No. 5.] HIND — NORTH-EASTERN LABRADOR. 275 



four. The mean direction of the winds at Nain are therefore 

 nearly at right angles to those of St. John's. 



It is a legitimate conclusion from observed results that the 

 mean direction of the wind during the winter months at any 

 station will have an effect upon the distribution of snow drifts 

 there. Hence where these drifts are permanent throughout the 

 year, the mean direction of the wind determines also the aspect 

 of the accumulations, and as a consequeuce the aspect of the 

 denudation. Where the mean direction is from north to south, 

 the southern slopes of hills will be precipitous, the northern 

 sloping ; where the mean direction is from east to west, the 

 west exposures will be steep and abrupt, the eastern inclined. 

 Hence the wind, acting through the instrumentality of snow, 

 will ultimately exercise considerable influence in moulding and 

 sculpturing the surface. 



The spruce trees on the Labrador coast, which in some 

 exposed localities have succeeded in obtaining a footing in 

 a belt or series of narrow belts extending from north-west to 

 south-east, furnish a remarkable illustration of the power and 

 direction of the wind. They are rarely more than six feet long- 

 in the trunk before they begin to bend at right angles, and their 

 branches and the upper half of the gnarled trunk grow horizon- 

 tally, forming a very pretty level expanse of intricately interwoven 

 branches, which are so compact as to leave the space beneath 

 ^covered as it were with an impenetrable roof of green. One can 

 ■creep underneath this miniature branch-w.oven forest, but to pass 

 through it without cutting a road with an axe, or selecting a 

 deviating course under the dwarfed trees from one open spot to 

 .another, is impracticable. One can get over it, and in some 

 cases walk for a few yards on the top of it, but all attempts to 

 get directly through it are unavailing. Peering and creeping 

 nnderneath these tiny dwarfed forest roofs, one sees the leafless 

 branches which underlie the surface sheet of green, all directed 

 horizontally towards the south-east. The total height of most 

 of the narrow "belt of woods" on the exposed coast did not 

 exceed seven feet, but as soon as a sheltered cove or valley was 

 reached, secure from the prevailing north-westerly winds, and 

 with a soil, there the trees grew tall and straight, but such in- 

 stances on and near the coast are rare, the surface is generally 

 so denuded of soil by winds and drifts, that peat only and a few 

 bushes, with berry bearing plants preserve a lodgment under the 



