Northwest Passage Page #3

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to start with,

just a pleasure boat

ride on the lake.

You can come along

as mapmaker

in boat number one

with me.

How about it?

Good. We'll endeavor

to teach you things

that harvard college

overlooked.

Your orders, major.

I presume

you've planned

your movement.

We go up the lake

far as we can

with the boats.

The enemy will be

watching the lake,

but we'll row by night

and hide by day.

When we leave the boats,

we'll take our chances.

If we move fast

we can do whas

got to be done.

Sir william johnson

thinks you ought

to wait until spring.

General amherst, they

expect me next spring.

Thas why i want

to move now.

As his majesty's

superintendent

of indian affairs,

i speak

with some authority.

In my opinion,

you haven't a chance now.

General amherst,

speaking for my men

and for myself,

those red hellions

up there

have come down and hacked

and murdered us,

burned our homes,

stolen women,

brained babies,

scalped stragglers,

and roasted officers

over slow fires

for five years.

If you were

in our place,

what would you do?

By jove, i'd go

after them.

Thank you, sir.

Well, then,

inspection.

I've made it appear

the usual thing

in case enemy spies

are watching the fort.

Prepare

for inspection!

Present your firearms!

Your scouts seem

anxious enough

to hit the trail.

Where did these mohawks

come from, sir?

Sir william's

offered them as scouts.

Are they scouting for me

or for sir william?

Do you imply

my mohawks

aren't loyal?

They're loyal to you,

and you and i

have never agreed

upon the best way

to deal with indians.

Is crown policy.

Take them along.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Ritchie, my compliments

to the command.

Dismissed.

Dismiss the battalion.

Colors,

right wheel!

Shoulder

your firearms!

To the right,

face!

Forward harch!

Number three company,

to the left, face!

My compliments

to your men, major.

Dismissed.

I shall be sorry

to lose them.

We'll be back

in october.

When do you start?

When the last glow

of the sun

has left

the western sky.

Rangers.

Number six boat.

Number four boat.

Number six.

Number seven.

Number seven.

Come on,

number seven.

Where we going?

Think the major tells

before starting out?

He ain't a fool.

We're in

number one boat.

There it is.

Get in.

Take your places, men.

Number 13

filled and ready.

Number 16

filled and ready.

Number 14

filled and ready.

Number 12

filled and ready.

Number 10

filled and ready.

Number one

filled and ready.

Anybody dead

in number 17?

Maybe they

aren't going.

Number 17

filled and ready.

All right.

Send them off.

Push off, men.

Up oars, men.

Buttonmould bay.

Turn in here.

Captain, you'll

post sentries

on the ridge.

Four to watch

and two to sleep

by turn.

No fires, no cooking,

no smoking.

Have the men

get some sleep.

We won't move

till dark.

Does anyone know

where we're going?

Hard to say, son.

Suogataw.

Where's that?

Is as good a name

for nowheres as any.

Webster got a letter

yesterday.

His wife died.

He's not feeling

very good.

Oh, thas too bad.

Yes, i suppose a man

does get attached

to a woman

after he's lived with her

a few years.

Where'd you come from?

Portsmouth.

Is funny i never

seen you before.

I was born

in portsmouth.

I been away

to harvard college.

Harvard?

No wonder

you don't

sound right.

How'd you

come to join

the rangers?

Wiseman clagett.

Who?

That skunk clagett,

you know him?

He tried to put me

in jail.

Then when you go home,

some of us better

go with you.

If clagett says anything,

we'll take his jail

to pieces,

just to give him

the idea.

Yeah.

You say when.

These fellas aren't

so bad, after all.

Towne. Major wants you.

Got buzzards bay there?

We'll make it tonight.

That isn't

very far, sir.

Better to take your time

going 10 miles

and make it

than it is

trying to go 30

is such a hurry

that you don't.

These frenchmen pop out

of the water like frogs.

Want to paint

some indians?

I don't see

any indians, major.

Then you'd better

keep looking.

If they see you first,

you'll lay where

they leave you.

We don't stop

for funerals.

Just what did they

teach you at harvard

about

a northwest passage?

Why, how

the early explorers

looked for

a shortcut by water

through america

to japan,

but they all failed.

Of course. There

is no shortcut.

The only true route

to the western ocean

will be found by men

who break trails

and fight indians.

Thas my aim when

all this is over.

There.

Now you can see

what the enemy

looks like.

Are those frenchmen?

They look like

toy soldiers.

They see our boats,

you'll find out

different.

Get down, men.

Keep your fingers

on your triggers.

Don't fire unless

they see us.

Ah-ah-ah...

[muffled sneeze]

Better get some sleep.

Yes, sir.

Don't you

ever sleep?

Uh-huh, sometimes.

On your feet.

Come on, men.

Come on.

We're moving out.

Muffle your oars

and oarlocks.

Come on, towne,

get up.

On your feet.

Muffle oars

and oarlocks.

Muffle that oar

tight, jesse,

so the leather

doesn't slip.

Can't have

any squeaks

tonight.

We're slipping

by the french,

eh, major?

They're camped

ahead somewheres.

The lake's as narrow

as the neck

of a gin bottle.

We've got to sneak by

without the rattle

of a button.

We mustn't even

hear ourselves breathe.

Put some grease

on that leather.

Yes, major.

Wrap wool around that.

Leather against leather

squeaks.

We can

breathe easy now.

We're safe.

Safe?

Yeah.

Like rats in a trap.

On your feet, men.

On your feet, men.

Come on.

We're moving out.

Come on.

Wake up, men.

On your feet, men.

We're moving, men.

On your feet.

Come on.

Get up.

Uncover your boat.

[Speaking mohawk]

He say mohawk

saw no frenchmen

ahead on lake.

Way is clear

for you.

[Speaking mohawk]

Put them

in the boat.

I don't know.

There were frenchmen

in that camp

we passed last night.

There must be more frenchmen

ahead of us.

Perhaps our friends

just went out to

take a good sleep.

Thas just what

i was thinking.

Well, we'll know

before morning.

All right, men.

Push off.

Push off.

Les get moving.

[Bell rings]

[Ding ding]

[Ding ding]

[Ding ding]

French gunboats

at the mouth

of the river.

We can move

around them tonight.

No, the lake's too narrow.

We'll have to

get around them

some other way.

Turn in here.

Men, some french sloops

are anchored ahead

just beyond the point.

Now, with their lookouts,

we won't get by unnoticed.

We can wipe them out.

Give us a chance.

No, no.

Somebody would be sure

to get away

and announce our coming.

Now, uh...

the only thing to do

is to go where they can't.

Men, if you found yourselves

stopped by the dirty enemy

and you had to

get around him

and you were going to need

your boats again bad,

what would you do?

Major, i'd take

the boats with me

over that hill.

Webster, so would i.

And with as little noise

as possible.

Uhh!

Arggh!

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