WORK AT SUMMER QUARTERS. 221 



CHAPTER XIV. 



Preparing the summer house to live in — Moving out — A spring rescue — 

 Seals on ice — Larks — A home scene — Spring duck shooting — Re- 

 pairing the boats — Visit to the Indians — Indian canoes — Netting nets 

 — Labrador mail — Natural scenery of Labrador — Repairing canoes — 

 Visit to Eskimo graves — Ornithological notes. 



During the early part of April the weather still continued cold and 

 disagreeable, while it snowed more or less the whole time. About 

 the middle of the month we could spend the greater part of the 

 day at the island in refurnishing our cabin, and soon had the roof 

 finished, the inside ceiled, and the partitions put in their proper 

 place, while new flooring was laid down up stairs. While this was 

 in progress, the boys cleared up around the house outside as much 

 as possible considering the amount of work in progi-ess, and a 

 couple of good, stout men wielded a large saw which converted 

 several huge logs, from a large pile of similar pieces a little to one 

 side of the house, into boards for the use of the carpenters inside. 

 All hands worked hard, and one could see the improvement from 

 day to day, as affairs progressed and drew to completion. Towards 

 the end of the month the sun got high enough to allow us to move 

 out again, and the almost new house furnished very comfortable 

 quarters. There is one peculiarity of the Labrador climate that I 

 must mention. There is, strictly speaking, no spring in Labrador, 

 and though the ice does not begin to disappear much before the 

 end of May — while large masses often remain until July, and ice- 

 bergs float through the straits even in August — it goes very sud- 

 denly when once it really begins. In spite of all these drawbacks 

 there is a certain mildness in the atmosphere that takes the place, 



