LABRADOR JOURNxSJ. 347 



fond of. Fatheu, liowever is uo where to be met 

 with, but where the ground has been dug. 



The soil is mostl}' of a light kind, yet clay is 

 conunon to be met with in most harbours, and in 

 the beds of rivers, below high-water mark; though 

 I met with a spot of strong, blue clay by the side 

 of Hooppole Cove in St. Lewis's Bay, on which 

 grew good birch and other trees. 



That the mountains in Labrador contain some 

 kinds of ores, I make no doubt; but none have 

 yet been discovered, except that of iron w^hich I 

 believe is in great plenty, since iron-stone is very 

 connnon along most of the shores; and I met with 

 several small springs, Avhicli had a w^eak chalyb- 

 eate taste, and tinged the ground red. Nor is 

 there any great chance of ores being found, unless 

 it should appear to the day, by the side of some 

 cliff; most of which founder more or less every 

 spring, by the crevices in the rocks filling with the 

 drainage of the earth, and by the expansive power 

 of the frost acting like so many wedges all the 

 winter; in consequence of which many tons of 

 rocks fall down as soon as the ice is thawed. 

 AMiite spar is very common; and several samples 

 of that beautiful one called Labrador spar,^ has 

 been picked up by the Esquimaux, of which there 

 is one large piece in the Levcrian Museum: but 

 have not yet been abb' to learn, that any but de- 

 tached pieces, have been met with; all of which 

 were picked u]) upon the land-wash. 



The birds of that country, T presume, are com- 



* Or Labradorite, a lime-Hoda feldttpar. 



