OUR SECOND SEASON 1 09 



ill-fed, and his boy, who was with him, was suffer- 

 ing from a pustular disease of the skin, for which 

 we prescribed. Though it was warm where we 

 were anchored the inlet was still partially choked 

 by two large icebergs, and our friend told us that 

 want of a net, and indeed any proper fishing gear, 

 as yet prevented their getting any fish. The mos- 

 quitos were here very numerous and very busy. It 

 was impossible almost to go ashore even for fresh 

 water from the river at the head of the inlet, and 

 indeed when the dingey came back, a cloud of these 

 bloodthirsty pests followed her to the launch, and 

 invited themselves to spend the night in our already 

 sufficiently crowded cabin. Professor Hind narrates 

 an Indian tradition that mosquitos were created for 

 the benefit of a saint, who, for disobedience, had been 

 banished from heaven to a desert part of the earth. 

 In her solitude she prayed for even flies as com- 

 panions, whereupon mosquitos and black flies were 

 created. This gave her plenty of employment till it 

 was time for her to return, but the flies remained 

 in order to teach men the folly of trying to divert 

 their attention from the consequences of their sins 

 by seeking amusement. Captain Whitbourne says 

 they are of great use to make the idle work. 



We were early astir next morning, and took a 

 course for the St. Barbe Islands. But a breeze rising 

 towards the land, we made a detour in order to cross 

 White Bay, which is eighteen miles at its narrowest 

 point, and so lay across till we were seven or eight 



