New-York tribune., 1878-07-25
THE FISHERIES or L4BRADOR.

EXAGGERATED REPORTS OF A GRLAr FAMINE OF
THAT COAST
IFROM Az OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNEI
ST. JOINS, y. f., July 1G.-In the early part of
June Il report was circulated that terrible famine e&-
listed Oh the coast of Labrador, owing 10 fauIe OF the
fisheries and a scarcity Of Provisions. The Truth Is that
a few cases Of dcsuou in distant sect 0ns OF the
peupsua gave grounds for The alarm and the news Of
great starvation when arose from few instances OF cX
rene poverty Cape JOHu and Cape Charles haG III
creased 10 catastrophe when II reached the harDor OF
Ind Tickle, and thence carried IN good faith TO
st Johns by the regular cOa,tng steamer Ihere were
two su ubstantiu reasons for doubling the possibility OF
an actual famine: The hume Gus fleets OF fishing sacks
that lined tine harbors and coast lines OF Labrador were
amply stocked with provisions calculated TO last until
November and secondly, however great The failure OF
the ahcrcs might be, suncicn fish WIS always obtain
able for present food and salt is sine qHa non on
board fishing craft the inhabitants could at least be
saved from starvation.
When the news first reached the larger towns of New
ioundlaud of which Labrador Is dependency, kindly
gel tencn oI means Immediately al work TO aScer
tain the whole truth OF tue painful rulnor ara pa eur
dispatched the Of the reported famine the cap
bearing Instructions to purchase provision, Ie.y
from the h-huZ skpuer~, with The promise from IN"
merchants provisions wound no forthcoming t. keep
HEN in i!I supp fai tn. yo,alc. I'M, was done
spare tue mc tiat would he lost IN loading On" coastal
steamer. On reaching the places where famine ana
famine fever were said ra-ug, tue capt u learned
thal the whole grew our of an ey e-craed account
OF The condition of some very destitute families. whose
drstiutiuu was uIcyt T,+uIt Of vicious lazy ana
shlftrss mode Of life Too Ide 20 fish or IN. I, tcy
spent their time IN OuuAing upon the hakc-" or h7u
WhaIycS begging provisions and gong 10 any tonccN-
able extreme obtain quautum OF rum Ihc limited
class to hch they belong have grown almost Darharc
IN their habits possessing all the worst traits at the
IsuuimuUX, vitguut showing any OF ihclr rydetHilhE
qua atr Ihcy remain tbc whole yearrOund on Labrador
"a wild. drcaJ lIIc--wIcn has Dauc4 u unc.NlLus
effect upon thCm. .
There were some instances o great poverty which had
not been induced by prl gJcy, drink or dleue-s but
these cd>cs promptly relieved uy tue first arrivals
ON the fishing gTOuu.- m late A mi a1d early Nav.
Sometimes through mIscalcu1tiun, or lack of JUDI
g.uuS mana cement the PROVISIONS intended Ia carry
family trbu-u thr wild and gloomy Wlltcro' Labrador
gave ont long before rr return ot tie suug hrcS, ana
IL il Is imo>,b. rcpIs tuy Tdcr until tacH, i.c
family j., i'm V.ry poor condition II tLr winter happens
to be comparatively midi plenty OF game Is procuraDit
and even the uUpiruS Oh fortune may be established
Fox skins, bear skins, deer lucr~, and otter and be
yer skins often largely accuuliatc0 III uill" "ih
rl . and posed Ui al handsome prices 10 the agents
EugIs American nrIdS, ui lo an uCcdooha lt pre-
sentative OF the Hudson Bay COMPANY.
T.o fishery ltDI tlOr le pronounced marked sic
cess tA, All ID, hc j, wei supplied, .ua thr
weather has proved uHcummOniy prUpuous. Tie New
fouudlauGcrs. howeycr neglect t. accept the Yludne
advice Of Professor Hind, an aitacic Ui ihr t"ioh.i
Government VINO IN his rNicn~Yc researches tiIou-l-
OUT the island rs dependency, LthTtGo ouni that
I'm The nor cIhmOst parts Ot the iattr Inch dc never
rcuucLttu 10y fishing vessels, C1d, salmon, udCn"Iti
and hcrruZ abound seemingly ncNhajstIUic numbers