AMERICAN HARBOR, OR NATASHQUAN 



This was the warmest day we had experi- 

 enced, and although it was only 54° F. in the 

 morning and 62° at noon, yet in that part of 

 the world it was considered sultry. After a 

 bath in the sea, the remembrance of the flies 

 and mosquitoes was happily washed away, 

 and erbswurst, dried capelin, bread and cheese, 

 and chocolate made us contented with the 

 world» From time to time Indians, who had 

 been to church at Natashquan and had after- 

 wards traded at the store, came along the 

 beach and passed us as we sat cross-legged 

 around the fire. Usually they scudded shyly 

 by like sandpipers, but occasionally they 

 stopped to gaze on us, say bon jour, and vari- 

 ous incomprehensible words. I felt that the 

 usual state of affairs was reversed and that I 

 and not the Indian was on exhibition. Later 

 I suddenly came across a picturesque group 

 of Indian girls picking last year's mountain 

 cranberries. This berry is called in Newfound- 

 land partridge-berry, but here is known as 

 graine rouge or pomme de terre. The latter sin- 

 gular name is rendered possible by the fact 

 that potatoes are called potates in the Acadian 

 dialect of this coast. The berry after the win- 



53 



