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 
