The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-06
LIFE TN ICY LABRADOR
Existence in an Arctic Wilderness
Bare OF ANY Comforts.
It's Few Inhabitants Visited Once n
Year by Residents of Newfound-
Their Brief Presence an Oasis
in n Desert of Affect Misery.

The condition Of the 'nvyeres." or per-
nanent residents on the Labrador coast,
is every year cause of anxiety to the
colonial government, because in the event
of the failure of the codfshery relief has
to be provided for them the region pro-
ducing nothing, and there being no stores
or depots where food can be procured.
while an ice barrier shuts 1t off from the
outside world for half the year. Almost
every year a steamer has to be sent along
the coast, its hold filled with stores, from
which the most needy are supplied. and
It is a task calling for the most careful
attention and judgment thoroughly to in
| vestigate these cases and apportion the
allowances properly.
Labrador is peninsula Of 100, 900 square
miles, an area equal to the British Isles,
while its population consists of but 5000
souls. of whom about $500 are white and
/ 1,5G0 Eskimcs. Labrador forms part
OF the mainland of Canada, its southern
limit being the Strait OF Belle Isle, while
its northern boundary is the Hudson
Strait. But as it is frequented only by the
| Newfoundland people it has been under
the Jurisdiction of that colony for nearly
ninety years. The land seems accurst, it
! is bare of greenery and living things. a
| desolate, black wilderness of forbidding
rocks and stunted forest growth. as if 1t
had been thrown up in some past age by
| q volcanic eruption and the premature
| cooling caused innumerabIe cracks in the
crust; the coast is scanned with hundreds
! OF harbors, and studded with Islands by
1 the thousands. These latter have been
! chosen, wherever suitable, as decences be-
/ hind which to locate 4 little settlement,
/ the shelter thus afforded being of inesti-
mable value when the wintry gales blow
and the relentless ice-pack sweeps along
| the shore, destroying everything in its
| path But this doubles the danger of nav
| igating the region.
| There are over one hundred fixed settle
ments from Battle to Nain, each having
| resident population of FIVE to twenty
| five families. The people are termed
| 'liyyeres" dive beres) to distinguish them
| from the mass Of the Newfoundland fish
| ermen, who only frequent the coast
! during the summer fishing season and are
| termed 'hOaters." 1t is doubtful if the
world has the counterpart OF this annual
| fishery migration. In June each year the
| inhabitants of the eastern coast of New
| foundland to the number of q. 900 peot le-
men, women, and children-start for Lab
rador to engage in the codfshery. They
! load their sehooners with their horse-
| bold goods. provisions, and salt flor fish
| curing. and make their way to the har-
| bors where they intend to fish, and there
| they remain until September or October,
| when they return to their homes.
| During this period the "liyyere' enjoys
comparative comfort, for he can rely with
certainty on enough food to keep body
a N fC ,r-t.
ers' start for home that his misery be-
| gins. He is always fisherman. but of the
| poorest order. He takes service with
| some well-to-do "foater." who provides
him with a fishing outfit. boat. hooks and
| lines. and his catch he exchanges for
food and raiment at prices that almost
equal those of the Klondike For his fish
he receives only about 81 q Quintal OF
112 pounds. while for third-rate -four he
pays IS a barrel. sour molasses 60 cents
a gallon, and musty tea 60 cents 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
coin. and all his transactions are con-
Quoted by the principle OF barter. quin-
tai Of fish forming the standard Of value.
AS regards clothing, the ''livyere" and
his family contrive to get along with per-
haps less thar. any other civilized beings.
and that. too, in the face of thermom-
eter that for eight months in the year
never rises above zero.
The farther north one goes the more
appalling becomes tho condition OF the
coast folk, and II Dante could have i'm
agined en inferno OF ice the circum-
stances here existing would have afforded
him all the requisite material for thrill
ing picture OF everpresent misery.
Pitched among the rocks in the little har-
bors we're the rude homes Of the ''llv-
yeres." In many places the fronts Of he
structures were upheld by posts, while
the rear rested on a convenient ledge and
insress and egress were by means OF lad
ders. Timbers securely stepped in heaps
OF great rocks were tightly wedged
against the houses to prevent their being
overthrow by tho gales. while anon ths
roofs would be dashed down with heavy
ropes, which were to prevent some bois-
ferrous gust from uplifting the thatch.
Troops OF almost naked children gam
boloi about and stared in amazement at
the stranger who landed for q closer In
spection Of the place. and hOrdcs OF hun
cry dogs shifted ct his heels. ready to
sample his calves at the slightest provoca-
ton. Dirt, filth. misery. poverty-these
were stamped across the face OF every set
Element we visited.
The coast has no civil administration;
there are no laws. no police, no officials
whatever. During the summer months
the customs collector who works along
the shore in his revenue cruiser has pow
ers as a magistrate and decides the dis
putes which are always cropping up among
the thousands Of fishermen located there,
but for the balance OF The year there is 10
recognized authority There Is not rad
on the whole coast nor q bridge. nor a
public work OF any kind. For the eight
months Of winter there Is no mall. exce~s
few letters, which are forwarded by
way ~ Quebec. along the north shore Of
the River 81. Lawrence. couriers taking
them from point to point. but rarely ever
proceeding beyond Battle Harbor. Fur
ing this period the livyeres travel about
by means Of dogs and sledges. but their
only journeys are in quest Of game. which |
is obtainable in the form OF rabbits, bears. |
and birds.
There Is little or no dishonesty among |
them. because they have so little to steal. |
and they ell become reduced TO the same |
plane Of misery because II one has a ound .
OF -four It is divided among his most needy .
neighbors. The pitlless severity Of win /
ter bears most harshly upon he younger |
people the children especially being sus- |
ceptibls TO consumption aud other diseases |
induced by their herding together and /
their wretchei food Until i've years ago |
the condition Of things in this respect was
very much worse than II Is now
Ab1ut that time the English people were
aroused to a sense Of the misery endured |
by the thousands o. Newfoundland fisher
folk during their soIourn on Labrador. and