The Lure of the Labrador Wild
Dillon Wallace
Read by Tom Weiss
The Lure Of The Labrador Wild is a account of a expedition by Leonidas Hubbard, an adventurer and journalist to canoe the system Naskaupi River - Lake Michikamau in Labrador and George River in Quebec. His companions on this journey were his friend, New York lawyer Dillon Wallace and an Indian guide from Missannabie, George Elson. From the start, the expedition was beset with mistakes and problems. Instead of ascending the Naskaupi River, by mistake they followed the shallow Susan Brook. After hard long portaging and almost reaching Lake Michikamau, with food supplies running out, on September 15 at Windbound lake, they decided to turn back. On October 18, Wallace and Elson went in a search of cached store of flour, leaving Hubbard behind in a tent. Hubbard died of exhaustion and starvation on either same or next day. Wallace got lost in the snowstorm, while Elson, after a week of bushwhacking, building raft to cross swollen rivers (with no ax), reached the nearest occupied cabin. A search party found Wallace alive on October 30, 1903.( Summary from Wikipedia ) (8 hr 13 min)
Chapters
Reviews
Into the Labrador Wild
stbalbach
<br />In 1903 two unlikely outdoorsmen from New York City (and their mixed-blood Indian guide) canoed about 150 miles into a barren unexplored region of Labrador. Armed with optimism and romantic notions, they made every mistake in the book; only 2 made it back alive. Similar to <i>Into the Wild</i> these sorts of things occasionally happen and the story might be long forgotten, but Dillon Wallace wrote a book about it, and Bully, what a book. Teddy Roosevelt raved and it became an immediate best-seller. From the start Wallace sets a tone of impending doom and deepening dread. We watch with bemused tragedy as they make one mistake after another while the humble repressed "mixed breed" Elson rises up to become the strongest and smartest of the three. It's a romantic story told with great emotion and care, set in the bleak but unspoiled wilderness of Labrador. The story became legend because of the book. Hubbard's widow, Mina, retraced the expedition in 1905 and wrote her own book. Wallace also retraced the journey in 1905, and wrote another book. The 1988 book <a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/6978238" rel="nofollow"><i>Great Heart</i></a>, a modern retelling of the expedition, is included on National Geographic's list of the <a href="http://www.ronwatters.com/BkNGAList.htm" rel="nofollow">100 best outdoor books</a> of all time. In 2008, a documentary was made called <i>The Last Explorer</i>. Lakes were named by Hubbard and Wallace that still retain those names to this day. In Labrador the book is famous, although granted it only has about 25,000 people. I <a href="http://maps.google.com/?ll=53.742061,-61.014032&spn=0.040153,0.073214&t=h&z=14&vpsrc=6" rel="nofollow">followed along using Google Maps</a>. It wasn't easy, I initially thought it was a different river, ironically the same mistake they made in 1903! Fortunately it didn't cost my life. This is a great introduction to one of the last wild places on Earth, and also a great piece of outdoor literature. The book reads surprisingly contemporary, the writing has held up well. Read via <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/lurelabradorwild_1110_librivox" rel="nofollow"> LibriVox, narrated by Tom Weiss</a>. Tom's narration is excellent. [STB|216|201110]
Astonishing tale
Dennis Murray
What an incredible story of survival. Really good writing matched by simply terrific reading by Tom. Narration kept me riveted and I really felt I was there with them experiencing the wonders of the wild and suffering their depredations as they battled the elements and ultimately starvation. Thank you so much Tom for this compelling read.
SJEvans
Tom Weise' narration of Wallace's excellent adventure tale is well-paced and modulated. The story is moving.
Adventure
Sandrainia3
Very nice adventure story, it had my attention and held it entirely through the story. The more I read and listen to these old books the more astounded and appalled I am at the food these persons ate as daily meal fare! I always feel very privileged to be alive in this date and time.
SKH
What an incredible book of survival and endurance. It had me gripped . The care and respect for each other was evident, as was their trust in God. I enjoyed hearing the Bibical texts read out; it made each one’s thoughts and prayers more meaningful. The book was excellently read. Thank you very much.
Worth Listening to
A LibriVox Listener
While this book is very long and very detailed and slow at times. It is well worth the listen , very fascinating, very touching, ultimately deeply moving. What an amazing project for Tom Weiss and excellent reading makes me want to buy the Book ... a true story of faith.
Excellent
lanternland
True life adventure at the dawn of the twentieth century into the wilds of Canadian Labrador, which is still little explored. I've read this book in the past, and the Libravox version is very competently read by Mr Weiss who I have listened to before.
BeWell Garforth
Interesting account of backcountry adventures in the good old days pre gps and sat phone. Drags rather after the death of Hubbard.