318 LABRADOR 



The rapid loading, and the accepting of all the fish 

 "Tal qual," i.e. just as it comes along, greatly encourages 

 bad fish-making, and as the loading often goes on by flares 

 after night, sometimes unsound fish will be slipped in, and 

 a whole cargo injured or even spoiled. Moreover, the fish 

 does not receive so severe a culling on the Labrador as it 

 does in Newfoundland, and, indeed, is generally taken with- 

 out culling. The merchants run very considerable risk in 

 exporting fish. The hiring of their vessels, small as most of 

 them are, is an expensive business, and the small margin 

 left for profits when there has been a keen competition in 

 prices to " finish a vessel," has left many an enterprising 

 man sorry he ever " touched it." The vessels used are 

 mostly square-rigged schooners, and old-fashioned small 

 brigs and brigantines. Indeed, the industry is serving the 

 useful purpose of helping to perpetuate this very interesting 

 class of vessels, which everywhere else is becoming extinct. 

 These vessels represent a distinct bond with the mother 

 country, for they are mostly Welsh, with some from Devon- 

 shire. They are handled by the type of sailor of long ago, 

 men whom one would expect to step off Amyas Lee's vessel 

 on its return from the Indies. These men are possessed of 

 the material which made their prototypes so desirable an 

 asset to their country. They are sailors to the soles of their 

 boots, and amongst them are many of the most simple, 

 God-fearing, contented men I have ever seen. The masters 

 are generally part owners, and often mess with their crews 

 as with a party of friends. Many a helpful hand do they 

 lend our fishermen, for the vessels are bound to be out here 

 by a certain date. Being slow and uncertain, the vessels 

 often arrive two months early, and even have to wait three 



