The Fourth Was Gilbert Blake, A Half-Breed Eskimo Boy Trapper, One Of The Two Young Lads Of The Rescue Party George Elson Had Sent Back Two Years Before, When His Heroic, But Unsuccessful, Efforts To Save Mr. Hubbard's Life Had Brought Him To Donald Blake's House.

Through the courtesy of M. Duclos, in whose service he was employed at the time of my arrival, he was released that he might go with me.

The men were splendid, capable-looking fellows, with an air of quiet dignity and self-possession about them, which comes from conscious ability and character. Gilbert was a bright-faced, merry-hearted boy, with a reputation for being a willing worker, which he fully lived up to on the journey. All seemed thoroughly to enjoy the prospect of the trip, and their assurance greatly added to my ease of mind.

A deeper touch of anxiety was added for me by information obtained at Rigolette to the effect that the Hudson's Bay Company's steamer, _Pelican_, my only means of return to civilisation before the closing in of winter, would be at the post at Ungava, my destination, the last week in August. That left us two months to make the journey, which, at the shortest, would carry us across 550 miles of Labrador wilderness. It seemed a great deal to expect, but the men were confident and only eager to be started.

The task of unpacking, rearranging, and completing my outfit was not accomplished when night came.

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