At noon we came to the place where we had planned some time ago to
leave the canoe and cross over to the Nascaupee again. We had our
nice duck for lunch, and enjoyed it very much. Mr. Hubbard then
asked me if I could find the flour we had thrown away some time in
July, along the Nascaupee.
"Yes," I said, "if no animal has carried it away. It is over 20
miles from here."
"Then," he said, "I think we better leave the canoe and march over
to the Nascaupee."
And the reason why I did not try and persuade him more than I did
for us not to leave the Big River was, we thought perhaps there
would be lots of places where we could not run our canoe in some
wild rapids, and would have to carry our canoe. I knew the last
two days how we were when trying to carry our canoe, and we also
thought that if we were travelling through the bush we would surely
come across some partridges and help us to the flour, and the flour
would help us to the lard, about three pounds, and some milk and
coffee 3 miles from Grand Lake. Also as we only know the river
above there, of course, we did not know where the river ran to.
The boys thought it ran out to Goose Bay, as Low's map showed only
the one river running into Grand Lake. Also at Rigolette, trying
to find out all we could, and at Northwest River too, nobody ever
said about any river but the Nascaupee. Still I said it might run
out into Grand Lake.
So the canoe, one axe, the sextant box, and the rest of the caribou
horns we left; but the bones we carried with us in our pail, which
we boiled over and over to make broth. The bones, since we had
them, we would scorch in the fire at night, and chew away at them.
Was pretty hard chewing.
I told the boys when we decided to leave the canoe, that we had
better leave everything we have, so we would make better time; but
we didn't want to waste any time after our nice duck, but go right
on while we have yet some strength from it. So we didn't wait to
overhaul our stuff. We traveled 2 miles from the Big River that
afternoon. We found our packs too heavy to carry, and decided to
lighten up in the morning.
That evening Mr. Hubbard said, "Mrs. Hubbard this evening will be
now at dinner, and after her meal will finish with lot more on the
table. Oh, if she could only hand me a piece of bread!"
Thursday morning, October 15th. - We threw away lots of dunnage,
also some films and one rifle. Mr. Hubbard was very sorry to leave
his flask. He had often spoken of it being a present from Mrs.
Hubbard.
I shot three partridges after noon with the pistol. We were so
glad. Mr. Hubbard was more than glad. He came and shook hands
with me.
We were trying to reach our old camping place on our way up, Goose
Camp we called it, but we were all feeling so very weak especially
Mr. Hubbard. At last he could not go any farther. I told him it
was about 40 yards to where our old camp was. So we made him leave
his load and he followed us. I, with the greatest hurry, started a
fire and made him a cup of tea. We as usual sat up near our fire
for some time, trying to encourage each other about what good
things we would have, after we got to New York.
Friday, October 16th. - For breakfast we ate one partridge leaving
the other for lunch. Threw more things away, one blanket and more
films, and at noon more things left behind. I had a good suit of
underwear with me, saving it till cold weather, but that day at
noon I left everything belonging to me. I was too weak to take off
the bad and put on the good. Also left some films and - came to the
Nascaupee.
That day just before noon, we came to a place where Mr. Hubbard had
caught some fish when we were going up, and we thought that perhaps
we could get some fish there again, but the little stream was
nearly dry. We sat down and had a rest.
A little lake about 400 Yards from us on our way. This little
stream ran into the lake. Just near the lake I saw a caribou
coming along following this little river to where we were.
I told the boys, "There's a caribou coming along."
We all fell flat on the ground; but he was on the lee side of us
and soon found out we were there. He stood - behind some little
trees and had his head up looking towards where we were, and all of
a sudden he was gone, and we didn't have the chance to fire. I got
up. A swamp I knew of. I made for that swamp thinking I would cut
across him. I tried to run, yet I was so very, very weak. Oh! how
hard I tried to run. But when I got out there he was across on the
other side. I was away for some time, yet when I came to the boys,
they were still lain the same way, and their faces to the ground,
and did not move till I spoke to them. We were more than sorry
about the caribou, and each one said what he would do, and how much
we could eat if we killed that caribou and that we would stay right
there for a few days till we got a little stronger.
Though I was feeling so very weak myself, when we would have
nothing else but tea, as we often just had tea, nothing else, when
I would hand the boys a cup of tea each, I would ask them to pass
it back, as I would pretend I'd forgotten to put any sugar in.
They would pretend that they didn't care for sugar, and refuse to
have some.
