C Ihe Ladies c cu. V'VVAN - History and Classics, Department of

142 THE LADIES, THE GWICH'IN, AND THE RATThe guides put as much meat as possible into their own packs and then insistedthat we should take a lump of meat with us in the canoe. At Shingle Rock. only I5miles distant. our guides would leave us and we should negotiate a more or lessclear course ahead as far as the settlement of Old Crow. We could only hope thatOld Crow would not turn out to be a second La Pierre House. "a dumpingground for the old boots of Jackson Brothers," as Gwen described thathonourable trading depot. in tones of contempt. Lazarus. like everyone else,assured us that Old Crow had a settled population of Indians and that we wouldcertainly be able to obtain a guide there who would take us through the rapids andthe Ramparts down to Fort Yukon.We landed on a spit full of boulders just below Shingle Rock for a farewelldinner. Again we feasted on bear. Then we paid our guides $2IO each. at the rateof $I4 per day. reckoning ten days pushing up the Rat and nve days walking backto Fort McPherson.If ever two men had earned their wage by faithfulness and labour. those twowere Lazarus andJimmy. but we still felt that we owed a grudge to Stefansson forhaving set the natives' standard wage so high. Three pounds a day meant no moreto the Indians than one pound a day; the three pounds would bring them nomore luxury. no more happiness. The only luxury they craved for was fresh meat.and always more fresh meat. From this point of view. we felt glad that our lastevening had been celebrated beside the reeking carcase of the grizzly. Lazarus wasa nne fellow; he had never failed us in any particular. being gifted with musclesof iron. a cool head and a sure judgment. By comparison. Jimmy was a paleshadow. but where Lazarus led he would always follow, and it was with real regretthat we said good-bye to these two faithful companions.We were absolutely alone now in this wilderness. If we wanted help. therewould be none forthcoming except from our own resourcefulness. Ifwe met withan accident. no one would be any the wiser. Ifwe should encounter rapids. snagsor swift water. we should have to call on our own reserves of initiative and skill. Ido not think that all these things were clearly in our minds as our guides walkedaway. but we did feel. as we looked about us, a queer depth and breadth of solitudethat we had never known before. However, instead of dwelling on unknowndifficulties ahead, we decided to look upon our solitude as complete freedomand to celebrate this freedom we undressed completely. stepped into the water.each with a cake of soap. and washed thoroughly from head to toe. While we weresoaping ourselves in such a fervour of cleanliness as we had never known before.