CHAPTER III 



AMERICAN HARBOR, OR NATASHQUAN 



AT Natashqu'an we went at once to the 

 house of the captain's brother, Richard 

 Joncas, the head and whole of the "Labrador 

 Fur Company," whose delightful hospitality 

 and that of his wife I had enjoyed on my pre- 

 vious trips. Here, like Audubon, we were de- 

 layed by easterly winds and did not get away 

 until July 7, but we both were well content, 

 and explored the neighborhood as fully as 

 possible for flowers and birds. The day after 

 our arrival, July 4, we celebrated appro- 

 priately by some firecrackers produced from 

 the store, which, like those of the Hudson's 

 Bay Company, contained everything that an 

 Indian's heart might desire. The botanist and 

 I, fully equipped for our work, then started 

 for the "post," five miles away. This was for- 

 merly the Hudson's Bay post, but it is now 

 abandoned by the Company. Here, near the 

 mouth of the Great Natashquan River, is situ- 

 ated the annual summer encampment of the 



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