640 Newfoundland Adventures. |~JuNE, 



little cove, just a mere gap in the rocks, where in fair weather a boat 

 might put in, or a dog swim ashore. A thought struck me. I called 

 Cabot, showed him the cove, and bid him swim with a line to the peo- 

 ple there. He would have taken it in his mouth ; but I persuaded him 

 to wait till I made it fast to him like the traces of his own sleigh, and 

 then off he jumped with it, rowing through the surge in gallant style. 

 We all gave three cheers for Cabot as we beheld him pushing on un- 

 dauntedly, with all our lives depending on the rope that he bore so well, 

 and which every minute grew heavier. I paid it out myself, lest he 

 should be held back, or lest more might go than was needful, and mayhap 

 catch on the coral bottom. Now he approached the surf on shore. Again 

 we cheered him on. The islanders had caught a sight of him amidst 

 the tumbling spray, and re-echoed our shouts as he neared them. The 

 captain stood beside me watching every stroke of the dog through his 

 glass, and giving us hope and comfort. I could only mind the rope. I 

 recollect I knocked my son Ben upside down for treading on it (that 

 poor fellow who was murdered t'other day !) ' Now,' said the captain, 

 ' he enters the breakers ! No, he stops ! No wonder ; that surf would 

 make splinters of a porpoise. Ah! he sinks, he's lost ! and we're 

 lost !' He dropt the glass, and fell on his knees on my coil. ' Get off 

 the line, you cowardly lubber,' said I, capsizing him. ' I '11 bet a guinea 

 now he 's diving under it. What should ail him ?' The captain jumped 

 up like a new man, and soon we saw the waving of hats, as Cabot swam 

 cleverly in ! 



" We now sent a strong rope ashore, and along with it a cable, which 

 they made fast round a high rock. On this we swung a chair (well 

 braced together with cord, like a cage), that slid along by an iron ring. 

 One by one the crew went safe ashore in this easy chair with the help of 

 the islanders, who pulled it cheerily to land every time by the second rope ; 

 and those who remained on board hauled it back again. Every one 

 made much of Cabot when he landed, but he minded none but our friend 

 Paul there beside you, who had waded into the water to meet him and 

 take off the line, and give him a biscuit after his swim. He barked with 

 delight as each of the crew were hauled through the surf to the rock, 

 and spun about like a trundling mop when he saw me in the cage setting 

 off from the ship with little Sebastian in my arms ; for we were the 

 last except the captain. The Grampus soon was bumped to pieces, and 

 the casks of blubber came rolling in. As the wind abated, we saved 

 most of them, and some of the ship's sails and timbers, by guiding them 

 into the little cove. Ben and I were given the charge of them till they 

 could be disposed of. We found kind people in these islands, and liked 

 our quarters so well that here we have staid ever since, and given up the 

 harpoon for the cod hooks. The captain gave me a foresail that I saved : 

 Ben cut it up into what you see, and painted that Grampus on it, that 

 we might never forget our whaling days." 



We now entered the River of Exploits, and landed to climb a rocky 

 hill at a little distance, from the top of which we might hope to get a 

 pretty extensive view. And here, after a sharp look out, to our great 

 delight we caught a sight of the Equimaux. About a dozen single canoes 

 were lying a mile off, up a bend of the river, hauled into a rushy creek : 

 a rude tent of skins thrown across a few poles stood near them in a 

 clump of juniper, and their owners were huddled together at a little 

 distance on the overhanging heathy bank ; very much resembling a 



