IN AUDUBON'S LABRADOR 



years and his nearest neighbor lives three 

 miles away over rock-strewn waters, but he 

 was in touch with the great world, for the 

 telegraph and the mail station are here. Fish, 

 which means COD spelt with capitals, were 

 "striking in," and all hands were busy at the 

 splitting-table. Fish-heads and other refuse 

 abounded; the air reeked with them and the 

 dogs were fat and lazy. 



A successful season means everything to 

 the Labrador fisherman. In six weeks to two 

 months he may lay by enough to live in com- 

 fort the rest of the year. This is his earning 

 season and fisherman's luck, good or bad, 

 means for him either a feast or a famine. We 

 heard of a hundred quintals of fish taken in 

 two days, of fifty quintals taken from one 

 trap, and twenty let go free as there was no 

 more room in the boats. A quintal (pronounced 

 kentle) is one hundred and twelve pounds of 

 dried salt fish, and is worth on the coast five 

 dollars. About one hundred and twenty- 

 five three-pound cod are needed to make up a 

 quintal. After a short successful season the 

 fisherman lays in a stock of essentials — flour 

 arid pork and molasses — and as many luxu- 



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