USA > Maine > First Maine bugle, 1892 (history of 1st Maine Cavalry) > Part 21
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These bluffs and other advantageous positions between them and Richmond were now quickly seized by the confederate government and prepared to prevent any more "picnicing" by Yankee gun-boats so near the vitals of the new government, and they remained in the hands of the confederate forces until the evacuation of Richmond and Petersburg in the spring of 1865. Major Drury became an officer of artillery in the military forces of the confederacy.
We left him with a high appreciation of his character as a man, of his valor and efficiency as a soldier and of his sterling worth as a citizen in those dark and sad days of the old Dominion.
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FIRST MAINE BUGLE.
BOWDOIN BOYS IN LABRADOR.
ON BOARD THE JULIA A. DECKER. ? GUT OF CANSO. 5
Bowdoin pluck has overcome Bowdoin luck, and though they literally had to pass through fire and water, the Bowdoin men, from the Bowdoin College Scientific Expedition to Labrador have done what Oxford failed to do.and what was declared well nigh impossible by those best acquainted with the circumstan- ces and presumably best judges of the matter. Austin Cary and Dennis Cole, Bowdoin 'S7 and '88, respectively, have pro- ven themselves worthy to be ranked as explorers, and have demonstrated anew that energy and endurance are not wanting in college graduates of this generation.
A trip up a large and swift river, totally unknown tomens in its upper portions. for three hundred miles, equal to the distance from Brunswick, Me., to New York City , in open fifteen feet boats, is of itself an achievement worthy of remark. But when to this is added the discovery of Bowdoin Canon, one of the most re- markable features of North America, the settlement of the mystery of the Grand Falls, and the bringing to light of a paris- able waterway extending for an unbroken ninety miles, and three hundred miles in the interior of an hitherto unknown country, something more than remark is merited.
July 26th the schooner hove to about four miles from the mouth of the Grand River, the shoals rendering a nearer approach dan- gerous, and the boats of the river detachment were sent over the side, taken in tow by the yawl, and the start made on what proved the most eventful part of the Labrador expedition Cheers and good wishes followed the three boats till cat a: hearing, and then the Julia gathered way and headed for North West River, while the party in the yawl with the two Rushtoms
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in tow put forth their best efforts to reach the mouth of ti river and a lee before the approaching squall should strike then.
The squall came first, and as it blew heavily directly out of the river, we could simply lay to and wait for it to blow over Then a calm followed and by the time the next squall struck we were in a comparative lec. After the heaviest of it had passed, the Grand River boys clambered into their boats and with a hearty " good by" pulled away for the opening close at hand. The yawl meantime had grounded on one of the shoals, but pushing off and carefully dodging the boulders that dot those shallow waters, she squared away for North West River, following around the shore, and with the aid of a fresh breeze reached the schooner shortly after too'clock P. M.
The river party was made up of Austin Cary in charge, and I. R. Smith, '90, occupying one boat, and Dennis Cole and F. B. Young, '92, with the other, all strong, rugged fellows, more or less acquainted with boating in rapid water,and well equipped for all emergencies. Their outfit included provisions for five weeks, flour, meal, buckwheat flour, rice, coffee, tea, sugar. beef extract, tins of pea soup, beef tongue, and preserves. They were provided with revolvers, a shot gun and a rifle.and suffi- cient ammunition, intending to cke out the stores with what- ever game came in their way, although the amount of time given them would not allow much hunting. All the sup- plies, including the surveying, measuring and meteorological instruments, were either in tins or in water-tight wrappings, while the bedding and clothing were protected by rubber blankets. The boats, made by Rushton, the Adirondack boat-builder. were of cedar, fifteen feet long, five feet wide, double-ended, and weighed eighty pounds apiece. A short deck at each end of the boats covered copper air-tanks, which made life-boats of them and added much to their safety. Each boat was equipped with a pair of oars. a paddle and about one hundred feet of small line for tracking purposes. Proceeding about three miles the first camp was made on the south shore of Goose Bay, amid an abundance of mosquitoes. The next day twenty-five miles were made through shoals that nearly close the river's mouth, leaving
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but one good channel through which the water flows very swish by the house of Joe Michelin, the trapper, at which six week. later two very gaunt and much used up men were most ho.pita bly received. Here another night was spent almost withyou. sleep, owing to the mosquitoes.
Tuesday a large Indian camp was passed, the big " pool" at the foot of the first falls and some three miles long, rose across, and at noon the carry was begun. It was necessary to make seventeen trips and four and one half hours were used in the task. When the last load had been deposited at the upper end of the carry, the men threw themselves down on the bank utterly weary, and owing to the loss of sleep the two previous nights; were soon all sound asleep. In consequence camp was made here, and the first comfortable night of the trip passed. In- cluding the carry eight miles was the day's advance.
The twenty-five miles of the next day were made rowing and! tracking up the Porcupine rapids through a series of small lakes one with a little island in the centre deceiving our boys for awhile into thinking they had reached Gull Island Lake, and then up another short rapid at the head of which the party en- camped.
Sixteen miles were made next day by alternate rowing and tracking, the foot of Gull Island Lake was reached, and after dinner it was crossed in one and a half hours. Then the hear- iest work of the trip thus far was struck and camp was made, about half way up Gull Lake rapid. Supper was made off a goose shot the previous day. It was necessary to double the crews in getting up the latter part of Gull Island rapids, and finally a short carry was made just at noon to get clear of then. From the fact that the light, beautifully modelled boats require ! four men to take them up the rapids we may get some idea of the swiftness of the river as well as the difficulties attending the mode of travelling. As the river in its swiftest parts is never less than half a mile wide, and averages a mile, it can readily be seen that it is a grand waterway, well deserving its name.
Nine miles were made this day and camp was reached at the beginning of rough water on the Horse Shoe Rapid. Here the
BOWDOIN BOYS IN LABRADOR. 20
first evidence of shoes giving out was seen. Constant use over rough rocks while wet proved too much for even the strongest shoes, and when Cary and Cole returned there was not leather enough between them to make one decent shoe. Rain made the night uncomfortable, as the light shelter tent let the water through very easily and was then of little use. At other times the tents were very comfortable. Upon arriving at the spot selected two men would at once set about preparing the brush for beds, pitching the tent, etc., while the other provided wood for the camp and for the cook, in which capacity Cary offici- ated. I cannot do better than use Cary's own words in refer- enceto his " humble bot essential ministrations." "Camp cook- ing at best is rather a wearing process, but the agonies of a man whose hands are tangled up in dough and whom the flies becloud,competing for standing room on every exposed portion of his body, can be imagined only by the experienced."
The party believed that a good night's rest was indispensible where the day was filled with the hardest kind of labor, and spared no pains to secure them, Ever on the return Cary and Cole, when half starved, stuck to their practice of making com. fortable camps, and it is probable that the wonderful way they held out under their privations was largely due to this. While many in their predicament would have thrown away their blank- cts, they kept them, and on every cold and stormy night con- gratulated themselves that they had done so.
On Saturday, Aug. Ist, the first accident happened. Track- ing on the Horse Shoe Rapids was extremely difficult and dangerous. Shortly after dinner a carry was made, taking three and a half hours to track out a path up and along a terrace about fifty feet high. Shortly after this the boat used by Cary and Smith capsized, emptying its load into the river. The party were "tracking" at the time, Cole being nearly the length of the tow line ahead, tugging on it, while Cary was doing his best to keep the boat off the rocks. At the margin of the swift unbroken current there were strong edchies. and in hauling the boat around a bend her bow was pushed into one, her slight keel momentarily preventing her from heading up stream again,
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and the rush of the water bore her under. At the same time Cary was carried from his footing and just managed to grasp the line as he came up and escape being borne down the stream. When things were collected and an inventory taken of the loss, it was found to include about one-fourth of the pro- visions, the barometer and chronometer rendered useless and practically lost, measuring chain, cooking utensils, rifles with much of the ammunition, axe and small stores, such as salt. sugar, coffee, etc. The loss was a severe one, and arose from failure to fasten the stores into the boats before starting. a: had been ordered. The time given the party for the trip was so short, the distance so uncertain, and the things they desired to have an opportunity to do on the return that would require comparative leisure were so many, that they begrudged the few minutes necessary to properly lash the loads into the boats, each time they broke camp; and delay and disaster were the results. As the day was nearly spent, camp was made but about a mile from the last, and time used in repairing damages. A very ingenious baker for bread was contrived by Cole fiom an empty flour tin, a new paddle made to replace the one lost, and a redistribution of the baggage remaining effected.
In the following five days sixty-six miles were made with a few short carries, some rowing and a good deal of hard tracking. Having passed the Mininipi river and rapids, the latter being the worst on the river, the bank furnishing almost no foothold for tracking the Mauni rapids were reached and finally at 5 P. M., Aug. 6th, the party emerged into Lake Waminikapo. As Cary's journal puts it, here the party " first indulged in hilarity.' The hardest part of the work was over and had been done in much less time than had been expected. According to all ac- counts the falls should be found only thirty miles beyond the head of the lake, which is forty miles long and good rowing water, and about three weeks time yet remained before they were due at Rigolette. Added to this a perfect summer afternoon, com- paratively smooth water, running around the base of a magnit- cent cliff and opening out through a gorge with precipitous sides, showing a beautiful vista of lake and mountain, with the
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BOWDOIN BOYS IN LABRADOR.
knowledge of rapids behind and the object of the trip but a short way ahead and easy travelling most of that way, and we may readily understand why these tired and travel worn voy- agers felt hilarious. Cary says of the scene : " As we grad- ally worked out of the swift water the terraces of sand and stones were seen to give way and the ridges beyond to approach one another and to erect themselves, until at the lake's mouth we entered a grand portal between cliffs on cither hand tower- ing for hundreds of feet straight into the air. And looking be- yond and between the reaches of the lake was seen a ribbon of water lying between steep sided ridges, over the face of which, as we pulled along, mountain streams came pouring."
One day was used in making the length of the lake, and at the camp at its head Young and Smith turned back. A very badly swelled hand and arm caused by janiming his thumb had prevented Young from getting any sleep and threatened speedily to become worse. This in connection with the loss of provis- ions in the upset made it expedient to send the two men back. The returning party was given the best boat, the best of the outfit and provisions for six days, in which time they could easily reach the mouth of the river. Meantime Cary and Cole pushed on into what was to prove the most eventful part of their journey.
The lake is simply the river valley with the terraces cleaned out, and was probably made when the river was much higher, at a time not far removed from the glacial period. The head of the lake is full of sand bars and shoals, much resembling the mouth of the river as it opens out into Goose bay. On both sides of the lake mountains rise steeply for one thousand or twelve hundred feet. Its average width is from two to three miles and it has three long bends or curves. Only one deep valley breaks the precipitous sides, but many streams flow in over the ridge, making beautiful waterfalls.
The river as it enters the lake is about half a mile wide, but soon increases to a mile. Twenty miles were made by the ad- vance the day the parties separated, and at night. almost at the place where the falls were reported, nothing but smooth
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water could be sten for a long stretch ahead. Sunday, the oth twenty-five miles were made, the good rowing continuing, by bur.it lands, and banks over which many cascades tumbled. Monday. the last day's advance in the boats was made, the water becom . ing too swift to be stemmed, This day Cary got the second ducking of the trip -- a very good record in view of the rough- ness of the work and the smallness of the boats. During thi- and the day previous an otter, a crow and a robin were seen. As a rule the river was almost entirely deserted by animal life.
The next day the boat and the provisions, excepting a six days supply carried in the packs, were carefully cached, and at 10:45 camp was left and the memorable tramp begun. Each man carried about twenty-five pounds. The stream was followed a short distance, then the abrupt ascent to the plateau climbed. old river beaches being found all the way up. Ascending a birch knoll.the river was in view for quite a long distance and a large branch scen making in from the west. To the north the highest mountain, in fact the only peak in the vicinity, was seen towering up above the level plateau. Towards this peak, chris- tened Mt. Hyde, the party tramped, and arriving at the top saw. the country around spread out like a map. Way off towards the northwest a large lake was seen from which Grand River probably flows, and nearer was a chain of small, shallow and rocky ponds. The country is rocky, covered with deep mo:s and fairly well wooded, with little underbrush. The wood is all spruce save in the river valleys where considerable birch is mixed in. The black flics were present in clouds, even in the strong wind blowing at the top of Mt. Hyde, and made halt for rest or any stop whatever intolerable. Leaving the mountain. after taking bearings of all the points to be seen, the party struck for the river and camped on the bank between the two branches coming in from the westward, several miles apart. The following day, with faces much swollen from fly bites of the day before, the line of march was along the banks till 2 P. M. when the upper fork was reached.
The course of the river is southeast. This branch course is from the northwest. The main stream turns off sharply to the
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northeast and after a few miles passes into a deep canon, chri .. tened "Bowdoin Canon," between precipitous walls of archaic rock from six hundred to eight hundred feet high. This canon was afterward found to be about twenty-five miles long and winding in its course. In but few places is the slope such as to permit a descent to the river bank proper, and the canon is so narrow; and the walls of such perpendicular character, as to make the river invisible from a short distance. It might truly be said that the di . covery of this canon, infinitely grander on account of its age than any other known to geology, and surpassed by few in size, is the most important result of the expedition. Several photographs of it were made, which were not injured by the exposure to wet and rough usage that the camera had to receive during the return journey, and alone convey an adequate idea of this most wonderful of nature's wonders.
At night the first camp away from the river was made, on the plateau. The two men felt that the next day must be their last of advance. so weakened were they by the terrible tramp- ing over deep moss and the persistent bleeding by black fis. The stock of provisions. too, was running low, and with their diminishing strength was a warning to turn back that could not be neglected. A half dozen grouse, three Canada and three rough, had been added to their supplies, but even with full meals they could not long stand the double drain upon their strength.
In the morning a high hill was seen, for which they started, drawing slightly away from the river. Soon a toar from the direction of the river was noticed, which differed from the ordi- nary roar of the rapids. Altering their course it was found the roar " kept away," indicating an unusually heavy sound. Push- ing forward, thinking it must be the desired falls, they soon came out upon the river bank, with the water at their level. This proved the falls to be below them, and looking down they could be seen "smoking" about a mile distant. A distinct pounding had also been felt for some time previous, which further assured them that the falls were at hand. The roar that had attracted their attention was of the river running at the plateau
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level. At the point they came out upon it, it was nearly cho hus dred yards wide, a heavy boiling rapid. Walking down the great blocks of rock which form the shore, the river appeared to ner- row and at 11.45 A. M., the Grand Falls were first seen.
After making pictures of the Falls a feeling of reaction man- ifested itself in Cary's physical condition, and he remarked, " | do not wish to go farther, I need sleep." Cole, as assistirt. had avoided the wear and anxiety of leadership. His athletic work at Bowdoin, in throwing the shot and hammer and run- ning on the Topsham track, had given him stored energy of arm and leg. This reserve strength prompted bim to press forward and see more of a region new to human eyes. Leav- ing his hatchet with Cary, now rolled up in his blanket, with the hope and expectation that on waking he would use the same in preparing fuel aud cooking supper, Cole pressed for- ward into the strange and unknown country three or four miles, and then, for a final view of the location, climbed the highest tree he could find and from its top surveyed the waste of land and river. He stood thus exalted near the center of the vist peninsula of Labrador. Four hundred and fifty miles to the east lay the wide expanse of Hamilton Inlet. Four hundred and fifty miles to the north lay Cape Chudleigh, towards which he could imagine the Julia A. Decker, vainly as it proved, point- ing her figure head through fog and ice. Only six hundred miles due south the granite chapel of Bowdoin College points heavenward both its uplifted bands. Four hundred and fifty miles to the west rolled the waves of that great inland ocean, Hudson's Bay, into whose depths, Henry Hudson, after his penetrations to northern waters above Spitzbergen, after his pushing along the eastern coast of Greenland, after his magnificent and successful exploration of the American coast from Maine to Virginia, penetrating Delaware Bay and River and sailing up that river crowned by the Palisades and the hights of the Catskills, honored with his name and whose waters bear the largest portion of the commercial wealth of our own country; still fascinated by the vision of a northwest passage that intrepid explorer penetrated into the waters of the un-
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known sea whose waves unseen dash along the coasts of Lab- mador from its westward to its northern thores and Cape Chud- leigh. All these explorations he accomplished in a sailing ves- sel about the size of the Julia A. Decker, the ship "Discoverie" of seventy tons. He had wintered at the southern extremity of Hudson's Bay surrounded by a mutinous crew. In the hardships and suffering of the next season, after he had divided his last bread with his men, in the summer of 16it, while near the western coast of Labrabor, half way back to the Straits, by an ungrateful crew he was thrust into a sail boat with his von John and five sailors sick and blind with scurvy, and was left to perish in the great waste of waters, which, bearing his name, is " his tomb and his monument." Cole, with his mind and imagination filled with these facts, involuntarily took his knife and carved his name and the expedition on the upper part of the tree which formed his outlook. It might be his monument as the Inland Sea was that of Hudson. Then to have the tree marked and observable to other eyes, in case other eyes should see that country, he commenced to cut the branches from near the top of the tall spruce. He regretted much the leaving of the hatchet with Cary as he was obliged to do the work with his knife. It was a slow and laborious job. His imagination, as it roamed over the wide land, and his interest in his present efforts, had consumed time faster than he knew, and the slanting rays of the western sun started him with thoughts of Cary and supper. It was dark when he reached Cary and he was still asleep. The hatchet was idle, and he wished more than ever that his efforts on the branches of the marked Bowdoin Spruce had been rendered less laborious and more expeditious by the aid of this, to be hereafter his constant companion and source of safety along with another and more diminutive friend, a pocket pistol.
The falls proper are three hundred and sixteen feet high, And just above the river narrows from two hundred and nity to fifty yards, the water shooting over a somewhat gradual downward course and then plunging straight down with terrific force the distance mentioned, and with an immense
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volume. The river is much higher at times and the fall tous be even grander, for while the party was there the gray quaked with the shock of the descending stream, and the ri was nearly at its lowest point. At the bottom is a large p made by the change of direction of the river from south at above the falls to ncarly east below. The canon begins at : pool and extends as has been described, with many tien windings, for twenty-five miles through archaic rock. the falls in the wide rapids, the bed was of the same rock, wh seems to underlic the whole plateau. In 1839, the falls were p seen by a white man, John McLean, an officer of the Hed Bay Co., while on an exploring expedition in that "grudi i. terrible wilderness" known as Labrador. His description is .. . general, but he was greatly impressed with the stuprad s- height of the falls, and terms it one of the grandest spectre of the world. Twenty years later, one Kennedy, also of ca ploye of the Hudson Bay Co., persuaded an Iroquois Il. who did not share the superstitious dread of them com. among the Labrador Indians, to guide him to the thendas fall and misty chasm. He left no account of his visit. In it - and in fact, though one other man reached them, and If Holmes, an Englishman, made the attempt and failed. no account of the falls has been given to the world. until Cu- and Cole made their report. Above the falls as far as caplio seen, all was white water, indicating a fall of about ons band. feet per mile. In the course of twenty-five or thirty miles the" is a descent of twelve hundred feet, nearly equal to the all' .. of the "Height of Land," as the interior plateau of Labras is called, which has probably been previously over time The next forenoon was spent in surveying and making wie. measurements could be made in the absence of the instru ...... lost in the upset. At noon, after having spent just trich; four hours at Grand Falls, the party turned back. The very of having succeeded, made distance shorter and fatigue ?? easily borne, so they travelled along at a rattling pace, S. ing at times and little thinking of the disaster that had body them. Camp was made on the river bank, beneath one of AN terraces which lined both sides.
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