when we left camp to continue the
search for a river, we decided to leave the caribou skin behind us; its
odour had become most offensive, and in spite of our efforts to keep
out the flies they had filled it with blows and it was now fairly
crawling with maggots. On Thursday when we were passing the same way,
George gave a striking example of his prescience. He was at the stern
paddle, and turned the canoe to the place where we had left the hide.

"What are you stopping for?" asked Hubbard.

"I thought I would get that caribou skin, wash it off, and take it
along," said George.

"What in the world do you expect to do with it?

"Well," answered George quietly, "we may want to eat it some day."

Hubbard and I both laughed. Nevertheless Hubbard jumped out of the
canoe with George and helped him wash the skin, and we took it along.
And, as George predicted, the day came when we were glad we did.

It was on Thursday night that, disgusted and weary, we gave up the
search for a river. Our camp was on the north shore of Lake
Disappointment, down near the western end. Hubbard now expressed the
opinion that we should have to portage north or northwest across
country. His idea was that by proceeding north we should eventually
reach the river that Low had mapped as flowing from Michikamau, the
so-called Northwest. If we reached the latitude in which the river was
supposed to be and could not find it, Hubbard's plan then called for
our turning directly west.

The situation that confronted us was serious. Hubbard had recently had
another attack of diarrhoea, and was weak. The patches we put on our
moccasins would last only a day or two, and we were practically
barefoot. Our rags were hanging in strips. Our venison was going
rapidly, and our flour was practically gone. To portage across country
meant that we should probably not have many opportunities for fishing,
as we should not have any stream to follow. Getting game had proved
uncertain. Even were we to face towards home, we had not sufficient
provisions to carry us half way to Northwest River Post.

That Thursday evening in camp we discussed the situation from all
sides. We knew that if we pressed on winter in all probability would
overtake us before we reached a post, but we decided that we should
fight our way on to Lake Michikamau and the George River. There was no
doubt about it, we were taking a long chance; nevertheless, we refused
to entertain the