The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-03-17
UP LABRADOR WAY,
HOW CHRISTMAS IS ENJOYED IN
 4 DESOLATE REGION.

joyed and There Is Much Gayety-
 However There Is Terribly Tragic Side to Life-Dr Greenfelrs Noble
 Efforts.
 Dwellers ill great cities, enjoying every convenience and luxury, can form no idea of the circumstances under which Christmas and New Year are celebrated on dreary Labrador Dr Grenfell, the patron saint of the re- zion, is spending this winter there as he did that of two years ago, and his description of the celebrations there are an Illuminating commentary on the admirable character of the work he is doing in that vast iceclad wilder- ness. He maintains a hospital at Bat tie Harbor, and here he makes his headquarters. The Artice foes block ade the coast early in December and they cut the region off from all com munication with the outer world until the following June. For these six months winter of appalling severity rages, and few Pole seeking en- thusiasts suffer the hardships which l befall the settlers who are scattered along it's rugged seaboard.
 l To those in Battle Harbor and the coves for miles around the Yuletide sports started by Dr. Grentell are the
 great occurrence of the long winter months.
 The outdoor sports are the most keenly enjoyed. Every harbor is solidly frozen over and on this un- broken crystal plain the gaines take place. Many bright colored flags gleam against the pallid field, and these mark courses for dog teams, boys and mems races, obstacle races, football journeys and shooting competitions. Kometiks (sleds) and dogs from every hamlet within reach are entered for the matches, and the contests are of keen interest. The foot races notably appeal to the boys who, fleet footed and hardly, cover long courses at speed professionals might envy. The obstacle races involve movements 1 through nets barrels and sails and in one instance lad who had gone eight miles to> take part became so hope- i less!y enmeshed that he had to be cut free. Inl,erspersed among these are races for the little folks some good
 natured man donning coat into
 which dozen or more bags of candy l have been sewn, and then careering across the ice with pack of young sters after him, each grabbing at a i parcel of sweetmeats as he dodges
 about among them till he Is stripped of
 the lot
 For the men the chief interest een- ters in the shooting competitions, which are so popular and contain so many entries that it takes two days to carry them out. A rude figures of a 1 deer is constructed in wood and fixed | firmly to small kometik-and this 1 is the target. There are two cornpeti- tions, one at the deer standing still and another while 1t is being dragged smartly along the ice between two dogs. No breechloading guns are al- lowed; few possess them and many | despise them. Most men prefer a gun about six feet long taking a charge of powder and shot or ball to the extent of about seven fingers breadth. The ordinary man could hardly use such a gun, as the rebound is always very energetic something knocking a man over the side of his boat when firing so that it is common for the owners when using the guns on board their boats to have a piece of rope put through the stock of the weapon so as to fasten it to the sl5iff and prevent it's being lost if it should kick" out of his grasp when fred These guns are chiefly used for shooting seals, and at mark like deer excellent prac- tice is made.
 To prepare for these Christmas games a great event is the fetching out of the chistmas tree from the forest. A team of 12 boys, instead of dog, is harnessed into a large kome- tik, and in all the glory of flag dec orated vehicle all start for the woods to cut and bring back the trophy. The dogs, displaced from the usual work accompany the outfit, none of them
 able to understand exactly where they ought to be, but plainly dissatisfied at 1 being left out, for scarcely a tail wags and not bark is heard to greet the 1 derisive bow-wows of tlie boys as they
 scamper along. It is no easy task to
 get out stout tree, with untrimmed ! branches, and soon the tired boys yield
 their places to the dogs again, while
 the men of the party, with long lines
 over their shoulders, pull vigorously to
 help the straining animals drag the
 heavily laden conveyance drought the
 soft snow which carpets the forests
 The trees are then erected in the schoo
 house, and on it are hung toys and
 gifts galore. These are usually con.
 tributed by children in cities like New
 York or Montreal, where the schools
 collect discarded or surplus toys from the pupils and forward them to tn, doctor to make glad the hearts of littl,
 folk on this dreary seaboard to whom