THE PHYSIOGRAPHY OF LABRADOR 63 



These shoals are dangerous, especially as they are covered 

 with black kelp; the average depth upon them is about 

 two fathoms. To enter safely, one should keep the shore 

 side aboard. Running out directly seawards for nearly 

 twenty miles is a barrier reef of low black rocks surmounted 

 by tiny islands ; the whole simulating a coral reef in form, 

 though, of course, not in origin. The fishermen call the 

 whole the Hog's Back, from the likeness of the islets and 

 rocky points to a hog's bristles. There is an interesting 

 problem as to just how all these innumerable rocks were cut 

 off so near the water-line. To approach the entrance of 

 the double fiord from the south, the skipper should keep 

 all the islands, including the Hog's Back, to the north; 

 standing in for the land about five miles north of Cape 

 White Handkerchief; with the cliffs aboard, pass in south 

 of a ridged island about three hundred feet high and a mile 

 long. This island is of a red colour, and is called by the 

 Eskimo "Nenoraktualuk," or "Big White Bearskin"; it is 

 the only really large island on the outside. Four miles west 

 of the end of the island is the spring sealing station of many 

 Eskimo, and is called "Inuksulik," or Beacon Island. 



How far the double fiord extends into the land is not 

 known, though it is certainly many miles. The Eskimo 

 catch trout in Komaktorvik, and used to carry their catch 

 to Nachvak, the Hudson's Bay station until 1906. 



Since this region north of Nachvak Inlet is the least 

 known part of the Atlantic coast, I have laid special em- 

 phasis upon it, with the express purpose of pointing to the 

 need of its further exploration. The more southerly fiords 

 have been more visited by white men. One of the very 

 finest of all is that at Nachvak; it is illustrated in Dr. 



