The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1918-05-23
The Roaring
Forties
Copyright. 1913. Western Newspaper linton
BY CENEVIEVE ULMAR

Copyright 1918. Western Newspaper Union.)
Neither the Canadian government,
nor the Moravian Brethreny nor the
officials or fishermen of Labrador
knew why the fisheries along the
coastal shores of that desolate coun-
try had been almost abandoned by the
salmon and quite deserted by the her
ring.
An international fisheries commits
sion had employed Arnold Blake, a
bright young scientist, to go over the
ground and report conditions. He had
penetrated the roaring forties,' as
those attitudes were designated, which
included Newfoundland and, at their
northern limit, took in subpolar dis
tricts. Making his headquarters at
Main, Blake found that the netting of
harbors, the wholesale TRAVELLING with
hook lines miles in length, the natural
migratory habits of the fish were re-
sponsible for driving away vast shoals
periodically He foresaw that the
needs of the scattered communities
could be provided for only by group
ing fur hunters and cod fishermen
around points where lumber mills and
mining enterprises offered steady
work. He was at Port Charles. on his
way back to Main, when veteran seal
hunter remarked:
There's one man you ought to see,
who can give you more pointers in
day than most of us could in year."
"And who is that?" inquired OAR
rell.
"Old Quality JIM"
"Qunlty-peculiar NAME isn't itf"
"Yes, but it fits, for they say that
jim Hudson was high-up one in the
States before he came here. He set
tied over near nose of land running
out into the ocean, where no one ever
goes except the Eskimo, and sort of let
it out in a mysterious way that he was
after fortune In one dab. He spent
"A year rowing all over the district and
picked up lots of information us COM
mon folks never dreamed Of. A year
ago he sent for his daughter, Eloise.
| sledded her over to Point Walrus
There's her picture on the wall. She
stayed here for week and my wife
took great liking to her"
Blake studied the photograph. Peat
and walrus oil smoke had blackened
1t. but the close cabin smudge could
not rob that classical profile of its
statuesque beauty, nor the fair Inca
ments of their cultured expressive
ness. Perhaps more the vile, the lure,
the far solitude of this filial being fas-
cinated Blake than the utility of secur-
| ing information appertaining to his di-
| rect mission. AT all events he deter
mined on visiting Point Walrus. Pro-
vded with sledge, dogs, supplies and
II chart of the district, he started on
his journey. Eight hours later land
marks told him that he was near his
destination. Suddenly q great white
bear burst from covert. In an instant
the dogs made dash for the enemy,
upsetting the sedge and tipping Blake
into the snow. They described fatal
scimeter curve and bounced upon the
bear. A sullen roar sounded behind
Blake. He received blow from the
ponderous paw of the mate of the
bear. IIalf-stunned Blake tried to
creep, to roll away from his swiftly
advancing adversary.
Crackl A shot rang out. The ami
NAL, Il bullet in its brain, fell across
the PROSTATE Blake.
Blake found himself before a great
log-piled fireplace an hour later.
girish figure, arrayed in caribou, was
fitting about the cabin. In a corner
of the room were half dozen Eskimo
children.
Miss Hudson" said Blake, recog-
nlzlng the original of the photograph,
81 have come to see your father. 1t
/ was you who fired on the bearP
What rich russell tinge to those
skilled hands! How her face shone
with ruddy health! How practical
and straightforward was this fair prin-
cess Of the northern wilds. Blake soon
knew that her father had been dead
| for several weeks, that the natives in
the vicinity had died off through pesti-
lence and that this noble-hearted girl
was sharing her home with the little
orphan children.
"Our dogs were eaten by an on
slaught of the starving wolves" mar
| rated BlOlstI anu We Nphli LlOl SCI "
the trading post" Never had Bloke
known the charm of true womankind
as now. 1t was arranged that Eloise
should take her helpless charges to
the settlement on his sledge. Then
the dogs were TO return to convey
Blake and the contents of the cabin.
He busted himself after their depar-
ture packing these possessions on the
sledge belonging to the place. He
found cask in the attic. Eloise had
not mentioned this, but Blake slowed
1t on the sledge.
At their destination the Eskimo
charges were placed in care of the
mission people. Most of the cabin be-
longings had been given away. The
| cask and some fine seal fur Blake de-
cided to retain. 1t was at the first
customs depot that an inspection of
their freight was made. The duty
charges on the cask amazed Blake.
1.-THE contents must be valuable
he observed.
valuable? AT least fifty thousand
dollars" was the reply. "Why, man,
it's ambergris Whoever ran across
that splendid spoil found a floating
gold mine"
The precious substance was veri-
fed. and Eloise Hudson found herself
an heiress. The Northern wilds had