80 NEWFOUNDLAND 



great opposition. The merchants were specially hostile to 

 the new departure ; one old business man used to stand on 

 the head of his wharf, and tell the people how ' a tall gate ' 

 (tollgate) would be placed at the western entrance to St. 

 John's ; every one with a horse and cart would have to pay 

 28. 6d., and whenever the surveyor's tape was passed over 

 their land it was gone from them for ever. In consequence 

 of these stories the people were stirred into a state of frenzy 

 and madness. When the railway surveyors began their work 

 at Topsail, at least five hundred insane men and women 

 followed them about constantly insulting and threatening 

 them. I was sent out with a small body of police to talk 

 to the people, and explain all about the railway. For days 

 and days I sat on the hillside, and told them all about the 

 advantages of the new line. It was all in vain ; I could not 

 overcome their dread of the new and dangerous enterprise. 

 At last one morning they made a murderous assault on the 

 surveyors, took all their instruments, and they had to run for 

 their lives. As soon as I had taken the deposition of these 

 frightened officials, I hurried back to where the crowd were 

 rejoicing over their victory. The leader in the assault on the 

 surveyors was a fisherman farmer called Charley Andrews. 

 We had some difficulty in carrying out his arrest. After he 

 had been conveyed to the city jail, I met him on one of my 

 usual rounds of inspection. 'Well, Charley,' I said, 'how 

 are you getting on ? ' 'I am all for the railway now. 

 Judge.' ' How has that change come over the spirit of 

 your dream?' said I. 'Well,' he answered, 'it was this 

 way. An English sailor chap got drunk and he were put 

 into my cell ; when he wakes in the mornin' he says to me, 

 "Well, old chap, what in the name of heaven brought you 

 here ? " I told 'un it were fer fightin' agen a railway. 



