Clicked longingly, but they never forgot
that starvation broods over Labrador, and that the animal they
longed to shoot might some time save the life of one in just such
extremity as that reached by Mr. Hubbard and his party two years
before.
The enjoyment of the men showed itself in the kindling eyes and
faces luminous with pleasure. All his long wilderness experience
had never afforded Job anything to compare with that which this day
had brought him. He was like a boy in his abandon of delight, and
I am sure that if the caribou had worn tails we should have seen
Job running over the hills holding fast to one of them.
Before proceeding farther we re-ascended the hill which we first
climbed to take a look at the lake. It could be seen almost from
end to end. The lower part which we had passed was clear, but
above us the lake was a network of islands and water. The hills on
either side seemed to taper off to nothing in the north, and I
could see where the land appeared to drop away beyond this northern
horizon which looked too near to be natural. North of Michikamats
were more smaller lakes, and George showed me our probable route to
look for "my river". Squalls and showers had been passing all the
afternoon, and as it drew towards evening fragments of rainbow
could be seen out on the lake or far away on the hills beyond it.
Labrador is a land of rainbows and rainbow colours, and nowhere
have I ever seen them so brilliant, so frequent and so variedly
manifested. Now the most brilliant one of all appeared close to
us, its end resting directly on a rock near the foot of the hill.
George never knew before that there is a pot of gold at the end of
the rainbow. I suspect he does not believe it yet for I could not
persuade him to run to get it. Gilbert, more credulous, made a
determined attempt to secure the treasure, but before he reached
the rock the rainbow had moved off and carried the gold to the
middle of the lake.
Camp was made a little farther up. When it was ready for the night
Job and Joe were again off to watch the caribou. They were feeding
on the hills and swimming back and forth from islands to mainland,
now in companies, now a single caribou. Job was so near one as he
came out of the water that he could have caught him by the horns.
Now and then a distant shout told that Job and the caribou had come
to close quarters.
While George and Gilbert prepared supper, I sat writing in my diary
with feet stretched to the fire, for I was wet and it was cold that
night.
