60 THE LABKADOR PENINSULA. chap. xxiv. 



miles below Eed Isle (Bic), in consequence of the union 

 of the eddy flood with the main current of the river. 

 The main current of the St. Lawrence is not felt on the 

 north shore below Point des Monts, nor, says Admiral 

 Bayfield, 'anywhere to the northward of a line -joining 

 Point des Monts and Anticosti : it is confined to the neigh- 

 bourhood of the south coast, which it follows in its curve 

 to tlie southward, running strongly past Cape Gaspe,' &c. 



It is of the highest importance to know, however, that 

 'when south winds prevail it appears that this current, 

 or a branch of it, is driven over from the vicinity of the 

 Magdalen Piiver (Gaspe Peninsula) towards Anticosti ; 

 part of the stream running round the west point of that 

 island, sets across towards Large Island (one of the 

 Mingans), whence turning graduaUy down outside the 

 Mingan and Esquimaux Islands, and along the north coast, 

 it sweeps round the curve to the westward of Natashquan 

 point, and is turned off to the southward.' 



Ice is the greatest drawback to the navigation of the 

 gulf in winter and the early spring months. To ships 

 armed against it the dangers are by no means great, for 

 the ice-fields are not often of great thickness in the 

 eastern entrance and eastern parts of the Gulf ; but acci- 

 dents have happened when vessels not so armed have 

 been beset by ice for many days together. It is a curious 

 fact that the Arctic current coming down Davis Straits 

 should find its way mto the GuLf through the narrow 

 Straits of Belle Isle, only nine miles and a quarter wide. 

 The water in it during summer time is often at the 

 freezmg point, and sometimes loaded with icebergs. 

 Admiral Bayfield states that, in the month of August, in 



