298 LABRADOR 
ful 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, 72.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. Thesalt 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. 
