Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-03-07

Marvellous Stories of Wonderful Caeor
ract in the Wilds of Labrador.

ract in the Wilds of Labrador.
Marvellous stories are related by the
few Montagnais and Nascapee Indians
who have penetrated far into the in
terror of Labrador respecting a cata-
ract, beneath whose terrific leap Nj
agara pales into insignificance. But
one white man has ever seen these
falls, and the Indians ideas of measure
ments and distances are SO imperfect
that, even where their stories agree, it
is exceedingly difficult to deduct rom
them ANYTHING like reliable data. An
expedition lately undertaken by Randle
F. Holme. F. r. G. S.. and II. Duffy.
fellow of All Souls College. Oxford, to
explore the interior of Labrador and
investigate these falls unfortunately
failed in its object, the explorers having
been misled by erroneous calculations
as to distances and the exact location
of the cataract, and compelled to re-
turn in consequence of running short OF
provisions. They got SO near to the
object of their expedition, however.
that they are enabled, from the general
configuration of the country, to form
what must be tolerably correct estl-
mate as to both the location and tho
magnitude of the cataract.
This estimate agrees with the de-
scription of the grand falls furnished
by Maclean, who visited them in 1889,
and whose further progress into the
interior was stopped by them. He
gave the width of the interior immedi-
ately above the falls at 1000 feet. but
says that the cataract itself Is not
more than $50 feet across. The height
of the falls he estimates at 1000 feet.
This estimate is endorsed by half
breed named Kennedy. met by Messrs.
Home and Duffy in the interior, and
who, thirty years ago, was in charge
of Fort Nascapee, on Lake Petchlkapou.
One of the chief difficulties encounter
ed bv explorers DESTROYS of reaching
the falls is the obstinate refusal by the
Labrador Indians to approach them.
They believe them to be haunted, and
think it is impossible to look upon
them and live. Kennedy was conducted
to them by an old Indian named
Louis Over-the-Fire who, being an
Iroquois, did not share the supersti-
tious belief of the Montagnais and
NascapeeS.
The falls are on the Grand or Petchi-
kapou River, which flows into Hamilton
Inlet. They are thirty miles above
Lake Waminikapou, a body of water
which is itself forty miles long. and
situated $50 miles from the mouth OF
the river. Prof. Hind gives this lake
as only 100 miles from the mouth of
the river, so the expedition of Messrs.
Holme and Duff has brought to light
the fact that the best works heretofore
published upon this terra incognita
contain anything but reliable data.
They agree, however. with Prof.
Hind that the elevation of the immense
tableland which forms the interior of
Labrador is about 2,240 feet On this
height of land are succession of
great lakes joined by broad, placid
streams, and when these reach the
edge of the tableland they commence
their wild career to the sea. The
Moisie and the Cold-water rivers de-
scend by successive falls, but toward
the southeast the descent from the
elevated lakeland is quite sudden.
This is particularly true of the Grand
River, which has drop of over 1000
feet in the thirty miles commencing
with the falls and ending at Lake
Waminikapou. There is a slight
rapid below the falls, but none near
the lake, and everything goes to show
that the height of the grand falls is
very little, if anything, short of 1000
feet.
They are by great deal the highest
falls in existence that are composed Of
any great volume of water. There
are mere mountain torrents that fall
from greater height, and the great
fall of the Yosemite Valley measures
1850 feet, but it is broken into three
distinct leaps. Niagara on the other
hand, has height of 1854 feet only
Boston Herald.
Peddler-I have some beautiful
printed '.Heaven Bless Our Home
notices which l should like to show
the lady of the house. Servant-Well,
gets through lickin' the children and
clawin' her husband. = PhiLa1elp1tia
Record.
II make it a rule never to 60 in
debt, no matter how much / need a
thing" said Oracle. '.But l don't see
how a young lady can help going in
"Why," replied Oracle, Il have the
things charged to pa."-New York
San.
Delighted mother-Bess is little heart.
Talk some more 90 little tootsie woot-
sic. DFiSuC DaUy-WOO DOODul OOlfuIl
ohmo googoo. Delighted mother.O.
you darling! GOO don't bozzer about
dictionary words, does 90, yet? Doom
be great novelist some day.-PAil0-
delphiG Record.
Miss Beauty-Do you remember that
French Count who followed me from
place to place, and declared he was
dying of love for meP Well, his family
have put him in lunatic asvlum.
Rival belief am not surprised. I
always did think he was crazy.-Neao
York. Weekly.
The newest thing in wedding tours
is called the Secret Honeymoon, :"
neither bride nor groom having any
idea where they are GOING The idea