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CIHM/ICMH

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Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques

1980

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Indian and Northern Affairs

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Affaires indiennes et du Nord

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BOWDOIN BOYS

LABRADOR

AN ACCOUNT OF THE
BOWDOIN COLLEGE^ o»
SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITION
TO LABRADOR LED BY
PROF. LESLIE A. LEE
OF THE BIOLOGICAL
DEPARTMENT ..•* o* o*

-liV

JONATHAN FRINCt: Ol.LEY, Jr.

RocKr.AND, .\i.\iM::
Ro( iNi.AM) l'ii{i.isiii.\(, Company

!■■■!> ■ ■■■ MliM l rt.li l K.

'^'K^.c,l^<b\^ ', (Vt?>)

NO^UHFRN AFFAIRS
& NAriONAL utSOURCES

MAP 27 1958

Moil^tem A,^j;rs Library
ftirAvVA

bi
th

PREFACE.

This letter from the President of Bowdoin College is
printed as an appropriate preface to the pages which follow.

I thank you for the advanced sheets of the "Bowdoin
Boys in Labrador." As Sallust says, "In primis arduum vidctur
res <;estas scriberc ; quod facta dictis sunt exaequanda."

In this case, the diction is equal to the deed : the clear
and vivacious style of the writer is fully up to the level of the
brilliant achievements he narrates.

The intrinsic interest of the story, and its connection with
the State and the College ought to secure for it a wide reading.

Very truly yours,

William DeW. Hyde.

■■■^■iiroifMTn

"••'-'"ifyii iiin

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bit

sp(

se>

tini

tie?

sist

wei

auc

can

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chil

the

all 1

cair

but

spe(

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a ch

live:

BowDoiN Boys in Labrador.

0\ Board the "Jri.iA A. Dfxker," )
Port Hawkcsbury, Gut of Canso, l

July 6th. 189

Here the staunch Julia lies at anchor waiting; for a change
in the wind and a break in the fog. To-da}' will be memora-
ble in the annals of the "Micmac" Indians, for Prof. Lee has
spent his enforced leisure in putting in anthropometric work
among them, inducing braves, squaws and papooses of both
sexes to mount the trunk that served as a measuring block and
go through the ordeal of having their height, standing and sit-
ting, stretch of arms, various diameters of head and peculiari-
ties of the physiognomy taken down. While he with two as-
sistants was thus employed, two of our photographic corps
were busily engaged in preserving as many of their odd faces
and costumes as possible, making pictures of their picturesque
camp on the side of a hill sloping toward an arm of the Gut,
with its round tent covered with birch and fir bark, dogs and
children, and stacks ot logs or wood — from which they make
the strips for their chief products, baskets — cows, baggage and
all the other accompaniments of a comparatively permanent
camp. They go into the woods and make log huts for winder,
but such miserable quarters as the e prove to be on clos' ; in-
spection, with stoves, dirt ^ chip floor, bedding, and food in
close proximity to the six or eight inhabitants of each :int,
suffice them during warm weather. We found that they elect
a chief, who holds the office for life. The present incumh^-n
lives near by St. Peter's Island, and is about forty years c!d.

nOWDOIN BOYS IN LA BRA DOR

They hold a grand festival in a few weeks somewhere on the
shore of Brasd'Or Lake, at which nearly every Indian on the
Island is expected, some two thousand in all, we are informed,
and after expericncin<T our good-fellowship at their camp and
on board they invited us one and all to come down, only cau-
tioning us to bring along a present of whiskey for the chief.

The Gut, in this part at least, is beautiful sailing ground,
with bold, wooded shores, varied by slight coves and valleys
with little hamlets at the shore and fishermen's boats lying off
the beach. The lower part we passed in a fog, so we are ig-
norant of its appearance as though the Julia had not carried us
within a hundred miles of it, instead of having knowingly
brought us past rock and shoal to this quiet cove, under the
red rays of the light on Hawkesbury Point, and opposite Port
Mulgrave, with which Hawkesbury is connected by a little two-
sailed, double-ended ferry-boat built on a somewhat famous
model. It seems that a boat builder of this place, who, by the
way, launched a pretty little yacht to-day, sent a fishing boat,
whose model and rig was the product of many years' experi-
ence as a fisherman, to the London Fisheries' Exhibit of a few
yars past, and received first medal from among seven thou-
sand five hundred competitors. The Prince of Wales was so
pleased with the boat, which was exhibited under full sail with
a wax fisherman at the helm, that he purchased it and has
since used it. Later, when the United States fish commission
schooner Grampus was here with the present assistant com-
missioner, Capt. Collins, in command, the plans were pur-
chased by our government on the condition that no copies
were to be made without Mr. Embree's consent. A little later
yet, a commissioner from Holland and Sweden came over,
bought the plans and built a perfect copy of the original, the
seaworthy qualities of which has caused its type to entirely
displace the old style of small fishing boats in those countries-
The boat's abilities in heavy waters have been tested many
times, and have never failed to equal her reputation.

But, meanwhile, the Julia lies quietly at anchor, as if it were

THK KKAI, 8TAKT

n the

)ii the
rmed,
p and
r cau-
ief.

round,
/alleys
ng off
ire ig-
ricd us
wingly
ler the
te Port
tie two-
famous
by the
^ boat,
experi-
)f a few
1 thou-
was so
ail with
nd has
mission
it com-
re pur-
copies
tie later
e over,
iial, the
entirely
)untries'
\ many

it were

mutely rrproaching your correspondent with singing another's
praises when she has brought us safely and easily thus far, in
spite of gales, fog, and headwind, calm, and treacherous tide,
and even now is eagerly waiting for the opportunity to carry
us straight and swiftly to Hattle Harbor in the straits of Belle
Isle, where letters and papers from home await us, and then
up through the ice fields to Cape Chudleigh.

Our real start was made from Southwest Harbor, Mt. Desert,
the Monday after leaving Rockland. Saturday night, after a
short sail in the dark and a few tacks up the Thoroughfare to
North Haven village, we anchored and rested from the confu-
sion and worry of getting started and trying to forget nothing
that would be needed in our two and one-half months' trip.
Sunday morning was nearly spent before things were well
enough stowed to allow us to get under weigh in safety, and
then our bow was turned eastward and, as we thought, pointed
for Cape Sable. Going by the hcspital on Widow's Island
and the new light on Goose Rock nearly opposite it, out into
Isle au Haut bay, we found a fresh northeaster, which warned
us not to go across the Bay of Fundy if we had no desire for
an awful shaking up. In view of all the facts, such as green
men, half-stowed supplies and threatening weather, we decided
that we must not put our little vessel through her paces that
night, and chose the more ignominious, but also more com-
fortable course of putting into a harbor. Consequently after
plunging through the rips off Bass Head, and cutting inside
the big bell buoy off its entrance, we ran into Southwest Har-
bor and came to anchor. In the evening many of the party
thought it wise to improve the last opportunity for several
months, as we then supposed, to attend church, and to one
who knew the chapel-cutting proclivities of many of our party
while at Bowdoin, it would have been amusing to see them
solemnly tramp into church, rubber boots and all. It is a fact,
however, that every member of our party, with a possible ex-
ception, went to church in this place yesterday largely for the
same reason.

BOWDOIN BOYS IN LAFIRADOK

Our little Julia rewarded our action of the night previous by
taking us out by Mt Desert Rock at a rattling pace Monday
morning, bowing very sharply and very often to the spindle-
like tower on the rock, as she met the Bay of Fundy chop,
and at the same time administered a very effective emetic to
all but five or six of the Rowdoin boys aboard. She is wise as
well as bold and strong, and so after nightfall waited under
easy canvas for light to reveal Seal Island to our watchful eyes.
Shortly after d vlight the low coast was made out, the dan-
gerous rocks p; ed, and Cape Sable well on our quarter. But
there it stayed. We made but little progress for two days, and
employed the time in laying in a supply of cod, haddock and
pollock, till our bait was exhausted. Then we shot at birds,
seals and porpoises whenever they were in sight, and from the
success, apparently, at many when they were not in sight ; put
the finishing touches on our stowage, and kept three of the
party constantly employed with our long bamboo-handled dip-
net, in fishing up specimens for the professor and his assist-
ants. As the result of this we have a large number of fish
eggs which we are watching in the process of hatching, many
specimens of Crustacea and of seaweed. The photographers,
in the meanwhile, got themselves into readiness for real work
by practicing incessantly upon us.

Thursday, we made Sambro light; soon pilot boat number
one hailed us and put a man aboard, whom we neither needed
nor wanted, and we were anchored off the market steps at
Halifax. The run up the harbor was very pleasant. Bright
skies, a fresh breeze off the land, and vessels all about us made
many lively marine pictures. The rather unformidable appear-
ing fortification, on account of which Halifax boasts herself the
most strongly fortified city of America, together with the flag-
ship Bellerophon and two other vessels of the Atlantic squad-
ron, the Canada and the Thrush, the latter vessel until lately
having been commanded by Prince George, gave the harbor
and town a martial tone that was heightened upon our going
ashore and seeing the red coats that throng the streets in the

WARD ROOM OF THE .TULIA nECKER

oiis by
/londay
pindle-
• chop,
ictic to
wise as
1 under
fill eyes.
le dan-
cr. But
ays, and
)ck and
It birds,
rom tiic
,'ht; put
c of the
led dip-
s assist-
of fish
K. many
raphers,
;al work

number

needed

iteps at

Bright
us made
appear-
rself the
he flag-

squad-
:il lately

harbor
going
s in the

evening. Halifax, with its squat, smoky, irregular streets is
well known, and its numerous public buildings, drill barracks,
and well kept public gardens, all backed by the frowning cita-
del, probably need no description from me. After receiving
the letters for which we came in, and sending the courteous
United States Consul (ieneral, Mr. I'rye, and his vice-consul,
Mr. King, Colby Sy, ashore with a series ot college yells that
rather startled the sleepy old town, we laid a course down the
liarbor, exchanged salutes with the steamship Caspian, and
were soon ploughing along, before a fine south-west breeze
for Cape Canso.

While our little vessel is driving ahead with wind well over
the quarter, groaning, as it were, at the even greater confusion
in the wardroom than when we left Rockland, owing to the ad-
ditional supplies purchased at Halifax, it may be well to briefly
describe her appearance, when fitted to carry seventeen Bow-
doin men in her hold in place of the lime and coal to which
she has been accustomed. Descending, then, the forward
hatch, protected by a plain hatch house, the visitor turns
around and facing aft, looks down the two sides of the immense
centreboard box that occupies the centre of our wardroom
from floor to deck. Fastened to it are the mess tables, nearly
alwaj's lighted by some four or five great lamps, which serve
to warm as well, as the pile of stuft' around and beneath the
after-hatch house cuts off most of the light that would other-
wise come down there. On the port side of the table runs the
whole length of the box ; two wooden settles serve for dining
chairs and leave about four feet clear space next the "deacon's
seat" that runs along in front of the five double-tiered berths.
These are canvas-bottomed, fitted with racks, shelves, and the
upper ones with slats overhead, in which to stow our overflow-
ing traps.

At the after end, on both sides of the wardroom, are large
lockers coming nearly to the edge of the hatch, in which most
of the provisions are stowed. At the forward end, next to the
bulkhead that separates us from the galley, are, on the port

BOWDOIN BOVS IN LABRADOR

side, a completely equipped dark room in which many excel-
lent pictures have already been brought to light, and on the
starboard side a large rack holding our canned goods, ketchup,
lime-juice, etc. Along the bulkhead are the fancy cracker
boxes, tempting a man to take one every time he goes below,
and under the racks are our kerosene and molasses barrels.
Between the line of four double-tier berths on the starboard
side and the rack just described is a handy locker for oil
clothes and heavy overcoats. Lockers run along under the
lower berths, and trunks with a tl jusand other articles are
stowed under the tables. A square hole cut in the bulkhead,
just over the galley head, lets heat into the wardroom a'^i as-
sists the lamps in keeping us warm. As yet, in sp' : oi .sjme
quite cold weather, we have been perfectly ton.. able.
Sometimes, however, odors come in as well as heat f n the
galley, and do not prove so agreeable. If to this dei .ption,
clothes of various kinds, guns, game bags, boots, fishing tackle
and books, should, by the imagination of the reader, to be
scattered about, pror.iiscuously hung, or laid in every con-
ceivable nook and corner, a fair idea of our floating house could
be obtained. On deck we are nearly as badly littered, though
in more orderly fashion. Two nests of dories, a row boat, five
water tanks, a gunning float, and an exploring boat, partly
well fill the Julia's spacious decks. The other exploring boat
hangs inside the schooner's yawl at the stern. Add to these
two hatch houses, a small pile of lumber, and considerable fire
wood snugly stowed between the casks, and you have a fair
idea of our anything but clear decks. A yellow painted bust,
presumably of our namesake Julia, at the end of figiire-head,
peers through the fog and leads us in the darkness ; a white
stripe relieves the blackness of our sides; a green rail sur-
mounts all ; and, backed by the forms of nineteen variously at-
tired Bowdoin men, from professor, their tutor, alumnus, to
freshmen, complete our description.

Meanwhile the night, clear but windless, has come on, and
we drift along the Novia Scotia coast, lying low and blue on

■\

THt! FOtJRTtt OF JULt

our northern board. The Fourth dawns rather foggy, but it
soon yields to the sun's rays and a good breeze which bowls
us along toward the Cape. An elaborate celebration of the
day is planned, but only the poem is finally rendered, due
probably to increased sea which the brisk breeze raises inca-
pacitating several of the actors for their assigned parts. The
poem, by the late editor of '91's "BUGLE," is worthy of preser-
vation, but would hardly be understood unless our whole
crowd were present to indicate by their roars the good points
in it.

At night our constant follower, the fog, shuts in, and the
captain steering off the Cape, we lay by, jumping and rolling
in a northeast sea, waiting for daylight to assist us to Cape
Canso Harbor and the Little Ant. About six next morning
we form one of a fleet of five or six sail passing the striped
lighthouse on Cranberry Island, and with a rush go through
the narrow passage lined with rocks and crowded with fisher-
men. Out into the fog of Chedebucto Bay we soon pass and
in the fog we remain, getting but a glimpse of the shore now
and then, till we reach Port Hawkesbury.

JONA. P. ClLLEY, Jr.

I;,;

BowDOiN Boys in Labrador.

0\ BoARU THE "Julia A. Deckf.k," )
Off St. John's Bay, Newfounulano. J

We are bowling along with a fine southwest wind, winged out,
mainsail reefed and foresail two-reefed, and shall be in the straits in
about two hours. The Julia is a flyer. Between 12 and 4 this
morning we logged just 46 'nots, namely, 13.5 miles per hour fcr
four hours. I doubt it' I ever went much faster in a sailing vessel.
It is now about 10 o'clock, and we have made over 75 miles since 4.

All hands are on watch for a first glimpse of the Labrador coast,
which will probably be Cape Armours with the light on it.

I wrote last time from Hawkesbury in the Gut of Canso. We laid
there all day Monday, July 6th, as the wind, southeast in the
harbor, was judged by everybody to be northeast out in George's
Bay, and consequently dead ahead for us. Monday evening, at the
invitation of the purser, we all went down aboard the " State of
Indiana," the regular steamer of the " State Line " between Char-
lottetown, P. E. I., and Boston, touching at Halifax, and in the
Gut.

After going ashore we stayed on the wharf till she left, singing
college songs, giving an impromptu athletic exhibition, etc., to the
intense delight of about fifty small boys (I can't conceive where
they all came from), and the two or three hundred servant girls
going home to P. E. I. for a summer vacation.

I would put in here parenthetically, that since writing the above
I have been on deck helping jibe the mainsail, as we have changed
our course to about east by north, having rounded a couple of small
low, sandy islands off the Bay of St. John, and now point straight
into the strait of Belle Isle.

In the afternoon we examined some of the old red sandstone
which underlies all that part of Cape Breton Island, found some
good specimens, and some very plain and deep glacial scratches.
There is also some coal and a good deal of shale in with the sand-
stone.

We had a good opportunity to see this, since the railroad connect-
ing Port Hawkesbury with Sidney is new, having started running

nownoiN noYR in LAiu;At)otl

only last March, and hence the cuts furnished admirable fields in
which to examine the geology. The road is surveyed and bed made
along the Cape Breton shore of the Gut nearly to the northern end,
and when completed will be a delightful ride. I think tlie Gut for
lo miles north of Port Ilawkesbury resembles the Huilson just by
the Palisades. It is grander than Eggemoggin Rcacii and on a far
larger scale than Somes' Sound. At the northern end it broadens
and becomes just a magnificent waterway, with.out the grand
scenery. We were becalmed nearly all day in George's Bay, at one
time getting pretty near Antigonish, but got a breeze towards even-
ing. Wfc tried fishing several times but could not get a bite though
several fishermen were in sight and trawls innumerable. We passed
one fisherman, a fine three-master, just as we were coming out of
the Gut from Frenchman's Bay, going home, but with very little fish.

I got the captain to call me about 4, Wednesday morning, to fish,
but got none. We were then off North Cape, having had a good
breeze all night. The wind was light all day, but towards the latter
part of the afternoon commenced to blow from the southeast, kick-
ing up a nasty sea very soon. We double reefed the mainsail
reefed the foresail and hauled the flying jib down. About S P. M.
we laid to with the jib hauled down, on the starboard tack. The
wind had backed to the east about four points and was blowing a
gale. About 12 M. it suddenly dropped, a flat calm, leaving a
tremendous sea running from the southeast, combined with a smaller
one from the east. Our motions, jumps, rolls and pitches, can be
better imagined than described. It seemed at times that our bow
and our stern were where the mastheads usually are, and our rails
were frequently rolled under.

Rice and Hunt stood one watch, Cary and I the second, and here
Rice, though a good sailor and an experienced yachtsman, finally
succumbed. We hauled everything down with infinite difficulty,
owing to the violent motion, and made it fast, then let her roll and
pitch to her heart's content. A sorrier looking place than our ward-
room, and a sicker set of fellows it would l)e hard to find. The
dishes had some play in the racks, and kept up an infernal racket
that I tried in every way to stop and could not. To cap all, the
wind came off a gale northwest about 4 A. M., and made yet
another sea. As soon as possible we set a double-reefed foresail,
and then I turned in. When I turned out at no'in we had made
Newfoundland and set a whole foresail, jib and one reef out of the
mainsxtil. We were becalmed, but found excellent fishing, so did

MEMBKHS op THK EXPEblTIOlf

not care. The sea had gone down and we began to enjoy the Nor-
way-like rugged coast of Newfoundland. Tho mountains come
right down to the water, and are about 1,400 feet high, by our
measurement, using angular altitude by sextant and base line, our
distance off shore as shown by our observation for latitude and
longitude.

There are many deep, narrow-mouthed coves and harbors, a good
number of islands and points making a most magnificent co^ "^ '"ne.
In many cases 50 or 75 fathoms are found right under the ^nore.
Great patches of snow, miles in extent, cover the mountain sides.
Great brown patches, which the professor thinks are washings from
the fine examples of erosion, but which look to me like patches of
brown grass as we see in Penobscot Bay on the islands, vary with
what is apparently a scrubby evergreen growth and bald, bare rocks.
As we are about iS miles off", the blue haze over all makes an en-
larged, roughened and much more deeply indented Camden moun-
tain coast line. The bays are in some cases so deep that we can
look into narrow entrances and see between great cliffs, only a few
miles apart, a water horizon on the other side. We wished very
much to get in towards the shore, but the calm and very strong
westerly current, about ij^ knots, prevented.

While enjoying the calm in pleasant contrast to our late shaking
up, it will be well to introduce the members of the party whom
Bowdoin has thought worthy to bear her name into regions seldom
vexed by a college yell, and to whom she has entrusted the high
dutiesof scientific investigation, in which, since the days of Professor
Cleaveland, she has kept a worthy place.

In command is Prof. Leslie A. Lee, of the Biological Depart-
ment of Bowdoin. With a life-long experience in all branches of
natural history, the experience which a year in charge of the scien-
tific staff of the U. S. Fish Commission Steamer "Albatross" in a
voyage from Washington around Cape Horn to Alaska, and an in-
timate connection with the Commission of many year's standing,
and the training that scholarly habits, platform lecturing and collegic
instruction have given him, you see a man still young, for he was
graduated from St. Lawrence University in 1S72, and equal to all
the fatigues that out-of-door, raw-material, scientific work demands.

The rest of the party have yet to prove their mettle, and of them
but little can now be said. Dr. Parker, who, with the Professor,
captain and mate, occupies the cabin proper, is an '86 man, cut out
for a physician and thoroughly prepared to fulfil all the functions of

wrwMMUULWuuuumnayju'iiiiH^mflnnjB

BOWnOIN 'BOYS IN LABRADOR

a medical staff, from administering^ qtiinine to repairing broken
limbs.

Cary of '87, wbo is even now planning for his struggle with the
dilbcultics on the way to the Grand Falls, lias had the most experi-
ence in work of the sort the expedition hopes to do, save the Pro-
fessor and Cole. Logging and hunting in the Maine forests in the
vicinity of his home in Machias, and tishing on the Georges from
Cape Ami smacks, have fitted liim physically, as taking the highest
honors for scholarship at Bowdoin, teaching and university work in
his chosen branch, have prepared him mentally, for th.; great task in
which he leads.

Cole who accompanies him up Grand River, was Prof, Lee's
assistant on the "Albatross," and is well fitted by experience and by
a vigorous participation in athletics at college before his graduation
in '88.

From the expedition's actual starting place, Rockland, there are
four members: Rice, the yachtsman, Simonton, Spear and the
writer, all fair specimens of college boys, and eager to get some re-
flection from the credit which they hope to help the expedition to

win.

Portland has two representatives : Rich, '92, and Baxter, 93, the

latter our only freshman; while Bangor sends three: Hunt, '90,
Hunt, '91, who has charge ol the dredging, and Hastings the taxi-
dermist.

W. R. Smith, another salutatorian of his class, is one of the
many Maine boys whom Massachusetts has called in to help train
the youth of our nioi ^r Commonwealth, and has been at the head
of the High School at Leicester for the past year. He, too, is
thought to equal in physical vigor his mental qualities, and has
been selected to brave the hardships of the Grand River.

To complete the detail for this exploration, Young of Brunswick
and of '92, has been selected, another athkte of the college, who
has had, in addition to his training at Bowdoin, a year or more of
instruction in the schools and gymnasiums of Germany.

Porter, Andrews, and Newbegin, the latter, the only man not
from Maine, coming from Ohio, and only to be accounted for as a
member of the expedition by the fact that his initials P. C. stand
for Parker Cleaveland, finish the list, with but one exception and
that is Lincoln. The merry-maker and star on deck and below —
except when the weather is too rough — he keeps the crowd good-
natured when fogs, rain, head winds and general discomfort tend to

Ri:n HAY

iswick

, who

lore of

discontent: ;uul on shore he sees that the doctor ih not too hard
worked in niaUing the botanical collections.

I'\)r two ilays wc la/ily drifted, the elements seeming to be mak-
ing; lip for their late riot; but the weather was clear and bright, the
scenery way oil' to our starboard was grand, and no one was trouliled
by ihe dela\ , except as the tiioughts of the (iraiul Kiver men turned
to the great distance ami the short time of their trip. At last, how-
ex er, tlie brce/e came, with which I opened this letter, and which
we tiien lioped would continue till we v -ached Hattle Harbor.

We just Hew up the straits, saw many fishermen at anclior with
tlieir (lories olVat the trawls, schooners and dories both jumping in
great sha[)e; also a school of whales and an "ovea" or whale-killer,
with a lin over three feet long sticking straight up. He also broke
right alongside and blew. Considerable excitement attended our
first sight of an iceberg; it was a rotten white one, but soon we
saw a lot, some very dark and deep-colored.

Our first siglit of the long-desired coast was between Belle
Armours Point and the cliffs near Red Bay, the thick ha/e making
the outlines very indistinct. Just two weeks out from Rockland
we made our first harbor on the Labrador coast. Red Bay is a
beautiful little place, and w ith the added features of two magnifi-
cent icebergs close by which we passed in entering, the towering
red cliils on the left Iroin which it takis its name, and liie snug little
island in the middle, and the odd houses we saw dotting the shores of
the summer settlement of the natives, it seemed a sample fully equal
t) our expectations of what we should (iiul in Labrador.

There is an inner h.'ibor into which we could have gone, with
seven fathoms of water and in which vessels sometimes w inter as it
is so secure, but we did not enter it because the captain was doubt-
ful which of the two entrances to take and the chart seemed indefi-
nite on the point. There are about one hundred and seventy-five
people in the settlement, some of them staying there the year round,
fishing in the summer and hunting the rest of the time. They have
another settlement of winter houses at the head of the inner harbor,
but, for convenience in getting at theircod traps, live on the island in
the middle, and on the sides of the outer harbor in the summer.
Their houses are made of logs about the size of small railroad ties,
which are stood on end and clapboarded. The winter houses are
built in a similar way with earth packed around and over them.

The party for Grand River — Gary, Gole, W. R. Smith and
Young — have decided to dispense with a guide ; very wisely, I think,

•ui'i^r'TWlvw.wii.lifj'iui.w.

150WD0IX nOYR IN T-AnitADOR

from what I have seen of native Labradorcans. While the journey
they undiTtiike is one in which the skill of Indians or half-breeds,
familiar with Labrador wildernesses would be of great value and
would add to the comfort of our party, it is very doubtful if any
living person has ever been to the falls or knows any more about
the last, and probably the h..''dest part of the trip, tiian Gary.
And, further, the travel is so difficult that about all a man can carry
is supplies for himself; and the Indians cannot stand the pace that
our men intend to strike ; nor, if it should come to the last extremity,
and a forlorn hope was needed to make a last desperate push for
discovery or relief, could the Indian guides, so far as we have any
knowledge of them, be relied on. That the boldest measures
are often the surest, will probably again be demonstrated by our
Grand River party.

We tried the exploring boats very thoroughly at Chateau Bay,
three of us getting ca.ight about six miles from the vessel in quite
a blow, and the well-laden boat proved herself very seaworthy.
When loaded, she still draws but little water, and is good in every
way for the trip.

This letter was begun in the fine breeze off Newfoundland, but
could not be mailed till the port of entry and post-ofHce of Labrador,
Battle Harbor, was reached. A week was consumed in getting from
our first anchorage in Labrador to this harbor, as the captain was un-
accustomed to icebergs, and properly 'ecided to take no risks with
them in the strong shifting currents and thick weather of the eastern
end of the straits. The wind was ahead for several days, and the
heavy squalls coming off the land in quick succession made us fear
the wind would drop and leave us banging around in the fog that
usually accompanies a calm spell, so we kept close to harbors and
dodged in on the first provocation.

The season is three weeks late this year ; the first mail boat has
not yet arrived, though last year at this time she was on her second
trip. The last report from the North — down the coast they call
it — that went to Newfoundland and St. Johns was "that it was
impa-^ '.able ice this side Hamilton Inlet." A vessel — a steam seal-
ing \ -X — though, that was here yesterday and has gone to Sidney,
C. B. I., reports now that the coast is clear to Hopedale. Beyond
we know nothing about it.

On Henley and Castle Islands, at the mouth of Chateau Bay, are
basaltic table-lands about half a mile across, perfectly flat on top
and about two hundred feet high. We walked around one, went

PATTLE HARBOR

to its top and secured specimens from the columns. The famous
" natural images" of nun, are, to n)v eye, not nearly so pfood as
the descriptions lead one to exp^'Ci. Tlie hist-ny of the place could
hardly be guessed from its present barren, desolate, poverty-stricken
appearance ; but the remains of quite a fort on l^arrier Point show
some signs of former and now departed glory. It seems that it has
been under the dominion of England, France and the United States,
all of whom took forceful possession of it, and England and France
have governed it. An American privateer once sacked the place,
carrying away, I believe, about 3.500 pounds worth of property.
Now, a very sma'l population eke out a wretched existence by fish-
ing, only a few remaining, living at the heads of the bays, in the
winter, and most of tliL-m goitr^ home to Newfoundland.

The icebergs are in great plenty. I counted eighty from the
basaltic table-land at one time, and the professor saw even more at
once. Belle Isle is in plain sight from this place, looking like
Monhegan from the Georges Islands, though possibly somewhat
longer.

Finally, as the wind showed no signs of changing, the captain,
to our intense delight, decided to b^at around to Battle Harbor and
we anchored here at about 5:50 P. M., July 17th. Many of
the icebergs we passed wore glorious, and the scene was truly
arctic. It was bitterly cold, and h.-avy c i.its were the order of the
day. We passed Cape St. Cli.irles, the pnj jov-d terminus of the
Labrador Railroad to reiUice the tiins of crossing the Atlantic to
four days, saw the famous table-land, and soon opened Battle
Harbor which we had to beat up, way round to the northward, to
enter. It was slow busin.'ss with a strong head current, but the
fishermen say a vessel never came around more quickly. We found
the harbor very small, with rocks not shown in chart or const pilot,
and had barely room to come to without going ashore. We went
in under bare poles, and then had too much way on.

The agent for the Bayne, Johnston Co., which runs this place,
keeping nearly all its three hundred inhabitants in debt to it, is a
Mr. Smith, who has taken the professor and seven or eight of the
boys on his little steamer to the other side of the St. Lewis Sound.
The doctor has gone with them to look after some grip patients, and
the professor expects to measure some half-breed Eskimo living
there. The boys are expecting to get some fine trout. The grip
was brought to this region by the steamer bringing the first summer
fishing colonies, and has spread to all and killed a great many.

UOWnOIN HOYS IN LAHUADOU

Tlicrc is an Episcopal rector here, Mr. Bull, who says evcrylxuly
had it. I believe it is owinjj to his care and slight medical skill
that none have died here. It is hard for this people to have such a
sickness just as the lishinjj season is best. The doctor has oppor-
tunity to use all and iar more than the amount of medicine he
brought, much to Professor Lee's amusement. lie is reaping a
small harvest of furs, grateful tokens of his services, that many of
his patients send him, and some of his presents have also improved
our menu.

This place is named Battle Harbor from the conflict that took
place here between the Indians and ICnglish settlers, aided by a
man-of-war. The remains of the fight are now in a swamp covered
with tishtlakes. There are also some strange epitaphs in the village
graveyard, with its painted wooden head-boards, and high fence to
keep the dogs out. These latter are really dangerous, making it
necessary to carry a stick if walking alone. Men have been killed
by them, but last year the worst of tiic lot were exported across the
bay, owing to a bold steal of a child by them and its being nearly
eaten up. They are a mixture of Eskimo, Indian and wolf, with
great white sliaggy coats.

The steamer with mail and passengers from St. Johns, Newfound-
land, is expected every day, and as our rivals for the honor of re-
discovering Grand Falls are proliably on board, there is a race in
store for us to see who will get to Rigolette first, and which party
will start ahead on the perilous journey up the Grand River. As
they have refused our offer of co-operation, we now feel no svm-
patby with their task, and will have but little for them till we see
them, as we hope, stai'ting up the river several days behind our
hardy crew.

Jonathan P. Cilley, Jr.

ii,

/cry body
ical skill

e such a
IS oppor-
licinc he
.'apinji; a

many of
m proved

that took
led by a
■) covered
ic village
fence to
laking it
en killed
icross the
iig nearly
/oli, with

L'wfound-
or of rc-
i race in
ch party
^er. As

no sym-
\\ e see

md our

V, Jr.

BowDoiN Boys in Labrador.

()\ l^iARh Tin: Ji I.I A A. I)i:( KF.k,

( )ii' HiRD Rocks.
(lull Of St. Lawrence, Sept. lo, 1S91.

W'hilr our little vessel is rushin;^ lhroUL;]i tlu' blue waters of
the i^ulf, ajjparently scornint^ the efforts of the swift little Halifax
trader who ])roniised to keep us roinpan\- from the Straits to
the Gut. and who, by dint (>f Ljood luck and constant attentit)n
to sails has thus far kept her word, but is now ste;ulil\' fallinij
astern .iml t>> leeward, I will tell )du about the siiul; little har-
bors, the l)old headlands, b;irren slo])es. and bird-co\'ered rocks,
and also the odorous fishini;' villaijes and tin- kind-he.irted
peojile with whom she has made us acquainted.

The liowdoin scientific expedition to Labrador is now familiar
with six of the seven wonders in this truh' wonderful resjion.
It has visited Grand Falls and " Howdoin Canj'on ;" has been
bitten !)}■ black (lies and nioscpiitoes which oiil}- Lal)rador can
produce, both in point of ([ualit)- and (luantity; has wandered
through the carriai^e roads ( ! ) and Ljardens of Northwest River
and llopedale ; has du!.,^ o\er. mapped and photographed the
prehistoric l*".skimo settlements that line the shores, to tht- north
of Hamilton Inlet; has maile itself thoroughlx^ conversant with
the great fishing industry that h.is made Labrador so valuable,
to Newfoundland in particular, and to the codfish consuming
wa^rld in general ; and tinalh' is itself the sixth wontler, in that
it has accomplished all it set out to do. though of course not all
that would have been done had longer time, better weather
and several other advantages been granted it.

It is almost another wonder, too, in the eyes of the Labradore-
ans, that we have, without jjilot and yet without accident or
trouble of any sort, made such a t.'ip along their rocky coast,
entered their most difiicult harbors, and outsailed their fastest
vessels, revenue cutters, traders and fishermen.

noWPOIN T»OYS IN liAnUADoR.

It will l)c a pood many years before the visit of the •' Yankee
college i)o)'s," the speed of the \'ankee schooner and the skill
and seanianshi[) of the Yankee captain are forLjotten " on the
Labrailor."

The day after we left, July I9lh, the mail steamer reached Hattlc
I larbor with the first mail of the season. ( )n board were Messrs.
Hryantaiul Kenaston, anxiously lookin*; for the Howdoin party and
estimating their chances of petting to the mouth of Grand River.
The)- broUL^ht with them an Adirondack boat, of canoe model,
relying on the country to furnish another boat to carry the bulk
of their provisions and a crew to man the same.

When the news was received that we were a (.hxy ahead, the
race b''<j;an in earnest, the captain of the " Curlew " enterini^
heartily into the sport and tloinp his best to overhaul the speedy
Yankee schooner. When about half wa)- up to Ripolettc, on the
third day from Hattle Harbor, as we were driftinj^ slowly out of
" Seal Hij^ht," into which we had t^one the previous niLjht to
escape the numerous iceberj^s that went i^rindinij; b)-, the black
smoke, and lati-r the s[iars of the mail steamer were seen over
one of the numerous rocky little islets that block the entrance
to the bii;ht. The steamer's flatj assured us that it was certainly
the mail ^"^"amer, and many and an.xious were the surmises as to
whether ( ..r rivals were on board, and earnest were the prayers
for a stronc^ and favorini^ wind. It soon came, and we bowled
along at a rattlin<( pace, our spirits risint^ as we could see the
steamer, in shore, gradually dropping astern. Towards night
we neared Uomino Run, and losing sight of the steamer, which
turned out to make a stop at some wretched little hamlet that
had been shut out from the outer world for nine months, at
about the same time lost our breeze also. But the wind might
rise again, and time was precious, so a bright l(Kikout was kept
for bergs, and we drifted on through the night. The next
morning a fringe of islands shut our competitor from sight, but
after an aggravating calm in the mouth of the inlet, we felt a
breeze and rushed up towards Rigolette, only to meet the steamer
coming out while we were yet several hours from that place.

RIGOLETTE.

'• Yankee

the skill

" on the

icd Hattlc
c Messrs.
party and
ml River,
^e model,
the bidk

liead, the
entering
le speedy
te, on the
ly out of
; nii^ht to
the black
seen over
■ entrance
certainly
ises as to
' prayers
c bowled
see the
rds nit;ht
cr, which
111 let that
lonths, at
ud nuLjht
was kept
riie next
siLjht, but
wc felt a
c steamer
place.

Here wc had our first experience with the immense deer-flics
of Labrador. Off Mt. Gnat they came in swarms and for self-
protection each man armed himself with a small wooden paddle
and slappeil at them rij^ht and left, on the tleck, the rail, another
fellow's back or head, in fact, wherever one was seen to alij^ht.
The man at the wheel was doubly busy, [)rotectin^f himself, with
the assistance of ready volunteers, from their lance-like bites,
and steering' the (juickly moving vessel.

At last the white buiklin^fs and fkij^-staff whicii mark all the
I ludson Hay Co.'s posts in Labrador, came in sij^dit, snu^dy irestled
in a little cove, beneath a hi;4h rid^e lyin^ just to the north-west
of it. and soon wi; were at anchor. Our intention was to ^ct
into the cove, but the si.x knot current swept iis by the mouth
before the failin^^ breeze enabled us to t;et in.

After supper the necessary formal call was made on the factor,
Mr. Ik'U, by the professor, armed with a letter of introduction
from the head of the company in London, and c ed by three
or four of the party. A rather gruff reception, at first met with,
became quite genial, when it appeared that we wanted no assist-
ance save a pilot, and called only to cultivate the acquaintance
of the most important official in Labrador.

With a promise to renew the acquaintance upon our return,
we left, and after a hard pull and an exciting moment in getting
the boat fast alongside, on account of the terrific current, we
reached the deck and reported.

Our rivals were there, and had hired the only available boat
and crew to transport them to North West River. This threw
us back on our second plan, viz : to take our party right to the
mouth of the Grand River ourselves, which involved a trip
inland of one hundred miles to the head of Lake Melville.
This it was decided to do, and after some delay in securing a
pilot, owing to the tru.isfer at the last moment of the affections
of the fin c man we secured to the other party, John Blake came
aboard an,, we started on our new experience in inland naviga-
tion. Just as we entered the narrows, after a stop at John's
house to tell his wife who ,ve were taking him, and to give her
some medicine and advice from the doctor, we saw our rivals

JJOWDOIN r.OYS IN LABRADOR.

starting in the boat thc\' had secured. That was the last we
saw of thc>ni, till thc\' reached North West River, two days after
our part}' hatl started up the Grand River.

North West Ri\er is the name of the I ludson Hay Co.'s post at
the mcnith of the river of the same name, (lowing into the western
extremity of Lake McKille, about fifteen miles north of the
mouth of Cirand Ri\er. Hamilton Inlet pro])er extends about
forty miles in from the .\tlantic to the " Narrows," a few miles
beyond Rigolette, where Lake Melville begins. A narrow arm
of the lake extentls some unexplored distance east of the
Narrows, south of and parallel to the southern shore of the
inlet. The lake varies from ll\e to forl\- mik'S in width and .^
ninct}' niiles long, allowing room for an exteiuled vo)'age in its
capacious bosom. The water is fresh enough to drink at the
upper c\k\ of the lake, and at the time of our visit was far
pleasantcr and less arctic for bathing than the water off any
point o{ the Maine coast. About twenty miles from the Nar-
rcAvs a string of islands, rugged and barren, but beautiful for
their \er)- desolation, as is true of so much of Labrador, nearly
block the way, but wc found the channels deep and clear, and
St. John's towering peak makes an excellent guide to the most
direct passage.

One night was spent under wa\', floating (.piietl)' on the lake,
so delightfuU}' motionless after the restless movements of Atlan-
tic seas. ^\ calm and bright da\' following, during which the
one pleasant swim in Labrador waters was taken b}- two of us,
was varied b)' thunder squalls and ended in fog and drizzle,
causing us to anchor off the abrupt break in the continuous
ridge ak)ng the northern shore, made b}' the Aluligatawney
River. .Mthough in an insecure and exposed anchorage, }-et
the fact that we were in an inclosed lake gave a sense of security
to the less experienced, that the snug and rt)ck\' harbors to
which we had become accustomed, usually failed to give on
account of the roaring of the surf a few hundred )'ar(.ls away,
on the other side of the narrow barrier that protected the rocky
basin.

MONTAGNAIS INDIANS.

last we
,ys after

^ post at
western

of the
Is about
:\v miles
row arm

of the
L- of the
li and .-■
ige in its
k at the

was far

off any
the N ar-
il ti fill for
)r, nearly
lear, and
the most

the lake,
f iVtlan-
hich the
o of us,
tlri/zle,
itinuous
atawney
ajjje. yet
security
ubors to
t;ive on
ds away,
tlic rocky

The following day was bright and showery by turns, but the
heart's wish of our Grand River men was granted, and while the
schooner la}- off the shoals at the mouth of the river the}- were
to make famous, they started as will be described, and the rest
of the expedition turned towards North West Ri\cr, hoping
the}-, too, could now get down to their real work.

The noble little vessel was reluctant to lea\e any of her freight
in so desolate a place, in such frail boats as the Rushtons
seemed, and in the calm between the thunder squalls, several
times turned towards them, as the}- energetically pushed up the
river's mouth, and seemed to call them back as she heavily
flapped her white sails. The}- kept steadily on, however, while
the Julia, bowing to a [)o\\cr stronger than herself, and to a
fresh puff from the rapidl}- rising thunder heads, sj)cedily
reached North West River.

North West River is a sportsman's paradise. Here we found
the only real summer weather of the trip, the thermometer
reaching j6 ^ V. on two days in succession, and thunder storms
occurring regularly every aiternoon. Our gunners and fisher-
men were tempted otT on a long trip. One part}' planning to
be away two or three da}-s, but returning the following morning,
reported tracks and sounds of large animals. They said the
rain induced them to return so soon.

Here we found a camp of Alontagnais Indians, bringing the
winter's si)oils of furs to trade at the post for flour and powder,
and the other articles of cixilization that the}- arc slo\\l\- learning
to use. The}' loaf on their su[)[)lies during the summer, hunting
onl}- enough to furnish themselves with meat, and then starve
during the winter if game ha[5[)ens to be scarce. Measurements
were made of some twent}--fi\'e of this branch of the Kree tribe,
hitherto unknown to anthropometric science, and a full collection
of household utensils peculiar to their tribe was procured.
Several of the Nascopee tribe were with them, the two inter-
marrying freely, and were also measured. The latter are not
such magnificent specimens of physical development as the
Montagnais, but their tribe is more numerous and seems, if
anything, better adapted to thrive in Labrador than their more
attractive brothers.

BOWDOIN BOYS IN LA15KAD0R.

The only remains of their picturesque national costume that
we saw, was the cap. The women wore a curious knot of hair,
about the size of a small egg, over each ear, while the :ien wore
their hair cut off straight around, a few inches above the
shoulders.

In point of personal cleanliness, these people equal any abo-
rigines we have seen, though their camp exhibited that supreme
contempt for sanitation that characterizes every village except
the Hudson Bay Co.'s posts on the Labrador coast, whether of
Indians, Esquimaux or " planters," as the white and half-breed
settlers are called.

Some curious scenes were enacted while the professor was
trading for his desired ethnological material. With inexhaust-
ible patience and imperturbable countenance, he sat on a log,
surrounded by yelping dogs, and by children and papooses of
more or less tender ages and scanty raiment, playing on ten cent
harmonicas that had for a time served as a staple of trade,
struggling with the dogs and with their equally excitea mothers
and sisters for a sight of the wonderful basket from whose
apparently inexhaustible depths came forth }'et more harmonicas,
sets of celluloid jewelry, knives, combs, fish-hooks, needles, etc.,
ad infinitum. The men, whose gravity equalled the delight of
the women and children, held themselves somewhat aloof, seldom
deigning to enter the circle about the magic ba-,ket, and making
their trades in a very dignified and careless fashion.

That these people are capable of civilization there can be no
doubt. Missing the interpreter, without whom nothing could
be done, the professor inquired for him and learned that he had
returned to his wigwam. Upon being summoned he said he was
tired of talking. Thereupon the professor bethought himself
and asked him if he wanted more pay. The interpreter, no
longer tired, was willing to talk all night.

The camp was in a bend of the river and at the head of rapids
about four miles from the mouth, up which we had to track, that
is, one man had to haul the boat along by the bank with a small
rope called a tracking line, while another kept her off the rocks
by pushing against her with an oar. At that point the river

A CARRIAGE ROAD.

nie that
of hair,
en wore
ove the

ny abo-
supreme
e except
icther of
:ilf-breed

ssor was
exhau st-
ill a lov,,
Dooses of
I ten cent
of trade,
, mothers
m whose
•monicas,
dies, etc.,
lelight of
»f, seldom
d making

an be no
ng could
at he had
id he was
t himself
)reter, no

of rapids

;rack, that

th a small

the rocks

the river

opened out into a beautiful lake from one to two miles in width,
whose further end we could not see. As this river never has
been explored to its head, we were surprised that Messrs. Ikyant
and Kenaston, who were ready for their inland trip about a
week after our party had started up the Grand River, had not
chosen it as a field for their work rather than follow in the foot-
steps of our expedition.

Of all Labrador north of the Straits, North West River alone
boasts a carriage road. To be sure, there are neither horses
nor carriages at that post, but when Sir Donald A. Smith, at
present at the head of the Hudson Bay Co.'s interests in Canada,
but then plain Mr. Smith, fjictor, was in charge of that post his
energy made the place a garden in the wilderness, and in addi-
tion to luxuries of an edible sort, he added drives in a carriage
through forest and by shore, for about two miles, on a well made
road. Now, we are informed there is not a horse or cow north
of Belle Isle. The present factor, Mr. McLaren, is a shrewd
Scotchman, genial and warm-hearted beneath a rather forbidding
exterior, as all of our party who experienced his hospitality can
testify.

In spite of all its attractions we could not stay at North West
River. In five weeks we were to meet our river detail at Rigo-
lette, and during that time a trip north of 400 miles was to be
made and the bulk of the expedition's scientific work to be done.

Our day's sail, with fresh breezes and favoring squalls, took
us the whole length of the delightful lake, whose waters had
seldom been vexed by a keel as long as the Julia's, and brought
us to an anchor off Eskimo Island. Here we had one of our
regulcir fights with the mosquitoes, the engagement perhaps being
a trifle hotter than usual, for they swarmed down the companion
way every time the " mosquito door," of netting on a light
frame hinged to the hatch house, was opened, in brigades and
divisions and finally by whole army corps, till we were forced to
retreat to our bunks, drive out the intruding hosts, which paid
no respect whatever to our limited 6x3x3 private apartments, by
energetically waving and slapping a towel around, then quickly
shutting the door of netting, also on a tightly fitting frame, and

•24

KOAVDfHN r.OVS IN LAP.nADOIt,

devoting an lioiir or two at our leisure to deniolisliin;^ the few
stra^r^rlers that remained wit in; or possibly the whole nit^dit, if
an unknown breach had been found b)- the wil}- mosquito some-
where in' our carefuU)' made defenses. A few bones were taken
from the l^skimo graves that abound on the island, but the mos-
quitoes seriously interfered with such work and the party soon
returned to the vessel. The absolutel)' calm nii;ht allowed tiie
mosquitoes to reach us and stay; and in spite of its Ijrevity and
the utter stillness of the vast solitude about us, broken only now
and then by a noise from the little 1 lalifax trader whose acquaint-
ance we here made for the first time, ami of whom we saw so
much on our return voyage across the gulf or by the howling of
wolves and Eskimo dogs in the distance, we were glad when it
was over and a morning breeze chased from our decks the invad-
ing hosts.

A short stop at Rigolcttc, to send about fifty letters ashore, a
two days' delay in a cold, easterly storm at Turner Cove, on the
south side of the inlet, when the icy winds, in contrast to the
warm weather we had lately enjoyed, made us put on our heavy
clothes and, even then, shiver — a delay, howe\er, that we did
not grudge, for we were in a land of fish, game ano labradorite —
this of a poor qualit}', as we afterward learned — and where the
doctor hail more patients than he could easil}- attend to. At
last a pleasant Sunda)-'s run to Indian Harbor got us clear of
Hamilton Inlet. There we found the usual complement of fish
and fishing ajjparatus, but with the acUlilion of a tew Yankee
vessels and a church serxice.

The latter we were quite surprised to find, and sex'eral went,
out of curiosit}", and had the satisf iction of finding a small room,
packed with about fifty human l)eings, with no ventilation what-
ever, and of sitting on seats about four inches wide with no
backs. The peoi)le were earnest and respectful, but did not
seem to uiulerstand all that was said, as, perha^js, is not to be
wondered at, since the)' are the poorest class of Newfoundlanders.

Indian Harbor is like so man)' "others on the coast, merely a
" tickle " with three ticklish entrances full of sunken rocks and
treacherous currents. The small islands that make the harbor

STOEM AND FOG.

lie few
\<^\\t, if
I somo-
.' taken
ic mos-
y soon
^ed the
Mty and
nly now
:quaint-
: saw so
wling of
when it
ic invad-

ashorc, a
c, on the
^t to the
ur heavy
t wo did
idorite —
here the
to. At
s clear (^f
lit of fish
Yankee

Till went,
Kill room,
Lion what-
c with no
t did not
ntvt to be
ndlanders.
, merely a
rocks and
he harbor

are simply bare ledges, very rough and irregular in outline. The
fishing village, also, like all others, consists of little earthen-cov-
ered hovels, stuck down wherever a decently level spot fifteen
feet square can be found, and of fislung stages running out from
every little point and cove, in which the catch is placed to be
taken care of, and alongside of which the heavy boats can lie
without danger of being smashed by the undertow that is con-
tinually heaving against the shore.

A two days' run brought us up to Cape Harrigan, rounding
which we went into Webeck I larbor. little thinking that in that
dreary place storm and fog would hold us prisoners for five days.
That was our fate, and even now we wonder how we lived
through that dismal time.

One day served to make us familiar with the flora, fauna, geog-
raphy and geology of the region, for it was not an interesting
place from a scientific point of view, however tlie fishermen may
regard it, and after the departure of the mail steamer, leaving
us all disappointed in regard to mail, time dragged on us terribly.

Two or three of the more venturesome ones could get a little
sport by pulling a long four miles down to the extremity of Cape
Harrigan, where sea pigeon had a home in the face of a mag-
nificent clift", against the bottom of which the gunners had to
risk being thrown by the heavy swell rolling against it, as they
shot from a boat bobbing like a cork, at " guillemots " flying
like bullets from a gun out of the face of the cliff. C)ne evening
a relief part}' was sent off for two who had gone off to land on
a bad lee shore and were some hours overdue. To be sure the
missing ones arrived very soon, all right, while the search party
got back considerably later, drenched with spra)' and with their
boat half hill of water, but the incident gave some relief from
the monotony.

Another evening several visiting captains and a few friends
from ashore were treated to a concert by the Bowdoin Glee and
Minstrel Club. All the old favorites of from ten years ago and
less were served up in a sort of composite hash, greatly to the
delight of both audience and singers.

BOWDOIN BOYS IN LABRADOR.

At Wcbcck Harbor, which \vc came to pronounce " Wayback,"
probably because it seemed such a lontj way back to anything
worthy of human interest, we saw the business of catching cod
at its best. They had just " struck a spurt," the fishermen said,
and day after day simply went to their traps, filled their boats
and bags, took the catch home, where the boys and " ship girls "
took charge of it, and returned to the traps to repeat the process.
An idea of the amount of fish taken may be given by the figures
of the catch of five men from one schooner, who took one thou-
sand quintals of codfish in thirteen days. We obtained a better
idea of the vast catch by the experience of one of our parties
who spent part of a day at the traps, as the arrangement of nets
along the shore is called, into which the cod swim and out of
which they are too foolish to go. They are on much the same
plan as salmon weirs, only larger, opening both ways, and being
placed usually in over ten fathoms of water and kept in place by
anchors, shore lines, and floats and sinkers. Once down they
are usually kept in place a whole season. The party were in a
boat, inside the line of floats, so interested in watching the fish-
ermen making the " haul," as the process of overhauling the net
and passing it under the boat is called, by which the fish are
crowded up into one corner where they can be scooped out by
the dozen, that they did not notice that the enormous catch was
being brought to the surface directly under them till their own
boat began to rise out of the water, actually being grounded on
the immense shoal of codfish.

It was a strange sensation and makes a strange story. All
the time that we were storm-stayed at Webeck the " spurt " con-
tinued, and the trap owners were tired but jubilant. The " hand-
lining " crews were correspondingly depressed, for, though so
plenty, not a cod would bite a hook. It is this reason, that is,
because an abundance of food brings the cod to the shores in
great numbers and at the same time prevents them ^rom being
hungry, that led to the abandonment of trawling and the univer-
sal adoption of the trap method. We did not see a single trawl
on the coast, and it is doubtful if there was one there in use.

(

ABUNDANCE OF CODFISH.

jack,"
.'thing
g cod
ti said,
boats
girls"
roccss.
figures
: thou-
L better
parties
of nets
out of
le same
d being
)lace by
\n they
■ere in a
he fish-
the net
fish are
out by
itch was
icir own
nded on

ry. AH
rt " con-
le " hand-
lough so
, that is,
shores in
)m being
le univer-
^gle trawl
n use.

During these spurts, the day's work just begins, in fact, after
the hard labor of rowing the heavy boats out, perhaps two miles,
to the trap, hauling, mending the net, loading and unloading the
fish — always a hard task and sometimes a very difficult one on
account of the heavy sea — has been repeated three or four times ;
for the number of fish is so great that the stage becomes over-
loaded by night, and the boat crews then have to turn to and
help take care of the catch and clear the stage for the next
day's operations. Till long after midnight the work goes mer-
rily on in the huts or shelters over the stages, for the hard work
then means no starvation next winter in the Newfoundland
homes, and the fish are split, cleaned, headed, salted and packed
with incredible rapidity.

The tired crews get an hour or two of sleep just as they are;
then, after a pot of black tea and a handful of bread, start out
to begin the next day's work, resting and eating during the hour
between the trips, and then going out again, and repeating the
some monotonous round over and over till we wondered how
they lived through it, and what was to be done with all the fish.
When there is a good breeze the boats are rigged and a large
part of the weary labor of rowing is escaped. How tired the
crews would look as the big twenty-four feet boats went dashing
by our vessel in the fog and rain, on the outward trip, and how
happy, though if possible more tired, as they came back three
or four hours later, loaded to the gunwale with cod, and think-
ing, perhaps, of the bags full that they had left buoyed near the
trap because the boat would not carry the whole catch. It is a
hard life, and no wonder the men are not much more than ani-
mals ; but they work with dogged persistence, for in a little
more than two months enough must be earned to support their
families for the year. When the " spurt " ends the crews get a
much needed rest, and attend to getting a supply of salt ashore
from the salt vessel from Cadiz, Spain, one of which we found
lying in nearly every fishing harbor, serving as a storehouse for
that article so necessary to the fishermen.

As to the magnitude of the industry, it is estimated that there
are about 3,000 vessels and 20,000 men employed in it during

BOWDOIN BOYS IN LAURADOR.

.iij
t

the season. Some of the vessels are employed in merely bring-
ing salt and taking away the fish, notably the great iron tramp
steamers of from 1,500 to 2,000 tons, which seem so much out
of place moored to the sides of some of the little rocky harbors.
The average catch in a good year is, we were informed, from
four to six hundred quintals in a vessel of perhaps forty tons,
by a crew of from four to eight men. The trap outfit costs
about $500 and is furnislied b>' the large fish firms in Newfound-
land, to be paid for with fish. As the market price, to the fish-
ermen, is from five dollars to si.x dollars a quintal, the value of
the industry is at once apparent.

The great bulk of the fish go to Mediterranean ports direct,
to Catholic countries, chiefiy, and also to Brazil. The small
size and imperfect curing which the Labrador summer allows
make the fish almost unsalable in hLnglish and American mar-
kets. Many of the cod are of the black, Greenland variety,
which are far less palatable, and are usually thrown away or
cured separately for the cheaper market.

All storms come to an end finally, and at last the sun shone,
the windlass clanked and we were underway. The long delay
seemed to have broken our little schooner's spirits, for after
being out three or four hours we had gone but as many miles,
and those in the wrong direction.

At length the gentle breeze seemed to revive her and we
gently slipped by the Ragged Islands and Cape Mokkavik.
That Sunday evening will long be remembered by us, for in
addition to the delight we felt at again moving northward, and
the charm of a bright evening with a gentle, fair wind and
smooth water, allowing us to glide by hundreds of fulmar and
shearwater sitting on the water, scarcely disturbed by our pas-
sage, the moon was paled by the brightest exhibition of the
aurora we saw while in northern waters. Its sudden darts into
new quarters of the heavens, its tumultuous waves and gentle
undulations, now looking like a fleecy cloud, now like a gigantic
curtain shaken by still more gigantic hands into ponderous folds
— all were reflected in the quiet water and from the numerous
bergs, great and small, that dotted the surface, till the beholder

HOPEDALE.

gentle

was at times awe-struck and silent, utterly unable to find words
with which to express himself.

The next day we rounded Gull Island, which we identified
with some difficulty, owing to the absence of the fiagstaff by
which the coast i)ilot says it can be tlistinguished, antl, after a
delightful sail up the clear souiul leading through the fringe of
islands to Iloiiedale, we spied the red-roofed houses and earth-
covered huts, the mission houses and I'^skimo village, of which
the settlement consists, snugly hidden behind little " Anatokavit,"
or little Snow Hill Island, at the foot of a steep and loft}' hill
surmounted by the mission llagstaff. Here we were destined to
pass five days as pleasant as the five at Webeck had been tedious.

The harbor at Hopedale is the best one we visited on the
coast. The twelve miles of sound, fringed and studded with
islands, completely broke the undertt)W which hdu kept our ves-
sel constantly rolling, when at anchor, in every harbor except
those up Hamilton Inlet and Lake Melville.

About two miles south of us a vast, unexi)lored bay ran for a
long distance inlanil, while to the north, K)oking from Flagstaff
Peak, we could see Cape Ilarrigan and the shoals about it, the
numberless inlets, coves and bays which fill in the sixty miles to
Nain. We were very much disappointed at our inability to go
north to that place, but before our start from the United States
Hope.dalc had been named as the point with which we would be
content if ice and winds allowed us to reach it, and that point
proved the northern limit of our voyage.

About half a mile across the point of land on which the mis-
sionary settlement lies, is the site of the pre-historic village of
" Avatoke," which means " may-we-have-seals." It consisted
of three approximately circular houses, in line parallel with the
shore, at the head of a slight cove, backed to the west by a
high hill, and with a fine beach in front, now raised considerably
from the sea level. Along the front of the row of houses were
immense shell heaps, from which we dug ivory, that is, walrus
teeth ; carvings, stone lamps, spear heads, portions of kyaks,
whips, komatiks, as the sleds are called, etc., etc., and bones
innumerable of all the varieties of birds, fish and game on which

DOWDOIN HOYS IN LAHKADOR.

the early Eskimo dined ; as well as remnants of all tlic imple-
ments which l*lskimos used in the household generations ai^o,
and which can nearly all now be recognized by the almost iden-
tically shaped and made implements in the houses of Eskimos
there in llopedale, so little do they change in the course of
centuries. The village has been completely deserted for over
one hundred years, and was in its prime centuries before that,
so the tales of its greatness are only tlim I'Lskimo traditions.

The houses were found to average about thirty-five feet across
on the inside; are separated by a space of about fifteen feet,
and each had a long, narrow doorway or entrance, being almost
exactly in line. The walls are about fifteen feet thick and now
about five feet high, of earth, with the gravel beach for a foun-
dation. The inside of the wall was aj^parently lined with some-
thing resembling a wooden bench. When, in one of the houses,
the remains of the dirt and stone roof that had long since crushed
down the rotten poles and seal skins that made the framework
and first covering, had been carefidly remcjved, the floor was
found to be laid with flagstones, many three or four feet across,
closely fitted at the edges and well laid in tbj gravel so as to
make a smooth, even floor. This extended to the remains of
the bench at the sides, and made a dwelling which for Eskimo
land must have been palatial. The evidences of fire showed the
hearth to have been near the center of the floor, a little towards
the entrance, in order to get the most from its heat. The Hope-
dale Eskimo were themselves surprised at the stone floor, but
one old man remembered that he had been told that such floors
were used long ago, in the palmier days of Eskimo history, if
such an expression is fitting for an arctic people.

A village arranged on a similar plan, except that the houses
were joined together, was found to constitute the supposed
remains of a settlement on Eskimo Island in Lake Melville.

In both cases the front of the row is towards the east, and the
houses are dug down to sand on the inside, making their floors
somewhat below the level of the ground.

A more thorough investigation than we were able to make of
the remains at Eskimo Island would undoubtedly yield much of

ESKIMOS.

louses
pposcd
Ic.

md the
floors

interest and value, for they were if anythin<T even older than
those at I lopcdalc, probably having been abandoned after the
battle between l-lskinio and Indians, foui,dit on the same island,
which has now beconie a tradition anionic the peojile.

Five days were spent in this most interestinij ethnological
work, and hard days they were, too, as well as interesting, for
the mosquitoes, black flies and midges were always with us;
but on the other hand, the ICskimo interpreter was continually
describing some national custt)m which some find would suggest
to him, and very ingenious he proved to be in naming finds
which we were entirely ignorant of or unable to identify.

The race as a whole is exceedingly ingenious, quick to learn,
hantly with tools, and also ready at mastering musical instru-
ments. One of the best carpenters on the Labrador is an
Eskimo at Aillik, from whom we bought a kyak ; and at Hope-
dale in the winter they have a very fair brass band. The art of
fine carving, however, sctms to be lying out among them, and
now there is but one family, at Nain, who do anything of the
sort worthy the name of carving. Prof. Lee obtained several
very fine specimens for the Bowdoin cabinets, but as a rule it is
very high priced and rare. Most of it is taken to London by
the Moravian mission ship, and has found its way into English
and Continental museums. The figures of dogs, of Eskimos
themselves, as well as of kyaks and komatiks, seals, walrus,
arctic birds and the like are most exquisitely done.

The mission itself deserves a brief description. It was
founded in 1782 and has been steadily maintained by the Mora-
vian society for the furtherance of the Gospel, and is now nearly
self-supporting. There are three missions of the society in
Labrador, the one at Nain being the chief and the residence of
the director, but Hopcdalc is very important as it is the place
where the debasing influence of the traders and fishermen is
most felt by the Eskimo, and the work of the missionaries con-
sequently made least welcome to them. However, they have
persevered, in the German fashion, and seem to have a firm hold
on the childlike people which the seductions of the traders
cannot shake off.

re .

noWDOlN MOYH IN LAMUADOIi.

There arc five missionaries now stationed at Ilopedalc: Mr.
Townly, an lui^Mishinan, wliose work is anion^ the " planters "
and fishermen; Mr. Ifansen, the pastor of the I^skimo church;
and Mr. Kaestner, the head of the mission, and ;:i special char^'c
of the store and tratlint,^ by which the mission is made nearly
self-supporting; Mrs. Kaestner and Mrs. Hansen complete the
number, and the Wvc make up a community almost entirely iso-
lated from white people during nine months of every )'ear.

The fact that the two ladies spoke very little hai^lish was
somewhat of a ilrawback, but detracted very slit,ditly from our
enjoyment of Mrs. Hanson's tleli^ditful sin^inij and none at all
from our api)reciation of her pl;i)-iiiL;- on the i)iaiio and or!_;an.
To ^et such a musical trt'at in the Labrador wilds was most
unexpected and for tliat reason all the more thoroui^hly enjoyed.

The mission house is a yellow, barn-like building;, heavily
built to prevent its beinij blown awaj-, snui^ly stowed beneath a
hill, and seeming like a mother round which the huts of the
Ivskimo clustci. The rooms in which we were so pleasantly
entertained were very comfortably and tastily furnished, a f;rand
piano in one of them seemint;" out of place in a village of Lab-
rador, but so entire))' in harmony with its immediate surround-
ings that we hardl)' thought of the strangeness of it, within a
few yards of a village of pure Eskimo, living in all their [primi-
tive customs and in their own land.

A few rods behind the mission are the gardens, cut up into
small squares by strong boartl fences to prevent the soil from
blowing away, each with a tarpaulin near by to spread over it at
night. In this laborious way potatoes, cabbages and turnips are
raised. In a large hothouse the missionaries raise tomatoes,
lettuce, and also flowers, but for everything else, except fish,
game and ice they have to depend on the yearh' visit of the
Moravian mission ship. She left for Nain just the tla\- before
we reached Hopedale, and after unloading supplies, etc., there,
she proceeds north, collecting furs and fish until loaded, and
then goes to London.

About fifty Eskimos were measured and collections made of
their clothing, implements of war and chase and household

TICKLES.

Mr.

;i'S
•ch ;
iir-^c
:arly

the

iso-

\v;is
11 our
at all

nu)st
joyed,
cavily
jath a
of the
isiintly
trrand
f Lab-

und-

thin a

M-imi-

1 into
from
cr it at
ips are

KltOCS,

)1 f\sh,
of the
before

, there.

ed, and

made of
)USchold

utensils, which are the best of our collections, for the World's
Fair and the Uowdoin tnuscums.

After spending,' these fixe pleasant and profitable da\'s at
Ilopcdaln, and reL^retfuU)- lookin;^ out b\- Cape UarriL,'an, to
Nain, whose gardens are the sc\'enth wonder of Labrador,
through which, reports sa\', one can walk for two miles, and
whose missionaries, warned of our coming, were making ready
to give us a warm reception ; and near it Paul's Island, on which
was so much of interest to our part)-; all this we thought of
mournfully as our vessel's head was pointed southward and we
sped along, reluctant on this account, and )-et eager to hear of
the success of our boldest undertaking, the Grand River c.\i)lor-
ation party.

At Aillik, where there is an abandoned Hudson liaj- Co.'s
post, we measured a few more ICskimo, obtained a k\'ak, which
a day or two later nearl}' became a coffin to cine of our party,
and tried a trout stream that proved the best we found in Lab-
rador. \n about an hour, three of our jiart)' caught over eighty
magnificent trout, and, naturall}-. returned much elated.

The next day we poked the Julia's incjuisitix-e nose into one
or two so-called but misnamed harbors that afforded vcrj- little
shelter, and had a threatening and deserted look which, although
the characteristic of the Labrador shore in general, has nc\-er
been noticeable in the harbors we have visited. ]\Liny of them
arc very small, and in some it is nccessar)- to la)' quite close to
the rocks, but \-et we ha\e had no trouble from the extremely
deep water that we were told we should have to anchor in, nor
}-et from getting into harbors so small that it was hard to get
out of them.

As a matter of fact, experience has taught the fishermen to
use "tickles," as narrow passa, "es are called, for harbors, that
there may always be a windward and a leeward entrance. In a
few cases where the harbor is too small to beat out of, and has
no leeward entrance, we have found heavj- ring bolts fastened
into proper places in the cliffs, to which vessels can make their
lines fast, and warp themselves into wcathcrl}- position from
which a course can be laid out of the harbor.

BOWDOIN BOYS IN LABRADOR.

i r

Meanwhile we are again approaching the Ragged Islands,
which wc passed jnst as we were beginning that memorable
Sunday evening sail, about fifteen miles from the place we so
much dread, Wcbeck Harbor.

On them we found the only gravel bed we saw in Labrador,
and yet their name is due to the rough piled basaltic appearing
rock, that proved on close examination to be much weathered
sicnite and granite. The harbor is an open place amidst a
cluster of rocky islets, and we found it literally packed with
fishing vessels. Here an afternoon was spent making pictures
and examining the geology of these interesting islands, and here
the cidventure of the kyak, before referred to, took place.

Our fuv trader thought he would take a paddle, but had not
gone three lengths before he found that he was more expert in
dealing with Eskimo furs than in handling Eskimo boats. He
rolled over, was soon pulled alongside, and clearing himself
from the kyak climbed aboard, just as our gallant mate, his res-
cuer, rolled out of his dory into the water and took a swim on
his own account. All hands were nearly exploded with laughter
as he rolled himself neatl)' into the dory again and climbed
aboard, remarking, " That'.-; the way to climb into a dory without
capsizing her," as he ruefully shook himself. We wanted to ask
him if that was the only way to get out of a dory without turn-
ing her over, but we forebore.

The next morning as we got clear of the harbor, a trim look-
ing schooner of our size was sighted just oft' Cape Harrigan,
about ten miles ahead. The breeze freshening we gradually
overhauled her, and finally, while beating into Holton harbor,
one of the most dangerous entrances on the coast, by the way,
we passed her, and noticing her neat rig and appearance guessed
rightly we had beaten the representatives of the Newfoundland
law and the collectcr of her revenues from this coast.

]\Ir. liurgess, who combines in one unassuming personage the
tax and customs collector, the magistrate and the commissioner
of poor relief from Labrador, afterward told us that the "Rose"
had been on the coast for thirteen years and had been outsailed
for the first time. The next morning we again beat her badly,

PUFFINS AND AUKS.

ook-
igan,
ually
arbor,
way,
csscd
dlaiid

Igc the
sioner
lose
tsailed
badly,

in working up to Indian Plarbor, and only then would he acknowl-
edge himself fairly beaten.

Saturday, the 22d of August, having yet three days before
wc were due at Rigolette to meet our Grand River part\% we
made memorable in the annals of the puffins and auks of the
Heron Islands by spending three or four hours there and taking
aboard three hundred and seventy-eight of them. Many more
of them were killed but dropped into inaccessible places or into
the water and could not be saved.

The sound of the fusiladc from over twenty gunners must
have resembled a small battle, but it did not drive the birds
away, and as we left they seemed thicker than ever. Not only
was the air alive with them, but as one walked along the cliffs
they would dart swiftly out of holes in the rocks or crevices, so
the earth, too, seemed full of them. It was great sport for a
time, but soon seemed too much like slaughter, and we would
let the awkard puffins, with their foolish eyes and Roman
noses, come blundering along within a few feet of our muzzles,
and chose rather the graceful, swift motioned auks and guillemots,
whose rapid flight made them far more sportsmanlike game.

The next day, though Sunday, had to be spent in taking
care of the best specimens, and the game was not fully disposed
of for several days. Our bill of fare was correspondingly im-
proved for a few oays.

Three days were consumed in beating up to Rigolette. At
Indian Harbor we had heard rumors of the return of some
party from Grand River on account of injuries received by one
of the men, but the description ai)plied best to the second
party, and we decided it must refer to Bryant or Kenaston.
Near Turner's Cove we found more rumors, but nothing
definite enough to satisfy our growing anxiety, and at last,
unable to bear the suspense any longer, three of the party took
a boat and started to row the fifteen miles between us and
Rigolette, while the vessel waited for a change of tide and
a breeze.

Alternate hope and fear lent strength to our arms as we
drove the light boat along, and soon we came in sight of the

I50WD0IX BOYS ]>• LABRADOR.

wharf. There \vc saw a ragged looking individual, smoking a
ver)' short and black clay pipe, with one arm in a sling, who
seemed to recognize us, and waved his hat vigorousl}' with his
well arm. Soon we recognized Young and were pumping awa\-
at his well hand in our delight at finding his injuries no worse,
and that Gary and Cole were )'et pushing on, determined to
accomplish their object.

Young's hand had been in a critical state ; the slight injury
first received unconsciously, from exposure and lack of atten-
tion had caused a swelling of his hand and arm that was both
extremely painful and dangerous, and which, the doctor said,
would have caused the loss of the thumb, or possibl)- of the
whole hand, had it gone uncared for much longer. Of course
it was impossible to leave a man in such a condition, or to send
him back alone. So Smith ver)- regretfully x'olunteered to
turn back — at a point where a few days more were expected to
give a sight of the Falls, and when all thought the hardest
work of the Grand River part}' had been accomplished — and
accompany Young back to Rigolette.

It was a great sacrifice of Smith's personal desires, to be one
of the re-discoverers of the falls, to the interests of the expedi-
tion, and it involved a great deal of hard work, for, after pad-
dling and rowing all day, he had to build and break camp
every night and morning, as Young's hand grew steadil)- worse
and was all he conld attend to. At the mouth of the ri\er,
which was reached in shorter time than was expected, and
without accident. Young obtained some relief from applica-
tions of spruce gum to his hand by Joe Michelini, a trapper and
hunter, famous for his skill in all Labrador. Northwest River
was reached the following day, and after a few days of rest for
Smith, during which time Young's injur}- began to mend also
under the influences of rest and shelter, they hired a small
schooner boat to take them to Rigolette. On the passage they
were struck by a squall in the night, nearly swamped, and com-
pelled to cut the Rushton boat adrift inorderto save themselves.
The next day they searched the leeward shore of the lake in
vain, and had to go on without her, arriving at Rigolette with-

ANXIOrS WAITING.

:^7

cr,

and

ica-

and

vivcr

-t for

also
;mall

they
com-
clves.
Kc in

with-

out further accident, and had been there about a week when we
arrived. The boat was picked up later in a badly daniai,'ed
condition, and '^Wcn to the finder.

While Younij outlined his experience we hunted up Smith,
who had been makin;^ himself useful as a clerk to the factor at
the Post, ^Ir. Bel!, and all went on bixu'd the Julia as soon as
she arrived, to report and relieve in a measure the anxiety of
the professor and the boys.

The day appointed for meeting the river party was the day
on which we reached Rigolette, August 25th, and so a sharp
lookout was kept for the two remaining members of the part>-,
on whom, now. the failure or success of that part of the ex-
pedition rested. /\s they did not appear, we moved up to
a cove near Eskimo Island, at the eastern end of Lake Mel-
ville, the following day, and there spent four days of anxious
waiting. Some dredging and geological work was done, and
an attempt was made to examine more carefully the re-
mains of the Eskimo village before referred to on Eskimo
Island, which some investigators had thought the remains of
a Norse settlement. The turf was too tough to break through
without a plow, and wc had to give it up, doing just enough
to satisfy ourselves that the remains were purely Eskimo.

All the work attempted was done in a half-hearted man-
ner, for our thoughts were with Gary and Cole, and as the
days went by and they did not appear, but were more and
more overdue, our suspense became almost unbearable.
Added to this was the thought that we could wait but a
few days more at the longest, without running the danger
of being imprisoned all winter, and for that we were poorly
prepared.

The first day of September we moved back to Rigolette to
get supplies and make preparations for our voyage home, as it
was positively unsafe to remain any longer. The Gulf of St.
Lawrence is an ugly place to cross at any time in September,
for in that month the chances are rather against a small vessel's
getting across safely.

It was decided that the expedition must start home on Wed-
nesday, the 2nd, and that a relief party should be left for Gary

EOWDOIX BOYS IN LABKADOE.

and Cole. With heavy hearts the final preparations were made,
and many were the looks cast at the narrows where they would
be seen, were they to heave in sight.

At last, about 3.30 p. m. Tuesday, the lookout yelled, " Sail
ho ! in the narrows," and we all jumped for the rigging. They
had come, almost at the last hour of our waiting, and with a
feelin^ of relief such as we shall seldom again experience we
welcomed them aboard and heard their story.

-°^=^<I:£^v^^^°

II i

BowDoiN Boys in Labrador.

Ox Board the Julia A. Decker, ^
Gut of Caxso. \

Bowdoin pluck has overcome Bowdoin luck, and though they
literally had to pass through fire and water, the Bowdoin men,
from the Bowdoin College Scientific Expedition to Labrador
have done what Oxford failed to do, and what was declared well
nigh impossible by those best acquainted with the circumstan-
ces and presumably best judges of the matter. Austin Gary
and Dennis Gole, Bowdoin '87 and '88, respectively, have pro-
ven themselves worthy to be ranked as explorers, and have
demonstrated anew that energy and endurance are not wanting
in college graduates of this generation.

A trip up a large and swift river, totally unknown to maps
in its upper portions, for three hundred miles, equal to the distance
from Brunswick, Me., to New York Gity, in open fifteen feet boats,
is of itself an achievement worthy of remark. But when to this
is added the discovery of Bowdoin Ganon, one of the most re-
markable features of North America, the settlement of the
mystery of the Grand Falls, and the bringing to light of a navig-
able waterway extending for an unbroken ninety miles, and
three hundred miles in the interior of an hitherto unknown
country, something more than remark is merited.

July 26th the schooner hove to about four miles from the mouth
of the Grand River, the shoals rendering a nearer approach dan-
gerous, and the boats of the river detachment were sent over
the side, taken in tow by the yawl, and the start made on what
proved the most eventful part of the Labrador expedition.
Gheers and good wishes followed the three boats till out of
hearing, and then the Julia gathered way and headed for North
West River, while the party in the yawl with the two Rushtons

liuw'DDiN Buys in labradoi;.

in tow put forth their best ciTort.s to reach the mouth of the
river and alee before the approaching squall should strike them.

The scjuall came tirst, and as it blew heavily directly out of
the river, \vc could simply lay to and wait for it to blow over.
Then a calm followed and by the time the next squall struck
we were in a comparative lee. After the heaviest of it had
passed, the Grand River boys clambered into their boats and
with a hearty "good by" pulled away for the opening close at
hand. The yawl meantime had grounded on one of the shoals,
but pushing off and carefully dodging the boulders that dot
those shallow waters, she squared away for North West River,
following around the shore, and with the aid of a fresh breeze
reached the schooner shortly after lo o'clock P. 'SI.

The river party was made up of Austin Gary in charge, and
VV. R. Smith, '90, occupying one boat, and Dennis Cole and E.
B. Young, '92, with the other, all strong, rugged fellows, more
or less acquainted with boating in rapid water, and well equipped
for all emergencies. Their outfit included provisions for five
weeks, flour, meal, buckwheat flour, rice, coliee, tea, sugar, beef
extract, tins of pea soup, beef tongue, and preserves. They
were provided with revolvers, a shot gun and a rifle, and suffi-
cient ammunition, intending to eke out the stores with what-
ever game came in their way, although the amount of time
given them would not allow much hunting. All the sup-
plies, including the surveying, measuring and meteorological
instruments, were either in tins or in water-tightwrappings,while
the bedding and clothing were protected by rubber blankets.
The boats, made by Rushton, the Adirondack boat-builder,
were of cedar, fifteen feet long, five feet wide, double-ended, and
weighed eighty pounds apiece. A short deck at each end of the
boats covered copper air-tanks, which made life-boats of them
and added much to their safety. Each boat was equipped with
a pair of oars, a paddle and about one hundred feetofsmall line
for tracking purposes. Proceeding about three miles the first
camp was made on the south shore of Goose Hay. amid an
abundance of mosquitoes. The next day twenty-five miles were
made through shoals that nearly close the river's mouth, leaving

CrltAXD KlVEi:.

and
clE.
nore

: hvc

, beef

They

sum-

vhat-
time
sup-
^ical
•hlle
•ccts.
kler,
and
ftho
them
with
1 Hne
first

but one gjood channel through which the water flows very swiftly,
by the house of Joe Michclin. the trapper, at which six weeks
later two very gaunt and much used up men were most hospita-
bly received. Here another night was spent almost without
sleep, owing to the mosquitoes.

Tuesday a large Indian camp was passed, the big " pool," at
the foot of the first falls and some three miles long, rowed
across, and at noon the carry was begun. It was necessary to
make seventeen trips and four and one half hours were used in the
task. When the last load had been deposited at the upper end of
the carr}', the men threw themselves down on the bank utterly,
weary, and owing to the loss of sleep the two previous nights,
were soon all sound asleep. In consequence cam[) was made
here, and the first comfortable night of the trip passed. In-
cluding the carry eight miles was the day's advance.

The tw'enty-five miles of the next day were made rowing and
tracking up the Porcupine rapids through a series of small lakes,
one with a little island in the centre deceiving our bovs for
awhile into thinking they had reached Gull Island Lake, and
then up another short rapid at the head of which the part}' en-
camped.

Sixteen miles were made next day by alternate rowing and
tracking, the foot of Gull Island Lake was reached, and after
dinner it was crossed in one and a half hours. Then the heav-
iest work of the trip thus far was struck and camp was made,
about half way up Gull Lake rapid. Supper was made off a
goose shot the previous day. It was necessary to double the
crews in getting up the latter part of Gull Island rapids, and
finally a short carry was made just at noon to get clear of them.
From the fact that the light, beautifully modelled boats required
four men to take them up the rapids we may get some idea of
the swiftness of the river as well as the difficulties attending the
mode of travelling. As the river in its swiftest parts is never
less than half a mile wide, and averages a mile, it can readily be
seen that it is a grand waterway, well deserving its name.

Nine miles were made this day and camp was reached at the
beginning of rough water on the Horse Shoe Rapid. Here the

r.owDoix noYs ix Labrador.

first evidence of shoes crivincj out was seen. Constant use over
roui,rh rocks while wet proved too much for even the strongest
shoes, and when Carj' and Cole returned there was not leather
enough between them to make one decent shoe. Rain made
the night uncomfortable, as the light shelter tent let the water
through very easily and was then of little use. At other times
the tents were very comfortable. Upon arriving at the spot
selected two men would at once set about preparing the brush
for beds, pitching the tent, etc., while the other provided wood
for the camp and for the cook, in which capacity Cary offici-
ated. I cannot do better than use Cary's own words in refer-
ence to his "humble but essential ministrations." "'Camp cook-
ing at best is rather a wearing process, but the agonies of a
man whose hands are tangled up in dough and whom the flies
becloud, competing for standing room on every exposed portion
of his body, can be imagined only by the experienced."

The part}' believed that a good night's rest was indispensible
where the day was filled with the hardest kind of labor, and
spared no pains to secure them. Even on the return Cary and
Cole, when half starved, stuck to their practice of making com-
fortable camps, and it is probable that the wonderful way they
held out under their privations was largely due to this. While
many in their predicament would have thrown away their blank-
ets, they kept them, and on every cold and stormy night con-
gratulated themselves that they had done so.

On Saturday, Aug. 1st, the first accident happened. Track-
ing on the Horse Shoe Rapids was extremely difficult and
dangerous. Shortly after dinner a carry was made, taking three
and a half hours to track out a path up and along a terrace
about fifty feet high. Shortly after this the boat used by Cary
and Smith capsized, emptying its load into the river. The
party were "tracking" at the time. Cole being nearly the length
of the tow line ahead, tugging on it, while Cary was doing his
best to keep the boat off the rocks. At the margin of the swift
unbroken current there were strong eddies, and in hauling the
boat around a bend her bow was pushed into one, her slight
keel momentarily preventing her from heading upstream again.

o
a
K

s'H

LOSS OF BOAT.

ICC the
slight
acrain,

and the rush of the water bore her under. At the same time
Gary was carried from his footing and just managed to grasp
the Hne as he came u[) and escape being borne down the
stream. When tilings were collected and an inventory taken of
the loss, it was found to include about one-fourth of the pro-
visions, the barometer and chronometer rendered useless and
practically lost, measuring chain, cooking utensils, rifles with
mucli of the ammunition, axe and small stores, such as salt,
sugar, coffee, etc. The loss was a severe one, and arose from
failure to fasten the stores into the boats before starting, as had
been ordered. The time given the party for the trip was so
short, the distance so uncertain, and the things they desired to
have an opportunit}- to do on the return that would require
comparative leisure were so man}', that they begrudged the
few^ minutes necessary to properly kish the loads into the
boats, each time they broke camp ; and delay and disaster were
the results. As the day was nearl)- spent, camp was made but
about a mile from the last, and time used in repairing damages.
A very ingenious baker for bread was contrived by Cole from
an empt)' flour tin, a new paddle made to replace the one lost,
and a redistribution of the baggage remaining effected.

In the following five days sixty-six miles were made v.ith a
few short carries, some rowing and a good deal of hard tracking.
Having passed the Mininipi ri\'er and rapids, the latter being
the worst on the river, the bank furnishing almost no foothold
for tracking the Mauni rapids were reached and finally at 5
P. M., Aug. 6th, the party emerged into Lake Waminikapo. As
Gary's journal puts it, here the party " first indulged in hilarit)'."
The hardest part of the work was over and had been done in
much less time than had been expected. According to all ac-
counts the falls should be found onl}' thirty miles bc}-ond the head
of the lake, which is forty miles long and good rowing w^ater, and
about three weeks time yet remained before they were due at
Rigolette. Added to this a perfect summer afternoon, com-
paratively smooth water, running avamd the base of a magnifi-
cent cliff and opening out through a gorge with precipitous
sides, showing a beautiful vista of lake and mountain, with the

II()^vnnIN nnvs is i,aiu;ai)<iu.

knoulcdi^c of rai)ids behind and tlic object of the trip but a
short way ahead and eas)' travcllini^ most of that \va)-, and we
may readily iinderstan(.l why these tired and travel worn voy
a^^ers felt hilarious. Gary says of the scene : " As we i,n-adu-
ally worketl out of the swift water the terraces of sand and
stones were seen to give way and the ridcjes bej-ond to approach
one another and to erect themselves, until at the lake's mouth
we entered a grand portal between cliffs on either hand tower-
ing for hundreds of feet straight into the air. And looking be-
yond and between the reaches of the lake was seen a ribbon
of water lying between steep sided ridges, over the face of
which, as we pulled along, mountain streams came pouring."

One day was usctl in making the length of the lake, and at
the camp at its head Young and Smith turned back. A very
badly swelled hand and arm caused by jamming his thumb had
prevented Young from getting any sleep antl threatened speedily
to become worse. Tiiis in connection with the loss of provis-
ions in the upset made it expedient t<j send the two men back.
The returning party was given the best boat, the best of the
outfit and provisions for six days, in which time they could
easily reach the mouth of the river. ]\Ieantime Gary and Gole
pushed on into what was to prove the most eventful part of
their journey.

The lake is simply the river valley with the terraces cleaned
out, and was probably made when the river was much higher,
at a time not far removed from the glacial period. The head
of the lake is full of sand bars and shoals, much resembling
the mouth of the river as it opens out into Goose bay. On
both sides of the lake mountains rise steeply for one thousand
or twelve hundred feet. Its average width is from two to three
miles and it has three long bends or curves. Only one deep
valley breaks the precipitous sides, but many streams flow in
over the ridge, making beautiful waterfalls.

The river as it enters the lake is about half a mile wide, but
soon increases to a mile. Twenty miles were made by the ad-
vance the day the parties separated, and at night, almost
at the place where the falls were reported, nothing but smooth

MOUNT fFYDE.

caned
ghcr,
head
iibling
On
lusand
three
deep
o\v in

de, but
he ad-
ahiiost
smooth

water could be seen for a lon^j stretch ahead. Sundaj-, the 9th,
twenty-five miles were made, the cjood rowingcontinuin,c(.b\' burnt
lands, and banks over which man)- cascades tumbled. I\Iondii\',
the last da)''s advance in the boats was made, the water becom-
hig too swift to be stemmed, This day Gary got the second '
ducking of the trip — ;i very good record in view of the rough-
ness of the work and the smallness of the boats. During this
and the day [previous an otter, a crow and a robin were seen,
As a rule the river was almost entirely deserted by animal life.
The next day the boat and the provisions, excepting a six
days supply carried in the packs, were carefully cached, and at
10:45 cami) was left and the memorable tram[) begun. I'.ach
man carried about twenty-five pounds. The stream was followed
a short distance, then the abrupt ascent to the plateau climbed,
old river beaches being found all the wa)- up. Ascending a
birch knoll, the river was in vie\^' for quite a long distance and a
large branch seen making in from the west. To the north the
highest mountain, in fact the only peak in the vicinity, was seen
towering up above the level plateau. Towards this peak, chris-
tened Mt. Myde, the party tramped, and arriving at the top saw
the country around spread out like a map. Way off towards
the northwest a large lake was seen from which Grand Rix'er
probably flows, and nearer was a chain of small, shallow and
rocky ponds. The countrj- is rock}', covered with deep moss
and fairly well wooded, with little underbrush. The wood is
all spruce save in the river valleys where considerable birch is
mixed in. The black flies were present in clouds, even in the
strong wind blowing at the top of Mt. Hyde, and made halt for
rest or any stop whatever intolerable. Leaving the mountain,
after taking bearings of all the points to be seen, the part}-
struck for the river and camped on the bank between the two
branches coming in from the westward, several miles apart.
The following da}', with faces much swollen from fly bites of
the day before, the line of march was along the banks till 2 P.
M. when the upper fork was reached.

The

ippe
)f the

course 01 tne nver is southeast. This branch course is
from the northwest. The main stream turns oft" sharply to the

Iff

I'.OWDOIN HOYS (N LAliKADOU.

I V

noi'tlicast and after a few miles passes into a tleep canon, chris-
tened " Bowdoin Canon," between [jrecipitous walls of archeac
rock from six hundred to cii;ht hundrd feet liigh. This canon was
afterward found to be about twenty-five miles long and winding
in its course. In but few places is the slope such as to permit a
descent to the river bank proper, and the canon is so narrow,
and the walls of such perpendicular character, as to make the river
invisible from a short distance. It might trul)- be said that the dis-
covery of this canon, infinitely grander on account of its age than
any other known to geology, and suri)assed by few in size, is the
most important result of the e.\i)edition. Several photographs
of it were made, which were not injured by the exposure to
wet and rough usage that the camera had to receive during the
return journey, and alone convey an adequate idea of this most
wonderful of nature's wonders.

At night the first camp away from the river was made, on
the plateau. The two men felt that the next day must be their
last of advance, so weakened were they by the terrible tramp-
ing over deep moss and the persistent bleeding by black flies.
The stock of provisions, too, was running low, and with their
diminishing strength was a warning to turn back that could not
be neglected. A half dozen grouse, three Canada and three
rough, had been added to their supplies, but even with full
meals they could not long stand the double drain upon their
strength.

the morning a high hill was seen, for which they started,

I, ving slightly away from the river. Soon a roar from the
direction of the river was noticed, which differed from the ordi-
nary roar of the rapids. Altering their course '^ was found the
roar "kept away," indicating an unusually heavy sound. Push-
ing forward, thinking it must be the desired falls, they soon
came out upon the river bank, with the water at their level.
This proved the falls to be below them, and looking down they
could be seen "smoking" about a mile distant. A distinct
pounding had also been felt for some time previous, which further
assured them that the falls were at hand. The roai- that had
attracted their attention was of the river running at the plateau

THE MAllKED BOWDUIN SPIIUCE.

not

three
full
their

artccl,
the
ordi-
[1 the
I'ush-
V soon
level,
n they
istinct
"urther
at had
)lateau

level. At the point they came out u[)i)n it, it was iiearl)' two hun-
dred yards wide, a heavy boiling rapid. Walking down the ^reat
blocks of rock which form the shore, the river appeared to nar-
row and at 1 1. 45 A. M., the Grand h'alls were first seen.

After niakini; pictures of the Falls a feelini^ of reaction man-
ifested itself in Gary's physical condition, and he remarked, " I
do not wish to go farther, I need sleep." Cole, as assistant,
had avoided the wear and an.xiety of leadership. His athletic
work at Howdoin, in throwing the shot and hammer and run-
ning on the Topsham track, had given him stored energy of
arm and leg. This reserve strength prompted him to press
forward and see more of a v gion new to human eyes. Leav-
ing his hatchet with Gary, now rolled up in his blanket, with
the hope and expectation that on waking he would use the
same in preparing fuel and cooking supper, Gole pressed for-
ward into the strange and unknown country three or four miles,
and then, for a final view of the location, climbed the highest
tree he could find and from its top surveyed the waste of land
and river. He stood thus exalted near the center of the vast
peninsula of Labrador. Four hundred and fifty miles to the
east lay the wide expanse of Hamilton Inlet. Four hundred
and fifty miles to the north lay Gape Ghudleigh, towards which
he could imagine the Julia A. Decker, vainly as it proved, point-
ing her figure head through fog and ice. Only six hundred
miles due south the granite chapel of Bowdoin GoUcgc points
heavenward both its uplifted hands. F'our hundred and fifty
miles to the west rolled the waves of that great inland ocean,
Hudson's Bay, into whose depths, Henry Hudson, after his
penetrations to northern waters above Spitzbergen, after
his pushing along the eastern coast of Greenland, after his
magnificent and successful exploration of the American coast
from Maine to Virginia, penetrating Delaware bay and river
and sailing up that river crowned by the Palisades and the
hights of the Gatskills, honored with his name and whose waters
bear the largest portion of the commercial wealth of our own
country ; still fascinated by the vision of a northwest passage
that intrepid explorer penetrated into the waters of the un-

LHiWl)OIX I!()VS IN LABKADOl:.

known sea whose waves unseen dash along the coasts of Lab-
rador from its westward to its northern shores and Cape Chud-
leigh. All these explorations he accomplished in a sailing \'es-
sel about the size of the Julia A. Decker, the ship "Discoverie"
of seventy tons. He had wintered at the southern extremit}'
of Hudson's Ba}- surrounded bj- a mutinous crew. In the
hardships and suffering of the next season, after he had dixided
his last brear' with his men, in the summer of i6ii, while near
the western coast of Labrabor, half wa}' back to the Straits,
by an ungrateful crew he was thrust into a sail boat with his
son 'iohn and five sailors sick and blind with scurvy, and was
left to perish in the great waste of waters, which, bearing his
name, is " his tomb and his monument." Cole, with his mind and
imagination filled with these facts, involuntarily took his knife
and carved his name and the expedition on the upper part of
the tree which formed his outlook. It might be his monument
as the Inland Sea was that of Hudson. Then to ha\-c the tree
marked and observable to other eyes, in case other eyes should
see that country, he commenced to cut the branches from near
the top of the tall spruce. He regretted much the leaving of
the hatchet with Car}- as he was obliged to do the work with
his knife. It was a slow and laborious job. His imagination,
as it roamed over the wide land, and his interest in his present
efforts, had consumed time faster than he knew, and the slanting
rays of the western sun started him with thoughts of Cary and
supper. It was dark when he reached Cary and he was still
asleep. The hatchet was idle, and he wished more than ever
that his efforts on the branches of the marked Bowdoin Spruce
had been rendered less laborious and more expeditious b\' the
aid of this, to be hereafter his constant companion and source
of safety along with another and more diminutive friend, a
pocket pistol.

The falls proper are three hundred and sixteen feet high,
and just above the river narrows from two hundred and
fifty to fifty )-ards, the water shooting over a somewhat
gradual downward course and then plunging straight down
with terrific force the distance mentioned, and with an immense

GKAND FALLS.

I'CC

Kit

(\vn
nse

volume. The river is much higher at times and the fall must
be even grander, for while the party was there the ground
quaked with the shock of the descending stream, and the river
wa'i nearly at its lowest point. At the bottom is a large pool
made by the change of direction of the river from south at and
above the falls to nearly east below. The canon begins at the
pool and extends as has been described, with many turns and
windings, for twenty-five miles through archaic rock. Above
the falls in the wide rapids, the bed was of the same rock, which
seems to underlie the whole plateau. In 1839, the falls were first
seen by a white man, John McLean, an officer of the Hudson
Bay Co., while on an exploring expedition in that "great and
terrible wilderness" known as Labrador. His description is very
general, but he was greatly impressed with the stupendous
height of the falls, and terms it one of the grandest spectacles
of the world. Twenty years later, one Kennedy, also an em-
ploye of the Hudson Bay Co., pcrsuiidcd an Iroquois Indian,
who did not share the superstitious dread of them common
among the Labrador Indians, to guide him to the thundering-
fall and misty chasm. He left no account of his visit, however,
and in fact, though one other man reached them, and Mr.
Holmes, an l-.nglishman, made the attempt and failed, no full
account of the falls has been given to the world, until Cary
and Cole made their report. Above the falls as far as could be
seen, all was white water, indicating a fall of about one hundred
feet per mile. In the course of twenty-five or thirty miles there
is a descent of twelve hundred feet, nearly equal to the altitude
of the "Height of Land," as the interior plateau of Labrador
is called, which has probably been previously overestimated.
The next forenoon was spent in surveying and making what
measurements could be made in the absence of the instruments
lost in ihe upset. At noon, after having spent just twenty-
four hours at Grand Falls, the party turned back. The very fact
of having succeeded, made distance shorter and fatigue more
easily borne, so they travelled along at a rattling pace, survey-
ing at times and little thinking of the disaster that had befallen
them. Camp was made on the river bank, beneath one of the
terraces which lined both sides.

HOWDOIN BOYS 1]S LA15UADOK.

;iM

Saturday Aug. 15th, the march back to the boat caclic was
resumed. Towards niglit, as they approaclied the i)hice, smoke
was seen rising from the ground, and fearing evil, the men broke
into a run during the last two miles. As Gary's journal puts it:
"We arrived at our camp to find boat and stores burnt and
the fire still smoking and spreading. Cole arrives first, and as
I come thrashing through the bushes he sits on a rock munch-
ing some burnt flour. He announces with an unsteady voice:
'Well, she's gone.' We say not much, nothing that indicates
poor courage, but go about to find what wc can in the wreck,
and pack up for a tramp down river. In an hour we have
picked out everything useful, including my money, nails, thread
and damaged provisions, and are on the way down river hoping
to pass the rapi. • before dark, starting at 5."

Their position was certainly disheartening. They were one
hundred and fifty miles from their nearest cache, and nearly
three hundred from the nearest settlement, already greatly
used up, needing rest and plent}^ of food ; in a country that for-
bade any extended tramping inland to cut off corners, on a
river in most places either too rough for a raft or with too slug-
gish a current to make rafting pay; and above all, left with
a stock of food comprising one quart of good rice, brought
back with them, three quarts of mi.'' .d meal, burnt flour and
burnt rice, a little tea, one can of badly dried tongue, and one
can of baked beans that were really improved by the fire. Add
to this some three dozen matches and twenty-five cartridges,
blankets and what things they had on the tramp to the falls,
and the list of their outfit, with which to cover the three hun-
dred miles, is complete. There was no time to be wasted, and
that same night six miles were made before camping. The
next day the battle for life began. It was decided that any
game or other supplies found on the way should be used
liberally, while those with which they started were husbanded.
This day several trout were caught, line and hooks being part
of each man's outfit, and two square meals enjoyed, which
proved the last for a week. A raft was made that would not
float the men and baggage, and being somewhat discouraged

SQUIRREL AND CRANBERRIES.

on the subject of rafting by the falkirc, another was not then
attempted, and the men continued tramping. Following the
river, they found its general course between the rapids and
Lake Wanimikapo, S. S. K. During part of that day and all
the next, they followed in the track of a large panther, but did
not get in sight of him. Acting on the principle that they
should save their strength as much as possible, camps were
gone into fairly early and were well made ; and this night, in
spite of the desi)erate straits they were in, both men enjoyed a
most delightful sleep.

After this some time every morning was usually occupied in
mending shoes. All sorts of devices were resorted to to get
the last bit of wear out of them, even to shifting from right to
left, but finally Cole had to make a pair of the nondescripts
from the leather lining of his pack, which lasted him to the
vessel. Cranberries were found during the day and at inter-
vals during the tramp, and were always drawn upon for a meal.
About two quarts were added to the stock of provision, and
many a supi)er was made off a red squirrel and a pint of stewed
cranberries.

Wednesday, the 19th, another raft was made, which took the
party into the lake. This was more comfortable than tracking,
yet they were in the water for several hours while on the raft,
which was made by lashing two cross-pieces about four feet
long on the ends of five or six logs laid beside each other and
from twenty to thirty feet long, all fastened with roots, and hav-
ing a small pile of brush to V'cp the baggage dry. The still
water of the lake made the raft useless, even in a fresh, fair
bree/e, and so this one was abandoned two miles down, and the
weary tramping again resumed. Fortunately the water was so
low that advantage could be taken of the closely overgrown
shore by walking on the lake bed, and far better progress was
made owing to the firmer footing. Three days were used in get-
ting down the lake, during which time but one fish, a pickerel,
was caught, where they had expected to find an abundance.

At the foot of the lake, tracks were seen, which it was thought
might be those of hunters. It was learned later that they were

BOWDOIN lUn'S IN LAIiRADOll.

more i)robably tracks of l^ryant's and Kcnaston's party, who
were fulUnvini^j them up and probably liad been passed on the
opposite side of the h\ke, unnoticed in the heavy rain of the
prccecding day. Sotne bits of meat that had been thrown away
were i)icked up and ]iel[)ed to fill the t;ap, now becomini; quite
long, between square meals. Supper on this day is noted in
Gary's journal because they "feasted on three squirrels." Hav-
ing i^otten out of the lake into rapid water, trout was once more
caught, and as on the following day, Sunday, the 23d, a bear's
heart, liver, etc., was found, and later several fish caught. The
starvation period was over.

In the afternoon another raft was built and the next day car-
ried them five miles i\o\\u to the last cache. Though so terribly
used up that the odd jobs connected with making and breaking
camp dragged fearfully, aiul each day's advance had to be made
b)' pure force of will, the men felt that the worst was (jver and
their final getting out of the woods was a matter of time merely.
At this cache, also, a note from Young and Smith was found an-
nouncing their passage to that point all right and in less time
than expected, so they had drawn no supplies from the stock
there.

Tuesday, the 25th. — The day, b}' the waj', that the Julia
Decker and party arrived at Rigolette according to plans, ex-
pecting to find the whole Grand River party, and instead found
onl)' Young and Smith, who h.id been waiting there about a
week. Rafting was continued in a heavy rain down to the
Miiiinipi Raj^ds over which the raft was nearly carried against
the will of the occupants. At the foot of these rapids a thirty
mile tramp was begun, the raft that had carried them so well for
forty-five miles being abandoned, which took them past the
Morse Shoe and Gull Island Rapids and occupied most of the
two following days. The tracking was fair, and as starvation
was over pretty good time was made.

Thursday, the 27th. — A raft was made early in the morning
that took them l^y the Porcupine Rapids and landed them
safely, though well soaked, ;it the head of the first falls. Camp
was made that night at the first cache below the falls, forty
miles having been covered during the day.

THE LAST I'ISTOL SHOT.

ulia
ex-

)lliul

)ut a
the
aiiist
lirty
11 Un
the
the
ation

h'riday, they fully expected to reach Joe Michclin's house
and i;ef the relief that was sadly needed, but as the necessit)'
for keepiuLj up became less imperative, their weakness began
to tell on them more. Gary's shoes became so bad that
Siloing barefoot was preferable, except over the sharpest rocks,
and Cole's feet had become so sore that as a last resort his coat
sleeves were cut off and served as a cross between stockings
and boots. They were doomed to disappointment, however.
and compelled to camp at nightfall with four or five miles bad
travelling and the wide river between them and the house.
Fires were made in hopes of attracting the trai)per's attention
and inducing him to cross the river in his boat, but as they learned
the next day, though t!;"y were seen, the dark rain}' night pre-
vented his going over w .ind out what they meant. The last
shot cartrid ;c was used that night on a partridge, and the red
squirrels went unmolested thereafter. This last shot deserves
more than a passing notice. In one sense these shot cartridges
for Cole's pistol were their salvation. Just before the expedi-
tion started from Rockland it was remarked in conversation
that the boat crew under DeLong, in the ill-fated expedition of
the "Jeanette", met their death by starvation in the delta of
the Lena, with the exception of two, Naros and Nindermann,
simply because their hunter, Naros, had only a rifle with ball
cartridges, the shot guns having been left on board the "Jea-
nette;" that on the delta there was quite an abundance of
small birds which it was almost impossible to kill by a bullet
and even when killed by a lucky shot, little was left of the bird.
Cole was impressed by these facts and upon inquiring ascer-
tained that the pistol shot cartridges ordered b}' the exijcdition
had been overlooked. He energeticallj' set about supplying the
lack, and after persistent search, almost at the last hour, suc-
ceeded in finding a small stock in the city, which he bought out.
To the remnant of this stock which esca[)ed the fire at lUirnt
Cache camp, as has been said, is the escape of Cary and Cole
from starvation largely due.

The value of these cartridges had da}' b}^ da}', on the wear}-
return from Grand Trails, become more and more ap[)arent to

ROWDOIN TiOYS IX LABHADOn.

the owner. At the (h'sch.ir;4c of the last one, the partridf^c
fell not to tlie ^n'ound, hut ilew to another and remote chister
of sinnices. To this thicket Cole hastened antl stood watching
to discover his birtl. Car)- came up and after waiting a little
while, said, " It is no use to delay longer, time is too precious."
The value of this last cartridge forced Cole to linger. He was
reluctant to admit it was wasted. In a few minutes he heard
something fall to the ground, he knew not what it was, but
with eager steps pressed towards the place, and when near it a
slight flutter and rustling of wings led him to discover the par-
tridge, uninjured excei)t that one leg was broken ; that by faint-
ness or inability to hold its perch with one foot it had fallen to
the ground. The darkness and rain of that night then closing
around them were rendered less dark and disagreeable by the
assurance that kind Providence showed its hand when the help
of an unseen power was needed to deliver them from the perils
of the unknown river. It rained hard all the next forenoon,
and as the river was rough, the men stayed in camp, hoping
Joe would come across, until noon, when a start was made for
the house. A crazy raft took them across the river, the waves
at times nearly washing over them, and landing on the other
side, they started on the last tramp of the trip, which the rain
and thick underbrush, together with their weakened condition,
made the worst of the trip. About 3 1'. M., they struck a
path, and in a few minutes were once more under a roof and
their perilous journey was practically done.

Seventeen days had been used in making the three hundred
miles, all but about seventy-five of which were covered afoot.
When they came in, besides the blankets, cooking tins and in-
struments, nothing remained of the outfit with which they
started on the return except three matches and one ball cart-
ritlge for the revolver, which, in Cole's hands, had proved their
main stay from absolute starvation. The following day, Sun-
da)-, after having had a night's rest in dry clothes and two civi-
lized meals, Joe took them to Northwest River, where Mr.
McLaren, the factor of the Hudson Bay Company's posts
showed them every kindness till a boat was procured to take

UN liOAUI) THK JULIA A. DKCKEU.

ndrcd

afoot.

ml in-
they
cart-
thcir
Sun-
civi-

■c Mr.
posts

:o take

thcni to Rii^olcttc. A storm and rain, catchini,' thcni on a Ice
shore and L,MvinLj the ahxady exliausted men one more tussle
with fortune to s^et their small vessel into a position of safety,
ipade a fittinLj end to their experiences.

Tuesday at 4 1'. M., they reached the schooner an .heir jour-
ney was done. Amid the bani;int^ of L;nns and rilles, yells of
delii^dit and echoes of ]5-C)-W-D-0-I-N ilyin<,r over the hills,
they clambered over the rail from the boat that had been sent
to meet them and nearly had their arms wrun^ off in couLjratu-
lations upon their success, about which the very first cjuestions
had been asked as soon as they came within hearing. They
were nearly deafened with exclamations that their appearance
called out, and by the questions that were showered on them.
At last some order was restored, and after pictures had been
made of them just as they came aboard, dressed in sealskin
tassock, sealskin and deerskin boots and moccasins, with which
they had provided themselves at Northwest River, ragged rem-
nants of trousers and shirts, and the barest apologies for hats,
they were given an opportunity to make themselves comfort-
able and eat supper, and then the professor took them into the
cabin to give an account of themseh/es. It was many days be-
fore their haggard appearance, with sunken eyes and dark rings
beneath them, and their extreme weakness disappeared.

The return trip of Young and Smith from Lake Waminika[)o,
who reached Rigolettc Aug. i8th, was made in five days to North-
west River, and after resting two days, in two more to Rigolette.
Their trip was comparatively uneventful. At the foot of Gull
Island Lake they met Bryant and Kenaston, who with their
party of Indians were proceeding very leisurely and a[)parently
doing very little work themselves. At their rate of progress it
seemed to our j^arty very doubtful if they ever reached the
falls. They had picked up, in the pool at the foot of the first
falls, one of the cans of flour lost in the upset, some fifty or six-
ty miles up the river, with its contents all right, and strange to say
not a dent in it, and returned it to Smith and Young when they
met them. That night, with the assistance of the officers and
passengers of the mail steamer, which lay alongside of us, a

BOWDOIN BOYS IN LAIlUADOli.

jollification was held. Our return race to 15attlc Harbor, the
last concert of tl-e Glee Club in Labrador waters, the exc.tui-
race over the -ulf with the little Halifax trader, the tussle with
the elements i;ettin;^^ into Canso, the sensation of a return to
civilization and hearty reception at Halifax, and -reetin- at
Rockland, must remain for another letter.

\lA

BowDoiN Boys in Labrador.

0\ BfJARi) THK Julia A. Dkckkr,
RocKLAM) Harbor, Mk.,

September 23, 1891.

The staunch little schooner has once more picked a safe path
through the clangers of fog, rocks and passing vessels, and her
party arc safely landed at the home port, before quite two weeks
of the college term and two weeks of making up had piled up
against its members.

The crew that weighed anchor at Rigolette on the morning of
September 2nd, when the wind came and the tide had turned,
was a happy one, for from Professor to " cookec " we all felt
that we were truly homeward bound, and that we had accom-
plished our undertaking without any cause for lasting regret.
The mail steamer, whose passengers had joined in the jollifica-
tion of the night preceding, being independent of the wind, had
started ahead of us. Another race was on with the " Curlew,"
this time a merely friendly contest, without the former anxiety
as to some other party's getting the lead of ours in the trip up
the Grand River. But the result was not different this time. A
fine breeze kept us going all day and the following night. But
the next day the fog came. It was no different from the cold,
damp, land-mark obscuring mist of the Maine coast in its facility
in hiding from view everything we most wanted to see in order
to safely find the harbor that we knew must be near at hand,
though we could not tell just where. A headland, looming up
to twice its real height in the fog about it, was rounded, and the
lead followed in the hope that it would take us to the desired
haven. Soon a fishing boat hailed, and a voice, quickly followed
by a man, emerged from the fog and shouted that if we went
farther on that course we would be among the shoals. We
were told we had passed the mouth of the harbor, and so turn-
ing back, tried to follow our guide, but he soon disappeared.

MOWDOIN HOYS IN I.AHUAD(Mt.

Just at this moment when it seemed impossible for us to find
any openinj^, the fog lifted and we saw a schooner's sail over
one of the small islets that lay about us. Taking our cue from
that \vc poked into the next narrow channel wc came to, and
getting some sailing directions from a passing boat, and from
the signal man stationed on a blufif to give assistance to stran-
gers, we glided into an almost circular basin, hardly large
enough for the vessel to swing in, set among steep rising sides,
nto which many ring bolts were seen to be fastened, and per-
fectly sheltered from every wind. The use for the ring bolts wc
found later. The fog kept rolling over, and the little fishing
vessels kept shooting in, till it seemed the harbor would not
hold another. As all sail had to be hauled down before the
vessels came in sight of the interior, the vessels seemed literally
to scoot into the basin. A few of the vessels were anchored
and kept from swinging by lines to the bolts, and the rest of
the fleet made fast to them. In all the number of vessels
crowded into the space where we hardly thought we could lie
was about twenty. How they would ever get out seemed a
puzzle, but the next morning it was accomplished, with a light
fair vind, by all at once without accident or delay. Had the
wind been ahead, the ring bolts would have aided in warping to
a weatherly position.

During the evening the mail steamer caught us, and after
putting a little freight ashore, left us behind again. Here were
some strange epitaphs painted on the wooden slabs, also people
ready to exchange or sell at a far higher rate than wc had hith-
erto paid, anything they possessed for the cash which was all
we had left to bargain with, the available old clothes having
been already disposed of.

It was hard to disabuse the minds of the people at Square
Island Harbor of the idea that we had come to seek gold or
other valuable mines, the reason being that several years before
a party from the States had spent considerable time prospecting
in that vicinity and partly opened one or two worthless mica
quarries.

■■ hvl;

'b'
the

uare
Id or
)cfore
acting

mica

A nOLl) SKIPPER.

It was a glorious sight to see the fleet get under way the next
morning. Many a close shave and more bumps but no serious
collisions were caused by the twenty or more vessels crowding
out together through the narrow opening, each eager to get the
first puff from the fair breeze outside the lee of the cliffs. The
whole fleet was bound up the coast, but before many of the
schooners had drifted far enough out to catch the breeze it had
failed, and only after an hour or more of annoying experience
with puffs from every quarter, did the strong sea breeze set in.
Sheets were trimmed flat aft, and all settled down to beating
up the coast. The Julia soon left the mass of the fleet and
before reaching Battle Harbor, where a long desired mail was
awaiting, had nearly overtaken the lucky ones who had drifted
far enough off shore to make a leading wind of the afternoon
breeze. During the calm a school of whales disported them-
selves in the midst of the fleet, chasing one another, blowing
and churning the water to foam about us, apparently as though
it wa^, rare fun.

Late in the afternoon we approached the entrance to Battle
Harbor, but with the wind blowing directly out of the narrow,
rocky and winding entrance we wondered how we should get in.
Our captain was equal to the problem, however, and undeterred
by the crowded state of the harbor, within whose narrow limits
were two large steamers, one or two barks and several fishermen,
performed a feat of seamanship the equal of which, we were
told, preserved in the traditions of the port, and only half
believed, as having been done once, thirty years before.

Getting about ten knots way on the vessel, and heading her
straight for the steamer nearest the mouth, we just brushed by
the rocks of the entrance, sheered a bit and shot past the
steamer before her astonished officers could utter a word of
warning, and were traveling up the harbor at a steamboat pace,
the sails meanwhile rattling down, and some of us on board
wondering if we should not keep right on out the other entrance
to the harbor, while boats scurried out of our way, two men in
one fishing boat looking reproachfully at us as we missed them
by about two feet just after our fellow on lookout had reported

HONVDOIN IJOYS IN LAIJUADOU.

" nothinj; but a schoonur in the way, sir; " aiul people rushed
to their doors and to tlie decks to sec what was excitiiij; such a
commotion, just as the anchor was let }^o with a roar and we
quietly swunj; to and ran our mooring line, as though we had
done that thing all our lives.

Here about one hundred letters were brought aboartl amid
much rejoicing, for many had not hoard from home at all during
the trip.

Hy the time we were ready to make what we hoped would
prove the last departure from a Labrailor harbor, the next
morning, the wind, which had changed in the night and was
blowing in exactly the opposite direction, had become so strong
that the little steam launch of J5a)'ne & Co., which had been
tendered us to tow us (iut of the harbor, was not powerful
enough to pull the schooner against it. The other entrance,
for like all the rest this Labrador harbor was merely a " tickle"
and had its two entrances, was narrow, shoal, and had such
short turns that it seemed impossible to run so large a vessel as
the Jidia through it. However, our impatience would not
brook the uncertain delay of waiting for the wind to change, so
taking on board the best pilot that town of pilots could afford,
we iiKide the atteni]it. Three times we held our breaths, almost,
as we anxiously watched the great green spots in the water,
indicating sunken rocks, glide under our counter or along our
side, while the steady voice of the weatherbeaten oi'' man at
the fore rigging sounded " port,"' then in quirk, sharp, seem-
ingly anxious tones, " now starboard — hard ! " and again " port
-- lively now," and tht: graceful vessel turned to the right or
left, just grazing the rock or ledge, as though she too could sec
just how near to them it was safe to go and yet pass through
without a scrape. It was a decided relief to all, and the silence
on board, that had been broken only by the rush of wind and
water, the pilot's voice and the creaking of the wheel as it was
whirled around by the skillful hands of the captain, suddenly
ceased, when the pilot left his place and walked slowly aft,
praising the admirable way in which the vessel behaved at the
critical points, and apparently unconscious that in the eyes of
twenty college boys he had performed an almost impossible feat.

LAST IIARI'.OII IN LAIUJADOK.

After a hard pull to windward for two of us, to set the pilot
ashore, and a wet and rough time getting aboard again, antl
after our laugh at the expense of the mate, who had cast off
our shore warp, as we started out of the harbor, and then had
been unable to catch the schooner, which was equally unable to
wait for him in the narrow passage, and who had, therefore, to
row all the way after us at the top of his speed, and only caught
us when we lay to to send off the pihjt; we made everj-thing
snug and started down the straits, hoping to reach Canso with-
out further delay.

That was not our fortune, however, for soon the wind hauled
ahead, and with a strong current against us it was impossible to
make any progress, so after jumping in a most lively manner all
day, in the chops of Belle Isle, we made a harbor for the night
at Chateau Bay, in almost the same sjjot where we hatl waited
two dreary days two months before. The next day we worked
along the coast, but at night again put in to what proved our
last, as well as our first harbor on the Labrador — Red liay.
Here we found a mail steamer and were allowed irregularly to
open the bag to Battle Harbor and take out that which belonged
to us, much to our delight, of course, for it gave us news com-
paratively fresh, that is, not over a month old, from home.

Here, also, we laid in a supply of the only fruit that Labrador
produces, calletl " bake apple." It is a berry of a beautifid
waxen color when ripe, otherwise looking much like a large
raspberry, and having a most peculiar flavor, which we learned
to like, and grew very fond of, when the berries were served,
stewed with sugar. We had been deprived of fresh fruit so
long that we should probably have learned to like anything,
however odd its flavor, that had its general characteristics.

Here, too, we again fell in with our little Halifax trader, which
gave us so hot a race to Halifax in the coming week, both ves-
sels arriving at Halifax within an hour of each other, after start-
ing at the same time from Red Bay and keeping within sight
nearly all the time. At length the wind came to the south, and
we started, laying our course west, along the Labrador shore, so
as to get a windward position and be able to " fetch " Canso

nOWDOIN HOYS IN LABRADOR.

when the wind came around to the west, as it is certain to do at
that season of the year, compelling us to " tack ship " and stand
right out against the stormy Gulf of St. Lawrence. These
southwesterly winds had been our dread, for they blow so
strongly and in September make the Gulf so rough that getting
to windward against them is impossible. Hence our satisfaction
can be imagined as we sped along the Labrador coast that day,
the wind becoming a trifle easterly, so as to allow us to " start
our sheets " and at the same time steadily increase our offing,
getting such a weatherly position for Canso that the moment
the expected change of direction began we promptly " tacked
ship " and at the worst had a leading wind across.

For three days we hobnobbed with the little " Minnie Mac "
across the Gulf. The first thing we did in the morning was to
hunt her up with the glasses from aloft, if not in sight from the
deck, and the last thing in order at night were speculations as
to where we should next see her. The difference in the build
of the two vessels, the one being shoal and centerboard, the
other deep and heavily laden, made the race a zigzag. When
the wind favored a little and the sheets could be "eased" then
the shoal model would push ahead, but when the wind came
more nearly ahead, aud we had to plunge squarely into a head
sea, then the deeper draught and heavier lading told to advan-
tage.

During this time we were not idle on board. The Grand
River men were beginning to feel vigorous again, and their notes
and data had to be worked up. The collections, too, though
largely packed away securely for the rough voyage, yet gave
plenty of occupation to those not otherwise employed, while
the few really industriously inclined used their superfluous
energy in seeing to it that the lazy were given no opportunity
to enjoy their idleness.

The morning of the fourth day the coasts of Cape Breton
were in sight, but the wind came straight out of the Gut of
Canso in half a gale, and then our rival, owing to her greater
weight, forged ahead, and it seemed that we were to be beaten.
However, much to our amusement, when we fjot a few miles oft"

SOLID SHOT AT HALIFAX.

gave

reton
ut of
re ate r
:aten.
es oft

the mouth of the Gut, we found a calm, into which the " Minnie
Mac" had run and where she stayed till we came up. With
us also came a breeze, and we forged ahead of her into the
anchorage at Port Hawksbury just as we had said we would do
when we left Red Bay. Here we spent the rest of the day, lay-
ing in a stock of much needed fresh provisions, and sending
nine of our college base-ballists, at the invitation of the Port
Hawkesbury nine, to give them some points on the game.
About the fifth inning the game closed on account of darkness,
with score in Bowdoin's favor something about 30-0.

A short run brought us into Little Canso, where we had to
turn to the west to go along the Nova Scotia coast to Halifax,
but fog shut down so we spent a day inspecting the plant of the
Mackay-Bennett cable, which has its terminus at Hazel Hill,
about two miles from Canso, finding some very agreeable
acquaintances in the persons of Mr. Dickinson, the manager,
and Mr. Upham, his first assistant electrical expert, who proved
to be a Castine man and was deligtcd to Ui.et some Yankees
from his old cruising grounds, Penobscot Bay, and getting some
interesting knowledge concerning ocean telegraphy. It seemed
strange, to say the least, to be in communication, as we were,
with a ship out in mid-Atlantic, repairing a cable, and to have
an answer from Ireland to our message in less than a minute
after it was sent.

With one stc^j on ^Cs^ Dunt of fog and threatening storm, we
reached Halifax in two more days. The introduction to it,
though, was not so pleasant, for as we were running up the har-
bor solid shot from one of the shore batteries came dropping
around us and skipping by us, altogether too near for comfort.
However, no damage was done beyond the injury threatened to
Her Majesty's property in the proposition for a while considered
to call away boarders, land and take the battery. We found
later that it was merely target practice and nothing disrespect-
fully intended towards the flag flying from our peak, so were
satisfied that we had not made any hostile response.

Once ashore the hospitable Haligonians began by inviting the
Professor and others to a dinner at the Halifax Club. The next

BOWDOIN BOYS IN LABRADOR.

day we enjoyed an ofificial reception, and accompanied by Pre-
mier Fielding and members of his Cabinet, Consul General
Frye and other gentlemen, were taken on an excursion about
the beautiful harbor in the steam yacht of one of our enter-
tainers, given a dinner and right royally toasted at one of the
public buildings, and were finally taken to the Yacht Club
House for a final reception.

At Halifax some of our party fearing more delay in reaching
Rockland, left us, so with diminished numbers but plenty of
enthusiasm we made ready for the last stage of the voyage.
After some rr\ther amusing experiences with our assistant stew-
ard or " cookec," who seemed to reason that because he had
been so long deprived of the luxuries of modern civilization he
should employ the first opportunity he had to enjoy them in
making himself incapable of doing so, and who was brought
aboard the morning we sailed only after a somewhat prolonged
search, we " squared away " for Cape Sable. The fine fair wind
ran us nearly down there, but just as we thought to escape the
provoking calms that delayed us in this vicinity on the outward
trip, we found the wind drawing ahead and failing. A day was
spent in slowly working around the cape, drifting back much of
the time, and then we struck one of the southerly fog winds
that are too well known on the Maine coast. We were in waters
on which our captain had been bred, and so we pushed on into
the night, looking eagerly or listening intently as the darkness
closed over us for some sign of approaching land. At length,
justabouteleven, when it seemed wc could not stand the suspense
of knowing that thousands of rocks were just ahead but not
just where they were, and yet equally unwilling to stop then,
when so near home, we heard the sound of the breakers, and
standing cautiously in on finding the water very deep, soon
made Mt. Desert rock light. It was a welcome sight, and from
there an easy matter to shape our course for home. At day-
break we could still see nothing, but towards noon, the wind
being light and our progress slow, wc passed the desolate house
of refuge on the Wooden Ball Island, and soon the lifting fog
showed us the mouth of Penobscot's beautiful bay, and shortly

after we dropped our anchor in the long wished for Rockland
harbor, and the cruise of the Julia Decker and her crew of
Bowdoin boys was ended.

THE ROYAL WELCOME

The account would be incomplete, though, were reference
omitted to the royal welcome that awaited us at Rockland
Upon landing we found the church bells ringing, and the city's
busmess for the moment stopped, while the city fathers as well
as a goodly number of her sons and daughters greeted us at
the wharf In the evening there was another reception, and
there the expedition as such appeared for the last time, and as
the most fittmg way in which we could express our gratitude
at the mterest shown in our work and safe return, as well as to
contribute our share towards the evening's entertainment, the
Bowdo.n College Labrador Expedition Glee Club rendered, as
Its last selection, a popular college song, of which Ihe burden
was. as also the title, "The wild man of Borneo has just come
to town."

Jonathan P. Cilley, Jr.

i I

BowDOiN Boys in Labrador.

Since the Bowdoin College Labrador Expedition much in-
terest has been taken by charitable women in the missionaries
who are laboring in that bleak country. As often as possible
barrels of clothing and other useful articles have been sent to
them. In return the missionaries have sent interesting letters
describing their work and acknowledging the gifts. One of
these, written to Mrs. James P. Baxter, of Portland, gives a de-
scription that will be of general interest :

HoPEDALE. Labrador,
October 3, 1893.

Dear Madam :

For your very kind letter and for the very useful articles for
our people, accept my best and kindest thanks. We have al-
ready made some of the people glad with cloth, and we will
but be so glad for them in the winter time.

Happily the codfishery has been much better this year than
last, thus we can more confidently look forward to the coming
winter time than we could last year; because our people were
so poor and we finished the many kind gifts long before the
spring came on, when they were able to earn their own bread.

We have had a very cold and dreary summer, the few warm
days could easily be counted, and now the winter is at the
door.

On last Christmas day we had a nice Christmas celebration

MISSIONARY IN LABRADOR

than
^ming

were
l-e the
iread.
Iwarm
It the

ration

with our school children in the chapel. For this purpose we
had placed two nice Christmas trees and two illuminated trans-
parents in the chapel. My dear husband translated some
lovely Christmas songs into Eskimo, and I taught the children
to sing them. Between the hymns they recited songs and
texts from the Bible. Sometimes one by one and then again
altogether. The children made it very nicely. The choir,
which sang some nice pieces, helped to make the whole to
sound better. Finally every child ;")t a large biscuit and a
cup of tea, which seemed to make greater impression than the
whole celebration. The congregation were also invited and
they were very much interested in it.

In the midst of February I accompanied my dear husband
on his journey around to the settlers belonging to our congre-
gation, which live scattered far away from here towards the
South.

We left Hopedale one morning, having 30 degrees Cen. of
cold, of course by "kamatik" (dog sledge). I was well wrap-
ped up so that I did not freeze so very much, but the worst is
always on such a trip that we cannot eat anything. Before we
started I made some meat balls for the purpose to use them
during the nine hours driving, but it was impossible to make
use of them because they were like rtones without fearing to
loosen our teeth. Happily I had some biscuits and to become
more strengthened I used a little chocolate. We were nearly
three weeks away from home and in that time we were nearly
every day on the kamatik. Never less than five hours at a
time, but generally from seven to nine hours, and twice from
eleven to twelve hours. It was indeed sometimes very ex-
hausting especially one time when we came to very poor peo-
ple where we had for two days nothing to eat and the next
day we had to travel for about eleven hours having nothing
but dry biscuits. I did not feel so very well that time.

Many of these settlers have only the opportunity once a
year to hear the gospel of God preached to them, that is when
the missionary is visiting them. Many are too far away from

V I

BOWDOIN Boys in LABRADOR

Hopedale to come and visit us, and some are too poor ; or at
least the dogs' food is too expensive. My dear husband made
this journey last winter for the fifth time, that is only towards
the south. To the north he has also been different times. In
such a journey the Sacraments are spent, marriage performed,
and meetings are kept as many as possible. The poor children
who grow up without having any school are examined as to
how much they have improved since the last year. We felt
this year very much again the need of having a station among
them. There are children among them from i6 to 17 years
of age who cannot read at all. We have now asked our society
in London and Berthelsdoif, if possible, to build a station for
them that they may have their own minister and teacher. We
hope it maybe done, then we would not have to travel any
longer only in cases of need. Every one who has to travel
ruins his health if he has to do it for a long time. The set-
tlers could then easily reach the Mission Station or the mis-
sionary could in one day get to the place where he is wanted.
May I, dear madam, give you some instances? First about a
family having ten children of ages ranging from two to eighteen
years. We came to that place in the afternoon about 5 o'clock
accompanied by four other persons belonging to their rela-
tionship who joined when we left their homes. As soon as we
opened the door of the ^«^use we were in the dwelling room.
At the first sight we saw that great poverty governed here,
even the children looked consumed and clothed in rags. The
house was so bad that the wind made its way through the
many gaps. After I had wrapped myself in a large shawl and
placed myself beside the big stove I was still freezing. Some
windows were broken, the opening filled with rags. My dear
husband asked why they had not nailed a board on the place
instead of rags ; they answered, "We have got none." But my
husband said "You could easily have made a nail of wood,"
which they promised to do. We could only get a very little
bread, because they had only one small piece. I gave the tea.
My dear husband spent the Sacrament, communion and bap-

HUNGRY CHILDREN

tism in the evening in the hope wc would be able to go further
the next day, for we could not stay any longer here if we
would not starve. We had a poor resting place. It was not
possible to undress ourselves. The whole time we felt the
snow on our faces and the wind through the many gaps. We
froze very much although the fire was kept on during the
night. Not very far from us Mr. and Mrs. Tacque were rest-
ing, and we heard ow the one said to the other, "I hope Mr.
and Mrs.Hansen can go further to-morrow,for we have nothing
to eat." That was indeed a very sad rospect.for we heard too
well the snow storm was howling outside,and there was no hope
for us to go on. And so it was. The next day I gave from
our provisions as much as I could, but we had not very much,
and I could not give everything away because we might after-
wards be caught out in a snowstorm, which often happens,
where we then have to live in a snow house until the storm is
over. I gave now coffee for 19 persons, bread we had none,
for it always freezes so hard that it is useless. The poor
woman collected all the bread she had and we took as little as
possible. During the day time my dear husband !:ept different
meetings, talked and prayed with them. For dinner I asked
for a large pot and put it on the stove. I had happily taken
some preserved soups and cooked now for all the people in
the house, put all ou: meat balls and broken biscuits into the
same pot, and gave now from this dish a plateful to every per-
son in the house. I had also put some "Liebig" in my box,
before I left my home, and was now able to make the best use
of it. It was something touching to see the many hungry
children, how they devoured their portion. Anything like
that they have perhaps never tasted before, and would gladly
have taken some more, but it was already gone. In the after-
noon my dear husband kept school for the children, told nice
storief! and instructed them about different things, and the
children would have gone on for a long time. The smell in
the house was not so very pleasant, 19 persons in one room,
beside this the men smoked their pipes nearly the whole time.

11 '

BOWDOIN BOYS tN LABRADOR

m-^

The children were crying and would not obey their parents*
and the parents are so very weak in this way.

In the evening I gave once more what I possibly could spare,
and for the next morning too. But we really did hunger.

The Lord heard our prayers that we were able to go on the
next morning to the next place, but because of the deep snow
we could only move on very slowly. First after 1 1 hour's
travelling we came in the evening to our next station. We did
hunger more in these three days than we have done in our
whole lives. The next place was a nice clean house, where we
restored ourselves again.

In one place we visited an Eskimo. When we entered the
room, what did we see? A seal living in the midst of their
room. The people had heard of our coming and thus put the
monster in the room to thaw it up to feed our dogs with. The
animal was soon taken away. The house was clean, but small.
In this place we had to sleep on the floor, and we used our
blankets to make a couch as well as we could. A sailcloth
was used as a curtain, so that we had something like a separa-
ted place for us. Our two drivers were also in the same room,
and they cared for music during the night, for they snored
like a saw mill, and when they woke up they smoked their
pipes and gave the air in the room such an odor, which I shall
not try to describe. Nevertheless, for all that, we were happy
together, and I did not repent one minute to have accompanied
my dear good husband, in order to be a faithful partner to
him. We remembered also it was not a pleasant, but a mis-
sion trip we made,where we may expect many things like that.
What is that little we can do for our Lord and Saviour? It is
like a drop of water in the bottomless sea of his love. If our
journey has but been a blessing to some, and if here and there
one corn of gospel's seed may grow up we are more than paid
for.

We had four nice places where the good people did all they
could to make it comfortable for us. Everywhere they were
very thankful for my coming, and expressed their gratitude in

EASTER

many ways. At Easter time we had more visitors than usual
and they seemed to be more h ^jpy than else.

Will you kindly excuse this short description, dear madam •
It would take me too long to describe the whole journey I
used some ofyour kind gifts for the people whom we visited,
and I hope you will, dear madam, and the kind ladies who
contributed to your large and rich sending accept our and the
people's warmest and best thanks.

With kindest regards from my dear husband and me, I am
dear madam, believe me.

Your affectionately,

Annie Hansen.