1830.] Newfoundland Adventures. 



Townshend a year hence, able to speak either English or French,, and 

 interpret between us and their countrymen." 



" Bless your heart !" said Simon, " that 's a noble bounty, and would 

 bring mermaids from Norway. We '11 hook the lubbers for you, though 

 they hide like otters, and snap like sharks. But the parson here must 

 undertake for the lingo, and a tough spell he 11 have of it. They are as 

 sulky as bears in their winter lodge. Ah ! cut a shark's meat ever so 

 nice, you '11 never teach him to chew like a Christian." 



" Grandada," said the boy in an earnest whisper, " let me go with you 

 to hunt the savages ! Paul will lend me his carbine, and we '11 bring 

 Cabot." 



" No ! no ! child," replied the old man, " 'twas enough for them to kill 

 your father. I must not lose you, as I did my poor Ben, by the arrows 

 of these wild brutes. Stay at home, my dear Sebastian, for a little 

 while. You '11 get fighting enough, I promise you, as you go through 

 the world." 



It was finally arranged, that Simon should man a small sail-boat with 

 a few steady men of his own choice, and run along the coast the very 

 next day, with Mr. English, in search of the native Esquimaux; bearing 

 as presents some trinkets and utensils which they value highly, a fort- 

 night's provisions for themselves, and, to guard against the worst, arms 

 and ammunition. I had never yet seen these natives, and as I had 

 always loved adventures where sociality and danger went hand in hand, 

 I requested, and readily received, permission to accompany the party. 

 Mr. English gave me a bed in his house, and the sun at its rising next 

 morning found us seated beside old Simon in his smack, with the helm 

 in his hand, Cabot between his legs, and his long duck-gun behind him, 

 steering right before the wind into the Bay of Exploits. His crew con- 

 sisted of six jovial fishers, prepared for any adventure ; their guns and 

 pistols safe in a chest, and their tobacco-pipes sociably displayed in their 

 mouths, puffing away care, and enjoying hundreds of pounds sterling in 

 all the moral certainty of lively anticipation. You and I once heard a 

 matter-of-fact person deny the power of the human mind to forestall 

 future pleasure and pain to any real extent ; but this lubber had never 

 dreamt of jumping ashore into the arms of expecting friends, whilst 

 becalmed amidst the fogs of Newfoundland, and lulled to sleep by the 

 loud billows that break above its Banks ; or never fancied himself in a 

 sinking ship in the midst of the Atlantic, while the cries of agonized com- 

 panions assail his ears with horrible fidelity. For my part, I find my 

 share of solid material happiness so very trifling, that I am determined 

 through life to enjoy as much of it as possible in prospect, and look at the 

 bright side of things wherever my course is bound. 



There was little of brightness or beauty to be seen in the shores along 

 which we were passing. Farmer's Island lay on our right, the mainland 

 on our left; both bordered with cold, rugged, gloomy rocks; here quite 

 barren, there crowned with juniper, heath, or wild spruce, which formed 

 the only objects that relieved the waste of waters. A few detached, tall, 

 naked crags stood forth among the waves in picturesque array ; but the 

 general aspect of still life here is sombre and repulsive ; so I turned in 

 self-defence to enjoy animated nature beside me. 



" What a noble animal this Cabot is !" said I to his master ; ( ' you were 

 interrupted yesterday in an interesting anecdote of his sagacity." 



"Ay !" said the old man proudly, "'tis he that needn't be ashamed 



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