42 THE LIFE OF PHILIP HENRY GOSSE. 



A Parson who was right at hand, 



Told him you'd gone to Newfoundland." 



" Indeed ! " says Bell/ " when did he go ? 



For he's deserted, you must know. 



But morrow-morning I shall post 



On every wall his bloody ghost, 



And, in a fiery placard, speak 



The following words, in broken Greek :; — 



' No f ice. 



* Deserted from old Beelzebub, 



* Two nights ago, Phil Gosse, my cub. 



* Had on, when left, an old white hat, 



* A brown surtout, choke full of fat, 



* A [half-line missing], and in his box 



* Were two old books by Doctor Watts, 



* One sermon by Durant, and^ dang 'ee, 



* A book of riddles from his granny. 

 ' Whoever harbours this my man, 



' Let him beware ! his hide I'll tan ! ' " 



One of the public characteristics of Newfoundland life 

 of which Gosse became earliest aware was the growing 

 jealousy of the Irish element in the population. The lad 

 quickly took the tone of the Saxon and purely colonial 

 minority among whom he had been thrown. A special 

 nuisance of the town of Carbonear was the abundance of 

 mongrel curs in the streets ; and one day, when young 

 Gosse had strolled down to Harbour Rock (an elevated 

 spot about half-way down the port, which formed a very 

 general resort as a terminus to a moderate walk), in com- 

 pany with his brother William, two or three of the ships' 

 captains, and some clerks of various firms, he committed 

 an indiscretion which left a strong impression on his 

 memory. One of his companions was a very gentleman- 

 like young fellow, called Moore, book-keeper to one of the 



^ Beelzebub. 



