Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-11-16
BOWDOIN ALUMNI
Entertained L,bridor Expedition
it Portland, Saturday.
Account Of The PIpsdi1on md The Work
II Aas Done.
1t Has Opened and Paved the Way for
Complete Exploration.

iESt diUhHi AkeECiAtsOu OF EoKklAHo gave
srecep ption and dinner this evening to Prof.
Lee. the leader Of the Labrador expedition,
and his associated, at the Prebls House. II
was preceded by an informal reception.
The following members Of the expedition
we're present Prof. L. A. Lee, Bruns vick
Austin Cary. Maehiss; d. NJ. Cole, Farm.
ington; NJ A. Rice, se~ York; ". r.
Hunt, Cambridge, Mass, j p. Cillsy, Jr.
Cambridge. Mass K. II Hant, Bruns-
wick; +. J. Simouton, Jr.. Roekland; @.
A. Porter. Strong; Z. B. Young, Bruns-
wick; 4 II. Baker, Portland.
Hon. George r. Emery presided. and
after skirg . few graceful and sppro-
pirate remarks introduced Prof. Lee, who
vas given 3 warm reception.
Prof Lee began with 40 account Of the
preliDir a,y plans for the voyage to Lsbrs-
dor. OF course the mos. essential feature
was that Of financial support. 1t was with
| no little hssitancy that he went forth TO the
alumni of the college, ssking Of them 8 C an
siderable subscription towards the expenses
| Of an undertaking which might result in go
little, either Of advantage to the college or
to the scientific world. But the Bowdoin
alumni have never been found wanting.
To his modest requests they responded
literally and gladly, and in = brief time the
expedition was put apoa a substantial
urds;ion. The details of plans and
| preparations were then described By the
| speaker, after which he said ihst ss the
| narrative had been so fully laid before the
public in various forms, be would, perhaps,
be allowed to say 3 few words upon the
work Of the expedition snd what it was
hoped would be developed from study Of
| the large collection made.
He at fret referred bria ay to he re di1-
c1very Of the Gfsad F.ils By Xesscs.
| Cary and Cole, and said thst this was ua-
doubtediy the most important, as it was the
| most interesting, Of the resui's achieved.
The story Of their peiilcus journey oush..
however, to be told By themselves. Nexs
to that he placed their chronological re-
| searches. Every opportunity was taken
| advantage of to make physical measute-
ment of the natives, to study their habits
and traditions, and above all to gather col
lectons Of their primitive implem ents and
and ornaments.
Never has there been a greater iAteres 81
in .uch investigations than now, and yet
such work IL done at sll must be dore al
once, since with The approach Of civilizs-
ton native customs are rspidly changed,
and tools made in England and America
take the place of those Manufactured
by themselves of bone and stone.
A brief contact with the mountaiueer IT,
dams gave msny facts which seem to by
new. These Indians sre we'll developed
a. good natur, d race which inhsbi's the
high plateau of Labrador, getting lvei-
hood BY trapping ard fishing For many
wears they been dependents CT the Hutsen
Bay Company, ard so inaccessible are
they to the ethnologist their bodily pecul-
isrilies have never been investigate. No
phy steal measurement OF them hsd beer
AIKEN until the Bosdoin pGty succeeded
ln obtaining q series which is complete
enough to give fsir ides Of their racial
| chsrac,eristics and will result in determin-
ing their relationship 10 othsr tribes. Sim
ili.r work was done smong the Exquimaux
who nhsbit the northern cosst of Labrador.
This adds much to the knowledge Of that
tribe, which is much less per- 'ectlY known
than those of Greenland, Cumberland Gulf
and Alaska. Constant search for auciens
shell heaps or kitchen midders was msde,
out none were discovered until poius q
little north Of Hopedsle vas reached
Here they found the site OF an old Esqu-
msux village, covered with etss7 and other
vegetation. A little excsvatingsreves'ed a
large deposit Of shells Of mussels aud bNnes
of seals and other ~ insis phica hal
served the natives for food in ,he olden
time, and from the pile Of kitchen refuse
large number Of bones ard stone in
o ements, ornaments aui carvings. IN
victory were taken to study Of. which
will throw much ight upon the
life of the ancient E.qaimsuE. A
few skeletons Of these old people were
taken from their rocky graves. which too
often, however, bad been rnbbsd BY fisher
men or others who hsd 70 tcieDtifi ) interest
in their contents Much dredging gas Gone
and large collections of shells wefe ih an
made. They will prove of great service in
a study of the fossils Of Maine, Of which
he cole ge now has large series. ln other
departments Of natural history many obser-
vstions were made and much valuable
material for the mussuu was received.
The shortnes, Of the ssssor brought an
early limit to the work, but altogether more
vas accomplished than could reasonably
have been expected.
He was followed b. Mr.. Cary, who said :
'GEsrLEMEN-I remember that, one day
in the early part of our trip, fomebody
sugges ested and all determined shat il we
could by any mesns get half pf crow,
we certainly would cook and eat him, as .
sign Of what we were willing to DO to gaia
ar ends. This st the t'ms VAS largely
bravado, of course, but later or couple
Of US found ourselves 10 position 10 env7
the man who had full and regular diet "'
crow, and in those days, whsn We we're
ploddirg along with the next tqua.e meal
100 miles away. we vowed that the experi-
euce should be tex' through lifa; that
when we did once more get TO where pro
visions were plenty, thsnceforwsrd there
should be no hesitation or bsshfuiness IN
their presence
80. gentlemen, q banquet is especially
appropriate and acceptable to the Grand
River party. stH.vi7g shown m7 sppre'
citation of il from this point of view, let me
say furthermore hoT much pleasure you'
entertainment gives me. as It must 10 ali OF
the Labrador party 1T, as judge, is to
be taken as an expression of satisfaction
with the work Of the expedition. "1 ou
have asked me to speak for the Grand river
marty, l should hardly represent them
fairly IL I did not testify TO the Willingness
and courage which each OF the men Win
me exhibited. Whatever you may have
| thought of our undertaking, We Who wsFr
facing i. know hat 1t meant work, hard
ship aud Danger.
1We had many things to do, but fis
among them wss the necessity OF reae1i .
the Great Falls Of which such CONFUSED
accounts had been gwen. We sssrte3 a
| the mouth of . great ewits river With foi