The Republican journal., 1892-01-14
Prof. Lee on Labrador.

Prof. Leslie A. Lee, OF BOWdOm College,
lectured Tuesday evening in the North Club
course on ga Summer in Labrador" Last
year Prof. Lee, with nineteen students and
graduates of Bowdoin College, chartered the
sch. Julia A. Decker, and on the 9th of June
last sailed from Rockland for the Labrador
coast The trip had long been planned by
Prof. Lee, who, having previously visited
some portions of the Antarctic region, was de-
sirous of exploring similar latitude in the
North. The trip ended Sept. 23rd and was
rich in results.
The lecturer said that Labrador was we'll
called the land of desolation. 1t contains
an area of over $50 900 square miles, is totally
unexplored for scientific purposes, and the
interior is almost unknown, except by the
Hudson Bay company. He told briefly of
the visit to Labrador of the Mortimer, cen
turtles before the discoveries of Columbus,
and it had since been visited by fishermen
for more than 200 years, vet nowhere was
there an equal area concerning which so lit
tie is known. Prof. Lee said that after they
touched at Halifax they proceeded through
the Strait of Canso. across the Gulf of St
Lawrence and thence through the Strait of
Belle Isle. After reaching the coast a new
anchorage was made nearly every day, and
the party proceeded as far north Hope
dale, the Moravian mission station. A num-
Der of views of icebergs We're shown and Prof.
Lee SAID popularity was the absence of the
brilliant and changing tints of color, which
he had noticed in Antarctic icebergs. They
We're of Opaque Wilderness for the most part
The coast is forbidding and rocky in its nature
with no considerable amount of vegetation.
The polar current makes the temperature
more forbidding than the DIES late appearance
and nearly all the white settlements are on
the south coast. \ view of the village of
Battle Harbor was shown, and to give an
idea of the winters Professor Lee told of a
grave which had to be dug through a depth
of 80 feet of snow and five feet of frozen
ground. The Wine froze in the communion
cups in the church. Several views of Ragged
Island Harbor We're picturesque in a rugged
way. The Hudson Bay Company is not so
prosperous here as it in the days OF its
monopoly, and traders now visit the coast.
The Scotch ''planters'' who came out here
have married With the Esquimaux, and the
white population is now half-breed for the
most part. Views of curious geological for
nations Were shown, as we'll the lakes,
which abound. Professor Lee thought the
interior of Labrador offered an undiscovered
field for the geographer. Views of the fish
ing population We're shown. and the life in
the primitive turf-coyered log hllts WAS de
scrlhel. As an illustration of the vast
catches vi goldfish, it was related that five
men on one schooner took 1000 cluntals of
Goldfish in Is days. Interesting views of the
Indians, whom Professor Lee regarded as of
as high a type as any in North America and
of the Moravan station and the life of the
missionaries were exhibited. Prof. Lees
description of the Esquilnaux was interest
ing. He predicted thai the race would soon
hee"lne extinct. He took many measure
ments of their heads for scientific PURPOSES
-Four Of the party We're lifted ont with two
boats for an eNpedit on Mp the Grand river
in search of the falls. which were said to
rival Niagara. One II the party Perceived
an injury to his thumb which resulted in
blood poisoning, and with another was ublig-
ed to return t. the vessel. Cary and Cole
the other two pressed on for over two
hundred miles uutil they Were. rewarded
by discovering the falls. The immense
chlsm made by the rushing waters they
cllriStened BoWloin canyon. The falls are
not perpendicuiar like Niagara. hut for
tw"-thir,S of the distance Slope ut an
angie nf fortE-IiVe degrees. Will, the re-
manning distance is a direct descent. The
total fall il greater than that Of Niagara.
The boys obtained the first and only photo
graphic views If tltse falls. On their rctilrn
they f"und tlat spark If fire eft Ill The
peat had spread, and their boat. provisions.
gul.& and scientific Instruments were ,i,.s-
troye.. With but iitti,. food they trs,lnped
20D miles, making tn. remainder Of the yor-
agr CA raft They were nearly exhausted
WHEN they Reached the settlement. Thev
Were absent from the vessel thirty-seven
DAYS.
Prof. Lee spoke uf an E>quimau maiden
VIII" wrote To ont Of the Bnwdoin boys after
his retlrn home. 1t was written through
an interpreter, and closed by SAYING, ''Gool
bye. dear friend, answer me some more