hunt they have adopted the breech-loading rifle and muzzle-loading
shotgun, but the bow and arrow has still its place with them and they
were depending wholly upon this crude weapon for hunting partridges
and other small game now, as they had no shotgun ammunition. The boys
were constantly practicing with it while at play and were very expert
in its use.

These Indians are of medium height, well built, sinewy and strong,
alert and quick of movement. The women are generally squatty and fat,
and the greater a woman's avoirdupois the more beautiful is she
considered.

All the Mountaineer Indians of Labrador are nominally Roman Catholics.
Those in the south are quite devoted to their priest, and make an
effort to meet him at least once a year and pay their tithes, but here
in the north this is not the case. In fact some of these people had
seen their priest but once in their life and some of the younger ones
had never seen him at all. Therefore they are still living under the
influence of the ancient superstitions of their race, though the women
are all provided with crucifixes and wear them on their breasts as
ornaments.

They are perfectly honest. Indians, until they become contaminated by
contact with whites, always are honest. It is the white man that
teaches them to steal, either by actually pilfering from the ignorant
savage, or by taking undue advantage of him in trade. Human nature is
the same everywhere, and the Indian will, when he finds he is being
taken advantage of and robbed, naturally resent it and try to "get
even." Our things were left wholly unguarded, and were the object of
a great deal of curiosity and admiration, not only our guns and