The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-02
IN The LAND or RANBOYS.
THINGS A WOMAN saw IN THE
WILDS or LABRADOR.
The Caribou Migratlon Described by Mrs.
LcOnidaS Hubbard, ~. -Beautiful
Flowers In a Land " Frost Ice and
snow I'm Mid-AHgust-Rare C0lOPs

bIOWers IN a LAnu % Frost Ice and
snow I'm Mid-August-Rare CeI0gs.
In her remarkable journey through
Labrador last year Mrs. Leoni1as Hubbard,
Jr., saw many strange sights. Perhaps the
most interesting Of these was the caribou
migration.
ION August g." she writes in the bulletin
Of the American Geographical Society, Nv
came upon h migration and saw one
herd in ulich there we're thousands. We
did not ind them again in such numbers,
vet for fifty miles OF our journey they were
seen in smaller herds every day, and some
times many times a day.
They were in summer dress Of pretty
brown, shading to gray and white on the
under parts. The antlers were in velvet
and OF immense size. and males and females
we're already herding together. Apparently
they had been in occupation OF the country
for some time.
From ptarmigan Point, on Lake Michi-
kamats, TO the head OF Long Lake, on the
George River, the country was a network
of their trails, in the woodlands and boys,
cut deep into the soil. ON the barren hill
sides broad, dark bands convcrging to the
crossing place at the river. North Of the
Height of Land we passed at intervals
long piles Of whitened antlers; n along
the shore opposite our camp of August is
a broad band Of white caribou hair, four
feet above the river, told Of their crossing
and recrossing while shedding their winter
Cuats.
only once in passing this part OF the
country did We find trace Of their enemy.
the wolf. Throughout the journey we did
not see any, but once, while running down
tho lower George River, n lonely cry came
lown TO us from one high up on the noun
taineide.
Through the caribou belt other game
was more abundant also. Every day mother
ducks with their fiocks Of little ones were
seen, and a number Of geese were taken.
,iull, and looms were there in numbers,
and ~ptarmigan were very plentiful a. far
~ the head Of the Barren Ground Water;
but beyond none were taken till we reached
the post.
Along the lower part Of each of the
rivers signs of foxes in large numbers were
found, and the Jennings on which they
feed made us not a little trouble. They
we're about in thousands and the ground
was so perforated with their holes as to
remind one Of a porous plaster.
In the lakes fish seem abundant, though
We travelled too fast to do much fishing ,
and the nets we're not once il the water.
There ere brook trout ounaniche and
namavCush, some whitefish. in the lakes;
and in tho lower George the sea trout and
salmon.
The flowers are beautiful. though not so
varied as in the home country. All along
the Nascaupee blossoms OF the Labrador
tea filed the air with their fragrance and
pale laurel grew in abundance. Now and
then we crossed great e Of blossoming
cloud berries and everywhere the star
flower and bunchberry showed their White
blossoms.
zone day while ascending the Wapustan
River Gilbert handed me a uandelion and
during the day I saw several OF them, but
did not again find them through out the
journey. On the upper Nascaupee the pink
bells Of the low cranberry showed in the
carpet OF glossy green and near the water
the blossoms Of the dewberry.
-Violcts grew along both rivers, but most
beautiful OF all was the twin flower. Its
delightful fragrance first attracted my
attention and looking down l saw the long
trailing vines.
AT Ungava masses Of this beautiful
flower creep along the foot OF the noun
tain, while indoors in a pot on the window
ill Mrs. Ford, the agents wife, treasures
two tiny clover plants, almost afraid in her
eagerness to believe that they really were
clover
months, from June 81 to August 81, the
weather was wonderfully fine. We were in
camp only eleven days on account OF rain
and the hig hest temperature reached was
n degrees +. in the shade. The lowest
recorded temperature was 30 degrees,
though il was not the minimum reached.
On the morning of August 10 there was
Toe au cIghth OF an inch thick on a basin OF
water. On the 18th, 18th n 9TH oil the
same month we had snow fturries.
"ThunderStoms were rare, and com
pared with those in the United states very
mild. On many beautiful days we bad
passing showers. Labrador Is a land of
rainbo%s. Nowhere have seen their
colors so brilliant or 40 variedly manifested:
They did not always appear in the form OF
a how, and once | saw them lie like a beau
tiful veil along the whole length OF RAINBOW
Hill on the upper Nascaupee.
There was a wonderful clearness IN the
atmosphere, which made landmarks miles
away seem very near and clothed the far
distant hills with color lndescrlbably beautl-
tiful. In the blue Of the hills and the waters
and the sky there was a peculiar sllveTlness,
which, with the white OF the Teindeer moss
and the dark green of the spruce forests.
white birch and poplar, made n combination
81 color which I think can scarcely be sur
PASSED in beauty anywhere in the, world.
In a wsy which | could neither describe
nor understand it was comforting.
The flies and mosquitoes, for which the
country is famed, did not wholly fail OF ac-
emphasizing their dire designs p us;
nut their ravages are easily forgotten in the
remembrance of the beauties of thai lone
and which can smile with 80 much grace,
oven though its mood has sometimes been
one OF such persistent cruelty.