THE HAMILTON RIVER AND THE GRAND FALLS 145 
along the Labrador, except that nowhere else can vege- 
tables be grown, owing to the settlements being nearer to 
the Arctic current on the outside coast. Although it 
may not appeal to many, it is a much better and freer 
life than is the lot of the poor in civilization, with its 
monotonous daily grind for a mere subsistence. 
As regards the chances of sport about Hamilton Inlet, 
the summer season is unfavourable, there as well as else- 
where. The big game consists of barren-ground and 
woodland caribou, black bear, and seals. Caribou are 
found in small bands on the Mealy Mountains immediately 
south of Lake Melville, while in the winter large bands of 
barren-ground carjbou come out on the coast to the north- 
ward, and have been killed in great numbers within a few 
miles of the inlet. Bears are found on the burnt areas, 
where they feed on blueberries in the late summer. The 
seals, especially the harbour seal, are common in the waters 
of the inlet, and often afford good sport with the rifle. 
Wild fowl and geese are very abundant in the spring and 
fall, and are killed in great numbers below Rigolet. The 
curlew, which formerly passed in great flocks on their 
migration southward, are now nearly extinct; the Canada 
grouse, or spruce partridge, is abundant about the head of 
the inlet, and the ruffed grouse is also common. During 
the winter, great numbers of willow ptarmigan migrate 
southward and feed in flocks on the willow buds in the 
valleys. 
Hamilton Inlet was once famous for its salmon-fishery, 
but the use of numerous cod-traps along the coast has 
practically exterminated the salmon, as far as concerns 
rod-fishing in the rivers. I have visited the inlet in October, 
L 
