gather on its banks in late August or early September to attack
with spears the herds of caribou that migrate at that time, passing
eastward to the sea coast. It is reported that while the caribou
are swimming the river the Indians each year kill great numbers of
them, drying the flesh for winter provisions and using the skins to
make clothing and wigwam-covering. Hubbard wished not only to get
a good story of the yearly slaughter, but to spend some little time
studying the habits of the Indians, who are the most primitive on
the North American continent.

Strange as it may seem to some, the temperature in the interior of
Labrador in midsummer sometimes rises as high as 90 degrees or
more, although at sunset it almost invariably drops to near the
freezing point and frost is liable at any time. But the summer, of
course, is very short. It may be said to begin early in July, by
which time the snow and ice are all gone, and to end late in
August. There is just a hint of spring and autumn. Winter glides
into summer, and summer into winter, almost imperceptibly, and the
winter is the bitter winter of the Arctic.

If the season were not too far advanced when he finished studying
the Indians, Hubbard expected to cross the country to the St.
Lawrence and civilisation; otherwise to retrace his steps over his
upward trail. In the event of our failure to discover the Indian
encampment, and our finding ourselves on the George short of
provisions, Hubbard planned to run down the swift-flowing river in
our canoe to the George River Post at its mouth, and there procure
passage on some fishing vessel for Newfoundland; or, if that were
impossible, to outfit for winter, and when the ice formed and the
snow came, return overland with dogs.