Donald Manson Finlayson • 26 december 1888

• De Canadees Donald Manson Finlayson (1853-1889) hield in 1888 een dagboek bij van een jacht-/vistocht (?) die hij maakte met zijn broer. Ze kwamen om het leven op 2 januari 1889 of kort daarna.

Wednesday, December 26, 1888: N. W. Caught 3 trout, will try tomorrow to get nearer home. Cold day. Boil burst on my hand. Got moccasins and mitts mended.

Thursday, December 27, 1888: Drank 1 Bottle Balsam of life. Tired out. S. W. made to old camp but had to travel late. No one knows what starvation is unless they have experienced it.

Friday, December 28, 1888: S.W. and terrible cold. Drank another B of L. Late when we arrived at old camp will cache our goods here and strike for shanty. We have 2 small cuts fish, 9 fish tails (fish bait) and 75 miles to travel. No feed for our dogs they are splendid to haul. The snow is soft so when we get on ice I have to use a pole pushing.

Saturday, December 29, 1888: Arrived at old camp S.W. Fine day. About 3 oz. fish each and drink of tea, poor dogs not a bite. Drank 1/2 B of L. at noon (J&I) and 1/2 at night. It seems to strengthen a person.

Sunday, December 30, 1888: Could not make old camp, John played out and I was a good seconder. Had 1/2 back bone for supper and small whitefish tail for 2. For breakfast and dinner about 4 oz. fish between two. Had a strong S. wind to walk against.

Monday, December 31, 1888: S. W. Came about 12 miles, both well played out. Dinner 2 fish tails in copper kettle. Breakfast small bit fish stewed in fry pan drank water and all the bones. Last of fish. Fine day and lots of fire wood. Now tea for supper.

Tuesday, January 1, 1889: Breakfast 2 small fish tails and 2 quarts soup of them. Dinner on fish tail and cup tea. Super snow shoe strings stewed, what we had for mending shoes with. S. W. Beautiful day, I was played out at night, drank bottle of B. of L. myself and helped J. to finish one. Within 15 miles of shanty will try to get home tomorrow.

Wednesday, January 2, 1889: S. W. up early . I have bedding packed on sleigh while John is boiling 2 tails in 2 quart Copper kettle that will leave us one tail and they were pretty well chewed as we used them for bait for a week. So that will give you an idea what we had to live on through several storms, it was that that delayed us.

(Here they stop and were found one spell from this place only 7 miles from their shanty.)