Very thin pea
soup breakfast. Some with berries for lunch. Weak.
Thursday, October 8th. - Thermometer N.G. Very frosty. Dreamed
last night we were going out of bush, very weak and hungry. Came
to our old Michigan Farm and found mother. Wonder where mother is
now. Do want a vacation at home or in Canada. May be won't need
it after ride on steamer. Finished Height of Land portage and came
on to place where we dried caribou (second time), at head of
Ptarmigan Lake. I caught four fish, small trout, while Wallace was
going back for rifle, which he had left at far end of small lake.
Wallace came back with partridge. This delayed us and we did not
reach good fishing rapid. Hoped to get trout there. Did catch a
few before - failed to-night. Bright crisp day too. George very
blue in consequence. Wallace and I not worried. Pea meal down to
less than two pounds. No other food save tea. Thinking much of
home and M., and our plans and old friends. I want to keep better
in touch with relatives everywhere and the country. How I wish for
that vacation in Michigan or Canada! or a good quiet time at
Congers, and I am aching to write home sketches and stories that
have come to my mind. We talk much of future plans, and the camp
fire continues to be a glorious meeting place.
Friday, October 9th. - Reached good fishing hole at rapid where we
caught so many trout on way up. Got about fifty in P.M. Glorious,
crisp fall day. Dried blankets. Fifteen trout lunch; twelve
supper; then six roast before bedtime. Disappointing. Hoped for
some to dry. Only one day's slim fish ahead - one and a half pounds
pea meal. No hopes of getting ahead fish to freeze up. Must get
out to civilisation. Pretty weak all of us.
Saturday, October 10th. - From rapid about half way to Camp Caribou.
Boys shot rapids while I fished. Beautiful day till about noon.
Then cloudy and cold west wind. Cheerful camp fire as always.
About twenty trout, nine boiled for supper. Same for lunch. Much
talk of grub and restaurants, and our home going, much of George's
room in New York, of good days in Congers. I want to go to
Michigan and Canada and to Wurtsboro'. Oh, to see my sweetheart
and be home again!
Sunday, October 11th. - Beautiful, clear day, cold. Off day for
grub. George shot three times at ducks and I fished at rapids. No
fish - no ducks. Nine small trout breakfast, eight lunch. No
supper ahead save what George hoped to find at Camp Caribou.
Arrived there tired and weak about an hour before sunset. George
gathered bones and two hoofs. Pounded part of them up. Maggots on
hoofs. We did not mind. Boiled two kettlefuls of hoofs and bones.
Made a good greasy broth. We had three cupfuls each and sat about
gnawing bones.
