The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1904-06-25
ALONE IN CAMP AND BUSTED
WROTE EXPLORER AS He DIED
DIARY OF LEoNIDAs HUBBARD. POSSESSION OF
CLEVELAND MAN, TELLS TERRIBLE
ENDURED LABRADOR.

( 3 they were 80 miles from the trap
| perS on Grand lake and / 2 miles from
the nearest supply of buried food. On
| that day council was held 1t was
| decided that all must die unless re-
| lief was soon found. Wallace volun-
| teered to reach the food and George
| determined to make across country
| TO the trappers' camp.
| Hubbard, too weak ito move, was to
stay behind. The little silk water
| proof tent was pitched in front of an
overhanging rock.
A fire was kinded and the two men
| started for help.
The last entry in Hubbard's diary
! is dated October IS, written some
some time after his two companion
had started for the relief 1t reads.
Alone in camp, junction of Mes
| caupee ana some other stream. For .
days past we have travelled down our
old trail with light packs We left
a bit of our-wet-about II miles
below here; IL miles below that
about a pound of milk powder, four
miles below that about four pounds
of lard. We counted on all these to
help us out in our effort to reach the
iiNdO VI VI anu lfbhCs WliCiC We ilODGN
to find trappers' camp On Thurs
day | busted Friday and Saturday
it was the same | saw it was prob
ably hopeless to try to go on farther
with the boys, so we consulted last
night and SO we decided that they
would take half blanket each, cups,
etc, and go on. They will try to
reach the flour tomorrow. Then Wal
lace will bring little and come back
to me. George will go on to Grand
lake, if he can, and send, or lead,
help to us. | want to say here that
they are two of the very best, bravest
and grandest men | ever knew, and
if | die it will not be because they
did not put forth their best efforts
Our past two days have been trying
ones. ] have not written my diary
| because so very weak. Yesterday in
an old camp we found the end we had
cut from a -four sack. 1t had a bit
of -four sticking to it. We boiled it
with our old caribou bones and it
thickened the broth little. We also
found a can of mustard we had then
thrown away. ! sat and held it in
my hand long time thinking how it
came from home. Then | took bite
and it was very good We mixed some
in our bone soup and it seemed to
stimulate us. We had a bit of carl
bou skin in that same pot Ii
swelled up thick and was very good.
Last night ! fell asleep while the
boys were reading to me- This morn
ing was very sleepy. After the,boys
left-they left me tea, the carbon
bones and another end of flour sack
found here and some yeast cakes
] drank cup of strong tea and some
bone broth. / also ate some of the
really delicious rawhide (bOiled with
bones) and it made me stronger
strong to write this. The boys have
only tea and half pound of pea
meal.
"Our parting was most affecting.
did not feel so bad George said:
The Lord help us, Hubbard. With
His help I'll save you if | can get
out Then he cried, so did Wallace.
Wallace stopped and kissed my cheek
with his poor, suhken, bearded lips
several times; / Kissed his. George
did the same. | kissed his cheek
Then they went away. God bless
and help them.
My tent is pitched in open tent
style, in front of rock. The rock
Reflects the Fire,
but it is now going out because of
the rain. / shall let it go and close
the tent until the rain is over, thus
keeping out wind and saving wood.
Tonight or tomorrow perhaps the
weather will improve so | can build
fire, eat the rest of my mOccasins
and a pair of rawhide mittens. |
am not suffering. The acute pangs
of hunger have given way to indif-
ference. l am sleepy. | think death
from starvation is not so bad. But
let no one suppose / expect it. !
am prepared, that is all. | think the
boys will be able, with the Lord S
| help, to save me.
Wallace did not reach the flour
for two days. With it in his posses
sion he started for the camp. A
binding snowstorm ragged and he
was lost George, after a terrible
struggle, reached the tTappers. A
relief expedition was formed. When
Hubbards tent was reached he was
| found wrapped in his blanket, COW
/ cred with snow, his body frozen
| stiff Beside him was little tin box
! He had written the last entry in his
diary, locked the book in the box,
wrapped himself in the blanket and
closed his eyes in his death sleep.
| Twelve days later Wallace was
found wandering about in the snow.
| He was a maniac, the result of the
awful hardships. He was taken to
the trappers' camp, where he was
nursed back to life and reason. 1t
was three months before they were
| able to move him. His life was
saved, he believes, by miracle A
| few months before he started on the
| expedition his young wife died All
through his wanderings, those u
days, he heard her voice telling him