Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-12-03
HIGHER THAN NIAGARA
The Labrador Falls Found by Bowdoin's
| Explorers

| Explorers
| The schooner Julia Decker arrived in
New York, some days since, having on
board the members of the 3owdoln scien-
ti6c expedition. The results of the trip to
Labrador have far exceeded the hopes of
| the projectors. Grand falls have been dis
covered and photographed, and, though not
as high as reported, present a beautiful
sight. The total fall is upward of 500
feet, divided into one fall of 200 feet and
six rapids and cascades varying from 100
feet to Is feet
graduates of the college, headed by
Austin Cary, left their schooner on Sun
J day, July 26. They were provided with
| two Rushton boats and ali the modern
instruments for measuring heights and
distances.
Their success In navigating the river
far exceeded their expectations, and such
good progress was made that on Aug. s
and had reached a point FIVE miles In adj
vance of the furthest point reached by Mr..
Holme in 1888. At this place, on account
of disabled arm, Mr.. Young and COM
panion were obliged to turn back, reaching
Rigolet on Aug. 81.
| Messrs. Cary and Cole proceeded on to-
ward the falls, which Lad been reported to
be distant fifty miles. After going short
distance they were obliged, on account of
the rapidity of the current, to leave their
boat and make their journey on foot.
From this point their progress was neces-
thick and the mosquitoes and black flies
almost unbearable. The explorers found
the falls to be much further away than
they had expected, but on Aug Is, after
a three days tramp, their labors were
rewarded by a deafening roar in the dis
lance. Their provisions were now nearly
gone, stores having been cached on the
way up, but they pushed resolutely on to
the height of the Labrador plateau called
1.-THE Height of Land" 1t is this plateau
which is the source of the stream, and the
descent of the river to the sea forms the
falls and rapids.
| As they neared the falls a ma gnifcent
sight spread before them. The spray,
which was visible for twenty miles, rose
in a cloud from the descent of the water.
and the solid rock beneath their feet
trembled perceptibly. From the falls the
water flows through a canon formed of
arcoaen rock, the sides of which rise to a
height of 500 feet, and are heavily wooded
at the top. Through this canon The water
flows with terrific force, making it abso-
lutely impossible for any boat to live in
such sea. The height of the tails has
been exaggerated, and, while presenting a
grand and beautiful sight, the falls meas
ure only 200 feet in the perpendicular. The
rapids increase the total altitude of the
falls to 500 feet
Above the falls the width of the river is
500 yards, narrowing until it reaches the
falls to width of only so yards, when it
plunges with terrific roar over the rapids
and falls into the narrow gorge below
Mr.. Cole descended to the foot of the falls
and succeeded il obtaining some good
| photographs of them. Having completed
the observations of the falls, the explorers
kept on few miles above to the Height of
Land, where, from a peak christened by
them Mount Hyde-Bowdoin, they had a
| fine prospect of the surrounding country
| The plateau is nearly all wooded with a
thick, though not large, growth of soft
| timbers.
st this point their provisions being all
but gone, they set out for return. On
reaching the point where they left their
| boat they found that the camp fire which
| they built had consumed the boat, and
with it their whole stock of provisions, a
gun and an octant Their position was
now somewhat critical. Three hundred
miles on river heretofore unexplored
| with no boat, no hel p and no provisions
until they reached their first cache. They
| set boldly to work, however, and with a
small Ratchet for their only implement
constructed a small raft, binding the
logs together with spruce roots. On
RATS made in this way they traversed
the 800 miles to the mouth of
the river, enduring the greatest hard
ship.
Their only weapon was a small revolver,
for which they had but twenty-five cart
ridges. With it they shot few squirrels,
making a meal on each animal. On the
way down FIVE different RATS were con-
structed, the making of which, in their
wasted condition, consumed great
amount of time and energy. They reached
the vessel Sept. |, receiving a royal well
come from their friends
| The falls which they have discovered are
reported to have been seen by two employ
ees OF the Hudson Bay company. but no
authentic account Of any such discovery
has been given. The successful result
of the expedition is due wholly to the
heroic efforts of Messrs. Cary and Cole,
and Bowdoin college may we'll be con-
graduated by her sister colleges tor the
addition which she has made to the here
tofore s,ant knowledge of the geography of
| Labrador.