SHORTIS PAPERSVoI.2,Pt.l

.. ' c., ~

MAY 41m

(I. I'l'HE SPANIARDS - OUR OLDES1.' CUSTONERS

Il.F.Shortis-Historiog~~

It is my intention to devote my few remarks here tonight

principally to my personal knowledge to the many Spaniards that

visited Newfoundland during the sixties of the past century, when

I was a boy. As an introduction it is necessary to give a short

outline of the very earliest history of our country in fact the

Spanish connection dates back to pre-historic times. 'I:here wasno

greater authority on our early history than the illustrious prelate

this late lamented Archbishop Howley and in the last article that

he made for the IINewfoundland Quarterly" magazine on our Name Lore I

he told us that there was undoubted proof that the Spaniards or

basque fishermen had visited and traded with the Indians of New-

foundland fully forty years previous to John Cabot's discovery of

our country. The very name Daccalaus, which Sebastian Cabot

christenedourIsland,isoneoftheverystrongestproofs. Cabot

thought that the word Baccalaus, which the Indians repeated so often,

had reference to the name of the country, whereas the Red Indians

were really enquiring whether the new arrivals \'1ere in seax:ch of

codfish,astheSpahiardshadcalleditsoofteninpreviousyears.

Spain made claims to certain Rights of the Discayans to fish in

recognize them. I firmly believe~_that, if this subject were more

deeply investigated in the old Spanish records, confirmation of their

prior discovery to that of John Cabot would be early demonstrated.

It must be remembered that, in olden times 1 a Royal Charter was a

wonderful advantage to the adventurer

\\C\\lSC'L\'>·h.O" -\lr:>",'\~"'- fX-'-'i-"'\~ o~ \,\ Ii :"\1(,\,-h",/ \)~L ~\ ( \

\.\\ "he P\C'v~\\C""-( I-\\'\\'¥~'I -'31 ~)~ (I"C,.

Columbus and Cabot stand on pedestals, whereas those who had

beaten the track and prepared the \'lay for them, are wholly forgotten.

I could mention many other instances or Royal Charters, such

as Gasper Cortoreal of Portugal, Jacques Cartier of France, men,

who, by their influence at Court, took precedence of others who

had been discoverers here long before them.

In the year 149B, we have the information, from a letter written

by Pedro de Ayala, the Spanish Consul in England, that he had seen

Cabot's chart showing the discovery of the "New Island" to be about

four hundred leagues from England, which he considered was the same

landdiscoveredbySpanishsubjec.ts.

'!'hese early Spanish or Basque fishermen were not above shore,

but they were also daring whalers or sealers. Their adventures to

kamea Islands in search of seal and walrus are duly chronicled, even

by the English. These hardy Biscayans continued their voyages here

right up to December.

We have the record in 1577 that the Basque fleet was frozen up

in Newfoundland or Labrador, and five hundred and forty men perished.

In the Spanish records of 1553, we find that t\W hundred ships and

six thousand men were employed in Newfoundland.

King Philip wished to send a convoy of ships of war with them,

but the Biscayans, thanking the King, preferred to go without the

convoy, believing they were safer in twos and threes than they would

be in a large fleet.

Heavy taxes were the bane and curse of these Biscayan fishermen,

and. they carried on their trade in spite of their Government, who

never missed a chance to tax them heavily.

'l'he numerous wars between Spain and England, before and after

the great invasion of the Invinciblel\rrnatlc in 1580, has serious

consequences to the Spanish adventurers in Nfld. at that time.

'I'he great fleet of Basque fishermen practically disappeared

from newfoundland after that date.

The defeat of the Spanish Armada was a terrible blow to the

ascendancy of Spain.

From that date the British, who had been "Singling the beard

of the Spanish King", as Drake called it, now took the lead, and

had been Mistress of the Seas ever since, and long may Britain rule

In 1601, we find the Spanish men-of-war trying to intercept

The hatred of the English for the Spanish at this period is

well known to all Britishers. To be captured by a Spaniard spelled

death. There was a proberb current throughout Spain at that time

that exemplifies the fierce fighting of our British ancestors;

"War with the world but peace with England",

'l'hedesperatefightingofDrakeandGrenvillehadbutthe

fear of the British in the Spanish heart. With facts like these

before us, it is easy to understand why the British authorities

in all their treaties with Spain refused to allow them any fishing

Elizabeth never missed a favorable opportunity to have a hit at the

Spanish King or his people. She and her advisors knew that the

inevitable day for a great fight was approching, and she was ,~eady

and willing to take up the gauntlets at any moment, and with that

Nhen the Treaty of Utrecht was signed in 1713, it contained a

very ambiguous clause, granting to the Biscayans and other inhabitants

of Spain "all the privileges to which they can with right pretend",

The Biscayans took it for granted, and were probably led to

believe by their own Government, that their claims for fishing rights

in Newfoundland to be allowed.

I~e know for certain that the Biscayans continued to trade

with Placentia, as the old tomb-stones, dated 1676 and 1694, are

still to be seen there, showing that they must have had a very

intimate relationship with the old town. A sketch of these old

tomb-stones, \"ith inscriptions and explanations, taken by our late

patriotic prelate, Archbishop Howley, was published in book form,

and distributed amongst our literary people.

In 1715, some Biscayans arrived at Placentia, and the British

Government at onee ordered them off. lIe told them his reading of

the 1'reaty was such that the Spaniards should not enjoy any privileges

under the Treaty. It is said that Biscayan traders registered their

vessels under British mmership, and sailed under theBritish flag.

A case, as late as 1765, is kno\'ln, where two of those vessels

were found to be really owned by Spaniards.

The last attempt that we find recorded of Spain laying eliam

to fishing rights in Newfoundland occurred in 1761. A Treaty was

being arranged between England and France, when proceedings were

suddenly interrupted by Spain advancing her claims, which were

strongly supported by France.

l"lilliam Pitt soon put a stop to that movement, and in a. letter

to the British Ambassador at Nadrid, he informed them that "no

concession ,;auld be yielded to Spain, no matter how strongly abetted

and supported.

1'othevisitortoSt. John's during thc early sixties and

middle seventies, the contract between the city of those days and

that of today, is painfully apparent; I mean in an industrial point

of view, having regard to our staple industry-the cod fishery.

In those days, from the first of July to the last of October,

the waterfront of St. John's, as far as shipping is concerned, is

comparatively deserted. An occasional cargo and passenger boat,

paying us their weekly visits, are a melancholy substitute fod the

flotilla of Spanish brigs and bargues, as well as brigantines and

sloops, whioh swing in the stream from Kenneth McLea's in the West

End to Fox and Harvey's in the East End.

Those vessels presented a splendid appearance with their trim

and well-kept-rigging, with their taut masts, surmounted by the

Spanish flag floating in the breeze, although for the past year

or so (1917) several small Spanish vessels have arrived and

purchased cargoes of fish, and returned to their m<n country. I

understand that a larger fleet will be engaged in the fish trade

between Spain and Ne\vfoundland next year, as we have several Spanish

fish merchants in our midst touay, who purpose remaining in Newfound-

land to conduct the fish business upon a large scale.

Well I remember how familiar the Spanish flag was to the people

of St. John's in those days! It is not my purpose to have to enquire

into the causes that brought about the withdrawal of this splendid

fleet of vessels from our shores, and whether we ourselves were, in

a measure, contributary to that cause remains an open question.

However, no matter who was responsible for the withdrawal of the

Spanish Nercantile Barine from our waters, Ne\'1foundland, and St.

John's in particular, received a blow to its commercial interests

from which it never entirely recovered.

In the days I speak of, Newfoundl"and was in a highly prosperous

position, notwithstanc1ing that the price of fish was very much below

what it has reached during the past few years, and this prosperity,

I have no hesitation in saying, was largely due to the annual pre-

sence of the Spanish fleet in our waters.

Their presence here meant employment to sail makers, iron-workers,

carpenters, butchers, farmers, laborers, etc, and whatever was done

directly for the ships, the captains of those vessels paid with a

generous hand. It was a pleasure to deal with those captains. They

were gentlemanly and courteous, and the spirit of the hidalgos was

conspicuous in everyone of them.

The principal firms, which dealt largely with those Spanish

owners and captains were those 'Of W. H. Thomas, C. F. Bennett &

Co. J. \'1. Stewart, Baine Johnston & Co., Job Bros. & Co., .Lawrence

O'Brien, while to a less extent the firms of Kenneth NcLea & Sons,

Hogshett & Co., R. Alsop & Co., Wesson & Co., Fox & Harvey, Stabb,

Rowe & llolmwood, loaded several each during the season.

To give some idea as to the amount of wealth brought into their

country by the Spaniards in the early days of our country's his tory,

and especially during the mic1dle of the past century, I shall relate

an events that took place somwwhat over seventy years ago.

In a certain year of that period, four large Spanish vessels

arrived at St. John's from Spain late in the Fall of the year to

purchase fish for the Spanish market, but owing to some cause, prob-

ably the weather being unsuitable for c1rying the staple, they were

It was a very cold winter and St. John's Harbor was frozen

Over that month, and in those days we have no ice-breakers of the

Nascopce style to keep the Harbor open. In fact, \ole had no steamers

of any sort - nut even a John Green or an InGraham.

One tright frosty day a commotion was created in St. John's

by a num'.:>er of horses and catamarans l,roceeding down ·~la.ter ::it.,

surrounded by a guard of special constables armed with [luns, which

n turally drew hundreds of the curious ",-nongst our citizens to the

scene, to ascertain l·..'hat Has the unusual occurrence. Box-carts Here

placed upon the catamarans, and these carts were filled up with

scores of small bags, containing Spanish dollars to the amount of

$64,oao. This amount ,laS deposited in the Bank of British North

AmeriCa in the East End of St. John's, in payment for the four

cargoes purchased by the owners of the "'panish vessels.

The loads of silver dollars were conveyed across the hprbor

over the ice, and tre old gentlemen, from \-rhom I r_eceived there

particulars, "as one of the Party who accompanied the procession,

an~ who Has, at the time, a clerk in the emplo:,- of the firm of C.

F. Bennett Co.

The gre,t majority of those vessels wore owned by merchants

in the Spanish ports of San Sabastian, Bilbo a , Valencia, Nalaya,

Seville, Denia and Barcelone.

Some of those vessels were over t,;o hundred t~ns, but the maj-

ority "ere under one hundred and fifty. They were the "'lisa, Brugs,

"uinta, Fipita, PaguettedeTerraNova, Avelina, Louisita,Activa,

Gaba, Observador, Sieta, Basilia, Beatriz, Dos Hermanos, Joven Carlos,

Vid, ..>ocita, LuisD Villa, 1'orrillico, An'!elica, Romans, Cid Campeador

an d many others.

There were two or three of the one family masters of vessels

tho.t arrived here from loJpain, a~onest Hho:n I remember t"ro Dominiques

nnd three brothel'S of the family of Paris. 'l'he former belon,,;ed to

Vplencia and the latter to the littJe tmm of Venia, which annually

eXt'orts four rnilllons of or an!'Te s aSl.;el] qS other' fpuits. Thero

\{ S nlso n~othe't· .:)panish captain \-1011 kno\·n in .::)t. John's, namod

lloberts, ;rho remained in lle,,d'oundland for about t;,leve ",onths to

bacome proficient in the ,Cn£jlish laneuage. He was a native of

San Sab"stian, and attended the famous Gram",ar School at Harbor

Grace, presided over by John Irving Hoddick, father of ':>ir 'J:homas

G. "oddick, the famous physician of Nontreal.

In those daYs it ;raS customary for any School ;rorthy of the

name to have the ::>panish lan8uage in its curriculums, md many of

our lIeHfoundlanders ;rere quite proficient in that tongue.

The :nost of us, in middle life or over, remember Hr. Patrick

Comerford, Thomas ;;ater md his brother Richard (sons of the famous

master - marin"r Capt. };ater, ;rho first ran the mails between Halifax

and St. John's) lHchael Kearney and many others in i:)t. John's. Hr.

Comerford for many years. I may say" that very few of the better.

off clasS of our people ;rho attended our Colleges, or such Schools

as the Grammar School of Carbonear, prcsideil over by that brilliant

classical scholar Alexander O'Donavan, N. A. ". Trinity College,

Dublin, or the Gr8ll'_mar Scheol at Harbor Groce, but had a very good

knO\;ledge of t"e Spanish l_nguage, ;rhich HaS quickly improved by

their continuous intercourse Hith the Spaniards ;rho arrived annually,

and Here ever ready to render all the assistance possible to enable

the youth to become ;.roficient in the grmd old language of Cnstile.

J. t was no unusual event for the merchants to send one of their

young clerks "cr'oss to u pain to stUdy the lansuage amongst the people

as Hell as to Get ffi'\ insight into the business methods of our good

friends m d customers in the land of the Dons.

One of trese :·:as myoId school-mate, the late I·ir. ·'m. Badcock,

who died in Cetalina about twent~'-five years ago. He resided ;n

"",;ain for nearly t;ro years, and ,·,as a remarkably brilliant younf"

man. 'J:helatoP.:,'i.Kiclly, fathcrof;:.A. O'DKelly, the auctioneer,

etc,h'flS alsoathorouchvpanish .... cholnr.

I could name scores here, as well o.S the outports, who ,·,ere

masters of the "panish language, and who imparted their knowledge

to their frient's during their leisure hours. The late illustrions

prelate, Bishop J';ullock, was a profound "'panish scholar, and received

much of his education at the University of COimba in "pain.

In the dark days of Ireland, the Irish race alHays found a home

and a welcome on the hospitable shores of ronny "pain. The Spanish

peoPle received them ;Ii th open arms, and many of the Irish refugees­

known as the l.Hld Geese - rose to eminence in that land, taking leading

positions in the Army, Navy, Church, politics an'i every other walk

ole cannot read the history of Spsi n Hi thout taking notice of

the important part played in that history by such Irish Exiles as

r·'arshal O'Donnell, Duke of Tetuan; Marshal Primm, the King Nakel';

Prendegast, Prcmier of Spain, and mm y othe rs whose descendants

ere todaY holding tile most prominent and honorable positions in

Church and State.

They accomplished the same meritoriouse3 and brilliant career

in sunny Spain as did their felloH-exiles - the Hac !-lations, Neils,

Dillons, etc, of Frmce - the Nugents and Tafes of Austria, O'Roukres

of Russia, Laceys of Italy, O'HigL,ins of Chili, O'Briens and Donohoes

of I';exico, Carrolls, SUllivans, Sheridans etc, of the United States,

in a word, they were found foremost in war, politics, learning, etc,

in every country in Europe, A:n.eric B , Austria, Canad~ and elseHhere,

inclUding Newfoundland.

A country tr3.t produced such heroes as (;olumbus, Pizarra, Her-

nundo Cortex, Ponce de Leon; such artists us Velasc;uez and Eurillu;

such Hriters oS Cervantes; sUGhdef"endersof"ChristianityasLo;rola

pni' St. 'fherasu; such menarcho 113 Charl~'s V. and hundreds of ethcr9,

"Lo made the name or Spain respected in all parts or the loO>:;,lrl, must

occupy a prominent place in history 1'01' all time. -'ho has not heard

or that brilliant md proround scholar and orator, the late Emelio

C.stellar, whose polished diction, poetic imagery and serried arg-

uments, supplemented by his irresustable convincingness and impass­

ioned rerver or his delive,'y, made his orations clossic gems chis-

elled to a point or perrection.

I have orten heard it said that the ;)panierds were 'an ignorant

re.ce. How little such people, who make this statement, knO\< about

that country and her people!

Her Universities from time irmnemorial have been famous amongst

the people or Et-rope. They are to be round in ever)' city, - madrid,

Seville, Salarnanca, SaragossB, Valencia, Coirnbr", etc, and. eVQn in

t! e \pillro<'6s of Spa n there are to be found ,-,riters of' pure, and

especially poetry, that can compa~ e rs.vorably ,li th that or Tom Hoare

or Bobbie Bnrns.

In our O'Tn country, those natives or sunny Spain, who have

settlc(! dOvIn a=nonr;st us, have proved themselves gentlemen of untar-

nished honor, as well as hospitable and courteous, ,rorthy re'presentatives

or that polishe'l ann chi vatrous race ilia maintained the reputation or

the people or Castile ann Lavn as the most rerined end cultured people

or Europe.

Of those I may mention the l<J te Capt. Perez, Singale,

Ancre, Nathias and ,rRm"S 1·lorey and mmy others. Then in

Frank ]'lacl':enizic, one or t,e most telented .~rtists that ever resied

in this ~ountry; whose Hork on the famous. Cathedral or the Immaculate

Conception at H~rbor Grace, ,ms 1 oked upon a~ a marvel or artisti c

skills an-J beauty, but which unrortunately does not exist to'J~y. It

'" s nestroyed b:r fire on the 2nd September, 1l.o9. By his nar,e it Hill

b· l'eadjly perceived that ho >Ins not of the puro ;)r>nnish race, nnd I

m"Y hore state that his fathor HaS a Sootchman. But, all the same,

ho inherited ,,11 the c;enuis of his country, Hhich produced a hurillo

an<l II V"lasquez, from his mother, Hho could trace hel' ancestors back

to the days of the I·;oorish invasion.

!ianyof the Spanish vessels that visited our shores in my young

days Here very old, built of oak, well fastened and fast sailors. On

more than one of them could be seen the ring-bolts, to which "ere

locked the poor slaves from Africll in the days of the slave trade,

previoris and after that p;reat curse to humanity and civilization

"as abolished in all christians countries. I knoH that some of those

vessels He,'e fifty or sixty years old, and Here apparently were as

stro ne seaworthy as they wore in the daYS they roa-ned the "pan.ish

I noticed that ab:ost without exception they carried hen-coops

in >lhich we:'e kept a plentiful suplyofpoultry. 'l'hesehen-coops

were on ~ock, [.enerally aft, but I have often seen the poultry kept

on bOard, and ayoun'; pig or two also.

They apprently lived very comfortably, havine an abundance of

fruit, pastry, pilot biscuits, etc,butitHouldap:.earthateven

the pleasins aroma :from toe Havana cigars and cigarettes had to eive

way before the strong fumes of garlio, with Hhich their food seemed

In the afternoons and early morninr':s they >lent fishinr;, and

utilized certain fish as a relish, that \·re NeHfoundl"nders ",o~ld

bo very reluctant to touch as an article of diet.

I h"ve often so en them [.0 in the cOuntl'y >lith their guns and

shoot robin-,>ectbroast, ",hieh they pronounce" to be ~eliciouR. They

cooko'lthem nries, anol theycortainlyenjoyed their repast, and

Here sllrprisect \·r!uJn I toli! the:n thnt \;0 <'i·1 not oat those birds.

rhcir Hashinr, day Has alw-:.nys on J.~on.r1a,{, '1Ild thoso occusions

.'llHflJ~S dreH a laree number of ci tlzons to the water - front to viOt"

the scene. All the Spanish crews left their ships at acertllin hour,

I should say, aboutsevenC'clock. Thelargostboattooktholearl

on the Haters of the Harbor, andin her were eight stalVlart sailors,

who were all ready with the Oars in the row-locks.

'rhen some ten ,or a dozen small boats, ,.ith several of the orews,

amongst whom VIere the misicians and "boneall. At a given signal the

head boat HaS set in motion by the oarsmen, the musicians struck up

with their guitars, and their assistmts with their "bones", which

they ,·rielded betHsen thrir fingers, and one and all sung. >lith

melodious voices the love-songs of their country to the t.lU18S on

the guitars, and the rhythmic splash of the oars added a picture.

es~ueness to the scene that Hould compel one to imagine that he

"oS, for a tame, transplanted to the smiling and verdant ban'cs of

the Douro and Guedalquivnr in the neighborhooo of Seville or some

other city in the land of sunny Spain.

In this menner they proceeded to River 'Head, where the fresh

I'later runs into the sea; and then commenced their wo·rk, Hhich, ",hen

completed the garments ,·rere bro ght the respective vessels and hun:>

otto dry.

Their clothing was of the most variegated colours -red, yelloH,

green, blue, pink, etc, and as the garments ioJaved about they gave

a kallicloscopic appe",rance to the scene. Very man:)'. of them had

their ears orna..'11ented with rings, some of them of hu~e dimens·i~ns.

rhey",ereparticularlypartialtocoloureiineck-ties. 'i'heyappeared

to be a social creH, and the captain always treated them kindly.

As a rule, the ca:.)inboy or apprentice vIaS a son or relative of the

r;aptainormate.

They ah!aya treated our people with frL.it, wine, mite, etc, nnrl

it was asourcoofp;reatplollsure to listen to theirvulr'-son fT :

their COU"lt"y, l'ecounting the wonderful e",,,loits of the Cid Conpeador

in some other r,roat horo of the past, when Chivalry was the chief

chr:racteristic of their people in their continuiris encounters with

the I':oors, or ho\.; some fE:VloUS Knight of Calatrava, or Castile carrieo.

off his lady love from all the efforts of the infuriated father to

prevent the motch. 'rhe guitars accompanied the sinz,ers, and it ap­

peared to me that every ::ipanish that Came under :ny notice in those

daYs of old Has a musician, at least as far as their favorite in-

They wel'e very regular at Church, and at l~st Hoss on Sunday

you "ould rarely find any of the crew cn board except the cook.

They were alHays neatly and expensively dressed. I mean the Cap-

General1~" they had velvet cOats, white, red or variQ.£!J.ted

coloured silk vests, coloured pants and dainty coloured patent leather

shoes, At great festivals they invariably assisted in decorating

the Church, and truly they were master hands at that Hork. The r;reat

prelate, Bishop r:ullock, Has a great admirer of the "punish people,

and did not hesitate to tell his Olm consre!3ation his favorable

opinion of them, and took every opportunity to ShOH his esteem and

respect for them by inviting the Captain and office:'s to the Palace.

An amusins was Hitnessed in St. John's Hhen the Spanish sailors

assembled at niGht in Job's Cove and other like places to dis:,ose of

their pine appels, nuts, doug. nuts, oran~eG, etc, and a laree ex'oJ]

of peO"le usu'llly come forth to purchase the fruit, etc, Hilich tl1l

sailors broU'·;ht on speCUlation to mako a fOI; dallal'S for themselves.

A buzz of voices from the ....poniards, nre~se~ in an i..f'inite

VRriety of colour a nnd costumes, salute -1 the o!\r, find the np~:eal

of tol: e vendor s us the y c xl::.. i~; i ter1 the i r CtIO.i ce f1"' U its, etc, \.f1 t h,

"Vnya que bar-a to; ho visto ustCd ll- (che.ilp, chet~p, ;you must never 3:,1\-1

Tho ladies, too, most effectually playcd their port in the Babel-

liko panto~t1imc, and many Here the i:':err~r" jocumd laughs and spicy,

smart rejoiners that pass d round, Hhile the induotrious and ubiq­

uitous "small boy" had his eye to business to lift one of the pine

appels, etc, to enjoy a good palstable feed at his ease at one of

his usual res 0 r t s on '~iat ty I S v1h ar f or e 1 s e ~'1 here .

At times their love of :cusic \;Quld overcome the, and in mel-

odi ous vo 1ce s the y \..~ould s to ik e ou t :

Un~ noctre tan her:noca,

l'~e con-;.ridan a pascar,

Fel'oco:oyladi'"o

en the 16th September, 1861, a sad event occurred Hhich resulted

in the loss of a 3partish boy, a me!11ber of the cre\ol of the ~panish

brisantina l-':ar8ue~'ita. A strong ea1e of' Hind \-laS bloHing at the

time and to save the ship from being injured b:r striking against

Qlorien's wharf', to H'hich shw Has ;:Ioored to take in a car[';O orcodfish, it "'?s deciC'ec to haul her out in the horbor.

'l'he vessel had no ballast in at the time, and the force of ,i nd

WIS such that the vessel capsixed in the harbor, and all the cre"

monaged to escape escept the poor little cabin boy. The vessel Has

subsequently tOi.·lsd up to 1IeHman's whaef, where f,:r. Samuel \ialsh,

ship carpenter, ~uickly placec her on an even Keel and superinterrl ed

all the necessary repairs. She afterHards loaded at O'Brien's am

sailed for the "ranish market.

The ~paninrds, as I krncH them were a V8PY social, courteous

and in.terestinG clans of men. They did evepythinp: in their po,,,ers

to amus" the people and mixed with them upon ell occClsions. In the

ni"ht they visitod several houses, and pl~yerl end danced to theip

national tunes until 10 O'clock. They r.hruys conrlucted themselves as

-15-

entloPlen, Horthy so~ons of the hidalgos of Old Castile. Cur peo. Ie

inv"riabl"J- took part in those entcrtain:nents.

DurinstheRelcettathoytookadeepinterestinit,llnddidall

in their rm,er to m~ke it a suocess. In those days boating, HaS a

favorite pastime, and the young men and young T,-IOmen were always cer-

tRin to be acco.':modated by the ::ipanish oaptains [ind crews, by placinG

their boats (either sailor row boats) at their disposal. And fur-

ther they alHays "rovided the:n with delicacies in the shapa of non-

intoxicoting Hines, tc, I ment~on these facts beCause they call "p

pleasant mereories of my youthful da)'s.

Ann no", the "toanish flaG is seldom seen in St. ,John's or Harbor

Gr ca. rrheir places are taken up by NOrlrJegians, Dutch, end Swedes.

The ':>t 31 ish vessels -..rere of a superior class, many of them real

clip;-·ers, well kept in rigf?;ing and runrling bear; beautifully painted

ani their arfieers and crews Here by no means nig~ardlJ in their

dealings with our people of all classes. On the other hanel, the

majority of other foreign ships, Dutch, SHades, Nor'.-;egians, etc,

are by no reoans a handsome class of ships .. They gener-ally have a

cre\1 of four or five man - they are :nise_able specim.ens of marine

architecture, and man)"" of them are of so ancient date and construction

that, to use a familiar nautical phrase, they "have their rudders

o",t of doors". They run the ships as cheaply as possible, and these

ships are not noted for their sailing qualities, and unless they are

fortunate enou:.;h to have a fair win1 their pas3aees are always so,.,e-

wnatlenethy.

Cf oourse they oharter cheo"er than Hould En::;lish or "pa-'1ish

vessels, butthenthel>ewasaluaysadifficult.'!in(';cttin' the:nto

I PO cee d to cart a in in the !'~e d i t err un i an, be caus e t hey Dr e for bi dden

tOdosoby their Govrnment.

In the sevonties of the past cent~y the .jpanish fleet visitins

ou' Shoresbe<'al1tof'llloff, andinofe"years, thej'hadal<,.ost

entirelydisaPreared, andthe$panishflagwasnolongel" seen in

the Harbor of St. John's. Noone will deny that they were a loss

to our people.

They purchased our staple, and raid for it in good hard silver·

0011ars ond [Cold, and the amount of money circulated amongst our

trades:nen, .:fal':ners, labours, etc, l,-laS very considerable. They have

been always one of our best customers, and we should do everything

in our pOHer to keep in the closest friendship with the:n, and not

permit our competitors to steal a :napch on us.

I may mention that a very sad event occurred on "the 14th, Atglst,

1576, b. Y which Capt. Piol, '.dfe and child, of the ~panish brigantine

lIr·lf,raquezzanall, 'l.ver'e lost near Blackhe·,d. li'he vessel Has signalled

from Signal Hill, St. John's, abou .. 4 O'clock in the evening, and

Upon the occasion the South Side Hill of St. John's 1,{aS on .fire,

and dense volumes of smoke were w~fted out to seo. During the night,

particularly, thousandsofcitizens\·:ereattractedtotheHillto

view the "ild grandeur of the scene. The smoke of tr.e fire, no doubt,

~las the cause of the dis~ster.. J..'he bodies vere recoverer, and nOH

restpeaceful:i.yinBelvidere.

On the 29th, "pril, 1876, ~on Carlos, the Pretender to the

Spanish Throne, arrived in St. John's, in OQf"'. He was a passenger

on the All&.1l stearr,ship !iibernian, and bound to BaltiMore, He Has

booked in the passen":er list as EdHards Gonzaleo. The most of us

over the half century mark remember the many insurrection that oc-

cU:'l">eri in S;>:..un,. :nOl'e especiallJ- durin5 the troubled reign of Queen

lsobello.

3ince the ncce sion of the present Kinr., Alfonso XIII, vepy

li ttle trouble ha,1 boen ['iven by the (;h<lrli~ts, as the young hinf"

verypopulpr. certainlJ" proved himself to bo a bravo m.'ln.

There were three or' four atte:npts to assassinate Alfonso since he

ascended the 1'hrone, but he escaped without injury. At present

peace and prosperity exists in the country~' and great efforts are

being made to develop the resources.

During the past ten or twleve years, notwithstanding the loss

of at 1 her Colonial possessions, "pain had made rapid strides in

advancement, 8!ld had e;reatly reduced her national debt. She is

gradually building up a Navy, and her numerous iron and other mines

ere no"" Horked as they gave not been worked for many years.

The youn~ King aPl,ears to have a mind of: his ol·m, and does not

hesitate to use it Hhen occasion resuires. It is a good thine for

Net...folmdland tha.t ~pain is rising in prosperit~r and peace, becpuse,

after all, she had ahJaYs been our chief customer for our staple

industry, ane is likelll to remain so for all time, provided HO trade

her fairly.

It is a romarkable fact that if one ",ould secure a good Nel;-

found land doc: - so famous in song and story for fidelity and intel­

ligence - he 'lOuld have to procure one in "pain. In the old days

when lorge numbers of the "panish vessels visited our Shores, the

captains and officers dweYs purchased a couple of these famous

animols, and nOH I am told, that the eristocr.-cy of "pain always

have one or more of them on their premises or estetes ..

"ewfoundlanders did not knoH hOH to vD.lue them, and li'gi'~tated

them out of existance from the month of the policeman's rifle. I

could relate many ncts of wanton and cold-blooded destruction of

those noble Animals by tho poiHce in years gone by, more es,Jecially

when they received a dollor for each d0f, shot.. I have seen ~cores

of thRpure brccdofHe'rlfoundlanddo:.;s r-un.rdinrthesheepannevory-

thln,,; else about thoir m:1stt:r'sl ~romise~, but J. have nevor' kno\·m cnc

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of thOl1 to destroy nsheep or nnythingolse.

At heme "nd abroad they h"ve alHo.ys been noted for sRving life.

'i'he ;Spanish captains Paid fifty dollars and over for one of those

noble animals, and I remember one Case when the CHuer refused one

hundred dollars. And yet the Same dog was destroyed a felf doys

latter, because the legislators made out theydestroyed sheepand

poultry.

In the late fifties and sixties of the past century there ,,;as

one captain of the "'panish fleet very po,:ular amongst all classes

in St. John1s, more particularly amongst the mercantile com.>mmity,

end that waS Capt. r'~onserette, of the brizantine "Ricardoll, which

Has lost at St. Shotts in July 1863. He after,lerds visited St. John's

as moB-star of the briGantine 1I}~a.Tlola".. He \-.!as 8. ver;l "tasty" man,

and carne ashoredrossedinbluckfrockcoat,v.rhitevestan1shininr;

top-hat. He was always 2 Holcome at all social functions,

frequontly invited to Government House.

There was also another captain, "-lho l,-rUS a Great favorite '\-lith

the people, vi?; Capt. uarciaofthe splendid brig lI,e;nrique". He

was e native of Alicante, end ",as employed in the fish trade for

I:1any years. He elHays brouGht several gold fish, which "ere to te

seen swimming 3bout in large s:lass globes, and Here much admired

by visitors on board ship.

He left those fish as a present to his special friends, ~revious

to his depnrture on his seveval voyages on return to ,.)pain. Thene

little fish are noted for their longerity, and I have rep.d sorne't.J'herc

that several of them re still alive in the Huseum of Odessa, nussia,

whichHereplnced thcrein the reicn of Peter the Great.

Very f CH .., Pan is h e sse Is v is it e rl l~ c"foundl an rl dur inc the e ightie s

and for neveral years not one visited our tibaros - more especiAlly

durinl3theninetios. AsIsaidbefore·this\-lasngreatlossto

our peorIa, as they \-J'ere f~00d custoMers, e.rl.d paid cash dO\tln f'or' dl

theypurch"scd.

From my o,m cxperience, and I was well ac,,"uainted with many

of them in my carly days, they were a liberal class of men, "'ho

sought nothins but the best, either from the shop-keepers, tradesmeJ;j,

farmers, or any other class of our people with whom they had dealings.

For some inexplicable reason our mercantile 1.' riends appeared,

in Vlter years, to havc preferred our ~reat rivals - the l:orHe~icns -

to visit our shorcs "nd secure oharters which Here formerly in tte

hen ds of the "panish themselves. For some reason "e legish ted to

Eet clear of them a nd "e succeeded.

The last scene of all in the "panish connection with Hewfound-

lend occurred in 1911. On the 1st January of that year, the "panish

barc,ua "Gu"delhorce" arrived in St. John's after a lonG passaRe from

Lalaca. She \laS so long on the VOY8ge thst all hopes of her safety

were given up, but, at lest, shewasreportedoffCapertaceandHas

tOHed to port. Her creH Hcre unused to a sea-raring life-their

clothinf' was unsuitable 1.'01' facing a lleHfoundland winter end they

presented a;Jitifulappearanceupon their arrival in St. John's.

The Rev. Father OICallahan, the ;;)panish ConSUl ~':orey and citi7.cns

generally interested themselves in the poor felloHs, and Hith the

usual generosity of NeHroundlnders a good amount of money was sub-

seribed, and they were provided "" th Harm clothing and all the CO::1-

fort necessary to withstand the cold weather, while in port. She

re'Mined in St. JOhn's ten weeks underGoin!:'; repairs, and l·lr. J. C.

i'~orris \-1 ... 3 en(;"fl:.~cd to make e full suit of sci les, \ihich took three

thousan"l yards of canvas to accomplish, "ith the best hemp and roped

wihsteclc"ble.

Bcfore lcavins the Ceptain shipt'cn five NewfoundlAnd se"men to

work the vessel across to l·jnl'1ga, vpnin., viz: Joseph J. Harris of

r. Gr!lCC, m:.lto: i-tichD.rd }>"!loney, Ct)rboner.r: I.::d\oJ....,rd NOSCHorthy,

St. JOhn's, and tHO other able seamen.

Cn the second day out, during a terrific gale and blinding

snO\;-storm, they lost t heir mainsail, main up' er-topsail and fore

upper-topsail. The NeHfoundland seamen had to do" he work, and

not~Tithstandin8 the gates of wind and heavy seas, they managed to

make the run across in 18 days.

They Hepe on the ship forty t,JO days altogether, and were paid

off in Halaga, I' eturning to NeHfoundland via Gibraltar and London

in the S. >:i. Canm,/ah. After they lost their upper top-sails, th,¥

carried no square canvas, Hxcept lower topsails and courses.

Upon the arrival here the captain purchased the fish brousht

in from the Horavian Settlements, Labrador, by the steamer H armong,

paying Cash do~m for it, depositin,; the &'1lountiin the Royal aa,'lk cf

Canaca, St. Joh:o's. The sarne may be said with rer;~rd to all the

other Bills contracted, which IJere paid to the cent.

The "Guadelhorce" was" fine, strong, well-built vessel, and

a fast sailor, as well as a good sea-boat. She had "mythological

emblems, such as sea-horses, birds, etc, carved on her deck touses,

surrounded by beautiful scrolls, and her cabin was very large and

constructec Hith greRt artistic skill ond beautiful designs. She

was afterwards sold in Ealaga to, I think, an "-nglish firm. Thus

passed away the Iflst of' the Spanish mercantile marine to visit our

shores, until last year (luI?) ann the present year, when selieral

Spanish vessels 'Here here to procure cer~oes. But the vesL,els \-Iel";

not ec;ual to those Hhich I have described r>urin" my remarks about

ttles.i.xtios u:1d sevo;.ties of trle past centur:,;. It isprobnble a

larrer fJoet w_ll visit St. John's next year, as \,:e nOH have sev-

8!'al S~:1ni9h tllor'chnnts he';'8 in Businons, pUl'chasing our corl fish

for tho Spanish market,

For my Olm part I hope to see the :panish fleet once morc visit

our country .. A countr'y",rith such a£jlorious l'8CQ!'d in the past,

Hho s e pe op Ie de f i ed an c~ v aff Ie d all the ef" or t s of t he Car thagen ian s ,

Ro"ans, ~;oors, and even those of the ereatest genius in >lar the world

has ever produced - Napeleon - Hill once more rise to a position

amonGst the great powers of Europe.

In conclusion, I may say, the present c;eneration do not realize

Hhat the cuttine; off the "panish trade meant to St. John's. It is

onlysuch"oldfoz,ies" asmysel.f, 'dho spent our happiest days amongst

them in years [lone by Md pal'took of tneir hospitality on board the

ships moored to the >lharf or anchored in the stream, cm call up

reminiselnces of those pleasant days.

Their arrival in the early sum:n,·er was looked for\vF\rd with

anxious expectation. Tteirarriv!111inthefirstinstancemeantluc-

rative employment for the laborers. Their ~resence a.""1ongst us seemed

to disscminate a spirit of cheerfulness, and with the arrival of

the first Spanish >Ie realized that summ.r was with us.

Those vTere prosperous and happy days in HeHfoundland. ffo see

those fresh young sailors, oressed in their picturesque garb, wending

their way in a fine summer's morning to the vard.ous bakers' and

butchers' shops topul'chase freshsup,·lies,

to leave a lastinG impression upon our youthful rn.i.nds.

A remaP:-::able thi.ng ,.bout those sailors HaS their youthful ap-

POU1'ance. They were recruited from the peasant class, and were, f'S

a rUle, handsome younC men. 'l'heif' ereatest characteristic was their

absolute cleenliness. 'j'heir smart appearonce, the musical tone of

t Le lr lnn~uage, tho ~ r unfai 1 inr cour te sY. and f~ent lemanly de.ne an our

made them pri:ne fuvorites '.-lith the people. As i mentioned before,

onc day out of the Ileek Has ,1evoterJ to Imshin[l of thoir clotpes,

vlhich wos always performed at one of th~ suburban lakes or rivel's.

This .laS an event that was looked f'orHard to by the "small boy" of'

those days. Those events wore ",ore enjoyed by the youn~er r;eneration

of' t het time than all the Garden parties, excuisions, prences and

nicklos of' t,e rresent day.

The 1<1 tt"r 1"01'M8 of enj"yrtent Here unheard of at the time I

urite of. Tho~r ~·lere a hap·y and :"n;locent class of men those .:>p~niD.rds,

on<1 they """0. fnll exrres8i n to their hr.ppiness in their bursts of'

sone; .ri. th I<hich the,' accompanied all their work.

It is Hell kno',m that one of the leadin" characteristics of' the

6p~nish nation is its love of music. 'rhoae young men were, Generally

speaking, intensely religious, end their singin~ always took the f> rm

of hyn-ns of supplication anr! praise. Their devotions to the Blessed

vir ..... in is Hell kno\m, and the expressions "Eadre Dics, Ave Haria

Purrissi:na" coul<1 be he"rd daily >l2fted heavcm<ard :froM. the dulcnt

tones o:f the Spanish tonr;ue. A large majority of those vessels Came

:from Barcelona, but other parts contributed their quota.

It is >lell lmol-Jn that in <>pain dialects are more shcrply de:fined

than a'11ongst any othe'" peoples, and so :fac:iliar I<ith and accustored

to the :paniards >lere our people that many leli:fo~ndlanders could

Make a fair guess,upon hearing a Spania.rd speak, as to lihat part o:f

Spain he came frcM..

In conclusion, I may say thr.t there has been a dif':ference o:f

opinionbetweenourhisorians')stotheorir;inof'Sp2niardsBuy,

FOI' my part I think that t he matter Can be easily cleared up, and

the f'ollOl·line facts will be"r out my assertion.

About 85 years a[1;o, that sturdo' old Ne,,:foundlanc1er, the late

I'r. ".oses Goe·se o:f Spaniards 3ay, <1ocided to e,'ect a nCIi dwellinf-

hanso inthatflourishinslittletol·rn. Jncxcuvntingfortheceller

he unearthed a lc.rco number of hofl'tTlers,' chisol~, tonc:s, pincers and

-2J-

ether at'ticlp-s nocess ... ry in con r1 uctinr- !1 blacks.lith's shop. Juc,sinr-

fl'01 the arpearanco of the ruins, the forGe, wbich once stood on the

""'round,. must have been one of large dimensions.

But "'hat I mainly base my contention cn is the fact, that upon

all these instruments were found Spanish names and words in the ::lpanish

lan-uage, which proves conclusive that the "paniardshad a settlement

thoI'e in the e.arly days of our country, and m"de it a depot for ro-

pairing their shirs and for varioys other purposes.

At what period that old forge was crected no man can toll, but

OUI' onrly settlers must have been a\Jarc of the Spaniards making :it

their headquarters in Conception Bay, and thus it has been handed

r!o-,,:'!1 from eeneration to Generation as Spaniards Bay.

l'l§W}.I'UilIJ..l.ililUX,"'t,;"""J..,..,," Historical Sketches of the Irish, Scotch,

and Norsemen in Newfoundland, giving a brief

account of thier discoveries, residences, occupations, etc on the

shores of our country. Hany of the events recorded by me have be

wri tten by myself, and others have beenp.anded dOlm to me by tradition,

I shall now endeavor to give a sketch of the }"rench in Newfoundland,

and I"ill be as clear, concise and intersting as possibel, being well

aViare of the lir.lited space at my dispossal.

It is impossible,to give all the facts I would wish upon this

most interesting subject; but I shall give an outline of the most

important features and historical points that our Island had had

in connection with France, and .,e must first look at this in the

broad .Jay as . el',foundland I-iaS only the stepping stone to a larGer

It appears to me thatthis is a very apportune time to discuss

this Clatter, as the present alliance between England and France in

this war has inaugurateda new Era for Newfoundland that ',Jill, in

all probability, have the most far-reaching events for our future

developement.

The relations between England and France have been ver;)' dif-

ferent in the past, and \'le must adjust our views to look at these

matters in a new light. It has been a continuous struggle beh,een

Sn~land and France for the past 250 years for the control in North

A:nerica, andour country has come into the strufmle in n most direct

hoth nations sm·, the opportunity for a vast E:npire across the

A~lo.ntic, and looki.nrr b::lCk, \'/8 sec the p;rcot ambition of Richclieu

.:s,<l T,ouis }\v f'1:: a row l'rn~ce that "JO';I~ br' ~.J. t

~, '~/~' :O:';;.:! ,~:;:; Al /l~~A..j~ Iji}~;q;y!' ..~dZlnl'Z?,)-)

to their country. lIe also see the very same idea for a New Er,glnnd

\ihich lil:evJise came to naught, anot not by the competition of foreign

countries, but by the mistake of our OI'In statesmen that created

civil war and rebellion inour midst.

I'lhile England andjher colonies had to fight France on American

soil, they \lere all comented together in one great resolution to

gain the mastery for one race, but when Quebec had surrounded to

victorious \'!olfe, then the seeds of dissepsion sprung up.

• The little Englanders who remain at home in that tight little

islandhave a wonderful conceit, and even to this day they have an

idea that they knovl hOI'1 to do things better than anyone else; but

we, \"I!1o belong to Greater Britian, take a broader view and see the

petty parish politics that refuse to permit even dear Old Ireland

to govern herself as her sons think best.

The same spirit that is creating dissension in theOld countr

today, as \"Ie rach the end of the Great German I'Tar, was the same

festering sora bet\1een England and her American Colonies at the

end of the greatFrench I'Tar in 1765, when the Treaty \las signed.

Let us hope that wise statesmanship l'lill guide the J:jritish nation

at the end of our present \olar, so that \ole may see a peaceful and

happy settlementof the Irish troubles. The English people must

see their way to arrange a vlider parliament, embracing the great

selfgoverning Dominions, or history l'lill repeat itself, and we

shall vlitness another great divide in the British Empire •.

The splendid fighting put up by the NeVI England colonists

aroainst France in 1745, when the gallant Pepperall captured Louis-

burr" and amidst other successors, they recognized their iron strength

awl used it ','Ihen they found their Ovln ambitions thvlarted.

I'le all recoGnize today the map.;nificent fir:htingqualities of

the Anzac battalions, tor;etherl'lithCanadians and Our own loyal

-3-

;:e\'lfoundlanders, and let us hope that legislators \'Iill help forvlard

the ambitions for a greater Britian of the future that \1e all have

in view.

It is impossible to discuss intelligently of the French in

ilewfoundland l'lithout taking into consideration the vast Empire that

France really occupied in North America, vlhich at one time extended

from Hudson Bay to the Gulf of Nexico. Quebec lVas their great

centre of Government, an.d Nel'lfoundland '/US the stepping-stone to

and from the Old Country. Placentia was their capital, and many

efforts l'lere made to gain possession of the whole Island. Our

city of St. John's had to surrender more than once to French oc­

cupation, but it >las only for a short time. It was in the reign

of ~harles 11, \'Ihen a l'leak Government .IaS in po\'ler in England, bribery

and corruption \'las the order of the day. Rights >lere given to France

that astonished all those living in and trading 11ith Nel/foundland.

The crioinal proceedings of Englsih stateermen at that time have

been the great source of all our troubles diving two hundred years.

':Ie P.lUSt nO\'1 take up those facts as little more in detail.

Early occunation by the French: In dealine; "Iith the subject, \'Ie must

all recognize that the French were not amongstthe first discoverers

of presentation to assist the Spaniards in establishing their rie;hts

of discovery, but there is no mention of the French making such claims

for the::Iselves - therefore they did not exist. This is remarkable

I/hen \'Ie consider that so many of our oldest and most important tO\'lns

have French names. It forces us at once to the conclusion that it

\-Jas the Jerseymen, and not the Frenchmen, vlho really \'Iere the pioneers

discoverers and settlers of our count;ry.

For the first hundred years after Cabot's discover.v of Ne\'l-

"oundland, lie have very little information as to \'Ihat \1aS done in

tt IS countr:'. Cartier's voyages are on~ of the very interestinr;

items that i;ive some particulars.

Sir Humphrey Gilbert's visit of St. John's, and the proclamation

of British oVJnership of Newfoundland, followed soon afterwards by

the British settlement in Virginia, Champlain's settlement in Quebec

and John Guy's settlement in Cupids and Harbor Grace brought in a

nevI era of development. There was no lafw or order previous to

that, and we know that pirates of all nationalities freauented

The french khave ahlays been one of our greatest rivals, but

their most extenisve fishing operations have been principally one

the Grand Banks and cured as green fish. They started the Bank

fishing at an early d?-te, and \-Ie find the following dates and facts

l2Q:!:- Jean Denys of Harfleur is mentioned.

~- Capt. Cook took several French prizes amongst them a ship

of "oven.

l2:!:Q- The French authori teis at St. ~lalo had to stop ships going

to Newfoundland in order to get Cartier a crew on his sec-

ond voyage.

~- The records sho\-, that information was received April 15th,

that vessels were than in St. 11alo waiting for a fair \~ind

to Ne\~foundland, and at Carcolla five ships ready to start.

~- A ship belonging to Peter de Body of Boyanne from Ne\~found­

land with fish viaS captured by a ship of Sirl'lalter Raleigh and

brou[';htintoBrisba.

~- Three French ships in the harbor of St. John's pillaged

the ship belonring to Richard Clarke, and kept him and his

cro\·/prisionersforninedays.

Charles Lei"h in his voyap;e ot Ramea Island (\'lest coast) tells

ho'.,' on the \·/Rj· home he capture? a larrrc French vessel in

-5-

St. ilary's Harbor after a hard fight.

lill- Capt. Mannering, a pirate, took a french fishhing vessel

ill§- Capt. Jacob, a Flemish pirate, captured a French and Port-

ugeuse ship, and caused damage to wxtentof 1500.

1618- One of Sir \valter Raleigh's captains pillaged a French ship

to the extent of 500.

~- Perhaps our greatest Newfoundland champion against the

French was the doughty i:>ir David Kirke, \1ho took over the planation

at Ferryland at this time. Sir David used Ferryland as his base

of operations against the French in Nova Scotia, and then he extended

this to Quebec, which he captured. He was far in advance of his

da~', andhis 110rk had to be doneover again by \101fe,one hundred

Jrears later.

ill2... Lord Baltir.lOre describes a fight he had at Cape Broyle \1i 1;1\

a French man-of-war. Three ships, four humdred men, attacked their

settlement. Lord Baltimore sent two ships after him and captured

67 prisioners, and kgave chase so long asthere was any possibility

of coming up \1ith them.

arrival each year 11as to be masteror Admiral of the Harbor. This

very lal'l continued to our own time on the N. IV. coast at St.

Julian's and vicinity.

~- The French were the only rivals of toe British in Newfound­

land, and it \-las estimated they had 100 vessels.

In the early occupation of Ilevlfoundland the French fished in

CO:tmon with the British until they obtained the grant of Placentia

from Kino; Charles 11 and his favorites. '['hey then extended their

Operations to the so-called French Shore, '"hich at one time extended

froI:l Cape Ray to the Straits of Bellei':;le and thence to Cape BonavisLn.

~_ Vie find Charles 11 on the Throne and v,ranting concessions

to the French. The policy of the Sovereign led Ne\-Ifoundlandinto

incalculable trouble, that took hundreds of years to be righted.

Placentia- In this connection it is very interesting to give the

following extracts from the lecture of the illus trious pulate ~t.

Rev. Dr. l1ullock, Bishop of St. John's, delivered in St. Bonavon­

ture I s College in 1860, and published in pa'11phlet form, a copy of

\-Ihich I received from \-1. J. Sharpe Esq, draper \'Iest End of the City,

"The French founded the town of Placentia - the environing hills,

thektl-lo armsof the sea, with the rapid tidal current reminding them

of the arro\IY Rhone on their own land. They called it Plaisance-

a pleasant place".

"They early sa\-! the ir.lportanceof the acquistion and provided

for the security strong fortifications".

"These are nO\1 in ruins, the great demilune Vlhich guarded the

entrance of the pat is noVi a shapeless heap of rubbish, the remains

of a castle or creveceur Hill are slo\-Ily perishing".

"It is remarkable that severalproperties are still held in

Placentia by virtue of the original French titles, and such im­

portance did the Government of LOllis XIV, the Grand f10narch, attach

possession of the place, that all the grants are signed by his min­

ister Philippeau."

"Nor were the French oblivious to the necessities of religion

of the Convent of our Lady of Angels, Quebec, Vias established there

in 1589 on the s1. te of thepresent Protestant Church and burying

('"round. A fe\-J old tombstones of the date 1630 and 1690 still rema1.n

to mark out the place \Jhere they stood".

"The records of the foundation of the Convent and the EpiG-

Copal visitation are in the arch1.epis~opal palace Archives Quebec.

-7-'

T:1us \'Ie sec t\'lO great and.'powerful nations established on the

s,<oresofNel'lfoundlandapposedinpolitics,ininterestandinrel­

igion, and it is easy to imagine that the progress of the country

must have been, not only retarded, but absolutely impossible.

I may say here that '-lith regard to these old tomb-stone referred

to by British r'jullock, the spiraphs thereon was translated by his

no less illustrious and patriotic successor, Archbishop Howley, and

published in pamphlet form some ten years ago, and are now in the

archives of Quebec, as I'ell ad amongst the archives of the Historical

Societies of Canada. I have one of them.

~- The English settlers made great improvements in their boats,

\'Ihich \'Iere very superior to those of the French to prevent them

fro::! obtaining these boats. At this time the French had to pay

licepse duties to the Governor of the Colony.

1662- About this time the betrayeal of the British rights by

King Charles 11 to France became knovm, and the French, taking

advantage, tried to drive the British froo Newfoundland. The

harbor of Placentia was fortified I'ith 18 pieces of artillery, and

Every inducement \'las given to Nel'foundland settlers to come

and live under French rule. One, t\'lO and three years subsistence

misgoverned from the first b;y adventurers ,-,ho cared nothing for

the fishermen, but tried only to make money by monopolies for

Placentia had oany advanta",es - an ice-free port, and an

"arl:: SprinG fishery, but the Frenchmen '-Jere never the same class

of -:Jen as our British fiheroen. The;1 looked to their Government

for bounties and assistance to help them \'lith evevything. The

fic,ting and rivalry \'Iere continuous, _:a" the british took the Iml

i"l their olm hands, and the records sho\1 that on five different

occasions British buceaneers raided Placentia and carried away

many valuables.

~- During the next thri ty years the French occupation of Ne11­

foundland reached its climax. Frontence \1as in charge of Quebec,

and he guided the destiniesof New France in a remarkable manner.

He had many able subordinates, one of Ilhich "las Pierre Ler10ine,

better knolm as D'Iberville, ",ho so successfully rarded all the

::e\1foundland to"m in 1696-7, capturing St. John's and all the'

principal places in Conception Bay, but ",as defeated by our 200

heroic fishermen at Carbonear Island. D'Iberville had carried all

before him, from the Forts of Hudson Bay right through St. John's

but our hardy fishermen of Harbor Grace and Carbonear \1ere too

Duch for him, not"'ithstanding his treacherous endeavors to aeceive

France at this time employed about twenty thousand men in the

Nellfoundland fisheries, andher naval power had risen in proportion. '

Her influence in North America even threatened the very existance

of the British colonies in the New England States.

About this time we find the British fishermen drawing up Rules

and Orders to prevent aliens taking Bait between Cape Race and

Bonavista, I'lhieh in the end surrounded the deathnoll of the

Frenc:-'men. They were driven to extremities, but the full ~orce of

the Bait Act l'laS not known as well then as it became 150 years later.

l1Q.:2- The French made further invasions of Newfoundland. St. J~hn's

I'laS again captured, but only for a very short time.

l2l2- The Treaty of Utrecht decreed that Placentia I'laS to be e;iven

up. ',Ihile pres"rvin" the o.mer ship of tellfoundland to the British,

it ~ranted concurrent ri;:;ht of fishinr; to the French. This II(1S a

r;reat source of trouble for Ilel1Ioundland for the next 200 years.

The !'rench Gavo Bounties to their fishermen Hhich spelt ruin to

UOt:fou.1d1nnderSHhenevertherewnsagoodfishory,but\olhichis

too IO:1.'! a sto!'~p for :ne in this article:

1888: 7he unr~u~ c0nretiticn from Bountieo, aimed at the ruin of

our liewfoundland merchants, brought the fanous Bait Act into force.

This brings us down to recent times.

1906- King cdHard Vll He have to thank for the removal of the

French rights for concurrent fishinG en our Shores, and the ~;'rGnch

~O(>~y have no riGhts in NC~-JfolU1dl'1Yld \-faters except those enjoyed

uneer International l"Hs and their ownership of St. Pierre md

l10w I wish to give my re.l;lders a few personal recollections or

se!"'l.e famous Frenchmen who have lived amongst us durine my O\-ffi tirne.

It will be a ple~slng re:ne:-:l~rcnce to ;.lilly.

1. re-:'l9'11:,cl' ;..,any French.'11en "'Iho resided in ~r(lVTfoundll_nd duro ing

thopast half century. Hany of our people in micdle life can call

up recollections of t10nsierr J. C. Toussaint" for many ye['rs French

Counsul in St. John's, and proprietor of the well-knoHn Hotel de

Faris in the eastern portion of the Gity; He also kept a lar;jc

s·... loon in }-1ar'Lo1' Grace, in trc s lf11e t:.O:..l~(, in ..rhich I:r, Joseph Ross

does business at present as a grocer .. Toussaint was a grent sports-

:'tan in his daY~ ~nd waS conspicuous for the erest interest he nlHp.ys

tock in our "nnual ilegatta at ,"-uidi Vidi Lake. He wns succeeded by

t·~ons .. DIIsles, a r~entIem2..'I'1. of culture f;".'"ld rnfine:nm t~ ')3 uns hiro

I .Jt:cr~t l-:CTTY bOUDs in conversation

>,lth both.Eons. 1)'I~les ,,,,s very hiGhly th oUGht of by the f!'ench

·ov(;rnnen t ~ n.nrj ",/r.s in ve s ted wi th the orr-er of the Legion of Lonor ~

,TL1!1 1,th, lEUJ, ,on,] other marks of rlistinction. 'l'he rresent Consul,

1.. on ,ieur Paul .3u"',ol" js ··,I,so v·J:J·,) TO'""'\',l 1"•• < .... t, 11 ';]'.

,C'll t. l~ (u"· :"0(''';'' l' I [Ul~ 'irl c. I congr ...:tlllfltc him upon his

"roficiency in mastering the "'nglish lan[luBge, as Hhen I first

he.rd h~m in the GeorGe V Institution he had but an imperfect Know-

ledge of that language, but now, to hear him speak, ono \-louJc ul-

;::03t lock u~on hi~l fl:J a "n ....ti von.

In the e [~rly :1ixties four or five French coopers can e to

harbor Grace and", rked at their trade as coopers, but theyr emained

only a short time, md 13ft, I think, for '<Ueboc.

Grace in years gone by. His n3l1le HaS Pierre Pricket (Eeter Pike).

n e Has for some years in the French NaVY, <Xl d fou,ht in AICip.i's,

Ab.., - e1 - kacer. lfhis was when Narshal Na cH2hon came into prominence.

rhis great warricr of the desert, Ab'i- e1 - K'lder, b:" his daring

qn-: skill, spread blood and dev!"station around, and causael ereat

loss to the French before he weB capturerl. '1'0 [.ivc some idea of

riispleased him, ;,e are tol~ that he ordered his lieutenant to "kill

the chiefs - sack the to\;fl and cut do;m the fruit-trees". TOday we

find those S'lme people fighting valiantly side by side Hith the

?rencharoundVerrJun, andtteyarecons!JicuousfortheirlJI".J..verymd

Le:-oisr1, '1:1d no y of them h8VO race) 'lOA i.,l e hi~t c~t or eel'S of meri t

from the French Government. They also fought Hell in the France­

GormanHarof1870, andtre Turcoso!:AlGiers>1ereaSOul'Ceofnl'o"d

o the GOl'ron s, afJ thCjT ave tO~flY. '.lh'JJ :onl3:" lIly lC:ld tIl stcrrr.irg

n~rtie3, 'md their valor and intrepidity are recovnizod by all

r:ountrics. Pierre Prichet "HiS forforty :yenrs D faithful serv'>,nt

'n the ;:,,:nil:r of tho f,mous soal-kiJler and planter. C'Po. Henry

..L.oo:ney, DurinL tho -vri nter :nonths he taU C [ t Et'ench to t he YO\lth o~

1 ''',)01' Cr .G', .\11'1 ll'n~r OJ.'

ILcn my brothc :lilli-ron H. ">hortis, \>1'\5.' S tU(ly~n for the prcisthood

!tlthe f,.,rnoUs Univorsity of' Louvnin, ..Jelf:iu~ (h0 \.fa:. th(; fir::>t

fOl~n n~·n( t r:r.tcp th t :1..i.:: tal:' i c Sf: ~ t of learninr-) the professors

"ere surprised that the spoke French so fluently, and this may be

attributed to the teaching of Frichet, nS well as his natur"'l Gift

fOl' quickly m~sterinG cny 1~n6u.:J.~e. ?icrrc rJrickd t H&S <..:' n~'.ti ve

of St. Halo, ,,-nd died about 30 years ago - a thorough gentlemen,

"lthou5h he prosued the avocation of en humble fisherm,,-n. Th~"e

t-las also a l;onsiour- ~ovch::,!l:'o, a '!,)pofctL"'1d schel :''', '1uO, I thinl.-, ~l"lS

'";o~,J l..n':"v{;!·sity previous to coming to Newfoundland.

he also taught French, rut did not remain Ion" in this country.

Toussaint's Trout- On one occnsion thers a r;racticol jo::e

I! ~-cd UrO!1 ';"ot~s~~i;1"l., end in this the popular Government official

in the Gustens of this city, H. J. Uatts Esq, took B active Part

in the dr am 9 • I t a c c urred nur in f; the .18.£[ a:; t:? i r~ the C l !' 1Y s j. xt i I) S

0.:' ~he Pes t cer. tJ.p~r. Ou:, fr-i £.n·: ~:r. :!J. t ts ': couple of other

boys vlere swirrl.'l:.ins off' Gull Point, J..oady Lake" harbor Gr..,ce, where

the RegAtta is ph-rays held - l.-!hen a larcetrou" Has seen floundepinu;

l1r. '..lutts secured the speckled beauty,~whichweighed over six pounds,

"no sold it to I-Ions. 'l'oussaint for o~e dollar. '1'0us3e.int put it

ce.refully ~",ay under the drop-seat of hr. Robert \-Ialsh's waggon,

,,,ith the intention of having n toothnomo dish .for his teL, .·l.fter

thcl"fe[;ntt&'·:....o\'cr. -ut;.t .... lc.sl thebestlaidplensoftengoarl].iss,

And when he went to look for it, p"ests! it h"O dio"ppe,red. It

'-TRS then the rOvT com...,enced. Wh'lt TouS38int did not say in .c.nglish,

he blended with French - a beautiful ",ixture - and he put out postcrs

over the to>ln offerin~ a reward of four '101I_rs, either for the

returnofthetroutop thennmf' of tho culprit. DutthesocrctH.3.S

I:c~t--lOl1. an1 Suffico tOf.';,y" thatitvI03e.very

hic-ht official of the Horthorn Distric~ vourt who committ.ed the

rut the >I01'st was yet to come. 'L'hey gave a supper that

night in hon~""r of the Regatta, and Touss" int, of course, W1.S the guest

of honor, Dmongst Rll the cloice cinho3 on th8 tDble that of l>C[~u'_-

ifully cooked fish appealed to Tous3aint's palate, and he did not

know, at least for a long time after, that he >las invited to partake

of his o>m splendid nc.tive trout, for the recovery of >lhich he had

offered such a handsome reward. I re;;ret I cannot give aome of th>

e:<....~e9siona of Tous~ ~int over the 1099 of' his trout, '-lhich WD\lld

teveryusefuldurinsapoliticnlconpai[n, but possiblyJ.Jr. \Iat t3

nay "lhisper so:ne of them in the editurial ear.

ThelOe "ere other Frenchmen who,'esided in Newfoundland, but

sp~ce at rr.y dis:,osal prevents ~c fro~referr~n~ to them. Still I

i Y 'll~ntion Cotton, tho bilker, rnd A.lphonse Gaudet who was

also in the sa:ne trade in Toussaint's amploy. lonsieur Bio1el, vice­

consul for France in a f f'!"1i 15 ar and ~orulD..r f;cntlerncn in St. JOe-ill IS.

ne is father in law to Consul Suzor, and no matter how busily en-

raged, he has ah·rays a kind word end hr.arty welcome for anJ~ !'9PSOn

T,lecannoHlookbnckuponthehard,lanefightovertheFrench

Shcr e ",uestion. Mmy attempts were made by the British Governncnt

to t,.y and find 0 settlement. "ewfoundlnnd made prededent after

president for all the self-2;QVor-ning colonies, or 1"3 ....,.e call them

toda~y !:3:ri tish Dom.inlons BeJond the Seas. ~abouchere, in his f:Jnous

dispatch, [ranted us our Hagna Charter "hen he sbated that no Ie"

>Jouldeverbe passed without our consent. Hotwithstandincthis,

efforts were m.... do to bribe and coerce our stntesmen into makinf;

scttlementnth::t.t"'olOuldrncetthe views of the Frenchmen. J.nevery

CaS e \ole sr:o;'led n. s tiff b .... c k- bon e , an d our vi ~ 1 i "ro;o hamp den, the I ... to

:lon. J,mes Jail'cl, carrien the >Jor to the l.lrJtish Prury (;oun3il nnel

'ti.ner1newri,htsthatcoulr1notbeusu[ire'l. 'fin R.itActwostl,e

,hect anchor that tield the pluck and r'ecourcefulness to find the

means to do without Imperial help. It shoHed the Breat and heroic

French nation that not"ithstandine their immense ",)alth and pOHer

"c had a resource that crippled their industry. It Has a hard up

hill fi",,,t for a 1'eH of our keen, intellectual merchants to con­

vince our politicians that the Bait Act Has really Hill t they consid-

ered it, but niGht Has I'~ight, anti our small volony conc:.uered.

EEI'iP'S GREAT F'IRH (GAllB OlfEAR-->-S1'.!U.. VDLUME 2./I-{9)

Eo ? Shortis - Historiof'rapher.

~'Iatts and Elson were joint agents for George and JamesKemp,

until '.:"tts retired to go into business for himself, in the early

part of the nineteenth century.

Henry Gorbin Uatts weS the nephew of John Gosse, the merchant,

(Garbonear). H e was alos the nephew of George Kemp of the firm of

George &: James Kemp. Pike &: Green, who were noted as being the 1'irst

merchant of prominence in Gonception Bay, oHned 1'i1'teen acres of

land on the North side of Garbonear Pond. The Kemps were related

to them and '.e"e wealthy people of Dorsetshire. The l;emps bought

out Pike 6: Green's business and subsequently became the ,,,ealthiest

firm in Newfoundland trade - being related as milliona~res. \fnen

the Kemps retired to Poole, they left their nephew, H. G. \-latts,

as their agent, and during tis agency he massed an ilT'_rnenS6 aInount

of money for them, the trade being so successful that it was said

"everything the firm touched, turned to eold".

The rule ,lith all the old '..lest of England firms ,ISS, that when

an Agent married, he was supposed to give up the agency_ H. C.

Hatts, wrote to hisuncles that he was going into business for him­

self, and for them to ap;oint an agent. '':hey rec;,uested him to retain

the agency 1'or a year to instruct the neH agent, Er. bIson, which

he did. After the peace of Paris nearly all the lle",foundland business

houses went do',ll1, but the Kempa \-lere so \-!e~lthy they easily withstood

the shock. H. G. \'Iatts also "stood" the crash but lost so '~everelY

th"theneverfullyrecovered.

The Kemps sold out their interests in the J'eHfoundland trnde

(they ha'J brroch business in Brigus and Ghmge Islands) to the nell"

firm of "lade, ';lson &. 1,,0. ;llade Has the son of the Healthy John

Slado of Poole who'd as the principal partner. '£he firm of Slade

Llsonaco • consisted of Slade, .c.lson,Dlddollandharrison. 'lhe--1,,,,-,,;<, \ ~-"" '('C'Y.' 1hL ~<?- "S 0 H F -- hey' < ",,( 2 / II

,,-,\\ " •• A.l Hot, 1'\ \.

lqtt0P {IInrrison)1.-lasagiantinstaturc, six feet eight inches in

heiht, stoutnl1dHellproportioned.

7ho:nas 1"01 y of Earbor Grace \-la3 a rich man and as tailor by

tr'lde. He had on only daughter, and an a visit ot her W->.S a lady

named Hiss Dalton from Ireland. John Elson saw Hiss Dalton and

became infatuated Hith her. I may here state that the famous Hon.

Patrick l{orris of St. John's, married Hiss Foley, Elson would

leave Carbonear every evening to visit Hiss Dalton, and there Has

no road betHeen Carbonear rod Harbour Grace in those days, so he

would walk dOl.ffi the south side of Carbonear, and up through

Nosquito (Eristol's Hope) by t·lay of Bear's Cove Hills into liarbour

Grace. Elson Has a very clever al1d highly educated man. His

Hife's relations ca",e out to Carbonear, and he built a very fine

house to please hIs 'dire \-tho \-las so:newhat _Ga~t a"1d ambitious. She

had a brother ,,-!ho ra"1 a very large account \-lith the firm. Hr.

Elson's aunt, a J.;rs. Behan; also lived Hith them. Biddel, one of

the firm, ca"lle out to Carbonear and quietly took note of how

affairs Here Going, and unfortunately Elson did not knOt·' of all

that was goinG on, or, it may be, \1aS not firm enough to stop the

reckless expenditure, and the result Has he Has forced out of the

trade, Hhich declined rapidly and the house closed do;m or failed.

H. C. ':latts conducted a hrge business andhad maoy vessels. In

a certain year, oneof those vessels was out all the Hinter. She

left HamburG in October;' and being on the paSsll13 ..... over six months,

she Hns given up for lost, but she reached across in Harch, Hith a

full load of h'ovisions. On a subse(,uent voyaGe, she was caup:ht in

tho ice and lo~t on Ca-bonear Island in 1817. Her time Insurance

had cxpired, conaec;uently the ves~el and Carho became a total loss.

l.e had anotLor vescel built at ?reshHater (boloH Carbonear) by

James Clarke, \1ho \-las also api;ointed ma~tcr. .:ihe 'HaS over ninety

tons and "IUS ntllllod the "ilingl100d". She left Carbonear for Inarket

wi th a full cargo of fish havin" first to call at ::It. JOhn: s to have

the vessel reGistered. Clarke, the master, was heavily indebted to

}.essrs Hart & Robinson - hafing been a big planter of theirs, and

ol,ed them someHhere about Five thousand pounds. Robinson went on

board and found that the vessel was not l:legistered and seized her

for Clarke's debt. The Case VIas triedin St. John's, and VIaS given

in favor of Hart & rtobinron - the cost of Court being over two

hundred pOlmds. j{atts appeale d the Case to the Privy Council and

Sir James Scarlett, a celebrated cOU!lsellor in those days, took

charge of the case, but such VI s t he law then, that the HasteI' Has

Olmer until the ship ,':as registered. The costsin this CE-se anounted

to over "'ix hU!ldred pounds. !C.r. Scarlet took the c~se before the

Bar of the House of Commins, "lith the l' emIt that the 1m: was a. tered

shipping laH abolished. 'l'his ,{as the first Case brought from lleH­

foundland to the Privy Council.

Another 'hardship befel him a bout this time, and prior to the

takinG of the "rtinguoodlf. H:lrt Ct. r{ovinson purchased a cargo of

fish from him and sent a vessel to Carbonear to take delivery. The

HasteI' and super cago went on a "spree", and all efforts failed to

sober them up sufficiently to take delivery. A week passed - them

bad weather Ca:ne on- and finally callle the news of the Peace of P~ris.

A p,reat loss to the l'ewfoundland Trade set in - fish dropped t"oDty

shillings a qtl. Hart & "ovinson refused to take delivery or the

cargo except at current price. Hr. ':latts refused to put the fish

on board, unlcss he received a ·'uavantee of tho price it Has sold

for - two pounds per quintal. 1·;1'. ':Iatts took an action aGainst them

before JudGe Cololough, who Gave a decision in favor of Hart & .lob-

practically ruined his business.

1'IJESCO'1'CllllENINNE\'i!"OUNDL1\ND

year I gave an article on Irishmen who have made a name

in Newfoundland. I received so many complaints,

and it was copied in so many journals in the United States, Canada,

Newzealand, Australia, England, Scotland and Ireland, that I have

been induced to take up my subject for this article on the Scotch-

men who have become famous in my Native Land.

I know that I am attempting something in which I cannot give

satisfaction to all, and I am sure to ami t the names of some who

should be mentioned, but still I am going to do my best.

To give a complete history of the Scotchmen who have done so

much to build up this Newfoundland of Ours is beyond my humble ef-

forts, but it should have been attempted long ago. The subject is

an entracing one, and the Scotchmen of Newfoundland have carried

their prestige to such an erninense in so many directions that I

find it almost impossible to know the best way to begin this article.

We find them as pioneers, Explorers, Sailors, Sportsmen, Athletes,

Statesmen, Parliamentarians, Soldiers, Scientists, Scholars, Poets,

Educationalists, Engineers, Doctors, Lawyers, Ministers and Bankers,

not to mention Merchants and Patriots. In all these different ways

they have excelled, and well may this country be proud of its ill-

ustrious Scot.chmen. ~Ie find them in the very highest positions as

Governors, Premiers, and taking the chief seats in the Courts of

Justice. Probably the one amassing the greatest wealth in Newfound­

land was Sir Robert Gillespia Reid from Cupar Angus, the builder

and operator of our Railway System, with its many diversified branches

in electricity and machine Shops, besides his fleet of nearly t\;enty

of the finest steamers that were ever built on the Clyde, everyone

of which has u. goo<1 Scotch name.

When going a gistorical skctch on any NC\lfoundland ~ubject we

''\.'"011' .,Ha Y [\('~ t\~ ,)'"",, ,t 1\ \", ~ I VI -\.l.l 1<1

Ln -II .~'H l\ril\i (ito \"", ,1 \,,1,,<,.

h..Jvctogobacktotheveryearliestrccords,orclseanarticle

of this kind would not carry \'leight \'lith Ne\V'foundland readers - so

that I must start from the beginning.

The very first information that we have of Newfoundland comes

from the old Norse Sagas with records of their voyages in the years

998 and 1005 Heluland, markland and Vinland, that is, Labrador and

Newfoundland. In the Sagas of Eric the Red we have the information

that Thorfinn Karlsifni had with him on this voyage two Gaels, who

were Scotcnmen. Their names were Haki and Halkia. I must give a

few words about these pioneers, as they are undoubtedly the first

Scotchmen to plant their feet on this hemisphere. They were noted

as two very fast runners, and were swifter than the deer. The Sagas

mention that they were places ashore, and Karlsifni remained there

for three days. The Scotchmen had instructions to run to the South-

ward,andinvestiagethenaturofthecQuntryandreturnagainon

the third day, which they did, one bringing some berries and the

other some herbs or wold grass. Now if there is anyone doubting

of their being Scotchmen, please listen to the description of their

dress. They were clas in a garment which they called "Kiafal" (prob-

ably the Gaelic name)- "There was a hood on their heads. The dress

was so fashioned that it was opened at the sides and sleeveless,

and was fastened between the legs with buttons and loops, while else-

where they were naked". 'l'here is no doubt about it that they wore

We are greatly disappointed about the meagreness of information

in there old Sagas, but it is certainly refreshing to get a few facts

like there, and it shows that the old Norsemen were attracted by the

handsome appearance of the kilts, just as we arc touay, and it must

have been a strange dress to them, or they \V'ould have never mentioned

it so particularly. NO\< to make the proof of their being Scotchmen

soubly sure, the Sagas relate: lilt was when Lief, son of Eric, vias

with King Olaf in Norway, and that he bade him proclaim Christianity

to Greenland that the King gave him these two Scotchmen. The King

advised Lief to have recourse to these people if they should stand

in need of fleetness, as they were swifter than the deer".

King Alfred reigned in England from 880 to 901, and we know

how the coasts of Scotland and England were harried by the Vikings

from the North at this time: so it is really not surprising at

all to realize that these events I am relating are Authentic.

Now that I have mentioned about the old Norsemen I must give

the facts about the voyage of Columbus in 1492.

In the list of the officers and sailors on his first voyage

his crew were most cosmopolitan in nationality. Among them there

\'laS a Jew (Luis de Torres), and Irishmen from Galway (\vm .. Harris),

an Englishman (Authur Lawes), Italians, SpaniaI:ds and other nation-

alities, though, of course, the Spaniards were largely in the maj-

ority. It is also related that there was a Scotchmen (name not

stated); but here is an interesting fac t, "'l'hat after Colmbus

New lIorld" (Extract from the Spanish 'l'ranslation of the Early voy-

This brings us to the voyage of John Cabot in the "Hatthew"

in the year 1497. The records of this voyage are very meagre. We

know that John Cabot was an Italian, and that there was a crew of

eighteen men, but with the exception of Castione, a man from Burgandy,

we have no record of the names of thte others, but I am ready to

vouchif we could only find the II s hipS Il articles you would find that

there was a Scotchman in the crew.

The next one hundred years is alrnost ab1ank in our records,

but we do know that fishing operations were kept up in England,

and I have no doubt that soine Scotchmen came this way. In 1610

John GUy was appointed our first Governor, and we have the records

of his first settlement in Conception Bay. The fishermen were then

determined to live here all the year round, \ihich was a great step

In 1618 John Hason, the next Governor, wrote a most interesting

discourse on Newfoundland Life to stir up immigration. This discourse

was sent to his friend Sir John Scott in Edinburgh, and was published

there by Andrew Hart in 1620. Both John Guy and John Mason were

Englishmen, but Nason had charge of two British Man-o-war in 1606 on

a very important mission to reclaim the Hebredies with Andrew Knox,

bishop of theIsles. (The Norsemen claimed Sovereignty of the Heb-

probable that for good service rendered here that Nason received

the appointment of Governor of Newfoundlanc.l in 1615, and we see

in his Discourse that he was determined to get Scotchrnent 0 emigrate

to Newfoundland as undoubtedly he recognized them ass the most des-

irable settlers, not even excepting those hardy buccaneers from

the South of England.

John 11ason on his return to England in 1620 became acqua.inted

with Sir William Alexander, Earl of Stirling, and it was his efforts

his splendid work. In Hason's Map published in Vaughan's Golden

Fleece in 1628 we find the present district of Burges and LaPoile

It is quite possible that the Guy Colony, which had already

sold portions of their grant to Falkland and Vaughan, claimed this

Nestern District as being between the latitude of Cape St. Mary's

and Cape Donavista, and there was a prospect of getting SirWilliarn

Alexander to start his plantation inths section of the country.

Perhaps he had larger ideas, for we find that in 1621 he received

the princely grant of the whole Peninsula of Nova Scotia from

James 1, to which he gave the first Scotch name that I can get any

record of in America. Although Newfoundland cannot claim Sir

Hilliam Alexander, still it was undoubtedly by reason of Newfound-

land that he was induced to start his plantation, and in his book

he gives osme very interesting facts about the earliest Newfound-

land settlements. Before leaving John Nason, I \o]ill give a short

verse of his, published in the Golden Fleece, that will sho\>] what

he thought of this country, andhiseffortsforitswelfare:-

"Oh, how my heart doth leape with joy to heare

Our Ne\V'found Isle by Britaines prizeddeare,

l'hat hopeful Land which Ihnters six I tried

And for our profit meet at full descri'd. lI

II IIow this Land shall thrive he dothbewary

Thus ships and coine increase, where least we thought,

For Fish and Traines, Exchangeandallunbought".

I cannot pass over sir David Krk, that sturdy old Loyalist,

who kept the flag flying at Ferryland, and offered a new home for

Charles 1, shold his enemies prove too much for him. It was he

who assisted the French. Sir David Kirk has a good Scotch name­

his birthplace WLlS in the North of England, Llnd we know from his

records that he was knighted by His Najesty in Scotland.

connection between Scotland and Newfoundland, but no doubt after

the Jacobite 1t1arS of 1745 many Scotchmen came to Newfoundland as

well as to Canada.

lJefindtheScotchluenexcellingatwhatevertheyputtheir

hands to, but it is remarkable that they never took kidly to

fishing. It has often been remarked that a Scotchman will start

out as !'-laster or Shareman in a boats crew, but it is characteristic

of the roll that inside of a year or tow, the Scotchmen will have

a share in two or three boats, and his part of the work in future

will be to remain on shore and manage the business while the others

dothefisbing.

and many claim their birth-right form Berwick to Aberdeen and from

Dumfries to the Ilebridies, still Greenwck was undoubtedly head-

quarters, and it was the mercantile influence from that centre that

brought so many Scotchmen to Newfoundland. 'fwo hundred years ago,

Greenwck was a fising village - a straggling row of thratched

cottages with only six slated roofs in the town. but from that

time, about 1707, its conunercial activity started with America.

It was principally with the West Indies at first, but about 1760,

shipbuilding was established, fostered no doubt by its connections

with Ne\olfoundland. rr'he vessels built in Greencok have always been

held in the highest esteem, and still continue. A gtaving Dock

was first established in l786, and from humble beginnings it now

exceeds overlOO acres in extent, capable of docking the largest

ships at all times. Other important manufactures started at this

tirnc-sailcloth,ropewalks, also anchor anc.l chain and cables,

which have since developed into extensive anLi world-\'lidc business

ofSpinningl1illsandotherimportantindustries,includingthe

Juaking of boilers, steam (\ngines, locoll~otives and other similiar

TheSeal and Hhale fisheries were once vigorously prosecuted,

but are non extinct. It was the foreign trade of Greenock with

the West Indies and Newfoundland that first brought prosperity to

that town, but their industries are now so diversified and world-

wide that its trade is very different today. It is indeed very

interesting to note that \vhile Newfoundland benefitted so much

from the 'Scotchmen that came here, still those who remained at

home prospered as well ~

der Chiefs thatone would think there must be some interesting stories

laid up in Scotland of the yearly exploits to Newfoundland one

hundred years ago. Later on Dunder and Aberdeen had their Whaling

Fleets visiting us every Spring, but it was Green ock and the Clyde

that were directly interested with the Cod fishery, and I feel

sure that our Newfoundland harbors were house-hold words in many

homes, Robert Burns, that poet soc.lear to all Scotchrnen, had heard

of us and possibly he often wished to visit,-

Where sailors gang to fish for cod".

Oneofthecights to be seen in the Old Church Yard at Greenock

today is the tombstone of "Highland Mary", and she too, as well

out having an in timah knowledge of Newfoundland. The trade with

Newfoundland still continues, but in a madofied way.

I find it impossible in this article to give you the consecutive

historical facts of Greenock 1 s earliest connections \vithNewfounuland

that I would like, and I may make a few mistakes, but I shall be

only too pleased to be set right; and as I said at first, I hope

that sOIlle abler pen than mine will now record in writing what should

huvc been attempted long ere this.

The firm of Hunter & co. \Jas a very large con-

cern early in this country. 'I'hey were leading merchants in l7BO

when Hr. Hunter was called as a witness in Court to prove the ex-

istance of the Labrador Trade at that time. 'I'here were undoubtedly

many firms that branched off from this establishment.

started in St. John's in 1840, and two other brothers, George and

Andrew, who started at Harbor Grace, firs came to Newfoundland in

Penny should have a page for themselves.

managers and resident partners of the Hunter's firm. The Masonie

Lodge has much to thank the Taskers for, and their, and their name

will live while there are any Hasons to help each other.

Stuart & Rennie: Afterwards Rennie, Sturart & Co, is another

very old firm, record of which .I. have in 1791 .. Nr. Rennie came

originally from Glasgow, and descendants of his ably uphold the

name in St .. John's today.

~ is another firm still well remembered. They are said

to be the first to have started our trade with Brazil, and from

officialreturnsfcirOctober18l3,thefirsteargoof2049quintals

of Codfish was exported from Newfoundland to that country. l'lithin

100 years Brazil has become the principal customer that Newfoundland

has,andourbestthanksshouldgoouttothisoldfirm.

James St\-leart was an able man and took a leading part in politics,

as well as mercantile pursuits. We find that about 1872 he has

NcJJride & Kerr; 'l'his was another important Greenock firm,

better known in recent years under the name of Goodfellow & co.

Nr. Goodfellow came out as book-keeper to the old firm, and \-las

eventually their successor. It needs no word of mine to state in

what esteem James GoodfellOlv was held by the people of St. JOhn's.

He waS a leader in every good work for the benefit of Church and

State, and'-lhenaCityCouncil\olas firstestablished,he\oIasthe

people's nominee.

Scotland in the North. He was a relatiave of the great Dr.

Livingston. Carbonear was where he first landed, but after a short

time he joined J. & \'/. Stewart at St. John's. He worked his >lay

to manager, then partner, and eventually controlled the Head Office

at Greenock. The Newfoundland business could not get along with-

out him, and he cam back to St. John's, built "Richmond"- that

beautiful residence and grounds near Cross for Topsail, and lived

there for many years. l'/hen his sons grew up he started the firm

of Kenneth NcLea & Sons, but a few years after his death they left

for 110ntreal, where the well-known firm of J. R. l'lcLea still does

a considerable share of Newfoundland trade\Vith that City.

I could mention many more Scotoh firms which flourished and

carried on anextension business inall its branches, Imports and

exports,codfishryandSealinginallitsdifferentmodesincatching

and curing the fish to the building and manning of vessels and

steamers for the Seal Fishery, but for one rcaeson or another they

have gone out of business.

Baine Johnston & Co.: There is one firm '-lith us today Baine

Johnston&Co., that dates back probably for one hundred and fifty

years. '1'0 give an account of the Scotchmen in Newfoundland with-

out particular notice of this firm would be like describing the play

of Hamlet \Vith the role of the Prince left out. In the two great

fires of 1846 and IU92 this finn lost a~li1ost every old record, but

the traditions are handed down faithfully, and '/011 may the sur­

vivors of this old firm be proud of their illustrious ancestors.

Greenock has alwasys been the headquarters for them. We find the

firm under the name of Lang, Baine & Co., at Port-dc-Grave in 1780.

The business was removed to St. John's about 8000. Mr. Lang was

then Senior Partner, and after his death Mr. Johnston of !1offatt,

Dumfrieshire, was appointed to his place.

Hr. Walter Baine was at one time !1ember of Parliament for

Greenock, and he o\'lned the premises where the firm still carryon

business, besides other properties in St. John's. About theyear

1835 Mr. Johnston Grieve, a nephe,; of Mr. Johnston, was admitted a

partner in the firm, and later Mr. \'lalter Grieve, Mr. Charles Philips

Hunter and Mr. Robert Grieve. In theyear 1871 Mr. \Ialter Baine

Grieves - in 1875 his brother Mr. James Grieve became partners.

The latter has been an invalid, and the management has always de­

pended upon Mr. Halter Baine Grive. \'lhen we consider what worry,

torment and anxiety he has passed through in the past, nearly, half

a century in the upheavals and vicissitudes of carrying on the very

ex tensive fish trade that this firm has always done, lie may well

understand the grit and determination of the Scotch character. In

no other trade "Iill you find such exercise of Faith in a prospective

chance of catching fish, and then again in the good will and faith

in the men employed. The fish business of Newfoundland can be said

to ,be born of Hope, but resulting only too often in heart-breaking

disappointment. It is impossible to go through. so many troubles

without treading upon some person's toes, but when we meet the

Principal of that firm today (\'I. B. Grieve), with his hearty, cheer­

ful, kindly, "lOrd and smile, we may well trace back his history to

find Ilhere hisoptimistic spirit finds its progenitor. There is rarely

a public gathering but you will find him taking part. His bon mot

and words of wisdom are the thoughts that you carry away after all

have had their say.

In my intimate acquaintance with intimate acquaintance with

Mr. W. B. Grieve, have seen many of his good kind deeds that must

be recorded only in Heaven. He would never forgive me for publishing

what his left hand knows nothing about.

f1r. Grieve has served the Colony in both Houses of our Legis­

lature with honor and credit to himself and benefit to our Country.

His father, Mr. J. J. Grieve, Vias one of Her f'lajesty's (Victoria)

advisors in this Colony before the days of Responsible Government,

and served here faithi'ully. I might go on to enumerate many things

that any of us would be proud to have our name connected with, but

in this article, I can only glance over these items: possibly at

another time I will give a more extended history of this firm,

which dates back to the very commencements of the Scotch firm in

this Country andhas outlived them all. The vitali ty and survival

of the fittest gives ita standing here today that everyone from

the Governor to the humblest fisherman is proud of. My hopes and

prayers are that it will go on for khundreds of years more, produc­

ing grand men as it has in the past, \'Iho understand the business and

needs of our country in a may that outshines its rivals as does the

red gold the other metals. There are several branches from this

old parent firm that I have to tell about, but let me first mention

a few items.

From the earliest developement of steamers in Ne\"/foundland trade

this firm took the lead. 'rhe S. S. "Bloodhound" was a pioneer at

this Seal fishery. The S. S. "Panther", in conjunction with Capt.

Abram Bartlett, the father of so many Arctic explorers, of Brigus,

follo\'led shortly after. The first paddle try steamer -. S. "Blue

Jacket" was sent out to this country by "'aine Johnston & Co., in

1862, and employed in the here. The same firm built. the S.

S. "Ariel'! for the late Capt. kand originated the first

Coastal Service. Their steamer the second "Bloodhound" \'las sel­

ected by the renounded Captain, now Admiral Markham to get ahead

of all rivals in the race for the North Pole. The attempt of the

S. S. "Euphrates" to develop the drift net herring fishery in Plac­

entia and Fortune Bays, also at Bay of Island and Labrador, without

one cent of assistance from Government subsidies, is one of;the many

instances \'lhere this firm has tried to benefit the Trades of the

Colony. They recognized the immense value of the Herring Fishery

to Old Scotland, and would like to see it carried on the same way

here. Among the many Scotchmen connected for many years Vlill this

firm Vie must mention the late Neil Campbell and the presents of­

ficial t1r. John Hepburn - good men land true.

One of the brancE's from Baine Johnston & Co., which took avery "mpOPBan" place in forming not alone the Trade policy, but the

Political standine;of this Country, \'las Walter Grieve & "'0, in 1861.

James JOllnston Grieve and Halter Grieve Here brothers, l>Ut

tlleydidnotsec alike in business matters, so the latter started

a new firm; and as everyone kne\y there was a keen rivalry be-

tween them~ 'l'here was plenty of room for both, and probably ex-

emplified the old saying that "Competition is the life of Trade" ~

Tne first Newfoundland steamers for the Seal Fishery were

tile "Bloodhound" and the "ivolfll, both the same year, and were

started Ly these rival firm~

In some old papers that I have, Halter Grieve was the Chair-

man at very inlportant meetings denouncing, not alone the French,

but the British Government, on that terrible nightmare that New-

foundlandpassed throug!l over the French Shore Question.

\.....alter Grieve had a worthy successor in his nephew, who was

partner in tne firm with him~ 'l'here was no shrewder man in New-

Newfoundland 'l'rade was not worth knowing. In 1885 he became Premier.

During his:premiership the French rivalry with bounties and

an aggressive pOlicy brought the French Shore Question to the

front again. It was a fight for existence for Uewfoundland and

its Fsineries, but we should be thankful that we had men at the

helm to meet the occasion, and we were more than a match for the

French, although they were backed up by the Ilritish Government.

of our rivals and upheld Nevlfoundland. fisheries than the Baitl\ct.

\~nile many claim the credit for it today, still it was the Premier l

Sir Hobert 'l'horburn, to whom we have to give thanks in the Greatest

Jneasure. It is impossible for any of us to say HhatNewfoundland

turn that blow asiue and place Newfoundland on a surer founoation

tnan she had ever been before. I will have reason to mention this

Bait Act in connection with other Scotchmen, so I \-lill refrain for

the present. Johnllunn&Co: It is probably not generally known

that John Nunn, who founded the finn at Harbor Grace, came out as

uookkeeper to Baine Johnston & co. about 1827. l\fterthegreat

fire in Harbor Grace in 1832, the old firm of Danson went out of

\'1as a captain in Baine JOhnston employ) founded the firm of Punton

and Hunn, and built up the prer,lises where the firm still flies the

blue and \-Ihite flag - the same house-flag as Baine Johnston.

'J:heyhad aharcitir.leof it for the first few years, but event-

ually became the most important firm carrying on the Seal, Cod,

and also herring fishery in Ne\</foundland.

~cotland. but the name of the firm was long continued, until John

Nunn I 5 son, Hilliam P and his newphew Robert were admitted, when

it \</as changed to the well-known name of John l1unn & Co. 'l'hey were

most successful at the Seal Fishery, and amassed a large amount

of money. '£hey had the largest fleet of sailing vessels of any

firm, and it was the perseverance and energy of John Nunn that

produced the odorless and water \</hite seal oil that we see today.

John Nunn developed the Labrador fishery to an enormous extent

and in after years HolJert Nunn developed it still more. I see by

JUdge Bennett's Heport, published in 1890, that the firm of John

llunn&co. shipped:

l8l,670qtlsofLal>radorfishintheyear1883

besides shore fish to llra:c:il dno o~hcr markets.

Unfortunately it Vias during the years 1380 to 1895 that the

French \....ere flooding the markets with their bounty-fed fish, and

the competition .was ruinous. No man worked harder to get the Bait

Act into operation than did Robert Hunn, and his chief idea in

representing the District of Harbor Grace in politics was to get

this Act enforced in the strongest way. Everyone sees the good

of this Bait Act today, but it was a hard fight to convince the

John l1unn represented the District of Harbor Grace in the

House of Assembly, and in the Legislative Council, and he took

an active interest in everything pertaining to the welfare of

Newfoundland.. He will be alwaus remembered as the great advocate

for Confederation with Canada. \'1hen Charles F'ox Bennett swept

the country in 1869, John Nunn was one of the very fe'i" elected in

opposition to him.

Stewart- Hunn & co, of Hontreal is an off-shoot of this firm.

He lived for many years at Harbor Grace Lefore going to the above

city.

John Baird & Co., an off-shoot of Baine Johnston & Co., 'i....as

another inportant firm in Hontreal. Those two Scotchmen were very

intimate friends, and had close connections with Newfoundland, and

this brief sketch would be incomplete without mentioning them.

James Baird, Ltd; is another of the Big Herchant Houses carried

on by Scotchmen, although, like John Hunn & Co., their headquarters

have always been in Newfoundland. Han. James Baird now in his 86th

year, is one of thewondersofbusiness life today. Ueisathis

office every day, and ready to give soli<.ladvice in the Legislative

Council when it is needed. He was born in Saltcoats in 1828, and

Came to Newfoundland in 1844, as an apprentice to Hilson & Co.-

another olLl Scotch firm that carried on a Dry Goods business where

1'I.yrc&Sonsarctouay.

In 1852 Hr. Baird and his brother, David, started as Drapers,

and did a successful business under the name of Baird Bros. In

1672, he starteed under his own name, assisted by his nep.pew, James

Gordon, and eventually the firm w~s called Dairu Gordon & co, but

after Hr. Gordon's death it was christened James Baird, Ltd. It

is said that I·lr. Gardon's heirs got $350,000 at the time of his

death, and James Baird was reckoned a millionaire. He has been

identified with all the Local Industries, such as Boot & Shoe

Factory, Gas Company, Cordage Co, Consolidated Foundry, l'/haling

& Sealing, Co's, floating Dock, etc, but he will be handed down

in History as the IlHaIRpden of Newfoundland", owing to his great

fight in a lawsuit with the British Government over the French shore

Question. This\o1as one of the great events in the controversy

that Newfoundland had in the competition with the French for sup-

remacy in Newfoundland, and together with the Bait Act, had placed

our country where she is today. He had been a member of the Upper

House for many years, and with the courage of his convictions, has

tal).e too much space to enumerate even a title of theIa. Anyway I

will give something that will be of historic value about:

WalkingSticks

'l'he walking stock of some of those old Scotchmen is probably

the most valuable keepsake or heir-loom that it is possible for

any person who treasurers these old remembrances to gey. His

walking stick was a kind of sceptre, distinguisting the head of

the firm from the juniors, and while it was a very humble appendage

veryoften,stillitcarriedabadgeofauthoritythatisdifficuit

to express today, but it is really amusing to find the anecdotes

that are handed down about those veterans, connected oftener with

the walking stock than anything else.

You hear one person say; my remembrances of Peter ~lcDrid~

arc seeing him walking the wharfon a Sunday afternoon \'lith his

old friend, 'l'om Gleenn, (the heaven-born Finance Ilinister). ~'hey

wereprobal>lydiscussing the political situation, and Peter used

to give that stick of his such a swing at times that it "auld not

be good for the person under discussion if he were near.

Old John Hunn had a characteristic "ay of carrying his walking

stick tucked under his arm, something like the pictures you will

sec of Nelson with his spy-glass. It was very amusing to see some

of the big planters of Harbor Grace imitating this attitude of Hr.

Hunn. There was no mistaking the genuine regarcl and .respect they

all had for hir.l, and it was undoutedly a desire on their part to

sho\V' off, or as some \'lould say, let off a little brumptioris"

\-.Jalter Grieve \'las never seen without his \-,aIking stock, and

he head a habit of touching up the men ',ith it to make them more

around a little faster. One after noon he was strolling around

the Wharf there \"as a shower of rain in sight, and of course a

rush to get the fish under cover. One chap must have come in for

an extra dose of that walking stick, as the store-keeper received

orders shortly after to send a barrel of flour up to that man's

house. It was a eharacteistic story of that kind-hearted but

quick-tempered old man. I might og on to enumerate many stories

of this kind, but I need only to draw it to your atcelltion to re-

fresh the meraory of many readers for similar anecdotes. It only

needed a quick word and a shake of that stick to show the most per-

sistent seeker after supplies that he had the final word. It was

no use talking to the skipper any more - the uplift of the seeptre

carried more weight than a policeman's baton.

If we have any aspirants today among the younger generations

with ambiton to take the place of these old merchants, let them

take my auvice and first select a real substuntial Halking stick,

and never be seen without it.

In the sketch of the Scotchmen in Newfoundland, I have given

particular notice of some of the large Exporters or Fish Nerchants.

There are many people who think they know all about the Newfound-

land trade, and will air their opinions by the yard in the local

press, but b~yond a superficial gloss they do not know what business

is until they start into exporting fish. IIhenthey invest their

dollars in that business there are very few of them who can hold

their heads over I·,ater and show a good balance sheet at the end

The export fish merchants are the greatest patriots in Newfound-

land. It can be truly said of them that they were working for the

country. '1'0 work things properly they have to slave morning, noon

and night, and take risks that American speculators, with all their

competitive excitement, cannot compare. rllhe Wheat Pit in Chicago

is only playing narbles compared with the Newfoundlarld Fish Exporters

\'lhen you realize the tension and excitement of fitting out men

for the fishery, then have a scramble to get the fish, only to ship

it in turn to the tender mercy of the Greeks and Italians, one may

readily wonder where the incentive comes in this wonderful game

the only men who have a real graph ofthc Country's affairs are

the Export l1erchants, and no able-r men have ever put a foot in bhis

they did not succeed in tbe task that thierambitioncalled for,

still they laid down their lives, in many cases, in a struggle for

business supremac y that even a Scotchman, with all his thrift and

ingenuity, could not endure.

Now I will turn to another class of Scotchman who have helped

to buioa. up the country, and these are the Buyers, who go once or

twice every year to the Old Country to buy Dry Goods principally

but everything in general from a needle to an anchor. That is

where the money is made, or as the Scotchmen say-"when a thing is

bought right itis half sold". These buyers originated about sixty

years ago, previous to that a few of the large Fish I-lerchants im­

ported everything.

It was only natural that after serving apprenticeships that

many of them had the ambition ot start for themselves. They saw

the chance to make a progressive movement in Dry Goods shops.

and a cloth cap instead of the old elsinore, but it is the ladies

who set the pace for hats and feathers, blouse and hobble skirt,

nottospeakoflingarieandfour-belows.

universally slected for this work. His well known business instinct

for a bargain, his knowledge from child hood of the value of money

and the relective value and merits of blankets and cloth, and, in

fact, everything you can mention eminently qualified him for the

position. It is wonderful what care they take of every penny or

baubec as they liked to call it. 1'hey would sooner sign a ch~que

for one thousand dollars then see a man get the advantage of five

Here are a few of these Scotch buyers. 'l'he most of them have

Pilssed to their reward, but there are still a few of them with us.

Just imagine you were on one of the Allan Liners about forty

years ago with Hobert Wright, Charlie Honderson. \~illie Irving,

John Patrick, \'1. Frew, Henry Blair, Robert 'l'ernplcton, James Baird,

vavidBaird,JohnDaird,Johnt.1cLFraser,\'l.1I.Davidson, Robert

Laurie, Alexander Harshall, l\lex Rogers, John Paterson, Victor

'J.'ravers, James Foster, Hobert Balmer, Hilliam Duff, l\lex Hobert­

son, c. R. Thomson, Lunsden, Jabez Finlay, John Ansterson, and

others! I ,-/ould like to give a complete list, but someone else

must help me. Ivhat a galaxy of names we have here, and what mem­

ories will it not bring up to many who have travelled with them!

'l'here never was a jollier, heartier, good-natured crowd to be

found anY\rmere. 'l'hey took charge of steamers and hotels wherever

they went, and well did they know the value of the thousands of

pounds that were behind them. A buyer has the privilege of speak-

ing his mind. How they helped one another was a big word (I mean

when he did out come into direct competition with his own little

shop at home.) Ivhat tender care they took of any sick passenger,

and what concern it was to them if they saw any young chap going

astray! How is it possible to make any special mention of those

worthy names, but I think everyone of the", would say that Sandy

Harshall, as they loved to call him, was the Keenest buyer among

the whole lot. i'race his career from humble beginning, step by

step, setting one firm after another on its legs, and then amas-

sing wealth for himself. He had a long level head. The King

Haker they called him in politics, but he never remained with any

political party very long. Ivhenanygreed,graftorboodlestarted

up he denounced them whether they wer friend of foe.

'l'hen there was John Paterson in Harbor Grace, who worked his

way, boy ane.! Iaan, to a most honorable place in that corrununity.

he took charge of the kirk and every Scotchman who went to Con-

ccptionuuy,andheleftanarnenevertobcforgotten.

\-J1ll.0uffinCarbonearwasbornncarhistoricDannockburn,

and was allothr of the real sort, who had the glad hand for everyone,

whether they saw alike in politics or religion - as long as he knew

the man ""Hi honest and upright.

\;hen the House of Assembly passed il Resolution of sympathy

to his family il few years ago, they did honor to themselves in

remembering a colleague of twenty years ago. Between fifty and

seventy years ago (1840) there was quite a number of Scotchmen

came to harbor Grace. The firm of George, Henry and Andrew Ruth-

erfoni brought many of them, and afterwards Paterson & Foster brought

more. Here are a few of them still well remembered,- John Brunlees,

Tom and \"/ill Henderson, James Jarvis, Hugh Youndall, Dick Rutherford,

Mark, John Syme, who afterwards moved to St. Johnts as General

Nanager of J. & \i. Stewarts - John Cathrac, llorison, Neyle, Gordon,

Thomas Cairn's, Hurray, Hilson, James Croo, Neil Ste''/art, Lony-wil1,

'l'aylor, Monroe, and many others.

It is indeed pleasing to note that Andrew Rutherford, who was

a Nerchant over seventy years ago still carries on business there

attending his shop daily sumner and winter. notwithstanding that

ch is a nonagenarian. Old Father ~rime appears to have made little,

if any, change in his hearty kindly manner, and it is the wish

of everyone in Harbor Grace that he may reach the one-hundredth

mile-stone in health and happiness. He can tell many stories about

the Old Ram (sign over shop), and the copper pennies which adver-

'i'here was quite a few Scotchmen gathered round John Nunn &

Co's el,lploy. Hho can forget Dan Fletcher, Janes Coates, Captains

John and Duncan Hunn, Capt. Baily, Capt. Cunningham, John Fisher,

n~s Son Peter, also \·lm. Beatty and others. There \"as old Or. l\llan

anuUr. Uow,cousins, fromncarI.:.dinburgh, and the friends of

lJoth rich ilnupoor-

I reserve John Irving HoLldick for the last, the Schoolmaster

parcxcellencc, one of the greatest Scotchmen tnat ever came to New­

founulanu. Ho\Y' proud I fell in saying that I was a pupil under him!

It makes me feel that I can hold up my head with the best in the

land. \[nat a lover of Scotland was my old Domine, and what a ring

he gave to that dear old voice of his when he ,muld tell us he

waS born in the Royal town of Jedbough!

How times have changed in Newfoundland since I went to

school! It was then one of the celebrated things to mention about

cross Newfoundland. \-ihat took him nearly three months '-Talking

from Random Sound to St. Geroge's Bay can now be traversed easily

It was in 1882 he detennined upon exploring the interior of

the Island, which was utterly unknown, and. supposed to be occupied

by the Red Indians, in whom he was greatly interested. The Govern-

ment was opposed to this project, and prevented an official from

going as a companion with him. Cormack writes,-III could not add

to my party either by hiring or obtaining a volunteer". This hardy

Scotchman \Y'as not to be baulked in his enterprise, and embarked

with a Nicmack Indain only. lIe endured many hardships, but his

diary is optimistic in the extreme for the future of Newfoundland

as a contrast to the conjectures entertained by others.

Near Bay St. George he christened the Jamieson l10untains and

Jamieson Lake after a Professor in Edinburgh. As is usual with

Scotchmen he was always looking out for some of the clan, and men­

tions that there was none on the coast\<Jest oflla.raborBreton, but

l.n Placentia there lived an interesting old Scotchman, Josiah

BlackLurn, who was Najistrate and Patriarch of the place.

I must mention another explorer, J. A. HcLcan, who was the

f~r5t to visit the Grand Falls on the Hamilton niver, Labrador,

that rivals Niagara in grandeur. 'l'here were many Scotchmen conn-

ected with the Hudson Bay Company at Labrador, but Sir Donald Smith,

nOW Lord Strathcona, \."ho lived for thirteen years at Pigolet, was

looked on as a Newfoundlandr, and should come in for an eulogy,

but has so many that I need only show that he is not forgotten in

our list of worthy men from the Land of the BrOlYn Heather.

Then there was Capt. Buchan, who made those very interesting

expeditions for the Government in 1810 up the Exploits River to

try and open negotiations with the Boethic Indians. He did his

work well and leaves a Diary of remarkable imprest. The Government

were too late in taking up this work, but I am pleased to note

the fact that a Scotchman was selected for the intricate diplomacy

Now for a Poet: ALout 70 years ago James Sharpe lived in

Harbor Grace. He came from. Dunfer line, and held a position con-

nected with the Court House in Harbor Grace. I can repeat snatches

of many, but probably the most important pOeht was the description

of a celebrated dinner held in Brigus. lIe brings in a verse or

more from each of the persons present, and as they were all very

important me the poem of fifty verses made quite a hit, and was

often repeated. It is still handed down almost complete.

'I'he pOeJil describes a controvcrsary between t~10 other Scotchmen

present, Robert Brown and Dr. Doby, who were rivals for the beautiful

Hiss Danson. It \'las a sumptuoris dinner and the guests were pos-

sibly warned up with refreshments for which Brigus \'las famous at

that time. 'l'hecolltroversy led to a duel being arranged for the

following morning. \'ihile they were getting ready Dr. Doby pens a

good-by letter tol'liss Danson, and this verse is still often used

When St. Valentine's Day Comes round;

Julia, lovclyJulia,dcar,

'I'his ink is mingled with a tear.

'fa think that we so soon may part,

Is worse than life's blood from my heart.

Needless to say the duel never came off, but everyone heard

of it and Dr. Doby made the amende honorable by at once proposing

to Hiss Danson, and she happily accepted him. It will be a sur-

prise to many to know that the wild young harum-scarum Robert

Brown, \..,hom Sharpe says \<las breaking the hearts of other young

ladies at the time I \..,as the same Robert Brown, who was aften'1ards

selected by the stair merchants of St. John's as l1anager of the

Commercial Bank, which he founded and ran most successfully til

the day of his death, manyyears after. Sharpe's poetry was mostly

satire, mixe<1 with facts, and he was probauly having a good hit

There arc so many Scotchmen \'1ho ma<1e names for themselves

that it is impossible for me to name them all, but \lho will forget

Gilbert Browning, the foun<1er of the most successful Biscent Bakery

\'Iho did more for Temperance in Newfoun<11and than our old friend,

Hon. J. J. Rogerson, and it was his goo<1 Scotch blood that brought

him through that fight so successfully.

\'Ihat a list of Doctors ther are from J.:dinburgh! IIho will for-

get Dr. Carson the FAther of Agriculture and Constitutional Govern-

ment? 'I'here was Dr. Anderson the noted. Surgeon of Heart Content

and Brigus. Or. Forbes of Bonavista, Dr. Scott, and Dr. t-1cl~en.

'j'alk about Druggists - who was the founder of this profession but

'l'homas Nct-i.urdo and his talented successor John HcNcil?

'fhe traue of Engineers bclon'Je<.l allliost entirely to Scotchmen,-

Sandy Drat-In, Ledingho.m, Carson, NcLaughlnn, l'1cF'ur13l1e, Keppie,

.,,,tson, noss and Henderson, anil ,.,hen "lemention the Heid Nfld. Co,

let us not forget (;pawford, the buyep for the i:nmense concern.

"lhen we talk of journalism who "Till forget Archibli d Munn

of Harbor Grace, who made the Standard whet it is today - one of

the best papers in the country. Scotchmen have taken such a

prominent place in politics whenever my important crisis was at

stake that it deserves an article of its mIn to mention them i:1

that sphere alone.

Then there were ministers and schoolmest6rs that the clergy-

C'nn only do justice to, so that I will skip them wi. th the mention

of those famous names of Fraser, !-lcRae" Graham, }~cNab" Robertson"

Paterson, "utherland, ~:uir, McNeil, etc. It was Rober.t Stott,

M. A. of Anerdeen Uni versi ty Hho made the Scotch School, as it

'-"'1S Called, the chief seat of EdUCation, in St. John's ror rnmy

years. His brothers James end David are with us today.

Custom House: NOH for a revl words about this necessary Institution

which finds the sineHs of Hal' to run the whole Government. It ",as

started by , Scotchman named Hamilton, but he did not remain long.

It is said of him tl-'at he found the people so disagr.eeable and

odverse to payint> duties that he left the country in disgust. In

the year 1763, another Scotchma.'1, Alexander Dunn, from Aberdeen,

took up the post of tax-gatheper, and from his >1xertions is now

co lected nearly Four !·:illion vollars year'ly from the hard-working

people of this Island.

~1'hissameAlexanilerDunn,about1770,starteilthefirst

mine that I have any reocrd of in Newfo.jndland. He induced the

Earl of (jallo>1aY at ""hoal Bay, about fifteen miles South of St.

John's. It was 'I.'lorked for tHO years, one shaft at sen level, and

the other fif'ty feet abovo the cliff. The ri chest vein took II le'ld

- 24 -

c:n~cr the soa, hut oHing to the dif'f'ioul ty of' keepino; the mine dry

it had to be abandoned af'ter an expenditure of' $ 45,000.

So,ith NcKay gave mining another great impetus in 1846 when he

discovered the !Creat Tilt Cove Mine. The Geologicol Survey ,las

commenced by another Scotct'-'T19n, Alex Hurray, who organized the Dep­

artment, which waS sO ably carried on by his successor, James P.

Howl> y, a Newf'oundlander by birth.

~: I could tell yoy about Governors ",ho were Scotch:n0n and

made records f'or themselves in Newf'oundland, but the f'ollowing ",ill

be suf'f'icient f'or the presen t. There HqS Sir Thos Cochrane in 1823

whose name ",ill never be f'orgotten. Gov. Duf'f' in 1775 kept tre

French within their limits. Gov, j'lontaque the next year turned us

whole French population out of' St. Pierre. Had these old Scotchmen

been becked up by the British Gov. as they should, ",e would heve

a dif'f'erent llewf'oundland. I could tell about a number of' others,

but we had n ~oorl example in recent years in Gov. HcGregor. he

treshed out every qu 'stion on its merits.

"oidiers: The last f'ight on Signal Hill 150 years ago, when the

French were driven f'rom St. John's, was the result of'good hard

fighting by three Regts of Scotch. tre Fraser Highlanders 9l dare

with an extend~d notice. I would like to tell about Sportsmen, as

they were so many, but l1ichael Thorburn HaS undoubtedly the King

of all in this live. I wish there was space to mention some of' the

moo. y descendnms of' Scotchmen who are upholding their o.m in t,'1is

country. There are some of' them more Scotch than the Scotch them­

selves, such as our lote Archbishop MacDonald, Rev. Dr. D. H.

~'cGrco:or (Catholicsl, Ale x Mackey ',-Iho became famous in 'l'elo£,;raph

circles. 'l'hep8 is Jam Browning, the worthy Pres. of St. dndre'H"S

Sooioty. There is the Reg. of Nfld Highl30'1ders, the finest bony

of Solniers in tho country, end the pride of ourtmn today. It

-25-

shaHS how tho Scotch opirit is i'ostered in our midst, and long may

it continue so. In bringing this "rticle to a close let us all

unite hands m d join in the chorus of th3 t time honored song:-

"And here's a haJ1d, my trusty friend,

And gie's a hend 0' thine;

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And days of auld lang syne.

':/elll tak' a cup 0' kindness yet

For auld Lang Syne.

a report of the Enclish 1'5 shel'y upon the

coasl; 0f NC\'lfoun<lland for 1783;- Number of ships 567, tone burden

(,2,4(,6; men belonc;ing 5961; passenGers, 6212; boats employed 2680;

bye-boatmen 2397; quintels of fish made 91;8,970; carried to market

776 ,84-0; tierees of salmon 3736; tons of oil 281,7; price of fish

per qtl. lOs 6d to 15s. 6 d ; salmon PCI' tier6l'2 tOj::·"'2 •• 16s; train

oil per ton:.:t12 to(9""14; value of last winter sea ?il mad~'=7•• 12•• 6;

furs taken 1901; number of shages 1578; train vats 873; families

2326; acres of land improved 6285; inhabitants 25,860; of vlhich

remained in the country last year 18,209; born 704; died 223;

British force, Salisbury of 50 guns, rear Admiral Elliot; Rose

frigate of 28 cuns; \'/inchelsea of 32' guns; Echo and Merlin sloops

·1ra.n~T'r,-I-tOY\ .ftDl-"~ po-.pcr-s D f +1,'::-. :::'1'l6Y'';s \,,'-( JI. ~'-1.\XI -\\>L Q.C\i "('~ ~""hl"'<O, ~-\. ')&1\11.5 .

/

I

VO\..\l~E 2:{,l0),

OUR GREAT SAILING ScALIUG FLSr.T

H. F. Shortis Historio~ranher

"Yon ice-bergs Hake has formed a lake,

That lied our course along;

To Harp her through, her daring crew

Round bOllS and bulHarks strong.

I'll go to tp.e ice and catch the seals

And all the creH will join me,

And ",hen I return I'll draw a Bill

For the girl I left behind me.

Our captain he's a jolly fine man,

And on the bows you'll find him;

he'll brin:; the poor sealer home again,

To the girl he left behind him. (Old "ongs)

There are many men living in St. JOhn's tOday (and they are not

Hhat may be called very old men), Hho remember the time that in St.

John's, "s Hell as the outpcrts, the two great industrie3 of the

seal, cod fisheries were the eoverning principles of our commercial

and social existence. Until comparatively recent years, the first

of Hnrch, the day of the departure of the seaJ.in~; fleet, was looked

fO:';lard toby citizens of St. John's "Iith somethins like the ~ame

sort of anxious expectation which characterizes the loyal citizens

of the American Republic on the appro\tch of the Fourth of July. All

classes of citizens vild with each other tobc the first upon the

ocone to witness the dep,grtul'o and bid bon voya;e to our hardy and

fe31'1ess follo:-I-countrj:nen oS they joyously "Ient forth to their ad­

ventt:rous nnd.crilousundcrt3Idn'-. "'nthoo,edays thefir'atof

of it, nnrl the in.~lucement Hould be e:;reat indeed that could se,luce

the small boy f,>om tho fore-shore to enter the enclosure of the

scho :,l-~~oom. .r'or that doY, at least, the'master or his rod had

nO terrors for the scho ling boy. his mind HaS fully made up to

see the "sHoilers" off, and see the:n he invariably did.

NAHES TO CON JURE HITH

.in those daYs the man who Has swiftest on the ice, and could

nrnw the e;reatest number of seals in a "to\-ll1, was looked up to and

res-ected. 'rime HaS, and no further back than five decades ago,

Hhen it Has deemed of more honor in "'t. John I s to be ,salu ted and

spoken to by Captains Terence naIler an, Hilliam Ryan, John Pu:nphrey,

reter ()ummens, oJilliam "'\oberts, ~'lilliam l:.'helan, ~dHard ~']hite" ~.Jm.

Knee, Pierce Feehan, hlexander Grahm" i'homas Duff" Jjilliam Jack:nan,

John Barron, liichQrd 'ike, etc, thro by the highest social and

political ""'l;nates in the Island. The :nen of those days entered

onto the spirit of the ti:nes in 'ihich they lived. l'hey fully ap-

preciatecl what the seal-fishery meant to the country. They knoH

the hard ships a..'1d dangers contin[!;Hent upon its prosecution, and

they looked up"to the captains and leader's of their adventurous

callinG Hith a feeling almost akin to r~verence. They were hon-

ored by the people Hho Harked under their directions, ,;ho fully

unclerstocdtheirdaringandcapability, anrlasaref'lexofthis

popular acknoHlcdgement, they Hore honoree' and respected by the

hi~hest in the land.

I connot too often repeat that 1 am proud of the deeds of m:'

countrymen in the nays f~one by. Their adventures, both by sea and

land, Hill ono dlly be told by the historian. "lthou["n hidden for

yeaps" aye, for centuries tho deeds of a noble people nrobolU1d

"Ooner or le,tor, and throur~h unoxp"cted sources, to corne to the

BUPf"co, when the torch-lir;ht of' histor'ical nnalys:s Hill be fL'shed

-3-

U[,on them, awl thoy Hill be assi.'·,ned to that place to Hhich they

legiti~l3.tcly bolon~ in the Glorious sacrifices their O\>lners have

l'1illin r:1 Y made to build up the "mpire of Hhich we are all so proud

to call oursclvcs sons.

110'£ ECUAL TO NBHFOUNDLAJID

':Ie read much in history of the daring and prowess of the hardy

Norsemen. From tIme immemorialthey have been handed down to us as

ex,mples Horthy of eraulatio:1. ~,for one, feel very much inclined

to question their sole title to hardihood and courage. To the

cJeful student of History, it is sometimes apparent that the vir­

tues of a people are often map:nified, Hhilst their faults are al_

,"ost entirely overlooked.

"hile not attriouting any r'ault at all to the Norsems'1, I

Ie'Ll'"} stroncly to the opinion th&t t~e accounts of' their pro\oJ'ess and

carin" have been someHhat overdone. \'lhile freely admitting that

they were a hardy and adventurous race, He must be2.r in mind that

for centuries the halo ofp..ntjquity hfJS bee~ surroundinG the:n, and

. they h3.ve been accepted without question e.s tj-pif:Jin2, all that goes

for breatness p.nd courafZs. They were a hard'j'- R.1'1d fearless race of'

men. The spirit of the pioneer HaS stronsly develo~ec1

:1,ture, but I m'd,e bold to say the.t in their most subline acts of

"~venture end darinG, they- fell short of the NeHfoundl:md se,~lcr.

In contr'c.stinc; the brs.very of the tHO peoples, He must ~ot

lose siGht of the fact that the most trivial act of the Norsemen

and Viki.ncs has been carefully treasured - ha.s been told time and

t~.o hi3tor>in.n~ h8VC canonized them in the :'J.inos of posterity.

Unforttlnfl.tel:-- Nm.".foun(~l1.n,l h...... :l dl'm'lbnck of no one to rolate

tho nchicver:1Cnts tlJ1r} nct3 of hcroi.sm Ut1C' cours..co \-lhich are porformod

- l~ -

b~~ her sons, anrl l1hich are unrecorded find unlmmm, but Hhich, I

trust, \·,ill bo one day brou~ht to li:.;ht, and then, and only then,

sh 11 the true lioHfoundlander be knO\-ffi and u:1derstoodbj- the peoples

of the earth.

RA"LY PROS;;;CUTION 0;;' SZAL-FISP.Z;lY

It Hill 'e seen from the follo\Jing report that the Seal Fishery

waS prosecuted by our people, to a very great extent, in the ~8th

century. An e"tract from the Report of tho Tracle in NeHfoundllll1d

before a :loyal Conrnission held in hnt;land in 1793 gives the number

1st Oct 1786 to

1787 "

1786 "

" " 1789 "

11 II 1790 II

averagine;32,995forfiveyear s.

Vct 1787

" 1788

" 1789

" 1790

" 1791

41,141

37,420

25,643

31,910

23,664

\'ihenHec:J."le dO'o:nto the 19th century, He find the sealfishery

in the zenith of its glory. In the year 1829, 558,942 seals Here

\:illed and brou~ht in. In the year 1831 there were 686,836; the

year 1640 there Here 631,375 "nd the year 185£1 there were 507,624.

Of course it nay be "aid, and rightly so, that these\!ere except-

ional years, but if He take \!hat may bo looke"l uron as an averaee

ann with which I am fortuns.tely providecl with full particulars, it

::IUst set us thinking that thero must be somethine wpono;, and that

the seals ore not 00 plentiful as in the dllysofourgreatsailinl3

floet. Thefollo,.,inr;, Ithi:1k, is a correct account of the number

ofselllsla:1r]erl andnanufllctured at the sevoral ports of the Is land

fopthe';prin,;oflo39:- At St. John'sby980utportvossels 150,576;

at St. John's by 76 St. John's vessels 91,749; at Harbor Grace

-5-

46, °57; Carbonear 41,019; Trinity 33,000; Greenspond 11,500; Bri~us

9,20 ; Spaniards Bay 6,200; KinG's Cove 5,5uo; Catalina 5,560; Bay

rtoberts 5,200; Port-de-Grave 4,200; Fogo and Twillingate 5,700 ­

makinG a total of 416,341. In addition to this amount there were

1,155 seals taken at Fogo and 1,346 at Twillingate by landsmen. As

l. unrlerstand it, they usually calculated that 80 seals Hould pro­

duce one ton of oil. If so, th t would give 5,245 tons imperial;

but I presume this was some"hat a rough calculation and ",ould not

pass in these days.

AT ITS Z2llITH

In the fifties and sixties of the past century the Seal Fishery

may well be said to be in the zenith of its glory, as to the cuality

and durability of the vessels, as "ell as the fane and success of

the masters. For the past forty years or morel. h"ve done my very

best to presume the names and records of those heroes of our country

who have done so much to bring her to her present prosperolls con­

ditions. In almost every magazine and neHspaper in St. John's, I

havc kept hmr.nerinG a,·,ay in my endeav ol's torescue fro!1l oblivion the

heroism, enterprise, adventures, escapes, etc, ofourearlyfello".·l-

countrymen, and it is needless for me torepeat lists of the vessels

and masters "'ho sailed from St. John's, Harbor Grace, Brigus, Car­

bonear, Day Roberts, and other ports, and 1 >laS well a>lare in so

doing that if I ,·,ere to put it off for ~ny lenr;th of ti!1le, ns> records

would be found for any person to do so in the future. AndJ. "as

correct in my surMise, bee use it is utteply impossible to obtain

eny r arll inf~'omation from docu:nent3 nOH-a-days, as none are to be

hUrl, at least 1."1 the outports, previous to the sixties of the past

c'ntury. j'ypooreffortshavestrayedaHay-roorlittle>laife-

SC'lttererlhoronndthererr1ongst:Jtro.n;:-:crsinforoiGnlands,Hhoroas

could they be onco more inrluccd to cornc.' b,~ck to t ho lanct of their

hirth, sufficient information could be derived from them for so:oe

comrctcnthistoriantociveusseveralvolu'tesofasinteresting

tales of heroism, pluck, perseverance and ondurancoas ever graced

the pages of the history of any country in the world. Unfortunately

all my copies ",cnt up in the great fire of 1892.

'i'H~ HEART'S COtJT&iT FLSET

But in all our writings about the seal Fishery very fet< of us

made any extended reference to the prominent parb Hhich the famous

Vikinrrs of the Cab!.e TOl-m, Heartls Content, took in this srent in-

<1ustryofourcountr:ri and I cannot permit this opportunity to pass

without r;ivinn; the names of the vessels andcaptains v:ho ovmed, fitted

Gutandsailodti,eirshi,sinthelon[;. long, abo. Those hardy,

fearless and industrious mariners we:-e amongst the most successful

equal to any sailinG out of the ~sland. About 58 years ago there

sailed from neart's Content the follm-ting vessels:

The Faith,: Charles and '1'\10 lJrother's, 'suprlied by .Jolm Hopkins

the Co~aiiore of the fleet; Adam !tockY.-TOod &; Bros. had the racket

and !:ope; ~lias ":larren the BelIYlent end .-'tmzico; Jonathan Harkins

the King lock and Le~dGr; rlich2rd Hopkins the Hnry Ann and Apollo;

j-1opk "OCblOOd the Water Lilly; .James ctock\1ood the Dash; Alfred

Hopkins the Gaxelle and True Blue; }'artin &: 'Ii 'liam ··oHe the S"ndy

and S"eet I·ome ; .Joseph Hopkins the Ann Thomas and Gleanor ; "ichnrd

Underly the S·,tan , commanded by Ldward Crocker, who said ~lhen sailin

he Hould make one shilling, and he made one 11':;. He brour,ht in three

old harps. "ioscsl-loorehadtheSuperiorand"obcrtArthur {lHonder

',lLiS this tho ~ame ship ,.Ihich f'or a number of years \'i~S commanded by

the f"mous seal-killer and plnnter', Capt. N~th:n iel Davis of H"rb",

(j.rlco?) If'soshcvlasaluckyolr vonsel, and.lrc!ne:nbcrhervol'Y

'l i stlnctl Jr • Hoses 1·.oore W"S al30 (Joe oi' tho bost ship-builrl(H's in

.::>uch vessels nS tho naomi, o"dnod and cOIn.-nanded by the

successful Capt'lin stephen J-"rsons of Bay '(oberts, and many others

Here built by him. Hr. 11m• HOHe Has another of the famous ship­

builders of rle"r<s Content, "nd it Has smd by master mariners

;,hen viewing one of the sh ips on the stocks that "nothing but the

cliff Hould smash her up". One of the finest local built vessels

Has put out of hand by him for the great firm of I'illiam I\: Henry

Thomas of St. John's. She HaS taken to Englund by Capt. l'alfrey,

who supervised her building (and broke one of his legs before the

cabin and joiner work was completed) and received a first class

certificate. Her torma~e was over two hundred gorss, and she was

used in the 11eHfoundland trade for many years. On a Passer;e to

Ln In.nd and b')ck she made one of the quickest trips on record.

T'-'EIR H,:..;rnIG GLORY

And nQl./'l \oJe ure dravTing to the end of our long and eventful

story - to thc days ,;hen the smal:" and insignificant fleet of

sailing vessels made their last gallant stand against the almost

all po;rerful advance of steem. Slowly, but surely, did our mem-

erous fleet decrease in numbers - some gave Hay to the ravoges of

time, others ;rere lost at the seal fishery, many;rere totally

wrecked on ~abrador, others were lost in thc foreign trade and

still others were ro Id out of the country. They had played their

part - played it Hell, but their day Has at an end. Steam as fore­

told by the old VikinGS (in my own hearing in 1867) Has trium;Jhant.

They now sleep at rest in the old Churchyards, but their memory will

be ~reen forever in the hearts of all truo NeHfoundlanders.

Andallth'ltbeauty, all that wealth c'er gave.

A..",it ulike the inevitable hour-

'I'he latlw of Glory lead but'to ti.e grave".

And no\·! \'le come to the period Vlhen the heroism, the daring and

perseverance of our seal-killers shall shine Hith a setting ray,

sO en about to be totally obscured, and finally disappear from amongst

us, probably :Corever. The old generation had been ga~hered to their

:Cathers, and a new oQe had sprung up. The l"st act in the drama HaS

about to be played and in the authentic list Hhich I give beloH are

to be :Cound the names of those Hho were the heroes 0:C the last scene,

ere the curtain had been rung co\·m on the most interesting, fascin-

ating and heroic period in our countl?y's his~ory:

St. John's lBGl .~l!J2lieu!JYI;iiTriE..-;@.hi1iiton~

ZamlJisi

"l1aggiel1CNeil

Baggie

(Suppliedbyllowring.!lrothers)

Fanny Bloomer

(Supplied by Stabb ){O\,e & lIolmwood}

Livingston

l\rtnurO'Leary

Delaney

(Supplied uy hcBride & Kerr)

'I'riumph

Jenny Lind

(continued)~plicd1.>Y'fhomas&Uickinsoll)

Henry'fhomas

St. Filian

'l'aylor

(Supplied by Brooking Son & Co.)

Georgel-iilliroa

(Supplied by J. & Ii. Stewart)

bryand

(Supplied by R. Alsop & co.)

(SupplieubyJ.Kavanagh)

Tiger

UOlphin

Lynch

(Supplie<.lbyP. Rogerson & Son)

Knight

(continueu)(~li~_~~li:!~od& Co.)

(Supplied by Goodriage & Kelligrew)

Hilgic

-(SuppliedbYJ.HCLo:,ghlan)

HcLoughlan i73

\,yoming NcLoughlan

(Supplied by Job Dros & co.),

Sophia

(Supplied by Lawrence O'Brien)

Hollyhock

(Supplied by P. L.Tessier)

l1argaJ;e~ 11ackey

(Supplied by Pierce Dilrron)

(Suppliedbyll.\;oodford)

Sterling Clipper

(Suppli"tlby l\lex Grahilm)

(SupplieduyR. HcLea&Sons)"

l-4iYhtinyalc

(Continueu)'!§~0..0_d...E.x---..s..t9~~l~~

(Supplieu by R. Nudge & Co.)

Gazell'e Kennedy

(Suppliec1 by II. Goodridge & Sons)

Goodridge

(Supplied by Peter Brennan)

'(Supplied by w. Houn,s<;ll & Co.)

HARBOR GRlICE, 1862

(SuppliedbyRidleY&Sonsl

Harriet Ridley

Hopkins

Isabelli'Ridley 'l'homey iS4

Elizabeth&Vlilliam Stephenson

Pumphery

Argo

ElizauethJane

Fitzgerald

Cleary

Lord Clyde

(SuppliedbyPuntonandl1unn)

Snelgrove

Eclipse Taylor

Jane&.l1ary

Dolphin

Penguin

G.Taylor 133

superb

Angler

J:;mily'l'obin

Emily

commis.s~ry

R.'l'aylor

S.'l'aylor

Fitzgerald

Facey 122

(Supplied by w. J. S. Donnelly)

Stapleton

Thompson

Stapleton

(Supplieclby Rutherford Brothers)

(Supplied by Daniel Green)

Pilley

H,opkins

Hopkins

Thomas Ridley

NcCarthy

Dolphin

Superior Kennedy

'l'aylor

Taylor

Hargaret: Jane

HargaretGrant

'l'ruCr'riencl

Spy

IlctcorFlag

Dooling

Delaney

,139

'I'angler

Delaney

Eclipse Delaney

Delaney

Daring

Kitty Clyde

Hope

Isluy

'£hreeSisters

l1urphy

Hurphy

Snelgrove

Connolly

Helen Lavinia

lee King

superior

Superior

In the yeor1870 there Here eighty (80) sailingvesselsandtt.1O

steamers fitted out from harbor Grace. The steamers Here the Re­

triever and Hastiff - the former commanded by Capt. Rich"rd Pike,

and the latter by the famous Capt. ~ames Hurphy of Catalina, father

of Hon. John J. I·:urphy·of this city. St. John's had tHenty one ves-

sels and six steamers, viz. Lion, Nimrod lialrus, Hawk, Osprey, and

H"rtin. Carbonear had tHenty-five vessels ond Harbor Maine eleven,

viz: Argo, 1-/. Hoodford; Sterling Clipper, Hichl Iloodford; Emerald

Isle, Charles :urry; Elize, Patrick Stapp; BilloH, Jolm Kennedy,

Grace Darling, 'fhcmas St. John; Scottish Lass, Haurice \'1ade; Sarah

J. Cra'dley; Packet; Joheph Hoodford; brig ~Iilliem, 11ichael Costello;

Nymph, 'fhomas Ezekiel (The Harbor Haine List is someHhat previous

to 1870.) There Here 33 vessels Sailed from Channel, but that at so

H~S in the latter part of the sixties; amongst the", beibg the fam­

iliar names of the Leander Corkum, ChedabuetHo, Hary Joyce, etc.

1870, there Here fifteen vessels, 530 tons, 122 men Sailed from

Channel, the largest being tee J. Bell", Bragg master, 57 tons.

Petty Herbor h"d tHO vessels (there maY have moved) out in the sixties

supplied by Chafe & l"Iarren, viz; ~Varrior and Emma, and Aquaforte the

Margaret, Herlad, l'lary Jane and Emulate. Ferryland had the Melita,

Anga!10a and Brothers. The brig "Hammer", Carew, master HaS lost whilst

goin" to Cape Broyle from St. John's to land her creH, and "bout

30 men Here drot·med. In 1882 there Here seven vessels cleared from

St. John's, viz! NeI-lHavelock,St. John; ISabella, St. John (P. L.

Tessier); Oban, Ashburne and D"I-In, King (M. Tobin); Ellen, Antle;

Lizzie, Cla~k, (E. Duden); Aminta, Ezekisl (H. I·:onroe). The thriving

vi 11 r,.[::;e of HantsHarbor also contributed its contingenttovlardsQur

oncegrestsealingfleet, ondthefollowingis o list of the vessels

which sailed fr<1>m the port in the sixties; brig Jessie, John I:."rch,

master;brill:hl.l:·lOS Clift, Josu[.hBurt;Corsoir, JohnPelley;brirl

Intripid, Alfred Pelley; Brig Hobert &. James, ThomeS Smith; briCS

• Gourka, ~licholas short, brig Bandit, Philip Smith; The limited

space at my disposal prevents me from giving a full list of the

vessels .,hich Sailed from the various ports in the seventies and

eighties, as I am sure nothing is more interesting to Newfoundlanders

at home and more esoecially abroad than to have the fmniliar names

of the heroes of the ice-fields brought to their memory, as ",ell as

the equally f""iliar names of the vessels in ",hich they performed

such noble ~,!Ork in building u:J our country to Hhat she is today.

This is the race from \.;hich the NOHfoundl2l1ders have sprune:;. Ther-6

is one glorious fact ;rhich should be written in letters of (';old in

the history of our country, arld that is: Hotd tn3t3~din3 th2t

~un ireds of thousands of our fellm;-countrJT1en have prosecuted the

tiDul-fishery durin!; the past one hundred yeat's,- there is r.ot on

loss of life or even 8 serious injury.

There is one story that I have heard mnny years ago. Almost

sixty years ago, thottypicial"ndsuccessf'ulseol-l,illeI'Capt.

'11m• Knee, in the brig Ice il.in~" arrived in St. John's with a full

load of prime vlhite coats. 'rhe~' were pd. d off at BrOOking's in

lioylestm;n by an order on the !lank of British lOI'th America and

the amount ;:as handed them by the Bank offici"ls in "panish dollars.

I th;.nk they ,""de a Dill of about '::-orty ,-,oun:!s each ($160) •. T hey

h'3.d to plr.ce the rroney in the:'s caps, soul-uente:::"s or llhatover

they had on their he«d ",hen they entered the B,n ,,; ond they

created quite n cOI'1t"liticn l"'unninc dO\nl l:he street bare-headed,

·..Ii th the ~ilv0r jinslinr; in their hCnr1-Gonr l:.:hich they hugged to

theil:' bosmns. ~':n old -;ontlo:'1,.}n ~.·ha Hi tn":-''::;IJ 1 i;ho evont tal·)

::'rom the ye..,r 1882 commences tho. very p~l.!,id dccrei!.~e in tl.e

place in the :;~evl harine ,.:locks \-Iaters at harbor Greece, 'Hhere she

,,"s setteed in for seve:,al yoars, towed 0: t the harbor by the .:i • .:i.

J;sry, and doposited neor the DIeck ~OCkS on .:iouth -ide. 1 could

not help thinkinG s trIa So -d old shiffi "Jane Hmslie ll\·:n.S passing

the Beach forthe last time >/here she had sone so much for the com-

mercial prosperity of the to'.·m, t at, at intervals, she rai. sed her

bat tered~ he ad above the t.,zat(~rs of the harbor, us if to take a. partin..;

Cln.'1ceqttheeloriesofthepast, andvieuthesceneswhere3he

p:,oudly entered will canvas set, cre'.-Jscherring, gunsfirins,fla;s

flyin~, as s':e returned from the ice-floes under the command of

the veter.n Capt. John Kennedy of Carbonear as·..:ell as under the CO:l1-

mand of his fother before him:

The ship that once to Ridley's Hharf,

Shall plOH the deep no more-

For now she's gone, so let her rest,

Eer-Sealingdaysnreo'er·

Tlffii·IE:NACSOFTHEICS

,lot in modern times has there been another Spring and Summer

so prolific in mishap to Atlantic shipping from contact with ice.

The llewfoundland sealing fled has especially suffered. It may be

interesting to recall a fe.; of the more notable ice calamities of

the past tHenty or thirty years. Perhaps the most notable instances

of an ocean liner colliding Hi th an iceberg is the Case of the Guion

line:' "Arizona" in llovember (7th) 1879. Icebergs are found in the

,lorth Atlantic at all seasons of the year, and a record of mis-

haps to seacoing craft lrToulc exhibit disastrous :Tiiscd.ventures in

every Heek of the fifty-tHO. The "Arizona" at that time HaS a

cravl,ed vessel of the Atlantic, and had some six hundrcd passenRers

on board, Hhen in a dlinse fog she ran full tilt "gainst an ice

mountain, ans smashed in her forepart from stem to foY·e:n')st. If she

qad not been a stoeenchly built ship she must enevitably have founded

as it Has, hOHever, she succeeded in reaching St. John's forty-eiGht

hours later, the collision havine taken place on the Grand tlank 150

miles off Cape r'ace. She was re"aired by the 1a te Daniel Condon,

the famous st:irl-lright, Frocee~ed on her J.'oYage a.'1d o.rrived sG.felj.

Tha hiGhest praise ,;·r ... 3 given N!'. London Lor the in.:;enui ty a..Tld .:;l:ill

displayed by him in effecting repairs Hith the limited contriv?!,ces

athisdisposal.

l"hese on bOard h~d a :nost nerve-reekinG experience.

colliaion occurred the passenr;ers sta'1lpeded for the deck, and only

the most strenuous efforts of the officers and creH prevented a panic.

,"fter the panic had boen Allayed the coJ.lision bulk-heads beCame

~~~:;~~~',:~~~~£~l~~~~.¥?~~te~l~d\~~rfc~~" ~o~e" ~,d ~~n sho

reached St. John's she had sunk almost to the Huter's edge, and could

not have kept af'loat more t 'un a feH hours loneer. Vlhen the Hark of

repairing had begun tHO hundred tons of ice "ere taken from her fore­

peak, "here it had been driven by the force of the collision. Not

all ocean liners are as fortunate in the results of their encounters

Hith ice as was the "nrizona". The mere recital of the names of big

steamers that have gone to the bottom fr om contact ",ith ice in the

llist sixty years "/ill fill colul'lIls. There is reason to believe that

the -nysterious disappearance of scores of ships, will all hands ab-

oard, upon Hhich no light has ever been or will be thrown, is due

to collision >lith ice. Among the"e latter May be enumerated the

White Star liner "NaroJ:!ic" in the Hinter of 1893; the State liner

"Georgia" in 1897; the Allan liner "Huronian", in 1902; the Lake

liner "Lucerne", in 1903, the ?ield liners "llutfield" and "Freshfield",

in 1904; the Atl.qs liner "Athos" in 1907; and the SYdney liner,

Stikklestad" the last "'inter (1909) to name only a feH of the scores.

TIiRILLINGDANGERS

The dangers and discomforts which fall to the lot of those

aboard ocean liners >Ihich collide "lith bergs, and Hhich lose feH or

many of their personnel in these encounters, are thrilling in the

extreme. In 1861 the "Canadian" of the -'llcin service, struck a berg

in Bell Isle Strait and >lent to the bOttOM aI-lOst at once, carrying

fifteen person3 \-lith her, tihile the re:nOoinder of the crew and pas-

sanEsrs Here r-odrift for several 1nys in open boats before they :nude

land. On Hay 20th, 1876, the steamer "Caledonic" Has lost off Lab_

rador, having struck a berg and foun·;ered soon after. She had eighty

t ....IO persons abroad, only eleven of uhom escar-ad. 'llhera clambered

on to the berg, and Here there three da:rs and nip;hts,. livin[" on n

s c !] 1 '..1hi c h they had killed, un til a pas S in~~ fi.9 h inp; s c hoone r s res cue d

the"!. In Juno le75, the Do:ninionlinor."Vickeherg" collided Hith a

-3-

floe off Ca:)e ,dace, and forty 36ven persons Hent down with hor ..

;:,,,rch28th, 1887, tho steamer "Sussn" struck a ber[> off Cape ilace,

and five were drowned.

Ten years later occurred one of the most appalling tradedies

of modern ice-bergs disasters. In ii.pril of that year (lS'}7), the

:'rench fishing vessel "Vallisnt" bound from 9rittany to St. Pierre,

!'iiquelon, with seventy four persond aboard, crashed into a berg off

Cape ~~ace, and s .... nk wi thin ten minutes. Of her people sixty bolO

went "own with her. The other twelve escaped in two boats, and were

adrift for a v,eek, being without food and but poorly clad; some per-

ished, and the others kept themselves alive by e"ting the deild bodies.

Eventually the survivors become reduced to four, and thcse, when

picked up had their hands and feet so badly frostbitten that their

extremities had to be am;:-utated. A similar exrerience to the above

befell survivors of the French trawler "Kleher", in the spring of

1900. The vessel had fifty seven persons aboard, of whom only nine

survived the fOL"nderi!1g of the ship. ?our of these, having died,

served as food for the five who remained. A rescuing ship on her

HoY from St. John's to the Quero Ea11k Came upon the hapless Cast-

a\-lays perishing f'ro!n ex~osure and thirst.

!·:ELLVILLE BAY 1i0RROR

1'0 a like circumstance, the destruction of the ship by ~ mass

afiee, isduethe:nostterrlbleoccurancein:nodernArctican!1als.

In1881tpeGreelyexpedition, sent into the Arctic reeionsbythe

United Sto.tcs Govcrnment, eatablished itself at Lady Franklyn bay

forathreeye:-!r::;1 sojourn. T\-:oyearslatcrthelIewfoundl:mdsoalol"

IIProteu,s" H;JS Gent north ulth ~torcs "tnu sUP" l~tHi to be left at

Capo Sabine, .'It the head of.i·'jclville 3H:r, for thcuso of the ox-

- 4 -plorers v!hen the:l retreated to that St,ot. Ihe ship, hOHaver, \-;"':3

pushed into the ice in that boY by order of the inexperienced American

officer in charge (Garlington), and she w"s crushed so that she sank

within an hour, not an article on board being saved. The crew had

to make a three hundred mile voyage in open boats to South Greenland,

where a collier picked them up and broUGht themhome again. \'!hen the

explorers Came south in October they foundthemselves raced >lith the

apparentcertaintyofabsolutestarve_tionandtheterribleprcspect

that not a m"n in the party ,wuld escape the '-lOrst of deaths, for

they ,-/ere marooned on a desolate Arctic headland ,rithout shelter,

fo'd, or firing, >lith not a human being for hundreds or miles, and

absolutely no hope of relier, under the most favorable prospects,

for six or eicht months. It is impossible to give anything like an

idea of the tortures these thirt,· one human beings endured during

this desperate Hinter. After they had consumed the sCanty supplies

Hhich they had brough Hi th them on their boats rrom the North, they

had to maintain life by means of shell-rish caught with their naked

hands along the sho!'e, and then to make an unpolatate yet eatable

mess of their seal-skin boots and garments, until at last, as the

less robust members of the party died, the others kept themselves

alivo by the dre8dful alternative or cannibalism. ,-Ihen the strongest

bOats or the lIeHfoundland sealing fleet , purchased by the American

liovernment and equipped at the cost or 50,000 Hore pushed north

the next spring, at a date earlier thm the Arctic Circle had ever

been entered before, only six of the party remained alive to tell

the tale of a rif,ht against death unique on the records of adventure

in any part or the knOl;n world.

SEALI~!G FLEET SUi·'~;';'lS

'rhe\010rstsuffcre's, inener-aI, frorntheicobergperilarethe

ships of thc ·'eHfounrlland sealing rlect. These vessels have been,

-5-

until the past year or tHO, practically the type pf Artic Hhalers,

Hoodo," ships with bOHS several fleet thick and sides many inches

through, the better to enable them to resist the tremendo s ice

pros ure to Hhich they 2re often subjedted. In 1872 the "Huntsman"

(bcig) with a crew of 62 men Was crushed in the ice cff Labrador,

on the 28th April of that year. Only eighteen men Here Saved -

forty four being drOM'lec1.• All the others had legs, arms or ribs

broken, and one man ,lith a broken collar bone, Has thirty six hours

exposed to ,lind, Have and weather on " rock off the coast before he

could be rescued. In 1874 the steamer "Tigress" Hhich rescued the

"Polaries" survivors met with terrible accident Hhen her boiler

burst and killed tl.,enty-one of her crel·'. In 1[98 the steamer

Greenland Has at the ice-fields and during a terrible blizzard,

and of her one hundred and eighty ono men forty seven met death and

sixty tHO Here more or less seriously frostbitten.

SOl1ST:lADITIONSOI"!I2';T:'OUNDLAIID

I'Ho.nded dOtm from the garnered stories of the ~'orefathers of the

race. Tales ad daring and proHess on Lend m d Sea . .:)ome glimpses

of the fishery as carried on Two hundred years ego in Burin, Trini ty

Tilton Harbor and Fogo. A· just tribute to His Grace the late Arch­

bishop Howley and Rev. "anon ;)mith who accom9lished so much in gathering

up the traditions of their Native Land.

(By H. F. Shortis, Historiographer)

In a country like llewfoundland, all thoughtful men will admit

that tradition must playa most important part in its contribution

to its history. If we are to depend upon documentary evidence alone,

we should find the History of l_ewfoundland sadly woo ting in completeness.

Ou:-- reorle, especiall y those in the outports, have been remarkabll

for treasurine; traditions, and their ,,"ccuracy in handing them dOtm

from generation to p;eneration. From their peculiar environments

and mode of life, this love of life, this love for the retrospective

has been fostered by them from time im:nemorial. It was their only

source of passing tho time during the long 'Hinter months or enforced

idleness, and it had gro··.· and de "loped in them to the extent that

the patricual of a. village orhamlet 1.-1a3 looked upon as the historia..l'l

of.' the plaee, and he was pupetuating >!hat Has told him by his great

grandsires; and by these means deeds and adventures of the very first

settlers 'Vlere "apt r~·t~sh in the me:::ory of every generation. ."rhe

people of Newfoundland are remarkable for the accuracy Hith which

they hand dOtn the traditions of their forefathers. They have an

in tense love of relnting "hat ,., astold them of tree ir coun tory b~' tho l'

ancestors. 'i'his had been almost forced upon them by their circum­

stances and environments. 'rhe llewfoundl:md story-teller is not sut­

isfied in relatine; focts - he is cupeful to discover details, Hhich

fi~m\JI~~~~e.,':'t'I~~~~.c.$'z:..~1:.~x~'T}~n!'t:jpr",it ,is,,,freouent~y found

whnt apt o9.Pcd at first to be sidc issue3 end havln~ no con-

ncct:on Hith f'acts themselves are stronGly corobotaj;ive of' the f'acts

related.

I a.'ll of' opinion that no man who undertakes to investiGate past

events can af'f'ord to cost aside tradition. Trndition is such matters

is the key-note of' research. It is a Mistr,ke to think th t history

is indepenoenj; of' tradition. ,'las Herodotus an eye-witness to all

the events of Hhich he ,;rote? Decidedly nol I venture to assert

theat Gibbon I s "Decline and Fall of' the "oman E:npire" HaS not Hholly

bused on documentary evidence.. r'~en of the broa.dest views and greatest

intellect have held tradition in the greatest veneration. The

earliest Fathers of the Church respected tradi tien, and surely few

will b" bold enouGh to deny that they kne,; what they ,;ere about:

Let us loek at the Irish race. \'lhere Hill you f'ind a people Hho

are so Hedded to tradition as those of Irish decent? The people

of' Irelandare, so to speck, enveloped in a halo of tradition. Every-

one you look, on Irish soil, you w.ill find evidence of to'adition,

and 1, for one, do not place less f'llith in the stor'yof their virtues

and their heroism on that account. Tile same :nay be said of r~eHfound-

It has been my pleasure, in my shape moment ell through lif'e,

to delve into the musty past, and presserve ,o,hateve,' ';,s worth

preserving of' the deeds of my fellow-coun rymen l1hilst in persuit

of their danserous avocations, either on the icefloes or the storm

tossed coast of Lubrador .. 'l'he deeds of 'Harriers rrre embluzO!lCd in

f':lme, and ha..l'1ded not,.·m pS Leir-1ooms to :'":ostcl'ity, \-lhilst the risks

and dangers encountered b~" Newfoundlanders in pursuit of their o"er:{-

day callinr nre nlloHed to l'cm,i n in oblivion and be enterely for­

~:ottcn. I f'carlo3s1y soy th"t our fellO\;-countroYO"cn "re of a race

us courilGoous ~s o:ny to be found :i n ani part of the \;orld. ll'his h')s

- 3 -

been amply proven by our im:nortal Newfoundland ReGiment and our

j'ewf'oundl"nders in Britian's Navy during the Great ':/er. They are

nurtured in a familiarity with dangers so great as to make them

rather court than avoid them. Yet nothing is said in contemporary

history of their risks and ~prowess. \'hile they have written in

gI0·.1ing terms of the material andsocial advantages of the ~olony,

very littlo is said of the.hardy natives by \hom it is peopled.

The old and \·:orn-out heroes of the ico-f'ields are slu",berinc I'a~ce-

fully in the churchyard, and some rest beneath the ocean on Hhich

they fou[;ht and gained their hard Hon victories. :::ven the iMplenGl.,ts

of their prot:oss and erlerL~~ ~1D.VC disaprcarod. 'fhe historic flint-

lock Gun and the artistically carved pOHder horn no 10nLer tal,e

th0 FIcco c:..... :lonor o!"!. tl-:c ~:itchol1 rael:. 'Il:ey e..re nov! relegated

to some out-house or unfrequented place, and, with the passing

awaY of these, the last vestige of our illustrious forebearers

will have gone forever. The following poetic tribute to the out-

port planter is appropriate here:

"He's gone Hith gansy andcoatin'pants; Hith Hamberg boots

and ne'er a collar;

He's con' Hid cook-room, pork and cliff: gon' wid the good

old pillar dollar;

Gon' .lid his chare at Christmas time; gon' wid his rum

in the red decanter;

His cheerful vice and breezy song are burl"ed 10\'1 ',lid

The outport planter.

lOut when 'counts be squar'd at the final day, and into the

Ler:l~er the Lord is sarchin';

He'lls'ly,"Ifindyoucusserjasight, and once in awhile

you stuck the merchan';

- 4 -

But you clade the naked, the hungry fed; so goup first with the

harrs snd chanters:

"he place reserved forall good men, and honest square Outharbor

Flanters".

~llDIAl!S PROSC:CUTE SSAL FISF.E.'W

Jacques Cartier in his first voyage in 1534 (sent out to dis-

cover new lands b;i the French Government) W5S the first to discover

the rliver "'t. Lawrence and found New France. He mentions meeting

natives or Indiro s, Hho painted themselves roan, and fished in boats

:nade of the bark of birch trees. He net those IndiHns in the month

of June in the Straits of' 13alleisle. He says,: "~hey take a great

storeofsep,ls, nnd, as fsr as we couldunde!'st"nd, it is not their

habitotion, but they co:ne fro:!! the ":ainland, out of a hotte!' count"y

to catch the said. seals and. other necess.,ries for aliving ll•

From an extpact fro:-.l a rteport of 'I'rade in Newfouirdlmd, bofore

a !loyal Commission held in J:.ngland in 1793, we get the follotTine

~·Tith regard to tho cx?ort of se'll skins:-

17G6 to 1st October 1787 41,042

1787" 178C 37,420

1788" 1789 25,643

1789" 31,910

1790" 1791 28,963

There was very Iit~le said about the Sc~l Fishery in this

':leport, but it is mentioned in severDl placos -:9 being v;:n'y i:nport"'nt

to '1' ini ty :n d l"~rts North of St. John's, 1nd t02;ether Hi th ship

bUildlnc in the flort of Trinity, it Guve tLe :nerchants c3.rryin~ on

busine.'3 th'H'C, .". ~rc~t ,rlvant'1j:;0 QVO!' )ort:.: South, GO. on d in,;",. on

t.he ....c1 fi'1h ... l'Y ,10no. ':'hi8 ~o .... ~ to sh.:",: tl !'It thi..;~'C ';1..3 :.l .~l.:ch

-;>-

i!1 "'ny of t'1e his h,· stories.

vJ~ the :ne'"'oGt 'lccid0nt I have CO:le a.C;'''oss ,n old

r}oc....!'1()nt, d tc1 1.324, "':1ich ~l.VQS us un idJa of ho·· busines:J -..1,3

c~r"ied on in those days. It is written upon heavy Parchment, nearly

two feet square, and the chirography which is in the hand of the late

Hr. Thom~s Hutchings, then of Garland's employ Trinity, and Hritten

,,,ith obsolete Srey coose quite, ,,,ould put to shame 'in A 1 graduate

of Higher Education. The Hr. Hutching's referred to Has an uncle

of everybody's genial friend, 1;1'. George A. Hutchings, so long the

Job Bros. & Co. of this city. The agreement is so venerable and c:uaint

that I think a reproduction of it will interest the readers of the

Evening Telegram. I do not think there is another such in existence,

mdit Hill give some illea as to how the business of the country "as

conducted in those fer-off daYS, and hciw "a p;ood man on a pa,.," or

with a sealinp; gun HaS appreciated by the employees. It is possible

that many of the descendants of the four crews, whose names figure

on this ancient a,.,d valuable docu'llent, rescued from the dust of ages,

may be still in the neie;hborhood of Trinity, and, if so, I fe31 co,,-

ficlent it Hill be perused by them with interest.

The follo;ring is a copy of the old document:-

"I';emorandum of agreement made at Trinity in the month of January,

one thous"nd eiGht hundred and tHe nty four (lC21.) between George

Garland & "ons, merchants, on the one part, and the masters and creHS

of the after - mentioned schooners on a se-·line; vOYage on the other

!"urt, witnesseth that the said George Garl~nd a >Jon.:; ·~re to h:1vO one-

half of 2.11 the seals and profits of such voyoc;es, with a half share

for the schooner, and the remi nder to be devided in sh"res to e,ch

man. "nd it is further agreed on the p'lrt of the mo.ster and crew of

each schoener US follo\-ls, viz: '1'0 the master the sum of Five Guineas

;1ill be given as a recompense for such ser'vice. 1:0 such of the Cr'8t,

R S ;1er'e never at the ice, as a compensation for their' berth ;rill

paY twenty five shillings per man. Old hands twenty shillings per

man. After guinneas, ten shillings per man, andsuch as go to take

char'ge of pr'ints their bei'ths free. And in consider'ation of each

man's duty being proper'ly perfor'med to the satisfaction of the master'

in ;Ihose charge the schooner' is placed, we, the cre", of the said

schooner', have her'eunto subscribed our names, and;r.l thout ",hich ful­

fillment it fully justifies the said George Garland & Sons in stopping

our' shares for the benefit of such r'emaining cre,.,".

Her'e folloH the names of the cre;,s, signed and ;litnessed by

Hr. DraHbridge, l'ho, I understand, w as a clerk in the employ. Tm re

is one significant fact in connection \'lith the docum.ent, vlhich gives

to show that the schoolmaster ",as conspicuous by hus absence in

those days,' viz: that out of 78 ;,ho signed the agr'eement, 72 of

them did so by making his mark. The ndll e of the four vessels were

the Phonenix, Active, Dart and Arrm..!. The name or the creHS were,-

Pheonex: Mr. Har't, master', 5.. 5; Jacob Christian, second hand;

George Randle, bm..! gunner, fr"ee; Joseph rurchase, co~mon ha.Tld, 20 t s;

James white, "fter gunner', 10's: Absolom Randle, after' gunner', 10's;

Thomas Paune , youn,cster, 25's; Kr. Narshall, common hand; I":r.

nodden, ':!,f'ter gunner, lots; Edwa.rd Eaher, com~on hmld, 20 t s; I~1r.

Gr'iffith, common hand, 20 t s; Hr. Cotter, cook.

~:\'lillHiscock,master;r1r.Johnson,secondh3J.d,free;

l'ho:nns Clark, bo~,: Gunner, free; Chad. e\-1 Hurdle, bow gunner, .freo;

r·:r'. Barnes, .... fter Gunner, 10' s; l·ir. Cnrbury, younf,ster, 25 1 s; Hill

Hiscock, ;'1rter gunner, lots; ",'fiJI Gillard, co~rnon hand, 25's;

Stephen Pottle, co:r..:non hand, 20's; 'l'hom:lS Donovi-ll, com."Ylon hr-nJ., 20 t s;

'In. Car'ter', common hand, 20's; J'lmos 'raylor', cook. Petl'ick Bl'yan,

younr;:Jter, 20's; JamB:.! HoonY',1 nf'tor Gunner, lOts.

~: Hill llrown, master; Mr. Naher, bow gunner, free; Wm. Bannister,

bow gunner, free; George I'-Uso, bow gunner, free; Henry Goldsworthy,

boW gunner, free; Jonas Hiscock, after gunner, lOis; Sami Hobbs,

boW gunner, free; \'1ill \'1oo1ridge, conunon hand, 20's; Will Spurrell,

after gunner, 10 IS; James Hone, after gunner, 10 I 5; Wm. Walters,

after gunner la's; 'rhomas llartin, cornmon hand 20's; l1ichael l1aher

common hand, 20's; Geroge purdy, youngster, 20's; Thomas l'leadows,

cook; Will Nicholas, youngster, 25's; l1ichael Nurphy, common hand,

20's; Hr. Grannel, common hand, 20's; Isac Purdy, After gunner, 10's;

~: Charles Answorth, master; \lm. Early; Edward Spragg, bow

gunner, free; Geroge Rix, bow gunner, free; Geroge Barnes, conunon

hand, 20 1 s; OosephBailey, after gunner, lOis; Philip Cook, youngster,

25's; Robert Raymond"" after gunner, lOts; Thos. Ryan, youngster,

25 1 s; Robert Bareham, common hand, 20 1 s; \ViII Davis, 30's, cook,

Mr. Etheridge, after gunner la's, Sam Facey, common hand, 20's:

tIR. Howard, after gunner, la's; Nichael McCarthy, common hand, 20's;

CHARGES SUBJECT TO

"Masters to have the sum of 5 .. 5 .. 0 as premuims; bow gunner

berths free; after gunners to pay 10"5; common hand to pay 20 1 s;

youngsters to pay 25's for their berths.

In bringing this matter under the notice of my esteemed friend

Rev. Cannon Smith, about six years ago, he wrote in reply:

"You are quite right as to the statement you make as to the

"Dart lt, Active: and other craft having sailcu for the seal fishery I

in 1824 fran 'I'rinity, and not from Grcenspons. You arc also right

as to the firm that oHned these craft being that of GEroge Garland

It is quite true that in 1024 the Garlandsha<1business

prcraises at Greenspons, but they were san11l, and of little account

in comparison \'lith their premises at Trin.ity and Uew Harbor.

'l'rinity \'las the firm's head-quarters. Drawbridge was Garland's

winter agent at Trinty for many years. Although he had left

Trinity years before my time, nevertheless, in my day, Drawbridges'

name as being Garland's agent was a household \'lord there. 'l'ne

Garlands frequently resides at Trintiy, but as far as I could

learn, they never resided a winter there before 1830 .. When John

Bigley Garland, first Speaker of our House Assembly, lived in

Trinity. Before that date they generally managed their business

by a winter agent in tile winter season. You need not be at all

surprised at people \-iho are not au fait with Trinity history mixing

up Trinity affairs with those of Greenspond, when you read the

following statement "'hien appeared in a local paper, and sent to

l'rinityofallotherplaces. The correspondent said:

"In 1857 Capt. Henry Andrews sailed to the seal-fishery from

Greenspond in a schooner called the "Annll,andbroughtherfrorn

the ice loaded with 9,500 seals. IlNow, as a boy of twelve years

old, I was living in Trity in 1867, andlhaveadistinctre-

collection of seeing Capt. Henry Andrews sail out of Trini~y harbor

for the seal-fishery early on the mornin g of /Iarch 10th, 1857.

liesailedinhiso\oJnbrigPeerless. She\V'as 145 tons register,

and on the 20th I-larch, he was off l'rinity harbor, on his way to

St. John's to lan<1 his seals there, with the peerless log 10ade<1

with 9,000, not 9,500 seals. lIe owntled at that time tlW brigs,

one the Peerless, the other the Blooming Lass. No schooner of

those days could possibly carry 9,000, all prime ..hite coats -

as J\ndrcws' were averaging, as his did, ~~_~ in weight,-

all young harps. It is somewhat singular that in 1850, Capt. lIlexander

Grah.am sailed to the ice from Trinity, in command of a vessel called

the "Active". Perhaps this IlActive ll lfiay have been the same craft

that sailed from Trinity in 1824. The Garlands of Trinity were re-

latives of those of Carbonear. 'l'he tradition is, that some time

about therniddle of the seventeenth century, orbeb<een1650 and 1670,

t\<lO brothers named Garland lived at Poole, England. One came out

toCarbonearandstartedbusinessthere; the other, a younger brother,

atalaterdatecameoutandstartedbusinessatTrinity.Itis

certain that both the Carbonear and Trinity firms were in existence

in 1696. The Geroge Garland, who was head of the firm at Trinity,

in 1824, was then probably about seventy years old, but, not much,

if any older than that - probably not so old. He was a direct des

cendant of the first Garland, who did business at Trinity - probably

his grandson, or, more likely his great grandson".

Like His Grace, late Archbishop liowley, anything that comes

from the pen of Canon Smith i:s of the greatest interest, and no

person has greater experience amongst our people than his the ven-

erable canon, who takes such delight in relating the stores of the

deeds of daring, pluck, endurance and adventure of our countrymen.

l'he Canon, as with the Archbishop, is pril.lordially a Newfoundlanuer-

first, oast and all the time. Everything that emanates from his

pen shows a thorough knovlleuge of our country and our people, which

has been gleane<1 frOla the best possible of all sources-the people

themselves - and the scenes and. events, manners and customs of our

I?eoplc are written by the Canon in a philosphic and logical calm,

of Illost writers, who use up quite a quantity of ink and paper; but

who are absolutelu ignorant of events which they evdeavor to describe.

I ca:ne ac!'OSS c...nother old document some years aeo, "rhieh I D.:n

sure will bo of interest to you. It Hill give an idea of tho price

of seals seventy sevon years ago, and the terms on which they were

sold in those far off days:

"Brought of Capt. A. Hundon, the cargo of seals on bO.ard the

brig "Highlander", consisting of about six thousand seals, at t ....lenty

one shillings per cut, for young harp seals, and seventeen shillings

per cut, for old seals, payable one half cash on delivering, the

other half next fall. Tarel!"lbs. on young seals; tare on old

seals at it may appear"

St. John's lCth April 1843

Few men !.ere better knO\ffi or rr.ore f'amous than Capt. Az. l'~unden

of Brigus. He sprung from a race of vikings - his father being the

famous Capt. Hilliam J'lunden, who, it was said in the old days, taught

them all their business. A good story is told of Capt. Az in the

S. S. "Commodore" in 1872. He ran the steamer into ;lhite Bay, as

far as he coult'l, and then sent one of his masters of the hfutch

\-ri th FI. crc\J of "":lon to look for tho seals. They came back in the

evening and reported the serrls ',lOre nnt in the Bay, and no use wasting

time there. Ho sent off his other moster Hatch next morning ;Ii th

more men, and gave them instructions that they were not to return

until they r;rought him green boughs from the spruce trees on the

land. The men were back '.Jefore ni~;ht, but 0.11 had a tOt-l of HtitecoaGs,

not spruce bourhs.

I have several notes of historical events vlhich occurred at

Burin, and rel:1ted by nn old lady ''.'Tho \·l.",sbur-n ther'o in 1,011~, :lnd",!:l0

diod in 1896. She related thrrt in 1820, H. H. S. "pelter", Capt.

I:inchin, lay u all that winter in Burin hD.rbor, and that the seamen

bUilt a house over the ship's deck to keep them from snow und frost.

In 1'21, E • E. S. "Clinter", Capt. Firth, 13.id u. in Burin. Some

of' the of'f'iccrs had their >lives \'Ii th them, and that "inter Liout.

Bonnard, of'the "Clinker", "oS married to ;';iss Butlerof' that tmm.

Her f'ather \'laS Justice Butler. He >laS an bnglishmen by birth and

a blacksmith by trade. His residence, at that time, ,·ho called

"Sha"."ld~· Hall". During the 9.l ':";er of' 1822, H.I·!. S. "Pandora" remained

in Burin all the su:n:ner. These ships tiere sent to protect the large

f'ishing establishments then carrying on business, notably Spurrier's

P. Kelly & "'ons, of' Stepaside; Darby of' Great Burin and Geof'f'ery

Horris. Those f'irms cprrieEl on very extensive business. 30::> shoremen

Irish and English youngsters, we .... e employed at Spurrier's alone,

besides the large f'leet of' f'ishing boats to Cape St. 11ary's out of'

the employ. Kelly sent f'orty f'our-handed bOats to Cape St. l1ary's

every summer, as aL so did Darby and the other employs in about equal

numbers. No Sunday >I.,s kept in those days, the shoremen being em-

ployed in spreading f'ish or catching Bait. A signal Staf'f' and =old man were keut on Dodling Head to Harn the ships and dif'f'erent

employs of the ap roach of' privateers, several of' which kept hovering

about the Hestern Coast, and of' ten entered the harbors, stealing

the f'ish and Gear f'rom the f'ishermen; even taking household utensils,

and sometimes those privateers, mostly Americans, "ould board passencer

ships, bound to Nel·,f'oundland, and take allay the youngsters.

In 1800 or 1805 a company of' soldiers \'Iepe stationed at Burin.

They erected severol batteri s round the Harbor - three at ShipCove,

one at Troke's roint, one at Parsons' Foint and one on the to~ of

I':an-O-':lar Hill, ",hich overl'ooked the whole harbor. The old lady

statud thpt she of'ten, >lhen 11 little girl, l<ith other children, picked

up Cannon balls and shells on the to of' that Hill', andsa\'l tihere

the Cannon Here !'Jounted. The f'irst ,·!inter, the soldie ..s lived ih

the house called Shandy Hall. It was built in 1790 or thereabout

bY a merchant named Brol-m, ",ho did business in Burin, and had a

large establishment aL so at }:ortier Bay (noH Harysto,mJ about eiGht

miles from Burin. The second winter the soldiers lived in Cooper­

shop near Parsons Point, after wards called the Barracks. 11r. Butler

previously mentioned, went to live in Shandy Hall at tel' the soldi~ s

had left. The pilots serving on the man-O-Har in 1800 and 'after

were paid;j 10 f'or the surn:7.1er.

In about the year 1800 two men named Pardy of step-a-side,

Burin, ",ere murdered by Indians in B'V D'Esciur, During the summer

of that year a man naned Pardy, a fore gn Captain, came in his vessel

tI'ading along the I'Test COast. He visited the indian encampment at

Bay D'Espoir "nd found no person home except an old ""man - the rest

of the India.'ls having gone on a hunting trip up the countI'y. It is

said PUI'dy and his men took all the furs, Hhich they found ready

cured, in spite of the old squaH, whotried to prevent them and Has

illused. ",ben the Indians returned they found all their fuI'S (';one

and the old squa" in a dying condition, and hearinc that PaI'dy com-

mitted the outrace, they S\·rore eternal enmity to any person bearing

that name. The next year the Pardy's of DUI'in went to Day D'Espoir

to do a 'Hinter's Hork, as it Has culled; and one day tT"10 brothers

with another rnan, Hent to the country hunting. They met a party Q' f

Indians, "ho, on finding their names to be Pardy, shot them at once,

but did not haI'm the third man. Their bodi"s were brought home and

bUI'ied on 'rite's Island, a small island in l3 urin haI'boI', which, at

that time, Has used as a bUI'ial place for people of all denomination

',rho did there. The PaI'dys weI'e the \'eI'Y fiI'stinhabitants of Burin,

onQ a tombstone isnoH to be seen on i'ite's Island erected to one

Henry Pardy in 1789 or thereabout.

Abolit the year 1815, the first resident priest (Father Hearn)

went to live in Burin. Before him Pather Cleary went often to Burin

from placentia, and previous to him Father Fitz sinunons visited

the place, and he was noted for having erected crosses on the hills

near the coast, as he went from oneharbor to the other. Previous

to him Father Burke passed through Burin, and went to all the harbors

on the Western Shore, and then went to the United States. Father

Hearn built the first chapel in Burin - the from of which was cut and

fitted in Nova Scotia before its arrival. A man named Marshall came

to erect the Church. He was a carpenter and a soldier. Afterwards

Marshall settled in Burin, went into busi ess and became one of the

leading merchants; owned rwo water side premises and sent a vessel

to the seal fishery for three Springs. She was conunanded by Capt.

St. Geroge, crossing the country by paths and swinuning the rivers.

He died· in Placentia, the Court House at Burin was built between

1790 and 1800, as the old lady stated. lfuen she was five years old

she often played with the gaoler's children. He was a Mr. Rogers, and

old. After him Mr. Glenn took charge.

Patrick Kelly was an Irishman and his wife an Irishwomen.

They had three sons and two daughteres. One of his daughters was

married to Mr. Darley of Burin, who was also an Irishman. In 1800,

Dr. Walsh, who rsided in Burin, was a retired Navy Surgeon. One of

his daughters was married to Mr. Kelley's son, Patrick. About the

year 1820 large numbers of schooners and boats were built at Burin.

Mr. Morris, the erchant, had two large brigs built there in "the

winter of the above year. fhey were called respectibely the St.

Patrick and Shamrock. About 1822, other men went into business, notably

amongst them being John O'Neil, Thomas & William Gooman, Richard

Marshall, and John O'Brein - all of whom amassed for-tunes.

Benningaloscarriedonalargebusiness.

-14--

In 1800 "aniel Bishor', an .>nclish""n, ~:as "hat ',lao. called a

Surrogate Hugistrate. lie also C irried on a lsrge business. One

of his daushters married Er. Hooper, an 4lglish book-keeper, ;mo

died in Placentia in 1901, aged 92 years.

Tilton Harbor (Tilting) Fogo, is a very prosperious little

settlement, and must have been inhabited at a very early date in

our history. As far back as 1785 a priest was there. His name

waS Father Lundrigan, and he died on the 25th October, 1785, aged

58 years, and was buried in the old cemetry at Fogo, and a wocden

cross marks the place of his interment. He HaS one of the old

pioneers. fl'he first person buried at Fogo Island was Niss Jackson,

about 160 years ago. She "'as a daughter of Surrogate Jackson. She

died at Seldon come by b ut HaS taken to Tilton Harbor for burial.

The burkes and Brynns are very old families in that settlement, and

by their enterprise and business ability did much to build up our

country.

Old Daniel Bryan came to this country from Ireland about the

yeal' 1780, and settled first at Ferryland. After a few years he

moved Ilorth and settled at Tilton Harbor, on the East side of Foso

Island. he married Bridget Bur~e, Hho HaS born and reared there.

This was in 1788. 'I'here ",ere six daughters nnd five s:> no.; the youngest

"illi= born 3rd I·larch, 1811. They all married except John, and their

docensants are still there. Daniel ;;rya" died in 1820, and left

schooners and crafts. He built three vessels that ",ere engaged in

the soal fishery. The first "'as a topsail schooner that sailed

from Tilton Harbor' in 1812 flnd \·l~S ncmcd the Success. ~J,e and his

sons "fter him also built the P.armony, "'nterprise and Triumph in

1833, and the United Brothers, Duck, Drake, ·...uickstep and the Last

"hillins in 1838, but the 17.st four "ere not enr;aGed in the senl­

F'iahel'Y. John.and Patrick wore mastoro. of the fil'st t\;O, end '.lillio.."11

-15-

of the Triumph for'eichteen years. She ,TaS lost in 1852, kno,m in

history as the "pring of the \vadhams. '-'he other son, Daniel, took

the United Brothers, >Thich w"s valuEl.d' at (} 1000, and came to St.

John's to live.

He o,med a room at 1'ub H arbor, Labrador, and carried on cod,

herring and salmon fishery - prosecuted the seal fishery from St.

John's, and went too or three foreign VO~{a3es as master in his Ot,·]Il

vessel. He married a l:iss POHer of St. John's,and oHned a house on

Cochrane Street, but becoming rlissatisfied, a.l'lU thinking he could

better himself, ",ent to NeHburyport, Hass, about 1846. He folloHed'

the seQ, being mate of' an East India vessel. Daniel BrY3J.'L 1 s other

son, Patrick, married about 1818, and had three sons, the most notable

being Daniel, Hho "Tas master of the folloHing vessels at the seal-

fishery, viz; Jane, Return, Cadmus, and BilloH. Eis descendants

are still in this country. had three daughters, tHO of them in

n convent in HevI York, and one in t)an Jose, Cal.fornia. Their mothe~

Catherine Hickey of' St. John's. One HaS married, about

1820, to Capt. l':ulcahy, the other about 1840 to Jo\m Brazil the

Cooper. ~he descendants of Cant. XUlcahy nnd !{c.ry Bryan are still

living, one of their daughters being married to the fa;nous seal­

killer and m"ster mariner, tho l,n;e Capt. ,iilliarr. Ryan, fnther of

our re'spected citizen, Mr. Charles iI. nyan or St. John's. Another

HS-S married to Nr. Foley, shirHright, father of Er. John Foley Post

!';aster of Harbor Grace, and the earliest settlers of 'l'ilton iiarbor,

md they all built their o,m vessels md sailed the:n to the se[.l

fishery from 1820 to 1860.

Notably amonGst the Broskes and Wllium, mastcl' of the Daniel

C'Connell in 1833. "'hishero of the frozen pans has been immortslized

hy tbo loc~J. root: of "!lOoe fur

\-lillinm Burke was our cO"JJ11nnder,

The Daniel O'Connell our vessel's name;

\'lith twonty-eight as smart a men

As ever ploughed at raging main.

\'lith Ji'l:ring colours fore and aft

B ut mark <That followed after~

The Truth to you I Hi.ll declare.

It was on the fourth of' April,

(Tis ,·rell I ought to mind the day)

About four O'clock in the evening

Our tOH-line gaye at-lay;

The ',rind came up from the North ':est

Al1.d fiercely it did bloH;

O~r captain 'said, "stesdy my lads"

Out of the ice we'll have to go".

"Stand by your topsail halyards,

Stand by to b t them go,

Be Quick, I praY, make no dslay­

And up your topsails noinbly clew".

He Hent aloft and handled them,

And balanced reefed our m'linsail too

Still scuddinG right before the 1-lind

':latching a time to brinr; her to-

He "'Iatched his opportunity

l'nd broun:ht her to <lithout delay,

Sayinc;, "God blessthe brave O'Connell,

Soe hOH she stems the rnginr: seall

!

-17-

It ,",as a torrible time those hardy mr.rinors put over thom,

and the shQI's ,",ore carried 8\,ay about three feet above the deck.

)jut o\oling to their thorough seaman ship, pluck and perseverance,

they managed to j:ull through all right, and ,this fact is clearly

describedinthefollOl,ingverse:-

At six 0' Clock next morning

Our captain called all hands on deck-

~ome to rig Ui1 jur'y-rnasts

~lhile others strove to clear the T,-rreck.

~ome of our comrades 'VIe got on board,

And much to our delight

":le saw her goinG six knots, my boys,

Before eleven O'Clock that night.

'l'he mention of the word "harbor" so frequently in the above

paragraphs had induced to ask t e question, - hOH many of our

pea Ie &1'8 f1\'lnre of the origin of the wrds "half the harbor", so

often throun at m upstart, more especially in the outports, whom

you feel like s:lubbing'? HO\-Joften have heard the \-lords used 1•

"Ifhy, man, the Hay your going on, anyone Hould think that you o\med

half the harbor"\, I Hoader if it has eV,"1? oucurred to any of our

liberary men to think of ho,l this expression or:i:g;inated? as have

never heard it used anY"lhere else but in Ne\"foundland? 'rlell, thr'ee

hundred years 8[',0, our old friend Jolm Guy, settled in Newfoyndl2Ild,

and received a Royal Cha'ter, ,lith o\mor ship of all the land be­

t"een Cape Bonavista and Cape "t. Esry's. One of the inducements

which he offered to capitalists and adventurers to come and settle

\,:i th him in this country was the sale and le"a. transfer by him of

tho Ol-mdersr,ip of "half the harbor", thaD they mip:ht select for

/} 100. Hhethor there are any of these old documents in existence

teday it is imressible to say, but thret there Herc sales mano by him

-10-

of "half thoharbor", .l am fully convinced I can give one or tHO

instnnces Hhich prove my hypothesis, and I have no doubt that those

«ho take nJl interest in unra veIling these old traditions Hill .find

others to prove the fact.

The Spraclclins of Brigus are lmown to be one of the oldest

families in that famous town, and are an ongst the largest land-o>mers

there today; but it is known that by marriage and division it is

only a fraction of Hhat it once Has. There is a tradition in their

family that, orif:inally, they OHned all the ;rater f'ront f'rom Battery

Brook to the Bridge. Anyone \-rho has any acquaintance 1-lith Brigus

will at once recognize that this boundary contained "half the hErbor"

and by all means the best half'. 1'heref'ore He can place the Spracklins

of Brigus a.vnongst the first pioneers of our country. The pynn ' s of'

Bristol's Hope, also,.?have tradition that the~r originally oHned

all the lane f'rom Eoso.ui ta Point to the Pond. nere is a nother in­

stance of' "half the harbor", and the best half', as the deep water

and best shelter are on the North Side. He lmow f'rom our o·..:n ex-

perienee Vlhat position the principal man in f?ny of the Qutports oc-

cupies, and there El{'e of'ten many young men .,ho have ambition to talce

their places; henee the expressien, when we Hi. sh to m ub my of those

upstarts,- "':Ihy, man, anyone "D uld think you mmed half the harbor".

Heaven help t,'e politician, ',ho,through tempor:ry pride ofter election

day, passes his constituents' wives without reeognition, simply be-

cause she has ::m expensive ostrich feather in her hat, on her Hay

to church'. If' you he",r the expression hurled at them (and I ho.ve

hc:r d it mo.ny a time) that they GO along o.s if they olmed "half the

harbor", you Co.n se.fely Hager your last cent that the politicians'

star has set, Md that he Hill be reler:ated to political abseurity.

1 have nOvel' Imolm that expl'ession to be said Hi thout ef'fect in the

outports.

seNS !)OTAELE EV311TS

IN cC;~:J;:;CTIOlI :.ITH ICS<>8ERGS p,;m ICE;;'LOSS

H. F. Shortis.- Historio"raoher

VOLUME 2·\0<}IO)

There has been sCarcely a yeqr since the beginning of the pa3t

century that qccidents have not Gccurred along our cOast nd on the

Atlantic caused by numerous ice-bergs which lumber along from their

n"tive element in the Far North. Only 8 years ago (April 25th 1912).

the greatest marine disaster in history occurred. when the great

steamship Titanic collided Hi th an icebern. and out or the 2340

on board some 1500 persons Here drowned. But we had many more

previous to that great disaster. It may be interesting to recall

a few or the more notable ice calamities or the past thirty or

forty years. Perhaps the most notable instance or an ocean liner

colliding "ith an iceberg (except the Titanic) is the case of the

Guion liner "Arizona", on Hovember 7th 1879. Icebergs are round

in the North Atlm tic at all seasons of the year. and a record of

mishaps to sea-going crart VTould exhibit disastrious misadventures

al"ost every Haek in the rirty-two. The "Arizona", at that time.

Has a crack vessel of' the AtlaYltic, and hatl so:ne six hundred passoi1.gers

G.bo~"·'l, ,·rhe:l, in a chance midni[;ht f03, s~1e rs.n .full tilt Q..jainst

a.'1. ice mountain, and smashed in her rorepart rrom stem to roremast.

If she had not been a staunchly built ship she must inevitably

have foundered; as it Has. hOVTever, she succe9ded in reaching St.

John's. Urld •• rorty-eight hours later.

Those on board had a most nerve-racking experience. ':Then the

COllision occurred the passengers stampeded ror the deck. and only

the ",ost strenuous efrorts or the officers and creH prevented a

panic. Arter the panic had been allayed the collision bulk-

head became cnda"'1cercd .. Gradually the ship leaked :'lore and nopo,

and "hen she reached St. John's. she had sunk almost to the ,"ater's·Cu..,\ c<~\~"'-hely-,-thc. ~\::'(f,"" c. tl.,- 'SY\£:,,<hS. 11M L Ie'?'''' \~ \\ LnlLn<:~ An::.h.\.V( s, ....J"1 -.'lo~\I\ 'S .

eoge, and could not have kept afloat more than a few hours longer.

Hhen the lIork of repairing her began tHO hundred tons of ice were

taken from the fore-peak, where it had been driven by the force

of the collision. Not all ocean liners are as fortunate in the

resL;lts of their encounters .lith ice as was the "Arizona". The

mere recital of the names of big steamers that have gone to the

bottom from contact >lith ice in the ]a st sixty years would fill

columns. There is reason to believe that the mysterious disappearance

of scores of ships, I-li th all hands aboard, upon which no light has

ever been or ever will be thrown, is due to collisions >Ii th ice.

A'11on;:; these ]a tter may be enu.":lerated the lfuite Star liner "Ilaronic"

in the winter of 1893; the State liner "Georgian" in 1897; the

Allan liner "Huronian" in 1902; the Field liners "llutfield" and

"?reshfield" in 1907; the Atlas liner "Atlas" in 1907; and the

Syd."1ey liner "Stikklestad" in 1909, to name only a few out of the

scores. I may here mention that the repairs to the "Arizona"

were performed by the famous and skilful master shipHright, the

late I-:r. Daniel Condon, who was Harmly complimented for the

successful accomplishment of the ;0 rk, by the compa."1Y, as well as

the press and the English speaking people of the world. The

repairs Here effected at Shea's IIharf, and she sailed for Liverpool

on November 28th 1879.

The dangers and discomforts Hhich fall to the lot of those

aboard ocean-liners .,hich colli<1e \-,i th the beq;n, and "'hieh -lose

few or ma\-,:! of their persoll-"1el in those e"counters are thrilling in

the extreme. In 1861 the "Canadian", of the Alla.'1 serVices,

struclj: a berg in Bellevista Straits, and went to the bottom almost

at once, carryinc fifteen persons \-lith her, ",hile the remainder of

tho creH and passenr,ers were adrift for several days in open boats

before they made land. On Hay 20th 1073, tho stoamer "Doverian"

-3-

was lost at Cape Race by str>iking a ber>E; at niijht, and of thir>ty

persons aboar>d, tHenty-thr>ee per>ished. On Nay 2nd 1876, the

steamer lICaledonia" 'Has lost off'Labrador, havinG struck a be:cg

ane foundel'c'1 soon after. She had eighty-tHo per>sons aboat>d ,

only eleven of Hhom escaped. These clamber>ed onto the ber>g, and

wer>e there three days and nights, living on a seal which they had

killed, until a passing fisher-boat r>escued them. In Jun.e 1875,

the Dominion liner> "Vicksbur>g" collided ,·Ii th a floe off Cape Race,

and for>ty-seven per>sons ;Tent down Hi th her>. On Mar>ch 28th 1887,

the stea..vner ltSusan " struck a bel'S off Cape Race, aYld five were

On Apr>il 28th 1872, the br>iga.',tine "Huntsman", Captain Rober>t

DaHe of Bay Rober>ts, ,·;as dragged by the r>un!ling ice over> the Fish

Rock, off Cape Char>]es, Labrador>, and (if I r>emember> r>ightly)

for>ty-four> of the cr>eH out of sixty-tHo Her>e lost, inclUding the

captain m d his son. One man, Solomon French of Bay Rober>ts (Hho

is still alive) Has thir>ty-six hour>s on the r>ock, exposed to Hind,

;,ave a""ld Heather befor>e he Has r>escued. I think, but I am not sure,

that the eighteen sur>vivors Here brought home by Job Br>os. &. Co.'s

Steamship Nimiod, Capt. Peter> Cummins.

In 1897 occur>red one of the most appalling tragedies of

moder>n iceberg disasters. In April of that year, the French

fishing vessel "Vaillant" bound from Br>ittany (France) to St.

Pierre, Niquelon, ,·Ii th seventy-four persons aboard, crashed into

a berg off Cape Race and sank vIi thin ten minutes. Of hel' people

sixty-tHo Hent dmm Hith her. The other tHelve escaped in t;,o

boats, and Here adrift for> a Heek, beinG Hithout food and poor>ly

clad; some perishod and the othel's kept themselves alive by oatinr;

tho dead bodies. Eventually the survivors became l'educed to four>,

and those, Hhen pickod up, had theil' hands and feet so badly frost-

- 4 -

bitten that t. ese extrc:nitiee had to be amputated. A tra,.ler "';leber"

in the S"ring of 1900. The vessel had fifty seven persons aboard,

of whom only nine survived as food for the five Hho remained. A

rescuing shir on hal' W1Y from St. John's to the c;.uero Bank CaDle upon

the hopless castauays perishing from exposure In d thirst.

To a like circumstance, the destruction of a ship by a mass

of ice, is due to the most terrible occurrence in modern Arctic

annals. In leBl the Greely Expedition, sent into the Arctic regions

by the United States Government, established itself in Lady Franklin

B ay for a thee years' sojourn. Two years late,", the Net'lfoundland

scaling stealner "Proteus" was sent Horth t,ith stores and supplies,

to be left at Cape Sabine, at the head of Helville Bay, for the use

of the explorers, when they retreated to the spot. The ship, however,

\-laS pushed in 0 the ice in that Bqr by order of the inexperienced

r.mericm of icer in charge, in defience of L.e advice of t hat capable

and experienced master mariner and ice pilot, Capt. Rich<rd riko,

and she "'as crushed so that she sank within an hour. 'fhe creu had

to make a three hundred mile voyage in ipen boats to South Greenland,

>:here the American war-ship "Ym tic" picked t em up Gnd brought them

to St. Job.""1Bs. Hhen the explorers came south in October they found

themselves faced ",ith the apparent certainty of starvation and the

terrible prospect t at not a :nan in the party \olould esc~pe the

',lOrst of' dc,'\ths; .for they were marooned on a de solute Arctic head­

land, ',lithout shelter, food or fishinc;, with not a human being within

hundreds of miles end obso'utely no hope of relief, un-Jer the most

f,vorable propects, for six or eigLty months. It is impossible ·.lithin

the limits of this s.rticl.., to give an;thinr like an idea of the

tortul'es Lhese thirty-cne human beings endured durine that deaparate

;,inter. After they had consumed the sc.nty auprlies which they had

brouGht "Iith them from the ;lor-th, tbey !"1s.G to maintain life by rneons

-5-

of shell-fish cau~ht 'lith their maked hands along the S[IOl'C, wd

then to :nal,e [in unpalanliole yet eata"le mess of their seal-skin

boots and garments, until, at last, as the less robust of the mem-

bel's of the party died, it is said, the others kept themselves alive

by the drecdful alternative of can.'1ibalism. :Ihen the strongest

boats of the NeVifoundland sealing fleet, purchased by the American

"overnClent, and equipped at the cost of 50,ooo~ '-Iere pushed llorth

next "pring at a date earlier than t e Arctic Circle had ever been

entered before, only six of the party remained alive to tell the

tale of the fight against death uniQue in the records of adventure

in any part of the kno;1n ,-;orld.

POLA:lISEXPSDITIOl-l

Undoubtedly the most uni-ue expe"ience and miraculous escape

in the history of the Hopld ,-;as that of the cre,-;of the Arctic ship

"Folaris". Never in the \-lildest stretch of irnagination have the

writers of fiction and romance penned such a tale, Hhich only men,

'-lho Vlere in the flesh at the time, and had full infopmation on the

subject, would class it as inc'edi"'''le. For self, I \-laS tel-

egraph operator in Harbor Grace at the time, and eaply in the morning

of the arrival of the S. ::>. "Tigress", C.s.pt. Isacc Bartlett, atBay

nOberts, a messaGe 'Has .flashed over the wires from In.''l1es Gordon

Bennett of l!eH York to the chief operator in our office, the late

'1/. H. Thompson, esq, to proceed at onae to Bay .Ioberts andteler;raph

full jOsrticulars to the lleVi York Iierald of which Bennett was pro­

prietor. 'rhere HaS no teleF,raph office at Bsy "oberts at that date,

and Ill'. 'l'hompson hiped three horses and carpinccs and proceeded to

tho above tow,", in one of thom, and so arranged mattcrs, that ac-

corninG as he took do,1n tho statements of the officeps, one 01' tho

hOPses and c3.pri"cos WJ3 1l1Vl:lYs at hand to l'unh tho portion 01' the

len -.. me8~nGc to tho offico in Harbor Gra.ce. .l'he mcs[J,')g8 \o1n3 sent

dOwn in inDtallolOnts, and horses and carriagcs returned to Bay Roberts

for afurther sup~ly until all pa ticulc.l's ,·:ere ob7.ained. "lthough

I sent the message r"Yself over the wires, I f'OI'E;et the exact number

of words, but it uas certainly over 3000, and must have cost the

lIe,doundland Hercld guite a large arnount. But of' co'~rse Bennett of'

the Heraild didnot mind the expense. It waS something like '.Ihen

Stanley telegra hed him from Af'rica, t·,hen he "rcS foresale n erg his

felnous Dr. Livingston,- Stanley f'ound him and the circulation of' tl e

Hera. d went up by leaps and bounds, "hich continued until af'ter the

death of' James Gordon Bennett, a short timeago. But i must come to

the story of the rescue of the poor cast-aways as rcla ted at the ti. me,

and ,·,hich will be forever looked upon as the most miraculous esca pe

from the jaws of' death a'1d the longest voyage on record in the annals

of the world in connection wi th the ice-f'loHs of the North.

At daylight on the morning of April 30th, 1873, a steamer named

the "Tigress", one of the St. John's, He"foundlmd, sealing f'leet,

was plour;hing her wf!;J in pursuit of seals, amid the ice-laden sea,

forty miles from land, off the southern coast or Labrador in lat

530 351 north. The morning HaS hazy, but about five O'clock the

fog curta:n rose, and the sun shone out disclosing the Glittering

Presently those on board f'anciedthat they saH a s,mall f'lag

fluttering on the top or a hummock, vt the distance of a que.·~ter of'

a mile. The ship was put about, and bore downonit, under the im­

pression that it mic;ht be a piece of f'loatinc; wreck. As the "Tigress"

neared the object, tho Stnrs and Stripes H81'C made out; then humnn

voices were heard utter'inG feeble cheers, and runs Here fired. On

coming close to the floe on uhich tho f'lag He,S f'luttel'ing, a stranf'o

si~ht ~,!as disclodec1. On it ..-lere seen nineteen hum~n beings, ton of

Hhite men ...nd nino ~3quime.ux. Of the latter tot,; \'ere ~aen, t'."1o'VIero

wo""tn, (one of uhom carried a baby eight months old in her arms) and

five were children. They had aboat Hi th them on the ice, on the

stern of which Has painted the name "Polaris". l'he 1" rty presented

a most forlorn appea ance, and had evidently been long exposed to

theweather, though not one of them appeared to be sick or disabled.

Before leavin~ the ice, they r;ave three hea ty cheers, such as men

utt;er ,,,ho h ave been delivered from impending death.

lihen taken on Loard, the tale, they told was marvellous beyond

anything invented in the Hildest romancer, illustrating the old

saying that "truth is stranger than fiction". 'l'he purport of their

Honderful story HUS that they ~1ere part of the crew of the .$. 5.

"Folaris ll cr the United states Arctic Expeditionj that when in lat

770 351 north, they ,.ere accidentally separated l'roro their ship by

the su"!den breakin.:; up of' en ice-flo:'1 to ,-nich she \-10.3 moored, on

October 15th, 1872, and that ever since the;,' hed been drifting on

the ice, tlllnoH, rescuedbu the IlTicrcssll off tile cOast of Lab-

radar, six months =d a half afterwerds, on Apri 1 30th, 1[;73. 7hus

they had drifted on the ice for over tHenty four degrees of lat-

itude, or, one tho' Sand four hundred and forty miles in a direct

line; but allowing fer the sinuosities of tteir course, calsed by

va.."ying windS, they must ha.ve voy, a;ed on their cheerless ice-raft

,"are than tHO thousand miles. Their supply of food when they started

was not more than sufficient for one month's consumptions, and they

r.a(1 their lived chiefly on seals <nd the flesh of a Folar bear.

'rhey h"'d no shelter, but the snow herts ,·:hich in Bsc.uimaux fashion

the:i built on the icc, and, in addition to the clothes they 1'1ore,

they had only a feH skins to protest t',em from the fierce coIn,

They had pn.sGfJd the r~loo:ny Arctic nir:ht in tLe sno';[ huts llitholit

~. (·in-- tr-c ~un for ciChty-:i vo dc.:rn. H.f:" "~Jl L_:-l.J . 0 in ttl,; ':'~lo· Cl

"hich they Clrifted HaS broken up, and they had been compellcd to

make their Hay to (l!J.other floating mass amid fearful per-ils. Eorc

th 'n once they had n.l-r..ost ~eriched 1 f it:} Lunbcr, e)1d c.::~p(;rienc(;c

HO:lderful deliverancos \Thcn ht the lc.st oo:tromity. Eut u.l'lder the

shelterinG hnnd of' providence the:! hOld been preserved through perils,

hnrdsh:'ps, cold and i'cmino, C.:ld ~ot one of them had ever sickened.

the poor little Esquimaux baby, even though but two months old I-Then

their vOYage began, sheltored cArefully in the loving arms of' a mother,

took no harm, and seemed as lively as any of the Party. Truly, it

is a marvellous tale of human endurance and courage, - unparalled

It adds not a little to the romance of the story to find that

one of the party te.lcen from the ice HaS the Esquimaux, Hans Christian,

who fir;ures so largely in the ch.rm;'ns narri ti ve' s of Dr. Kane

andlJr. Hayes. H9.ns isqui te a historical character. He seemed broken

dOHn mdexhD.usted, as the narrative states. His narrative pOl,ers

,-,ere of the ",ost limited description, "s he spoke only broken Enr;lish,

and found it difficult to understand ordinary speech. Here he the

only historian of the ice '/oY,/Ze, its story would be summed up in

a few sentences. Dr. Y.:ane saYs, when Em s waS a youth of' nineteen

or tHenty, and smitten by the charms of a plump Esquimaux dansel,

he, for a time, deserted his commandcr, and, ~,ith a fair maiden on

oneside and a handsone su,ply of Halru3 and seal flesh on the other,

mounted his sledGc "nd set off on an Arctic honeymoon. He HaS an

active hunter then - so expert that he could spear a bird on the

\-1inr~. He Seve invaluable 3ervice to Dr • .hanc and his party: hOH le

catered for their table: hOH he \o".1S thc man "ho d iscoverod in the

snOH the tr.'"lck of the sled·a, thus enablin~ K:l..Yle to save tho lives

of eight of' his ,,",cn in the lest extro"lity [rom cold and exhaustion:

and hO',T, too, ho ~Tith Eorton, tII1dc the- cclobration journc,r by 5lcdc;c

on tho icc, "Then .,s they thou::.ht, tho SU"..: the 0. en Polar SeQ, nnd

how, at last, he saved t e lives of all by bringing a supply of Fresh

walrus meat from i;;tah Bay.

In order to understand the ice-voyage of the r.escued Party, He

must follow the "Polaris" for a little on her adventurous voyage in

search of the North Pole. In 1871 the American Navy department gave

the wooden r,unbon.t "Perioionkle", three hundred and eishty seven tons,

Hhich was re-christencd the "Polaris ~, for an Arctic Expedition up

Smith's Sound, to be commancled by Capt. C. F. Hall. Congress approp-

riated $ 50,000 for the expense, but no naval officer accompanied

the e:<pedition. Dr. Bessels, a naturalist and doctor of Kedicine,

"ho "as in the German Expedition of 1869, Has placed in charge of

the scientific derartment, and Capt. Buddington, a l:eH London ,·[haling

Captain, \'J['S ap ointed ice-mE-ster. Ca,:'t naIl ss.iled from l~eH York

in the end of June 1271, and touched at St. John's, "el<foundland,

Hhere he remoined till August 17th; touched at Upernavick, and on

,~ugust 24th, soiled from Tessinsack for Smith's Sound.

The ",ost ,·;onderful good fortune attended the out set of his

vOYaGe. The season proved to be extrenely favorable - the most

open ImoHn for many years. Capt. Hall had the rare good fortune to

cross Helville Bay and reach the North ':Iater ,.n. th very fel< im,ledinrents

from the icc. On entering Smith's Sound he found open water, and

met but f'eH ice-packs, and these of no r;reat extent. ·L'he same good

fortune attended him as he steamed ra idly up Kennedy Channel, and

Passed Cape Constitution, from uhich IfophcP1 'n' Hans S:lH ,-taut they

concluded H'l3 n o"en Pol'l.r Sea. '::ut i.nstoad of finding this o!'cn

sea, Capt Hall "fter crossing the mouth of the Bay Hhich he named

aftor";ards Pol"ris 3ay, found himsolf in a narro,·, channel, about

forty five miles in lenGth, and Hllich ho named Bobeson's Channel,

"fter the Secretary of the American Navy. On Se!'t. 1st, he round

!.imsolf in Lat. 800 16', the hi=hest thut at poriod reachod by any

expeditio!l or !l."l>o individual. l'he land on the Greenland side no"

trended eastHard, and fro:n the appearance of the Hater-sky in this

direction, Hall concluded that another Bay or "'ound opened there.

On the American side Grinnel Land, as far as eighty - three de"rees,

a.nd plcinly distinguished.

Unfortunately, instead of pushing on, and daring everything,

t3king fortune at the flow, Capt. Hall paused, perhaps startled by

his very success, perhaps dreading to take his ship farther so late

in the season, modo fast to an ice-floe, bcgan to drift south, 8-l'ld

the golden op ortu.!lity of reaching the Pole Has lost. Ice waS net

>lith, but it v'aS far from being an impenetrable pack ",hen Hall stopped.

l:ow much :farther he :night have advanced it is impossible to say.

For three days the "Polaris" drifted South, andCa;:>t. Hall then

found himself at the southern roint of nobonson' s Channel, \lhich he

n8-'1lcd Cape Luptun. Here in ice slac;,ened; steam was got up, and

steerin.; eastHard in Polaris Bay he reached, at its head, a harbor

which he named "Thank God Harbor", and in which he determined to

\·1inter. He cast anchor near a huge ice-berg which Has aground, and

which he called "irovidence "Iceberg". On Sept. 5th, he landed a

portion of his sto:,:,"es f1l."1d ::>roceeded to erect the wooden observatory

he had on ward in \·'hich the scientific corps Here to take observations.

On the 12th a :nusk ox HaS shot. These rilli:n~l1s \lere found to be quite

plentiful in Poloris !:lay; and before darkness set in, tHenty-five of

thcm wre killed.

Every pre!1uration havine been made :for Passint; the lonG \;inter,

CUlt. Hall decided on a sledr.;ing cx::edition with his does, alonf, the

~;rent valley, "It ~ome distnnce f'rorn the cOnst, Hhich ho observo-l

st~'ctching north'lard, :i..n orrler to pioneer the \·In.y 1'01" 3i1rin~ operations.

Accot'(!inCly he startod in c0:o;-,rny \<lith ,t:1". Chest-ar. cl:ie.f mate, e.trl

t",o Esquimaux, Hans Christian And Joe. 'rhis party only succ,eded

in Penstrating about twenty five r:Jlles north of their Hinter quarters,

where they discoveped a small bay, "bout five miles wide at its

mouth, in lat. 820, Hhich Hall named "Uel-llnan' s Bay", after his friend

nev. Dr. Nel·r.nan.

After an absence of' a fortnir:;ht, Capt. Hall and his party returned

to the ship. He waS immediately seized "ith illness and died in about

ten days, of opople;:y, on !'ovember 8th, 1871. He ",as buried ashope

in Pol'tris Bay. (There were conflicting reports givin;; round at the

ti!lle the castaHays errived in he"lfoundland that Capt. Hall did not

die a natural death, but there is no reference to these in the nar­

rative). The ",intor Quarters of the Polaris were in lat. 810 38',

ncrth, much farther north then e.r1Y white man hed ever wintered before;

yet the discornforts \'Iere not greater than those of Kane's party in

P.ensellser Harbor, three de~rees f.a.rtl:er south.

'l'he ).oHest deo'ee of cold experienoed was 580 below zero, and

th t but for a short time. The sun was absent 135 days. On ;Iov.

21st, a heavy gale of ,·rind broke up the ice around the ship, and

caused her to drift close to the ice-berg, so that its fort got under

neath the Keel, giving her a heaVY list; and at high water causing

her to lie on her bea:" ends. In this position she continued durizg

the winter. the most careful arrangements were made for the com-

fort of the men, and "musements of various kinds were kept ~p. The

healthofallonboardcontinuedperfedt.

On l~arch 27th, Dr. i3essels ~nd I~r. Bryan of the sci ntific

corps, with the Zscuimaux, undertook a sledr;e journey south, to sU'-

vay the COast tctuec:n the v:inter quarters 0;: tho If?olaris" and C~!,e

Consti tution, tho point reacher; b:,' Horton, of l~ono IS expedition,

""!~d. from which he sn··, as he br.:lie:verl, the open Folar Sea. After

an abaenco of u fortnisht, Dr. llessels rotupnod, hevinr supvcyod a

r ortion of the co~st, but havin8 becn ablc to !'oach Cape Constitution.

rIo northern journey on sled,;es Hore attempted in the .::)prinR, which,

considering the means at disposal seems surprising. The expedition

had lost its mainspring in losing Capt. Hall. Capt. Buddington vl:JS

nOH cOOlOlander. On June 8th an atteOlpt Has made to penetrate farther

north by boat. 1\10 bOli.ts Here fitted out for this excursion - one

commanded by Cart. Tyson, sailing master, and. the other by ~:r. Chester.

T~ey \-,.ere unable to reach farther north tha..'1 !Ievr.na."1 l s B.:y, o·.-lint; to

ice barriers; and after t-iaiting for a month there .for a chance of

open Hater, orders Came from Capt. BUddington to return to the shi;>,

\-Thich was reported to be leaking, to some extent. (rhe season \-H1S

evidently too ea- ly for making Hay Horth in boats.

It would seem that Capt. BUddinf;ton nOH became uneasy regarding

the condition of: the ship, and decided on returning home. On AugtEt

12th, the ice "a3 sut'ficiently open to perOlit of the "Polaris" leaving

her Hinter o.uarters. She got through kennedy Channel, in lat. 800 2',

Hhen she "'as caught fast in the ice, and drifted south, till October

15th, 1872. On that d2Y, during a he.:vy Gel e and snO\-J-drift, the

pressure of the ice around the ship 'HaS very great, threatening he'

destruction. It t·las decided, in all ha~te, to remove the stores to

the ico. 'I'he Esquimaux women and children were placed on the ice

for safety. Ten of the ere"" Hi th the Esquimaux men, ",ere on the

ice receiving the stores andhaulin;; them back from the ship. \"Ihen

thus employed, the portion of the floe to t-Ihich the "rolaris" t-Ias

moored suddenly broke off, and in the darkness the ship t-laS driven

a""JY by the wind to the Horth"'crd. She had fourteen men on board.

l!cxt d .... those on the ice sa", the "Polaris" under stea'll, appa- ently

npcroachine; to take them off. J.'heir signals, they thought, could

not fail to be seen on board. ~uddently, hOHever, Hhether oHing to

the movements of the ice, or some other c[j.lse, she passed in be-

tHcen a small island, supposed to be 11 0 rthumberland Island, at the

entrance of HhaJ-e Sound, and the mruinland, and the unfortunates on

the ice saw her no more. The flow on ,-,hich they Here began to

drift off rapidly; and all efforts to reach the shore in the bOat

failed, and their long and terrible ice-voYfl.£::8 wn.s begun.

On exsmination, the portion of the stores in the floe along

.,i th them was found to consist of eleven bags of bread, fourteen

cases of permmican (forty pounds in each); ten dozen cms of ;ore­

served meats and a fe;; seal s:dns - plenty of am"lUnition and six

or eight rifles. 'I'he quanti y of food on the ice Hascbout equal

to the sllstcna...n.co of the nineteen per-sons for :nonth. Capt. Tyson,

Hho now took charge of the party, at once put the:n on short allowal'lce.

A :neal for nine men consisted of I" lbs bread, and 3/4 lbs pemmican

mixed ,-lith Hater. This was served out t~Iice-a day. The Esquimaux

shared in the same proportion. ":ortunately they had two boats on

the ice, the "PolarisH beinr:. 16 ft \.R thout boats. Eleven dogs 'I!ere

Hith them, and those they mot, as they could spare food for them.

The first movement of the floe on "hich they were, ;;as to the

'::>outh Hest, a heavy north east Hind blowing, and in a short "time

they found themselves t heirty or forty miles south of where their

ship w~s last seen. OHing to a he...,vy sea which \-TaS running, their

floe broke up, and they were separated from one of their boats, six

babs of bread und some articlesof clothine, \-Thich" hO\.I8ver, they

subsequently recovered. After driftinG eight days they found them­

selves Hi thi b a feH miles of the Greenland coast. ~'hey made two

atteMpts to recch land, but failed; stormy Heather set in, nnd they

c1riftedfastto\-lardsthesouth.

'/ihen thcy passed Cary Islands all hope of getting to land He_s

abandoned; and Hith thc aid of the Ssquimaux, they built three snoCl­

huts on the ice. Dul'ing tho monthof,:ovember they cau[\ht four or

- ll~ -

five seals, and ubout the Slme numbar rospectively in January nnd

February. Their sufferings from cold and hunger were vory great.

It Has a brieht day in their dreary calendar when a seal HaS taken,

as they had then a feast, and obtained asupply of light and fuel "lith

which to ",arm their scanty allowance of food. "heir cooking cons:isted

in warming their meat slightly over a lamp. l,uch of the seals Here

oaten ra,,/, the skin entrails, and every part but the gall, being used.

One boat was cut up to supply fuel for cooking purposed, but loy t1e

first of January this supply wus exhausted. It is touching to find

the forlorn band making some effort to observe ChristmaS Day. Their

last piece of ham Has reserved for that day; h,o biscuits Hare ser-

ved out to each, ',nd thus, '!I1id those fearful ice-solitudes, in the

gloom of an Arctic night, they enjoyed their scanty Christmas cheer,

th:b.:1~ing, no doubt, vlith r1.9.:l~" a lon;inE, of' the friend.s, f'ar e.:r..ia:l,

who Here gathered that day around their cheerful hearths, and

breathing a more earnest pr.yer than usual that God ",ould continue

to Guard them rrom.4o..l'1Ger and restore them to tLeir homes. l:.:hen I~cH

Yo ·rts J),y CS!'le they .lound their sCMty stol."es could af'ford no fes-

tive indulgences, and that they must be con~,"nt "ith the ordinary fare.

·':0 cun f'nncy 11:'1 at r.1ust h3.ve ":-)een the forlorn condition of tla:ese

poor castaHaus duri ng the gloom of the long Arctic night. Even Hi th

every comfort on boal'd shi", and surrounded by cheeeful influences

cif all kinds, Hith books and amuse!l1ents to Hhile away the ti~e, the

Arctic night is felt to be terribly oppessive. But what must it

have been to this forlorn bundy shut in a Hretched snoH-hut cold,

half sturving, Hi thout light except what a feeble lamp could furnish,

and Hith nothing to break the terriblo monotony of the HOary hour!

f'or eir,hty five days they Here Hithout the sun; but at length, on

J:muary 19th, 1872, they wore claddonod by tho sisht of the roturnin<'

orb of day. It "'US like a rlimpse of oreninr, hoaven to tho eyes a'

-15-

the heartsick '~roup en the icc-floe. On the whole, however, they

managed to prseeve their cheerfulness to a Honderful de,;ree, and nJver

lost hope to ultim"te deliverance. At t Yr.es, tl;Do, the voice of liannah,

one of the Esquimaux women, cheered them, as she sang the songs of her

native land. It is touching to find that the well-being of the baby

was a constant source of interest and affectionate inquiry; and wb:en

daylight returned, a look at its dusky little face, oS it nestled

in Ers. nans' bosom, Has often as< ed for, and never failed to m-raken

smiles and tender '-lOrds. 'l'lle services of the two Esquimaux men were

inval uable. 'l'hey wot ched the ice-holes and speared the seals when

Hhite men were unequal to such an achievement. They-killed the Polar

Bear and shot the snOH birds.

Thus the Heary hours dragged along. During the latter part of

!"'eb ruary, the little !"\irds callee. "0ove~~icsll Here shot in considc!"2.o1o

nU'11b'3rs, 'lnd t,~o of the., H3t"e sorved out to each person twice a day.

Narch 2nd was a hpppy day in their calendar. On that day they shet

large squal'e-flipper seal !thieh served the,,, for tHelve days. Un

narch 12th, dUring ada k stormy r!ir;ht, the ice began to crack around

them, and at 13 ngth the floe broke up with tremendous noise, leaving

them barely enou:;h iee to walk round their snoH-huts. During the

remainder of j-Iarch they suf'fered little f'rom hunger, seals being

abundant; but on "pril 1st the sea beean to \·rash over thier snoH-'.utS.

They '..rore then com:-elled to take to their boat, and abandon their

friendly floe thut had carried them so fap. 'l'hoy succeeded in reaching

another, >ihich on "pril 5th, also broke up; and all day they were

scrmnbling from pon to pan, drenched to tho skin, cold and miserabla,

the weather beinn; very boisterous. Duri ng there movements, they had

to throH "Hay most of their f'resh provisions, and now f'ound themselves

in slob ice, "here no seals pere to be met ,-ri. tho On the 21st, they

found th,t their Hholc stoc!; of :Jrovisions co,",si sted of' ten biscuits;

and death by hunger Has starinG thom in the faoe. On the aftol:'noon

of that day, just as they \>lel:'e delivel:'ating about sel:'Ving out their

last stook of bisouit, one of the .c;squimaux who had mounted a hum-

mock, signalled that all "ere to lie dOHn and play seal. A Polal:'

Bear Has in sight, though it was much fal:'thel:' south than these

animals al:'e usually found. It Has an anxious moment, as they Hatohed

the movements of the beal:' till he ca.'Tle v,ithin l:'ange. '-"heil:' lives

depended on the shot. 'J:lhe pifles of the t vlO Esquimaux ran~ out at

the same moment, and the beal:' dropped dead. :i'hat night they had an

abundant and luxurious supper and their sufferings from htmger Here

Lanes of Vlatel:' wel:'e now seen, and Capt. Tyson took advantage

of them to Hork to the west as ra1" as possible, hoping to reach the

coast of Labrador, ,·,here te:nporal:'Y l:'eflief might be obtained. On

the afternoon of the 28th, to their uns!,eakable joy they savr the

smoke of a steamer at distance, but soon lost sight of her. This

\>las one of the ilel·rfoundla....ld sealing fleet, out on her second trip.

On the next day they savr ther again, but failed to attract the attention

of those on board, notVli thstanding every effOl:'t made by firing guns

m d making signals. l:eoHards evening she disappecr ed, and the hearts

of the poor cust:-':Iays sank ,·D. thin them. ·,fere they doomed to ::>erish

so near human aid, after all their \{lnderful escapes! Next morning

at 50 f clock as the i'ag cleared avray, - 0 Joy forever ~ - 'rhey fiaH a

larGe steamel:' Hithin a quarter of a roilo of them. Sho prov~d to uo

trw llTigress ll , Capt. bartlett, of St. John's, out on a sealing voyage.

In a short ti:-n8 they Horo on bon.:r·d,

nnrl ['.ttont:ion .. ~\ .fat.... d3.Ys :l.ftcr, the "'Eigro38 11 reached St. John 1 s.

The Hholo par-ty Hero lookinG wonder-fully ".Tell notHi thst~J1din0

-17-

their privations nnd hardships. They had been six months and a half

on the ice. Fe,-, of them, in all that time, h"d been able to change

any portion of their clothing, and not one of them had been able to

enjoy the luxUl'y of a wash, the little Hater they Here able to obtain

by melting the ice, being all rec;uired for drinking andcooking pur­

poses. l1e can fancy the pleadurable sensation of these pocr voyagers,

"hen once more they tasted a "arm, '''ell-cooked meal, got a tl,orough

wash, and lay do;·m to sleep in a clean bed.

In only one instance has there been anything similiar to this

Honderful voyaGe of '1','0 ~'housand miles on a..'1 ice-raft. On October

22nd 1869, the crew of the "Hansa", of the second German Horth Polar

3xpedi tion, were compelled to a bondon their vessel "hich was crushed

by the ice in lat. 700 L~91 North, long. 100 51 ·;lest. They bi.!ilt on

the floe a house ,r1 th the Patent fuel they had on board, and in this

snup; shelter, they drifted to the southern point of Greenland, ,,,here

they took to their boats, and on June 14th, 1870, reached the Karavian

!'-:ission Station of Priedrikstal, in lut 600 North, just on the 1.J8stern

side of CapeFareHell. Thus they drifted over ten degrees of latitude,

but their sextants shoHed that the total distance traversed w"s 1,150

miles. The "Pob'is" party passed on their cheerfless raft, 2000 miles.

Then the "Hans a" party had a snug house on the ice and ample stores.

The others had not enough provisions at startinf?; to sustain them for

a month, and had to submit in the manner I have described. The da.Y1gers

they encountered tHO '.-lere far ,nore te,'rible than those wh1ch the

Kansn pat·tJ- pa3:isd through, who were only in ono instance driven from

HOT,,: The tllelve men on the Polaris we:'e r'escued by the Dundeo

steamer Ravenscrag on June 24th, 1()7J.

VOLtJ)1£' 1· l::to (II) Nfkl.

any human agency,

they are generally placed in the catagory of the supernatural. He

have many instances recorded in history wherein it is stated that

supe natural agency played a prominent part, as for example, the

appearance of the ghost of Ceasar to Brutus the night previous to

the battle of Philippi, and the ghost of Banguo, which 'lOuld not

remain a'..1ay, asrecorded by the imlTlortal Shakespeare in his Play of

Hacbeth. It may be said that the guat Ball. of Avon, possessin3 as

he did a 'Ionderful power of imagary, dre", from hi'S well-stored mind

the events that made up his imperishable dramas, but we have also

other instances, recorded by the greatest theological \-lriters of'

the ages, Hhich go to rpove that such events have happened, and

are still believed inby the deepest thinkers and most profound

scholars of the day, after the lapse of ages. Be that as it may,

for ny part I cannot see that >That happened in the early days of

Christianity can'10t happen in our elm da,>,s, because the days of

miracles have not passed, and it is onl),! reasonable to cssert that

they Hill never paSs. In my m.ffi day I ",as told by a most reliable

and trust>Torthy gentlemen of an event that occurred over sixty years

ago in our 0>1Tl country that \-Iould give the scoffers and doubters

an everlasting time at t heir usual method of decrying everything tmat

they cannot or wi. 11 not understand, and >hose arguments, if 'any,

invariably Hi.ndup with the stereotyped sentence, "1 don't believe

it, and Hould nit unless I saH it". And yet these >Torthies, "hose

aro;umentative pO'.-lers are limited to the a])ove sentence, \lould feel

D'~f,reived if ana told them they Here Hithout brains, which accordinf\

t~o:.~?:;.r(~~~~~~~~:=/t?~tb;;~"efr~-:-9;1~~~eC .theyrc~o~ F-i~ thorn.

Any intelligent parrot or cockatoo could adduce the same mode of'

reaSoning af'ter a little instruction f'rom a past master in training.

For my part Hhen events happen Hhichc annot possibly be attributed

to human agency, I am inclined to think that the supernatural element

predominates. There are many instmces, as I said bef'ore, to prove

the truth of' my Hords. I do,-not Hish it to be \mderstood that I am

abeliever inspiritualism, scell!lcds, crystal-gazing, table->waping,

Hhi tling a bout chairs and other articJa s, tea-cups tossing or card-

cutting etc. Far f'rom it, although '-Ie have several men today, .mo

are looked upon asscientists, literateurs, etc" W 0 have a large

f'olloHing and who believe in those seances and meduims, and hold

cc-nf'erence Hith departed relatives, present their questions and receive

answers through those med uims. "11 these may be classed as either

clove··.. tricksters or demonistic aboninations. rlmongst those \·ho be­

lieve in such, I may mention "'irOliver Lodge, '-.ho published an acccou"t

of' aconversation he held Hi th his on, ,-ho had Passed away some tinB

previously; and the wonder of' it is, that from all appearance he is

sincere in his belief's that he really did converse w. th his f'ilial

relative in the other '-lorld thr-ough a meduim. The late 'II. T. Stead,

who Has undoubtedly a clever man, an able and voluminous Hri tel' and

possessed a vast experience, had also a tendency that Hay, and it

is surprising that a man of' the Horld, ,-,ell ve- sed on almost any

subject, should be ovsessed Hith such a microbe in thebrain .as to

[i ve way and believe in the clever machinations or sleight of' hand

as those ,,"0 run those payin£; insti tu tions !!nd prey upon the \:eak

spots in the gene:'al mE.ke-up of humanity. --rot c,nl:; -10 they bJlci vc

Pipe,> and others, but they publish

their belief' to the \-.orld, and expect every intellif,ent level - h""ded

'~n'lchri9tian :nortlll to believo in the;" tll:n. In thr~ 011cn (1-1.,:!:;, G'lch

-3-

\.;orthies (I ~leA.n tho charlatans) Hould be burned at the stake, but

in these clays of freedom of conscience or "hat may be more appropriately

styled, the doctrine of go-as-you-please, has such free scope that

one can believe in anything, no matter hOTtl monstrous or ridiculous

and there are none to say him nay.

But there are Cases recol'ded wherein any intelligent man must

Sive Hay to the fact that supernatural agency must have been at "ork

to accomplish a fact that has puzzled the greatest scientists for

centuries, and before I come to rrry story the events of \lhich happened

in our OHn country and amongst our Oi·m people, I Shall give one from

the rr..ost authentic sources, bearing truth upon the face of it, and

could not pODsibly have any connection Hith, Ot' be the 'dork of spir-

itists, charlatans or even duly C;ue.lified and reco;::nized scientists

of the highest der;ree.. The method of embal~ing amongst the Ef,Ciptians

of old wns a wonderful art, and the remains of their Kemp's, queens

and nobles are as intact today, as they \-rere three thousand years

as \<Ii tness the mUtn."'l1ified rem.ains of rtameses which \-1ere taken

out of the tomb (n1cl placed in t'oe Euseum some twenty years ago •

.\nd yet this "lode of embalming has 1'01' centuries been a lost art,

and further it never did bear upon the supernatural, because it was

performed by the hands of man, and by the process, chemical or o.ther-

Hise, became as hard as stone. 1:0 doubt "l1any of our young soldiers,

':lo~e ear>ecially the Dlue Puttee Boys, such as Cart. Bert Tait, Lieut

Cyril Carter and Lance Corpt Jack Ryan (the historian of the Royal

llfld Rer;t.) have vieued the remains of some ancient Egyptian Kin",

queen or noble in the Pyranid of Cheops, or Cephrenes, t-Iho had

once boen a livi!1;, l'epresontative of all the p;randeur, pOHcr, r,lor:r

and magesty thnt this t-lorld contains llrl.d who had,-

"',Ialkeil about (hOH atral1<;e a story)l

-1,-In Thebes' streets three thousand years ago,

Hhen the gigantic J.leml'on Has in all its glory

And time had not begun to over1'low

'rhose temples, palaces and piles stupendous

01' ;,hich the very ruins are tremendous".

Perhaps that very hand now pinioned flat,

Has hob-a-nobbed >lith Phorooh glass to glass;

Or dropped a half-penny in Homer's hat,

Or doffed thine at·m to let ,usen Dido pass,

Or held by Solomon's own invitation

A torch at the great Temple's dediCation.

In imagination I Can picture our brave boys, such as Lieut

~arter, Cart. Tait andLcCerpt Ryan, and the rest of them, at the

base of the Great Pyra:llid, from the suolmit of Hhich forty centuries

looked dOHn upon theM - the elorious little band of hcroes from

fc:.r-distant UeHfoundlnnd, t;·;ho Hepe there to fiGht in the Great cause

of Liberty :l..'ld ~~u·:,.l,"'l.nity, contenr>lntins the ,jr.J.:'l':ified remains of

sO:'1e ancient King, ~ueen, or lIoble - a descen cant of the mishty

Pharoaho or Ptallmys a"'1d adoressing it in an interrogatory mD.IU'Ler,

as if commuming with the great departed:-

"Speak! for thou long enOUGh hast acted cummy!

Thou hast a tongue - come let us hear its tune;

'I'hou'rt standinG on thy leGS above ground, I':ummy~

Revisitinr; the r;lim!'sE; of the mOGn,

Hot liko them r:ho3ts or discmboiJied Cl'eutures,

~ut \'lith they bonos Dnd flesh, and limbs Dnd features.

-5-

roll us, for doubtless t Oll cr,nst recollcct-

rro whom should t-Ie assign the .:;)phjn.:;.:t s fame?

He.s Cheops or Cerhre es architoct

Of either Prya:'lid ttat bears his na:ne?

Is Pompey's Pillar really a misnomer?

Had Thebees a hundred gates as sung by Homer?

Did'st thou not hear the pather o'er they head

"Then the great Persian conqueror Combyses,

Harched armies 08er thy tomb with thu:ndering tread,

Olerthe.....10siris, Orus, Apsis, Isis,

And shook tho J'yra;nids with fear and Honder

Hhen the gigantic i'lermon fell asunder.

Since first thy form vIas in this box extended,

He have, above ground, seen sorne cueer rr.utations;

The ;loman Empire has begun and ended,

IleH worlds have risen - \-Ie have lost old nations;

And countless kings have into duat been humbled,

~lhilst not a fragment of they flesh has crumbled.

Statue of flesh - irm'lportal of the dead!

Imperishable type of evanisence!

"osthumous man, ;rho quitt'st they narrow bed

And standest undecayed within our presence.

Thou wilt hear nothina will thrill this vrith its tiarnin~.

aut, to ':ifY mind" the most Hondcpful Case of the su?el'natlll'al

th3.t I ever reed or hoard tell of occurred while ....J'orlanen were enf;ac:ed,

about SiX1;y or seventy· 7{0:1.r5 aLio, in demolishinG the ancient Church

of Urb.1ch - >!hich <Jates from the earliest period of tho Hiddle Agos,

""" Has tottorinc; to its full. t:nclos.Od in the Hull of the choir,

Hhich was four feet thick, \-l:lS found a marble coft'in, nine feet fill r

inches i!l length, and addooned Hith figures in relief finely executed.

The opening of the coffin \·,as a difficult operction - the joints

h~ving been covered ,Ii. th a cement ;h ich a cquired the hardness of marble

itself. It had accordingly to be broken into from the foot, and

revealed an object which took the spectators by surprise - a body,

clothed in sacerdotil habit, fresh as that of a man who diedyesterday.

The colour of the epidermis, firmness of the flesh, the hair, the

nails - all Here in the most perfect preservation. The flesh yieldod

beneath the finser like soft ··Yax; the limbs had kept their sup":-leness,

end the very eyes, but half closed by the eye-lid, had preserved a

portion of their brir,htness. The dead man. Hore a cassock of pale

blue silk, i.nter~-loven 'I.lith threads of' pure gold, and a linen gOl,·Ul,

extremely fine and trimmed wi. th lace. These garments HOl"'m so many

hundreds years ago seemed quite new. Round the hands clasped on the

tl.·rined a i10sary of \-1~ite pear-Is, str'uns on beads of' gold

to which HuS attached a small box, in for:n of a medallion contained,

on one of its faces, the folloHing inscription, in characters 1rrhich

suggested the dcte of the eleventh century (over nine hundred years

ago):- "Otts Imperator parocho Irbicchians sculptori Excellentissimo":­

"'rho Emperor Otho to the Curate of Urbach, a most excellent sculptor".

On the reverse is the figure of the Good Shepherd. On being opened

the box was found to enclose afolded p~I"ch~n0nt, containing Hl"iting

in letters of' gold and ulbr8marine. The ancient text viaS difficult

to decipher; but records that the priest in question, one of the

greatest artists of the ages,vras the author of varioL:s scu;Lptures,

representin:; scripture subjects, on the principal front of the High

Altar; and t at the sculptured pulpit, "Thich Has the great ornament

of the Church \-J;yl from his chisol. 'i1he artists curate must have beon,

0..100, in mnt,.... ers unsr,irltuo.l, one of' the s,'pon,test ~non of his day.

'rho body measured, from the crown of the head to thesole of the

foot, seven f'eet eleven inches, Rhenish mea:3ure. The feet nearly

covered the cassock, rested on a folio volume in parch",ent - the first

leaf of Hhich displayed the title:- "Chronicon Sacculi XI". 'l'o tlw

educated or illeterate mind alike the above mlist convince that human

avency had nothing vlhRtever to cOh-l.th the M.iracle recorded above,

and it proves conclusively that the circumstances may be att!'ibuted

to the supernatursl. And yet there arE> many ",ho would firmly be-

lieve in spiritists, christian sciences, crystal-gazing meduims,

etc, notwithstanding the most indisputable proof as recorded by those

Hho witnessed it a little over secenty years ago. Such lis an ex-

ample of the sculptors, artists, etc, vn·.o lived and worked in the

~:iddle ages, desi nated by some as the derk ages - the sculptol's of

today ,.-ould be unable to repair the ,:ork of those of the Kiddle Ages,

much less plan, erect and beautify these grand works of art, such

al'chitecture, amny of the levelled to the ground by the brutal and

barbaric attacks of the Prussia.'O. hordes during tl:e late war. llapoleon

It "as ( and still is) \-lith undiminished life and vigor, the

piety, zeal and Hlnderful talent of such fat thful servants of God,

as that scul?tor - priest of Urbach, that the Church raised the

people from the 101o!est depths of barbarism, passed them through tle

alemble of purity andc arity, and placed them on the high road of

eternity. And it \oIaS the knO\iledgo of these facts that dre,-! fro:n

the lips of the Grand Old Han and Prime Einister of Enfland, ~Iilliam

;';vort Gladstone, a feH years previous to his death, that beautiful

and \01011 'lesol'vod tribute, \oIhon ho stated: "She (Catholic CllUI'ch)

h"s marched for fiftoon hun'1rod yeurs ~since tho nays of Constantino)

-8-

at the head or civiliz:?tion, and has harnessed to her chariot, as

the horses of a tl'iumphal car, the chief intellectual and l:latel'iol

forces of the "orld: her greatness, glory, grandeur and magesty

have been al:nost, although not absolutely, all that in these respects

the "orld has had to bO-1St of. her children are :nore numerous tr-.an

all the children of the sects combined; she is every day enlarging

the boundaries of her vast empire, her alters are raised in every

clime and her missionaries are to be found T,>lherever there are men

to be tau 'ht the evangeil. of imlitortality and souls to be saved. Ar1d

this Hondrous (;hurch, Hhich is as old as christiantiy and as universal

as mankind" is today, after its twenty centuries of' age, as fresh and

as vi[lorous and as fruitful as the day the Pentecostal fires Here

ShOHered upon the earth".

Another case, and if it does not rank amonGst the supernatura, I

fail to account for it. It is a simple and true story, end can be

vouched for by mmy ,"ho "re living today. I Can remember the vessel

clearly and distinctly, but, unfortunately, the mystery occurrod so

lon[l aeo that the details have escaped my memory, altljough I hear.d

the old f'olks describe the events Many: a ti:ne, in fact, it HaS a

subject of general conversation. Probably I HaS five years old,

and I can remember the na:lle of the vessel, Hich Has the ";liza, oH11ed

by C2,ptuin Putl'ick Stra!)~) of l:r..rbor Hain, rather of' the beloved Rev.

Brother Strap, of St. 30naventure, s Colle[le, ",ho has baen for so

many years the idolized teacher of the pupils attending that historic

and vonerablc Institution. I should say that the evant occurred nearly

sixty years ago. 'l'he~liza Has a bri[l3ntine of about 105 tons, ..nd

""3 employed in the prosecution of the seal and cod-fisheries, by

the Duners, 1'0":' Nnny yeorn. After sl,.e >;l.3,3 lost, CUf·t. Str,s,l': ~'U::­

chased the brigantine j1anson, a splondid vossol, /lnd I H:l.S on board

of her scoros of times. But is Hith tho Eliza I have to do in my

story of a su!?ernatural occurrence', a'1d i.f it vJas not supernatu!'al

vrhat W.,3 it? '.lireless telegraphy W3,S not thou~ht .for .forty or nore

years after the event if the "ireless were in full swing as it is

today, with all its manifold blessings in saving life at sea, and

other great benefit conferred by it upon humanity, it would not in

anyway account for the mysterious notification that Capt. Strapp

received upon the voyage I am about to describe; und a mystery it

has remained to this day, and 1 presume will remain so till the end

About 1860, Capt. Strapp in the Eliza sailed with a cargo of

codfish for the I·lest Indies, and for several daYS nothing of any

importance occurred; the Heather being fine and there was every

indication of the 300d ship making a qllick run to rna' keto Suddenly

a he'V"'J gale sprung up, but the "'liza was a staunch and well-built

vessel, used to buffettinr with winds, sea and ice, and managed to

co:ne throu£h wi thout tr~e loss of a sailor anything of' any <importance.

After seeing that everything was all right on deck, Capt. Strapp

'-lent beloH to takean houris rest, but before doing so he Hent to the

slate Hhich ~olas on the cabin table, and upon v~hich he Hould vlri te

do\·m any occurrence of' interes-:. previous to entering in the ship's

log... book. Hhat \,;.,$ his surprise on taking up the slate to discover

\'1ritten thereon in plain, unmistakable lan2:uage, - flGO iTll~l1edis.tely

to 11.titude - lon~itude - a ship in sinking condition, and save Cre\ill

•

Capt. ~trapp \-laS astounded at Hhat he sau on the slate, and i I:":led­

io.itely called the mate arld asked him, "Hhat ~las the meaning of this"?

l'he mate, a most reliable mnn and thorOUGh sailor, vlE!..B thundel'.3tl'uck,

~nd, of cour:;c, !"or1ied th'l.t he 1':::18-..f nothi.a;} \:hatover about it, as

he had not been in the cabin for Lours. The second mate could not

read or Hrite, nor could the stewc,l'd. Captain strapp bec in to feol

so:noHhat uno.~"y, but he rubbed the Hriting off the slate, and as

usual with seafarins men, being busy, he forgot all about it in a

few minutes. A short time after he '"ent to the slate again and re­

cei ved a great shock when he discovered the same Hords written there-

on, ordering him to hurry and run to the assistance of the ship and

those aboard, giving the latitude and lonp;itude as be:fore:"In the

name of God I'll go", said the Captain, and gave orders to alter

the course of the Eliza and steer :for the location given on the

slate. A:fter some hours sailing the Ji:liza sighted a large ship

in a sinking condition - sails carried away, boats gone and cre,-,

exhausted ':;y their terrible sufferings: - all provisions spoiled by

the salt water. Capt. Strapp bore do,ln on the sinking ship just in

time to rescue the crew andcOljvey them sa:fety to the port to 1lr, ich

the "'liza was bound. I am sorry I cannot- give the full details of

the wonderful and musterious occurrence ,-hich has been a source of'

argument from rhat daY to comparatively a few years ago. I have

asked Rev. Brother Strapp, but he knows only the outlines su.ch as

I do, and I have asked many old timers, but they, ,-,hile they re-

me:nber the event, can add nothing to Hhat I know myself. But Mr.

Fredrick Hartin, the veteran chief engineer of the ~. S Fiona for

so many years, Hho posseeses a most remarkable and relontive memory,

has p;iven me a most interesting bit of information, which, to say

the least, only intensifies the mystery. Mr. Nartin remembers the

occurrence distinctly, and has in:formed me that Hhen the mate of

the abnndioned ship HeS brought on boc.rd the 3liza, ho gazed round

in a daged condition, and informed Cap' • Strqpp th:.lt as he became

exhausted he di'e:.llned that he and his comrades Here rescued by the

very ship "'liz'l, after he had ;:ritten a mess'lge on the slate in

the cabin. Cap t.StruPP;,-:u3 thunderstruc\.C, and going over to the

tablo, took up the slate and askod the mate if that was his writing?

.l'hc ml.to \0133 no loss Durprincd th::n Cupt. Strupp, and unhesit~tingly

rcplied that it Has hiso,m handHriting, proHed it to the satisfaction

of all end Has corroborated by his own captain. There is not a shado'Vl

of doubt as to the tI'\)th of this mysterious occurrence, and, as I

said before, it Has the subject of conversation amongst sea-faring

men, as Hell QS that public generally, for many years after. A

few years ago Rev. Brother Strapp came across an old diary of his

father amongst some fa.mily papers in which it ,.JaS stated that the

name of the Captain of the unfortunate vessel, the crew of which was

rescued, was Cummins, and the ngne of Capt. Strapp's was ';Ialsh, for

many years hi8 chief officer. It waS also sta; ed that Capt. Strapp,

HSS considerably injured falling from aloft - having his teeth

knocked out aYld his arm strained. Something \-lent vlrong alort, and

he t.,lent to fix it Hhile his erst-; Hepe conveying the shipHrecked

mariners on board the EliZa_

II' it ,HaS a performed by supernatural agency, hOl,..,r;as it done?

As ceptain as I hold this pen in my hand no person on board ship

,·;rote the warninE on the slate. How could they? 'fhey spoke no

vessel in distress. So I give it up.

/Li\RLY IJI\Y~ (Jl" TEE FIShLJUES l\!,;lJ I\GHICULTUHE III llFLlJ.------ ------~--------------

11. F. SI~OH·rIS - llIS'lOl<IGRAPbLI{-_._--------------'l'hcrchusLccnnocQuntryofitsim.....ortanccinthc'vlorl<1which

has been neglcctcu to such an extent, from an histori::al point of

'l'rue there have been some attempts T!ladeat 'vlriting a crude

history of its resources and capabilities. 1\11 those fall infinitely

short of being a mere outline of the future possibilities of Ne\'l-

foundland. In all those attempts at writing the history of our

country, there is a singualr abssence of any attempt to show up

our people in their true light. liere and ther in our so-called

histories we find certain I:len singled out for their philanthropy -

their capacity for amassing a fortune, or some other cause, and

these are taken generally from the upper and middle classes; but

there has Leen no attempt made to show up the heroism, hardihood

and adventurous spirit of our people (I mean the fishermen and

farmers of every capacity) who have built up Newfoundland, and made

her \o/hat she is and what she promises to be.

I'lllilthas been told up to the present of the people of the country

has been gleaned from odl legal documents and records, kept by fishing

UJllentsarenecessarilyconfinedtointernaionalrelations,the

enormous possibilities of the, at that time, onc and only industry

of the country - the cod-fishery. 1\11 these things are, I admit,

veryindispensible in thenselves in relting the history of a coun try.

In this conncction it must be borne in mind that the principal factor

in compiling the history of its People.

r.y a singular coincidence, all \'1ho have hitherto attempted

to tell the story of Newfoundlana have studiouslyaN'oided this 5ub-

ject,v'hichisofvitalirnportance. l\1..>ookthatconfinesitself

T~. "'" .pt.a., +-;.o.~ the. FP-n;. of H F Sha.-+'s, vo .... Z , /30

Ph>v''''G-.~1 Arc..h.ves 51 :John'S.

to tile transcriLdng of Uocur.lcnts dcaling \r/ith events anu cpoch!;

in the life of Eo <.:ountry cannot c1<:lim pretensiuns to the di~nificu

title of his lory. TheHlanners anucllstOI.tS of a people, their

grO\/tilfromaJl<lndfulofsettlerstoilunitinthelllake-upofthe

Lnipie or country froIll\rlJ1ich t:lcysprung-these arc the subjeels

to Le enquired into ,... ith the greatest diligencc by the men who

unJertill,etounfolc1tothe"orlc1thehitoryofill'eople.

i:Io one will deny that evens are a first essential in the milke-up

of history, l.;utl>are recorJ.ingof the facts themselves is inadequate

to stisfy the enquiring mind. \]0 r.ust know "hat leu up to these

above all, we must knoH the character Rna quality of the people

who were the P.lanspriny of tJlcm. Hhere then, I JOay ask, are we to

inquire into the manners and customs of the people \'lhose history

\rIC Hish to relate? i:Jot from legal docUIllcnts - not from the records

and ledgers of thcrr.erchant.s countinghouses, but fror,l the p eople

In all conaitions of human society, frOIlt the priuitive s~vage,

up to the highest point of \'lestern civilization, theris-onctrait

reeognizable as of a universal character, and that is an inherent

aczire to realte past events and exploits, and this universal char-

absolutelyneeessaryforthehistoriantoapplyhimselfdilegently

to the task of mastering the trac1itions and stories of a people

in order to sno", them up in their true light. A history to be eom-

plcte must be retrospective, and how then can \oJC acquire a know"ledge

oftnepastwithouttakingthepeopleintooureonfic1enee? It is

not only by delving ueep into musty documents that we can acquire

all the infromation that goes towakcuphislory.

complete, must yo hollU in hand with tradition. \"lhen the great,

lJutsoulcwhatsclf-lau<1atory orator, Cicero, tellsus,'oIhenspcaking

o f ~1i 5 tory that to Lc i 9 noran t 0 f \-Ih a t il appened be fore one 's b i r th ,

is to remain in a state of perpetual chiluHood, he had in his

mental vision the trauitional and stories of the Roman people.

'i'hc :oetry of his countrymen had contrubutcd lavishly to the making

of Rowan history. Uo one will deny that poetry enters largely into

the history of all peoples. "J.'hereisnothingsoeloselyallied

to tradition as poetry, in£act, it is tradition inverse. 'l'he

deeds anddaring-the conquests and failure-the trials anddif-

ficulties of the evolution of a nation from its infancy to full-

grown manhood - are handed dovm to posterity by the pens of its

poets .. 'i'his is trauition pure and simple .. hlhy did not those who

nave hitherotatteIllpteu to write tne history of our.. country consuIt

tnctraditionsofourpeople?

Newfoundland, it must be admitted, is fast coming to a front

rank in social anclcomr,lercialprosperity. 'l'hesciencesandarts

are Leing raught and cultivated. Her sons, when they go abraod,

arc proud of the land of their birth; but it is the first importance

to kno\'l how this refiner.1ent and civilization were accomplished ..

Even here in the suburbs of St. John's we have tracts of highly-

cultivatedland,yieldingsplendidreturnsforthelaborbesto\-{eel

upon it. Yet, no collector of data has lJeen found togo and visit

the holders of these farms and inquire into their growth and dev­

elopement up to the present stage. Surely in bringing these fine

holtiings into their present state a vast amount of labor has been

gone through. In going into the 16irgin forest, with no capital

behind tnem, save that of their own energy, per~ererance and indomitable

-4-

courago, the oriGinal o\omcrs of tho~o Carlll!} heanded dovm to their

children an enduri bg monument to their own ability and energy. The

very fact of ttese f,.,ms being thel'e, are of themselves, a stimulus

to the enquiring mind to seek information about them. Hen of such

courage andonduronce as l-)ioncers of theso homostn cs :nust be Harth

!:itudyinc_ It mu~;t be rC:'1e~.1bered th~tt rt the time those men undertook

to r.eclaim the land, everything was against them. Climatic conditions

were adverse, as the winters in those days Here long ans severe.

Isolation was the order of the day. There were no connecting roads,

and the prospective farmer not only had to face; ..hat l<auld seem to

a loss determined race, insurmountable difficulties, but he was cut

off from social intercourse with his fello>l-man. Everything was

against him. n e had to contend ag&inst the hostile forces of l:ature,

an ill-supplied purse, and a l1<J1t of sympathy and intercourse with

his fellow man. Yet, a admidst all these adverse circumstances, these

:nen reclaimed the soil from its prioIitive virginity, and made it

yield a bounteous maintenance for themselves and their families.

Surely such a class of men Here built of sterner stuff than

the ordinary run of mankind. 'I'1:ey are 110rthy of investic;ction and

inquiry. Yet in all the histories of our country, h'e fail to find

anythinG like adequate tribute paid to such Men. Sterling rr.cnhood,

no mattel' in Hhat walk of lifo, it is to be found, deserves to be

inquired into. There is nothing exceptional in the instances I have

gone into the primitive forests of Newfoundland, and, having overcome

the difficulties andobstacles consequent to a severe climate, such

as l:ewfoundland was subjected, and accomplished such feats, were

it not that their Hork remains today to speak for itself, it would

be almost impossible of belief. The first settlers of lIewfoundland

stand out as a distinct and unique race. They appear to have been,

and subsequent events proved that they Here, endowed by Nature with

-5-

llpeculilll·f'itnossf'oropeningupllnOHCOtultry. 'l'hcywereposscsscd

of' indomit&ble oourage, capability f'orphysical endurance and an

inconquirable determination - qUalities Hhich Gave them special

f'itness to become f'ounders of' a race Hhich f'or couragc and endupance

are second to no people in theworld.

I f'ail to see the completeness of' a history which, while devoting

pages to the natupal possibilities of' a country (both present and

prospective) entirely ignores the ",en who made those possibilities

a living issue in the history of' the commercial world.

In th", jevelopement of' the agricultural, as Hell as the f'ishing

resources of' our country, the Irish race played an important part.

Driven f'rom their own land in cockle-shell vessels, huddles together

like cattle, under the lash of' brutal and tyrannioal captains, f'or

days ,n.thout f'ood or Hater, strioken with f'ever, hundreds of' them

never reached our shores, and f'ound their graves in the broad Atl:n tic.

Yet those I-Iho arrived on our shores became the most enterprising and

successf'ul residents in every walk of' lif'e, in church, state, f'isheries,

agriculture, as artizans, teachers and every other branch of' indust~.

~ho can ever f'orget the Said chapter of' 1847; to be exact, on the

8th of' Hay of' that year, the f'irst of' along list of' f'ever. laden

emigrant ships f'rom Ireland arrived at Grosse Island, in the St.

LaHrenco, about thirty miles beloH Quebeo? CroHded with human beings

driven f'rom their native country by proverty and persecution, these

ships (if' they could be called such) witnessed scenes of' horroH and

misery which are better not written. Hal ignant typhus has taken hold

of' the emegrants. The orOHding together of' so many Passengers, tho

Misernblo .food nno. conditions then prevailing in the steerace, tbe

long and anxious voyage aCrOSS the Atlantic,-all a,]<Jed to sn oric

of 80rp011 th~t no rcn hud nde~u[l_tcl:r r'0ccrdorl.

\,hcn tney arl:ivcu at Gros~c I~lilnd, the inh<:lLitants \-lcrc l1.:.lturally

alarmed. 'l'cul:Jorary, Lut inadequate provision \-las made to handle

the vast nUr.lbcr of sufferers. 'rheywcrehuudleetintohastilycon-

uicd uy nunure<.is and thousands. SOlllctil:leS whole families, SOhlctit:ics

parents, sOIlletimes children were laid away in a CQliml0n gr?ve; ano.

it is estimated toat vefore the pestilence endcd 10,000 unfortunates

were consigned to the great grave at Grosse Island,-thusending on

of the saddest incidents in American history_ They left uehind

them, however, a record of patience, piety and resignation which

powerfully edified those who \..,riliteu on them; and also be it said,

they were the occasion of facts of charity and heroism worthy of

the days of the early church.

l\lthough our forefathers have amply demonstrated. their work

in the quiter\-lalks of life, as instances sucnas I have related

above, the real\-..orth of our people has been brought ollt\-lhilst

in pursuit of thcirnatural avocation-the sea. h'careessentially

a fiaratirr,e people. \o/e were tllis originally by force of circ\UTlstances,

and today it is the pursuit of our choice and habit .. l-Jature made

us a maratir,1e people, and for genertions the sons of Newfoundland

have been battling with the elements. 'I'he main 'vealth of the country

was, in the past, and will be, in the future, drawn from the deep ..

'l'ime \·/ill no doui>t develop many more auxiliary industries, but we

nay not hope to have anything to come up to the fisheries as a source

ofnatural'lealth. 'I'hepeople of this country are er.linently qualified

uy Nature for the pursuit of their calling. 'I'hey are encowed witn

Courage and fortutllue andperserverancc. For generations they have

been performing deeds of bravery, heroism and vator, that of per-

forr,lcd by any other civilized people, then names would be handed

down in the undying pages of history. llm,1 is it then the so-called

historians of Ncwfounaland have overlooked the characters and dis-

positions of her people? 'l'he reason is simply, that they have

confined themselves to a few old documents, easily accessible,

and have col,ected such data together and published them to the

world by the high sounding name of History. In the people of

Newfoundland there is to be found the material for making history-

a history that would be of intense interest, as an example of

what a determined and self-sacrificing race of men can accomplish

in the face of the greatest physical difficulties. '.rhecollector

of data will answer,- "This is a thing hard to accomplish consid-

eringtheabsenceofrecords".IftheFathersofHIstoryhasset

about their task in this spirit, the world today would be infinitely

!Joorer in the knowleuge we possess of nations and nation-builtlers.

There is one SQurce of knovlledgewhich has never been tapped

oyourhistorians,andthatis-tradition. It is absolutely

futile to attempt the history of a new country witho·.,t consulting

the tEaditions of its people. 'l'he new country keeps no written

records of its transactions. The struggle to live, at first absorbs

all their attenting, and they have son·ething else to do besides

jotting down every event in their daily life.

Yet, all information, even the DIOst remote stages of the set-

tlements of Newfoundland, is easily available. It is a ''lell-known

fact ±.hat a people, who are not capable oraccustolhed to noting down

events, have a most relentive memory. This is o\oling to the fact

that they depend solely on their memory as a guide to the past, and

people. ThepeopleofNewfoundlandhavethistraitstronglydev-

clopedinther,l, and, as a consequence, they possess a fond of the

traditions of the country. 'l'hc \-/riter of Nev/founulilJ1cl history,

to be a success, most consult the traditions of her people. \'lith-

out that all efforts in any other direction will be absolutely

useless. ;\s I before remarked, if the Fathers of llIst9ry had

confined. themselves to C10cumentary eviLlcnce, have impoverished

would be the Ilistory oflJationsl

"The Rise and Fall of the Empires of the I'lest "ere not l'itnessed

by the historians who related those events. 'l'hey had to consult

the traditions of the people of whom they wrote, and there is no

getting over the fact the principal eVents related in history were

handed down by traditions, be for finding a place in history. It

is therefore absolutely necessary for any person attempting to

v.'rite the history to go amongst thte people, to associate \'lith

them, to become acquainted \'lith their habits, manners and customs,

and to get them talking, in order to have them relate the traditions

of their country.

preserved, from generation to generation, and handed down from

father to son. 'l'he real history of Newfoundland is preserved in

the traditions of her people. It is only from this source that

we can learn of the bravery and herioslU of her hardy sons .. Tradition

unfolds to us the story of their determination and pluck - their

selfsacrifice - their almost super-human powers of endurance .. and

their dauntless courage .. Their love of adventure is amply illus-

tratedintheprosecutionoftheseal-fsihery. There are hundreds

of young men in the outports, as well as St .. John's, today, who

use every effort to obtain a berth to the ice, who are well provided

for, and who are in no wise compelled to go for the sake of the

pecuniary returns, but their romantic love of adventure induces

on this hazaruous voyage, more with a view to the love

of the chase and its consqucnt dangers, than for any material

gains to be uerived therefrom. ~fhe spirit of auventure and daring

are the two most prominent traits in the character of the New-

foundlandfishrrnan. 'l'hehistory of the seal and cod fisheries,

when .. told by some future historian, will, whilst abounding in scenes

of the most realistic character, possess all the elements that go

to constitute the most fascinating romance. This history will

have to be gleaned from the people themselves, >Thich go back in

anunbrokenci1aintotheearliest.colonizationofourcountry.

It is from this source that we can get at all the noble traits

of the true NevlfouncilaIH.ler ~ who is intense ly typic a1 0 f the race

from which they sprung. lIe is a combinaton of the shrewd and cal-

culating Sctoclunan aIld ready wit of the Irishman, along \-lith the

bull-dog tenacity and detamination of tne Britian. Knen occasion

demands it, all these qualities quickly come to the surface.

fulness and their marvelous power of rising to the occasion in

sudden emergencies and dangers. This is a trait that every year

is brough to the front when their dangerous calling often brings

them face to face with death, and when disasters that would have

a fatal termination are often averted by their >Tonderful power of

re source and the ir reaciiness to grasp extreme opportunities . ~J.'he ir

capacity of discrimination is truly wonderful. 'fhis was one of

the secrets of their success. 'rhey judged every man on his merits

and they were quick to catch on to what those merits were. A man

who is observant, going on board a sealing steamer, cannot but

admire the tact and discrimination dispalyeu in selecting the men

for responsible trust. Every man fits into his place vlith mathematical

precision. In every case the master-",atchcs, the Ltidgenan, the

barrel-man ,Jrc found to be selected with a view of perfect efficiency.

In every case thesemcnare tried, traineu ir.tplicityly trusted,

deputies as they \'1oul<1 unuer the man in suprelne cOffiruand.

I do not wish it to be suppossed that I am finding fault \'lith

hist~ry ",rittcn from dOCUf.ients.. I contend that such history is

incomplete without embodying the characteristics of the people of

the country under review .. 'l'hcir growth and pr9gress from an in-

significant colony to the dignified position ofa factor in the

Empire-thevicissituoes and difficulties of a·nation inevolv ing

itself frortt the embryo, are not made matters of record .. At such

a period the struggle to survive difficulties engrosses all their

attention. Hhere they are we to took for material .to write our

history?

One of the strongest instincts in the human breast is that

of cherishing and remembering important events. 'l'his instinct

has been found strongly developed in man in the r.:ost primiti.ve

and savage state. 'l'his handing down data in an oral manner, fran

generation to generation, and from father to son, has been rec-

ognized and receiveu by all nations, and it is to this source we

must :look for our knowledge of the past history of Newfoundland.

The historian, if he wishes to secceed, should consult tradition

that hand-maid of history. 'l'he historians who have heretofore

attempted to write the history of [,ewfoundland, have either com-

pletely ignored tradition or have barely skimmed over its surface.

The man who attempts to compile a complete history of this country

must go amongst the people - must go down deep in this tradition -

and he will find ample material for, not only a thoroughly instructive

volume, but an intensely interesting one.

Having made a life-long study of my countrYltlen, and possessing,

a I flatter myself I <10, a thorough knmlledge of them, I feel per-

fectly satisfied that the story of Ne"foundland has to be evolved

from the store-house of the tenacious memory and tradition loving

habits of our people.

r:ISCOVERE!L.l1LTHEES(I'H<iI\lY. '.NPCOtiV;'ITPTOr!F'l1 YORK eynAn" TOHW;lON & CO'!?

fTEAMER"I!O?E" CArT. JOHNELRTLF.TT.

H.F.Shortis-Historioe<'aphcr

From time immemorial, but during the past ,eventy or eighty years in

particular, the adventures, d£lngersendescapesofourNewfoundlancJsailors,

\lould,ifvrittenup,makeaverylar(;eandinterestingvolume. Theirex­

periencesrelrte to every portion of the globe. We heve had them, and I

kno\lthempersonelly,intheneviesofChili,hrezil,Jepan, England and

more especially in the United stetesN aveyduring the great Civil War.

They\lerealsoforemostintheCubenliers,curingthepaEtfortyfiveor fifty

yenrs. 'l'heY\.\1ere in the Spanish...J:.:nericen "'ar in large numbers. They were

tobefoundintheBleckBellliners,the"estIndiemenandtheEnglishend

Americe.nMercantileMerine. Theprinr:;it'elArcticExpeditions,\.1erecoI!1posed

m.e.inlyofNeW'foundlanders, both cepteinsand cre\1s: end amongfit t hecommanderfi

I need only mention such femous navigEltors as Pike, Ash, Norman, J ohn,Senmel,

!1osesandBobBertlett-and there \lere many others of equal fame. But in

this record, I e.m about to relate the particulars of quite a different nature,

not in hunting for this Pole, but in see.rchofthe great Keteorite, \lhich

fell from the heavens, and \las reported by the United BtetesGovernmentand

the Scientific Societies of that country, \lhocharteredaNe\lfoundland sealing

steamer from the enterprising firm of Beine Johnston&Co. of this city,\lith

aNe\lfoundlandCaptainandcre\l,\lhoproceededNorth,foundthehughmass

of metal, pIeced it on board the good Eteamship"Hope",andconveyeditto

Ne\lYork,U.S.A. Its discovery \las considered to be of the greatest assist-

ance to Science, end it is carefully placed in position in the Museum, \lhere,

no doubt, itisa sourca of \londerand mystery to the thousands of visitors,

as to \lhence it came and bY\lhet means it \las launcbed to this sub-lunar

sphere and discovered by the Esquimaux during their hunting peregrinationa

to the interior of the far-<lwayland in the frozen North.

_5:- ;;;: ~~t:::: 7~~ 1;:.~:,.VGL- '4/Lffl,

SIv.IIJ.Rl1'YHETWRITES------According to the bestrecor,ni7ed euthorities, the worc aerolite is derived

fromtheGreek!l~-theair,8ndl:Jthos,astone(8irstone6)Jwhichisanap-

pellatim given to these extraordinary bodies, composed of several mineral sub­

stances, which have been obeerved (through certsinly they are of rare occurrence)

to fall from the atmosphere. 'ihesearesometimescalledeeorolithe,andatother

timer.lunerstones. '1 he descent of such very curiousmsf;ses \O/5.S, fora time,

doubted,andwhenadescriptionofanyofthephenomenawaspublishedtothewor"ld,

itwastreetedwithscornofanuntruth,butoflsteryears, the fact hesbeen

Borepeetedlyprovedandinsuchaconclusivemenner,thr.titcannot,brany

possiblemeens,leeveanydoubtofthecertaine:xistenceofthis?henomenon. The

lergerclassofthefiestoneshevebeenobservedasluminousboeies,movingwith

greet velocity and descending in oblique directions,accompeniedbyaloudhissing

noise,somethingresemblingalargeer.dirreguler,solidsubstence,cErriedviol-

entlythrough our atmosphere, surrcmndecbya bright name, whichdrecres <es

bothinbrightnessandbreedth-thelattersssumingnearlya!,ointinthetail

of the meteors. There,onasudden,ereheerdtoburst,endseentobeblowa

by some violent force into pieces: the lareerpertspreced1ngthesmalleronesin

f'Uccession, end are seentostriketheeErthvithgreetforce,frequentlybe:1ng

inhumed toa considerable depth. On examination being msde where these explosions

havetakenplsce, thepertsere found scattered about, and the stones, when dug

Up,considerablyheEted.

'lhemostextrElordinaryfectisthatthesestonesallbe6reresemblenceto

each other, and in every instance preElent the semeexte-rnaleppeE.rence,ofsemi-

metallicmetter,coatedontheoutsidewithathickblsckcrustandexhibiting

very strong proofs of recent fusion.

These metallic stonesheve beenverycarefullyexemined by some of the

grentestcheI!l.istssndnaturalists, sndtheir strict end accurate invEstigation

hpve f'upplied us \lith Euche mQ:ils of informntion, perfcctlysufficienttoconvince

the most rcrupulousenCiuirer thnt theRe bodieshsve 0 commonorigin, and that

we ere totally unecc;.mdnted \lith anynaturel >'roceCfi which would in anypof:sibility

AsI heve before steted ell these stones thet have fellen at difforentperts

oftheearthls surfaceheve been formed of the same substences:butno other bodies

on our globe have ever been discovered which contain the same substances. Itmay

beworthyhereofremerktostetethettheeveregespeoificgravityof these stones

is3l!4,or3l/2timeshesvierthenwekr.

Iheveresdofmanyphenomenerwhichheveappeeredatdifferentplsoesin

various parts of the world (Newfoundlendinoluced),butthepartioulBrsofthe

finding end conveying of the "greatest Meteor of them all" from Melville Bay

in the far Nbrth to New York, I am convinced, \.IilleC'silytake themostprom­

inentplaceinallsuchphenomenaO' In giving an eccount of thlR greet scientific

dlscovery, I am indebted to the veteran engineer, V1I'.FrederickMertin,roryears

Chiefofthe;:)O'S. "Fiona ll, and for over forty in our sealing stc£merstotheice­

fields and foreign voye.ges, and \lho wa~ engineer on Ba:ne Johnston's S. SO' II HopeI! ,

onthepreviou5 occesion, when they failed, end itl sneedlesstosaythetvery

l1ttle escaped Mr. MBrtin's observation, who, from his earliest deyspossessee

a scientific turn of rnind. Few men have helped to bring in more wealth to this

country then Mr. Martin, who was engineer in our ateemerafrom1867, withthe

fBmousCs!",t.JamesMurphy, lnthe "Mestiff", untl1 he was appointed to the Revenue

Crulserabouttenyeersego. Andthebestoflt1s,hewasnevera_jinker. It

is to be regretted thetl'a-. Martin has mislaid or lost the account ofthe voyage,

as was told him by those onboerd, but possefislng ashe does a mostretentiv€

memory, the following particu16r~ \.Iill be reed with interest ..

THE FIRST KNO'.lL"DGE

Some time previous to theyeer 1896, it W8S brought under the noticeof

liommenoerPeerY,ofNorthPolenotoriety,thatamonitormeteoritehasbeendis-

covered at Melville Bay, and the Esquimeux whore<:orted it seid that they could

easily locate it. The matter was brouehtbefore the scientific societies of the

United States, and the amount nece~·sary to finance the Expedition was re~dily

sub.cribedbythoseinterestedinellscientificpurruits, Negotiations\/ere

openedup\/iththegreotfirmofBDineJohnston&Co.,St.John'",fora

steamersuitablefortheocc,o:-,sion,anditwasfinallyconcludedthetthegood

seeling steamship "Hope" wQuldanswerthe r-urpof'e. Capt. John Bartlett of

Brigus(uncleofCapt.Bob)wasgivenche.rgeoftheshi?,?eoryaccompanying

theexpedition,ande.sha.rdyendca?ablecreuofNewfoundlanderswasship;'€'d

TiB SJ'.ILIKG OF THE EX~EDITION

~enallE.rrengementshadbeenmade,thellHogell sDiledfromSt.John's

anderrivedatNorthSydneyonthe27thofthatmonth. After procuring coal,

she sailed again on the 2nd July for the far North, calling at Turnavickonthe

Labredorcoastonthe5th. Onthe7ththe"Hope"aeainputoutforHudsonBay

and arrived on the 12th. She again sailed on the 14th,end called at the Devilts

Thumb,endtookonboerdthreescientistsoftheCornellUnniversitywholo."ere

\/aiting for them to explore that locality. Left the Devil'sThumb for Cepe York

end arrived there on August 5th, after meeting heavy \/e~ther in Melville Bay.

Took on boerd a tribe ofEsquimeuxandproceededuptheBeytolocateendtake

onboardthefamousmeteoritethatha.dbeenfoundbytheEBmenativestwoyeers

previous. Arriving at their destination in August, theycoJ11Jnenced operations

to take on board the great mass of iron, 'W'hichhad to be removed from the mount'lin,

whereitwasembecldedbythesideoftheice_ca;,s. Powerful jack-screws had to

beusedundorittoliftitfromtheearth,thenaroadhudtobecraded2,700

feetinlengthfromthemcteoritedowntothenlacewhcrethe"Ho;:e t1 w8smoored.

closebythelenc-',lUch,whichformedanaturalpier. It took ten days to get the

greatffiD."isdownrromthe mountain, and itWBS thenth2t the natura 1 ingenuity of

the Newfoundlanders showed forth in all its glory. Heavy balk sticks were placed

DcrosS the Shifl, tlnd the great meteorite was pulled on bOl:rd, ~lowly but surely,

with large chain tackles, The dimensions of the hugemass1.olere eleven feet deep

by seven wide, and four feet deep 'in the centre, flattened outatthe ends and

side. Itweighedthirtyseventon:=;-the largest that was ever mown. J.hefe.mous

meteoriteisnowintheN2.tionalHuseu·1,New York,U.S.A. At the time!1ichael

DJessepswasPresidentofthe1nstitution,and,Iunderstend,subscribedlargely

to the funds of the Expedition.

CREIIOFTHE"HOPE"

AsIsaidbefore,the"HopeltwBsco-::lmandedbyCaptainJohnBartlett(uncle

of Capt. Bob) whohed great experience in the F'arllorth, and was eminently

qualified totBke chBrge of the Expedition. ThB mate wasllilliBm S!Ilith of Cupids.

I regret that I cannot remember the er.~i::e-ro:>m staff, but the engineers wfue

H'r.Huntel'C'..ndfredKnight,with\,fm.Roost as oiler. 'I'heforer.IenwereTho:ne..s

Sheplierd, George Pike ana ~·1r.l.. Brien. ~!m. Godley \.,fa s stew,?Td, and emongst the

f'2ilor E were F. H all, Aubrey Hicks and R€veral others (a 11 }~ewfo'llndlanders) whose

nameslhaverorgotten.

The ItHopelt "'e s a ver~/ pretty ve::, pe 1 z.nd \orE: S fu l1y provided "Iith all the

neceSf'ary improvements to contend with the l\orthern ic~-fi€lds. She was 452

tons gross and 307 tons nett. She was lost in 1901 byrwming 2.rh0re on EyrQn

Islrnd of the t.fu.gdalen group in the Gulf of St. 4:wrence, while pro~ecuting the

reel-fid:ery, ~nd kd 5000 seals on board at the time. The r-revious year (1900)

underthesal!leveterancommander(Ca!>t.llm.J.Bertlett),shebroughtin25,1l8

seals, and arrived in st. John's on March 30th.

aTHERUJNARfTOJ(ES

Although this \Jas the large~t meteorite ever knm.m to have been c'i::::covered,

end \o18S 8 r.l.stter that caused the grecltc~t interest emon[;!lt news"oper men, end

moreeFreciellyaffiongst scientists, chemi!''l.n, etc, thcrch::ve been many others

of these phenon' ne .....hich ::eve fallen, in vErioys forms, cnc ·..;ohichI ;hcll en~cavor

to describe. Some ofthe:':1have been of great size, but mere boytsmarbles to the

great meteorite of Melville Bay.

In 1762 two stones fell neor 'erone, one wei~hing 300 Ib and another 2001bs.

Another in 1492, on lIovember 7th, fellst Lnisheim in Alsace (Upper Rhine), which

weighed 260 Ibs and Was placed in the library at COblljr. Someti:nes there stones

fell in showers. In1510,accorcingto CardctVarcit,eshowercbntainingabout

l<00stones(oneofwhichweighed1201bs),fellnearPedus,Itely. Avery

extensiveshowerofstonesfellonJuly24th,1790,nel!.rtheevnirousof .....gen.

Alergemassofiron(70cubicfeet)fellon5thApril,lROO,inAmerice. ?liny

also gives an account of asho....erofironwhichfellinLueania.·Accordingto

Dionthere was a sho\.1er ofmereuryin Italy. We read in the Eible ofa shower

of su1phuretSodomandGomerreh(Moscs). "nother shower of this neture fellet

Brunswick in 1721. \1e hElve elso l,'~ro fe seri; tions of sulphurou s rain, one in the

"uchyofM"nsfieldin1658,theotheretCo.oenhegen. '.-:eheveonrecordashower

ofsend,whichfellincessantlyforfifteenhoursintheAtlenticOceen(A;:>ri16th,

1791). A shower of fire fell at C<u esnoy, January 4th, 1717 (Geoffrey de Cadet).

July1810s1ergeballoffirefellfromthecloudsetShehabed,whichburntdown

fivevilleges, destroyed the crops end killed several people. On November 23rd,

1810,threestonesfellinthe CoJlllluneof CharionvillesndneighborhoodofOrleans.

These fellperpendiculerlyendwithouttheappeerenceofenylight or bell of fire:

one weighing 401bs, buried itselithree feet in the ground. Averyremarkable

ahower ofvisc1dunknown matter fell in Irelend in 1695. The showers of aerolites

1779vasveryerlraordinary. Forfivehoursthere,,'asnotaspneeleftinthe

heAvens of the $i2'c of three diamcters of the ~oonls disk, which WDF: not filled

\liththefi'eburningmeteors. Manyofther:1hadadistinctnucleu:;, ....uitea:::

large as the apparent dif:k of Jupiter, and t;lost of them frorn five to ten ~egrees

in length. Another of the '!lost curious end brillientdisplays of this kine took

place in the evening of the 12th and ~orning of the 13th November, 1833, in the

United States.

The fall of meteoric stones is considerably more frequent than What generally

is believed. Wescll:rcepass through a year withouthearing some new account of

these strangers to our earth, andwhen\.'etake intoconsiderationwhatasmall

portion of this glove is inhabited, it is fair to presume that mmbers must eith...

fall into the oce~n or on uninhabited lend, which are uns een by man. We know

thetmenymeteorsheve fellen in Ne\lfoundlend, and search as I may, I fail to

find any phenomena recoded that will equel that experienced by our farmers and

resieentsa fe\lmiles from bt • John's: \lhen on the 16th of Fevurary 1888,s\larms

ofgrubswerefoundonlher;r::owbetween?ortugalCoveandTorbay,nndHhich

ccrteinlycamedownfromE'.bove,totheamazement,andinso!Oeinstances,terror

ofthose\lho\litnessedthesigh1:. There\lere countless millions of those grubs

on the snow, and were as thick as the grass in summertime.

Nar OF VOLCANIC ORIGIN-----In looking over an old volume, I came e.crossa description of the particulars

of these meteors, and I shall, in a~ fey \lorcs tlS possible, stete the opinions of

variou" authorities on their origin. In the first plece \le cannot supposethet

theseremarkableaerolithscenorieinatefromenyeerthlyvolcano, because we

have frequent instancesoftoese fallJng in those perts of the \lorldmostremote

frornanyvolcano, as witness Newfoundland.

In the ~econd rlace the occurrence frequently takes place in very ~erene

or cloudless weather II their origin crnnot be from the rame cauzeswhicho!",€:rate

in the production of rain, thunderstorms or tornadoes.

Thirdly - so~e conceive that the::::e lerge lUl1~nous masses could be e",r:il'l

propBgBted In the hJgherregions of the atmosphere, but this idea, bymoFt of the

firstmenoftheqe, istotBllyciscarded.

In the fourth place Dr. Hut'on, °oisson, LaPlace, and many other heldout

thBttheywere cast out from'Jur satellite-themoon. The demonstrated the

abstractproposition"thataheavybooyprojectecwiththevelocityof6000feet

per secondmightbecBrriedbeyondthe sphere ofthemoon'sattractionBndtherefore

come within the attraction of the earth". "But",sa,!sDr.Dickinhiscelebrated

CelentialScenery,"ith.. asneveryetbeenprovedthatvolcanoesexistonthe

surfBce of the mopn, and although they did exist, andwereBslargea ndpowerful

asourterrestrialvolcanoes,theywouldhavenoforcesufficienttocarrylarge

masses of stones 'With such rapid velocity over a Space of severalthousandmiles.

Besides, were the moon the source of meteoric stones, we should expect volcanic

productionstoexhibitseveralvarietiesofe6pectandcomposition,endnotthe

precise number of ingredients \lhich are al.'Wsys found in meteoric stones~. LaPlace

was,afteratime,inducedtogiveuptheideaoftheaerolithsdescendingfrom

Sf ILL INC O~·lPREHENSIBLE

I could go on quoting fro:!! other grent men of different ages ~nd different

clJmes,butwhensuchBsthoseabovementionedcBnnotsettlethedifficultywith-

outworking on supposition, it is useless forme toattemrttogofurtherintothe

matter,eltceptinconjunctionwithMr.Hartin,tokeeponwonceringas to the great

meteorite of Melville Bay, brougjtup in the eood steamship "Hope" , to use on

Americonism"whothrewthBtbrick"? \lesitthegentlemenupBloft,thogre"t

Jupiter, the \oI~r-like Marn, or could it have been the daljty and fascinating Venus

(who the artistsc'epict as being ,c,ntHy-clad inthcmoctdiaphanousgossH",cr),

or Vesta, Juno or Ceses? ItcertainlycouldnothevebecnOrion,bccnusethe

QtRyansarefrorntheCountryofTippereryinOldlreland,andwouldlTdisdain"to

stoop to such a corvardlypre.ctice as stone-throwing at unoffending creatures,

however;nuchthey:nightdelightinhnvinga1<ittlediversionwithawell-polisped

"shillelegh" just to keep their hands in with e friend, endforloveknockhim

downinefeirstendupfight. Since the Ereatest scientists, suches Hutton,

Poi:::son, La Place, Dick, ~ir David Brewster, Ball, J. Foster. F. ~. L,

M de Luc have had ell their theories fallen flat. I shall not attempt to ~ut for-

ward eny supposition. All we c3n dois to reflect on the gre&t \J'orks end ces-

pensetionsofpravidence.

/ CrEl\'l'OISl\S'l'ER

IN I'IllICll 20 HEN LOST ThEIR LIVES----------

I have always contended that in no country in

the people been subjected to greater danger, haruships and mir-

aculous escapes than the fishermen of Newfoundlanu. It is only

when we enter tinto conversation \oJith those wo participated in

the adwentures that we can from any idea of the hardships they

have undergone, more especially at the seal-fishery during the

days of our great sailing .fleet. Very few of the old heroes who

participated in the days when our great fleet was at the zenith

of its glory are nO\o1 alive, but yet, nOH and again, He come across

one of them, and Hr. Richard L. \'iells of Salmon Cove, Port de Crave,

is pretty well the last of the Old Guard. l1r. 1'iells is a regular

encyclopodia of information connected with the fisheries of our

country, more particularly in the days of the musty past. His

personal experiences with many of our famous seal-killers and planters

seem more like romance, and the dangers, adventures and escapes

from death have been indeed most marvellous and almost beyond belief.

There is nothing more interesti99 to the mind of the Newfoundlander

thantolistentostoriesofourgreatsailingfleet,conunanded

by such IIjowlers ll as halleran, ~\fhite, Huan, Jackman, Dawe, Green,

Whalen, etc, and wer it not that many of adventures happened during

the lives of those of us who have passed the three score years

and upwards, it would indeed be almost beyond belief. Hr. Wells

is still in the flesh, hale and hearty, and he made his first voyage

to the ice-floes in the Spring of 1858, when he sailed to the seal-

fishery.in the brigantine Sarah McBride, owned and commanded by

his uncle, \'Jilliam Wells. In those days there were not those modern

appliances <:::.nc1 up-to-date improv€1:lents that '\Ve have today - they

~Q'::'~::.~:~~,,,,A.-~v«to~.;:,~~~ Sho,4'5. VOL- Z-, /3.')

Lilcn cooked their food in thcopcnqallcyorcilDoosc.

r"i.cDricc\-,asavcsselof20tonsDn<.1intheaLovcyc.::trshcsccurc(l

1500youngh[lrps. Tne price of fat was forty seven shilling!::i Fr

quintal. 'l'hey struck b1C seals i.n the neighlJorhoo<.i of Cabot IsL':1<J.

In the year 1859 and 18GO Hr. \',ells saileL! from Brigus in tile

brigantine, Geroge,Capt. JobliarJJey,l>utthey\lcrenotsucccssful

in either trip. In 1861 he sailed ",ithCapt. 'l'homas l-lunden in the

"Sisters", oHned by Capt. i\z Hun-en. 'l'he crcw numbered 30 men,

the most of ,-,hom were fronl Placentia. 1\.s lias uaual they sailed

on the 1st [,larch, and on the 1st April the erc\-! "lOanused ll• They

\J,Iere driven South by the strong N. E. lJin<1s, and when they made

Cape St. f'rancis,againboundUorthforoldseals, thecrc\oJde-

cided that the ship should bear up for home. Needless to say

this voyage >las a blank, In1862-3-4-5-G,l-lr.\iellssailed>lith

Capt. Sam Nilcox of Frogmarsh, Brigus, in the splendid brig

'iGladiator", which carried two royals, and "'as about 120 tons,

"lith a ere\-, of 55 men. Capt. Sam was considered one of the IlIOSt

competent and successful seal-killers sailing out of the eountry,

and to han'dle" a square riygerhe hac1nosuperior. Theaveragcfor

the five springs was 2500.

In 1867 he sailed >lith Capt. John Bartlett, familiarly known'

as ll11 0ne s t John, in the s. S. \-101 f, and secured on ly 2~, 200 seals.

In 1868 Mr. Wells 'V..'as again with "Honest .Jol1n ll, but in the

brigantine U Deerhound ll• 'fhey sailed from Brigus on March 1st. 'I"his

vessel \..,a5 built the previos year in 'l'rj,nity Day, and was over 100

tons. rl'he same year the S. S. Panther came to thecountry and \'las

commanded by Capt. Abraham Bartlett of Hrigus.

'l'he Spring of 1361 ,-,ill live in the mep,ory of the people of

Concention Dny, o·....ine to the rroot lo~s of life, thAt oc~urrcd ')n Soy Wed-

nCFday, Apr i18th ,of the above year.

The day o'lened very fine nnd clear 1 and young reelf' were very numerou~

ell &Tound the vesFel, on loose ice. t:very man in Hi~h ~nirit!:', and no time

waslostefter the dawn of ce.y in getting the bo&tG (eichtinnumbcr)out.

'i'hey were each manned by four men, le<:lvin~ the Captain end only two nen (io­

clucingthecook)onbonrd. The cook was an ole mannamedCritch. The two

qUBrterboatswerethefirsttoleBvethevessels,and:""r.Hellshad charge

of the starboard boot, endtheceptain l s son, ISBc, was the gunner • "'he

vesselw2skeptonawesterlytillalltheboatswerecropped,givingeach

boataspaceofabouthalfamile,sothat'\o1hentheeir:htboGtsweredronped

selwas then hove around and headed for the firstboat .....hichwas crop ....eo,and

the wind '\o1a ~ very liGht from the South l~ntil about noon, \-!hen a terrific storm

suddenly burst from the fouth East, and out of eight boats containing 3~ men

only two reached thever-sel intjme to have her canvBs\olhichhad brencleved

fortunate ones to reach the lIDeerhoundll• They had no sooner reached the ~eck

oftheshiDs,'....henthestormtookhurricaneforce,andtheyimmediat("lyrealized

that there '\o1asverylittle hooe fortheirco:TIrecesinthe other six bo..-;ts. It

was im,!ossible to see tmything in the blindin~ snow-storm. Hr. 'l,jel1 I s boat was

the first to reech the vessel, and the other waR in charge of Joe f·forgan, who

reportec that the boat his (Hell'rl brotherhadchergeof, near hi', taking

sealG,andw.snenrlyloaced'\o1henthestormcommenced. J.hecaptainthinking

thatWells'brotherwouldnroboblyhandtotheskirtofice,reninthat direction,

honingtonickthemuc,butsawnosignofthem. He then concluded that they

Tnu:ithnvesteeredforthev€f:sel,exnecringthatshe 11 layi nr, to" in the

of water. At this time there were cleven men, including the captain, on bo'-rd.

thehO"'lCof f:nc1 jn'

h11 t. r'urinG the (>c r ly ~nornine i-t

;;.:.J.;-lcof rrcvioufcay. AboutSem.fr..cy

it revivcC·'bope:=: in their hearts that some other vessel hud done the f'eme

as they had, end saved the lives of theirmis'ing comrades. 'i'he boat and crew

pickedupbelongedto Cant. SemeulDaw,famili8rtylmownas ll Northern ....am!l,

and they were fortunete eno\Jgh to get under thelac of large ice-berguntil

after daylight, when the seA beceme t00 rough erond the berg for t hem to

main close to it - EO they were then at the me~ cy of the wind, and a 11 they

could do wes to keep r.er heod to ~'he "lind, and ~ea. They hac no sea~s end they

had given up e.llhoe as the night "'es a ces:'erete one ont.hececkoreveRsel,

A few days t::fter the rtorm, which lested for ~everol days, the crew of

the llDeerho1"nd rt lenrnedwithdelightthatoneoftheboatswllflpickedu9 by

Capt. Hiscock of Corbonear, ondthe fouroccupantsr:aved. J:ivcoftheboats

were neverheardof.since. "'he folJolJingare the nomes of the men lor.t,-

JordanWells,SalmonCove,inchf,ree; Irf,cl!u/,H'eysr,If:ac

Hussyjr.,bothofT'ortoeGreve:Johnhent, nanir.rd::::Doy.

No. 2 boet.: John Befferin j n ch~rge: j olm l"rmstron~, '1 homns 14nrtin and VI illir~m

No 3 boat : 1~bram Hugford in charge: hi s son ;:.bram, "I i lliem ...utIer, (; lerke I fl

BeochendGeorgelluny,:>"lmonCove.

No.4boot.i 'John Roberts (better known E." John "or) end son; George Roberts,

11osesRobertsandEbenezerJames-ellofErieus.

No. 5 Boat.s' John Ploughrnan in charge, but I cannot give the names of the

The 6th boat was picked up by Capt. Hiscock of Corbonear, andthenames

ofthecre'Wwere:- GeorgeA.Wells,SalmonCove;JosephJameson,Richard

Hennessey and WillBanks.

The"DeerhoW1d" spoke every vessel that they came acrOSfl for the next

three weeks after losing the men, and kept the flaghalf-Mest in the hope

of getting some tidings of them. Theyboreupforhomeonthe8thofV-ay,

arriving about 15th. The news of the disaster had reached home before their

In 1869-70 Mr. Wells .ailed \lith the famous Capt. Az ~lunden in the

brigantine Atlanta, and the first spring they secured 2800 seals, but

unfortunately got jammed in Green Bay. While off Exploits the seals began

toftrun", and they landed there and brought off ,oil casks end filledthem

with the pump. While they were in this position a vessel from Harbour

Grace was wrecked by the rafting ice. The Captain gave orders to salve some

of her cargo ofsenls, but for some time previous, the crew being onan

allowanceofthreecakesofhardbreadperday,objectedtothesalvingof

the cargo.

Mr. Wells had quite en experience etthc mnlfifhcryboth in "ailing

ve5sel~ end steemer~J end the fol)Q\.tin~ 1~ c list of the t'hi"r: in \lh1ch he

~~ ~hB? Haster

1859-60 Georee Job H arvey

isters

1862-3-4-5-6 Sam wilcox

S.S.Commadore

1873-4-5-6-7-8

1883

1884-5

S.S.Vengunrd

S.S.Vaneuard

S.".IceJ.end

S.::>.Nimrod

S. S. NewfotmdJ.end

S.S.Vsnr;uard

ThosGreen

AzSmith(cupids)

FewmeninthecountryhedmorepracticelexperiencesthanI\-.··ichard

lIell's, and the following little edventure willeive your renders oftheday,

sane idea of the grit, hardehood, doing end mireculous e~cepes of O\Jr country-

meninthecaySI:Bstandgone-themostrornenticperiods,.inourcountry's

history.

N eerlyfortyyearsago, Mr. Well's wes at Grandy, Labrcdor in the littIe

~chooner lIJ..ctive lf of about 25 tons. This \.IrS late in the month of Nover.lber,

end the schooner \IllS for?enupfor t\JO or three weeks, afterallthBeraft

hadleftthecoBt:t. TheW'.S."Vaneuerdll,Capt.Gosse,of::ipanillrdsBay,

came to his assistance end to~ed the f'chooner out. Mr. R. lJ. HeRae, tho agent

of the ~Active", WSB on bOlird the "venguardll

, and about 10 0 1clock at night,

blowing end EnO\lin~ \lith the \lind on the land, he \Ins cocpelled to chap the

linetoSBve the little echoonerfromfaundering, and run back for Grandy in

DerkneBs,snowendvind. '.1he"Vanguard"hadtoharbornextmorningupthe

shore. Thelittle"Active"fortunatelymade Gradyharborllbout20r30'clock

in the morning. 'hey.oere only safelyllnchored \lhenthe \lind chopped off the

fromtheNW.andblewwithhurricaneforce,andthefrostbece.rn.esosevere

that before noon that dlly, their water cask on deck froze solid llnd burst

the hoops, sndfinallythehe.rborsend llruns" froze over, and it lookedas

iftheonlyalternlltivewastolandeverything,unbendsailsllndremainfor

the winter. '"'herelo.'asnoothercrs.ftontheshore,andthesteemer'IVanguerdlf.

had gone on. ·.1 he egent, Hr... McRae, was on the "Venguerd ll, and the steamer

had to harbor aleo, but in cue time errived s.t He.rborGrace. After severe1

weeks the little Echoonernf"ctive ll andherher01c crew \Jere givenupforlost.

There ",'e.sno suchathingesa steamer being sent down to:}.ookforthe poor

mariners in those days, although they numbered nine with the skipper'slittle

boy12yeersold-hiselcerbrotherandtwosistersbeinginthe"Vanguardll

,

andofcoursearrivedh?mesafely • Uometime eboutthe last of.l.... ovember or

first of December, lOr. ~lcRae drove up frOl!l tlarbor Grace to Salmon Cove to

console the.'ifee.nd fE.mily of the skipper of the little"Acrive",bytelling

them thE.t they should not want for bread while he lived-hebeingthe sup­

plyingmerchE.nt. What was his pleasant surlrise to leern that the schooner

had sE.fely arrivedi The little schooner hed been built on IebrE.dor, and \las

badlyinneedofrepairs,llndtbeherooftbise"entandhjscrewoffered

themselves to bring her home. After arrjvalit was thought best to condemn

her, and for yellrs efter, hetribscouldbe seen on the beach in front 0fo

skipper Dick l s house at Salmonvave_asarelicofthemostmemoreblevoYage

in all hiE experience. who but J'ewfaunclland fishermen,wouldriskthier li"es

at that sea Eon of the yeer, surrounded as she ",'s.s\olithArctic 1ce, and en-

counterinllanArcticgaledayaftardayfro",theN.W.WithblJnc1ingsno;I storms

during the first week in December?

Mr. Wells isabrother of the respected m8cietnte of Little Bey, Thomn 5,

"'.WellsEsq.

NOTE:' July 23rd, "ireless Telephone communication suocessful bet"e.n ~ignal

Hill,St.John'sandthe S.S. nVictorian",1200milesdistent1920.

NOTE: Wireless telegreph started on "'ignal H ill. Signelheardfrom1reland

by Merconi, the inventor. "ec.12th,1901.

GOV.H:,MlLTON'SL?rTERTOHON.J.lJ1r:SGrISVE

Government House7thFebruery,1855

~ir,-

lhevethe honor toacknollledge the receipt of your letter of this dey' sdete

transmitting to me e Bank B ill for the SUlIl of :if 1623 stevling, bcin::; the ~mount

of the contributionsreised by the Committee eppointed by me ihaid of the Patriotic

Itisconsideredthetthev91unterycontributionsreisedintheEmpire in

eid of the Petriotic Fund reflect e credit upon Britain notunllorthy oftljeglory

shed upon it by the heroism of its soldiers: snd the contributionsraisedin

Newfoundland must filleve=ypatriotic heart amongst us Ilith sentiments of just

IshallhevegreAtlysatisfsct1oninforllardingtoHerl1ajesty'sSecretary

of State your letter snd the draft it contains: and I thinklmayventuretossy,

Ilithoutbeingpresumptuous, that Her MajestYllil'l: not heerllithoutemotions of

pleasure, that the noble courage sndthe fidelity of her soldiers are generously

sppreciAtedbyhersubjectsinNellfoundland •

.j,.>...~~~ ~ ~1 H F~:>'./~L~//5'f:,.-.-J ~ tl-~~ 4-~, -dt j-£~'<>--

VOl.U"-\E. 2..15..(1(\)

!J!2Z-Shaweda large increase in the Sealing Fleet. They numbered nearly 400

vessels of [rolD $0 to 200 tons, \.Iit.h cre....·s numb{"r1ng l~,OOO men. l hat year these

vCf"selsbrought in over 500,000 seals, \lorth one million and three....r;,uarter dollars.

llUJ).-Capt. John Barron in the brig "Dash" left the NarrO\,s far the Seal Fishery

on the night of the 9th of March. The vessel WBS towed out by four Pilots. She

co""""nc.~d taking ,eals on the evening af the 10th March, and bare up for home on

the evening o~ the ll.th Y.arch \lith 8,756 seals. The seals averaged 44 1/2 Ibs.

Shehrrived in St. John's ?nthe marning af the 19th. Theeverogeshareafher

crewwas 'if!-44= $176.00.

1!fZl- On St. Patrick's ~ay the good b. S. "Eegle" Capt. om. Jackman arrived fram

theNarthernSealFisherytahermmers(BowringBros)\lith30,614yO\:ngseals.

Thetimeoccupiecbeing17cays,eailingonMerchlst,arriving!'!arch17th.

lm-TbeS.S.Com.",odore,Cept.Azarich:-lunden, arrived to her owners (Messrs

John Munden, & "a., Hr. Grace) on ~-pril 13th, with 31,314 seals. She towed a

quantityofhersealsfromBaccalieuupConceptionBayonhertowrope as far

as 'Western Bay, and landed them sefeljr\lith her cargo. ~e towen out

655 tons 2cvt 281bsgross

6'3" 14" 3 '

valued~94,927.35

1880: s.s. IlWalrus", Cept. Joseph Barber arrived from the ice-fields 0 no,)unday

morning JI.arch21st,with13,OOOyoungharps. She sailed on her second trip at

one o'cli>ckonHerch25th, and next day was onlye short distance fromtheNerrows

took her seals and arrived \lith the second load on April 5th, each trip occupying

lldeys. After that he brought in a third triperriving in st.John's on May 2nd.

~~1~ .:tL J~~ N F ~,VOL Z., !§$>

~ ft- ~~ ~~ Ji-~<O.-

VVl...Vt1~ J- .lJI-tJ·~

./ l§l!: The "Carrie", :;:~::r:e:::::w:I:D~:::dl::::~~::O:ealFir~ ~it: a '::: ,~trip of seals on Marchl7th.

~: Ise~lledtheSpringoftheCats,oneecountofsuehalargenumberor

imature seals brought in. l he outfit from St. Jojm'swas 152 vessels and 3,294

men. Thetotalnumberofsealsbroughtinwas508 ,l,07.

!ill: Celebrated for the loss of the schooner"Union,CaptJohnDelaney, with

a picked crew of 28 men frol'lTrinity. She\la,builtb;,!·:r.ClvlrlesNewhookof

N ewHarbor for JohnB .. GarlandEsq, merchant, Bndcapsizedwhileunderfullsail.

The schooners "Active" Bnd "Arrow" took some of her ~eals, Dnd towed her for two

days, but had to let her go. 'he total catch for this Spring was 651,370.

JJULi: Called"Bonevista"BaySoring",andanother"Catllyear • .I. he most of the

seals captured this spring were taken in Bonavista Bay_Uome were got on the land.

Total catch 651,370.

~: Calledthetl.::i;)ringTloftheGrowlersll,thatis-he~VYI'ansofsunkenieeon

sunkenieeonsmallice-bergs, whiehplnyed havoe with many a goodness this Spring.

The first arrival was ¥Iopril 6th.

Total catch this Spring was 685,530.

~:TheSpringof"theGreat.fire".Thefirstarrivalfromthe5eal-fishery

W8S on Anril 18th-the "Dash", Caot. John Barron with 9,646 seals.

outfitwasl41sail,4470men •

The total catch \las 265,961.

!§.Q.: 'The first arrival fro:n the se3l-fi~hery was the "Kin~dalockll, Capt. Bu=ke,

with 6400 ,eal" ont-larch30th, to Laurence O'Brein , follo',edbythe" Trui:nph,

CEl'"'t. Banuel, 'With 2,000 seals, and the Emm9 Copt. ~tevene'o:l, \lit h L,,700 secls,

bothtoRennioStelJart,followedbyt.he"Warrior",Copt.Chllfe,toJohnH.Warren

Brigus

Totalcatch""s436,83l.

~:TheDash,Capt.JohnEarron,crrivedfror.lthesealfisheryonMarch22nd

v.ith9,500seals. The first errival"as the "Nirnrod", Capt. Coady, on March

Brigus

Total Catch "as 63l,004.

~: ':>?ringoftheIl1~adhams". Hanylosses this year, l'irst arrival from seal-

fishery".sonMarch28th.

St. John'sO"tfit 98sa11

Total catch 534,378.

~:t1WhileBayUpring".Manylossesthisyear,butstillapayingUpring.

Land:=;men did verY\.1ell.

Total catch 5?l,7~O.

lill: Not a very ffilccessfulSpring. John C. Nuttall F.<!q of Drigus (Su.,"ollector

H.H.Vustons) cleared 9? veccels for the ice-ficld.,

3,493 men

First crrivalat St. John sw.s the Mary, Capt. John Bartlett with 4,300

,ealson"pril?nd,follo·,edbythe"Delmont",5400:Hargaret5,3oo,Gleaner

2800: Jessie Kent 4,500. St. John's Outfit 72 8eil-2855 men. Total catch

353,317.

~: IscalledthenFrosty~pring"• .L'ine catches and fine sec;;ls. 1hefirst

arrivalwBstheScht. liSt. Fillan", Capt. Aide, with 5000 seals on March

23rdtoHunter&Co • The secondarrivalw3sthe ll Evanthusll

c8;:lt.Ed.",hite,vith

only 200 seals, the master being very ill. The-e ....p re35arrivalstoMarch

31st et St. John's.

The total catch was 530,733. St.John's Outfit 83 sail

lli§.: Capt. Joe Houlahnnin the "Henry Thomos" arrived to Messrs Thomas & Co.

\Jith12,584se:lls-thelargesttripo'1recordinasailing"llessel. She was

130 t:>nS end carried 70 men. Ihe first ~rri a1 \"Ta"" the Hitch of th \;ave",

Cr.pt.English,on.l·pri12nd,with3000sealsto".W.Lemes::;urierfJ11o'Nedbythe

HMzry Janel!, Capt. Lanava!!, to J. & ". 5,200 ~eals.

The totel catchw", 398,H:6.

1855~: ~·J-.YounGthehu~b;:ndof~hellilljnero·tofjeilonbail.Re!Jort

saYf3Capt.Terryofferedan:rofhismen(5/;50:.oshoJt.him.

lli.Y.....19.ll:!..i ~. s. llVictori8 l1, CaC'lt. Terry Halleran, a::: pilot, left today for

.lhite Buy: her .,i::;sion is 0 renl!er t.s~istance to Gl€'nc:m' ~ rnr other vessels

~:TheItSenora",Capt.Glir.(hn,I:',Yrivedfr):ntheice-fieldf.today.She

the Ie ~t ve ~~!)f)l of the ~t. John 1 s fleet. !-!r. Price of H.\{. Vustoms had r:old

hi:"" ~itu<:tion for 217 ~,o J 'Jhn "inter Et" • n:.b-collf'ct..or at L3:':1":~line.

l~t: Capt • Terry Halleran :::,_iled t ;cay for ~ he ~eal fi~hery.

is the fir3tvesselout. -he iscallpd the Arthllr OTLeary. l"\n enor·nous load of

woodw8shauledfor1..hel<ercyGonventtoday • .h.vesselcalled the "Great ',.,lestern tl

built by Michael n.earney on Water Street, between Rogerson's andJas&W.Stewart's

wa. launched today.

~prillst: Wind N. N. ". the "Witch of the Wave" b gone into Petty Hnrbor.

SteamerllDeuntles;,llstruckonProsserlsRockintheNarro'....s,andwent down at

once. Hesf':rs J. Frazer, ~~rtin, E. Scott, Rankin, Roper, Dick, end others were

on board at the t:i.:ne - all '..Iere E~ved. '1he II"Jitch of the \-:ave 'f picked up Hr.

?rioronthcice,hevinglostf"iehtofhisownvessel •

.r..pri19th: Thelluer1menllarl·ivectoi-lr ....'.r.lso·with4,500·seals. Jo heS •

". lIDauntle~sll, as she nO'J lie~ on botto;n we: ~ :::-old tocay bt auction, and w<..s

knocked c'own toi·rr.C. F. Eennett for (j330CY.

April 13th: The town ofH"rborGraee abost entirdyburntd01m. '1 he

fire 0 riginated in TousFsint.~ s notel.

AprillLth: Thef3ch. 'ILivelyL:;s!'l"3rrived'Jith5,?""Oselil: •

..April 15th: The "C:),lodon:'enll arrivod .....:.th 3,500 re~lE". She brough in the

cre·,.,r of the If:Jcotch L_ 8S Il. :2.t. :.ev. Dr. ::ullock's L .. ther died Ip.rt night •

.n.~ril l~t!1: ~!is;; Pro-.,'se died at ~:30 a ."":1.

theice1:J:-tcvenin,.,:,

~ 1.., rch 7th: 'J. he ice is cl"nri ng off and Gu j)t. Terr] ~,~11eron the first

to r:tart on t.!::e r;e:.tl~ r.r~ vOytige. '.b')ut~!) other r. fo~lfJ".J r'tJr:'n~ th~ (' ..y.

of the "....wnlrrtin·"

Cl con be counted fro!llthe Hill, all firmly fettered.

:·larch16th: The last of the ,ealers got offi.odhy.

March 17th: ThelrishSocietyBigDinnercameoffsucce,sfully.

-Mnrch27th: lhefirntsenlingvessel"ZambezeItCs!'t.TerryHalleranarrived

from the seal fishery at 9 a.m. wlth9,500 seals. Voleysofgunswereflredby

March 31st: The IlMag~iell with 4,000 (Ca;lt. Gosse) end the "Roxana ll , Capt.

Jac!G:Ien,with 3,lOOer-ivedtoday.

~: The sealingfleetforthis"orin~numberedasfollowsHarborGrace~f8-53

vesf;els more than ~t. John's fleet.

~: ThisSpringiscalledthellGrcenBay~prin:;lionaccountofthelereCca;"'lture

of ~eals by 13ml~en there. Gre~t :::E.n:r ·.-Jre~'-<.<: and nothinG: unuEul, to see a ship

burn:'ng on the ice. Very u:1fortunate for the vessels. l"irst arrival \I~f. the Sch.

·l~c.c}:etll \.lith 1200 se:!l!"' on .l·pri117th. The first ~ring for nrosecuting the ~e<:il

fi::;hery by ;.teu;ne!'s. 'l'he oS • ,;). "~olynea:' and the S. S. "Ca'nperdmm" ~~ilec" dirc-:t

iro::I .Jcotlnnd. The Hp.re total fe:"lure. 'the~. S. lI?olynill" lost her ;>ro;;>ellcr

'nr secured only 4 seD1s. Very bad ~ ring ~nd many losses. l:.bout 1,0 sail of vessels

',Jere lost. I ro::J, February 22nc to .:.;"ril 17th 0.11 fore:"zn GO~ n3 ve soSe Is were deta.ined

It l-.I~ !'ir~t 1.rri'.' 1 .: - the LeTan' i ~ iJ "), laO )n i. '\ril 11' 11 •

l§.9..4: TheseconllGrecnBoySprinetl. hnotherfo.·lnushaulfor Inndsmen, anomore

wrcck~ And foilurc:: emong the flept.

Totalcatchl?C,950

~: Ca;>t. JohnB~rtlett, in the II HenriettR Grievell, ~rrivedonApril19th

lJith 10,000 seals, to Beine Johnstons& Co. and the "Havelock" \.]ith 1.000 o~ 20th

to 7. L. 'Ies~ier.

10talcatch,m,?CA.

On the 20th ~1.·rch 1971, the first sea line ve ese1 for tha t yecr zrrived in port

fr.Tl the i ::o-ficlc;.. Thi~ ""e s the !'teu;.ter "'.:alrusll , C~i;t. ::'. ·;ulloT.mey, to ~1ef"SU~

3tew.:.'rt, with 11,000 ze[:ls, ....00 of the:n bl'ing on ceck. She eo:r:enced loading

Onthemorningofthe2Lth,the lt Lion ,CC'!"lt.GrahelI:., and the "iag1(!II,

Capt. J. e1qnen, nrrivcd, t:1.e for~er with '2~,:JGQ anc the l:.t~cr \..'ith 23,000, anc l.t 9

QfC10ck the ~'::::::l.C t:venin.; the lIHector", Ca!",t. :':c ~Jhite, enterec +.he L:::.!'ro·.,t~ \lith

2f3,OOQ, including a r:eck loc~ of I., -:- ....C.

Thefollm1ingycC;..r (1872) the S • S • t1 Hectorll

firr:t:n. Shearrivecont.he

lOth;,pril\tithonlyl,300. 'lhat'....asapoor ....?ringforthesLeaners,theTIanecr,

C~!r:. ':ullO\mcy, ~ein::: ~h(: only one to eccure a sec')nd t.ri.'l. :::;he hed 2·',O~O. '1 he

1I'''Olfll

,cc.pt. ~['.:ne next .....'ith 11,000. .hll the O:hC ..... f of .Jt . Jo!"'..n I!:: flee t

cO:1fi:1edtofou:-fiDITes.

That year W"S remerkable for the loss of the S. S."F.looo hound" and the S.S,

IIRetrieverll(ofHr.Grace),alsothebrieantine"Huntfiman",\1ithCa,t Daew and

:nc.ny of hi:; ere\J. The v. S. IlCor.l.i1::<corell, Ca!1t Azariah Mund~n, errive~ at ~rbor

:t'~t'?rr. n c.y. Her cnrf.o is v1.l1ued at S 94,927.35.

~: S.S."Tigress"boilcrburstkil.lingfcfteenofhercrm"r. }'ir~tarriva1

brigt • II Havelockll, Cc. ....t. St. John, with 13/.1 t:;eo.l~ to ")0. L. Ter:~ier.

JB12: 0. S. Icel~nd end Grecn13nd riot bct~:e~n B?y Rob crtr. and St. John t e men.

First errivel on A~ril 4th S. S. Greenl'nd with 24,866 senls - Capt. Ches Deve.

St. I·:!:ry' f' ~"Y di5~,,:,tcr 13 men :-,erizhed on th"? ice.

Total catch 370,697.

W£: S. s. lI_:.rctic ll soill"d for the NeHfmmdlnnc f'eal fishf'I'yfro:nDun dee -no

"e' 1:. The fir:;t ·'r~·iVi' 1 \1' - th", S. S. II F.egle" Ca;>t. \1:n. Jp.ckm~n with 12,436 Re11!'"

saile/~ far the frozen pr 1] ~ •

;:. • 't,: lrD."":!, C_ t. JoseLlh P'1rhar, lo?ccd twice and got t.!. f-_~rly gOY] tlJ:i.r1 ~rij).

·;,:ttoTr5nit.y

(J

8 good toniQ. The ~. s. llTigerll Captein Thomas Dewe, cruf'hed in the lcc

offc<:.;;eI:ay. S.S.lll'hetis:1 Lothe:.mericenLiovernment for the Greely Party.

The S. S. "Resolute" J Caflt. Arthur Jackman draGged in the running ice over Ireland

Hocks teerin~ the bottom out of her. She sank in 20 minutc~, on March 27th, The u.

s. "Jen Hayne ll alBo lost in Dflvis Strait::, o~ .8 whalin g voy£'ge • commenced by Ce;,t.

~: :-~eported loss of the 3. s. ll~.... gle", ..rthur Jackman, with all hands.

Much excitement prevailed.

She arrived in St. John l s on Easter Sunday morning well fished with 18,960 seal~.

WQ: Very hard Spring. Good trips of heavy seals. An young ta":en North with

little exception. The Gulf steamerslarge:;t part brought in old Hood Beals-very

large .... S.S.I1E;s'=j,uimau,"Cllcamein1eakey""ithc."ewfairtrip. No ice near the

l:orthernbtJysunt:i.lA.-,ril.

~l: Was a very succe~sful Spring. l'irst J..rriva1 the 0. S. IINentune", CElpt.

S. Blancfood, on Harch 23rd, with .3~,Cf:.l f:eels S. S. "Polynia" was lost in Davis

Streitsone whalinGvoygeCa?t. John Guy.

Total catch \las 364,854

!!l.'lL: Trinity Bay disaster. Hanyboats blo\ln off the land and several men per­

ished. 'l'heS.S.lIFalcon",Cc·t.Job Knee, arrived \.lith her shaft broken.

~:Veryunfortunate:ipring.,bothforlandf;r:1enandsteamers.·.Only100,00,0 seals

for St. John t s ~teni1lers, and not 20,000 for the four Harbor Grace steamers. The S.

s. :IJ\ewfoundland rl fDom the Gulf 'With 11 v~ry noor cre\.l did well.

(,R.O'·permnn.

~4: ";,:!~::l very f;evcre srrino; ~n every ros ....ect.

Shpf,ecured5000sealsandlosttwoblBdesofherprone11er. She took her catch to

Halifn>:,NovaScotie,S.S."Falcon"Capt.llarryBnrtlettlostwitha11 hands coming

to St. John'sfrornPhiladelnhia, coal laden.

1§22: VeryseccessfulSprjng. 'l'hesteamerswereallm-ledtomaket'Wotriosthis

"pring. Sone of our fleet got damaged in contect with rocks.

W2: The sealing steamers ll Iceland Tl , "Greenland'i, "Mastiffll and"Vanguerd ll were

soldtoMessrsl1urray&Crawford('I!!l.B.GrieveAgant). S.S."·olf",Capt.Ab

Kean,10stoffFogoonl-larch12th. Crew Eaved.

Total catch was 187,517.

~Terribellossoflifeoffthecre",oftheS.S.I1Greenlandl1,Capt.Gearge

oarber, on the ice • .rortysiY. of her crew perished. She arrived in St. John's

on Sunday, March 27th, with 14,678 seals, and the bodies of the poor men were

placed in the Sailors Ho~e.

Total catchwEls 241,rnS

~:VeryfeirO)pringwi.thourfleet.

Total catch was 268,767.

12QQ: A very good Spring. The first arrival was the S.S. "Harlaw", Capt. Scott,

fro::ltheGulf,March26th,with13,318seals:andthe S • S."Nimrod",Ca.,t.Thos

~pracklin, was the last arrival (fro" the Gulf) on May 4th, with 5,546 seals.

TheTotalCatchwas 353,276.

Nett value of seals 790,951.98.

\'()lUI'IE 2. 16"t (':0)HEROIC CONDUCT OF CAPT. \'111. JACKMAN

During the recent hurricane at Labrador (OCtober 9th, 1867),

a vessel called the "Sea Clipper ll struck on a reef near the Spotted

Islands. She had been in collision with another schooner, and had

taken on board her crew and passengers. It \'las about noon when

the vessel struck. The hurricane was blowing with full· force from

the North, with blinding snow, and she almost instantly went to

pieces with 27 people on board. Captain \'Im. Jackman just at this

moment arrived at the spot, and seeing the condition of affairs,

he at once stripped off his clothes and plunged into the boiling

hundred fathoms of a raging sea. Nevertheless he succeeded in

gaining the wreck, and taking one man off regained the shore with him.

Twenty seven time did this brave mariner s\flim to the vessel, and

each time bring off aman - thus saving 27 lives. His last effort

was the bringing off a woman, but she poor creature perished on

r-eaching the shore. Notwithstanding that he wrapped her in his

oronclothing.

The narrative of Capt. Jackman's heroic conduct h-as been

obtained from Mathew Warren J. P. of Labrador, and may therefore

~~~~::tL~-7 H·F ~~V.?J-.Z.> 1(c4-> ~ iJ;;;. ~~ ~) ·=H-fL·<u·

/CAPT. ED. I'JUTE'S LETTER TO MESSRS. Jon BROS.

April 6th, 1862

Brigt. EvanthesatSea.

After referring to the wind N. N. E. a-nd E. N. E. and sea,

says: some 6 to 8 go down the last few da-ys, among which are

the Emily Tobin, Metrose, and the Margaret, besides several

others I cannot name I while I am writing, there is so much ice

and the sea is so heavy. I cannot tell the minute the sides of

my vessel will be driven in. I have been driven from the Funks

since the 28th, tightly jammed. We ar-e now at Cape St. Francis,

and expect to be driven to Cape Race before getting clear. The

young harps are all in Green Bay. Thevesselscannotentermore

thanhalfamileinthehamofice,andthentheysubjectthern.-

selvestodamagesandlossfromthefearfulsea. Yours truly

This is the year that the two Dundee steamers "Polynia"

and Camperdown were sent out to prosecute the seal fishery, but

proved a failure to both of them.

All along our Northern Coast the catch of seals by shore men was

the larg-est on record. It blow a "solid" North Easter for weeks and "'C~

25,000 was made by one firm (Muir & Duder, St. John's)

1857: In the Spring of this year, the brig "Peerless" Captain Henry

Andrews (140 tons) arrived in Trinity on March 29th with 9000 prime

seals, and dispossed of her cargo in St. John's to Brooking, son &

Co: for eight dollars per quintal. After paying all expenses of

the voyage. After paying all expenses of the voyage netted $12,000

and his crew made $250 per man inside of three weeks.

y~~~~i~ lL~ i H F :sLk, v'DLZJILfi,

-<.--J k- ~~ Ch~-, dt:-.~oQ..

VOtVHE:2-

~:Thcbrig.llGlidcll,CC1pt.Johnumnhp.ry,brYivedfromthef.eal- fif:heryon

Hareh23rdtoRidley'<Sons,with6,500senls. Capt. "umpherywaF oreFented with

8 silk flag ond t 100 for being t.he fir ~t in wi lh II fat U to gret.~ r:e thi of' new machinery.

Sh e wn' only 19 day, out, and the crew 'hnreo ~ 214.(0.

l2Ql: The S. S. "Newfoundland" had B lady doctor on board. f.1.if:~ LavBf'che of

Halifax. She eotout on the iee-floe8nd killed a white coat. She Feysthntshe

hasenjoyedthetriotothefro7enf'lsnsgrertly.

As far back as 1805 there ""ere 85 ::"Jeny as 50 fchooners of fr'Jm 50 ~o 60 tons

engagedintheFeol-fiFhery. In!§2l.the f·,llowing Failed out of the country.

11,020 tons

C·::mceptionBe.y

Trinity

Greenspond

17,785 tons

1,5:9 tons

~~~

31,316 8/,86

11,188 3,775 men

4,857 " 1,377 "

4,567 ~ 1,469 "

Brigus & Cupids

BayRoberts

Spani8rd'sBay

Trinity

19 "

4,002"

'1~8 "

1,''''7 "

1,385'"

302 "

334 "

503"

Twillineote,Fogo

TiltonHr.,ete 10"

358 31,924 10,527

VOl-III'!E Z. 1&7 ( eN;

S.S.FLO"IZ::L'SLARG::TRIP1910

The S.S. "Florizel", Capt. Abram Kean, landed 49,069seals,-

viz, 48 ,918youngharps

146 old harps.

Gross weight 1048,1l,0-19

NettWe!ght 1039-19-1-20

$ 91,200 19

~90,800 19

Jt 148)6

Csptain's Share $ 363200

Dal!lageaskins 40000

d~LrlA()-C<"~"/...J ;?-v"r1../-U'L LfJ¥Xl.- d I-If ~/E(-h..;Jof• .2" 1~7) ~.:z.;<~ ~-rL- i/c...z.. 1-) ~"ry,t...LI'--C<.a.J., ~ du.u...c J J liI 7..1'--4"-)

/'I'he following was composed about 150 yeaTs ago by a fisherman

named ~Iadham. Hany of the old inhabitants have proven its correctness,

and, I understand, it is m Record in the Admiralty Office, London,

as the best coasting pilot for that part of the Island, lying between

Cape Bonavista and Fogo,-

From Bonavista Cape to the Stinking Isles

The course is North Full Forty Miles,-

Then you must steer aHay North East

Till Cape Freels Gull Island bears I'lest North West.

Then NNW Thirty Three Hiles

Threeleageus off Shore liel'ladhans Isles,-

Whereof a Rock you must take care

Then NW by N twelve miles or more

Three lies Round Heae on Fogo Shore

But NNW seven or eight miles

Therefore, my friends, I would you advise

Since in all the Rocks in danger lies

Tht you never amongst them liall

But keep your buff and weather them all.

As you draw near to Fogo Land,

You'll have ifiteen fnthoms the sounding sand-

From fifteen ti eighteen, nearer more

And that you'll have close to theShore.

\'IhenyouabrcastofRounuHcadbe

TO starboard then Three or Four ~liles

You'll seea parcel of dammed Ragged Isles.

When Joe Batts Point you arc abreast

Then Fogo Harbor bears due west

But unkind Fortune unluckily laid

A sunken rock right in the Trade.

The following is composed by Hr. A Crocker of the Firm of Bowring

Till Brimstone Head do Appear

I~hen Brimstone Head do appear

Jjean' 5 Rock you need not fear.

Dean's Rock you are abreast

Fogo Harbor lies due I~est

l'ihen the Eastern 'l'ickleyou have shot

Five fathoms '-later you have got.

The Tickel is narrow and not very wide

The deepest "ater is on the Starboard side.

I Sl:.l\LS 1'hKEN BY Ll\NDSIIl:.N------'l'he Spring preceding the fire of June 9th, 1846, seals were

Warren" controved to get a load about five miles from Cape Spear.

Two well-know St. John I 5 pilots, messrs Cantwell and Vinnicombe,

boarded the William Warren" (James Carroll master). They informed

him of a body of seals close by. Carroll gave orders to his crew

to get on the ice, and one porton of them went ahead killing, while

the others were skulping.

The residents of Notre Dame Bay were very successful in 1862. In

the Spring of that year over One Hundred Thousands seals were hauled

ashore by landsmen. It is known in sealing parlance as the "First

Green Bay Spring". It is said by some of the jokers that the "women

and dogs made forty pounds a man". the woman took part in the tussle and

performed noble work. Knives were very scarce in those days, and it is

said that one sealer gave anothr a seal worth two dollars and fifty cents

for a sheath knife. 'I'he "Second Green Bay Spring was that of 1864,

when a number of vessels were lost. Some of those that escaped did

not return from the voyage until the ~liddle of June, and, in most

Destitution prevailed in St. John's. Hundreds of shipwrecked

sealers who had lost their ships were here seeking employment. Soup

kitchens were established to help the starving citizens.

In the Spring of the 1872 thousands of seals were along the coast

of line, and men, women and children, as well as dogs and slides were

on the ice. The late Rev. Moses Harvey wrote a most descriptive and

interestingarticleontheeventt'ortheUBostonTraveller",

Crioline dresses were all the fashion at that time aIPong the

heavy fall of snow occurred that spring and the sealers were often

compelled to haul their "tows" up to their middle in snow. A

number of women met a dad fate in 1867 while hunting for seals.

They perished on the ice. In mamy instances liveswere lost when seals

St. John's, Portugal Cove, Torbay and other places north in 1880,

five or six poor fellows lost their lives. The Spring of 1893, kno,m

as the "Trinity Bay Disaster ll, there were twenty two men driven off

on the ice and all perished.

IntheSpringof1886,thelateCapt. Edl1ardl'/laitejr. in the

S. S. Hector, wrote to Nessrs Job Bros & Co. from Tl1illingate, that

he had 5000 seals panned off Change Islands, and that about 1300 men

The same Spring the mem of Tilting !lauled ashore 3500 seals and 25

men from the Southern !louse Islands hauled 1800 old and 3500 young

seals on a 'heavy jam of ice ten miles ENE of Island cutting, North Shore

of ~lhite Bay.

OnSt. Patrick's Day 1887 the residents of Bonavista killed and

hauled ashore 2,500 seals. Thousands l1ere killed the same Spring in

other parts of that Bay.

One of the saddest fates and most pthetic which has fallen to

my lot to record was that which befell a man named Budgreen about

fifty five years ago. He did not go in search of seals, but in search

of wood to keep his family warm. He set sail in the Spring for'l'ilt

Cove ,in a samll boat with his wife and family. On the following day

they were found frozen to death by a man named RO\'lsell. Four of the

children weref ound locked in each other's arms, while the mother was

found with her baby clasped to her breast.

A proverb \J3S never made

~UL\ll"\l; I- • ..v~"tv./

o u Q..;;) 'f,~

unthinking mind, or never gained currency

further introduct~on, I shall oroceed to enumerate:-

among an unthinking people. A f12 sh ofelonost the lustre of genius gives it

birth. It waS never, eitherinitsgeneralorlocaladaptability, acceptedby

anunobserve.ntpeople. They must see as the serr S8W to adapt it, as a wise

and co:npactlyuttered observation upon a general environment. Hence the read-

ineGS of the tongue to follow the prescribed \lords when the proper conditions

occur to memory. '1 here are many short and pithy sentences used by Newfound-

landfishermenthatlthinkareworthytobeca11edpraverbs"'ndwithout

(

ETtt1. To olough lmd reap, but never sow (f~sherman1s motto) Fo.f ..

2. An empt;; stage, an empty stonach (f>shing stage). ~~. fl.:, .'

You can dral/ by the head by you must drag by the tail (f~sh). '" " ~,

4. Inaleadyount, witha broken oar, it's al\Jays best to hug th9 shore.

5. Afinedsyisthebestshoreman.

6. 'I:hemore fog the more fish.

7. 'J.'hebestfriendsofthefishermentegun,cogandcatamaran.

8. 'J.he more rain the more rest (shoremen).

9. SlaveinthesulTliller-sleepinthewinter.

10. A warm s.e is the better thana cold fog.

11. Empty crafts ah/sYs loom high.

12. Afishermanisoneroeue,amerchantisrrw.ny(opportunity).

13. The older the crab the tOllgher his claws.

14. If you can't bend your sails, you must bend your back.

15. Before you lellve the sealersside, the ice or slob:nust first be tried.

16. Outdogaandindieters(anoldpraverbofthellyoungsterslldays,f'ignifying

tho return of the fish13r~en to their winter hou~eR, of vhich the rags he.d

pO:>:'es~ion durinc: the ~um';1er).

17. The plant r' c ~yc "preacs

.j 1-0- ?~m~J

. .z)- ':;'~-i. ~j)- ({.~) <.""

IS. A fish ina ptint is worth two in the water.

19.1Iocod-nocash.

20. l'ish in tbe "unt, pork in tbe ?ot (Pouch Cove).

21. Up sail and down bake-pot (the women feasting after the men have sailed away).

22. Sparethesaltandspoilthellscraud" .

23. "hen the rum is in tbe "Kag" (Keg) the tongue doesn't wag.

24. The best line is not the best liar: now is the best gaff the bestgabbler

(Gaff used by seal-hunters).

25. When the 11 rod s" cuts the liar comes in (Rode is the rope attached to the

grapnel).

26. The biggest fish WAS lost at the gunwhale (fisher.::en'syaras")

27. The man who brags \lith dieter I 5 lmees) is not the first to face thebreeze.

28. Out of the fog and into the fat (seal fat).

29. If you lose your grapnel in the Spring, you will find it in the F,ll. (on

themerchant'sledger,ofco·;rse).

30. 'fheseaismadeofmothers'tears(Oderin).

31. Moonlight dries no mittens (bonavista).

32. It'sbyfishing,notbywising.

35- God makes the oceannerrow, the devil makes the river broad.

36. Cape St. Mary's will oay for all. (Ca"e st. I'"ry's the ?rimestoffishing

gro"nds).

37. Baccyandru.rnmakes things hum.

Lhe ice eats up the \lind, end the land eats u? the fog.

"!iofty"(Noftal)waFfortywhenhelootthepork(neverbecertainofanything).

Ifyousquee7ethesculpin,you'llfindhisthoms.

A full cupbul\rd warms the winter.

Whentheweatherisfair,youroiljacketbea,..

43. 1'he craft flies and the brerze follo;Js. (Pure luck).

44. The two of an ice-berg is botter than none: (Vessels caught in drift ice are

oftenmo,iefasttoonice-beg, in order to prevent their driving Sout.h,and

also in order to enable them to ewait for an opening in the ice).

is. The tiller-stickfo,..."rd and the grapnel eft (confusion).

46. Whanthewhitecoatcom,nencestodip,ehcoJmencedbirth,coveredwithwhite'

down, which when they commenced to dip ro fish for themselves, changedto

black, with grey and yellow spots.

47. l'Ihen the fish eat, we all eat.

48. when themnd is inshore, don't go out any more, (1< lazy fellow).

49. When you haul a squid in, look out for your chin.

ISO:leyearsaeo,sotheauthorof"Viking'softheNorth"tellsus,duringthe

prop,ress of an insurance ca"e in the English Admiralty Court, which a rose out of

thestandingoffish-carrierat 1ubHarbor,onthecoastofLabrador,the presiding

judge asked to learned cotnsel. "I/hereisTubHarbor?" Counsel replied, "In

LabrRcor,YourLordship". lIAnd, continued the judge, II where in Labrador?lI '1 he

learned counsel replied, "In Tub Harbor", Whether the learned judge felt wiser after

dialoguehistorysayethnot.

Th:s incident is recorded to illustrate a fRct, viz, that Labradorisveritable

terra incognita even to learned judges. Were\letoaskanattendantDt some of our

advanced schools a siniler question to that made by the Adilliraltyjudge,we shold

doubtless find thst,u'Jilsin schools outside fofllewfoundland know just as little-

perhaps-ofLabradorthantheydoofCalipheteofBagdRd.

Thi9if:jnottobewonderedatasschoolgeogra!,~estreatthegreat.c;ninsula

vithscnntcQurtesty:anditis?eneerallyassUI!lec,tothbyteachersandother,

that Labrado~ is somwehere near the t{orth Pole: 'W3S discovered by Dr. Grenfell, and

its special characteristic::; are ice-ber~s and griAving winds.

Labrador is tha~ il:ll1ense peninsula lying to the east of the DO:1inion of Canada,

extendingfroilltheforty-ninthtothesixty-thircpErallell(l:lat),anditlies

betweenthefifty-fifthandseventy-fifthmeridisn. It has a coast-line of nearly

1100 miles, and territorially, it is eoual to the c,,:nbined areas ofthe British

lsles,Frence endAustria.

Historically Labrado::" is one of the J:ostinteresting sections of the American

'"ontinent, as it '.Je~ the fir.r.t land in the \/este:'n hemisphere seen by Europeans.

CenturiesbeforethecaravelsofColumbushadsettheirpriorstowardsthe land of

the setting sun, the Norsemen had coa~ted the shores of Labrador (named hI them

Hcllulsmd or slabland), [',ne here, ·,rob3bly, 'W')f: born ....no1'1'1, the fir~t child of

European p2.rent~ to cee the light. 0:1 io·mel'lcnn !'foil.

The moderndir-c':>vcrer of Labrodor is said to o'We its name. Follmling Cortcreal l ,s

~J \I~~~ ~hre

~h. / • ."

coast and banks of LabrDdor and Newfoundland. Inamar,DaintedbyVeroneseonthe

walls of the Loggin of R3!,hnelin the Vatican Pal.ce, Ro:ne (1556),the southern

part of LabrEdor is setdo'....nnsTerra di Corte Reale, and the neighboringizlendof

Newfoundland is called Terr di Bocc,lao-baccaleoitselfco:nes from the Latin

~,meanin3astick,andtheproductderivecitsnamefromthismannerin

which it was dried. The fish were split and hun~ uo on a stick to dry. lie have

8simll.arillustrntionintheNorwegia.n"stockfishU • There were no flakes in the

oldendays,sotheonlymethodofdryingafishwastohengtheminthesun.

B ascues and Bretons were evidently the firstfishermenwhoestablishedposts

along the SOtlthe!'n section of Labrador-the section nouknownas the Straits of

Belleisle, end they even mace voyages lnto "La Grende Baie ll _nowyJlo;.masthe Gu1.!:

or St. Lawrence. JecquesCertierm.:cealandfallatChateau,intheeaster.... part

oftheStraits,in153L: and·..·e:::tillh'·wethenamesgivenbyCartiertosections

of the coast, eg. Blanc Sablon, Lras,DIOr,IsleVertc,end.rorteau • Cartier was

notveryfavora":llyirnpressedwithhisnewdiscoveries,endheis said to have

declared, nThismust be the country ....hichGoc. gave toCain".

Cartier came in touch with the Nasc8pi or p03siblythe Montagnais I ndiSns,whO!!1,

he describes as limen of iml'nense size, weoring their hair coiled o:ltheto?ofthe

headlikebundleofstraw,ontopofwhichwasBbunchoffeat::hers tt •

When the fleurde lis waved over New France, the French c arried on extensive

fisheries in the Straits of Belle isle, which were of very considerable importance.

There was a settle:nent at Brest which seems to have occuoied inthosedayss"'place

similar to that which St. Pierre and Hiquelon occupy at the present day. Brest was

a large trade centre, and remained in the occupancy of the de Courtemarchefamil:rfor

several generp.tions, later cOJIing into the possession of M ce Brou~ages, one of the

IICouncil of Sevenll

of ~uebcc, W'10 held it until the Treaty of Paris, 1763, when Conf!da

Becl10e an Enr:lish po::;ses!>i·:m. The "Labrador Com"any'l obta1ned a monoooly of fisheries

of the c oa~t, rmd LnbrDdor was annexed to l'ewfoendlond (in 1783). But, o"..fing to

difficulties tlri!';in~ 0- t of the vest.ed rights of this company, it wns re~tored to tb

jurisrlictionofNewfoundlnnd,underwhichithassinceremajned.

TheAtlanticcoastofLabrodorisexceedinglyirreeul"r,btingdeeply-indented

by many long narrow fiore' f:, ~o that the coa:=>t-line exceeds many times the actual

distance from Belle Isle toCapeChidley.

Thesenarro\Jfiords,morenumpro'!lsandmorepicturesouethanthefiordsof

Norwey, are surrounded by rocky hills that rise abru;>tly fro:nthe watertoheights

ranging from 1,000 to 4,000 feet. Thewatec of the inlets is deep, end varies

fr·)mtentoonehundredfatho;ns. Afringeofsmall,rockyisletsextendsalmost

continuously along the coast with a breadth of from five to twenty f ivemiles.

Outside these if>let~, hanks cxten(~ f"ev";,rds for an average distance of fitteen

miles. l'heinteriorisundulatingendistraverserlbyridgesoflow,roundedhills,

that seldomrisemorethan 500 feet above the surrounding level. It is covered by

numerous l€.kesthat occuPy at le,q:::t one fourth of the total area • In size they

vfJ,ryfromsnalltaTnstolakes\.JithsurfaceshuncJred50fsqu,l:Jremilesinextent.

The interior. has never been ex;>lored, and it has been Yisited by few. The

table land is sterile, llnd vegetation if: found only in the hallmls and dep.p ravins.

Theentiresurf?csiscQvered\Jithbuilde!'"s,f"ometimesthreeandfO'.lr feet d"ep,

var.1in:=;jn5i7.efro;n")nctotwentyfeetindiemeter.

The climate of Labre.dor raneesfr<Jn1 cold em."1Fr:::.tureonthef;outherncoaststo

Arctic, in th~ far lIorth. The hiehl:;'lnc~~ of the interiors hp.ve only t\.:o !:eas-:>:ls,

summer Rndwinter, and the transitionfromw:"nteroccurs,"sarule, during the

first two \oIeeks of June. Sumerisofthree:nonthsduration:fromearlyinOctober

snow remains permanently, and all the smallbkes are fro7en over solidly. The

coldest-nont,hsareDecember, January and February. On the Atlantic coast the sen son

is so:ne'.lhat longer, but, even here, is only possible toraif;e the hardierveeetables.

'.hen Europennsfirst came to Labredor, itw3. inhabited bya fierce, belligerent

peoplewhomtheycalledStraelings. They are now knovn as Esquimaux. The name

ES<luimauxisderivedfromtheAooD31,uitcrm lJ eski.m1Jtsik"-toeatra\lflesh. In

theCreedialnctthewordis"ashkimai,withasimiliarmeaning. Esquimaux i. the

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!"ronchequivalent. Tho EsquimBux in the e"rlydaysovorranthe whole peninsulaaa

far South as Hingan: but they were graduBlly pushed back by the Nasco:>is and thp

Montagnais, Bnd no Esquimaux Bre found at the pre6ent day south of Haccovick. At

the present day they are found grouped around the HoravianHissions, andnumber

aboutl200. They are still in theorimitive stage, end get a lining by sealing and

fishing. Their catch is handled by the Horavian missionaries - an ecclesiastical

COr.l.rn~rcial organization whose trade receipts average about g40,000 yearly.

Besides the Esquimaux there ere two other tribes on the coast, the Mont~gnais

and the Naskopiswho are nomadic inhabits, and have no permanent. abode. Theydo

butlittlefishing,anddependuponhuntingforalivelihood-aratherprecarious

mode of existence-anethey are frequently face to face with starvation. During

duringthewinterofI9ll..

The greatest asset of Labredor is its seemingly inexhaustible cod-fishery:. Yet

one rarely hears the word codfish in Newfoundland or on the cOast of Labrador: fish

in···ariablymeanscodfiRh,andeveryotherme!i1bcrofthefjnnytribe is called by its

distinctive name. The fishery hns been orosecutedregularlyalong the coast since

theearlydaysofthel8thcentury. Prior to this date no regular fishermen was

carried on by Englishm.n, thour,htheBasouesBnd the Bretons had fishingestBblishment

in the S"raits of Belle Isle, as we have seen, long before the EnglishvisitedLab-

UndertheregimeofGovernorPalaiser(GovernorofNewfoundlandfrom 1764 to 17E:8)

re~lations w~rf;> dre"..:n un "",hereby the Labrador fishery should be conducted as a "ship

fishe'y": and in order to protest the vessels engaged in it, heestablished Fort Pitt

in Chateau Bay, placing it under the co:nm9nd of Li~ut Adams, who held the position

of civil and military officer. Agrent impetus \I sthusgiven tothefishenn, and

severe1 lI ro ()!lJS If.....ere estl1blisherl in the :trait:=; o~ Belle 151'3 and on the uppf>r part

:;"veraIJerseyfirm",leree,tBblishedintheStreits,hortlyaftorwards. De

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Quettville hd two eGtablishments, one at Blanc Sablon, and another at Forteau, in

1779. Fal1e&co. lwdaroomAtAdmiral'apointin179'l. About the same time

BoutillierBroscarried ona large fishery at Isle auxBois: end so;Jt9timelater

began operationsBt Lone Point. These fishing establishments were practically

se'ttlements,andafishinghameltarose·.Jhereverallconcernll

",as located. They-had

B long list of clerks and helpers who werE paid exceedingly small wages. ~lest of

England Adventurers, .American Bnd hewfOimdlanders followed immeclintely on the trail

of the Clwnnel Islanders; and we find the firms of DarbY, Cartwright end ~ucas at

Cape Charlesin1768,andNobleand?inson,in Temple Bay.

Permanent stations to the Northward began ebout 1782. Cartwrightsestablished

the settlement which beers his name in Sandwich Bay, 1788; end after a short while

sold out to the Hudson Bay Co, which is still operating there.

Hunt & Henley locsted at Long Island in 1300. liarrenbegan operations at

Indian Tickl<1e in 1850: and a few Ne,.foundland planters were at Dominsaboutthe

s.meyear. Newfoundlandfishermen'.entdo-.mtoGroosewpterBay(HzmiltonInlet)

in 1832: and those venturesome toilers have been-;Jushing their WByNortheversince.

Theynowgodo'WI'ltoCapeChidley,evenventuringintoUngava-Ba·t. The northern section

of the coast affords the most pro:nising fishing grounds, asitisfringedwitha

vast multitude of isla nds forming almost ~a continuous arc~ipelag:o froo Ailik to

Capet-1ugford,andextendsseawardsnearlythirtymiles. Outsidethiserchipelago

feeding grounds of the larg~ cod: and a second range of banks outside the ahoals,

'Which are probably their winter feeding places.

This island studded area isirnmense: and it is estimated at 7,000 square miles.

the fish life of these regions: 1he icy current flOWing for the Arctic seas is in

many places a living mars, aV8st ocean of infusoriawhichaccompanytheice-bergs

and lf~s, accumul;,te on the banks of Northern I.a.brador, end render possible the

existence of all these forrns of m"lrine life-from the crustacean to thediation,together

with the Molluscous animals and starfi~h, which contribute to the sustenance of the

great schools of cod which find their hDt:leS t ere. The Labrador fishery in former

times-intheseventiesofthelastcentury-employedabout25,OOo people. Tod.y

it employs hardly half that number. Therewerethenfullyl,500vessels-bries

topsail schooner, lIbeaverhatsll 'and five and aftersengagedin the fishery, which

was T.uch :nore i"'roductive, as ri.:garcs the catch, than it is today .. The fishery

has declined rapidly: but the price has increased. The writer remembers the time when

Labrador fish sold at ~160 a quintal. Durin" tbe season just ended, "'ebrador

fi sh touched the highest ~ 'ri ce in the hi story of the fi sbing industry - \b 1640(1916)

The shortage of the catch end abnormal conditions due to the GreztWar forced up the

price.

FromanoldmemorendcmlfindthatinI905,tbetotalcatcbwas730,OOo quintals

.i.thavalueof !'l2,500,OOO. Thisseason'scatchisconsiderablyunder300,OOOqtls-

e greot falling off. Sot:le950vesselsandlargeboatswereengaged;'nthefishery,

and;nany of them returned with very small catches .. Labrador now nresents a serious

econo:nicproblem, ancwhatte solutionls going to be isdifficultto foreshadow ..

Thefisheryisprosecutedchieflybymenfromthel:orthernandeastern Bayaof

l'ewfoundland:theSouthernersarealmostanegligiblec:uantity. They are divided into

twoclaS5es-IIFloatersll(orGreenFishCatC:hers),and"Stationers1t (so:netimescalled

"Squatters" or "Roomers:' ). The former fish wherever in the cod is to be found: the

latter locate in rome harbor, creek or brieht, w'here they o-..m a II roomII. This may

can51st 0 f a subatant 1a1 due11i ng hO~ j se, cown:ld i aus s tore 5 , substantis1 wharYe sand

landines-suchasoneseesatBattleHarbor,VenisonTickle,Batteauandlndian

Harbor:or,asinthecaseinthefurther Northharbors,1trnayconsistofan8XlO

bunkhouse, aliving!>hantY,anda stage, oft-timesroofless, and a stage-head built

of lon~er!l, which mu~t be rebuilt every season.

The Stationers are not usuallyowner::l 01 schooners .. Thoyare"freightedrldown

to lhe coast in sch,oners belon(ljn~ to thA firm with which they deal. "freiehted

down"r,cemsoverypeculi,qrtermtoapnly:ohumans: out when one Geestheconditions

under which the human cargoes are sometimes carried to the coast,

the word is perfectly appropos. Happily this method is rapidly

disappearing. 'I'he women folk now get down to the coast in the Reid

steamer, which makes trips fortnightly: and the more independent

planeters are now abandoning the old system.

The Stationers leave the home port about the first week in

June, if conditions are favorable. Of late the presence of ice on

the Northern part of the Newfoundland coast has delayed them till

later. They returned about the 15th of October (formerly they

rarely returned before the end of the month). In those days, in

addition to the codfishery, there was a large herring fishery, on

the coast. Herring fishery, on the coast. Herringdisappeared

from Labrador about 25 years ago. There are signs that they are

returning again. rl'he IIFloaters ll can get away earlier, and most of

them go to the Straits of Belle Isle, as far west as the Moccetina

Island. If they are successful they return and land their trips,

and get away 'Idown to Chidley". Few "floaters" make their fish on

the coast, they take it to the home port and dry it as "Labrador

Shore ll• This, strange to say, is teh quality of fish which has been

in greatest demand during the present season. Even the Banking

fleet shipped their last trips as II soft cure", and from one of the

skippers I learned that this meant practically $9.00 for hard dried

fish. FOrnlerly the outfit for Labrador fishery consisted of "hook

and line" and Jiggers; but in more recent years cod. seines and traps

have supplanted these primitive appliances. There are still some

"hook and liners:, but these are usually punt fishermen, who have

not the means to buy twine. Some of the latter class now use bul-

tows on certain sections of the coast the use of bultows is pro-

hibited. Some time ago an old fishermen remarked to me,- Ther"s

no fishermen going these times, them traps is a lazy way for getting

fish, and you ken hardly find a man goin" to the fishery now that

knows how to genje a hook".

I wonder what this old man would say were he to visit the

labrador thse days, and see the flotilla of motor boats along the

coast! and it is said that Capt. Norman of Brigus, introduced the

cod-trap. Since the advent of the mo1:or boat fewer men are needed

to handle traps, and a fisherman infromed me during a recent visit

made: "It had paid for itself three time over during the season."

With many fishermen the fishing season ends when the trapping

is over, while others continue with hook and line or the jigger.

The great handicap after the trapping season is over is lack of bait.

In certain sections there is a plentiful supply of "lance" - a shad-

shaped fish about six inches long, and not much larger than a stout

lead pencil. This is found on all points on the middle and south

coast of Labrador, through never at aJ1Y time abundantly. Herring

are also used for bait wherever produrable. l'/ithin recent years

herring have been scarce, and many fishermen abandon the voyage as

soon as the trapping ends. This pcesumably accounts for the short-

age in the catch of fish in recent days, as there is abundance of

fish on the offer grognds which fishermen of today do not ifrequent~~

The herring fishery of Labrador in the early half of the last century-

even as late as 1885 - was considered II the cream" of the voyage;

but, alas! there is no longer any cream. The disappearance of

herring from the coast is one of the many peculiar thing's in con-

nection with the Atlantic fisheries which should be investigated.

Wore the cause discovered, some means might be evolved to prevent

a recurrence of this, should the herring return, which, from recent

indications, seems likely. Duri~9 my recent visit to the coast,

I saw some splendid specimens of the old time variety at various

points, and fishermen assured me that there was every prospect

that the fishery would revive.

Not withstanding the fact that Labrador herring were regarded

as the plumpest and vest in the world, they had acquired a rather

unsavory reputation in Canadian markets, and sold in 1885 for less

than one dollar a varrel in Montreal. On one occasion, if memory

serves me right, thousands of barrels found their way to the fert-

ilizer heap. The packages were defective, and they arrived in poor

condition- II rusty as an anchor", in many cases. The pack was not

what it should have been, owing to careless handling and dishonesty

on the part of small packers. There was no regular inspection,

and the result was that even reliable packers could not dispose of

The salmon fishery of labrador was in former times an important

asset, and was vigorously prosecuted along the coast from Bonne

Esperance to Hamilton Inlet. It was carried on at the months of

large rivers and in theinlets; but, within recent years, the salmon

fishery has been a negligible quantity. 'rhe fishery is now practically

confined to the Hudson Bay ports at Cartwright and Rigolette, through

small quantities of the "Royal fish" are taken up-the-shore fishermen,

'l'wo species of slamon are found on the coast- the salmo salar

(linn) which is the "true salmon", and the Salmo Immaculatus. (Storer),

Trouting is an important item in the operation,"of the Moravian

Missions, and at the Hudson Bay post in Davis Inlet. Newfoundlanders

rarely prosecute this fishery, and in our fishery return it is

unimportant.

'l'he Shore Seal fisery is also declining. In former times "hauls"

of six or seven hundred were not unusual; but now the average catch

rarely exceeds one fifth that number. This fishery is carried on

(with nets) from May to June lOth (Spring run), and from November

to about the middle of December (Fall run). It was formerly the

largest item in the settlers' fishery, and we find evidence of its

importance in the names along the South and West sections of the

coast: there are numerous IISeal Bights", "Seal Coves ll and "Seal Rocks".

The Whale fishery has been from the earliest times, an important

industry on theLabrador coat; and the quest of the "Nonarch of the

sea' was seemingly the lure which first attracted European adventurers

to the coast. Bretons and Badques carried on this fishery before

England had formerly taken possession of Newfoundland; and from 1545

to 1700 operated in La Grande Baie (the lower Gulf)., and possibly

in the Straits of Belle Isle. We ffive no records of whaling by

English or American Fishermen previous to 1764. From this date to

the early days of the last century whalers from Newburyport and New

Bedford, in Nassachusetts, might be seen annually on the coast.

Newfoundlanders did not enter the field till 1900, and the venturr

proved disastrous for some investors. Only one whaling plant is

in operation at present writing - the plant at Hawke's Harbor, Lab-

rador, which has just closed the most successful season in its liistory,

the Cachalot having secured 71 fish.

The decline of the Labrador fisheries has brough about many

changes on the coast, notably a decrease in the p<JDuJation of settlers,

who are known to Newfoundland fishermen as 1I1iveyers" (doubtless

a corruption of 1I1iveheres ll, as the natives usually drop theirh's

like their Devonian forebears). According to the Census of 1891,

the population, exclusive of Esquimaux, was 2,709. At present writing

it is ;Less than 2,300. There has been a notable exodus from the

upper and Straits settlements. Many families migrated to Bonne Bay

and Day of Islands wherethe herring fishery began to assume importance

in these sections, while others returned to the homes of their

fathers in Conception Bay. The most thickly populated centres on

the coast are in the neighborhood of Hudson Bay Posts, at Cartwright

and Rigolette. Now that these posts are curtailing supplies, itis

quite possible that the migrations from the coast will continue.

The lot of the "liveyers" is by no means enviable. They, for the

most part, live from hand to mouth, and with few exceptions, are

a rather shiftless class. Of course there are exceptions to this;

but the number of Labradorians who have risen beyond the condition

of perpetual indebtedness is small. This may be accounted for by

the system of business characteristic of the "Great Company". The

hardships of the settler are great and their resources slim.

Aeolus slumbers nigh to the rocky fastnesses of the coast of

Labrador; and when awakened proclaims his might by wreaking awful

is a lingthlyone. The nomenclature of many of its capes, islands

dreaded its rugged shores. Belle Isle was known as "Isola di Demoni tI

(the isle of demons). In the near vicinity we find "Cap Maudit"

and 'lIsle Sacres ll (Suggestive of IICUSS words". Some miles to the

west we find IIPointe aux Norts" (dead men's point) and "L'Anse au

"diable" (Devil's Creek, but called by Newfoundland fishermen

"Nancy Jawble".

The coast is visited p.riodicully by terrific gAles: and nenrlyeveryhorboralong

its lengthy coast-line has paid itstolltothedeath-dealing furyofthestorm

usheredingenerallybyaterrificNorth-eastern. Thellgrotlndswelltlofthecoast

is a phenomenon rarely witnessed elsewhere, and Admiral Bayfield, who surveyed a

largepnrtofthecoastsays: Itlhaveneverseenheavierseathantha whichrolsin

from the eastward, in Lewis Sound, near the entrance to the StraitsofBelleisle: I

never saw anything more eidlygrand and be.utiful than the tremendons swell which

rolls in from the sea, often without w!.nd, rollinedowly, butirresistibl:r, asif_

moved by some unseen power, rearing itself up like a wall of 1""ater, as it approaches

thecraBeYsidesoftheislands,mo'1inggasterandfaste as it ne.ars the shore, until

atlastitbursts""ithfuryovertheisletstirtyfeethigh,orsendsupsheetsof

foam and spray, soarklingin sunbeams, fifty feet u;> the sides of the precipise. I

can compare the roar of the surf ina calm night to nothing le,'s thanthe galls of

Niq:~ara"_

In the II gale of 186711, one hundred lives were lost bet\/een Cape Harrison and

Domins: and someyearsagotheremainsofa schooner mght be seen II far up in the

'WoodsllatCurlaw,nearGanetlorth. 'l'heschoonerwasdrivenfro:uhermooringsina

north-oa~t gale and 29 livez \lere lost. At Grady, in the near vicinity, in the same

storm, fearful havic was 'Tought anc thirtty persons ...ere crowned, and whole family

being wiped out of existence. InlB98,fortyschoonerswerelostatKinglsBay,but

there was happily no loss of life. During the season just closed there 'Were several

Labradorwithinrecentyearshasbeenextensively(andsornewhatunfavorably)

advertised by Dr. Grenfell: and there are many people abroad whokno'.I the coast

only through the Doctor's 'Writings. He h::;beenconnected\liththe coast for nearly

aquerter ofa century. !\titsinceptionhis\Jorkwasmedice.l,buthehasventured

into other fields, which hove not, it seems, yielded abundent harvests.

1'hrou~h his erforts, two 1I0s)'italo h.we been established on tho coast one at

Battleliarbor,theotheratIndip.nllarbor. The medical end of the work is very

satisfactory, and affunds fishermen relief from many ills;

but the other activities are not so acceptable to the fisheries.

The Doctor, in the exhiberance of his zeal, has come into conflict

with some of the religious bodies, whose missionaries have been

doing heroic work on the coast for more than a centu;ry. His bus-

iness ventures have caused him not a little difficulty, and from

certain indications, hve not been successful .. The fact is that

fishermen who frequent the coast are not particularly enthusiastic

about these activities. All are agreed as to the value of the

medical side; but they regard the religious and commercial phases

of the work as being outside its legitimate sphere.