634 -Newfoundland Adventures. [JUNE, 



formed (of which he offered to be one), to proceed in search of the 

 natives, to bear them presents, and by the language of signs (well 

 understood over the continent of North America) to explain our good 

 wishes and intentions to permanently contribute to their comforts, if they 

 would consider ours. " And, perhaps," said he, " we may induce one or 

 two to return with us, through whom we may, by kind treatment, 

 eventually establish a satisfactory intercourse with the wild tribes, and 

 convert them from dangerous enemies into useful friends." 



" 'Tis only throwing away time to think of it," said an old weather- 

 beaten fisher, who held a fine boy by the hand; " the ugly devils are 

 incapable of civilization. When I was whaler on the Hudson's Bay 

 station, I saw hundreds of these Esquimaux for years together, and 

 know them well. They were brutish and wild enough, God knows; 

 but of all the animals on two legs that I ever saw or heard of, these 

 islanders are the lowest and worst. By their fruits ye may know 

 them." 



" Granted !" said the benevolent minister ; " but surely, Simon, they 

 only stand in more need of our assistance and instruction. If we had 

 commenced our works of kindness a year ago, probably, your son would 

 not have been thus savagely murdered. Bad as they are, we should feel 

 for them. They have at least souls to be saved." 



" Souls to be saved !" re-echoed Simon in scornful surprise ; " d n 

 their souls ! I read my Bible constantly, but I never saw a word in it 

 about these Esquimaux, or could learn that the raw-flesh-eating * vaga- 

 bonds had souls in their stinking carcasses, though they wear their beards, 

 and call themselves f men. A black wolf has ten times more sagacity than 

 any of them, and when he dies, his skin is worth a dollar. My dog 

 Cabot has as much flesh on his bones, and as much brains in his skull, 

 and is much more likely to have a soul to be saved. I'll tell you what 

 he did one day, and then judge for yourselves. As we were at anchor 

 fishing in the Ditch | " 



" Avast, Simon !" said the admiral, " we '11 listen to that story another 

 time ; we 've other fish to catch now !" 



" Ay ! Ay !" replied the rough old fisher in a grumbling under- 

 tone, ' ' haul away ! Unlucky hookfulls you '11 have of them ! and glad 

 enough you 11 be to throw your stinging stinking fish overboard again ! 

 Fish, indeed ! They 're neither fish, flesh, nor good red herring !" 



A number of the company seemed to coincide with Simon, that the 

 savages were a bad speculation to meddle with, and that the safer mode 

 of treatment was to keep them at a distance, like wild beasts : but the 

 admiral was not so easily disconcerted. " Simon," said he, " I always 

 heard a good account of you, as an obliging fellow, and as a man of 

 courage too. Now I want to trap a few of these rough unsavoury 

 fellows, that you despise so heartily ; but if you stand aback, you '11 make 

 cowards of all the crew. Your fishing season is fairly over now, your 

 scaffolds are full, the cod is drying briskly ; and if you and your com- 

 rades will join Mr. English in a hunt after the natives, you sha'n't lose 

 your labour. 1 11 give ICO/, for every one that you bring to Fort 



* Esquimaux is derived from Esquimantsic, in the Albinaquis language, importing, 

 " Eaters of raw flesh." Many tribes are still quite ignorant of the art of cookery, 

 t Keraliti, i. e. men. 

 + The deepest soundings, near the centre of the Great Bank. 



