BALL IN NEWFOUNDLAND. 213 



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that few vessels attempted to go to Labrador before the 10th of June, 

 when the cod-fishery at once commences. 



One afternoon we were visited by a deputation from the inhabitants of 

 the village, inviting our whole party to a ball which was to take place 

 that night, and requesting us to take with us our musical instruments. 

 We unanimously accepted the invitation, which had been made from 

 friendly feelings ; and finding that the deputies had a relish for " old 

 Jamaica," we helped them pretty freely to some, which soon shewed that 

 it had lost nothing of its energies by having visited Labrador. At ten 

 o'clock, the appointed hour, we landed, and were lighted to the dancing 

 hall by paper lanterns, one of us carrying a flute, another a violin, and I 

 with a flageolet stuck into my waistcoat pocket. 



The hall proved nothing else than the ground floor of a fishermarfs 

 house. We were presented to his wife, who, like her neighbours, was an 

 adept in the piscatory art. She curtseyed, not a la Taglioni, it is true, 

 but with a modest assurance, which to me was quite as pleasing as the 

 airiness with which the admired performer just mentioned might have 

 paid her respects. The good woman was rather unprepared, and quite 

 en negligee, as was the apartment, but full of activity, and anxious to 

 arrange things in becoming style. In one hand she held a bunch of can- 

 dles, in the other a lighted torch, and distributing the former at proper 

 intervals along the walls, she applied the latter to them in succession. 

 This done, she emptied the contents of a large tin vessel into a number 

 of glasses which were placed in a tea-tray on the only table in the room. 

 The chimney, black and capacious, was embellished with cofi'ee-pots, 

 milk-jugs, cups and saucers, knives and forks, and all the paraphernalia 

 necessary on so important an occasion. A set of primitive wooden stools 

 and benches was placed around, for the reception of the belles of the vil- 

 lage, some of whom now dropped in, flourishing in all the rosy fatness 

 produced by an invigorating northern climate, and in decoration vying 

 with the noblest Indian queen of the west. Their stays seemed ready to 

 burst open, and their shoes were equally pressed, so full of sap were the 

 arctic beauties. Around their necks, brilliant beads, mingled with ebony 

 tresses, and their naked arms might have inspired apprehension had they 

 not been constantly employed in arranging flowing ribbons, gaudy 

 flowers, and muslin flounces. 



Now arrived one of the beaux, just returned from the fishing, who, 

 knowing all, and being equally known, leaped without ceremony on the 



