Etext prepared by Martin Schub <schub@isd.net> A WOMAN'S WAY THROUGH UNKNOWN LABRADOR An Account of the Exploration of the Nascaupee and George Rivers By Mrs. Leonidas Hubbard, Junior Published October 1908 TO ELLEN VAN DER VOORT HUBBARD HIS MOTHER, WHOM HE LOVED AND LEONIDAS HUBBARD HIS FATHER, WHO WAS ONE OF HIS HEROES PREFACE This book is the result of a determination on my part to complete Mr. Hubbard's unfinished work, and having done this to set before the public a plain statement, not only of my own journey, but of his as well. For this reason I have included the greater part of Mr. Hubbard's diary, which he kept during the trip, and which it will be seen is published exactly as he wrote it, and also George Elson's account of the last few days together, and his own subsequent efforts. I hope that this may go some way towards correcting misleading accounts of Mr. Hubbard's expedition, which have appeared elsewhere. It is due also to the memory of my husband that I should here put on record the fact that my journey with its results--geographical and otherwise--is the only one over this region recognised by the geographical authorities of America and Europe. The map which is found accompanying this account of the two journeys sets forth the work I was able to accomplish. It does not claim to be other than purely pioneer work. I took no observations for longitude, but obtained a few for latitude, which served as guiding points in making my map. The controlling points of my journey [Northwest River post, Lake Michikamau and its outlet, and the mouth of the George River] were already astronomically fixed. The route map of the first Hubbard Expedition is from one drawn for me by George Elson, with the few observations for latitude recorded by Mr. Hubbard in his diary as guiding points. My husband's maps, together with other field notes and records, I have not had access to, as these have never been handed over to me. Grateful acknowledgment is here made of my indebtedness to Mr. Herbert L. Bridgman and Mr. Harold T. Ellis for their help and counsel in my work. Here, too, I would express my sincere appreciation of the contribution to the book from Mr. Cabot, who, descendent of the ancient explorers, is peculiarly well fitted to speak of Labrador. The great peninsula has been, as he terms it, his "playground," and by canoe in summer or on snowshoes in winter he has travelled thousands of miles in the interior, thus placing himself in closest touch with it. To Dr. Cluny Macpherson for his generous service I am deeply grateful. To George Elson for his loyal devotion to Mr. Hubbard and myself my debt of gratitude must ever remain unpaid. To Dr. James E. C. Sawyer, my beloved pastor, I am indebted for the title of my book. MINA BENSON HUBBARD CONTENTS