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could not see anything anyway. The traditional way ofdealing with nics on the Labrador
was 10 endure them. Marie brought out "fly dopc" which we quickly put on and did not
wash ofT any more than we had to for the duration ofour stay on the island. To get flies
oul ofthe house, people burnt blackberry bushes on the doorstep. whieh was amazingly
efTectivc. When \\e arrived. the house was covcred insidc and outside with nies. After the
wind ble\\ the smoke around the house, the nics disappeared.
The women were occupied mainly with cooking. washing clothes. and laying out
thc capelin. Thc year 1984 was not a good year for either salmon or cod. Because the
Tid:craluck Point men were involved with the salmon rather than the cod fishery. there
was none ofthe kind ofwork being done that had been performed by the traditional
Newfoundland fishermen out on the eoast." Still. the day passed quickly. The women
sc\\ed gross; I took pictures and interviewed them about the process. 11
As had been traditional in Newfoundland homes, people more or less went to bed
with the sun and got up with the sun. We stayed up later than that. In the evening, wc
would go ovcr 10 Gcorge's and Susan's cabin and have a talk. We boiled thc kettle and
made toast on the woodstovc.
Marie, hcr baby Rochelle, and I returned by boal with Richard on his salmon run
to Rigolcl wherc we spenl the night. Maric's housc did not have nll1ning watcr or scwer
76 1984 commercial salmon fishing practice required the extra work ofdelivcring the ice·
packcd salmon 10 Rigolet every few days. Fishermen who livc farther out had their
salmon picked up by collector boats from the fish plant in Rigolcl. Sometimes the money
paid to Richard for the salmon he brought to thc fish plant was less than the cost ofgas to
delivcr it.
11 See Chapter 4 for a description.
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