. Pathfinders of the West; being the thrilling story of the adventures of the men who discovered the great Northwest. feet, Matonabbee shouted defiance, hurled his assail-ants aside like so many straws, pursued the raiders totheir tents, single-handed released his slave, andmarched out unscathed. That was the way Matonab-bee had won the Athabascans for the Hudsons BayCompany. Officers of the garrison, bluff sea-captains, spinningyarns of iceberg and floe, soldiers and traders, madeup the rest of the company. Among the white menwas one eager face, — that of Samuel Hearne, who wasto explore the
. Pathfinders of the West; being the thrilling story of the adventures of the men who discovered the great Northwest. feet, Matonabbee shouted defiance, hurled his assail-ants aside like so many straws, pursued the raiders totheir tents, single-handed released his slave, andmarched out unscathed. That was the way Matonab-bee had won the Athabascans for the Hudsons BayCompany. Officers of the garrison, bluff sea-captains, spinningyarns of iceberg and floe, soldiers and traders, madeup the rest of the company. Among the white menwas one eager face, — that of Samuel Hearne, who wasto explore the interior and now scanned the birch-bark drawings to learn the way to the Far-off-MetalRiver. By November 6 all was in readiness for thedeparture of the explorer. Two Indian guides, whoknew the way to the North, were assigned to Hearne; 250 PATHFINDERS OF THE WEST two European servants went with him to look afterthe provisions; and two Indian hunters joined thecompany. In the gray mist of Northern dawn, withthe stars still pricking through the frosty air, sevensalutes of cannon awakened the echoes of the frozen. Eskimo using Double-bladed Paddle. sea. The gates of the fort flung open, creaking withthe frost rust, and Hearne came out, followed by hislittle company, the dog bells of the long toboggansleighs setting up a merry jingling as the huskiesbroke from a trot to a gallop over the snow-fieldsfor the North. Heading west-northwest, the band SAMUEL HEARNE 251 travelled swiftly with all the enthusiasm of untestedcourage. North winds cut their faces like first night out there was not enough snow tomake a wind-break of the drifts ; so the sleighs werepiled on edge to windward, dogs and men lyingheterogeneously in their shelter. When morningcame, one of the Indian guides had deserted. Theway became barer. Frozen swamps across which thestorm wind swept with hurricane force were succeededby high, rocky barrens devoid of game, unsheltered,with barely enough stunted s
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