EGGERS OF LABRADOR, 149 
and I hope all of them will live and die in this 
country.” 
In such unambitious happiness, ignorant alike 
of the aspirations and evils of so-called civiliza- 
tion, dwell the settlers of Labrador! 
Frequenting the coast of this interesting coun- 
try are a class of men, who, the scourge of the 
feathered species, were regarded by Audubon as 
the scandal of their own. These buccaneers, 
whose vocation it is to despoil the nest of every 
_wild bird, in order to dispose of its produce, are 
known as Eggers. 
Their cruel occupation is rendered still more 
vicious, from the propensity they exhibit to de- 
stroy the poor creatures whom they have robbed, 
adding the crime of inhumanity to that of injus- 
tice. In their unwashed shallops, plastered and 
patched often with the remnants of some luckless 
vessel plundered by these pirates, they skulk be- 
hind the frowning rocks, a refuge for myriads 
of winged creatures, who there seek unmolested 
repose. Like evil phantoms of the waters, the 
boats are stealthily pushed along, manned by 
their reckless crews, intent:on evil. 
On their approach towards some island for 
their prey, clouds of birds rising, thicken the 
air, wheeling and screaming around, as though 
in defiance of their dreaded enemies. Some in 
‘he vain hope of saving their cherished young 
13* 
