66 FISHERIES OF THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC 



with less trouble and expense. It is very important and even 

 necessary for the good of the State to make at once three or 

 four establishments on the coast of Labrador. The abundant 

 fishery of salmon, codfish, porpoises, seals, walrus, and whales ; 

 the walrus teeth which are finer than ivory and are used in 

 the fine arts; the skins of seals, seal oil, walrus oil and 

 whale oil; an infinity of caribous and other animals are in 

 this vast country of Labrador, and will furnish an infinite 

 number of skins and furs, the handsomest, the finest, and 

 most precious in the world. It is said that the skin of the 

 caribou takes the colour scarlet better than any other kind 

 of skin. All this with mines of copper and iron, that can 

 certainly be found in Labrador, is capable of making the pro- 

 posed establishments both rich and flourishing, and of such 

 great advantage to the State that Labrador should be re- 

 garded as its Peru. 



"In effect, it will furnish France with fish and oils, 

 whalebone, skins of seals and caribous, furs, ivory^ and eider- 

 down, and all in such abundance that a large trade can be 

 established with foreign countries. Add to these, feathers 

 for beds, such as are used in Russia. 



"The abundance of all these things will be increased 

 in proportion as the country becomes peopled and estab- 

 lishments become numerous. But it is necessary to begin 

 with three or four. 



"The first at Phelypeaux Bay, a very advantageous 

 place, a good harbor with abundance of seals and codfish, 

 and also whales. There are a prodigious number of birds 

 called 'Moyeis,' which furnish quantities of eider-down, and 

 of which the eggs are good to eat. The King has given this 

 post to M. De Courtemanche, a Canadian gentleman, during 

 his life. The seal fishery is the principal industry, and quan- 

 tities of oil and skins are obtained. He has a large garden 

 and grows all sorts of vegetables peas, beans, roots, herbs, 

 and salads, and has sown barley and oats, which grow well ; 

 perhaps wheat and rye will also grow. He keeps horses, 

 cows, sheep, and pigs. The neighborhood of the bay has also 



