25 



of the Eskimo, and the boundary is well observed, the latter 

 keeping far to the north of it, when hunting deer inland, 

 and the Indian rarely crossing it from the southward." 



HUNTING TERRITORIES. 



The Eskimo do not have any strict divisions of hunting 

 territory, such as characterize their near Indian neighbours, 

 the Micmacs and Montagnais. Most of the hunting is done on 

 the sea, which is free to every one. The same condition applies 

 to the vast interior, where the Eskimo hunt for deer in the autumn 

 and spring. 



The idea of restricting the pursuit of game is repugnant to 

 the Eskimo, who hold that food belongs to everyone. This 

 does not preclude them from having intricate laws for the division 

 of game, when hunting in parties. 



Under ordinary conditions, a family may occupy a fishing 

 station in summer year after year undisputed, but it does not 

 give them any special right to it. Anyone else is free to come 

 and enjoy its benefits, and, according to Eskimo ethics, they 

 would move away before they would start a dispute about it. 

 Quite often a deserving but poor young hunter is invited by a more 

 fortunate family to share their camping ground, and is thus 

 enabled to get a start in life. 



A factor of a Hudson's Bay Company post in Eskimo 

 country told me about a Micmac Indian who moved into his 

 district, and attempted to establish the hunting divisions to 

 which he was accustomed. The idea was so repugnant to the 

 Eskimo that they drove him out. 



CLIMATE. 



The climate of Labrador is rigorous, particularly in the 

 northern section, owing to the immense fields of ice brought down 

 from the north by the cold Labrador current. Not only do the 

 inhabitants have their own bay and river ice to contend with, 

 but the ice coming out of Ungava bay and Hudson strait; and 

 particularly the Arctic pack sweeping down yearly from the north- 

 ern archipelago through Fox channel. The latter appears. 



