lO 



THE MUSEUM. 



popular tradition that a sailor by that 

 name (Labrador) did discover the re- 

 gion and thus, eventually, named it. 

 It was probably really discovered by 

 Basque fishermen. Look in your en- 

 cyclopedias and see who the Basque 

 were. 



Labrador is no part of Canada, as 

 many suppose. Most of the people 

 who say they have been to Labrador 

 have never been there at all. In com- 

 mon parlance, Labrador is all the re- 

 gion East of the Sanguenay River, 

 along the North shore of the St. Law- 

 rence River. Really it does not begin 

 until we are nearl}' half way through 

 the Straights of Balle Isle, and at a 

 place called Blanc Sablon: This little 

 fishing village is the dividing line be- 

 tween Canada and Labrador, the real 

 Labrador I mean; and the real Labra- 

 dor, a region of rocks, scant vegetation, 

 sea washed shores, and few natural at- 

 tractions. Such has been supposed to 

 be the case, until within recent years. 



Lately, within twenty years, a good 

 many people have visited this localit}'. 

 It has rock-bound coasts in realit}-: 

 Yet it also has green fields and sunny 

 hillsides; fine rivers, lakes, waterfalls, 

 and mountain scenery. It is a game- 

 ab(Hmding countr}'; and the deer herd 

 in the interior in large bands. The 

 black bear is not infrequent. Many 

 smaller wild and game animals abound. 

 Fur-bearing animals are plcnt\' in win- 

 ter, seals are in its waters, ducks and 

 geese and an infinite quantit}' of shore 

 and game birds are common, and trout, 

 salmon and codfish can be obtained 

 fresh from the water or the nets almost 

 literally at a moment's warning. These 

 are a few of the attractions of Labra- 

 dor. 



Then we have] -icebergs: .'_, Immense 

 fellows, some of them larger than any 

 block of houses or stores in New York. 

 You can feel their icy breath when a 

 mile away from them. They sail ma- 

 jestically along and ground. Then the 

 weather begins to be warm and they 

 go to pieces with a noise like thunder, 

 and scatter into a thousand fragments. 



In winter Labrador is cold. It 

 snows, it freezes, and the thermome- 

 ter goes down from lo to 40 degrees 

 below zero nearly every night during 

 the cold weather. 



People travel b}' boats in summer, 

 and dog sleds in winter. The dogs 

 are harnessed, the rider sits on the 

 sled and controlls them with a whip 

 and without any reins. This whip has 

 a handle about a foot loug and a lash 

 about sixty to one hundred feet. It 

 takes a great deal of experience to 

 crack this whip; it will more often fly 

 back into your face if you do not know 

 how to handle it. A driver of exper- 

 ience has been . known to cut a gash 

 in a man's boot sixty feet awa}' and not 

 hurt any part of the man. 



Why do visitors go to Labrador.^ 

 Besides all the attractions I have men- 

 tioned, the air, when it is not foggy, is 

 about as perfect as is to be found any- 

 where on the globe. Clear, crispy, and 

 invigorating, it surprises }-ou into iox- 

 getfulness of aught but the passing mo- 

 ment. You forget the humdrum and 

 cares of life. You arc inspired with 

 new thoughts, new emotions, and re- 

 turn to your home with new \igor to 

 ])ursue your daily tasks once more. 



b'orget the fogs, the black flies and 

 the mosquitoes, these are the bad points 

 of the ]:)lace, and you alwa\s remem- 

 ber Labrador with intense interest. 



