THE LABRADOR JOURNAL 433 



and devour them without salt or any other et ceteras. The 

 Caribous are now " in velvet," and their skins light gray, 

 the flesh tender, but the animal poor. The average weight 

 when in good condition, four hundred pounds. In the 

 early part of March the Caribou leave the hills and come 

 to the sea-shore to feed on kelp and sea-grasses cut off by 

 the ice and cast on the shore. Groups of many hundreds 

 may be seen thus feeding. The flesh here is held in low 

 estimation ; it tastes like poor venison. I saw to-day several 

 pairs of Cayenne Terns on their way south ; they flew high, 

 and were very noisy. The Great Terns passed also in vast 

 multitudes. When the weather is stormy, they skim close 

 over the water ; if fair, they rise very high and fly more at 

 leisure. The Tell-tale Godwit is now extremely fat, ex- 

 tremely juicy, extremely tender, and extremely good. 

 The Parus hudsonicus is very abundant ; so is the Pine 

 Grosbeak, but in a shocking state of moult. The Kalmia 

 angustifolia?- the natives say, is an antidote for cramp and 

 rheumatism. I was on the point of bidding thee good- 

 night, when we all were invited to a ball 2 on shore. I am 

 going with the rest out of curiosity. 



August 16. The people seemed to enjoy themselves well 

 at the ball, and John played the violin for them till half-past 

 two. I returned on board before eleven, and slept soundly 

 till the young men hailed for a boat. This morning has been 

 spent drawing a kalmia to a bird. The young men went 

 off with the Indians this morning, but returned this evening 

 driven back by flies and mosquitoes. Lincoln is really in 

 great pain. They brought a pair of Willow Grouse, old and 

 young; the latter had no hairy feathers yet on the legs. 

 They saw Canada Jays, Crossbills, Pine Grosbeaks, Robins, 

 one Golden-winged Woodpecker, many Canadian Titmice, 

 a Martin Swallow, a Kingfisher (none in Labrador) heard 

 a Squirrel which sounded like the Red Squirrel. The 

 country was described as being " up and down the whole 



1 Sheep laurel. 2 See Episode, " A Ball in Newfoundland." 



VOL. I. 28 



