156 THE LABRADOR PENINSULA. chap, xxx, 



affray, by the sound, or even sight, of the dreaded Es- 

 quimaux whip used by the Labradorians. 



Up to the present time, with two or three excep- 

 tions, says the Abbe Ferland, no settler has succeeded 

 in raising any domesticated animal on account of the 

 dogs ; cats, cows, pigs, and sheep have all been destroyed 

 by them. Even if a dog has been brought up in the 

 house, his doom is sealed ; at the first opportunity, 

 when the master is away, the others pounce upon him 

 and worry him to deatli. A settler had procured a fine 

 dog of the Newfoundland breed, full of intelligence, and 

 capable, by his extraordinary swimming powers, of ren- 

 dering great service to the fishermen in the sea. The 

 Newfoundland enjoyed the privilege of entering into 

 his master's house and receiving the caresses of the 

 different members of his family. This evident prefer- 

 ence excited deep jealousy in the breasts of the Labrador 

 dogs. They patiently waited for an occasion to avenge 

 themselves. When their master was present, all was 

 fair, open, and peaceable ; but one day a favourable 

 opportunity occurred, and they fell on the poor New- 

 foundland, killed him, and dragged his body to the sea. 

 On their return to the house, the embarrassed mien of 

 the conscious dogs led the settler to suspect that some- 

 thing was w^rong. He soon missed the pet Newfoundland, 

 and after a few hours discovered the mangled body of 

 his favourite lying on tlie beach, where it had been left 

 by the retiring waves. Only one pig and one goat had 

 escaped the general massacre when Abbe Ferland was on 

 the coast in 1858. A Boston merchant, in search of 

 health, which was far more precious to him than cod-fish 



