George and I went scouting to bluffs
we saw from trees on ridge. Both lost. George got back before
dark. I spent night on hill, 2 miles southwest. No matches or
grub. Scared a little. Heard big river, found it flows southeast.
Must go into Hamilton, but it is a big one, several times as big as
the Northwest at its biggest. Where does it come from? Can it be
Michikamau?
Thursday, August 6th. - Slept some last night, lying on two dead
spruce tops, too wet and cold to sleep very well. Mosquitoes
awful. George went to my river. Wallace and I took canoe and went
into lake north of here. Cuttings, winter. George found river to
be big and deep. Straight, as though from Michikamau. Don't
believe this little creek of a Northwest comes from there. Will
portage to this river and try it.
Friday, August 7th. - Portaged 2 miles to river on our south; good
paddling save for a rapid now and then. So big we think, Low's map
to the contrary, that it comes from Michikamau. Anyway it comes
from that way and will carry us a piece toward the big lake. No
cuttings. Big trout despite east wind. Caught about fifteen.
Cold wind drove away flies. Fire between big rocks. Moon over
bluffs beyond. Fine evening. Fine river. Fine world. Life worth
living.
Saturday, August 8th. - Nasty, cold, east wind. Went 4 1/2 miles
through it all in good river with six short portages first three-
quarter mile, and stopped about 1 P.M. to make Sunday camp and get
fish. Put out net, ate our dried fish and by hard labour got a few
more for supper. Only a bit of bread a day now, no grease, save a
little bacon. All hungry for flour and meat.
Sunday, August 9th. - Raining this morning and most of the P.M.
Cold, east wind. Caught about forty-five trout by hard effort,
several 3/4 lb. each. George made paddle and scouted. Burned his
knife.
Monday, August 10th. - Rain and east wind. Caught one big fish
before breakfast. Wallace ate it. George and I ate pea meal. On
first portage found old summer cuttings and wigwam poles. Feel
sure that this was the old Montagnais route. Went 3 miles and
crossed four portages. Then on strength of being on right road and
needing fish, camped before noon. Mother's birthday. Ate some of
her dried apples last night with sugar.
Tuesday, August 11th. - East wind. Warmer a little. Just a little
rain. No fish biting. Slept late. Climbed ridge and tree. See
ridge of high half barren hills away ahead. Think this the ridge
east of Michikamau. Hungry all the time. Down to 40 lbs. of
flour, 8 lbs. tea, about 20 lbs. pea meal, a bit of sugar, bacon,
baking powder and dried apple, just a bit of rice. Saw mountains
ahead from a bluff just below our evening camp. River runs north
apparently; it must therefore be Low's Northwest River I think.
Mountains look high and rugged, 10 to 25 miles away. Ought to get
good view of country from there, and get caribou and bear.
Moccasins all rotten and full of holes. Need caribou. Need bear
for grease. All hungry all day. George weak, Wallace ravenous;
lean, gaunt and a bit weak myself. Fish braced us wonderfully.
Wednesday, August 12th. - Best day of trip. Started late. Cloudy,
damp. I took pack over half mile portage and stopped to fish.
Fourteen trout. Three portages and then - glory! Open water. Five
miles and stopped for lunch, with good water before and behind for
first time since Grand Lake. Old wigwam and broken-down canoe at
lunch place. Ate trout and loaf of bread. Hungry. Started again,
hoping for stream to fish in. Made 3 miles. Then a big bull
caribou splashed into the water of a bayou 200 yards ahead.
Wallace in bow took shot, high and to the left. I raised sights to
limit and held high. Did not think of sport, but grub, and was
therefore cool. As first shot George said, "Good, you hit him."
He started to sink, but walked up a bank very slowly. I shot two
more times, Wallace once and missed. George and I landed and
started towards spot. Found caribou down, trying to rise. Shot
him in breast, cut throat. George made stage for drying. Wallace
and I dressed caribou. Wallace put up tent. I started meat from
bones in good strips to dry. Then all sat down and roasted steaks
on sticks, and drank coffee, and were supremely happy. We will get
enough dried meat to give us a good stock.
Thursday, August 13th. - Worked at getting caribou skin tanned in
A.M. Ate steak for breakfast, liver for dinner, ribs for supper.
No bread, just meat. Wallace and I started in canoe to look for
fish and explore a bit. Found rapid 2 miles above. Very short,
good portage, old wigwam, good water ahead. Too cold to fish.
Cloudy day, but got blankets aired and dried. River seems to run
to northeast of ridge of quite high mountains, 6 to 10 miles ahead.
Very tired or lazy to-day. May be meat diet, may be relaxation
from month of high tension. Think the latter. Mended pants. One
leg torn clear down the front. Patched with piece of flour sack.
Friday, August 14th. - George and Wallace left in canoe with tin
cups, tea and some caribou ribs, to scout river above and climb
hills. I put some ashes and water on caribou skin. Just starting
to shed. Studied map and Low's book. Wish we could descend this
river on way out and map it.
Saturday, August 15th. - Cloudy again this morning. Sprinkle or
two. Wallace and George not back. Wallace and George came at
dusk; tired out and none too hopeful. Found stream coming from a
little lake with two inlets.
