LABRADOR JOURNAL 55 



over the t'lmiiel of the stove, had taken tire, and 

 communicated it to the roof. Fortmiatelv, how- 

 ever, seven men were at home, by whose assistance 

 it was extinguished; yet not before I had almost 

 despaired of saving the house: for we had much 

 difficulty in access to water; the boy having neg- 

 lected to open the hole through the ice, which I 

 had directed always to ])e kept clear. I then 

 shifted the gunpowder into the store, for fear of 

 a similar accident. 



Charles altered some deathfalls; but the frost 

 was too severe to do much at them. Three of 

 the men were sliglitly frostburnt,* and most of 

 them seared. The pig was so much burnt, that I 

 was forced to kill it; and was obliged to house the 

 fowls, their combs and feet being frozen stiff. 



The day was clear, and calm; and the frost un- 

 commonlv severe: for at eisrht o'clock in the mom- 

 ing the mercury stood at 25° below 0. 



Sunday, Decemhcr 16, 1770. I sent Ned with 

 the Indians, to trv if thev could walk down to Seal 

 Island upon the ice; but thev could not get any 

 lower than Otter Island. On their return, they 

 met with an otter upon the ice in Charles Harbour, 

 and killed him \\iili ilie grey-hound. T made a 

 visit to the Lidiau l.-idics, in tlie morning; and read 

 prayers to my family in tlie afternoon. 



A fortnight ago, T placed a box of earth near the 

 top of the stove, and sowed some seeds in it; there 



• Frofltbumt is a tfrm ii«o<l in this part of tho world, to sifzjiify ♦hnt' 

 tho flf-wh is ,'jmazinirly Mfniiriihfd with cnld, so jls to rondcr it rallmis. 

 It haw not unfrfqiipntiv hap[)fn»'d, that pfople have lost the use of their 

 limbs, by the Beverity of the froHt. 



