326 Life of Auduhon. 



a fair wind to take us eastward in our explorations. The 

 waters of all the streams we have seen are of a rusty col- 

 or, probably derived from the decomposing mosses which 

 form the soil on the rocks. The rivers seem to be the 

 drain from swamps fed by rain and melting snow; the 

 soil in the low grounds is of quite a peaty nature. The 

 freshets take down sand and gravel from the decom- 

 posed rocks, and form bars at the mouths of all the 

 rivers. Below the mouth of each stream is the best fish- 

 ing ground for cod fish. They accumulate there to feed 

 on the fry which run into the rivers to deposit their spawn, 

 and which they follow again to sea, when they return to 

 strike out into deep water. 



" It is quite remarkable how shy the agents of the 

 Fur Company here are of strangers. They refused to 

 sell me a salmon : and one of them told me he would be 

 discharged if it were known he had done so. They 

 evade all questions respecting the interior of the country, 

 and indeed tell the most absurd things, to shock you, and 

 cut short inquiries This is probably to prevent stran- 

 gers from settling here, or interfering with their monop- 

 oly. " 



Much of the journal of these dates in Labrador is 

 taken up with an account of the birds, and nests, and 

 eggs found here, and matters relating to ornithology. 

 But as these notes were used by Mr. Audubon in compi- 

 ling his " Biographies of the Birds," we have omitted 

 them here, and used only that part of the records which 

 have a more general interest 



" June 27. The morning dawned above rain and fogs, 

 which so enveloped us below that we could scarcely dis- 

 cern the shore, distant only a hundred yards. Drawing 

 all day. 



" June 28. The weather shocking, rainy, foggy, dark, 

 and cold. Began drawing a new finch I discovered, and 



