6 A.M. 29 degrees. Morning bright
and clear. Light N.W. wind. Showers in P.M. Squally. To-night
we are starting for Northwest River Post. When we reach the big
river we can I think nearly live on the fish we get there. From
there too, there are more signs of caribou. About four days more
and we ought to reach a remnant of flour we threw away. It was wet
and lumpy, but we will welcome it now. It, if it is usable, will
see us to the head of Grand Lake, where Skipper Blake has a cache,
I think, in a winter hunting shanty. It promises to be a hungry
trip, but it is a man's game. Now that we are starting home I am
content with the trip and the material. We've done all we could.
Our minds turn to home even more and we are anxious to be back. So
hungry to see all the old friends.
Tuesday, September 22nd. - Temp. 38 degrees. N.W. wind. Rain in
morning and by spells all day. All feel stronger today than
yesterday. Tried to stalk goose in bad swamp. Missed at long
range. Waded above knees in mud and water to get shot. Portaged
all day mostly through low or swampy ground. Happy to be going
home. Camped tonight on second old camping-ground. George and
Wallace brought up outfit while I made camp and got wood.
Wednesday, September 23rd. - Rain by spells. W. wind. Clear in
evening and cold. Portaged all day. Crossed barren ridge. Had
big feed of moss-berries and cranberries. Wallace had apparent tea
sickness and vomited. Erbswurst same as yesterday. Feel quite
weak to-night. Had carried canoe a good deal. A good deal
depressed till camp fire. Then good again. Bright, crisp night.
Dried clothing and got warm. Talked long by fire of home.
Blankets very damp. Hard time keeping warm at night.
Thursday, September 24th. - Temp. 28 degrees. N.E. wind. Snowing
in morning. Quite cold last night, but clear and crisp till toward
morning when it snowed. Blankets very damp, but by drying clothes
at fire and getting good and warm, we slept warm and well. Dreamed
M. and I were at Missanabie. How I do wish I could see her again
at home. Thinking too much maybe, about home now. Makes too big
contrast. Snow covered ground by noon. Disagreeable morning, but
a little crisp wintriness helped it some. Plodded along on a pea
soup breakfast, wondering what the outcome will be - a little.
Nasty weather makes one wonder - and thinking of M. and home. Then
came a happy event. George had said last night be could kill a
wild goose this A.M. if I would let him take rifle. Did so, half
convinced by his confidence, and knowing he was a big goose shooter
down on "The Bay." He had started ahead. Had seen flock light in
pond ahead. Wallace and I heard four shots. Came to where George
had left pack. He was coming with no goose. "You can kick me,"
said he, "but I got a goose." We took canoe to his pond. He had
killed one goose, which was drifting ashore, and wounded another,
which sat on shore and let George end it with a pistol. Never was
goose more gladly received I'll venture. I promised George two
cook-books and a dinner as a reward.
Friday, September 25th. - Temp. 28 degrees. Wind N.E. Snow
squalls. Half goose breakfast. Pea soup, thin, for dinner. Half
goose, supper. Goose is bully. When done eating we burn the bones
and chew them. Nasty day. Portaged to old camp on small lake and
stopped. All day I have been thinking about childhood things and
the country. I want to get into touch with it again. I want to go
to Canada, if possible, for Christmas. I want to go somewhere in
sugar making. So homesick for my sweetheart. Fairly strong
despite short grub.
Saturday, September 26th. - Temp. 28 degrees. Wind N.E. Rain in
early morning, cold wind, warming in late P.M. Clear at mid-day.
Dried blankets. Travelled over our old course to our "long-lake-
that-looks-like-a-river." Shot a large duck's head off with rifle.
Had hopes of a few fish at place where we found them spawning on
our westward way, but was fearful of the cold. Left George cooking
and went to try with Wallace's rod, not over hopeful, as water was
very high and weather cold. 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.
