SALMON FISHING IN LABRADOR. 149 



no measured terms, but at the same time lie could make 

 no allowance for a young callan like Jock being not 

 spry enough with, his feet to keep a grip of aucht that 

 he could get his heel or toe on. I saw that the skipper 

 was a bit of a character, and with all his external 

 roughness, had a good, warm, kind heart underneath. 

 I determined, therefore, to trust myself to his seaman- 

 ship, if suitable terms could be made. At once the 

 subject of my visit was broached and his charge for 

 the trip ascertained. After thinking a minute or two, he 

 asked my najne, and whether or no I was from the 

 States. On being answered in the negative and my 

 cognomen given, he took a good look at me, and laying 

 down his razor, the lather being still on his face, he 

 delivered himself in these words : " The passage I'll 

 just charge you five pund sterling for. I'm thinking 

 you'll na deem that ower muckle, but if I didna like 

 your cut, twenty pund, let alone five, would na hae let 

 you aboard. And I suppose it's a' right, and gin 

 you'll jist wait till I get scraped, I can gie you a 

 glass of real Islay that nare was gauged by excise- 

 man." Soon the scraping operation was performed to 

 his satisfaction, and a black bottle was produced the 

 contents of which fully reached the proper standard of 

 excellence, if strength is considered to constitute it. 

 In the meantime the captain had got ready to go on 



