have tasted anything more delicious, and with hot fried cakes it
made a supper fit for a king. As we ate the men talked about the
calls of the wild birds.
George said: "I do like to hear a wild goose call." Certainly no
one who heard him say it would doubt his word. After a little he
continued: "There is another bird, too, that the Indians call 'ah-
ha-way,' that I used to like so much to listen to when I was a boy.
How I used to listen to that bird call. I tell you if you heard
that bird call you could just sit and listen and listen. I don't
know the English name for it. It is a very small duck, just a very
little bird."
Speaking of the loons we had heard calling on Lake Michikamau he
said: "You should hear some of the little Indian boys calling the
loons. Men's voices are too strong and rough, but some of those
little boys, they can do it very well. You will just see the loons
come and circle round and round over them when they call."
All day long the rain had fallen steadily. I spent most of it in
my tent, but the men had been out the whole day and were soaked.
Having done their washing on Sunday they had no dry clothes to put
on, and so slept wet that night.
CHAPTER XII
THE MIGRATING CARIBOU
Tuesday morning, August 8th, dawned clear and calm, and Gilbert
came forth to light the fire, singing: "Glory, glory, hallelujah!
as we go marching along." Yet before the tents were taken down the
wind had sprung up from the southwest, and it was with difficulty
that the canoes were launched and loaded.
