The Topeka state journal., 1906-04-30
A Woman in Unknown Labrador.

In HarDer's Magazine for May, Mrs.
LeOnidas Hubbard writes of her peril
Gus journey through Labrador, where
her husband lost his life two years ago.
Mrs. Hubbard was the first white per-
son to cross the country since 1898.
Her maps are the first correct maps
ever made.
In undertaking a Labrador expedi-
ton OF exploration, says Mrs. Hub
bard, 1T was my purpose to carry to
completion the plans which Leonidas
Hubbard, Jr., my husband, had map
ped out for himself in his expedition
of 1908.
Mr.. Hubbard planned to explore
and map one and perhaps both of the
two large unknown rivers of north
eastern Labra ador-the Northwest riv-
er, draining the great interior lake,
Aichikamau, to Hamilton inlet; and
the George river, draining the north
ern slope of the plateau to Ungava
bay-to witness the annual caribou
migration said by the Indians to take
place about the upper waters of the
George river; to visit in their home
camp the -Nascaupee Indians, or Bar
rem Ground People; and to secure to
the name, besides the honor of map
ping the rivers, that of being the first
after Mclean To cross the six hundred
miles of unexpIored wilderness lying
between Hamilton inlet and Ungava
bay. In 1888 John Mclean, a trader
OI lIlG I1uQSOn DID, COLApdlAes AAd0
crossed this part of Labrador, but he
left no map, and his account of the
journey is so incomplete that to this
day it is not certain what route he
took. Thus the country still remained
terra incOgnita.
1T seemed to me fit that my hus-
bands name should reap the fruits of
service which had cost him SO much,
andsin the summer of 1905 1 undertook
and in every particular successfully
completed the work which Mr. Hub
bard had so greatly desired to have
the honor of doing.
My expedition demonstrated that
geOgraphers were mistaken in suppos-
ing the Northwest river. draining
Lake Michikamau, and the Nascaupee
river, draining Seal lake, to be two
distinct rivers. They are one and the
same, the outlet of Lake Michikamau
carrying it's waters northeast to Seal
lake. and thence southeast to Hamilton
inlet. The head waters of the Sascau-
pee river traced northward through
Lake Michikamau and the other lakes
and streams leading to the height OF
land-a narrow strip of bog some
three hundred yards in width.-and
located the head waters of the George
river imme ediately beyond it, following
three hundred miles to its mouth the
course of the stream, which at its
source tiny rivulet, is at its discharge
into Ungava bay a great river three
miles in width, and. securing correct
maps of the waters traversed. I wit
messed also the annual caribou migra-
ton and visited in their home camps
the two bands of Indians inhabiting
the northern slope of the plateau-the
Montagnais and the Nascaupees
travelling three hundred and fifty miles
of wilderness before seeing any hui
man faces other than those of my
crew. On the 27th of August reach
ed the George river Hudson Bay com
panys post at Ungava. first after Nc
Lean to cross the country.
THE entire journey of six hundred
miles was accomplished in a few hours
less than sixty-One days, forty-three
days of actual travel and eighteen days
in camp; for we did not travel on
rainy days and sometimes not on Sun
day. We had all we could eat all the
time, and at the journeys end there
was. including my gifts to the Nassau
pee Indians, a surplus of one hundred
and fifty pounds of provisions"