The old lady whose photograph is shown with this is the grandmother, and was reported as the oldest woman around Hudson Bay, but she actually did not know how old she was, and I think one glance at the photograph will convince you that both statements are apt to be true.
INDIAN WOMAN, FORT GEORGE
Reverend J. W. Walton, the missionary from that quarter who visited me last winter, smiled all over his face when I showed him her picture. “Why,” said he, “she was the dearest old lady you ever met, always wanting to help others carry their load; but she died about eighteen months ago.”
Now it is a fact that thirty-six of my returned goose tags have come from Hudson Bay. Yet it would be well for us to remember that over eighty per cent. of these birds were tagged in the spring, and they went direct from this tame spot to James Bay, thus giving the Indians and Esquimaux the tamest opportunity. We are quite certain that two or three were killed by them within three days after they left here. One goose, tagged and liberated here on April 24th, was killed at the Belcher Islands on the 28th; another, liberated on April the 22nd, was killed at James Bay on the 25th.
On two different occasions when the geese were leaving here at five p.m., I telegraphed the C.P.R. agent at Stralak, Ontario. Stralak is about sixty miles north-west of Sudbury, Ontario, or about four hundred and fifty miles north of my home. On both occasions I got returns before nine o’clock the next morning. My first reply was “Geese are crossing at Metagama.” The next year, under similar conditions, the reply read, “Geese are passing at Spanish Forks and at Pogmasing.” These three stations are on the main line of the C.P.R., about seventy to ninety miles north-west of Sudbury. At these three particular points the railroad is running nearly straight north, and I doubt very much if the geese would be over four miles out of their east and west lines on their northern trip the two different years.
During the same period of time I have a lot reported from their winter home along what I called the south-east Atlantic Coast.
The following are the names and addresses of the gentlemen in the South who have reported the wild geese.
1. Lewis L. Lewark, Nag Head, Dare County, N.C. 2. Irvin Smith, Littleton, R. No. 4, N.C. 3. C. S. Boomer, Swan Quarter, N.C. 4. L. T. Johnson, Mamis, N.C. 5. Dr. J. G. Baum, Pines Island Club, Currick Sound, N.C. 6. E. W. Brumley, Woodligh, Currick County, N.C. 7. C. E. Toppins, Jr., Box 76, R. I., Swan Quarters, N.C. 8. J. C. Bristo, Richmond, Virginia. 9. Linden Archibald, Kennedy, Maryland. 10. Oliver T. Crammer, West Creek, Ocean County, N.J.
I have received odd letters that have become mislaid, but besides what are quoted above, have had letters from the following addresses: