320 
A VOYAGE TO 
1778. in rainy weather, much more comfortable habitations than 
, Apnl - . their houfes. 
Though their food, ftridlly fpeaking, may be faid to con- 
fift of every thing animal or vegetable that they can pro¬ 
cure, the quantity of the latter bears an exceedingly fmall 
proportion to that of the former. Their greateft reliance 
feems to be upon the fea, as affording fhh, mufcles, and 
fmaller fhell-fifh, and fea-animals. Of the firft, the prin¬ 
cipal are herrings and far dines; the two fpecies of bream 
formerly mentioned; and fmall cod. But the herrings and 
fardines are not only eaten frefh, in their feafon, but like- 
wife ferve as ftores, which, after being dried and fmoked, 
are preferved by being fewed up in mats, fo as to form 
large bales, three or four feet fquare. It feems that the 
herrings alfo fupply them with another grand refource for 
food; which is a vaft quantity of roe, very curioufly pre¬ 
pared. It is ftrewed upon, or, as it were, incruftated about, 
fmall branches of the Canadian pine. They alfo prepare it 
upon a long narrow fea-grafs, which grows plentifully 
upon the rocks, under water. This caviare , if it may be 
fo called, is kept in bafkets or bags of mat, and ufed occa- 
fionally, being firft dipped in water. It may be confidered 
as the winter bread of thefe people, and has no difagree- 
able tafte. They alfo eat the roe of fome other fhh, which, 
from the fize of its grains, muft be very large; but it has 
a rancid tafte and fmell. It does not appear that they pre¬ 
pare any other fhh in this manner, to preferve them for 
any length of time. For though they fplit and dry a few 
of the bream and chimcerre^ which are pretty plentiful; they 
do not fmoke them as the herrings and fardines. 
The next article, on which they feem to depend for a 
large proportion of their food, is the large mufcle; great 
abundance 
