LABRADOR JOURNAL 27 



I shot a blaek-diick,' which is an excelieut bird; 

 it is the size and shape of the English wild-duck, 

 but the feathers are black, with a bar of shining 

 blue on each wing: there is no perceptible differ- 

 ence between the duck and the mallard, the latter 

 not having the curled feathers on the runip.^ 



Tuesday, Jidij 24, 1770. The time ])etween the 

 eighteenth and this day, was employed in making 

 the necessary preparations for our departure for 

 Labrador. Mrs. Selbv had the misfortune to fall 

 down in walking to a neighbouring house : by this 

 accident she broke the small bone of her right leg 

 and dislocated her ancle. 



This morning I embarked on board the Enter- 

 prize schooner, commanded by lieutenant Lucas, 

 and sailed for Labrador. In addition to my 

 foraier family, I brought with me from Fogo two 

 carpenters, a mason, John Fogarty, and Ann 

 Obrien, whose husband was a blacksmith, and 

 one of the schooner's crew. The schooner was 

 mounted with eight swivels, manned with twenty 

 men, and furnished with as many stands of small- 

 arms. 



Nothing remarkable occurred \mtil the evening 

 of the 27th, when one of our best men was knocked 

 overboard by a jerk of the boom, in assisting to 

 reef the mainsail ; but we saved him with the boat. 



' Black or dusky duck, Anas ruhripes (until very recently known aa 

 A. ohscurn). 



* CartwTiKht'H meaning; i8 rather obscure, but he intends to say that 

 the female or duck of the black duck reseniblen th<- female \vild-<lu(k or 

 mallani M . hnnch/is), as the latter bird lack.s the curled fcuithers on the rump 

 poswssed by the drake mallard. 



