A LABRADOR SPRING 



year. Starvation was in those days unknown 

 both to Montagnais and Nasquapees, but, these 

 eighteen years past, some annually fall victims. 

 At the time when the porcupine were so very 

 numerous in the forest all over the country, and 

 even in the woods lining the seashore, an Indian 

 would then consider 50 pounds of flour a 

 superfluous weight to carry with him to the 

 woods where he intended to pass the winter, 

 from his certainty of finding as many porcu- 

 pines as he chose to kill, and other animals fit 

 for food in proportion; but at present they 

 have to carry in as much flour as they can, and 

 those who penetrate far inland must carefully 

 economize their provisions until such time as 

 they reach the large lakes where fish are to be 

 found. Another and very serious circumstance 

 the Indian has to contend against, is the yearly 

 decline of the furred animals to what they 

 formerly have been. With all his labours, 

 trapping and hunting, he seldom can pay his 

 debt at the Company's posts, and most often 

 only meets part of his expenses, which are 

 yearly on the increase." 



This decline in game is chiefly to be attributed 

 to the extensive fires already mentioned, which 

 168 



