CARIBOU HUNTING 89 



" A' got carried to the ' ice-huntin' ' myself when a' was 

 no more than seven and a half years old," said the old man, 

 as he reflectively puffed at his twisted plug. " Most wonderful 

 terbaccer this " — after which a long pause, only broken by 

 sounds of suction. 



"Well, go on. Bob," I said; "tell us all about it." 



" What you got that book out for .-' " 



"Oh, just to make some notes on seal-hunting." 



"Oh," and the old man positively blushed. " Yer ain't 

 goin' to put me in one of them books o' yours, are ye ? " 



" Well, what if I am ? I shan't say anything nasty about 

 you anyhow, unless you hurry up and get on about that 

 time you got carried to the ice as a child." 



After this threat the tale proceeded without a break, whilst 

 Jack occasionally offered encouraging suggestions, such as, 

 "You don't say!" "Well, well. Bob!" " Thet's what it is, 

 now I 



"Ye know a' was brought up 'mongst seals and seal folk, 

 and a' can't recollect no time when ma dad warn't goin' to 

 the ice and ma mother warn't scared. Swoiles (seals) was 

 much to us in the spring, for it meant 'bout what we lived 

 on whether the seals drove down in the spring or not, and 

 we struck 'em. So when a' was a little chap ma mother 

 used to put me to bed and make me say prayers like this 

 when swoiles was about : ' Lard God Almighty, send a swile 

 fer daddy, an' send a swile fer mamma, and a swile fer Uncle 

 Jim, an' wan fer Uncle Jim's wife, an' a swile fer little Tommy, 

 an' one each fer Jarge an' Mary, an' a swile fer each of Cousin 

 Will's family, not forgettin' a swile fer Aunt Jane what's a 

 pore widder. An' oh. Lord, don't let de ice blow off shore 

 when daddy's aboard, an' bring 'un safe to hum. Amen.' 

 Then ma mother would call all over our relations to see 



