The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-01-04

path. But this doubles the danger o
navigating the region.
There are over one hundred fixed set
Elements from Battle to Main, eacf
having resident population of five t.
twenty-five families. The people arr
termed "livyeres" Qiveheres) to distin
guish them from the mass of the New
foundland fishermen, who only frequent
the coast during the summer fishing
season and are termed ''floaters. 1t
is doubtful if the world has the counter
part of this annual fishery migration
In June each year the inhabitants OF
the eastern coast of Newfoundland to
the number of $4,000 people-men, wo-
men and children-start for Labrador
to engage in the codfishery. They load
their schooners and salt (for fish cur
ing), and make their way to the har-
bors where they intend to fish and
there remain until September or Oc-
tober, when they return to their homes.
During this period the "livyere" en-
joys comparative comfort, for he can
rely with certainty on enough food to
keep body and soul together. II is
when the "aoatelsa start for home
that his misery begins. He is always
fisherman, but of the poorest order.
He takes service with some well-to-do
''floater," who provides him with fish
ing outfit, boat hooks and lines, and
his catch he exchanges for food and
raiment at prices that almost equal
those of Klondilze. For his fish he re-
ceives only about 50 quintet of 112
ILL ;,l tn 1,o
pays $S barrel sour molasses 60 cents
a gallon and musty tea 60 cents a
pound. These form his staple articles
of diet, together with cod herring and
shell fish. Meat in any form, butter,
milk, cheese and such like he never
sees from the cradle to the grave. Nor
does he know what money means; he
never handles a coin and all his trans
actions are conducted by the principle
of barter, a quintal of fish forming the
standard of value AS regards clothing
the 'livyere" and his family contrive
to get along with perhaps less than any
other civilized beings, and that, too
in the face of thermometer that for
eight months in the year never rises
above zero.
1.-THE further north one goes the more
appalling becomes the condition of the
coastfolk, and If Dante could have inn
agined an inferno of Ice the circum-
stances here existing would have af-
forded him all the requisite material for
a thrilling picture of ever-present mis-
cry. Pitched among the rocks in the
little harbors were the rude homes of
the "lvyeres." In many places the
fronts of the structures were upheld by
posts, while the rear rested on con-
venient ledge, and ingress and egress
were by means of ladders. Timbers
securely stepped in heaps of great rocks
were tightly wedged against the houses
to prevent their being overthrow by
the gales, while anon the roofs would
be dashed down with heavy ropes,
which were to prevent some boisterous
gust from uplifting the thatch. Troops
of almost naked children gambolled
about and stared in amaze at the
stranger, who landed for closer in
spection of the place, and hordes of
hungry dogs shifted at his heels, ready
to sample his calves at the slightest
Dirt, filth, misery, power
ty--these were stamped across the face
of every settlement we visited.
The coast has no civil administration;
there are no laws, no police, no Of
cials whatever During the summer
months the customs collector who
works along the shore in his revenue
cruiser has powers as magistrate, and |
decides the disputes which are always
cropping UP among the thousands Of |
fishermen located there, but for the bal |
ance of the year there Is no recognized |
authority. There is not a road on the |
whole coast nor bridge, nor a pub |
ic work of any kind, For the eight |
months of winter there Is no mail, ex-
,ept few letters, which are forwarded |
oy way of Quebec, along the north side
If the River ST. Lawrence, courtiers
akng them from point to point, but |
'arely ever proceeding beyond Battle
Iarbor. During this period the liv-
1eres travel about by means of dogs
Ind sledges, but their only journeys are
n quest of game which is obtainable
n the form of rabbits, bears and birds.
There is little or no dishonesty among
Continued on Sixth Page)