Camped to-
night cheerful but desperate. All firm for progress to Michikamau.
All willing to try a return in winter. Discussed it to-night from
all sides. Must get a good place for fish and caribou and then
freeze up, make snowshoes and toboggans and moccasins and go. Late
home and they will worry. Hungry for bread, pork and sugar. How I
like to think at night of what I'll eat, when I get home and what a
quiet, restful time I'll have. Flies bad by spells to-day.
Friday, August 28th. - Temp. 6 A.M. 56 degrees. Back to northwest
end of lake where bay runs north. Portaged to small shoal lakes
and camped on north side, ready to start in A.M. Fixed moccasins
in preparation for long portage. Made observation of sun and moon
to-night, hoping to get longitude. All very tired, but feel better
now. No bread today. No sugar. Don't miss latter much, but
hungry for bread. Good weather. Shower or two. Writing by camp
fire.
Saturday, August 29th. - Temp. 6 A.M. 38 degrees. Am writing a
starter here, before beginning our march north. Wallace and George
at breakfast now. I'm not. Sick of goose and don't want it. Ate
my third of a loaf of bread lumpy without grease and soggy, but
like Huyler's bonbons to our hungry palates. Dreamed of being home
last night, and hated to wake. Jumped up at first light, called
boys and built fire, and put on kettles. We must be moving with
more ginger. It is a nasty feeling to see the days slipping by and
note the sun's lower declination, and still not know our way.
Outlet hunting is hell on nerves, temper and equanimity. You
paddle miles and miles, into bay after bay, bay after bay, with
maybe no result till you are hopeless. Ugh! This is a great
relief to be about to start north through the woods - fairly high
ground to start with - on a hunt for Michikamau. Hope we will not
have swamps. Lakes will probably stop us and make us bring up the
canoe. Good evening and we are happy, despite fact that grub is
short and we don't know our way and all that.
Sunday, August 30th. - Beautiful, clear Sunday, but no Sunday rest
for us. I jumped up early, called George, and built fire. Started
at 5.54 A.M., portaging from little lake to little lake, north and
west, to where we know Michikamau must lie, somewhere. For two
days we have heard geese flying. Thought our goose chases over,
but to-day five walked down bank into water ahead of canoe on a
small lake. Wounded two at one shot with rifle. Two old ones
flew. Left wounded to chase third young one. Shot and killed it
with pistol. Could not find wounded. Made 3 miles before dinner.
Good. In P.M. about 1 1/4 miles more. Then reached range of semi-
barren ridges, running east and west, and seeming to reach to
barren mountains north. George and I climbed first ridge from a
little lake, with blue green, ocean-coloured water. Heard stream
ahead. Little river running through ponds. George went back for
outfit and Wallace. These are trying days. We are not quite up to
normal strength. I think too much routine of diet, lack grease,
sugar and grain foods. The feeling of not knowing where we are or
how to get out adds to our weakness, still we are all cheerful and
hopeful and without fear. Glad all of us to be here. How we will
appreciate home and grub when we get out. I crawl into blankets
while the boys smoke their evening pipe. Then I think of M. and
our home at Congers, and plan how she and I will go to Canada or
Michigan or somewhere, for a two week's vacation when I get home.
I wonder when that will be.
Monday, .August 31st. - Ice on cups this morning. Thermometer out
of order. Lat. 53 degrees 57 minutes. I hate to see August end
with us so far from the George River, or so perplexed as to the
road. We are in camp now, on the stream we reached last night. I
am writing and figuring in the early morning. The whole character
of our country changes here. Ridges and hills extending into
mountains on the north. Must know what lies there before we
proceed. George will scout. Wallace and I will dry fish. While
George was scouting, I lay in tent awhile, too weak to fish even.
Fish not biting though. Oh, but I'll be happy to see Michikamau!
George returned late. Climbed mountains to north. Reports fair
line of travel to northwest, long lakes and tolerable portages.
Will go that way, I think. Wallace got a few trout. George killed
two partridges with my pistol.
Tuesday, September 1st. - West wind. Fair, warm. Very weak to-day.
Our stuff so light now we can take all but canoe at one trip over
portage. Have just crossed portage from lake by yesterday's camp,
to other lakelet N.W. Boys gone back for canoe. I sit here and
write. Very rough portaging here, all rocks and knolls. Little
clear lakes between. Have to put canoe into water every 40 rods or
so. Shot a plover with pistol to cook with George's partridges.
Later. Made about 4 1/2 miles. Caught about thirty-five trout at
edge of lake where stream empties.
Wednesday, September 2nd. - West wind. Fixed moccasins in A.M. and
started portage west. Camped in swamp.
Thursday, September 3rd. - Rain all day by spells. Wind west. Got
up in rain, hating to leave blankets. At breakfast, bread and tea
and venison. I took no tea. Am trying now just venison and fish
broth. May agree with me better than tea. Don't miss sugar much
any more, though I do plan little sweet feeds when I am out.
