ACROSS THE ST. LAWRENCE 235 



We proceeded along shore in pretty clear water, 

 now and then meeting a stray piece of ice, and 

 made five miles, when we met a solid barrier of 

 slush ice mixed snow and water extending as 

 far out as we could see in the dim light. We 

 lay near this ice for some time, waiting for day- 

 light, in case we might see some opening in the 

 ice which we could pass through. 



When it became clear enough, we saw that it 

 was impossible to reach Godbout. The tide was 

 also falling and this slush ice was getting thicker 

 all the time, so that the easiest and best thing to 

 do was to return to Pointe des Monts, as it was 

 clear in that direction. 



The currents are very strong here, nearly al- 

 ways down the river, and they vary in strength, 

 according to the winds, running from one and a 

 half to two and a half knots per hour. They are 

 deflected by the land to the westward, and diverted 

 into a S. E. direction, thus forming east of Pointe 

 des Monts, an immense eddy. Thus on the east 

 of the point there is a strong flood with a corres- 

 ponding strong ebb west of it. East of the Point 

 the ice and slush was jammed right up to the 

 shore and moving west. 



In the open space of water outside the Point 

 was a canoe manned by two brothers, Francis and 

 Alfred Labrie ,who were hunting seals. They 

 had shot at a seal and wounded it and were busy 

 chasing it when we neared Pointe des Monts on 



