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These three ‘courer des bois’, also know as traveling traders or runners of the wood, roused the camp. This morning wasn’t like most, however. The maple leaves were frozen under a sleeve of white snow, marred only by the dark ashes left by the night fires. When Joseph left his stick-and-blanket sleeping shelter and all of it’s warmth, he embraced the bite of the winter air. A few minutes later, everybody was out, crouching around the fire and the iron pan and kettle heating up above it. A bitter cup of coffee later and some burnt bear jerky, the three traders and their other companions were hiking through the land, massive snowshoes attached to their feet.
Martin was chewing on a piece of birch-bark, as he always did. Once Joseph had tried, and found a bug in his mouth. Ever since then, he refused to chew on the white tree’s skin, always thinking that he’ll find another bug.
Four hours into their westward trek from Baie-Comeau to New France, they found came across a frozen river. Along its bank, a cold and dead shipwreck lay. It had happened during the Autumn storms and now in the white season, icy fingers from the river held it in place. Joseph stopped and the rest of the group followed suit. After a short discussion as to what they should do, a couple of the less cautious variety clambered aboard the frozen ship’s skeleton.
A minute later, a bag of frozen jerky and some arquebuses were thrown down. Then, a shiny disk-like object was hurled off the ship. Joseph caught it, and flipping it open, he found an ornate compass. The northbound needle twitched as he balanced it out on his palm. He closed the little lid attached to the disk and flipped it to it’s underside. The coordinates of cities and military posts were etched along the bottom. A voice behind him piped up and said:
“I’ll give you my canoe for that.” Joesph turned and pocketed the little silver disk.
“Tell me. Why would I want to go on the water?” Then he turned and the group recommenced their trek.
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That evening was when Joesph’s revelation came on him. He was in his blankets, trying to get warm. Then, after a couple futile attempts to get comfortable, he took out the compass. Finger smudges ruined the polished disks wonder, so Joesph wiped it against his sleeve. “There,” he said. “That’s much better.”
Then a voice inside his head said ‘Thank you.’. Joseph didn’t look startled. He often heard imaginary voices.
“So. A compass. A sailor’s compass, right?”
‘Yes.’ Answered the voice.
“How was it, living on the ocean?” Then a spasm shook him, the same way ti might if an arachnophobe thought of spiders.
‘You don’t like the water?’
“When I was seven, my brother pushed me in a river. I couldn’t get out of and I washed up on the shore, several miles away. Never again did I take comfort in water.”
‘Water may take. But it can also give. Without water, no sweet maple. How would deer drink or leaves grow?’
“As long as you keep me from the water, I’m fine.”
‘I could do that. The way I see it, you took me from the boat. That means I take you from the water.’
“Deal?”
‘Deal.’
And so the conversation went, until sleep claimed Joseph.
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Chapter 2: Northward’s Communication Loading...
That evening was when Joesph’s revelation came on him. He was in his blankets, trying to get warm. Then, after a couple futile attempts to get comfortable, he took out the compass. Finger smudges ruined the polished disks wonder, so Joesph wiped it against his sleeve. “There,” he said. “That’s much better.”
Then a voice inside his head said ‘Thank you.’. Joseph didn’t look startled. He often heard imaginary voices.
“So. A compass. A sailor’s compass, right?”
‘Yes.’ Answered the voice.
“How was it, living on the ocean?” Then a spasm shook him, the same way ti might if an arachnophobe thought of spiders.
‘You don’t like the water?’
“When I was seven, my brother pushed me in a river. I couldn’t get out of and I washed up on the shore, several miles away. Never again did I take comfort in water.”
‘Water may take. But it can also give. Without water, no sweet maple. How would deer drink or leaves grow?’
“As long as you keep me from the water, I’m fine.”
‘I could do that. The way I see it, you took me from the boat. That means I take you from the water.’
“Deal?”
‘Deal.’
And so the conversation went, until sleep claimed Joseph.