THE INDIANS OF THE 
LABRADOR 
BY CLIFFORD H. EASTON 
ILLUSTRATED FROM PHOTOGRAPHS BY THE AUTHOR 
T EARLY dawn of the 
September ‘‘ship day” at Fort 
| Chimo, “on the Labrador,” 
as they say in that country, 
} one may see a sight which 
will readily suggest a scene 
5c0 years old—the coming to 
-) America of the great ships of 
.| the palefaces and the con- 
| sequent consternation of the 
savage population. Long be- 
fore the smoke 
of the steamer 
is descried, 
even, the In- 
dians are abus- 
tle striking 
camp, and soon 
the entire tribe 
are off up the 
river in their 
canoes, not to 
return for a 
long twelve 
months. There 
may be the flut- 
ter of a gaudy 
cambric hand- 
kerchief, a 
crimson-strip- 
ed shirt bal- 
looning in the 
breeze with tail 
flapping unre- 
strained, to tell 
of contact with civilization; otherwise the 
flotilla might belong to the country and 
the time before Acadia. 
Why this running away at the very time 
when everybody thereabout is congregating 
at the Post? Ask the Factor, and he will 
tell you the Indians fear a priest may be on 
board. And why should they run away 


YOUNG MEN OF THE NASCAUPEES AT FORT CHIMO IN 
WINTER ed 
from a priest? Well, that also is easily ex- 
plained by the Factor, who will inform you 
that several years ago the Rev. Father Le 
Moine visited Fort Chimo, and meeting the 
Indians congregated there, started in to 
convert them, men, women and children. 
All went smoothly until the subject of wives 
arose, and the good Father forbade more 
than one wife to each hunter. This was 
more than the Indians would stand, for the 
best hunters have two and even three wives, 
the number 
depending 
upon their abil- 
ity to support 
a large family; 
so ever since 
they have care- 
fully avoided 
meeting the 
ship. They now 
solemnly affirm 
that theydo not 
wish a priest to 
visit them un- 
der any cir- 
cumstances, as 
they experienc- 
ed very bad 
luck with their 
traps during 
flemyenr tie 
missionary liv- 
among 
them. 
In addition to the Nascaupees there are 
the Montagnais, quite a different people. 
These are the principal tribes on _ the 
Labrador, and both are of Algonquin 
origin. The Montagnais inhabit the 
southern part of the peninsula, while the 
Nascaupees, or Barren Ground Indians, 
hunt over the central and northern sections, 
