NEWFOUNDLAND IN THE 'SEVENTIES 213 



about for days on the chance of getting it for 

 nothing, pleading awful poverty, at the same time 

 that he refused an offer of four dollars a day to 

 come with us for a short time hunting. 



The sole representatives of the Joe tribe left 

 at home on the evening of our arrival were an old 

 woman and two girls of about eighteen or twenty, 

 whose clear complexions and good features I must 

 suppose were to be accounted for by some mysteri- 

 ous influence exercised by the superior over the 

 inferior race, for I should be sorry to indulge for 

 a moment even in speculation which might be 

 derogatory to the conduct and character of former 

 generations of Joes. On inquiry, we found that 

 most of the family had gone off some days before 

 to the copper mines, to solemnise the wedding of 

 a couple of fond and youthful Joes, and were 

 expected home that night. About midnight they 

 returned ; two large whale-boats full of them, 

 rather noisy and very jovial. The unfortunate but 

 loving Joes had not succeeded in getting married, 

 as the priest, who was expected to arrive by the 

 coasting steamer, had failed to put in an appear- 

 ance ; but nowise discouraged by this untoward 

 event, the party had consumed the wedding 

 breakfast, wisely deciding that the ceremony 



