A, D, 1766, 4^9 



in all refpedls more advantageous, on the coafts of Labrador than on 

 thofe of Newfoundland ; and the fifhery of feals and fea-cows can be but 

 a fecondary objed, confined to particular fpots of the coaft, and carried 

 on at a time when it does not interfere with the more important fifhery 

 for cod. The climate being fo fevere, and the country, where not co- 

 vered with wood, being either bare rock or deep mofs, no kind of agri- 

 culture can ever be carried on in it, further than the culture of fome 

 garden fi:uffs during the few weeks of fummer : therefor it can never 

 be ufeful in any other way than as a flation for an excellent fifliery ; cod, 

 whale, feal, and falmon, being all in great abundance, and of the bed 

 quahty. 



A defcription of the iflands of Madelaine and St. John, tranfmitted 

 about this time by Captain Holland, furveyor-general of the northern 

 difi:ri<5t of America, gives a particular account of the fea-cows*, and the 

 amount of the oil made from thofe animals on that ifland in the year 

 1765, viz. 



In the fpring of 1765, there were taken on two echouries f 2,000 fea- 

 cows, wliich made 900 barrels of oil, the value of which was ;^2,i37 ; 

 of which two-thirds belong to the undertakers, who pay all charges, the 

 people employed having infi;ead of wages one clear third of the oil, 

 which they generally fell to the undertakers. 



The ifland of Madelaine appears to be ufeful for no other purpofe but 

 the capture of thefe animals, and the feal and cod fiftiery. The foil is 

 generally fandy, producing little elfe but fmall pines, and fpruce, juni- 

 per berries, ftrawberries, rafpberries, &c. The only animals are foxes, 

 which are generally filver grey. 



According to Captain Holland's defcription of the ifland of St. John 

 in the Gulf of St. Laurence, the lands formerly cleared in it had almoft 

 returned to a fliate of nature. The ground was covered with ftrawber- 

 ries, and, with proper culture, might produce moft kinds of grain and 

 garden fluffs; but the extreme rigour and long duration of the wintei* 

 will ever prevent this country from being valuable as an agricultural 

 fettlement. It has plenty of bcafts, birds, and filh, and is exempted 

 from the perpetual fogs, which involve the neighbouring iflands of Cape 

 Breton and Newfoundland. 



* Tliofe animals being even now but little can fcarccly fee an objcdl at the diftancc of twenty 



known, a brief dclcription of them may be accept- yards ; but their fenfes of fmelliiig and hearing are 



able. When very young, they weigh only about fo very acute, that, if the men, wlio attack them 



50 pounds, but in five or fix years they get to the when ballvuig on the land, did not approach them 



weight of about 2,000 pounds. They are very on the leeward fide, they would inllantly ru.b Into 



ugly, refembling a toad in form and colour with the fea, and probably cany their invaders along 



a head foniewhat like that of a cow ( whence with them. Their Ikliis are an inch in thicknels, 



their name) having in each upjicr jaw a tull; of and are cut into traces ; but the moll valuable part 



ivory about a foot and a half long. Tliey is the fat, of which the oil is maile. 



have four fins armed wiih fmall claws, by means of f So the French called the (loping banks frc- 



which they can clamber up a deep bank. Tliey qucntcdby the fea-cowsforrellingandbalking upon- 



