- Minimum temp. 33 degrees, 60 degrees in tent
at 6 A.M. Torture. All work to cross 2 1/2 mile portage. Sun
awful. Flies hellish. All too tired to eat at noon. Cold tea and
cold erbswurst. Cached 80 rounds 45-70 cartridges, 300-22s. too
heavy. Too tired at last to mind flies. Rested hour under tent
front, all of us. Diarrhoea got me - too much water drinking
yesterday I guess. Shot partridge, first seen on trip. Jumped up
on log before me, waited for me to drop pack and load pistol. Camp
on partridge point. Bird seasoned a pot of erbswurst. Dreamed
about home as I worked and rested.
Thursday, July 23rd. - George and Wallace scouted for trails and
lakes. I lay in tent, diarrhoea. Took Sun Cholera Mixture. Tore
leaves from Low's book and cover from this diary. These and
similar economies lightened my bag about 5 lbs. New idea dawned on
me as I lay here map gazing. Portage route leaves this river and
runs into southeast arm of Michikamau. Will see how guess turns
out. Heat in tent awful - at noon 104 degrees; out of tent at 1
P.M. 92 degrees. Diarrhoea continued all day. No food but tea and
a bit of hard-tack. George back about 7.30. Wallace not back.
Not worried. Has probably gone a little too far and will stay out.
Has tin cup and erbswurst. George reports branching of river and a
good stretch of calm water.
Friday, July 24th. - George produced yellowlegs shot yesterday. He
carried pack up river 2 miles. Diarrhoea. In tent I studied how
to take time with sextant. Observation failed. Much worried over
Wallace till he came in about 7 P.M. Compass went wrong; he lay
out overnight. Stewed yellowlegs and pea meal to-night.
Saturday, July 25th. - Four miles. Weak from diarrhoea. Portaged
one load each 4 miles south side of stream to open water. Back to
camp. I took another load; George and Wallace followed, trying to
drag canoe up river. I made camp. They came in after dark, tired
out. Canoe left 2 miles down stream. Wallace shot partridge with
pistol. Came near going over falls with pack round his neck.
Drizzled all day. Heavy rain to-night. Great relief from heat.
Flies very bad in afternoon and evening.
Sunday, July 26th. - Rain most of the clay. Lay in tent in A.M.
hoping to be better of diarrhoea. Read Low's report, etc. Trouble
better.
Monday, July 27th. - Spent A.M. and two hours P.M. bringing up
canoe, dragging half way, George carrying rest. Started on at 4.
Alternate pools and rapids. Rapids not bad - go up by dragging and
tracking. After 1 1/2 mile camped.
Tuesday, July 28th. - Temp. 6 A.M. 46 degrees. Three miles. Cool,
cloudy, spell of sunshine now and then. Cold, nasty wading all
A.M. to make a mile.
