The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-09-02
ON THR COAST OF LABRADOR.
An Inviting Country for the Hunter
and Angler

and Angler.
William Neyle Habersham, ESQ, who
made an extensive salmon fishing tour
throughout Northern Canada and along
the Labrador coast, gave MORNING NEWS
reporter yesterday quite an interesting ac-
count of his tour in quest of the big fish of
the northern waters, besides some general
information concerning the section visited
MIR. Habersham s one Of the oldest salmon
fishermen in the country, having fished in
Canada waters for years before the war,
making annual trips to that portion of the
country. In late years, however, he has
failed to make this trip. Last spring
he was presented with a compli-
eminent to fish 500 miles of the Lab
rador coast, u most unusual compliment,
and presented to Mr.. Habersham only be-
cause Of his established reputation in that
section as an expert salmon fisherman.
These rights to fish the salmon waters
have become very valuable of late years
and are much sought after by sportsmen,
large sums frequently being paid for the
privilege. Mr.. Habersham availed himself
of this oportunity to indulge in his favorite
sport again, and though advanced in years
he did not hesitate to undergo the hardships
of camp life in the land near the frigid
zone.
Mr.. Habersham left Savannah in the
early part of the summer, and by June |
was in the Restigouche river, where he
killed number of fine salmon, some of them
being over twenty-five pounds in weight.
Mr.. habersham left the Restigouche for
the Rlmouski river on June 10, where he
was in the very heart of the salmon coun-
try. In speaking Of this country, its char
acteristics, its splendid fishing grounds
and its easy accessibility, MIR. Habersham
said:
Looking at the map, any one hunting for
sport, recreation or health will see at a
glance how accessible this point on the Gulf
OF ST. Lawrence is. Leaving Savannah you
can take the Boston steamer, and at Boston
the st. Johns boat, and on arrival there
the Inter-Colonial road carries you in ten
TO twelve hours to Rimouski. There you
take the steamer. and in three hours you
are on the north shore, coast of Labrador.
Every three or four miles you pass Salmon
river bursting through shores covered
with sun and ice. We came
in contact with icebergs, floating ice and
whales. Here, the 15tn of June, nearly
every rivers source was frozen up. You can
not realize such a change In three hours.
There is no place to be reached in so short
time from Quebec as st. Johns, where YOU
can literally be frozen up This north
shore seems to be stray piece of the north
pole. With permit from the department
OF crown lands at Quebec, for the merest
tribe, you can get the finest salmon fishing
In the world. Only a dozen rivers have
been leased There are plenty left.
Very little is known of this coast. The
Hudson Bay Company have their posts all
along, trading with the Indians, who come
down from the far north with fur. At
these posts you see the rarest furs-fox
skins that bring fabulous prices. All are
sent to London, some bringing one and two
hundred dollars apiece. At many points
where there are no posts you can get the
rarest furs from the Esquimau tribe. Last
winter was a very bad one for trapping. the
snow being very deep all the season.
The steamer touched all along the coast
going as far as the Natashquan, immortal
lied in print by Billy Florence, who with
his companions, the Duke of Beaufort. Sir
John Reid and others killed any quantity of
salmon there some years since. A few of
these rivers yield the largest salmon. AT
the Moisc we took on board Ash weighing
nifty pounds on our return trip, and picked
up before we got back some 5000 salmon.
Inside Of US, between us and the shore
we saw a thresher. about thirty 30 forty
feet Icing, playing. leaping into the air and
throwing himself down fat as it were. 70
crush by his weight some object. This is
the way they destroy the whale-falliup on
him. The one we saw threw himself down
IN this mancer q dozen times 1t is said
the swordish accompanies them, and when
they fail on top the sword6sh stabs him
from below.
Among the celebrated rivers is the Good.
bout. We saw the guardian Of it. Mr..
Comeau, who killed ffty-eight salmoa in