Delighted to catch twenty very fair
ones while lunch was cooking. In P.M. took ninety-five more.
Estimated weight of catch 70 pounds. We will stay here to-morrow
and dry fish for journey. This is a wonderful relief. It means
enough fish to put us through to our big lake, or nearly so. We
had no hopes of such a catch, and would have been delighted with
just a meal or two. Then it means, I hope, that we will find the
trout biting at other spawning places, and catch enough to live on
in spite of the cold weather. We are happier than for weeks before
for we believe this almost guarantees our safe return home. Rain
drove us from our camp fire just after George had declared, "Now
we'll talk about French toast, and what we'll eat when we get to
New York." So we all crawled into blankets and did plan and plan
good dinners.
Sunday, September 27th. - Warm day, partly clear, wind S.W. Ate
last of goose for breakfast. Bully.
Monday, September 28th. - Snow and clear by spells. Stayed in camp
to rest and feed up. Were all weak as cats when we relaxed from
the grub strain. We kept smoke going under stage and lay in tent
most of day. Boiled fish for breakfast, roast smoked fish for
other meals. Like them rather better the latter way.
Tuesday, September 29th. - Temp. 24 degrees. Snow by squalls all
day. Wind W. Caught twelve good trout while boys were breaking
camp. Diarrhoea, which attacked me yesterday, came back when I
started to carry the canoe. Had to drop it and became very weak.
Boys went on with it about 1 1/4 miles and came back. We camped on
long lake. I huddled by fire and wrote when it was not snowing.
We can catch up to our schedule if I am able to travel to-morrow
for it is only an easy march, covered in less than a day before.
All talking about home, all happy to be going there.
Wednesday, September 30th. - Boys carried canoe nearly to Pike Lake,
while I made camp and went back and forth three times to bring up
packs. Then a happy camp nearer home. To-night we planned, in
case we have a long wait in St. John's to get rooms for light
housekeeping and not go to hotel. Then we can cook what we want
and need and live high - beef bones for caribou, cereals with real
cream, rich muscle-making stews of rice, beef, etc., tomatoes, etc.
Thursday, October 1st.
