A CARRIAGE ROAD. 23 



opened out into a beautiful lake from one to two miles in width, 

 whose further end we could not see. As this river never has 

 been explored to its head, we were surprised that Messrs. Bryant 

 and Kenaston, who were ready for their inland trip about a 

 week after our party had started up the Grand River, had not 

 chosen it as a field for their work rather than follow in the foot- 

 steps of our expedition. 



Of all Labrador north of the Straits, North West River alone 

 boasts a carriage road. To be sure, there are neither horses 

 nor carriages at that post, but when Sir Donald A. Smith, at 

 present at the head of the Hudson Bay Co.'s interests in Canada, 

 but then plain Mr. Smith, factor, was in charge of that post his 

 energy made the place a garden in the wilderness, and in addi- 

 tion to luxuries of an edible sort, he added drives in a carriage 

 through forest and by shore, for about two miles, on a well made 

 road. Now, we are informed there is not a horse or cow north 

 of Belle Isle. The present factor, Mr. McLaren, is a shrewd 

 Scotchman, genial and warm-hearted beneath a rather forbidding 

 exterior, as all of our party who experienced his hospitality can 

 testify. 



In spite of all its attractions we could not stay at North West 

 River. In five weeks we were to meet our river detail at Rigo- 

 lette, and during that time a trip north of 400 miles was to be 

 made and the bulk of the expedition's scientific work to be done. 



Our day's sail, with fresh breezes and favoring squalls, took 

 us the whole length of the delightful lake, whose waters had 

 seldom been vexed by a keel as long as the Julia's, and brought 

 us to an anchor off Eskimo Island. Here we had one of our 

 regular fights with the mosquitoes, the engagement perhaps being 

 a trifle hotter than usual, for they swarmed down the companion 

 way every time the " mosquito door," of netting on a light 

 frame hinged to the hatch house, was opened, in brigades and 

 divisions and finally by whole army corps, till we were forced to 

 retreat to our bunks, drive out the intruding hosts, which paid 

 no respect whatever to our limited 6x3x3 private apartments, by 

 energetically waving and slapping a towel around, then quickly 

 shutting the door of netting, also on a tightly fitting frame, and 



