ON THE LABRADOR. 73 



the Susan River. They had set out early in the season 

 and had pushed on, hoping always to find the caribou, on 

 which they depended for food, but in all their wanderings 

 they killed but one animal, so that finally, weakened by 

 hunger, and beset by snows, poor young Hubbard succumbed, 

 after a most gallant struggle, while his two companions, 

 pushing on to get help, could not bring it until too late. 



The story of the journey of George Elson, who, feeding 

 as he could on grouse and porcupine, fought his way to 

 Grosswater Bay, is one of the epics of the Men of the Woods, 

 and it can be read, and should be read, in " A Woman's 

 Way through Unknown Labrador," which tells also how 

 Hubbard's widow undertook the task her husband had 

 given his life for, and carried it through with a splendid 

 courage to success. 



On the fifth day on rising in the morning I found that 

 two large bears had visited the vicinity of the camp during 

 the night. The almost human track passed within fifty 

 yards of our cabin, when doubtless the smoke of the fire 

 had sent both animals off at speed. After a couple of 

 days spent in earnestly searching for sign or sight of game, 

 we broke camp and passed to other hunting-grounds. But 

 in all the days we spent in Labrador neither of us saw 

 either bear or caribou in the flesh. 



It was the 7th of October when we again found our- 

 selves at Broomfield's house. Here I learned that the 

 summer colony of cod-fishers at Fanny's Harbour had al- 

 ready departed for the south, and the captain of the Vir- 

 ginia Lake doubted whether the Newfoundland Govern- 

 ment (in this matter the Reid Company are the agents of 

 Government) would sanction the steamer's venturing so far 

 north as the date arranged, but he had promised to pick me 

 up at Hopedale, sixty miles to the south, about the I5th of 

 the month. It was now that the trap-boat proved of service. 



Sam was absent on his monthly errand to fetch the 



