JOSHUA DICKSON BECOMES MASTER OF THE VALLEY.
After Samuel had walked some distance he found that he had miscalculated his strength. He was very weak about the ankle, and the way being rude and his load heavy, he could scarcely get along at all. Still he would not abandon the deer, knowing as he did how short of provisions they were in the camp.
Wiping the cold perspiration off his brow, the brave American resumed his journey.
The sufferings he endured it would be impossible to describe; at length he became scarcely able to drag one foot before the other; every now and then he had to stop, as the blood rushed to his head and myriad sparkles flashed before his eyes. He seemed to have the vertigo, his mouth was parched, his chest panting, his temples throbbing, and his eyes almost starting from his head.
When he had staggered to within five hundred feet of the camp he was utterly exhausted, and fell insensible on the grass, where he remained inert and motionless for a quarter of an hour. Luckily, as he roused himself, he found a small rivulet flowing at his feet. In this he bathed his hands and face, and felt better.
But he could walk no farther; that he knew was impossible. He, however, suspected they were looking for him, and if they heard him would come to his assistance. His voice was powerless to reach them. There remained his rifle. Still seated on the ground, he loaded and fired three times in succession.
He had not long to wait before he saw his brother and nephews running towards him.
He was too weak to enter upon any explanations, but one nephew taking up the deer and the other their uncle, they at once made for the camp, where Mrs. Dickson and Diana anxiously awaited them.
When they saw the hunter they believed him dead.
Joshua had a great deal of difficulty in persuading them that he had only fainted, and was in no danger.
The Americans, especially the hunters and trappers, have great experience in wounds and bruises.
The sick man was at once carried to a covered waggon, placed upon a mattress, and stripped.
"Heavens!" cried Joshua, as he examined the numerous black bruises, "Poor Samuel has indeed had a bad fall. I wonder he was not killed outright."
"Fortunate nothing is broken," said the eldest son.
"So it is," replied the father; "and now let us do the best we can for him while your mother cooks the deer meat for breakfast. It was for us poor Sam risked his life. Get the camphorated brandy and some wool, and don't forget to tell your mother to cook the game. She is rather apt to burn venison, which does not improve its flavour. While you are about it bring the rum bottle—a little poured down his throat will do him good. Above all, be quick."
Having given these orders, Joshua bathed his brother's forehead with cold water, passed burnt feathers under his nose, and did everything which could be done under the circumstances. Still the sick man never moved.
"Let us try the rum," he said, as his son returned.
And as he spoke, he forced open the other's teeth with the blade of his knife, and putting the neck of the bottle to his mouth, let the liquor slip through.
Samuel smacked his lips and opened his eyes.
"That is something like. And now to work."
The two men then, dipping the wool in camphorated brandy, began to rub the bruises.
Such a remedy, so roughly employed, was very soon quite efficacious. The sick man sat up, howling furiously, and trying to escape from their clutches.
But the two men, believing in the remedy, continued, and, despite all their victim could say, despite his prayers, howls, and curses, he finally had to submit to the treatment for half an hour.
"There you are," cried Joshua; "now try and sleep."
"Go to old Nick!" roared Samuel; "I'm skinned alive."
"You are as fussy as a woman. We scarcely touched you. Tonight we shall do it again perfectly, and tomorrow you will be quite well," said Joshua.
Samuel shuddered, but said nothing; shortly after he, however, slept soundly. At night the two men came again, and, despite his lamentations, protestations, and prayers, continued to rub him as before, with all the vigour of which their hands and arms were capable.
Then Joshua told his brother to go to sleep, promising if in the morning he was not quite well to give him one more dose.
But Samuel was up first, and when they came to find him, he was dressed, singing "Yankee Doodle."
His brother was delighted, and while wishing him joy, highly eulogised his remedy, the very mention of which caused Samuel to shudder.
He was then questioned as to his adventure, which he related, leaving out all mention, however, of George Clinton. They were at breakfast, and everyone listened with avidity. The ladies especially, who were weary of their journey, heard the description of the beautiful valley with extreme delight.
"To conclude, I beg to remark," Samuel wound up by saying, "that I never saw a spot better suited for a settlement."
"We shall see," drily remarked Joshua.
Samuel knew his brother well, and was well aware how he should be treated.
"As for myself," he added, with indifference, "I don't care where or when we stop. As we have gone so far in the desert, what matters fifty leagues more or less? Let us then go ahead. Push on by all means, even as far as the Bay of Hudson."
"I don't want to go as far as that," cried Joshua; "if the valley's anything like what you say, perhaps we may stop."
"Well, perhaps it may not suit you. Everybody, you know, to their taste," continued Samuel.
"I shall judge for myself," replied Joshua.
"If we are to stop here all day," Samuel urged, quite satisfied, "I and Harry will fetch the deerskin."
"Why not go with me?" said his brother.
"I shall be delighted with your company."
"Then, by Jove, we'll all go. It will be a walk. Harry, Sam, Jack, tell Sandy to be ready for a start. Let the camp be raised. Tonight we will camp in the valley and examine it at our ease."
"You raise the camp for so small a journey?" said Mrs. Dickson.
"Does it displease you, mistress?"
"No. But it is a useless fatigue for horses and men."
"I shall do as I think proper," said the squatter, drily, as he went to hurry his men.
Samuel Dickson and the ladies smiled. They knew now they would stop in the valley.
An hour later the whole caravan took its way in the direction of the defile, preceded by a dozen of the hired men and others with hatchets, to act as pioneers.
Though he declared his health was quite restored, Samuel Dickson, instead of riding on horseback, clambered into a waggon with his sister-in-law and niece, with whom he gaily discoursed.
Every now and then the old farmer looked sideways at the countenance of his pale and thoughtful niece, smiled to himself, and rubbed his hands with intense satisfaction.
Neither mother nor daughter could make out his pantomime, but after a few trials they knew it was useless to question him, and so let him chuckle to himself.
Joshua Dickson, without allowing it to be seen, had been very much struck by what his brother had said. Instead, therefore, of riding beside the caravan as usual, he had gone on in front.
Presently, as if no longer able to resist the impulse of curiosity which was devouring him, he signed to his three sons to follow, and next minute the four men were off at a hard gallop and were soon lost in the defile.
"The fish is in the net," said Samuel Dickson, with a hearty laugh.
"Is the valley so beautiful as you say?" asked Mrs. Dickson.
"Much more so. It is simply a terrestrial paradise. If you were to hunt for months you would never find a more agreeable or advantageous position. Everything is to be found in abundance, wood, water, pasture, and above all, game."
"If Joshua would only settle."
"A good deal depends on you."
"I have not the influence you suppose over my husband. You know his vagabond humour."
"He will remain here if you wish him to."
"I hope you are right," replied the wife, with a sigh.
"Chut! Here he comes. Attention, this is the decisive moment," whispered Samuel, as Joshua came up.
"Holloa!" he cried, "I have come from the valley."
"Did you find the deerskin I left behind?"
"Deerskin be—" was the excited answer; "I had no time to think of it. But what a delicious valley! I never saw anything so beautiful in all my life."
"It is certainly pretty fair, but not worthy of such frantic eulogy," said Samuel.
"What a man you are!" cried Joshua; "You must always disagree with me. The moment I like a thing you must depreciate it."
"Do you then mean to make some stay in the valley?" asked Mrs. Dickson, innocently enough.
"Some stay, mistress!" cried the husband; "What are you dreaming about? I mean to take the whole valley. It belongs to no one now. It shall therefore be ours—that is, mine and my brother's."
"I want very little," said Samuel.
"You shall have your right share, no more and no less. Do you think I would cheat you?"
"Far from me be such a thought."
"But, my dear," said the wife, "pray think."
"I have thought," he replied, abruptly; "and my resolution is irrevocable. So thoroughly have I made up my mind that I have come back alone, leaving the children at work."
"At work!" cried Samuel.
"Yes; they are cutting down trees and clearing the ground. This will be so much gained, as the season is far advanced, and we have not a moment to lose if we would have our settlement quite ready for the winter."
All this while the caravan was advancing, and by degrees had got halfway through the defile.
"This narrow way might easily be stopped," said Joshua.
"Very useful idea, as many redskins are about."
"But we are very numerous."
"Yes; but if we are attacked we have no neighbours to help us, and must count only on ourselves alone."
"We shall be sufficient," drily responded Joshua.
"I hope so, and yet I doubt if the Indians leave us in peaceable possession if game is as abundant as I believe."
"Bah! Who cares? If the Indians come we will give them such a reception as shall astonish them."
"Who lives longest will see the most. It is best to be prudent," responded Samuel.
The squatter, half angry at his brother's manner, gave up the conversation, and, spurring his horse, disappeared.
"Now," said Samuel, with a smile, as the other rode off, "you may be satisfied. Joshua is sufficiently annoyed at my opposition to become seriously obstinate. Nothing will make him change his mind now."
"Perhaps you went a little too far."
"Not a bit, I only stimulated him."
"But what you said about the Indians made me seriously uneasy. Are there any about?"
"I suppose so, as we are in the very centre of their territory. They may not attack us if let alone."
"But this valley may belong to them."
"Then we shall have to negotiate with the tribe to which the place belongs. We shall buy it of the redskins—a thing done every day."
"You ought to know Joshua better by this time. He will take the land, and refuse all compromises."
"I know him; but should the contingency come, we must make him listen to reason. But look, we are entering on the confines of this garden of Eden, which henceforth will be all our own," cried Samuel.
"What a magnificent country!" cried the squatter's wife.
Miss Diana, despite her sadness and habit of concentrated thought, could not restrain an exclamation of surprise at the sight of the grand spectacle before her.
"Don't be too enthusiastic," said Samuel. "Here is Joshua."
A hundred paces off Joshua had halted, his sons beside him on horseback, gun in hand. The squatter held the American flag in his right hand. As soon as all the waggons were in the valley he signed to everybody to advance.
All the serving men and women surrounded the squatter. His wife, daughter, and Samuel remained in the waggon.
The squatter, making his horse prance, waved the American flag over his head, then he planted the staff in the earth, and cried in a loud firm voice:
"I take possession of this wild territory by the right of the first occupant I proclaim myself its sole lord and master, and if anyone, white or black, dares to claim it, I will defend myself to the last gasp."
"Hurrah! Long live America!" cried all.
"My friends," continued the trapper, "we are now at home. This valley which we shall soon cultivate and bring to prosperity and civilisation, is the Valley of the Deer."
"Long live the Valley of the Deer!" cried all.
The squatter then headed the caravan, and led it to the spot he had selected for a settlement. It was twelve o'clock. At a little after two the ancient trees were falling beneath the axes of the Americans.