LABRADOH JOURNAL 155 



maiuder of the day was spent by all the servants 

 in great festivity. 



Tuesday, October 18, 1774. The man whom I 

 sent vesterdav for the trai), found his wav back 

 at noon; he had lost himself, although the dis- 

 tance is not more than two miles, and no wood so 

 high as his head all the way. I gave him a severe 

 beating, to cause him to take more care in future 

 than rim the risk of losing his life through stu- 

 pidity and carelessness. At the same time I in- 

 structed him in unerring rules how to find his way 

 home, should he ever be bewildered hereafter. 



[The winter passed uneventfully in the usual 

 occupations of trapping and shooting.] 



Sunday, April 2, 1775. At six o'clock this morn- 

 ing, I set off for Port Marnham on a deer-shooting 

 party, taking Indian Jack, with our provisions 

 and necessaries, upon my Esquimau sled, drawn 

 by a couple of blood-hounds and a Newfoimdland 

 dog. 



Monday, April 3, 1775. Early in the morning, 

 I ordered the Indian boy home, with the sled and 

 dogs; but the bad weather which soon came on, 

 caused him to return. I went up Porcupine Hill 

 and traversed about there till the weather drove 

 me back again. T killed an old ])orcu])ine big with 

 young, ready to bring foi-th. I do not know how 

 many these creatures have at a }»irth; but imagine 

 they are not very prolific: for if they w^ere, they 

 would destroy all the ti'ees in the country, as they 

 feed on nothing but llic rinds ^ the whole winter, 



' Bark of trfica. 



