tution of learning can issue a diploma authorizing
its holder to entrance; no act of Congress or
parliament secures recognition ; the wealth of a
Vanderbilt cannot purchase the position ; its doors
swing open only upon presentation of the bit of
paper, torn, worn, begrimed it may be, which
certifies to an honorable discharge from the armies
or navies of the nation during the war against the
rebellion."
These sentiments are as true as they are beauti
ful. With the termination of peace through vic
tory its lines were closed forever. Its ranks are
steadily and swiftly growing thinner. One by
one the files are summoned into the shadowy re
gions to return no more, until finally only a soli
tary sentinel shall stand guard waiting till the
bugle call from beyond shall summon him forever
from the Grand Army of the Republic.
As each succeeding year we go forth to deck
with garlands the graves of those comrades who
have gone before, let us not forget those who still
remain with us.
Let us remember that decoration day for them
must soon be celebrated in a fairer clime, and let
us make what time is left to them on the parade
ground of life as pleasant and profitable as we can.
Let us profit by their example and should our
country's need at any time demand our aid we
can go forth with a feeling that our services will
be appreciated and rewarded by generations to
come as we have rewarded those who aided in
crushing the greatest evil that ever threatened
this the grandest nation on the face of the Globe.
M. S. MCDOWELL.
BOWDOIN BOYS IN LABRADOR.
Some time last June, as FREE LANOE readers
are aware, Bowdoin College chartered a vessel
and sent but an exploring party, made up of
undergraduates for the most part, to the North
Atlantic. This expedition,.which had for its
object scientific research, was in charge of Prof.
L. A. Lee, of the department of Natural Sciences
THE FREE LANCE.
in the college. Having made a successful trip
to Iceland and spent a portion of the summer
on that coast, we next hear of the party at Lab
rador. Ad vices from Port Hawkesbury, C. 8.,
September 11, which appeared in the Now York
dailies about that time, give startling evidence
of the vigor and push with which the whole en
terprise has been conduetel
The account referred to informs us that two
members of the party, Mr. Cole, a student, and
Mr. Cary, an alumnus, and kinsman of the pros.
ent writer, succeeded in ascending the Ashwa
nipi or Green River, and exploring the hitherto
mysterious Grand Falls, a distance of three hund
red miles from the coast.
It appears that they started four in number,
in boats, on the 26th of July. Little difficulty
was experienced in navigating the river until
two weeks later when they hail reached a point
five miles beyond that which Mr. Holm, at•
tained in 1888.
.Here Mr. Young, one of the explorers, had
the misfortune to injure his arm, and it was nee
essary that one of the four should return whit
him to the vessel. Cary and'Cole were left to
carry out the undertaking alone. Having as
cended fifty miles farther, the swift current com
pelled them to leave their boat and proceed on
foot. They found Cle woods extremely dense,
the undergrowth tang!ed and almost impassa
ble, and, what was worse than all, ',he mosqui
toes and black flies, having tasted no human
gore for generations, were multitudinous, largo
and hungry. Anyone that has ever followed a
trout-brook through the northern woods in mid
summer can realize their situation in some
measure at least.
On the 13th of August they reached a point
where they could hear in the distance the rear
of the lalls. Their stock of provisions was now
very low, food having been cached on the way
up ; but still they pushed on until they sue.
ceeded in gaining the Labrador plateau, some.
times called the "Height of Land." This pla•