MOUNT CORMACK REGION 213 



was an optimist of the most pronounced type. But Frank 

 was wrong for once. 



The word "civil" is used to express several meanings in 

 Newfoundland. The expression, " It's a civil day," is too 

 obvious to require explanation, but it is used in another 

 curious way, to signify "gaining sense or knowledge of a 

 thing." Thus Frank delivered himself one evening: — 



" We'd an English captain here once that tried to shoot 

 deer on the best army principles, an' I couldn't get him cured 

 nohow. He'd get a small hill betwixt him and the stag, and 

 then make rushes in full view of any other deer that might 

 be about. When he'd come to de nex' mound he'd fall down 

 flat like he had de stummick ache and peek round expectin' 

 to see de stag, which by this time was travellin' up de 

 country. Then he'd look round sour-like, and ses he, ' Dese 

 caribou about de wildest deer I ever struck, and most difficult 

 to hunt.' But by-and-by he see army tactics warn't no use, 

 so he got kind d civilised, and used to say Newfun'lan' 'ud 

 make a fine training-ground for de British Army." 



During the night the wind had shifted to the south, and 

 September 14th was one of the worst days I ever remember. 

 The rain descended in a perfect deluge, and we worried on 

 in the teeth of a gale till 5 p.m., when, soaked to the skin 

 in spite of our heavy sou'-westers, we arrived at the island 

 like so many drowned rats. Two or three times during the 

 day Joe wished us to put up, but I wished to press on as 

 the time was getting short, and we were anxious to reach 

 the stag country before the migration commenced. The 

 white men never said a word, but toiled away with the 

 canoes and at the portages with silent doggedness. In bad 

 weather or with rough work the two temperaments, that 

 of the white and the red man, are manifest. It may seem 



