354 Life of Audubon. 



culties ; but as our boats turned a long point jutting out 

 into the bay we were pleased to see several small schoon- 

 ers at anchor and one lying near a sort of wharf. Sever- 

 al neat-looking houses enlivened the view, and on landing 

 we were kindly greeted with a polite welcome from a man 

 who proved to be the owner of the establishment. For 

 the rude simplicity of him of the rum-cask we found here 

 the manners and dress of a man of the world. A hand- 

 some fur cap covered his dark brow, his clothes were sim- 

 ilar to our own, and his demeanor was that of a gentle- 

 man. On my giving him my name he shook me heartily 

 by the hand, and on introducing each of my companions 

 to him he addressed me as follows : ' My dear sir, I have 

 been expecting you these three weeks, having read in tht 

 papers your intention to visit Labrador, and some fisher- 

 men told me of your arrival at Little Natashquan. Gen- 

 tlemen, walk in.' Having followed him to his neat and 

 comfortable mansion, he introduced me to his wife and 

 children. Of the latter there were six, all robust and 

 rosy. The lady, although a native of the country, was of 

 French extraction, handsome, and sufficiently accomplish- 

 ed to make an excellent companion to a gentleman. A 

 smart girl brought us a luncheon,, consisting of bread, 

 cheese, and good port wine, to which, having rowed four- 

 teen or fifteen miles that morning, we helped ourselves in 

 a manner that seemed satisfactory to all parties. Our 

 host gave us newspapers from different parts of the 

 world, and showed us his small but choice collection of 

 books. He inquired after the health of the amiable 

 Captain Bayfield of the Royal Navy, and the officers un- 

 der him, and hoped they would give him a call. Having 

 refreshed ourselves, we walked out with him, when he 

 pointed to a very small garden where a few vegetables 

 sprouted out anxious to see the sun. Gazing on the des- 

 olate country around, I asked him how he had thus se- 



