By Mrs. Leonidas Hubbard, Junior
Published October 1908
TO
ELLEN VAN DER VOORT HUBBARD
HIS MOTHER, WHOM HE LOVED
AND
LEONIDAS HUBBARD
HIS FATHER, WHO WAS ONE OF
HIS HEROES
PREFACE
This book is the result of a determination on my part to complete
Mr. Hubbard's unfinished work, and having done this to set before
the public a plain statement, not only of my own journey, but of
his as well. For this reason I have included the greater part of
Mr. Hubbard's diary, which he kept during the trip, and which it
will be seen is published exactly as he wrote it, and also George
Elson's account of the last few days together, and his own
subsequent efforts.
I hope that this may go some way towards correcting misleading
accounts of Mr. Hubbard's expedition, which have appeared
elsewhere. It is due also to the memory of my husband that I
should here put on record the fact that my journey with its
results - geographical and otherwise - is the only one over this
region recognised by the geographical authorities of America and
Europe.
The map which is found accompanying this account of the two
journeys sets forth the work I was able to accomplish. It does not
claim to be other than purely pioneer work. I took no observations
for longitude, but obtained a few for latitude, which served as
guiding points in making my map. The controlling points of my
journey [Northwest River post, Lake Michikamau and its outlet, and
the mouth of the George River] were already astronomically fixed.
The route map of the first Hubbard Expedition is from one drawn for
me by George Elson, with the few observations for latitude recorded
by Mr. Hubbard in his diary as guiding points. My husband's maps,
together with other field notes and records, I have not had access
to, as these have never been handed over to me.
Grateful acknowledgment is here made of my indebtedness to Mr.
Herbert L. Bridgman and Mr. Harold T. Ellis for their help and
counsel in my work.
Here, too, I would express my sincere appreciation of the
contribution to the book from Mr. Cabot, who, descendent of the
ancient explorers, is peculiarly well fitted to speak of Labrador.
The great peninsula has been, as he terms it, his "playground," and
by canoe in summer or on snowshoes in winter he has travelled
thousands of miles in the interior, thus placing himself in closest
touch with it.
To Dr. Cluny Macpherson for his generous service I am deeply
grateful.
To George Elson for his loyal devotion to Mr. Hubbard and myself my
debt of gratitude must ever remain unpaid.
To Dr. James E. C. Sawyer, my beloved pastor, I am indebted for the
title of my book.
MINA BENSON HUBBARD
CONTENTS
I. LEONIDAS HUBBARD, JR.
II. SLIPPING AWAY INTO THE WILDERNESS
III. CLIMBING THE RAPIDS
IV.
