tside world, with Great Britain, the United States, and Japan on one
side, and Russia, France, and Germany on the other.

"I's sure 'tis true, sir," he insisted, upon observing that Mackenzie
and I appeared incredulous. "I's just come frum Rigolet, an' Scott,
th' trader, had th' word by th' telegraph to Chateau. So 'tis sure
true, sir, an' 'tis bad word for us poor folk on Th' Labrador, with th'
prices to go up, as they tells me they sure will, on flour an' pork."

We found out later that such a report had really spread up the coast
from dog driver to dog driver until it had reached Rigolet, and it was
not until I got to Battle Harbour that I learned that its basis was the
beginning of the conflict between Russia and Japan.

At Rigolet we were again hospitably received by Fraser, the factor.
The news of Hubbard's death had preceded us; in fact it had been
carried up and down the coast all the way from Cape Charles to Cape
Chidley. Awaiting me was a letter from Dr. Cluny Macpherson, of the
Deep Sea Mission at Battle Harbour, who, I was informed, had recently
been to Rigolet and had hoped to see me. The letter proved to contain
much valuable information as to stopping places and the probabilities
of getting dogs between Rigolet and Battle Harbour, as well as the good
news that a steamer was expected at Battle Harbour early in May.

I also learned from Fraser that Mr. Whitney, editor of Outing magazine,
of which Hubbard had been the associate editor, had sent a message to
the telegraph operator at Chateau Bay requesting him to lend me every
assistance possible and "to spare no expense." Well-meant though the
message was, it had the effect of increasing my difficulties. Duly
exaggerated and embellished, it had spread up the coast until every dog
owner gained the impression that a little gold mine was about to pass
through his country. I found this out when I tried to get dog teams to
carry me to Cartwright Post, the next stage on my journey. A haughty
person named Jerry Flowers, it appeared, had a monopoly just then of
the dog-team business in the vicinity of Rigolet, and when we arrived
at the post he proceeded to deal with me in the high-handed manner
common to trust magnates. The regular rate paid by traders for
transportation over the eighty odd miles between Rigolet and Cartwright
was from ten to twelve dollars a team, but for the two teams I needed
Jerry expected me to pay him sixty dollars.

While I was st