656 Newfoundland Adventures. [JUNE, 



and the upraised hand that had thrown the harpoon ; and ere the furious 

 boy could hurl his axe, the wave closed over both for ever. 



Simon lay insensible. The spear had fallen out, and he now bled pro- 

 fusely. On removing the unfortunate cap, we saw that the weapon had 

 cut deep. We bound up the wound, but I had no hope of his recovery. 

 " Now/' said his grandson, putting about the helm, and standing into 

 shore after the fugitive canoe, " now to finish our work !" 



" I will not fire at another man, unless in immediate self-defence," I 

 replied firmly. " If you are determined to commit murder, you must do 

 it alone." 



" And thank God," said he, with a laugh of savage joy, " I am able 

 to do it alone !" So saying, he put on Simon's blood-stained cap with an 

 air of defiance that bespoke eternal hostility to the nation of the slayers 

 of his fathers. 



And now our swelling sails gained fast on the wearied paddler. Se- 

 bastian, meantime, had loaded both his guns with ball. I kept mine in 

 readiness, watching the event, and really dreading my companion in his 

 vengeful mood far more than the poor savage who fled before us. It was 

 evidently Sebastian's object to get between the canoe and the shore ; and 

 lest the sinewy arm of the Esquimaux should attain shallow water first, 

 he fired the long duck-gun at its greatest range. The ball took effect ; 

 the poor fellow started in his seat, and the canoe fell over to the left. A 

 swing of the paddle in his right hand brought both him and the canoe 

 erect again, and with that hand alone he feebly urged his skiff to the 

 beach. We approached him rapidly, and I could discern blood streaming 

 from his left shoulder. Sebastian's second shot now struck him : the 

 paddle dropped from his grasp for ever; the drifting canoe was shaken into 

 the trough of the wave, and, no longer balanced by the alternate lively 

 dip of the paddle, combining steadiness with swiftness, soon upset with 



its freight. No further struggle was visible ; and by the time we 



came alongside, it floated bottom upwards. 



" I '11 take his weapons from the deck," said the exulting conqueror, 

 " to hang up at home with the two bows and quivers," seizing the boat- 

 hook, and dragging the canoe (in which the body was tied, like all the 

 others) into its former upright position ; when, to my astonishment and 

 horror, I saw that it only held a bleeding headless trunk, and in another 

 minute a white shark rose to the surface, and kept playing around, ex- 

 pecting the remainder of its banquet. 



" Are you satisfied ?" said I to the boy, as he stood silently gazing 

 on the sickening sight. 



" Satisfied !" repeated he. " The darts and harpoon are lost. What 

 more remains for me to do ?" 



" Nothing," I replied sternly, fc unless to join your blood-thirsty fel- 

 low-playmate there in the feast you have prepared." 



The boy stared at me, then at the weltering corse again encountered 

 my stedfast frown ; finally he sat down abashed, and resumed the helm 

 in silence. We reached Prince Edward's Island late that night, and next 

 day saw Simon's remains deposited in the grave " ashes to ashes, 

 dust to dust !" 



