NATURAL FEATURES 13 



Cartwright (1786) adds a list of his own of indi- 

 genous vegetable delicacies 



1. .Young osier leaves. 



2. Red dock leaves. 



3. Scurvy grass. 



4. Alexander, or wild celery. 



5. Indian salad. 



6. Alpine plant. 



7. Fathen. 



There is a charming catholicity about this old sea- 

 dog and trapper. 



The tips of the young spruce branches are used 

 for making a non-intoxicating beer, being boiled 

 with molasses. When other tea gives out, the leaves 

 of uva ursi are used. These are known as Labrador 

 tea. 1 



The Saga of Lief Erikson thus describes a conver- 

 sation between the Viking and his old henchman 

 Tyrker, who, for two or three days, had wandered 

 from the party: "Why wert thou so late, my fos- 

 terer, and separated from the party?" "I have not 

 been much further off, but still I have something- 

 new to tell of: I found grapes and vines." "But is 

 that true, my fosterer?" quoth Lief. "Surely is it 

 true," replied he; "for I was bred up where there 

 is no want of either vines or grapes." They said 

 that next day they filled their long boat with grapes. 

 But we must, I fear, consider this a " traveller's 

 licence," as we must also when old Richard Whit- 

 bourne describes the wild berries of Newfoundland. 

 " There the summer naturally produceth out of the 



1 Ledum latifolium is also called Labrador tea. 



