160 Mr Cormack’s Account qflds^ Journey across 
compose the wooas. The pine is seldom seen, and is commonly 
so stunted or shrubby, as to be of little value for timber. The 
mountain-ash is sometimes met with. The only good timber in 
Newfoundland grows near the sea coasts, and particularly, on 
the banks of the large rivers, where the best soil is found. 
The western division being nearly destitute of wood, affords 
pasture to numerous herds of deer (the Carrihou). Of these 
animals there are here many thousands ; indeed, the country 
seems covered with them. They migrate eastward to the woody 
districts in winter, and return westward very early in spring. 
Their flesh forms almost the sole subsistence of the Indians. 
Beavers have, in former times, abounded in all the woody dis- 
tricts, and in some places considerable numbers of them are still 
found, particularly north of the Bay of Despair and Fortune 
Bay, and in the vicinity of White Bay. 
The other wild animals of the country are not numerous, 
except foxes, near the sea-coast. 
Geese, ducks, and gulls, with some other aquatic birds of 
passage, breed in considerable numbers in the interior. They 
collect in flocks, and leave it for the coast, as soon as the ponds 
are frozen over. 
The Micmac Indians visit the interior chiefly in pursuit of 
beavers. They generally allow the different districts where these 
animals are found, a periodical respite of three years, visiting 
them alternately in the autumn, in small hunting parties. On 
these occasions the Indians generally take their families with 
them. The canoes used on the lakes are partly from necessity, 
and partly for the sake of convenience, made of basket-work, 
covered over outside with deer- skins ; the latter requiring to be 
renewed commonly once in six weeks. In construction these 
canoes resemble those of the ancient Britons. 
The whole number of this tribe in Newfoundland does not, in 
as far as I could learn, much exceed 100. They are generally 
divided into three bands ; one at Flat Bay in St George’s Bay ; 
one at Great Cod Bay river, and one at Bay of Despair, near 
Weasel Island. Part of them occasionally resort to two or three 
favourite places on the coast. 
The attention of Government has several times been turned 
towards endeavouring to open an intercourse with the Red In- 
1 
