148 NEWFOUNDLAND 



I met a fisherman one day at the same place, and he 

 plunged into his wants at once, for of all things that young 

 Newfoundland loves, it is a dance. 



"Say, Mister," he said, "wouldn't you like a spree 

 to-night ? " 



I remarked that I was not hunting for sprees just at 

 that moment, but whales. 



" But do just, there's a good man. Go up to the priest 

 and ask the loan of the schoolhouse. You're a stranger, 

 and he'll give it to you at once, though he wouldn't for me. 

 I've got some whisky, and all the girls will come as soon as 

 they know you've got the schoolhouse." 



The offer was certainly enticing from his point of view, 

 but as we might sail at any moment when the wind went 

 down, I was forced to decline his hospitable suggestion. Most 

 of the people stop and speak to you, and all ask if you are 

 buying fish, and what is the price of cod in St. John's. 



The women work on the drying stages as well as the 

 men, laying out the fish whenever the sun shines, and piling 

 into heaps under layers of bark whenever it threatens to 

 rain. They all talk a good deal about their poverty, but 

 personally I could hear of little genuine distress in this part 

 of the island. One day two little boys, plump and well fed, 

 but dressed in rags, stopped me and demanded cents. On 

 asking them why they begged, and if it was for money to 

 buy sweets, one of them said that they had had nothing to 

 eat that day. 



" What is your father ? " I asked. 



" We ain't got no father," the eldest replied, looking 

 down. " He's got drowned." 



" And your mother .'' " 



"She can't do nothing; she's sick wi' the chills." 



