NORTHWARD BOUND 7 



barter, or as presents to the natives in securing their 

 assistance when required. 



The Erik, formerly in the Hudson's Bay Com- 

 pany's service, is now regularly employed during the 

 spring months as a sealer, technically called an "ice 

 hunter," as the seal hunting is done on the great ice 

 floes lying off the Labrador coast. Designed for this 

 purpose, and not as a passenger carrying vessel, her 

 accommodations are naturally limited to her needs. 

 It will be understood, therefore, that our passenger 

 quarters were in no wise to be compared with those. on 

 a transatlantic liner, and it will be understood, also, 

 that there was a choice of staterooms. In true sports- 

 man's style, we proceeded to match coins for this 

 choice, and it fell to my lot to lose all around. 



It was past midnight when sailing orders were 

 finally received, and half past twelve on the morning 

 of July eighteenth when the Erik weighed anchor and 

 steamed out of Sydney Harbor. The night was 

 clear, the deep blue sky studded with bright stars, and 

 the sea smooth and beautiful. It was so entrancing 

 that I remained on the bridge with Captain Bartlett 

 until two o'clock. 



When I came on deck the following morning the 

 sun shone from a cloudless sky, the air clear and 

 bracing, and the vessel forging ahead at full speed. 

 Above and around us soared innumerable gulls, their 

 white wings glistening in the sunlight. Early in the 

 afternoon St. Paul's Island was passed on our port, 

 with the hulls of two large steamers, wrecked a fort- 

 night before, plainly visible; and presently the dark, 



