Del was born in the Red river Valley of southern Manitoba. There was still snow on the ground this April which isn’t necessarily odd for Canada but slowed his father and grandfathers hopes of hitting the water highways that litter this remote area of the new world. He was born along the sturgeon creek near the mouth of the Assiniboine river. Flooding came shortly after his birth taking the life of his mother. This flood was biblical in thought and claimed so many in the valley at that time. Sadly, leaving him to be raised by his father and grandfather. Fur traders, hunters, nomads. They never stayed south for long.
Del’s father and grandfather would talk of the expansion of the north. Both had traveled lake Winnipeg to the Nelson river many times before. But this summer they would spill over into Cedar lake and portage north to an area they had over heard the year before the Hudson bay company had found copper and zinc. Stories of gold and silver filled their heads with dreams of become wealthy and finally stable.
It was late May by the time the men along with an infant Del hit the rivers to work their way north. They left behind the Elm, ash and Manitoba maple and after 3 months they arrived surrounded by black spruce, jack pine, larch and towering aspens. Del would grow up playing in and around this beautiful vast boreal forest. The same Precambrian rock forms his father and grandfather blasted and dug for their treasure was the very same Del would slip away into dreams of what was around the next corner or bend in the river.
Years later, after their 11th winter, Del’s grandfather exclaimed it to be time to head to more favorable fishing, trapping and hunting grounds near the shores of Wildnest lake. His father had taught him how to hunt, glass for game, fish and even how to fight. His grandfather gave him an old hand me down bow knife and a rifle. Saying “you’re old enough to be a man now.”
That first summer they built their homestead on the north east side of Wildnest lake so they could use both it and the neighboring Kakigimak Lake to hunt, fish and trap fur. It was very remote. The forest was dense in places and hard to manage for the first few years. Even with these struggles they were beginning to thrive. Every winter their fur trap lines were producing amazingly. It would take all three dog teams to get their spoils back to Flin Flon to trade. They were able to gather horses to ranch and ride. They began breeding and trading to neighboring Cree and Oji-Cree tribes. These new neighbors became fast friends. They’d help each other, hunt together and share land. One elder took a liking to young Del. He’d teach him the ways of his forefathers and offered Del an insight to how life is to be cherished. Everything is inter-connected.
Del’s horse Massy was as sure footed as a mule and loved to work. Del would spend countless hours on her and she truly was the fire element. He was fast growing into a fine and strong young man. His Cree friends would call him Maskwa because of his black hair and 6’1 status. He was much larger than his father and grandfather now and stronger than the Maples he left behind years before. Del headed out on long excursions on Massy. Looking for new trap lines or waterholes filled with walleye and goldeye.
He set out one early spring morning down one of the trap lines they had cleared for their dog teams to travel quickly and easily. Kilometres he rode pulling along a young pack mule he traded a black bear coat he letted out and sewed by hand. At the end of their most northern line, he made a decision he’d both regret and yet behold. His decision led him further north. To lands his neighbors warned about. They told stories of flying rocks and broken bent over trees said to be made by giant creatures. He followed a game trail. One that led him threw wet lands, steep inclined rock masses and open grass lands where moose, elk and brown bears fed. At night he’d hear loud cracking noises. The same we hear today when a ball player hits a home run. Yet these noises were not followed by the cheers of a crowd but the grunts, growls and hollers of something ominous. As the days, nights and weeks past these sounds were becoming more frequent and multiplying like where there were once one is now many. The cracking noises could be now be heard in the day light and often were accompanied by falling trees and falling rock. One afternoon Del came across a river moving quickly however unfortunately he couldn’t reach the banks but did find a rock face he could stand a top of and fish the river below.
Del decided to make camp and stay. He built himself a trapper shack. The type his father and grandfather taught him to make. He could fish the rock and not far on the other side of the grasses was a small creek for drinking water. As Massy and the mule grazed, he would hunt, fish, cut and store hay and other bows the animals could eat. He built a small barn and filled half with fire wood. That first winter was harsh. He would travel back to the end of the trap line to communicate by letter to his father and grandfather. He, Massy and the mule survived.
The first few days as the weather warmed and he could tell spring was in the air and with that the sounds reoccurred. Del decided to take some of a moose he had harvested and go in the direction of the noises. He left the hind half of this bull moose strung up to a tree. He asked himself as he rode to do this chore; “Why am I doing this????” But he was some how compelled.
Quickly the river opened and he was able to fish again from his rock. The hole below this rock was bountiful. It seemed he’d catch 2 to 3 fish a day there. He’d always keep 1 and deliver 2 to the tree. One day after a short rain he left his trapper shack to start his chores and hit his fishing hole. The rain had caused the river to move quicker than normal. His rock was slippery. Del caught a snag and decided to jerk his willow rod aggressively. Del lost his footing and fell. As quickly as he slipped, he was rushed down the river. His fall had badly broken his ankle and his head hit a boulder just below the surface.
Del awoke to someone or something pulling him from the water. Blood in eyes and dazed he couldn’t make out what or who it was. He was hypothermic due to the fridged waters and he shook uncontrollably. Del fell in and out of consciousness for the next long while. He was placed under a very large unique looking Jack Pine. This Pine was like no other around. When he would awake, he could see a very large shape looking over him. Feeding water and raw fish. He could hear the sounds of what could only be an animal marking its territory all around him. He could smell ammonia and when his nursemaid was near, he could smell only the earth. One night he could hear the sounds and grunts of a creature he knew and feared all too well. It was old Griz. Grizzly bears in Northern Manitoba are fierce killing machines. Specially in spring; when their hunger overwhelms them. All the grizzly’s Del had seen in this area were all over 500lbs and could stand 9ft tall. Del was sure without his gun he was all but done for. He knew the smell of his blood was too powerful to not attract this massive bear. He closed his eyes, reached for his grandfathers bow knife and said his goodbyes.
Shockingly the bear stopped metres away sniffed the air and the ground around him and he turned and hurriedly ran off. Del was shocked. He had never seen a griz act so intimidated. He remembered his keeper marking around him and started working hard to stay alert to see who or what was keeping him safe and most importantly alive. Unfortunately, Del’s injuries were so extreme his fate would be sealed but not before his caregiver returned with more raw fish. This was the first time Del could see him clearly and the first time he arrived during the day light. Del tried to communicate with him before he passed away in the creatures loving warm embrace.
Months pass and back on the homestead Del’s father and grandfather had received no recent letters at the end of the trap line. They began to worry and decided as soon as spring breaks they’d set off past the end of the line to find Del.
Just as Del had done, they followed the game trail. One that led them threw wet lands, steep inclined rock masses and open grass lands where moose, elk and brown bears fed. At night they’d hear the loud cracking noises. Eventually they found the pasture. But Massy and the mule were both gone. They obviously starved then froze to death. Not long after they found the trapper shack. The shack was empty. Dusty as if no one had been in it for at least a year. They decided to stay at the shack and search for Del. That night the shack would be pelted with large rocks. All around them they would hear the loud cracks and grunts of many massive creatures. Both Del’s father and grand father gripped their riffles tightly but would not dare open the door to investigate. All night they were surrounded. At one point they could see a massive hairy hand reach through a crack in the door. Quickly Grandfather hit it with the butt end of his rifle and off the massive creature ran. Morning couldn’t come quickly enough.
At first light the men walked out of the shack. They went to their horses and grabbed extra ammunition and their 6 shooters. The men couldn’t leave without knowing, so they decided they’d begin their search. All day they walked the river. Grandfather noticed this massive beautiful out of place jack pine broken in half. The tree was like no others and it was broken at about 15 feet above the ground. As the men approached, they could see a pile of rocks beneath it. Large piles of scat and the smell of ammonia was strong. All of a sudden, a large CRACK was heard and it was close. Metres away. The men grabbed for their rifles and started shooting aimlessly in the direction of the crack. More and more cracks occurred and rocks flying towards them and trees breaking all around them. The men fired every bullet they had as they ran back to the trapper shack.
Luckily back at the shack Del had bullets and built a sturdy cabin they knew they couldn’t get into. That night the horrors occurred again. All night the attacks came and went. At first light the men charged out of the cabin and saw four very very large creatures. They stood upright and on two legs. All four held spears made of wood probably 9ft long and they stood above them by a few more feet. They quickly blended into the back drop of the forest and with one last loud ape like call they were gone!
Del’s father and grandfather packed their horses and rode off. They were convinced whatever these creatures were they had killed Del, Massy and the mule. They rode all day and into the night until they reached the end of their trap line. There they could rest in trapper shack-built years earlier. That night they slept peacefully and heard nothing. They heard and saw nothing, although they were diligent in their search all the way back to the homestead.
Little did the men know they were followed. Back at Del’s trapper shack before the men left the largest of the creatures named Sesqua sent two of his best scouts after them with instruction to not be seen, heard and find out where the men were going. Anisau and Almus followed closely, ever silent and cautious. They had been taught about leaving tracks or making noise. Although both these creatures were over ten feet tall, they could move silently and were so sure footed they could leap and bound to not make noises. Sesqua and Albatwitche had taught the younglings how to step. Where to step and how to use Pine frows to cover their tracks. Albatwitche was an elder female and the patriarch of the clan. Known as Alba she was cautious, calculated, intelligent and mindful of humans. She learned from her mother how the clan must move and never be seen. Humans brought death, disease and torture to her kind. She taught the young the secrets of the knocking of trees, how to break them to find their way. Where and the direction of breaks should go, so others knew which way was safe or where water or food could be found.
Sesqua and Alba waited patiently for the return of the young scouts. Alba knew it was time to make plans to head further north. She knew it was time to cover tracks. Leave the grass land and river they had called home since she was a girl. She sent Sesqua to meet the young scouts at the end of the trap line while she would make her provisions for the younger and older members of her clan.
Anisau and Almus watched the home stead silently and every night approached leaving not a mark on the ground to investigate. 3 days they stayed out of sight and watched. On the 3rd day Del’s father and grandfather had a hunting party gathered of twenty men. The two young scouts took off through the forest like a breeze on a warm summer night. They moved silently and so quickly they returned to meet Sesqua 15 minutes after seeing the murder of humans. They traveled through thick brush, swamps and rock masses in 15 minutes. They ran a 15km trap line in 15 minutes. All the while not making a sound or leaving a track.
On arriving to meet Sesqua they explained the tribe of men coming. They showed they’re fingers and toes to indicate the number to Sesqua. The 3 returned to Alba and she made the only decision she could make. A decision that would change their clan’s world forever. They left the grassland, the river.
As the men arrived at the end of the trap line they did just as Del had done; they followed the game trail. One that led them threw wet lands, steep inclined rock masses and open grass lands where moose, elk and brown bears fed. They found Del’s trapper shack. They all slept peacefully that night. The following morning Del’s grandfather needed to go investigate that special broken Pine. As he cleared the rocks away, he found a skeleton. Still in it’s sheathe in the belt of the deceased. Was his old bow knife……..
To be continued……..
