76 LABRADOR 



Travelling is done mostly in the early morning. The ice at 

 times clears off enough to leave a narrow strip of open water 

 along the exposed coast. Ducks and geese, with other 

 smaller birds, such as the snow-bunting and the northern 

 shrike, begin to arrive from the south. Some men are now 

 netting seals if the season is early ; others are still working at 

 twine for summer use. Shooting sea-birds from the head- 

 lands offers good sport. Fur shows clear loss in value. 

 Many settlers return to summer fishing stations, using dogs 

 and komatiks to transport all their summer necessities out 

 to the islands. Others who take care of and repair the sta- 

 tions of our summer visitors are hard at work on houses 

 and stagings. On fine days these men, while at their out- 

 side work, venture off on the running ice. Most years, 

 however, the ice is too hard near the shore, and to go off 

 far from shore, hauling small boats on runners, is restricted 

 to the hardier and more venturesome. Through the ice of 

 the ponds in southern Labrador, good trout fishing can be 

 obtained. 



May. Navigation as far as the south part of the east 

 coast is practicable, though onshore winds will bring the 

 floe-ice in at any time and block all the harbours and bays. 

 Still, one or two venturesome vessels come down with safety 

 to southern Labrador, seldom taking any harm from the 

 ice beyond what they are liable to at any time of year. 

 American bankers are baiting in the straits, and French 

 fishermen from Newfoundland arrive on the Treaty Shore 

 opposite. The first mail steamer visits as far as Cape 

 Charles. The rivers and bays break up. The last of the 

 people move out to their summer homes for the fishery. 

 Good trout fishing is to be had in the rivers or in the lakes 



