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crxs , RIGH Arm RARE
FRO'·I TIlE IIELL_m'ORED IUNES OF TRADITION
OF llEIIFOU,IDU ND
(DY H. F, S1lORTIS , HI Sf ORIOGRAPHffi)
Nevfcundkander-a are e ssentially 8 6ea - f ar i ng people , and
rr-ce tiroae immemorial
have be en remar ka ble f or their r i sk s a nd daring. No adv en t ure on the high seas
'Was ever conside r ed t oo hazardous for a Newf'ound'Land seaman to e mba r k In . From
t he ear l i e st times thR.t \0/0 have any recollection of, t he t raditions of our people
have bee n r i ch vith the stor i es of t he ha f r --br -ead t.h e s ca pe s of the se ne of
Ne....f oundland, and thifl record has been ke pt unbroken until the present day . The
spi r i t of r -fve Lr -y ha s a l way s been kept alive amongst t.be f i shermen and t he saf.Lor -e
i n the merca nt i l e marine J a nd a s i s exe a p'Lf I'Le d In our Annua.l Rega t ta and t hp. rec-,
i oe ac r os s
the ocean , the sa me sp i r it prevails today vith e s much vi gor an d force
a s it di d 8 century - eo .
I hav e ahmys' conte nded that t .her-e is no country in the wor-Ld i n whic h the
histor ian , the poet or t he nove list coul d pr-ocu r -e suc h aat.er-Le L f or writing up a
c h.ar~i ne pf ct.ur e of life tban_in t p~ seaedde 'Tillage s of 1' e\lfOWl~l8nd . The r e .Ls
also to be f ound the tender a nd beau t.Lf uI r oma nce of the idyllic an d a charming
pi cture of an inter e sting , and by no m-e an s fJir.liliar s ce ne of life and manner- s of
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0lU" peo pl e , 'i n which the ~I)U S tnitlJ ar-e-j-Lch e nough t o enlr--~ and brighten
the whole . But i t i s in the ac counts of t he e ve r ydey life of adventure an d ha i r _
breadth e scapee __the dari ng a nd hardihood of our people amongst t he Lce - Fl.oe e-,
the dan cers en coun tered on t .he Loca I
f1 shine gr ounds, an d mor e e s pecially on t he
coas t, of Labr ador t.hat, the hds t.or-Lan of the futur-e \lill find hi s subject, dr rt.er -,
e s t.t ng end thril ling , to fil l 'th e pa ge e of h i s v o'luree e , _'nd t .he s e adventure s And
es ca pe e are to be f ound r-eI a t ed by the pa t.r-Ler-chs of every t.ovn ann vilh.ge in our
count.r -y, There vou.Ld be not.hing of fiction about t.hose st.or-Le a of adv enture , be -,
~~ ~ th- '-P~ at. HP ~J:VJJ vb! /l l j ¥.J.1
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