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lie snid she had a very bad night sleeping the night he died and awoke tclling the
othcrs who rcmained with her the news of his death. Days later \\ hen the minister visited
bringing the news ofher husband's death 10 her. she was already prepared and was
making arrangements for the burial ofhis body.2.)
In this S10T)'. Ihe head ofthe family had been struck down and the other members
continued on with life. The sons packed the corpse in salt for the trip home and returned
to their fishing. The mother prepared herselfand the rest ofthe family and made
arrangemcnts for the burial ofthe body. In the fall \\hen the summer's fishcT)' was over
and the family reunited. the events would be re-enacted in family narratives and lold
again for neighbours and years later for the researcher. life and the fishcT)' would
continue despite this and other drownings.
There is a story told ofa Newfoundland man rowing to shore in a stonny nighl to
see his girlfriend. The girl's father passed him on the stairs and thought il strange because
he could not understand why the man would be going up thc stuirs. Thc father soon heard
at lhe wharf tbm thc boat had swamped and lhe Newfoundlandcr had ncvcr made it
oshore. Ilc rcasoncd thm when the man drowned, his mind was on gelling ashore to see
his girlfriend and his spirit just kepi on going. 214 N'Irr