August 19, 2025 • 33 mins
In 1905, Mina Benson Hubbard embarked on a remarkable 576-mile canoe expedition through the uncharted wilderness of Labrador, guided by four skilled companions. This journey was not only a personal quest but also a tribute to her late husband, Leonidas Hubbard, who tragically lost his life while attempting the same route in 1903 as a writer for an outdoor magazine. Mrs. Hubbard became the first to accurately document the river paths of her expedition, and her story is complemented by her husbands diary detailing his ill-fated adventure, along with George Elsons gripping account of survival and the recovery of Mr. Hubbards remains. A map created by Mrs. Hubbard during her travels is also featured on this page—narrated by Zach Hoyt.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Section twenty of A Woman's Way through Unknown Labrador by
Mina Benson Hubbard. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.
Narrative by George Elson, Part one, Last Days Together, Friday,
October ninth. We got up good and early, only tea
we had expecting when we got to our rapid to
have something to eat. After going about two miles, we
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came to our old camp where we camped on our
way up. For we had a goose that mister Hubbard
had killed. I also had killed one. We went ashore
to see if we could find some of the old bones.
We gathered all we could find and ate them all.
Mister Hubbard said, I often have seen dogs eating bones.
Thought it was pretty hard lines for them, but it
must be only fun for them. Before coming to our rapid,
the rapid we had always talked about where we thought
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we could get lots of fish. I told mister Hubbard
and Wallace my dream I had that night. It did
not seem like a dream, but more like some one
talking to me. When traveling this summer, when we began
to be out of grub, if we dreamt of having
a good meal at some restaurant, we often told it
to each other next morning. This morning, my dream was
a man came to me and told me, you will
get to the rapid to day, and I cannot spare
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you more than two or three meals of fish, And
do not waste much time there. Go right on and
don't leave the river, but follow the river on. It
is the only way you can save your lives. Follow
the river down. We got to the rapid about noon,
all fielding very very weak. I started a fire. By
the time I got some wood and had my fire started,
they had already enough fish for a pretty fair meal.
And of course you can imagine how glad we were
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and did not delay much time, but got our fish
for lunch. It was nice to have something to eat again.
We were pretty sure of getting lots more. After lunch,
mister Hubbard and Wallace fished. It was good signs of
cariboo round there. I took the rifle and tracked up
the cariboo, but I saw nothing. It was late when
I got back the boys were still fishing. They had
caught about sixty more little trout. We felt as if
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we could eat all those fish in one meal, but
seeing they were so scarce, we had to try and
save some for the next day, Saturday, October tenth. We
fished all before noon and did not get any at all,
so we had to start off from there, seeing it
was no use trying to fish any more. We came
to some more rapids in the afternoon. Wallace and I
ran some with empty canoe and then went back for
our dunnage while mister Hubbard would fish. It got very
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cold in the afternoon. Mister Hubbard caught about twenty little
trout looking forward. We hoped next day to get to
our old camp, Camp Cariboo, where we killed our caribou
August twelfth. We thought that maybe we will find some
of the old bones so as to make some broth,
thinking it would help us some. We camped just near
the river where we could get lots of wood and
have a good camp fire. So we could sit beside
the camp fire and have a good talk about home.
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Mister Hubbard tells me he will get a room for
me in New York. He again that night asked me
to stay with him a couple of months in Congress
before I go home to missus Abbey, and also to
pay him a visit real often, and also that he
would never go out to do any traveling without me.
He said, I am sure Missushubbard will not be able
to do enough for you, especially when she knows how
good you have been to me. I would like to
have you come with me to Michigan. I am sure
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my sister would like to have you tell them the
story about our trip. Sunday, October eleventh, had four small
trout for lunch, only a little larger than a sardine.
Late in the evening we came to our old camp
where we had the cariboo. Most of the bones were
carried off by some animals. Picked up all we could
find and made some broth, and very very strong broth too,
which I supposed no one could hardly believe that any
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human being could eat. The bones were full of maggots,
and when it boiled for some time, the maggots would
boil out. It just looked as if it had been
little rice in it. We drunk it up, maggots and all.
It was pretty high, but found it good. Nothing was
too bad for us to eat. Monday, October twelfth, fine day.
In the morning we had bone broth again at tea.
We started off again, carrying all the bones we could
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find in our pail, also taking the cariboo horns with us.
At noon we had broth and piece of the hide
we got off from the cariboo horns. In the evening
we came to a rapid Hubert and I nearly swamped
the canoe, and part of the rapid was too rough
to run. It was only just a short left over
about one hundred feet. The three of us took the canoe.
Before getting over, we dropped it. We were getting so
weak that it took the three of us to carry
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the canoe, and yet we couldn't even that distance. We
looked at each other, but none complained of his weakness.
We found we could not go any farther without something
to eat. We ate one of mister Hubbard's old moccasins
made out of caribou skin that he made himself. We
boiled it in the frying pan till I got kind
of soft, and we shared in three parts. Each had
his share and found it good, and also drank up
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the water where it was boiled in. At night we
had some tea and it freshened us up. Some Tuesday,
October thirteenth, wind raw and cold, we came to a
little fall we had to carry over quite short, about
forty feet portage, but our canoe we hadn't the strength
to carry. We had to drag it over the rocks.
I shot a whiskey jack and we had it along
with our bone, broth and tea. Not knowing what our
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next meal would be, or whether we will ever have
the pleasure of enjoying another meal. It looked very much
like starvation. My back was aching quite a bit that day,
a touch of lumbago. It made things worse for me.
I thought it would be impossible for me to try
and go any farther, so I told mister Hubbard that
if I did not feel any better in the morning,
they could go on and try to make their way
out and leave me behind, because I did not want
to delay them in the least for all I was
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sure they would never make their way out, but I
thought they might try anyway. Mister Hubbard was very very
sorry about it, but he said he hoped i'd be
better in the morning. Wednesday, October fourteenth, boys were up
before me and had a fire on. It was some
time before I could get up, but I was feeling
better than I did the night before before noon I
shot a duck with the rifle. We were very happy boys.
At noon we came to the place where we had
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planned some time ago to leave the canoe and cross
over to the Nascopi. Again. We had our nice duck
for lunch and enjoyed it very much. Mister Hubbard then
asked me if I could find the flower we had
thrown away some time in July along with the escapi. Yes,
I said, if no animal has carried it away, it
is over twenty miles from here. Then he said, I
think we'd better leave the canoe and ruch over to
the Nascopi. And the reason why I did not try
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and persuade him more than I did for us not
to leave the big river was we thought perhaps there
would be lots of places where we could not run
our canoe and some wild rapids, and would have to
carry our canoe. I knew the last two days how
we were when trying to carry our canoe. And we
also thought that if we were traveling through the bush,
we would surely come across some partridges and to help
us to the flower, and the flower would help us
to the lard. About three pounds and some milk and coffee,
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three miles from Grand Lake. Also, as we only know
the river above there, of course, we did not know
where the river ran to the boys thought it ran
out to Goose Bay, as Lowe's map showed only the
one river running into Grand Lake. Also at Rigolette, trying
to find out all we could, and at Northwest River too,
nobody ever said about any river but the Naskapi. Still,
I said it might run out into Grand Lake. So
the canoe, one axe, the sextant box, and the rest
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of the caribou horns we left. But the bones we
carried with us in our pail, which we boiled over
and over to make broth the bones. Since we had them,
we would scorch in the fire at night and chew
away at them. Was pretty hard chewing. I told the
boys when we decided to leave the canoe that we
had better leave everything we have so we would make
better time. But we didn't want to waste any time
after our nice duck, but go right on while we
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have yet some strength from it, so we didn't wait
to overhaul our stuff. We traveled two miles from the
Big River. That afternoon we found our packs too heavy
to carry, and decided to lighten up in the morning.
That evening. Mister Hubbard said, Missus Hubbard, this evening will
be now at dinner, and after her meal will finish
with a lot more on the table. Oh, if she
could only hand me a piece of bread. Thursday morning,
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October fifteenth, we threw away lots of duneage, also some
films and one rifle. Mister Hubbard was very sorry to
leave his flask. He had often spoken of it being
a present from Missus Hubbard. I shot three partridges after
noon with the pistol. We were so glad. Mister Hubbard
was more than glad. He came and shook hands with me.
We were trying to reach our old camping place on
our way up Goose Camp, we called it, but we
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were all feeling so very weak, especially mister Hubbard. At
last he could not go any farther. I told him
it was about forty yards to where our old camp was,
So we made him leave his load and he followed us.
I with the greatest hurry, started a fire and made
him a cup of tea. Be as usual, sat up
near our fire for some time, trying to encourage each
other about what good things we would have. After we
got to New York Friday, October sixteenth. For breakfast, we
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ate one partridge, leaving the other for lunch. Threw more
things away, one blanket and more films, and at noon
more things left behind. I had a good suit of
underwear with me, saving it till cold weather. But that
day at noon I left everything but longing to me,
I was too weak to take off the bed and
put on the good also left some films and came
to the Nascopi that day. Just before noon, we came
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to a place where mister Herbert had caught some fish
when we were going up, and we thought that perhaps
we could get some fish there again. But the little
stream was nearly dry. We sat down and had to
rest a little lake about four hundred yards from us.
On our way, this little stream ran into the lake.
Just near the lake, I saw a cariboo coming along,
following this little river to where we were. I told
the boys, there's a cariboo coming along. We all fell
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flat on the ground, but he was on the lee
side of us, and soon found out we were there.
He stood behind some little trees and had his head
up looking towards where we were, and all of a
sudden he was gone. We didn't have the chance to
fire a swamp I knew of. I made for that swamp,
thinking I would cut across him. I tried to run,
yet I was so very very weak. Oh how hard
I tried to run. But when I got out there,
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he was across on the other side. I was away
for some time, yet when I came to the boys,
they were still laying the same way, and their faces
to the ground, and did not move till I spoke
to them. We were more than sorry about the cariboo,
and each one said what he would do and how
much he could eat if we killed that cariboo, and
that we would stay right there for a few days
till we got a little stronger. Though I was feeling
so very weak myself when we would have nothing else
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but tea, as we often had just tea, nothing else.
When I would hand the boys a cup of tea each,
I would ask them to pass it back, as I
would pretend I'd forgotten to put any sugar in. They
would pretend they didn't care for sugar and refused to
have some. Then I would ask them that they would
have some bread or some pie. Mister Hubbard would say pie.
What is pie? What do they use it for? Did
they eat it? This? I did often to encourage them
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and myself that we might forget the danger ahead, But
it was something impossible to forget, as the hunger and
weakness pained us, and I thought we would not be
able to go many more days if we don't succeed
in killing anything. That evening, we hadn't the strength of
chopping our wood, just gathered the small dry pieces we
found near our camp. We also put up our camp
in an easy way. We thought three little poles were
required to keep up our tent. They were quite hindy,
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but it took me some time before I could cut
them down. That day, at noon, when I left my
dunnage bag with lots of films in it, hung the
bag on a short stump. Mister Hubbard told me, if
we get out safe to Northwest River, I think you
or I might stay there this winter and try and
get some of the things we are leaving, especially the films.
If we could get out in time with the last
trip of the Virginia Lake Wallace and you could go home,
or if you would stay Wallace and I could go home.
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I told him I would be very much in a
hurry to go home, and wouldn't wish to stay out
here for the winter, but if you wish and rather
have me stay, I will stay for the winter or
try to get the things out for you. He was
so glad about it, and said it will be better,
of course if you would stay, as you could make
a better guess for the things than I would. Saturday,
October seventeenth, we followed the river and without anything to
eat all day, only tea we had. Sometimes we would
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be completely done out. Then we would make some tea
and help us and start on again. This be kept
on doing all day. That evening we came to the
junction of the river where it brunches off. About half
an hour before we came to the branch, we had
to fire as mister Hubbard was feeling cold and chilly
all day. Just at the forks, we found a few
red berries, and to see if I could find some more,
I just went about twenty yards from them. When I
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found Nod and returned to see them. Mister Hubbard was
lying down on the damp rocks and moss. He looked
so pitiful, and Wallace sitting near him. I told him
not to lie on the damp moss and asked him
if i'd better make him a cup of tea. Yes,
he said, I think if I had a cup of
hot tea, I'd feel better and then go on again.
He could hardly speak. I knew he was very weak.
I asked him if he could get to where we
camped before going up, where it was nice and dry,
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about twenty yards. He said he would try. I took
his into my pack and he followed us. He could
just barely walk. We made him a place near the
fire and give him a cup of hot tea, and
made him a cup of pemeal. We put the camp
up the best way we could, and gathered enough wood
to last all night. The flower we were coming for
was yet ten miles away, and the advance in covering
so many miles each day became less and less each day.
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So after we had some tea and bone broth, I thought,
seeing it was no use trying to keep it to
ourselves any longer, the danger before us, I would tell
them what was in my mind, not about restaurant, this
time before it was too late, Seeing that death was
just near, which any one else, if in our place,
would expect nothing else but death. They were quite satisfiach
did the same. Mister Hubbard talked about Missus Hubbard, and
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his father and mother, and his brother and sister, but
most about Missus Hubbard. Wallace talked of his sisters, and
I did the same, especially my youngest brother, as my
father and mother died some years ago when he was
left under my care. It was quite a different talk
beside the other night's talk, as man never let a
night pass without being talking about good restaurants and what
we would do when we got home. About ten miles
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from there, the flower was we were looking forward to.
So I told mister Hubbard to see what he would
think if he couldn't really have the strength of going
any farther, that Wallace and I would try and go
and find the flower, and if we found it, one
would return and bring some of the flower to him,
and the other would try and make his way out
Northwest River, as it is nearly eighty miles to Northwest
River post, and maybe I might come across some trappers
and be able to help him. He at first said
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it was no use of trying as he knew how
weak we were, and that we would only be scattered abroad.
Should a relief party be set enough to look for us,
they will find us here in our camp. But if
you wish to try, all right, you are more than
trying to save me. I never came across a man
so brave as you are. Still I may feel better
in the morning, and I will not carry in thing.
Now I see that you were right when we left
the canoe. You wanted to leave everything and go out light.
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If you get to the flower, you must take most
of the flower, and Wallace will bring the rest. As
we will be staying in one place, we will not
require as much as you will, because if you failed
on the way, it will mean sure death to us too.
And if you happen to come on some trappers, just
send them with grub and don't come up yourself, as
you will be too weak. Or if you get to
Northwest River, mister McKenzie will find men to send and
you will stay there. If I should starve and you
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get out, mister mackenzie will help you when all you need,
and will keep you there this winter. By the first
boat you will go to New York and my diary.
Don't give to any one but to Missus Hubbard. Tell
her how things happened, and that I don't suffer now
as I did at first, only so very very weak,
and I think starvation is an easy death to die.
I wish you could only see my father and mother,
my sister, so as to tell them about our trip.
I wish I could tell them how good you were
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to me. But you must go to Missus Hubbard. I
am sorry, boys. It is my work the reason why
you are out here. If I did not come out here,
you would have been at your home and having all
that you need, and would not meet death so soon.
I told him not to be troubled by that. If
we didn't want to come, we would have stayed at home,
so don't put the blame on yourself. He also told
Wallace if he got out to write the story from
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Missus Hubbard, mister Hubbard was very sleepy, so we did
not set up so long as we have done before.
Mister Wallace read three chapters to us. Mister Hubbard chose
thirteenth chapter First Corinthians, not the seventeenth chapter Saint John's Gospel,
and mister Wallace fourteenth chapter Saint John. Mister Hubbard fell
asleep when mister Wallace was nearly through reading the second chapter,
that is the seventeenth chapter. Mister Hubbard slept good all night,
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had hardly ever moved till morning, when I wakened him
and gave him a cup of hot tea and some
bone broth. I also slept good all night and didn't
hardly wake up till just before daylight. Mister Wallace kept
on a fire all night and wrote a farewell letter
to his sister's Sunday morning, October eighteenth, I got up
and boiled those bones again, putting in just a little
of the pe meal on the broth, and also tea
we had for breakfast. We had yet a half pound
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of the pmal that we had carried for some time.
We were to start early, and seeing mister Hubbard still
weaker than he was last night and was not able
to go any farther, it was late when we started.
We were so sorry to part, and almost discouraged to
try and go any farther, but we thought we would
try our best anyway to help him. We were only
going to take a cup each and a little tea
pail no blanket found too weak to carry anything that
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mister Hubbard made us take a part of a blanket each.
We only had two pair blankets. My blanket I had
left behind a few days ago. So mister Hubbard told
mister Wallace, if you don't want to tear your blankets,
you can tear my blankets in half and each have
a piece. It will be only one and a half
pound each to carry. Then I can use your blankets
while you are away. Then we tore mister Hubbard's blankets,
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and Wallace and I each took a piece. Also, he
made us take the rest of the pemeal and a
little tea. We left him little tea and the bones
and piece of flour bag we found with little moldy
lumps of flour sticking to the bag, and the neighbor
of the other moccasin we had eaten. Mister Hubbard said,
after you go, I will do some writing and will
write a letter to missus Hubbard. Mister Hubbard took his
pistol off from his belt and gave me to take
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a long He also hinted me his knife and told
me to leave the crooked knife I had to him.
I didn't want to take his pistol. I was thinking
about a pistol too. I thought when Wallace and I parted,
I could ask him for his pistol. But mister Hubbard
told me, you must take the pistol. The rifle will
be here and I can use the rifle if I
have anything to shoot. You must take the pistol. So
I took the pistol, but the knife I did not take.
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Just before starting, mister Wallace says that he is going
to read a chapter. Before starting, mister Hubbard asked him
to read the thirteenth chapter, First Corinthians, and so he did.
It was time to start. Mister Wallace went to mister
Hubbard and said good bye. I'll try and come back soon.
Then I went to him and tried to be as
brave as Wallace. When I took his hand, he said, God,
bless you, George. He held my hand for some time.
I said, the Lord help us. Hubbard. With his help,
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I save you if I can get out. Then I
cried like a child. Hubbard said, if it was your father, George,
you couldn't try harder to save. Wallace came back to
Hubbard again and cried like a child, and kissed him,
and again I went to him and kissed him, and
he kissed me and said, the Lord help you, George.
He was then so weak that he could hardly speak.
We came away trying to get help. When we left
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mister Hubbard and easton raw wind was blowing, and soon
rain began, and heavy rain all way, and were soaked
to the skin and made poor time. We followed the
river as it ran out into Grand Lake. The least
thing we tripped on we would fall and it would
be some time before we could get up, or we
went too near a tree that a branch would catch
on us would pull us down and dark. We stopped
for the night. The trees were very small. We couldn't
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get any shelter at all, and hard to get wood
with no axe. We pulled together some half rotten lane trees.
Our fire wouldn't burn hardly and couldn't dry our things,
and had to set up all night with wet clothes
on near our fire, or rather near our smoke, as
the wood being too rotten that it wouldn't burn. About
two o'clock the wind turned westward, the rain ceased, but
it began to snow very hard. The night was long,
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and my mind, unhumbed all the time, could not forget him.
In the morning Monday, October nineteenth, the snow nearly up
to our knees. We started early. Our eyes were quite
dim with the smoke, and everything looked blue. It troubled
us all day. Before noon, I tracked up a partridge.
Oh how I wished to get him. I came to
the place where he had flown away and hunted for
him quite a while. At last he flew off. I
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was just near him, and yet did not see him
but four feet over my head, but I saw where
he perched. I didn't want to go to near him,
for he might fly away before I could shoot him.
I was so particular. I rested my pistol on a
tree to make a sure shot, and took a good aim,
but only scraped him, and he nearly fell to But
after all got off. I cannot tell how sorry I was.
And about noon we had to cross this river because
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the flower was on the opposite side. It was quite
a rapid, and I knew further down that we could
not get across. As I remembered from this rapid to
where the flower is, it was deep. So we went
into the cold. I see water up to our waists.
We got across and made a fire and had a
cup of tea. It was yet a long way from
the flower. We started off as soon as we could.
It cleared up in the afternoon and only drifting and
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freezing very hard. Was getting colder and colder towards evening.
Mister Wallace I knew was near his finish, but I
would not say or ask him about it. I thought
I would scare him, and he would scare me too
if he told me he could not go any further.
I was getting so very very weak myself. The sun
was getting low, and I could yet walk lots faster
than wall and had to stand and wait for him
very often. Though I could hardly walk myself. I thought
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this was my last day that I could walk. If
I don't come to the flower this evening, I fear
I will not be able to walk in the morning.
And if I get to where the flower is and
the mice or some animal has curt it off, it
will surely mean death. And besides, I wanted to know
very very much if the flower was there just near dusk.
Mister Wallace was so much behind the thought I would
tell him to follow my trail what he could come
along behind, and I would try and get to the
flower before dark. I stayed and waited till he came near.
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He asked me how far yet to the flower? About
two miles? I said, well, I think you'd better go
along and not wait for me any more. I will
try and follow your trail. You go lots faster than
I do. Go on while it is yet light, and
see if you can find the flower, because if you
cannot get there to night, maybe you will not be
able to go any further. Should we live to see morning?
I said, yes, that is just what I was going
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to tell you, the reason why I waited here for you.
I started off. I went about forty yards, came across
the partridge. I got my pistol and fired and killed him. Oh,
how glad I was. Mister Wallace came to me. He
was more than glad, and just ate part of him raw,
which freshened us up a great deal. Then he said,
you can go on again, and don't delay on me.
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I came on some Cariboo trail. It was then getting
dark and quite fresh, which run in all directions. I
stood in thought, when Wallace comes here, he will not
know my trail from the Cariboo trail. And if he
cannot come to me to night, if you follow the
Cariboo trail, it might lead him out of the whale together.
Then if it snows again tonight, I might not be
able to find him in the morning. So I stayed
till he came and told him why I waited for him.
He was glad and said, sure he would know my
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trail from the Cariboo, which would perhaps lead him out
of the way. So we sat down and ate some
more of the partridge raw. Mister Wallace says, I just
fancy that I never ate something so good in my life.
We could have camped right there where I called the partridge,
as we would have something for our supper. But what
I wanted to find out, too, was is the flower there?
I wonder if we did not get there, it would
be in my mind all the time. I wonder if
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the flower is there. It got dark and we still traveled.
Wallace would often ask me, how far is it from
here to the flower? How far is it to the flower?
At last I knew we were coming to it. We
had not a mark or never put it at some
particular place, But we have just thrown it away anyway.
We thought we would never come past there again. It
was late in the night when we came to the flower.
I was not very sure of it myself. I put
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down my little load. Wallace said, is this the place?
I said, yes, So I went to where I thought
we had left the flower. I dug down into the
snow and just came on it. It was, of course,
in one solid lump and black with mold. We got
our knife and broke it off in bits and ate
quite a bit. We were just about played out when
we came to the flower. If I hadn't killed the partridge,
we would never have got to the flower. We gathered
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some wood and made a fire, no trees at all,
so as to break the wind. All burned, the wind
sharp and a clear night. We gathered enough wood for
the night, and had the rest of the partridge, and
also some flower soup in a little tea pail, and
only wishing mister Hubbard was there to enjoy the meal too.
We thought and talked about mister Hubbard all the time,
although at the same time having poor hopes of him.
Mister Wallace nearly bloed and suffering with his eyes. I
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sat up all night and kept on a fire. I
was very uneasy about Wallace, and afraid he would not
be able to go back to mister Hubbard with the flower.
But in the morning he was better, and we did
some patching on our old moccasins. We had some flower
soup last night. I did not notice in the dark
the color of our soup till this morning, when we
had our breakfast about daylight. It was just black with
a moldy flower. But we found it very good. Nothing
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was too bad for us to eat. We were feeling
good and fresh in the morning and expecting to make
good time in traveling. I took my share of the flower,
about two pounds, and gave mister Wallace about six or
seven pounds stuck fast on the bag. He told me
to take more, but I would not take any more.
I said, I will trust in getting some game, as
I would get to the wood country. Soon before we parted,
I read the sixty seventh psalm. God, be merciful unto
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us and bless us, and cause his face to shine
upon us, that thy way may be known upon the earth,
Thy saving health among all nations. Let the people praise
THEE O God. Let all the people praise thee. Oh.
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy. For
Thou shalt judge the people righteously and govern the nations
upon earth. Let the people praise thee O God. Let
all the people praise THEE. Then shall the earth yield
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her increase and God, even our God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us, and all the ends of the
earth shall fear him. Then ever to thanksgiving prayer, Almighty God,
Father of all mercies, we, then, unworthy servants, do give
THEE most humble and hearty thanks for all Thy goodness
and loving kindness to us and to all men. We
bless THEE for our creation and preservation and all the
blessings of this life, but above all for Thine inestimable
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love and the redemption of the world by our Lord
Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, and for the
hope of glory. And we beseech THEE give us that
due sense of all Thy mercies, that our hearts may
be unfadedly thankful, and that we shew forth Thy praise,
not only with our lips, but in our lives by
giving up ourselves to Thy service, and by walking before
THEE in holiness and righteousness all our days through Jesus Christ,
our Lord, to whom, with thee of the Holy Ghost
(23:49):
be all honor and glory world without end amen. Then
I told him what to do for him, not to
leave the river, but to follow the river. I was
afraid he might some time leave the river, wouldn't be
able to find the river again and lose his way.
And if he gets to Hubbard, and Hubbard yet alive,
if he gets a little stronger by this flower, should
he wish to come on, do the same. Follow the
river near all the time, Because if I happened to
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get down safe, and if I am too weak to
come up myself, when I send up help, I shall
tell him which side of the river to follow, and
they will surely meet you. We found sorry to part,
not knowing if we would meet again, but we must
try and help Hubbard and do all we can for him.
Wallace starts off on our back trail. When I started
towards Grand Lake, we said good bye, and God be
with you till we meet again to each other. We
parted on a barren hill and could see each other
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for some time. We would walk just a few yards
and sing out to each other good bye. This be
kept on till out of sight in some distance apart.
It snowed very hard all day and couldn't hardly see
any distance. In the afternoon I killed the porcupine. How
I wished I could give some to the boys. Wednesday
twenty first had snowed heavy all night and made heavy
traveling without snowshoes and the snow above my knees. To
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day I saw a caribou and got a shot at
him with my pistol. In the evening I called a
lot a porcupine. I thought I shall be able to
get out to Grand Lee now if the snow don't
get too deep for me. Thursday twenty second snowing very
hard again and cold. I made a fire at noon
and tried to patch my shoe packs, but I couldn't
spare time. I walked with only my socks on in
the afternoon and made poor time as the country very
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rough and snow very deep. I tried to make a
straight road to make it short to Grand Lake. During
the day, though feeling very tired, I would like to
have a rest. If I stopped even for five minutes,
lots of things would come into my mind and have
to start on again. At night. It isn't so bad,
because I tried to make myself believe because it is night.
Therefore I cannot travel. Friday, twenty third, more snow again
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in the afternoon got mild, and being so much snow
on the trees, it began to drop. It was worse
than any rain, and the bush so thick to go through.
And at last it began to rain. I was soaked
to the skin, and the snow very deep. My hands
were always so cold. Without mits, and traveling in such
a rough country, and falling down often into the snow
and rocks, and cutting my hands on the rocks. I
at last cut part of the sleeves off my undershirt
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and with a string tied to one end, and slipped
them on my hands for mits. Several times that day
I had the notion of giving up, as I could
not get on at all in the deep snow. I
thought it was impossible to get through. Then again I
would try and make my way out. I came to
the place where we had left the coffee and milk
I found the coffee. The lid was off and the
can was full of ice. I took the ice out,
and underneath the ice the coffee was. I broke some
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off and made some coffee, but it did not hardly
taste like coffee at all. All the strength was out,
as it had been in water for a short time.
The milk I could not find. That evening ikilled four partridges.
The weather turned clear and cold, than I was wet
to the skin. It was late when I had to
stop for the night and did my best in trying
to dry my things the best way I could, and
hard to get wood, for I had no axe. Saturday
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twenty fourth, in the evening, I came to the place
where we had left the lard. I was very glad
to find it. It was about three pounds of lard
and a pail. I had some porcupine and a few partridges, yet,
as I would try and save some ahead for my
way out, and the bones of the porcupine I carried
with me, for I didn't throw the bones away, as
it will make good broth if I get out of
grub and don't get more game. I also had the
flour yet, because I was saving it when my porcupine
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was done, and the porcupine bones with little flower will
last me for a while. In the evenings, I would
talk to myself like as if someone with me, and
plan to start off again as soon as daylight, and
try to make so many miles just to cheer myself
after I left mister Wallace. When coming along after I
killed the porcupine and some partridges at night my fire,
I would have it in a long style and just
lie near the side of it. And whatever I had
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some porcupine or partridge in my little bundle, I would
put it for my pillow for fear some animal might
carry it away. My pistol I would keep it handy
and then talk to myself and say, if some wolves
should come along to night, they would make short work
of me, But I guess I might just as well
getkilled by them. Must to starve. But anyway, I would
just make that first fellow jump a little of my pistol.
My little pistol was only twenty two caliber. Every evening
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I always read a chapter, and every morning at just
break of daylight, and when I got a little stronger,
after getting some game, strong enough to raise my voice
I always sung a part of a hymn. In the evening.
I would read first, then sing, Lead kindly, light amid
the encircling gloom, Lead thou me on. The night is
dark and I am far from home. Lead thou me on,
keep thou my feet. I do not ask to see
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the distant scene. One step enough for me. And in
the morning, after I read, I would sing, come to
me Lord, when first I wake as the faint lights
of morning break, bid purest thoughts within me rise like
crystal dewdrops to the skies. Sunday twenty fifth was snowing again.
In the evening I killed four more partridges. Snow very
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deep and made poor time and high mountains to go over,
but I thought I will get out to Grand Lake
early in the morning. Monday twenty sixth I got out
to Grand Lake about ten o'clock and was very very
glad too get out again to the lake, but was
very much disappointed. In the afternoon, I came along the
south shore of the lake, and thinking I would make
good time from there now to Northwest River, and I
would only follow the shore of the lake to Northwest River,
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and besides no mountains to go over, I went about
two miles and came to a river which made me
feel very bad about it, and I did not know
how I could ever get across. I could not make
a raft without an axe. I thought I would try
anyway to make a raft. I could only get wood
to make a raft with. I followed the river up.
The banks were so high, the swift current run so
swift along the steep banks, and the river very deep.
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I could not drop a log in without it float
right away. And also came to another branch. This river
branch is off in too. I tried all afternoon to
cross at the main river, so I would have only
one river to cross, but I could not there, as
near the lake, I would have two rivers to cross
at the forks. I gave up and went down near
the lake again. The ice was floating down the river
a rapid near the lake. I thought it might not
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be very deep. Then, seeing that I could not do
any better, I thought I would wade out a piece
and the rest I would swim to the other shore.
I started out and up to my waist before I
got any distance out, and the floating ice coming against me,
and the cramps began to take on the legs that
I was obliged to turn and just got out to
shore in time. I stood for some time, thinking that
I would never be able to cross, and that I
would be sure to starve there. It got dusk and
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I started a fire. I was very very cold and
had something to eat. I was troubled very much, and
could not forget the river and the ice floating and
rumming against the shore made things worse. To hear that
sound all night, and thinking if I only had a canoe,
I could get to Northwest River tomorrow. It was get
forty miles to the post Northwest River Tuesday, twenty seventh.
As soon as daylight. I tried to wade to cross
again the same place, but things happened the same along
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the lake, lots of driftwood. I thought I'd better make
a raft if I could. It was blowing very heavy
from the west. I got my raft, made my tumb line.
I made two pieces to tie the four corners of
the raft, and my other belt. Made another piece, and
a piece of small salmon twine I had at the
other corner. I got a long pole so as to
be sure and touch bottom with it all the way
across as I was afraid the swift current would take
(30:34):
me out into the lake and the heavy sea would
swamp me. My raft was too small, and when I
got on and I sunk down quite a bit. I
shoved out and came to the strong current, and the
tide and the ice overcame me and took me out
to the lake. When the current took me out into
the lake, then the wind cut me and carried me.
It got so deep I could not find a bottom
with my pole. I had a mind to jump from
the raft, but I knew if I did, I would
(30:54):
surely get dround. So I thought I might just as
well try to stay on. My raft was breaking up.
Piece by piece would float away, so I got down
on my knees and tried to keep the pieces together,
and the sea would just cover me. For about two hours,
I stayed on the raft and sure it was my finish. Finally,
after a while, the wind drove me just near a point.
It was a long point, and I knew I could
(31:14):
touch a bottom with my pole. I took my pole
and just hardly got ashore. Grand Lake runs near the
east and west, is over forty miles long and from
one to four miles wide and very deep after sixty
fathom of water, and for the least wind makes a
very heavy sea. At this point where I got ashore,
I was more than glad, But the other branch yet
to cross. I came to the branch and folded it
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up quite a bit. This branch is much larger than
the first. It was very hard to get wood to
make a raft, no drift. I managed to shove some
half rotten stumps down. It took me some time to
get enough for my raft, and not a stitch dry
about me, just ringing wet, and would not make a
fire till I got across the other branch. I built
my raft on newly frozen ice just near the open stream,
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and then broke the ice around and with the long pole,
worked my way across. This raft was much larger than
the first, and out of the water where I stood. Oh,
but I was so proud of that raft, and talking
to myself all the time and telling myself what a
fine raft it was, And I was so proud of
my raft. I got across safe and without much trouble.
After all, it was nearly sunset. I thought i'd better
(32:16):
make my fire and found I was nearly safe. I
would dry out and make a good early start in
the morning and would get nearly to the post. The
next day. I picked out a place for the night
and shot three partridges right there. It was near a
point where I was, and round the point run a
deep bay. I thought maybe another river run out from there,
and just to see if I could see any river,
I run to the point. When I got to the point,
(32:37):
I seeing a small boat within one hundred yards from me,
and of course to make sure, I run to see it,
thinking it would come handy to me and I could
sail to the post. Before I came nearer, the child
screamed out near the opposite of me in the bush.
I cannot tell how I felt. I just run the
direction I heard the sound. The next roof of the
house I saw. Then I came on a trail. I
saw a girl with a child outside of the door.
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As soon as she saw me, she run in and
a woman came out. I sang out to her before
I came to her. Meeting me, she looked so scared
that I shook hands with her and told her where
I came from. She took me in the house and
told me to sit down. But I was well. I
could not say how I was and how glad I was.
After I had some tea and bread, I went from
my little bundle and the partridges I shot. When I
(33:19):
got back, a bed was fixed up for me in
a shift of dry clothes. She did not know what
to think of me when first seeing me, and also
being all wet and nearly barefooted. She was the wife
of Donald Blake. When I came there at Donald's, I
had six partridges and a piece of porcupine, and about
half the flower I started off with, and all the
bones of the porcupine that I carried along with me.
End of Section twenty
Section twenty of A Woman's Way through Unknown Labrador by
Mina Benson Hubbard. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.
Narrative by George Elson, Part one, Last Days Together, Friday,
October ninth. We got up good and early, only tea
we had expecting when we got to our rapid to
have something to eat. After going about two miles, we
(00:22):
came to our old camp where we camped on our
way up. For we had a goose that mister Hubbard
had killed. I also had killed one. We went ashore
to see if we could find some of the old bones.
We gathered all we could find and ate them all.
Mister Hubbard said, I often have seen dogs eating bones.
Thought it was pretty hard lines for them, but it
must be only fun for them. Before coming to our rapid,
the rapid we had always talked about where we thought
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we could get lots of fish. I told mister Hubbard
and Wallace my dream I had that night. It did
not seem like a dream, but more like some one
talking to me. When traveling this summer, when we began
to be out of grub, if we dreamt of having
a good meal at some restaurant, we often told it
to each other next morning. This morning, my dream was
a man came to me and told me, you will
get to the rapid to day, and I cannot spare
(01:04):
you more than two or three meals of fish, And
do not waste much time there. Go right on and
don't leave the river, but follow the river on. It
is the only way you can save your lives. Follow
the river down. We got to the rapid about noon,
all fielding very very weak. I started a fire. By
the time I got some wood and had my fire started,
they had already enough fish for a pretty fair meal.
And of course you can imagine how glad we were
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and did not delay much time, but got our fish
for lunch. It was nice to have something to eat again.
We were pretty sure of getting lots more. After lunch,
mister Hubbard and Wallace fished. It was good signs of
cariboo round there. I took the rifle and tracked up
the cariboo, but I saw nothing. It was late when
I got back the boys were still fishing. They had
caught about sixty more little trout. We felt as if
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we could eat all those fish in one meal, but
seeing they were so scarce, we had to try and
save some for the next day, Saturday, October tenth. We
fished all before noon and did not get any at all,
so we had to start off from there, seeing it
was no use trying to fish any more. We came
to some more rapids in the afternoon. Wallace and I
ran some with empty canoe and then went back for
our dunnage while mister Hubbard would fish. It got very
(02:10):
cold in the afternoon. Mister Hubbard caught about twenty little
trout looking forward. We hoped next day to get to
our old camp, Camp Cariboo, where we killed our caribou
August twelfth. We thought that maybe we will find some
of the old bones so as to make some broth,
thinking it would help us some. We camped just near
the river where we could get lots of wood and
have a good camp fire. So we could sit beside
the camp fire and have a good talk about home.
(02:31):
Mister Hubbard tells me he will get a room for
me in New York. He again that night asked me
to stay with him a couple of months in Congress
before I go home to missus Abbey, and also to
pay him a visit real often, and also that he
would never go out to do any traveling without me.
He said, I am sure Missushubbard will not be able
to do enough for you, especially when she knows how
good you have been to me. I would like to
have you come with me to Michigan. I am sure
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my sister would like to have you tell them the
story about our trip. Sunday, October eleventh, had four small
trout for lunch, only a little larger than a sardine.
Late in the evening we came to our old camp
where we had the cariboo. Most of the bones were
carried off by some animals. Picked up all we could
find and made some broth, and very very strong broth too,
which I supposed no one could hardly believe that any
(03:12):
human being could eat. The bones were full of maggots,
and when it boiled for some time, the maggots would
boil out. It just looked as if it had been
little rice in it. We drunk it up, maggots and all.
It was pretty high, but found it good. Nothing was
too bad for us to eat. Monday, October twelfth, fine day.
In the morning we had bone broth again at tea.
We started off again, carrying all the bones we could
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find in our pail, also taking the cariboo horns with us.
At noon we had broth and piece of the hide
we got off from the cariboo horns. In the evening
we came to a rapid Hubert and I nearly swamped
the canoe, and part of the rapid was too rough
to run. It was only just a short left over
about one hundred feet. The three of us took the canoe.
Before getting over, we dropped it. We were getting so
weak that it took the three of us to carry
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the canoe, and yet we couldn't even that distance. We
looked at each other, but none complained of his weakness.
We found we could not go any farther without something
to eat. We ate one of mister Hubbard's old moccasins
made out of caribou skin that he made himself. We
boiled it in the frying pan till I got kind
of soft, and we shared in three parts. Each had
his share and found it good, and also drank up
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the water where it was boiled in. At night we
had some tea and it freshened us up. Some Tuesday,
October thirteenth, wind raw and cold, we came to a
little fall we had to carry over quite short, about
forty feet portage, but our canoe we hadn't the strength
to carry. We had to drag it over the rocks.
I shot a whiskey jack and we had it along
with our bone, broth and tea. Not knowing what our
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next meal would be, or whether we will ever have
the pleasure of enjoying another meal. It looked very much
like starvation. My back was aching quite a bit that day,
a touch of lumbago. It made things worse for me.
I thought it would be impossible for me to try
and go any farther, so I told mister Hubbard that
if I did not feel any better in the morning,
they could go on and try to make their way
out and leave me behind, because I did not want
to delay them in the least for all I was
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sure they would never make their way out, but I
thought they might try anyway. Mister Hubbard was very very
sorry about it, but he said he hoped i'd be
better in the morning. Wednesday, October fourteenth, boys were up
before me and had a fire on. It was some
time before I could get up, but I was feeling
better than I did the night before before noon I
shot a duck with the rifle. We were very happy boys.
At noon we came to the place where we had
(05:19):
planned some time ago to leave the canoe and cross
over to the Nascopi. Again. We had our nice duck
for lunch and enjoyed it very much. Mister Hubbard then
asked me if I could find the flower we had
thrown away some time in July along with the escapi. Yes,
I said, if no animal has carried it away, it
is over twenty miles from here. Then he said, I
think we'd better leave the canoe and ruch over to
the Nascopi. And the reason why I did not try
(05:40):
and persuade him more than I did for us not
to leave the big river was we thought perhaps there
would be lots of places where we could not run
our canoe and some wild rapids, and would have to
carry our canoe. I knew the last two days how
we were when trying to carry our canoe. And we
also thought that if we were traveling through the bush,
we would surely come across some partridges and to help
us to the flower, and the flower would help us
to the lard. About three pounds and some milk and coffee,
(06:02):
three miles from Grand Lake. Also, as we only know
the river above there, of course, we did not know
where the river ran to the boys thought it ran
out to Goose Bay, as Lowe's map showed only the
one river running into Grand Lake. Also at Rigolette, trying
to find out all we could, and at Northwest River too,
nobody ever said about any river but the Naskapi. Still,
I said it might run out into Grand Lake. So
the canoe, one axe, the sextant box, and the rest
(06:24):
of the caribou horns we left. But the bones we
carried with us in our pail, which we boiled over
and over to make broth the bones. Since we had them,
we would scorch in the fire at night and chew
away at them. Was pretty hard chewing. I told the
boys when we decided to leave the canoe that we
had better leave everything we have so we would make
better time. But we didn't want to waste any time
after our nice duck, but go right on while we
(06:45):
have yet some strength from it, so we didn't wait
to overhaul our stuff. We traveled two miles from the
Big River. That afternoon we found our packs too heavy
to carry, and decided to lighten up in the morning.
That evening. Mister Hubbard said, Missus Hubbard, this evening will
be now at dinner, and after her meal will finish
with a lot more on the table. Oh, if she
could only hand me a piece of bread. Thursday morning,
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October fifteenth, we threw away lots of duneage, also some
films and one rifle. Mister Hubbard was very sorry to
leave his flask. He had often spoken of it being
a present from Missus Hubbard. I shot three partridges after
noon with the pistol. We were so glad. Mister Hubbard
was more than glad. He came and shook hands with me.
We were trying to reach our old camping place on
our way up Goose Camp, we called it, but we
(07:26):
were all feeling so very weak, especially mister Hubbard. At
last he could not go any farther. I told him
it was about forty yards to where our old camp was,
So we made him leave his load and he followed us.
I with the greatest hurry, started a fire and made
him a cup of tea. Be as usual, sat up
near our fire for some time, trying to encourage each
other about what good things we would have. After we
got to New York Friday, October sixteenth. For breakfast, we
(07:48):
ate one partridge, leaving the other for lunch. Threw more
things away, one blanket and more films, and at noon
more things left behind. I had a good suit of
underwear with me, saving it till cold weather. But that
day at noon I left everything but longing to me,
I was too weak to take off the bed and
put on the good also left some films and came
to the Nascopi that day. Just before noon, we came
(08:08):
to a place where mister Herbert had caught some fish
when we were going up, and we thought that perhaps
we could get some fish there again. But the little
stream was nearly dry. We sat down and had to
rest a little lake about four hundred yards from us.
On our way, this little stream ran into the lake.
Just near the lake, I saw a cariboo coming along,
following this little river to where we were. I told
the boys, there's a cariboo coming along. We all fell
(08:31):
flat on the ground, but he was on the lee
side of us, and soon found out we were there.
He stood behind some little trees and had his head
up looking towards where we were, and all of a
sudden he was gone. We didn't have the chance to
fire a swamp I knew of. I made for that swamp,
thinking I would cut across him. I tried to run,
yet I was so very very weak. Oh how hard
I tried to run. But when I got out there,
(08:51):
he was across on the other side. I was away
for some time, yet when I came to the boys,
they were still laying the same way, and their faces
to the ground, and did not move till I spoke
to them. We were more than sorry about the cariboo,
and each one said what he would do and how
much he could eat if we killed that cariboo, and
that we would stay right there for a few days
till we got a little stronger. Though I was feeling
so very weak myself when we would have nothing else
(09:12):
but tea, as we often had just tea, nothing else.
When I would hand the boys a cup of tea each,
I would ask them to pass it back, as I
would pretend I'd forgotten to put any sugar in. They
would pretend they didn't care for sugar and refused to
have some. Then I would ask them that they would
have some bread or some pie. Mister Hubbard would say pie.
What is pie? What do they use it for? Did
they eat it? This? I did often to encourage them
(09:32):
and myself that we might forget the danger ahead, But
it was something impossible to forget, as the hunger and
weakness pained us, and I thought we would not be
able to go many more days if we don't succeed
in killing anything. That evening, we hadn't the strength of
chopping our wood, just gathered the small dry pieces we
found near our camp. We also put up our camp
in an easy way. We thought three little poles were
required to keep up our tent. They were quite hindy,
(09:54):
but it took me some time before I could cut
them down. That day, at noon, when I left my
dunnage bag with lots of films in it, hung the
bag on a short stump. Mister Hubbard told me, if
we get out safe to Northwest River, I think you
or I might stay there this winter and try and
get some of the things we are leaving, especially the films.
If we could get out in time with the last
trip of the Virginia Lake Wallace and you could go home,
or if you would stay Wallace and I could go home.
(10:16):
I told him I would be very much in a
hurry to go home, and wouldn't wish to stay out
here for the winter, but if you wish and rather
have me stay, I will stay for the winter or
try to get the things out for you. He was
so glad about it, and said it will be better,
of course if you would stay, as you could make
a better guess for the things than I would. Saturday,
October seventeenth, we followed the river and without anything to
eat all day, only tea we had. Sometimes we would
(10:38):
be completely done out. Then we would make some tea
and help us and start on again. This be kept
on doing all day. That evening we came to the
junction of the river where it brunches off. About half
an hour before we came to the branch, we had
to fire as mister Hubbard was feeling cold and chilly
all day. Just at the forks, we found a few
red berries, and to see if I could find some more,
I just went about twenty yards from them. When I
(10:58):
found Nod and returned to see them. Mister Hubbard was
lying down on the damp rocks and moss. He looked
so pitiful, and Wallace sitting near him. I told him
not to lie on the damp moss and asked him
if i'd better make him a cup of tea. Yes,
he said, I think if I had a cup of
hot tea, I'd feel better and then go on again.
He could hardly speak. I knew he was very weak.
I asked him if he could get to where we
camped before going up, where it was nice and dry,
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about twenty yards. He said he would try. I took
his into my pack and he followed us. He could
just barely walk. We made him a place near the
fire and give him a cup of hot tea, and
made him a cup of pemeal. We put the camp
up the best way we could, and gathered enough wood
to last all night. The flower we were coming for
was yet ten miles away, and the advance in covering
so many miles each day became less and less each day.
(11:42):
So after we had some tea and bone broth, I thought,
seeing it was no use trying to keep it to
ourselves any longer, the danger before us, I would tell
them what was in my mind, not about restaurant, this
time before it was too late, Seeing that death was
just near, which any one else, if in our place,
would expect nothing else but death. They were quite satisfiach
did the same. Mister Hubbard talked about Missus Hubbard, and
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his father and mother, and his brother and sister, but
most about Missus Hubbard. Wallace talked of his sisters, and
I did the same, especially my youngest brother, as my
father and mother died some years ago when he was
left under my care. It was quite a different talk
beside the other night's talk, as man never let a
night pass without being talking about good restaurants and what
we would do when we got home. About ten miles
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from there, the flower was we were looking forward to.
So I told mister Hubbard to see what he would
think if he couldn't really have the strength of going
any farther, that Wallace and I would try and go
and find the flower, and if we found it, one
would return and bring some of the flower to him,
and the other would try and make his way out
Northwest River, as it is nearly eighty miles to Northwest
River post, and maybe I might come across some trappers
and be able to help him. He at first said
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it was no use of trying as he knew how
weak we were, and that we would only be scattered abroad.
Should a relief party be set enough to look for us,
they will find us here in our camp. But if
you wish to try, all right, you are more than
trying to save me. I never came across a man
so brave as you are. Still I may feel better
in the morning, and I will not carry in thing.
Now I see that you were right when we left
the canoe. You wanted to leave everything and go out light.
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If you get to the flower, you must take most
of the flower, and Wallace will bring the rest. As
we will be staying in one place, we will not
require as much as you will, because if you failed
on the way, it will mean sure death to us too.
And if you happen to come on some trappers, just
send them with grub and don't come up yourself, as
you will be too weak. Or if you get to
Northwest River, mister McKenzie will find men to send and
you will stay there. If I should starve and you
(13:26):
get out, mister mackenzie will help you when all you need,
and will keep you there this winter. By the first
boat you will go to New York and my diary.
Don't give to any one but to Missus Hubbard. Tell
her how things happened, and that I don't suffer now
as I did at first, only so very very weak,
and I think starvation is an easy death to die.
I wish you could only see my father and mother,
my sister, so as to tell them about our trip.
I wish I could tell them how good you were
(13:46):
to me. But you must go to Missus Hubbard. I
am sorry, boys. It is my work the reason why
you are out here. If I did not come out here,
you would have been at your home and having all
that you need, and would not meet death so soon.
I told him not to be troubled by that. If
we didn't want to come, we would have stayed at home,
so don't put the blame on yourself. He also told
Wallace if he got out to write the story from
(14:06):
Missus Hubbard, mister Hubbard was very sleepy, so we did
not set up so long as we have done before.
Mister Wallace read three chapters to us. Mister Hubbard chose
thirteenth chapter First Corinthians, not the seventeenth chapter Saint John's Gospel,
and mister Wallace fourteenth chapter Saint John. Mister Hubbard fell
asleep when mister Wallace was nearly through reading the second chapter,
that is the seventeenth chapter. Mister Hubbard slept good all night,
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had hardly ever moved till morning, when I wakened him
and gave him a cup of hot tea and some
bone broth. I also slept good all night and didn't
hardly wake up till just before daylight. Mister Wallace kept
on a fire all night and wrote a farewell letter
to his sister's Sunday morning, October eighteenth, I got up
and boiled those bones again, putting in just a little
of the pe meal on the broth, and also tea
we had for breakfast. We had yet a half pound
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of the pmal that we had carried for some time.
We were to start early, and seeing mister Hubbard still
weaker than he was last night and was not able
to go any farther, it was late when we started.
We were so sorry to part, and almost discouraged to
try and go any farther, but we thought we would
try our best anyway to help him. We were only
going to take a cup each and a little tea
pail no blanket found too weak to carry anything that
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mister Hubbard made us take a part of a blanket each.
We only had two pair blankets. My blanket I had
left behind a few days ago. So mister Hubbard told
mister Wallace, if you don't want to tear your blankets,
you can tear my blankets in half and each have
a piece. It will be only one and a half
pound each to carry. Then I can use your blankets
while you are away. Then we tore mister Hubbard's blankets,
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and Wallace and I each took a piece. Also, he
made us take the rest of the pemeal and a
little tea. We left him little tea and the bones
and piece of flour bag we found with little moldy
lumps of flour sticking to the bag, and the neighbor
of the other moccasin we had eaten. Mister Hubbard said,
after you go, I will do some writing and will
write a letter to missus Hubbard. Mister Hubbard took his
pistol off from his belt and gave me to take
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a long He also hinted me his knife and told
me to leave the crooked knife I had to him.
I didn't want to take his pistol. I was thinking
about a pistol too. I thought when Wallace and I parted,
I could ask him for his pistol. But mister Hubbard
told me, you must take the pistol. The rifle will
be here and I can use the rifle if I
have anything to shoot. You must take the pistol. So
I took the pistol, but the knife I did not take.
(16:15):
Just before starting, mister Wallace says that he is going
to read a chapter. Before starting, mister Hubbard asked him
to read the thirteenth chapter, First Corinthians, and so he did.
It was time to start. Mister Wallace went to mister
Hubbard and said good bye. I'll try and come back soon.
Then I went to him and tried to be as
brave as Wallace. When I took his hand, he said, God,
bless you, George. He held my hand for some time.
I said, the Lord help us. Hubbard. With his help,
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I save you if I can get out. Then I
cried like a child. Hubbard said, if it was your father, George,
you couldn't try harder to save. Wallace came back to
Hubbard again and cried like a child, and kissed him,
and again I went to him and kissed him, and
he kissed me and said, the Lord help you, George.
He was then so weak that he could hardly speak.
We came away trying to get help. When we left
(16:58):
mister Hubbard and easton raw wind was blowing, and soon
rain began, and heavy rain all way, and were soaked
to the skin and made poor time. We followed the
river as it ran out into Grand Lake. The least
thing we tripped on we would fall and it would
be some time before we could get up, or we
went too near a tree that a branch would catch
on us would pull us down and dark. We stopped
for the night. The trees were very small. We couldn't
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get any shelter at all, and hard to get wood
with no axe. We pulled together some half rotten lane trees.
Our fire wouldn't burn hardly and couldn't dry our things,
and had to set up all night with wet clothes
on near our fire, or rather near our smoke, as
the wood being too rotten that it wouldn't burn. About
two o'clock the wind turned westward, the rain ceased, but
it began to snow very hard. The night was long,
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and my mind, unhumbed all the time, could not forget him.
In the morning Monday, October nineteenth, the snow nearly up
to our knees. We started early. Our eyes were quite
dim with the smoke, and everything looked blue. It troubled
us all day. Before noon, I tracked up a partridge.
Oh how I wished to get him. I came to
the place where he had flown away and hunted for
him quite a while. At last he flew off. I
(18:02):
was just near him, and yet did not see him
but four feet over my head, but I saw where
he perched. I didn't want to go to near him,
for he might fly away before I could shoot him.
I was so particular. I rested my pistol on a
tree to make a sure shot, and took a good aim,
but only scraped him, and he nearly fell to But
after all got off. I cannot tell how sorry I was.
And about noon we had to cross this river because
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the flower was on the opposite side. It was quite
a rapid, and I knew further down that we could
not get across. As I remembered from this rapid to
where the flower is, it was deep. So we went
into the cold. I see water up to our waists.
We got across and made a fire and had a
cup of tea. It was yet a long way from
the flower. We started off as soon as we could.
It cleared up in the afternoon and only drifting and
(18:42):
freezing very hard. Was getting colder and colder towards evening.
Mister Wallace I knew was near his finish, but I
would not say or ask him about it. I thought
I would scare him, and he would scare me too
if he told me he could not go any further.
I was getting so very very weak myself. The sun
was getting low, and I could yet walk lots faster
than wall and had to stand and wait for him
very often. Though I could hardly walk myself. I thought
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this was my last day that I could walk. If
I don't come to the flower this evening, I fear
I will not be able to walk in the morning.
And if I get to where the flower is and
the mice or some animal has curt it off, it
will surely mean death. And besides, I wanted to know
very very much if the flower was there just near dusk.
Mister Wallace was so much behind the thought I would
tell him to follow my trail what he could come
along behind, and I would try and get to the
flower before dark. I stayed and waited till he came near.
(19:26):
He asked me how far yet to the flower? About
two miles? I said, well, I think you'd better go
along and not wait for me any more. I will
try and follow your trail. You go lots faster than
I do. Go on while it is yet light, and
see if you can find the flower, because if you
cannot get there to night, maybe you will not be
able to go any further. Should we live to see morning?
I said, yes, that is just what I was going
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to tell you, the reason why I waited here for you.
I started off. I went about forty yards, came across
the partridge. I got my pistol and fired and killed him. Oh,
how glad I was. Mister Wallace came to me. He
was more than glad, and just ate part of him raw,
which freshened us up a great deal. Then he said,
you can go on again, and don't delay on me.
(20:08):
I came on some Cariboo trail. It was then getting
dark and quite fresh, which run in all directions. I
stood in thought, when Wallace comes here, he will not
know my trail from the Cariboo trail. And if he
cannot come to me to night, if you follow the
Cariboo trail, it might lead him out of the whale together.
Then if it snows again tonight, I might not be
able to find him in the morning. So I stayed
till he came and told him why I waited for him.
He was glad and said, sure he would know my
(20:29):
trail from the Cariboo, which would perhaps lead him out
of the way. So we sat down and ate some
more of the partridge raw. Mister Wallace says, I just
fancy that I never ate something so good in my life.
We could have camped right there where I called the partridge,
as we would have something for our supper. But what
I wanted to find out, too, was is the flower there?
I wonder if we did not get there, it would
be in my mind all the time. I wonder if
(20:50):
the flower is there. It got dark and we still traveled.
Wallace would often ask me, how far is it from
here to the flower? How far is it to the flower?
At last I knew we were coming to it. We
had not a mark or never put it at some
particular place, But we have just thrown it away anyway.
We thought we would never come past there again. It
was late in the night when we came to the flower.
I was not very sure of it myself. I put
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down my little load. Wallace said, is this the place?
I said, yes, So I went to where I thought
we had left the flower. I dug down into the
snow and just came on it. It was, of course,
in one solid lump and black with mold. We got
our knife and broke it off in bits and ate
quite a bit. We were just about played out when
we came to the flower. If I hadn't killed the partridge,
we would never have got to the flower. We gathered
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some wood and made a fire, no trees at all,
so as to break the wind. All burned, the wind
sharp and a clear night. We gathered enough wood for
the night, and had the rest of the partridge, and
also some flower soup in a little tea pail, and
only wishing mister Hubbard was there to enjoy the meal too.
We thought and talked about mister Hubbard all the time,
although at the same time having poor hopes of him.
Mister Wallace nearly bloed and suffering with his eyes. I
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sat up all night and kept on a fire. I
was very uneasy about Wallace, and afraid he would not
be able to go back to mister Hubbard with the flower.
But in the morning he was better, and we did
some patching on our old moccasins. We had some flower
soup last night. I did not notice in the dark
the color of our soup till this morning, when we
had our breakfast about daylight. It was just black with
a moldy flower. But we found it very good. Nothing
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was too bad for us to eat. We were feeling
good and fresh in the morning and expecting to make
good time in traveling. I took my share of the flower,
about two pounds, and gave mister Wallace about six or
seven pounds stuck fast on the bag. He told me
to take more, but I would not take any more.
I said, I will trust in getting some game, as
I would get to the wood country. Soon before we parted,
I read the sixty seventh psalm. God, be merciful unto
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us and bless us, and cause his face to shine
upon us, that thy way may be known upon the earth,
Thy saving health among all nations. Let the people praise
THEE O God. Let all the people praise thee. Oh.
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy. For
Thou shalt judge the people righteously and govern the nations
upon earth. Let the people praise thee O God. Let
all the people praise THEE. Then shall the earth yield
(23:04):
her increase and God, even our God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us, and all the ends of the
earth shall fear him. Then ever to thanksgiving prayer, Almighty God,
Father of all mercies, we, then, unworthy servants, do give
THEE most humble and hearty thanks for all Thy goodness
and loving kindness to us and to all men. We
bless THEE for our creation and preservation and all the
blessings of this life, but above all for Thine inestimable
(23:26):
love and the redemption of the world by our Lord
Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, and for the
hope of glory. And we beseech THEE give us that
due sense of all Thy mercies, that our hearts may
be unfadedly thankful, and that we shew forth Thy praise,
not only with our lips, but in our lives by
giving up ourselves to Thy service, and by walking before
THEE in holiness and righteousness all our days through Jesus Christ,
our Lord, to whom, with thee of the Holy Ghost
(23:49):
be all honor and glory world without end amen. Then
I told him what to do for him, not to
leave the river, but to follow the river. I was
afraid he might some time leave the river, wouldn't be
able to find the river again and lose his way.
And if he gets to Hubbard, and Hubbard yet alive,
if he gets a little stronger by this flower, should
he wish to come on, do the same. Follow the
river near all the time, Because if I happened to
(24:09):
get down safe, and if I am too weak to
come up myself, when I send up help, I shall
tell him which side of the river to follow, and
they will surely meet you. We found sorry to part,
not knowing if we would meet again, but we must
try and help Hubbard and do all we can for him.
Wallace starts off on our back trail. When I started
towards Grand Lake, we said good bye, and God be
with you till we meet again to each other. We
parted on a barren hill and could see each other
(24:31):
for some time. We would walk just a few yards
and sing out to each other good bye. This be
kept on till out of sight in some distance apart.
It snowed very hard all day and couldn't hardly see
any distance. In the afternoon I killed the porcupine. How
I wished I could give some to the boys. Wednesday
twenty first had snowed heavy all night and made heavy
traveling without snowshoes and the snow above my knees. To
(24:52):
day I saw a caribou and got a shot at
him with my pistol. In the evening I called a
lot a porcupine. I thought I shall be able to
get out to Grand Lee now if the snow don't
get too deep for me. Thursday twenty second snowing very
hard again and cold. I made a fire at noon
and tried to patch my shoe packs, but I couldn't
spare time. I walked with only my socks on in
the afternoon and made poor time as the country very
(25:14):
rough and snow very deep. I tried to make a
straight road to make it short to Grand Lake. During
the day, though feeling very tired, I would like to
have a rest. If I stopped even for five minutes,
lots of things would come into my mind and have
to start on again. At night. It isn't so bad,
because I tried to make myself believe because it is night.
Therefore I cannot travel. Friday, twenty third, more snow again
(25:34):
in the afternoon got mild, and being so much snow
on the trees, it began to drop. It was worse
than any rain, and the bush so thick to go through.
And at last it began to rain. I was soaked
to the skin, and the snow very deep. My hands
were always so cold. Without mits, and traveling in such
a rough country, and falling down often into the snow
and rocks, and cutting my hands on the rocks. I
at last cut part of the sleeves off my undershirt
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and with a string tied to one end, and slipped
them on my hands for mits. Several times that day
I had the notion of giving up, as I could
not get on at all in the deep snow. I
thought it was impossible to get through. Then again I
would try and make my way out. I came to
the place where we had left the coffee and milk
I found the coffee. The lid was off and the
can was full of ice. I took the ice out,
and underneath the ice the coffee was. I broke some
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off and made some coffee, but it did not hardly
taste like coffee at all. All the strength was out,
as it had been in water for a short time.
The milk I could not find. That evening ikilled four partridges.
The weather turned clear and cold, than I was wet
to the skin. It was late when I had to
stop for the night and did my best in trying
to dry my things the best way I could, and
hard to get wood, for I had no axe. Saturday
(26:39):
twenty fourth, in the evening, I came to the place
where we had left the lard. I was very glad
to find it. It was about three pounds of lard
and a pail. I had some porcupine and a few partridges, yet,
as I would try and save some ahead for my
way out, and the bones of the porcupine I carried
with me, for I didn't throw the bones away, as
it will make good broth if I get out of
grub and don't get more game. I also had the
flour yet, because I was saving it when my porcupine
(27:01):
was done, and the porcupine bones with little flower will
last me for a while. In the evenings, I would
talk to myself like as if someone with me, and
plan to start off again as soon as daylight, and
try to make so many miles just to cheer myself
after I left mister Wallace. When coming along after I
killed the porcupine and some partridges at night my fire,
I would have it in a long style and just
lie near the side of it. And whatever I had
(27:22):
some porcupine or partridge in my little bundle, I would
put it for my pillow for fear some animal might
carry it away. My pistol I would keep it handy
and then talk to myself and say, if some wolves
should come along to night, they would make short work
of me, But I guess I might just as well
getkilled by them. Must to starve. But anyway, I would
just make that first fellow jump a little of my pistol.
My little pistol was only twenty two caliber. Every evening
(27:43):
I always read a chapter, and every morning at just
break of daylight, and when I got a little stronger,
after getting some game, strong enough to raise my voice
I always sung a part of a hymn. In the evening.
I would read first, then sing, Lead kindly, light amid
the encircling gloom, Lead thou me on. The night is
dark and I am far from home. Lead thou me on,
keep thou my feet. I do not ask to see
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the distant scene. One step enough for me. And in
the morning, after I read, I would sing, come to
me Lord, when first I wake as the faint lights
of morning break, bid purest thoughts within me rise like
crystal dewdrops to the skies. Sunday twenty fifth was snowing again.
In the evening I killed four more partridges. Snow very
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deep and made poor time and high mountains to go over,
but I thought I will get out to Grand Lake
early in the morning. Monday twenty sixth I got out
to Grand Lake about ten o'clock and was very very
glad too get out again to the lake, but was
very much disappointed. In the afternoon, I came along the
south shore of the lake, and thinking I would make
good time from there now to Northwest River, and I
would only follow the shore of the lake to Northwest River,
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and besides no mountains to go over, I went about
two miles and came to a river which made me
feel very bad about it, and I did not know
how I could ever get across. I could not make
a raft without an axe. I thought I would try
anyway to make a raft. I could only get wood
to make a raft with. I followed the river up.
The banks were so high, the swift current run so
swift along the steep banks, and the river very deep.
(29:08):
I could not drop a log in without it float
right away. And also came to another branch. This river
branch is off in too. I tried all afternoon to
cross at the main river, so I would have only
one river to cross, but I could not there, as
near the lake, I would have two rivers to cross
at the forks. I gave up and went down near
the lake again. The ice was floating down the river
a rapid near the lake. I thought it might not
(29:29):
be very deep. Then, seeing that I could not do
any better, I thought I would wade out a piece
and the rest I would swim to the other shore.
I started out and up to my waist before I
got any distance out, and the floating ice coming against me,
and the cramps began to take on the legs that
I was obliged to turn and just got out to
shore in time. I stood for some time, thinking that
I would never be able to cross, and that I
would be sure to starve there. It got dusk and
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I started a fire. I was very very cold and
had something to eat. I was troubled very much, and
could not forget the river and the ice floating and
rumming against the shore made things worse. To hear that
sound all night, and thinking if I only had a canoe,
I could get to Northwest River tomorrow. It was get
forty miles to the post Northwest River Tuesday, twenty seventh.
As soon as daylight. I tried to wade to cross
again the same place, but things happened the same along
(30:14):
the lake, lots of driftwood. I thought I'd better make
a raft if I could. It was blowing very heavy
from the west. I got my raft, made my tumb line.
I made two pieces to tie the four corners of
the raft, and my other belt. Made another piece, and
a piece of small salmon twine I had at the
other corner. I got a long pole so as to
be sure and touch bottom with it all the way
across as I was afraid the swift current would take
(30:34):
me out into the lake and the heavy sea would
swamp me. My raft was too small, and when I
got on and I sunk down quite a bit. I
shoved out and came to the strong current, and the
tide and the ice overcame me and took me out
to the lake. When the current took me out into
the lake, then the wind cut me and carried me.
It got so deep I could not find a bottom
with my pole. I had a mind to jump from
the raft, but I knew if I did, I would
(30:54):
surely get dround. So I thought I might just as
well try to stay on. My raft was breaking up.
Piece by piece would float away, so I got down
on my knees and tried to keep the pieces together,
and the sea would just cover me. For about two hours,
I stayed on the raft and sure it was my finish. Finally,
after a while, the wind drove me just near a point.
It was a long point, and I knew I could
(31:14):
touch a bottom with my pole. I took my pole
and just hardly got ashore. Grand Lake runs near the
east and west, is over forty miles long and from
one to four miles wide and very deep after sixty
fathom of water, and for the least wind makes a
very heavy sea. At this point where I got ashore,
I was more than glad, But the other branch yet
to cross. I came to the branch and folded it
(31:35):
up quite a bit. This branch is much larger than
the first. It was very hard to get wood to
make a raft, no drift. I managed to shove some
half rotten stumps down. It took me some time to
get enough for my raft, and not a stitch dry
about me, just ringing wet, and would not make a
fire till I got across the other branch. I built
my raft on newly frozen ice just near the open stream,
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and then broke the ice around and with the long pole,
worked my way across. This raft was much larger than
the first, and out of the water where I stood. Oh,
but I was so proud of that raft, and talking
to myself all the time and telling myself what a
fine raft it was, And I was so proud of
my raft. I got across safe and without much trouble.
After all, it was nearly sunset. I thought i'd better
(32:16):
make my fire and found I was nearly safe. I
would dry out and make a good early start in
the morning and would get nearly to the post. The
next day. I picked out a place for the night
and shot three partridges right there. It was near a
point where I was, and round the point run a
deep bay. I thought maybe another river run out from there,
and just to see if I could see any river,
I run to the point. When I got to the point,
(32:37):
I seeing a small boat within one hundred yards from me,
and of course to make sure, I run to see it,
thinking it would come handy to me and I could
sail to the post. Before I came nearer, the child
screamed out near the opposite of me in the bush.
I cannot tell how I felt. I just run the
direction I heard the sound. The next roof of the
house I saw. Then I came on a trail. I
saw a girl with a child outside of the door.
(32:59):
As soon as she saw me, she run in and
a woman came out. I sang out to her before
I came to her. Meeting me, she looked so scared
that I shook hands with her and told her where
I came from. She took me in the house and
told me to sit down. But I was well. I
could not say how I was and how glad I was.
After I had some tea and bread, I went from
my little bundle and the partridges I shot. When I
(33:19):
got back, a bed was fixed up for me in
a shift of dry clothes. She did not know what
to think of me when first seeing me, and also
being all wet and nearly barefooted. She was the wife
of Donald Blake. When I came there at Donald's, I
had six partridges and a piece of porcupine, and about
half the flower I started off with, and all the
bones of the porcupine that I carried along with me.
End of Section twenty
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