New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-20

THE EXPEDITION FROM BowDoIN.
On arriving at Halifax the two travellers
learned IN their surprise from the newspapers
that Professor Lee, of Bowdoin College, with some
twenty students and graduates, was following
them in the Decker schooner, bound for Labrador,
and that the exploration of the Grand Falls was
included in their programme. On obtaining TINS
information Mr.. Bryant addressed courteous let
ter TO Professor Lee describing the object of his
enterprise Had it been possible for the two eX-
peditions TO have co-operated, and to have made
the exploration of the falls jointly, doubtless it
would have been more desirable and perhaps
Welded better results Uncomfortable ciTcum-
stances however, prevented such combined action
Each party took its own course. The Decker
went through the Straits of Belle Isle and reached
the mouth of Grand River first. The world has
already learned how two of the young students
reached the falls. ! beg to add my need Of ad
mration of the heroic pluck and courage they dis
played in hazardous enterprise
Mr. Bryant and Professor KenastOn reached st.
Johns July 2, but to their intense disappointment
found that the mail steamer Curlew had to undergo
repairs and would not start before July 16.
Landing at Rgolet, in Hamilton Inlet, they pro-
cured schooner to take them TO Northwest River
Station where they hoped TO engage Indians as
guides and assistants week was lost in at
tempting to negotiate with these Indians. who be-
long to tie Cree family. In the end they fatty
declined to go, Influenced by their superstitious
dread Of the falls and being possibly diSincllned
10 undergo hard work Mr.. Bryant then secured
| the services of a sturdy Scotchman named John
Montague, who a resident at the post, and who
had accompanied Mr.. Home in 1887. He also
hired an Esquimau. He procured ordinary
light river boat TO carry stores and instruments,
and also took a Rushtoa canoe which he had
brought from New-York. On August the
party started from the mouth of Gran0 River
LABoROUS JOURNEY OF EXPLORATION.
1t was through no acknowledgement or want Of
energy that the Bryant party found themselves
second in the race but by reason OF adverse cir.
cumstances over which they had no control. Mr..
Bryant, however, did not hesitate for a moment
in following up his enterprise. He had started
with a view of reaching the Grand Falls, and the
fact Of another having got in advance, who might
or might not be successful, did not influence his
course OF action. 1t not case Of priority of
discovery, for the Falls had been discovered long
before. 1t was rather enterprise to verify
ports, and to make careful examination of the
region.
The explorers found themselves somewhat handi-
| capped by the heavily laden boat which carried
their provisions and instruments. The current
was so strong that little use could be made OF
oars and paddles: and it was necessary to track
most of the way, and to drag the boats by sheer
strength through numerous rapids The banks
were rocky and often steep and rugged. At
times they had to leave the river and portage"
their stores around a peculiarly difficult and dan.
gerous rapid so labOri0us was the work that
occasionally they made only three miles day.
Stout hearts and strong arms the day, and
~ ~, length, on august p, thy reached lake
river flows, having made some SO miles. On
the lake they could use their sails, and with q
favorable wind made forty miles in one day.
Entering the river again. they reached the head
Of canoe navigation. Water was no longer avail
able, and owing TO the force Of the current they
had to leave the river and tramp it on foot in
order 10 reach the falls.
At this point they were fortunate enough to
discover the Indian trail TO Fort Nascopee which
had been dsused for twenty-Seven years. Here
then they left their boat, having formed an encamp
ment; and taking their canoe, with their instru-
ments and small stock Of provisions, they struck
into the Indian trail, which led in northeast
direction. They crossed in succession six lakes
with intervening portages The scenery along
these lakes was beautiful: the climate delightful,
the days warm, and the nights cool. The mosqui-
and venOmOus Berries covered the ground in
profusOn. Trees were abundant, but animal life
was meagre.
THROUGH TRACKLESS WILDERNESS.
Haying reached a seventh lake the party left
their canoe, and, abandoning the Indian trail,
struck out for the falls in a northwest direction,
being in light marching order and carrying only a
small stock of provisions. Their lay
through trackless wilderness, awful in its dcs-
oation, having been swept by fire. Countless
lakes were seen; huge bouders covered the sur
face. Burned timber INSTRUCTED their advance.
At length, after wearisOme tramp of two days.
their hearts were gladdened by a sight of the OBJ
Jet of their tolls, the noise Of which they had
heard on their first march along the Indian trail,
al distance Of twenty-five miles. 1t a sight
never 10 be fOTgOtten-one that engraVeS Itself
on memorys tablets forever After struggling
through the dark woods they stood in front of the
Grand Falls IL was one OF those supreme mo
mentS which occur only occasionally in lifetime.
The great mass of white, fOamlng water leaplng
into an uniathOnable abyss from height twice
rs great as that Of Niagara made the solid rocks
all around tremble ana sent up vast column 10
vapOr, which mounted hundreds of feet into the
atmosphere, being visible at a distance of twenty
live miles. The deep, incessant roar reVerberatng
along the rocky walls Of the gorge below, gave an
impressive idea Of the mighty forces at WORK
within the scething caldron. From the deep
pool into which the river hurls Itself, the water
rusheS away in n wild torrent through narrow
chasm, with rocky walls 300 to 400 feet in height.
Striking against the sides of this tOrtuOus channel
which makes frequent turns and flowing over
rough, sOping bottom, the water forms whirlpool
| rapids, which, impnging on the one bank, rush
back, eddying and whrling, to the opposite side.
! The appearance below the falls, far as the eye
can reach, is that of a sea in storm: The length
| Of this narrow chasm through which the river
flows below the falls is not less than twenty-five
to thirty milestone of the most remarkable canons
| in the world.
| Having Toasted their eyes on this grand spec
tacle, the explorers made their way 10 the height
over the falls. Here they were able to study the
| formation Of the falls, which in several as
poets is unique. Going back half mile from
| the point where the cataract occurs, they found
the river there to be from 400 TO 800 yards wide.
| Then it begins TO narrow gTadualy-the banks
approach each other, till, at the falls, the width
| does not exceed 200 feet. There are three dis
| ali
add greatly TO the grandeur Of the scene. 1t re-
minds Of the rapids above the falls Of Niagara,
! though on a far smaller scale, in which for mile
! the river rushes along fOaming over a rough
bottom. The last of the three rapids preparatory
| TO the final leap is lS6 feet in length, and the
angle Of the slope thirty degrees. The consequence