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.
