266 FOREST LIFE IN ACADIE. 



of all descriptions, as is also Sydney harbour. Prince 

 Edward Island and the Gulf shore of New Brunswick 

 afford wonderful sport during the passage of the geese. 



To return, however, to the subject before us — New- 

 foundland, its characteristic features and wild sports. 



A marked difference of outline to those of the shores 

 of Acadie is readily perceived on approaching its 

 southern coast. The cliffs rise from the sea to the height 

 of some five hundred feet, with a precipitous face and 

 comparatively level summits, forming long stretches of 

 table land. Then the tall arrow-headed pines are missed, 

 and on passing quite close, the vegetation with which 

 the country is clothed appears singularly colourless as 

 well as stunted. A chilling melancholy aspect pervades 

 the face of nature ; except for the number of little 

 fishino; smacks with which the coast is dotted, we might 

 seem to be passing the shores of Greenland. A few 

 hours before, perhaps, we were in the warm atmosphere, 

 blown with us l)y a balmy west wind from the fir-covered 

 hills of Cape Breton ; now we are faced by a biting 

 north-east breeze which at once reminds us of the chills 

 of early spring on the Atlantic coast. Rounding Cape 

 Race, and we are fairly in the great Arctic current, 

 and most probably within view of icebergs — at least up 

 to the end of August. The water in the early summer 

 is strewn through large areas with floating pieces of 

 field ice, detachments from the great fields which float 

 down the coast in spring, sometimes, indeed, entering 

 and blocking up the harbours for miles out to sea. St. 

 John's harbour has thus been blockaded even in the 

 month of June, whilst the sea to the distance of twenty 

 miles from the shore has been frozen so that a traveller 



