ON THE LABRADOR. 55 



thought that for any subsequent attempt I might 

 make some first-hand knowledge would be exceedingly 

 useful. 



At that time, 1903, there was no recent work written 

 upon the Labrador peninsula, except the admirable 

 reports of Dr. A. P. Low, of the Canadian Survey, and 

 these were concerned chiefly, indeed almost entirely, 

 with the districts west of the George River, but next to 

 no information regarding the region lying between that 

 river and the east coast seemed obtainable. All things 

 considered, I was convinced that, even in the face of 

 various set-backs, the trip was well worth while. I spent 

 a good deal of time making inquiries among the whalers 

 and about the south side of St. John's Harbour, but the 

 cod-fishers, who had experience of the Labrador, 

 although well acquainted with the sea of those latitudes, 

 and all that therein is, knew singularly little of the vast 

 interior upon the foreshore of which they had passed 

 many a summer. Some told me that they had fre- 

 quently heard of large numbers of caribou being killed 

 near Davis Inlet in the autumn ; I was also assured that 

 it would be useless to take a canoe with me, as the 

 Indians who came out to the east coast to sell then- furs 

 were obliged to pack in and out to the George River, 

 owing to the lack of navigable waters. This latter piece 

 of information proved to be incorrect. A map gave no 

 more help, as practically all the country behind the coast- 

 line lay blank or filled in here and there at haphazard 

 with a river or a lake. I received much assistance from 

 my friend Mr. R. G. Rendell, the agent of the Moravian 

 Mission to Labrador ; the Reid Newfoundland Com- 

 pany also kindly provided me passage in the Virginia 

 Lake, adding their good wishes for the success of one 



