That day just before noon, we came to a place where Mr. Hubbard had caught some fish when we were going up, and we thought that perhaps we could get some fish there again, but the little stream was nearly dry.  We sat down and had a rest.

A little lake about 400 Yards from us on our way.  This little stream ran into the lake.  Just near the lake I saw a caribou coming along following this little river to where we were.

I told the boys, “There’s a caribou coming along.”

We all fell flat on the ground; but he was on the lee side of us and soon found out we were there.  He stood—­behind some little trees and had his head up looking towards where we were, and all of a sudden he was gone, and we didn’t have the chance to fire.  I got up.  A swamp I knew of.  I made for that swamp thinking I would cut across him.  I tried to run, yet I was so very, very weak.  Oh! how hard I tried to run.  But when I got out there he was across on the other side.  I was away for some time, yet when I came to the boys, they were still lain the same way, and their faces to the ground, and did not move till I spoke to them.  We were more than sorry about the caribou, and each one said what he would do, and how much we could eat if we killed that caribou and that we would stay right there for a few days till we got a little stronger.

Though I was feeling so very weak myself, when we would have nothing else but tea, as we often just had tea, nothing else, when I would hand the boys a cup of tea each, I would ask them to pass it back, as I would pretend I’d forgotten to put any sugar in.  They would pretend that they didn’t care for sugar, and refuse to have some.  Then I would ask them if they would have some bread or some pie.

Mr. Hubbard would say, “PIE!  What is pie?  What do they use it for?  Do they eat it?”

This I did often to encourage them and myself, that we might forget the danger ahead; but it was something impossible to forget, as the hunger and weakness pained us, and I thought we would not be able to go many more days if we don’t succeed in killing anything.

That evening we hadn’t the strength of chopping our wood.  Just gathered the small, dry pieces we found near our camp.  We also put up our camp in an easy way we thought.  Three little poles were required to keep up our tent.  They were quite handy; but it took me some time before I could cut them down.

That day at noon, when I left my dunnage bag with lots of films in, and hung the bag on a short stump, Mr. Hubbard told me, “If we get out safe to Northwest River, I think you or I might stay there this winter, and try and get out some of the things we are leaving, especially the films.  If we could get out in time of the last trip of the Virginia Lake, Wallace and you could go home.  Or if you would stay, Wallace and I could go home.”

I told him I would be very much in a hurry to go home, and wouldn’t wish to stay out here for the winter.  “But if you wish, and rather have me stay, I will stay for the winter and try and get the things out for you.”