ESKIMO IN THE GULF OF ST. LAWRENCE. 265 



cended the rivers farther than the first falls or rapids ; 

 and they fearlessly pursued their way through the interior 

 of the country as far as the Strait of Belle Isle and 

 Hamilton Inlet, but exercising the utmost caution as 

 they approached the sea to hunt for seals" (p. 30). 



Of the Mingan Islands Esquimaux Island was so 

 named " because the Esquimaux were wont to assemble 

 there every spring in search of seals," etc., etc. (p. 49). 



"The ruins of Brest must not be confounded with 

 those of the old Esquimau fort some distance farther up 

 the straits, and which are found on Esquimaux Island in 

 St. Paul's Bay. These ruins, consisting of walls com- 

 posed of stone and turf, remain almost entire to this 

 day ; * and on the same island are large numbers of 

 human bones, the relics of a great battle between the 

 Montagnais and French on one side and the Esquimaux 

 on the other, which were found about 1840" (p. i3o').t 



"At Fox Harbor there is a small settlement of Esqui- 

 maux, who are now orderly and industrious Christian 

 people, fruits of the faithful labors of the missionary at 

 Battle Harbor, who has resided eight years on the coast" 

 (p. 198). 



" Seals have been the chief cause of the wars between 

 the Montagnais and Esquimaux of the Labrador penin- 

 sula, and most of the conflicts between these people 

 have taken place at the estuaries of rivers known to be 

 favorite haunts of the seal " (p. 204). 



* Robertson of Sparr point. 



t In an interesting map in Charlevoix's Histoire, vol. i., facing p. 418, the 

 site of Brest is indicated by "Fort Ponchartrain," while the "old Esquimaux 

 fort "of Hind is on this map called "Vieux Fort," and is situated on the west 

 side of the mouth of Eskimo River, at the mouth of which is the " I. des Esqui- 

 maux" of Charlevoix. 



