SEA-FOWL. 167 



this great inlet, the largest and deepest bay in the 

 coast. 



Unfortunately we did not go up Ivuctoke Bay, or 

 Hamilton Inlet, as it is variously called, though well 

 meriting a thorough exploration, since it is the largest 

 and deepest fiord on the Labrador coast. Its general 

 shape may be seen in the map of Eskimo Bay. The 

 principal settlement is Rigolet, a Hudson Bay Com- 

 pany's post. 



The ice-belt was reported "as thick enough to walk 

 on "a few miles to the westward, and the wind blew chilly 

 and damp from that direction. Day before yesterday 

 the floes were close in shore. Here we saw more sea- 

 fowl than' had been observed of late, a few puffins, 

 murres, guillemots, and a, pair of eider-ducks. Years 

 ago these bays swarmed with fowl, where now they are 

 well-nigh deserted. In " Old Man's bight," Captain 

 French twelve years ago saw the wild goose in immense 

 numbers. We did not. see a goose upon the whole coast ; 

 and now since they have been so closely hunted they are 

 rare and shy. The captain again and again expressed 

 his astonishment at the amount of ice upon this northern 

 coast ; he had never seen it before north of Belle Isle, 

 and from all accounts it has been the coldest season, with 

 the most floe-ice, experienced for nearly forty years. 

 The cod had not "struck in " at this point yet ; a few 

 capelin had been seen, but the fishery had not yet begun, 

 while last year long before this date there was " plenty of 

 fish." 



This morning at Dumplin Harbor Mr. Mann caught 

 a Chionobas differing very slightly from C. semi'dea, but 

 in Mr. Scudder's opinion specifically different from that 



