] 42 NEWFOUNDLAND.

some few places a little distance from the shore, were known to Europeans. The'Indians alone were well acquainted With the inland parts. Some furriers, who cared little f01 the natural condition of the Eflodntry, and who were too ignorant to describe it, have occa- sionally, during winter, proceeded on the ice a consi- derable distance up the rivers in quest of beavers and other wild animals. From these men nothing satis- factory could be ascertained or expected; and their character was, in other respects, too suspicious to place any reliance on what they stated, particularly

in regard to the Red Indians , it being well known 2

that they shot these unfortunate savages with as

.mm...»..>~ x __. W m “or. m...»..... ”mu—«-

much 1nd1fl'erence as if they were red foxes. ‘3

IVIr ‘Cormack, in 1é2I2, accompanied by Indians, accomplished a journey across the island, from T1 inity Bay to St George’s Bay. This was a most arduous and perilous undertaking, when the rugged, broken configuration of the country is considered. He pro- ceeded from Random Island, in Smith’s Sound, Trinity Bay, early in September, accompanied by one Mic-mac Indian, and directed his course across the country by a pocket compass. The greatest obstacles to his travel- ling were the innumerable lakes. To walk round them was indeed a task of no ordinary difficulty. Being the first European who discovered them, he adopted the usual right of giving them names; many of which he styled after those of his friends. He en- gaged another Indian, about the centre of the island,

to accompany him ; and after enduring much fatigue,