Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-22

| the others he told them of long jour
ney. Then they came forward and gath
cred eagerly about US. We told them we
We're going down the river TO the post at
Cngaya.
'Oh, you are near now." they said You
will sleep only five times IL you travel
fast"
My heart bounded as this was Interpreted
to me. 1t meant that we should DE at the
post before the end of August. for this
was only the goth. There was still chance
that we should be in time for the ship.
We then inquired about the river All
were eager to tell about it, and many ex-
pressive gestures were added to their words
to tell that the river was rapid all the way
Al arm held at an angle showed what we
were to expect IN the rapids, and a Wig
orous drop of the hand expressed some
thing about the falls. There would be few
portages, but they were not long, and In
some places there would be just short
lift over; but it was nearly all rapid
And when you come to a river coming
In on the other side in quite a fall you are
not far from the post"
There was a tightening in my throat as
| thought, What if 1 had decided TO turn
back ra Their than winter In Labrador %
Meanwhile the old women had gathered
about me, begging eagerly for tobacco. OF
course / did not know what IL was they
wanted. and when the coveted tobacco did
not appear they began to complain bit
terly. she is not giving US any tobacco"
And again, See, she does not want to
give us any tobacco. George explained to
tobacco. l succeeded In appeasing them.
however. by gifts OF -four. tea, pork. and
rice, and accompanied them to their camp
on the hill for a necessarily short visit see
ing and talking with the younger women
and children, and learning little OF what
life means to them
When the word went forth that we
about to leave, all gathered for the parting.
l was looking about for something which
l might carry away with me as a souvenir
of the visit. The chiefs daughter stood
near, and stepping toward her l touched
perhaps they had others they might be
willing to let me take. She drew sharply
away and said something in tones that had
That is mine" l determined not to be
discouraged, and made another effort.
Stretched on frame to dry was a very
pretty deerskin, and I had George ask IL I
might have that. This seemed to appeal
to them as a not unreasonable request
but they suggested that / take one that
was dressed. woman who wanted my
sweater went into the wigwam and brought
one out 1t was very pretty, and beauti-
fully soft and white on the inside. She
again pleaded for my sweater. | felt SO
SO. / handed her back the skin. but she
bade me keep IL. They gave George piece
of deerskin dressed without the hair-"To
line pair of mitts, they said.
When / said goodbye" they made no
move to accompany US to the canoe.
On the evening of August % we reached
the foot of Indian House lake. and the day
following began the descent OF what
proved to be 13o miles of almost continuous
rapid. The river was fearfully steep, there
being places where the little canoes were
carried down at the rate of mile in four
minuates. We had five days of almost con-
slant rapid running.
Saturday at noon my observation showed
us very near our destination. and we
camped at night within ten miles of the
post. The men smiled little increduiousiy
when I said we should be at the post be-
fore neon Sunday. There was bit of quiet
fun Sunday morning after breakfast over
my putting the remainder of the tea into
bottle to keep as souvenir of the trip.
learned later that II was the opinion OF
the crew-expressed in Indian, of course
that the tea would probably taste good at
lunch. However, inside of two hours we
were in sight OF what knew must be the
island opposite the post. and before IL
am there was a sudden exclamation from
George, There 1t isp'
Half an hour later Mr.. Ford, agent at
the post, followed by retinue of Eskimos
came over the mud left by the retreating
tide to meet us, while Mrs. Ford waited at
the foot OF the hill. all as eagerly excited
at our arrival as ! was to reach the post
As my hostess. with shining eyes. took my
hand In greeting she said. Mrs Hubbard.
yours Is the first white woman's face /
have seen for two years"
In reply to eager questioning I was told
that the ship had not arrived aad would
not be there Until the middle OF September.