The LABRADOR JOURNAL 433 



and devour them without salt or any other et ceteras. The 

 Caribous are nqw " in velvet," and their skins light gray, 

 the flesh tender, but the animal poor. The average v/eight 

 when in good condition, four hundred pounds. In the 

 early part of March the Caribou leave the hills and come 

 to the sea-shore to feed on kelp and sea-grasses cut off by 

 the ice and cast on the shore. Groups of many hundreds 

 may be seen thus feeding. The flesh here is held in low 

 estimation ; it tastes like poor venison. I saw to-day several 

 pairs of Cayenne Terns on their way south ; they flew high, 

 and were very noisy. The Great Terns passed also in vast 

 multitudes. When the weather is stormy, they skim close 

 over the water ; if fair, they rise very high and fly more at 

 leisure. The Tell-tale Godwit is now extremely fat, ex- 

 tremely juicy, extremely tender, and extremely good. 

 The Parus hudsonicus is very abundant ; so is the Pine 

 Grosbeak, but in a shocking state of moult. The Kalmia 

 angustifolia} the natives say, is an antidote for cramp and 

 rheumatism. I was on the point of bidding thee good- 

 night, when we all were invited to a ball ^ on shore. I am 

 going with the rest out of curiosity. 



August 16. The people seemed to enjoy themselves well 

 at the ball, and John played the violin for them till half-past 

 two. I returned on board before eleven, and slept soundly 

 till the young men hailed for a boat. This morning has been 

 spent drawing a kalmia to a bird. The young men went 

 off with the Indians this morning, but returned this evening 

 driven back by flies and mosquitoes. Lincoln is really in 

 great pain. They brought a pair of Willow Grouse, old and 

 young; the latter had no hairy feathers yet on the legs. 

 They saw Canada Jays, Crossbills, Pine Grosbeaks, Robins, 

 one Golden-winged Woodpecker, many Canadian Titmice, 

 a Martin Swallow, a Kingfisher (none in Labrador) heard 

 a Squirrel which sounded like the Red Squirrel. The 

 country was described as being " up and down the whole 



1 Sheep laurel. ^ See Episode, " A Ball in Newfoundland." 



VOL. I. — 28 



