180 SPORT IN NEWFOUNDLAND 



never wish for better men or comrades on a 

 hunting expedition. We never had a word of 

 difference. They were always bright and will- 

 ing, and under the most uncomfortable circum- 

 stances never uttered a word of complaint. 

 I think I may say we parted with mutual 

 regret. They all spoke English, but Steve 

 Bernard was the most fluent. Amongst them- 

 selves they chattered in their own soft Micmac 

 language, and they never seemed to stop talk- 

 ing. All Newfoundlanders have a specially 

 charming accent, which is neither Irish nor 

 Canadian, and certainly not American. It is 

 very soft and mellifluous. " All right," pro- 

 nounced as if it were " aal," is the most com- 

 mon expression, and seems to be used on every 

 possible occasion. 



All my men, instead of di'opping their " h's " 

 in the Cockney fashion, seemed to aspirate 

 almost every word beginning with a vowel, 

 for instance they always spoke of h'oil, h'oar, 

 h'eat, and h'arm, and so with many other words. 



The Micmacs are Catholics, and their head- 

 quarters in Canada are at Restigouche. Their 

 settlement in Newfoundland is on the Conne 

 River. A priest from Restigouche visits Conne 

 River from time to time and preaches in Mic- 

 mac. At Restigouche are published the Bible, 

 Catechism and other books in Micmac, which 



