New Britain herald., 1930-12-01
STRANGE
 LAND 0F CONTRAST
Not So Forbidding as Appear anCe- -GrenielI Works Changes

Washington, D. c, Dec. 1 - The burning recently of Fir Wilfred Grenfell's first hospital at Battle social work has helped alter the human geography of Labrador, ere atIng new industries for the natives, and encouraging explorations which have revealed scenlc beauties and potential waIer power sites.
 Labrador is a strange land cf many cont rasts," says a bulletin Of the National Geographic Society from it's Washington, D, c, head quarters. "Because of its barren. forbidding shores sailors call it the Land Of Naked Rocks. yet inland La bra dor is green with vegetation. Virgin spruce, a potential source If pulpwood and home brew, all kinds of berry bushes. scrub trees. moss and many northern varieties Of wild flowers cover the interior, while familiar garden vegetables arc grown in sheltered mission gardens.
 Highest on Atlantic Seaboard
 'In summer. under bright blue skies, giant sea horses leap and crash against its uncharted reefs, the graveyard of many T fair ship, while in the nine months of winter. creaking. grooming ice floes smash and grind against it's outer defenses ot rock. Parts of the coast are Icw-lying granite islands and head lands. but. in other places. gray mountains, the highest on the North Atlantic seaboard, rise pre- cipitously from the oceans depths to 4.000 feet.
 "Whie existence in Labrador is l long battle. its inhabitants enjoy certain enyiable advantages. For instance, fat salmon and trout swim into nets tied to private wharves. virtually 10 ones front door. Sleepy srluce grouse sit on boushs of fir tfccs and allow noseless fskimos 10 slip up from behind and drop ncoses over their heads thereby say ing time. trouble and ammunition for all hands. Cartridges and hares are plentiful. Natives sneak up on the former and with q snap of their dog whips flick off the birds heads. Individuals have been known to bag 500 in one hunt by this economical method.
 Ducks Fly Regular Routes
 Migrating ducks fly regular routes, following the fluctuations Of the coast. not daring to strike off across wide bays by dead reckon iLg. Hunters. knowing this, plant themselves with their dogs in primi- tive blinds and drop the ducks as they fly past close inshore, using all klnds of ancient firearms. Bears make good eating and taste like Vcnison Deer are numerous and their worst enemy is not the wolf, a3 one might suppose, but species oi fly whose maggot bores into thelr beautiful bodies. Skins which make 1 soft. warm clothing and moccaslns show 100 to 1000 tiny holes made by this insect. Wild berries, such 1 as the cranberry, femain on rhe ! bushes all winter and are often picked after the spring thaWs. It 's said that the snow sweetens the rcd fruit.
 ] "During the summer months, the deep. fiordlike harbors are dotte with Newfoundland fishing vesse.s over for the cod season. So poor are scme Of these fisherfolk that whole families. including mother ana daughter-in-law often man th< boats. The recent perfecting of new method for quick freezing may eventually help the Labrador indus try by allowing the shipment to the United States of fresh fish from thi' far-off country. Hitherto the fisf iZer.
 Seals Caught in Nets
 "Wpile scaling is not so importan an industry to Labrador IS it is t' Newfoundland. many are taken of it's coast. In the waters near certal' headlands the seals are caught an' drowned in ordinary nets, for the. swim along close to the rocky shor much as migrating birds do in tn air Many Labradorians in tn
 early spring hunt seals from larg
 ships which follow the whelpin' herds out to the ice pack. To say
 the ships many weeks of useles search. airplanes are often employee
 for spotting the herds.
 Although no part of Labrador !
 north of Scotland. dog teams an sledges are the sole modes of trans
 portation for three-quarters of tn
 year. excluding Of course ones ow'
 srowshoes. During the sunme
 months the sea becomes the arteria , Highway and power dories the mote
 vehicles of more temperate regions
 Gasoline may well be considered d
 the natives chief item of expense