Untamed & Uncharted

The trip back

With the canoe launched we then packed carefully removed our boots so as not to damage the waterproofing, we sat down and paddled out cautiously into the middle of the river it was wide so if we encountered Indians their arrows could not reach us. We looked in amazement at the petrified tree encased in the sandstone hill then discussed its possible existence, why had it not have been destroyed by the volcano? I suggested that the tree came after the volcano let's say the volcano was ten thousand years ago, the tree eight thousand years ago the river here was much lower then so the tree was not on its bank.
Six thousand years ago this river rose up and then the rapid water river broke through into this river, in the time that followed the sand and silt built up around the tree and eventually turned to stone.
Daisy said that sounds like a good story I can see why you get your stories published the others had a chuckle, it was a magnificent day clear blue sky perfect temperature and no wind it was late spring or early winter my eyes soaked up the view endless forest-covered mountains the sparkling blue water. I had to bring myself back down to earth to use my eyes to search for the Indians; Neil said we should work a sequence starting from the front every two hours someone rests for one hour.
I agreed and said we would be paddling day and night now for up to twelve days. Daisy said fatigue sleep and cramps will be the problem Brian said headwind in this valley will be a problem also; Kate said we're here and just had to make the most of what may come so we all need to stay positive. We reached the landing where the last raft was left I saw where digging had begun for a cabin; I then saw two graves on a mound to the left marked with makeshift crosses.
Brian said it's the Scottish couple Neil said the French trappers must have buried them, Daisy said that the trappers may have been checking their traps upriver returning to find them killed by Indians. Not wanting to investigate we pushed forward paddling through another night, then as first light was beginning to break it started raining we covered ourselves with hides to stay dry and kept paddling. The rain intensified and it was difficult to see our way, I said we must be careful not to run aground that will damage this softwood canoe the other problem with poor visibility is going in a straight path.
Or even going in the opposite direction it's like walking around in a thick fog. How do we deal with it Kate said I said remember your navigation training sure there are no stars no sun there's no breeze.

The only thing to guide us is the rain we're lucky that it's not coming straight down it's coming in on a slight angle from the right, if I nodded off during my break, remember that. The rainwater soon started building up in the canoe so Brian who was in the centre started bailing carefully so as not to scrape the delicate hull.
Another day later fatigue started being a problem I just wanted to get out stand up and walk around for a while.
Kate said I would even lie down on a bed of nails and sleep. Our pace had slowed considerably we had cramps in our hand's arms and backs, next morning we faced the dreaded problem of a headwind after just a few hours we decided to go ashore as we were not making any headway and had to rest. Finding a suitable place we got out with difficulty standing without falling was not easy as we had been stuck in one position for so long, once we got our land legs we carried the canoe up into the cover of the trees.
We lay down on that fabulous ground and slept always one of us kept watch for danger, then on dusk, the wind dropped now recharged we moved on over the next two days, we passed sites where others had left the rafts there was no sign of anyone so we pressed on. On the tenth day, we saw three Indians on horseback watching us from a rocky outcrop on the side of the bank.

It put a shiver down my spine what made it worse was that they were on the cabin side and I estimate that it is not that far away, we were all silent not wanting to speak or think about the possibility of them awaiting us ahead we were numb from pain.
We were suffering from fatigue only guts and determination were driving us now. After thirteen days and nights of paddling we reached the cabins, the canoe had served us well we arrived around the middle of the day came ashore cautiously, Neil with his bow and arrow ready scouted around and said it's clear. We unloaded the canoe then placed it in a cabin out of site, the weather was starting to cool down now rapidly we may have misjudged the season or winter is coming earlier.
It's too difficult to attempt to reach Washington in the winter; unfortunately, we will have to stay here until spring.
After the arduous canoe trip we were not in any condition to take on the strenuous trip anyway, the next three weeks we trapped and Neil shot everything we could before the big freeze set in. It was a bitterly cold winter nothing was moving outside not even Indians the only fresh meat came from Beaver but we limited our food to survive, we made clothes from the hides we had tanned and were well-rested by the time spring arrived.

As soon as the weather had cleared up we left for Washington it was a welcome change from being cooped up in the cabin.
Once again our spirits had lifted I felt that we had a good chance of getting back now, the climb up the mountain was steep we rested often. We knew that there was a stream on the other side where we had caught fish our food was gone and the water was low, that stream was the only thing in my mind now I had even stopped looking for Indians but was driven by hunger.
We could only travel in daylight we had to follow the trail markers we found that long-awaited stream in the early afternoon, after drinking and filling our water skins we spread out and went fishing with our spears.
There was plenty of salmon to be had feasting on that raw fish was heaven we didn't dare light a fire, even though I have some flints after leaving the stream behind hunger once again came calling, a few days later. Neil said I will go ahead alone early in the morning to give me a chance at stalking a deer if I get one I will wait on the trail ahead, sure enough by late afternoon we met up with Neil sitting on the ground leaning against a tree at his feet was a deer with two arrows in its chest. Great work Brian said I thought that we may be in less danger from the Indians now, I lit a small fire to cook the deer we had a much-needed meal then buried the fire and leftovers. I was woken up in the dim early morning light to growling sounds the others woke up startled and said what is that Neil said a bear. Daisy said where then this huge dark shape approached from behind.

It was a large male grizzly bear much bigger than the stuffed one at the trading post whatever can we do against that thing with these weapons, I said let's all stand together our backs against this tree hold your spears up with the back end against the tree.
If we stay still it may go away if it charges it may impale itself on the spears, Neil said it may have followed the scent of the deer Brian said let's just be quiet. The bear approached and stood up on its hind legs about ten feet away its massive claws raised in the air, it's mouth open and growling showing its enormous dagger-like teeth this frightening creature towered over us.
I thought that after all the dangers that I had faced in the past can this be the one that I would not walk away from, we held our nerve huddled together spears facing the beast it continued growling, waving its huge arms around this was a true killing machine. Had one of us tried to run we would have seen it in action. It had us bailed up for maybe about five minutes but it felt like fifteen minutes, as the beast slowly moved away we didn't move until we couldn't see it anymore.
We moved on quickly and silently then a good distance away we looked at each other Daisy said how did we get away with it?
Kate said we were not destined to die here I said that I agree so we made as much distance as we could each day no more shooting game. We just scrounged around for roots and seeds to eat at the end of each day, next morning we came across the bark shelter we built where I told the Nile River story the trail from here gets easier. Neil said will need something more substantial to eat before long Daisy said, the meager amount of food we are eating each day will not provide us with the energy needed to get us there.
We agreed so Neil once again went hunting, ahead of us two days later he had shot a coyote it was tough to eat not as tasty as deer but it was food. Neil was getting low on arrows he said, he had shot several deer and an elk they were not good shots.
They were running and kept going with the arrows in their side I will have to be more careful now. We then resorted back to eating, roots bulbs and seeds when possible a week later, Neil again was waiting ahead he had two hares he said these were my last arrows enjoy your last feed of meat. Two days later we saw some buildings I breathed a sigh of relief we have beaten the odds we have all made it a bit worse for wear but will live to tell the tale. We walked through an open field to a farmhouse at the front of the barn stood a man beside a wagon loaded with hay. He looked us up and down then said you're a raggedy looking bunch whatever happened to you. I told him he looked at us in amazement as if he was seeing ghosts Jake Morrison returned more than a year ago he said the Indians had killed everyone. I am just about to go into town I think you should all come with me and see the doc.

Please read Part 11. Safe now

PLEASE ❗️ vote ✅. Comment. 🆒. Then read my book 🔰. Moon Disaster