A Woman's Way Through Unknown Labrador

the canoe, as if it had been a feather, at locomotive speed. Three-quarters of a mile above where we crossed the course of the river bent away to the east, and we could see the water

ve that point it could not be travelled in the canoes, and I dared not

part of that day's march it was particularly hard work to get over the windfalls. At first it seemed as if I could not; but after a struggle they were passed, and we had again a bear trail to follow. On the way we passed great beds of blossoming cloudberries, which with blossoms of the bunchber

have been many years since they had been used. George said it was a winter camp. In the winter time the Indians, in making their camps, d

d taken some of the outfit forward as far as Duncan M'Lean's tilt, and there had found an axe.

the men prepared supper I cleaned my revolver. I was greasing it and putting some of the grease into the bar

mething," I fi

s like a baby's in that it expresse

were shooting at that bear the

uncement and cooking operations were, for the time being, suspended. When they were able to go o

e bear trail, but did not quite believe it was the bear either. Presently something shook the branches of the tree my tent was tied to, and they rattled fearfully on the tent close to my head. I sprang up, and as I reached for my revolver remembered that there were only two cartridges in it. Quickly filling the empty chambers I waited,

mber of tiny islands here, some with a few trees, and some just the bare rock with fringes of fresh green marking the fissures. The water slipped over ledges into pretty pools, and

ts on to-night. That otter might come along and g

er really har

screw on your bed and take it right off. You'd better put a bullet inside, and then when he takes off the screw it will blow into his mouth. He'll think a fly flew down his thro

es

uld handle salt a littl

gnant, and he continued: "You might put a little salt on his tail. Mayb

s only proper punishment for the slighting insinuations he had made in regard to my shooting. Job, and Joe went fishing after supper but got noth

rs of a mile was completed some time before noon, and beyond this the canoes were kept in the water most of the day. At lunch Gilbert brought me a dandelion.

back, had looked high, and now we could look back and down to those which there had also seemed hi

side of the river were low, wooded hills, and opposite our camp a brook came tumbling through the wall of evergreens into the river

lows. A two-mile carry brought us out on Saturday evening to a lake at its head. After dinner on Sunday we again went forward with a whole mile of paddling to cheer us on our way. From the head of the lake another mi

r side rose a high hill only recently burned over-last summer Gilbert said. George, Gilbert and I climbed the hill back of our camp in hopes of catching a first glimpse of Seal Lake, but we could not see it. What we did see was very fine, and

t us to the top in time to see the sunset, and one of the most magnificent views I had ever beheld. Some miles to the east was the lake winding like a broad river between its hills. In every direction there were hills, and lying among them little lakes that wer

eached camp at 10.15 P.M. it was still quite light. Joe had been fishing, and had four brook trout for my breakfast. Job and Gilbert had gone down the valley prospecting, and soon came in with the infor

Light," "There is a Green Hill Far Away," "Abide With Me," and, as always, the singing ended with their Indian "Pa

.30 A.M. they were off with their first packs. Then all was quiet again. The tiny mirror-like lake was yet in shadow though sunlight touched the tops of its encircling hi

es were the spruce woods with beautiful white birches relieving their sombreness, and above- -the sheer cliffs. A network of little waterways gave back images of delicate tamaracks [Larches] growing on long points between. Not a leaf stirr

in the rapids. They seem very innocent to me now, but then running rapids was a new experience, and it

es, and we reached smooth water, where, rounding the last bend in the brook, we could look straight away eastward into Seal La

that I might see it. A continuation of the hills, south of the valley we had passed in the morning, swung round the south shore of the lake and culminated in what I called Santa Claus Mountain; for the outline of its rugged top looked as if the tir

water breaks into a tossing foaming rapid. According to the trappers, the river from this point to Bald M

now grown up with white birch and poplar, and at the narrows the angles in the cliffs are marked by lines of slender birch reaching from the water's edge to the summit. A short distance above, two large brooks enter from the east. Many of the long, low points which reach out into the lake are spruce covered, but away on the hills could be seen only the more delicate green of the birch and poplar.

he beautiful Labrador sky above, is altogether lovely. When the day's journey ended I had seen so much that was beautiful, and so varied in its beauty, that I felt confused and bewildered. I had, too, not only seen Seal Lake, I had seen the Nascaup

post. According to the daily estimates about one hundred and fifteen miles of our j