The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1904-04-05

Lake Michakaman. The wind was
blowing gale the day we reached here
and we were for two weeks unable to
move. Then the time for the caribou
migration was past and reluctantly we
turned homeward over our old trail in
land, not having seen an Indian or any
human being since leaving Northwest
river. Winter was upon us, and before
September was gone the temperature
dropped to 10 degrees above zero. Then
we broke our thermometer and could
get no record.
on october 18th we reached the camp
where we had killed the caribou, and
got together the dried bones we had
left and boiled them for soup. We
scraped the skin from the head and
boiled and ate that and the remains of
the head. The horns we scorched In the
fire and ate them. Everything was eat
en- that we could eat all the way down
on our retreat. Before we began our
retreat from the big lake | had lost -
inches in waist measure. our bones
We're sticking through the skin. We
had not shaved or cut our hair, and
our appearance must have been pitiable.
know the others looked, and particu-
larly Hubbard, like walking skeletons.
We were so weak at length that we
could not sit down without falling.
WALKING SKELETONS.
Along the route we had left portions
of our outfit until ii was reduced to the
absolute necessaries. My rifle, Hub
bard's sextant and other valuable
things were left behind. We had sever
al miles to run on a small river With
dangerous rapids. Hubbard tried to
manage the canoe through one with
George and nearly wrecked it, Then
George and / ran the rest and took
desperate chances, always, however,
with success. We carried the old Carl
bou bones with us, and boiled them over
and over and drank the water.
At length one day Hubbard could not
carry his little pack into camp and l
made him put it down and follow with
out any load. l returned and got his
pack. The next day. October 18th, was
the same. George and / got wood for
a fire. We were eighty miles from
Northwest river, but at the head of
Grand Lake, forty miles away, where
we hoped to find some trappers and
some food. on the way, some twelve
miles below, Hubbard gave out. We
had left a bag with some remnants of
wet flour in it. We hoped to get some
help from that. After making camp
and lighting our fire, we had consul
tation, and it was decided that we
should leave our caribou bones and
some pieces of a flour bag | found
Thrown away on the way up, with
some lumps of moldy flour sticking to
fn, IIt,h Iar mr. nd I
should go on the next morning to the
flour bag we had abandoned, hoping to
find some flour in it. / sat up nearly
all night keeping the fire going to warm
Hubbard. and the next morning, after
getting some wood and wrapping Hub
bard in my blankets, George and l
started. Hubbard was able to walk
about camp. Before going | read XIV
Chapter of John and, at his request,
my favorite chapter, XII First Corin-
thians. l somehow felt that l would
never see him alive again, and it was
very hard to go.
LEAVING HUBBARD.
We had grown very close to each
other in the summer and during our
severe hardships and endeavored al
ways to tighten each others load and
l felt toward him as a brother. | tried
to turn to him several times to say
good-by, but felt each time myself
breaking down and for long time sat
with my back to him. Then George
said we must start. / turned to say
to him what felt was the last farewell
and, in spite of my efforts, broke down
and sobbed like a child. His entry in
1lis diary will tell you of our parting
and / quote
October is, 1908. Alone in camp,
junction of Nescaupee and some other
stream. For two days past we
have travelled down our old trail with
light packs. We left a bit of flour
wet-about eleven miles below here;
twelve 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 an effort
to reach the head of Grand lake, where
we hoped to find a trapper's camp. on
Thursday | busted Friday and Sat
urday it was the same. | saw 1t was
hopeless for me to go further with the
boys so we consulted last night and
decided they would take merely half
blanket each, cups, etc, and go on. They
will try to reach the flour tomorrow.
Then Wallace will bring a little and
come back to me. George will go on
to Grand lake if he can and send or
lead help to us. l 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 days have been trying ones l !
nave not written in my diary because so
very weak. Yesterday at an old camp |
we found the end we had cut from "A |
Hour bag. 1t had bit of flour sticking |
to it. We boiled it with our old carl
bou bones and II thickened the broth a |
little.
I'VE also found a can of mustard we
had thrown away. l sat ana held it in !
my hand long time, thinking how it
came from home. Then | took bite
of II ana II was very good, We mixed
some in our bone soup ana il seemed to
stimulate us, We had bit of caribou
skin in that same spot, 1t swelled up
thick ana was very good. Last night |