586 LABRADOR. 



and I went with one or other of the parties according to circumstances, 

 although it was by no means my custom to do so regularly, as I had 

 abundance of work on hand in the vessel. 



The return of my young companions and the sailors was always 

 looked for with anxiety. On getting on board, they opened their bud- 

 gets, and laid their contents on the deck, amid much merriment, those 

 who had procured most specimens being laughed at by those who had 

 obtained the rarest, and the former joking the latter in return. A sub- 

 stantial meal always awaited them, and fortunate we were in having a 

 capital cook, although he was a little too fond of the bottle. 



Our " fourth of July" was kept sacred, and every Saturday night the 

 toast of " wives and sweethearts'" was the first given, " parents and friends''' 

 the last. Never was there a more merry set. Some with the violin and 

 flute accompanied the voices of the rest, and few moments were spent in 

 idleness. Before a month had elapsed, the spoils of many a fine bird 

 hung around the hold ; shrubs and flowers were in the press, and I had 

 several drawings finished, some of which you have seen, and of which I 

 hope you will ere long see the remainder. Large jars were filling apace 

 with the bodies of rare birds, fishes, quadrupeds, and reptiles, as well as 

 molluscous animals. We had several pets too. Gulls, Cormorants, Guille- 

 mots, Puffins, Hawks, and a Raven. In some of the harbours, curious 

 fishes were hooked in our sight, so clear was the water. 



We found that camping out at riight was e.xtremely uncomfortable, 

 on account of the annoyance caused by flies and musquitoes, which at- 

 tacked the hunters in swarms at all times, but more especially when they 

 lay down, unless they enveloped themselves in thick smoke, which is not 

 much more pleasant. Once when camping, the weather became very bad^ 

 and the party was twenty miles distant from Whapatiguan as night 

 threw her mantle over the earth. The rain fell in torrents, the north-east 

 wind blew furiously, and the air was extremely cold. The oars of the 

 boats were fixed so as to support some blankets, and a small fire was with 

 difficulty kindled, on the embers of which a scanty meal was cooked. How- 

 different from a camp on the shores of the Mississippi, where wood is 

 abundant, and the air generally not lacking heat, where musquitoes, al- 

 though plentiful enough, are not accompanied by carraboo flies, and 

 where the barkings of a joyful squirrel, or the notes of the Barred Owl, 

 that grave buffoon of our western woods, never fail to gladden the camper 

 as he cuts to the right and left such branches and canes as most easily 



