The shirts, some of
which were of cloth and some of dressed deer-skin, were worn
outside the breeches and over these a white coat bound about the
edges with blue or red. Their hair was long and cut straight round
below the ears, while tied about the head was a bright coloured
kerchief. The faces were full of interest. Up on the hill the
women and children and old men stood watching, perhaps waiting till
it should appear whether the strangers were friendly or hostile.
"Where did you come into the river?" the chief asked. George
explained that we had come the whole length of the river, that we
had come into it from Lake Michikamau, which we reached by way of
the Nascaupee. He was greatly surprised. He had been at Northwest
River and knew the route. Turning to the others he told them of
our long journey. Then they came forward and gathered eagerly
about us. We told them we were going down the river to the post at
Ungava.
"Oh! you are near now,", they said. "You will sleep only five
times if you travel fast."
My heart bounded as this was interpreted to me, for it meant that
we should be at the post before the end of August, for this was
only the twentieth. There was still a chance that we might be in
time for the ship.
"Then where is the long lake that is in this river?" George
enquired.
"It is here," the chief replied.
We enquired about the river. All were eager to tell about it, and
many expressive gestures were added to their words to tell that the
river was rapid all the way. An arm held at an angle showed what
we were to expect in the rapids and a vigorous drop of the hand
expressed something about the falls. There would be a few portages
but they were not long, and in some places it would be just a short
lift over; but it was all rapid nearly.
"And when you come to a river coming in on the other side in quite
a fall you are not far from the post."
There was a tightening in my throat as I thought, "What if I had
decided to turn back rather than winter in Labrador!"
"Did you see any Indians?" the chief asked.
"Yes, we have slept three times since we were at their camp."
"Were they getting any caribou?" was the next eager question. "Had
they seen any signs of the crossing?" George told them of the
great numbers we had seen and there followed an earnest discussion
among themselves as to the probability of the caribou passing near
them.
