EXPLORER’S PLIGHT

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 August 1920, Page 2

EXPLORER’S PLIGHT

A thrilling story of adventures in the wilds of Northern Quebec is told by Mr If. F. Blake, who has returned to Quebec, bringing with him Dr Corbett, an Ottawa expedition’s medical man, seriously injured by a gunshot. A well-equipped party left at the beginning of March to explore IJngava on behalf of a -syndicate of London bankers interested in the proposed QuebecChibongamo railway, and also to investigate the mineral deposits of Central Ungava. Travelling by dog train they reached Lake Chibougamo, and encamped j, to await the ice breaking to permit them to continue by canoe. On April 20th Dr Corbett accidentally shot himself in the body 7 when taking a gun from a canoe. Mr Blake’s surgical experience in the war enabled him to dress the wound, but he was faced with the problem of conveying his patient through 169 miles of dense trackless forest. With the assistance of Mr Cuthbertson and six men Mr Blake drew the wounded man on a toboggan over the treacherous ice lakes until they reached the River Ashuapmouchouan, where the ice was gone, and embarked in two canoes. The second canoe was upset, with five men, all the provisions being lost. Air Blake, in the other canoe with the wounded man, rescued the men. Their canoe was, however, sw r ept over the falls. The journey was resumed, with the patient in a stretcher, afoot through a pathless forest and with nothing to eat. After four days’ starvation Air Blake with turn men pushed ahead to an outpost and secured assistance to 'convey Dr Corbett to Roberval, where, after two days’ medical attention, tile doctor was able to be sent home to Ottawa. He is probably crippled for life.