298 LABRADOR 



fill or two of flour is available. Most of the homesteads 

 also have a few sheep, and possibly a cow as well. Most of 

 the fishermen spin their own wool, and make their own 

 boots from the skins of their cattle and of seals which they 

 tan in their net barking pots. They have thus no fear of 

 utter destitution. 



Still, I have seen many of these people showing in the 

 spring all the signs of meagre diet through the long winter 

 months. Unfortunately, to keep a cow or garden is practi- 

 cally impossible in the north, owing to the numbers of dogs 

 used on the coast. Moreover, when the whole family has to 

 leave for Labrador and the home must be closed, unless 

 a neighbour can be found to look after things, the supplies 

 from the tiny "farm" are necessarily cut off. 



The schooners in the financial reach of most of the men 

 are home-made products of soft wood, i.e. spruce and fir 

 cut from their own bays, and mostly only iron-fastened. 

 The vessels are often very small and also cheaply found in 

 the most necessary of all their outfit, the holding gear. 

 They have to carry such quantities of fishing gear that they 

 are very crowded on deck, as well as below. The crew 

 need so many boats that throughout most of the long 

 voyage the small schooner will have to tow one or two be- 

 hind. This necessity very considerably impairs the sea- 

 going quality of the schooner. The salt nets and puncheons 

 for oil are bulky; spare canvas and gear, if the crew is 

 fortunate enough to be able to afford any, fill much of the 

 remaining space. When, therefore, the time comes to take 

 in "freighters," men, women, and children, with all their 

 personal and fishery outfit as well, it is little wonder that 

 the dangers and discomforts are greatly increased. 



