EGGERS OF LABRADOR. 85 



desire to procui-e some eggs. Gallantly their boats advance, impelled by 

 the regular pull of their long oars. Each buoyant bark displays the flag 

 of its nation. No weapons do they bring, nor any thing that can be used 

 as such save their oars and fists. Cleanly clad in Sunday attire, they ar- 

 rive at the desired spot, and at once prepare to ascend the rock. The 

 Eggers, now numbering a dozen, all armed with guns and bludgeons, bid 

 defiance to the fishermen. A few angry words pass between the parties. 

 One of the Eggers, still under the influence of drink, pulls his trigger, and 

 an unfortunate sailor is seen to reel in agony. Three loud cheers fill the 

 air. All at once rush on the malefactors ; a horrid fight ensues, the re- 

 sult of which is, that every Egger is left on the rock beaten and bruised. 

 Too frequently the fishermen man their boats, row to the shallops, and 

 break every egg in the hold. 



The Eggers of Labrador not only rob the birds in this cruel manner, 

 but also the fishermen, whenever they can find an opportunity ; and the 

 quarrels they excite are numberless. While we were on the coast, none 

 of our party ever ventured on any of the islands which these wretches 

 call their own, without being well provided with means of defence. On 

 one occasion, when I was present, we found two Eggers at their work of 

 destruction. I spoke to them respecting my visit, and offered them pre- 

 miums for rare birds and some of their eggs ; but although they made 

 fair promises, not one of the gang ever came near the Ripley. 



These people gather all the eider down they can find ; yet so incon- 

 siderate are they, that they kill every bird that comes in their way. The 

 eggs of Gulls, Guillemots, and Ducks are searched for with care ; and the 

 Puffins and some other birds they massacre in vast numbers for the sake 

 of their feathers. So constant and persevering are their depredations, 

 that these species, which, according to the accounts of the few settlers T 

 saw in the country, were exceedingly abundant twenty years ago, have 

 abandoned their ancient breeding places, and removed much farther north 

 in search of peaceful security. Scarcely, in fact, could I procure a young 

 Guillemot before the Eggers had left the coast, nor was it until late in July 

 that I succeeded, after the birds had laid three or four eggs each, instead 

 of one, and when nature having been exhausted, and the season nearly 

 spent, thousands of these birds left the country without having accom- 

 plished <Jhe purpose for which they had visited it. This war of exter- 

 mination cannot last many years more. The Eggers themselves will be 

 the first to repent the entire disappearance of the myriads of birds that 



