Three young warriors with little experience of mountain life decided to go hunting for the big elusive mountain goats, a prize any hunter would like to bag!
Two tender-foots who had little knowledge of our mighty life threatening mountains and a young warrior who remembered some of the tricks to walk in the footprints of these surefooted creatures.
The semi-knowledgeable man was not taken seriously, in his quest to keep all in the party safe! When he would mention safety tasks the two witty partners snickered but did what they were told. After all what was there to lose, just their lives.
The three had left they’re camp which was down in a gully and far below the mountains tops where the goats make they’re homes and feed. The day was clear and warm with no sight of danger making the mood light and a little carefree, not a good sign when everything you did could be your last. The five hour summit was easily reached and the goats were not found.
At this point a dense fog engulfed the trio, it seemed to come from nowhere. They were blinded and could not see, even the perky ledges they had just walked up. They were at a stand still. It was at this point that the main warrior took charge, he had remembered a old wizards trick to get them out of their predicament. He said I will take the lead you two will walk behind me and throw pebbles in front of me when I say so. The two misbelievers did what they were told. There was not only a dense fog it now became dark with night and a lightening storm had begun. The three were deathly afraid, was this the way they were to breathe their last breath?
Slowly they would walk ahead using the time consuming method of moving down the mountain by walking down ward throwing stones, listening to the sound result of the stones hitting the barely walk able incline. When they would hear the stones land on the ledge ahead of them they would move to that spot. The lightening also helped them see the small path but the lightening light was a split second glance and only came periodically. They moved downward.
At a single point one of the followers had thrown a stone and no sound came back to them, they stopped in their tracks and waited for the lightening to see where they had come to? The lightening came and there they were, on a small out cropping staring down at a sure death. That next step would have been their last!.
The leader pondered the situation and said, “Just wait, wait for the lightening again”, when it hit he could see the faint out line of their tarp, at the camp, off to the left of them, safety!
They made it to the camp but all was not over, this camp was but a small ridge, and if they fell asleep and rolled they would roll over a huge crevasse. The leader told them they had to find a mountain tree and tie themselves to the tree before going sleep! Again the doubting-pair smiled but did what they were told. They could only find two small tree’s so the leaders asked if he could be tied to either of the two and they refused. Laughing they both said I’m not letting you tie yourself to me. So the leader did what he could to make himself safe. The tired trio fell quickly to sleep.They woke up in the morning both young men were hanging from the small trees and the leader had rolled some sixty feet below them, during the night, but was safe. They went home that morning safe with no goats, with the leader saying, “next time we go for goats, I will tie myself to a tree first, then tell you what you have to do, to have a safe sleep!” from my friend Barry Bush a Gitxsan warrior (the teams leader) ! RESebastian LOL bobeng25@yahoo.ca
Two tender-foots who had little knowledge of our mighty life threatening mountains and a young warrior who remembered some of the tricks to walk in the footprints of these surefooted creatures.
The semi-knowledgeable man was not taken seriously, in his quest to keep all in the party safe! When he would mention safety tasks the two witty partners snickered but did what they were told. After all what was there to lose, just their lives.
The three had left they’re camp which was down in a gully and far below the mountains tops where the goats make they’re homes and feed. The day was clear and warm with no sight of danger making the mood light and a little carefree, not a good sign when everything you did could be your last. The five hour summit was easily reached and the goats were not found.
At this point a dense fog engulfed the trio, it seemed to come from nowhere. They were blinded and could not see, even the perky ledges they had just walked up. They were at a stand still. It was at this point that the main warrior took charge, he had remembered a old wizards trick to get them out of their predicament. He said I will take the lead you two will walk behind me and throw pebbles in front of me when I say so. The two misbelievers did what they were told. There was not only a dense fog it now became dark with night and a lightening storm had begun. The three were deathly afraid, was this the way they were to breathe their last breath?
Slowly they would walk ahead using the time consuming method of moving down the mountain by walking down ward throwing stones, listening to the sound result of the stones hitting the barely walk able incline. When they would hear the stones land on the ledge ahead of them they would move to that spot. The lightening also helped them see the small path but the lightening light was a split second glance and only came periodically. They moved downward.
At a single point one of the followers had thrown a stone and no sound came back to them, they stopped in their tracks and waited for the lightening to see where they had come to? The lightening came and there they were, on a small out cropping staring down at a sure death. That next step would have been their last!.
The leader pondered the situation and said, “Just wait, wait for the lightening again”, when it hit he could see the faint out line of their tarp, at the camp, off to the left of them, safety!
They made it to the camp but all was not over, this camp was but a small ridge, and if they fell asleep and rolled they would roll over a huge crevasse. The leader told them they had to find a mountain tree and tie themselves to the tree before going sleep! Again the doubting-pair smiled but did what they were told. They could only find two small tree’s so the leaders asked if he could be tied to either of the two and they refused. Laughing they both said I’m not letting you tie yourself to me. So the leader did what he could to make himself safe. The tired trio fell quickly to sleep.They woke up in the morning both young men were hanging from the small trees and the leader had rolled some sixty feet below them, during the night, but was safe. They went home that morning safe with no goats, with the leader saying, “next time we go for goats, I will tie myself to a tree first, then tell you what you have to do, to have a safe sleep!” from my friend Barry Bush a Gitxsan warrior (the teams leader) ! RESebastian LOL bobeng25@yahoo.ca
