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Tales ofaccidenlal drowning figure prominently in narratives ofthe Labrador.
and the potential for such tragedy is always present. One evening \\hen wc wcre
returning dowTlthe coast. we SlOPped engines 10 pick up a man \,ho was returning from
his summcr station to his permanent \\;ntcr community. and thc couple who had brought
him came on board \\;th him to conduct a bit ofbusiness, When I looked dO\\llal their
boaL I saw that it was beingjoslled by choppy wavcs and in it were two little boys,
\\ithout life jackets and dressed total I)' in dark clothes. Thcre was thc onc light from the
boat shining dO\\1l on them but evcf)1hing else was pitch black. I feared that if I turned
awny. the) would dro\\ll and no one would know that they \\crc gonc. One reason why I
was quitc ovcrwhelmed by tbis experiencc was that my fonncr cabin mates. two
Newfoundland women on their way to Indian Harbour. had laid me about two young
boys from Harbour Grace who had drowned al Petty Ilarbour on the Labrador, and how
Iheir mother slill returned in the summertime because, when she wns in Lnbmdor. she felt
close 10 them. 72 Also, having two children of my own. I felt a sense ofresponsibilily for
Ihese children. I felt thaI they would not drown as long ,IS I watched lhem. If lhe boat
overturned I would alleast be able 10 CDIt for help. Fortllnately. nothing happelled 10
them. Their parents returned to Ihe boal and they len.
1attempted to interview one Labradorian who disliked Newfoundlanders, and
who found Newfoundland women particularly annoying, because "they didn't have the
coumge 10 Iivc on the Labrador year round:' At this point, I mentioned Ihat, based upon
my research. this was not true. ewfoundland women as well as Newfoundland men
72 Field notebook I. July 11. 198-1.
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