ON THE GANDER RIVER. 207 



throughout the winter each man patrols his trapping- 

 ground. They number in all some one hundred and 

 fifty souls. The duties of Reuben Lewis appear, for 

 the most part, to be thoseof an arbitrator, and should 

 any dispute arise he gives judgment upon it, and that 

 judgment is accepted and takes full effect. 



The Indians do not greatly incommode the hunter 

 who wants to shoot good heads, as up to very recent 

 years they have not been in the habit of shooting for 

 any object but that of procuring meat. But the good 

 prices that are now offered for trophies will, I fear, 

 spell the death warrant of many a fine stag. It must 

 be remembered that the Indian, unlike the sportsman 

 with a licence limit of three heads, does not consider 

 himself bound by the game laws of the country, but 

 shoots as many as he likes. The unfortunate result of 

 this in the long run need not be pointed out. 



A good deal of nonsense is talked in connection with 

 this subject as to the inherent right of the Indian to 

 shoot deer without being bound by any game-law 

 limitations, as are sportsmen who come for pleasure or 

 settlers who hunt for meat. But the game laws are 

 framed in the interests of future generations, and if 

 impartially enforced would actually tend more to the 

 advantage of the Indians than of any other class of 

 the community. 



The policy of many of those who make the game 

 laws in our colonies, in America, or indeed all the world 

 over, has always seemed to me to be extraordinarily 

 short-sighted. Take Newfoundland as an example. 

 The number of caribou allowed under the licence to 

 each sportsman is three ; to each settler five deer in 

 every year ; but this law imposes small restriction on 



