# The Tourist's Maritime Provinces/Chapter 15

CHAPTER XV
CHRONOLOGY—ST. JOHN'S—SOUTHEAST COAST—LABRADOR
The Senior Colony was first settled when "Ireland was inhabited by barbarians, England and Scotland were separate kingdoms and men wore plate armour." Hundreds of years before that interesting period, Bjarni and Leif Erikson looked on its granite east wall, if sagas are credible. John Cabot's landfall in 1497 is identified by most historians with Cape Bonavista, the land he "first saw" from the deck of the Matthew, A generation later Jacques Cartier sighted the same outstanding naze but because of ice in the bay landed in a more southerly harbour, which he named St. Katherine for his wife, home in St. Malo.
Previous to Cabot's and Cartier's discoveries fishermen from Brittany and Biscay had profited by the fisheries of the western continent. Later came Portuguese, Spanish and English adventurers unafraid of stormy seas and took their toll of cod inshore and off the Banks of Newfoundland. A map of 1541 represents the New-founde-launde as ​a group of thirty islands great and small. Only a short stretch of the coast had then been explored, the thousands of mariners who crossed from Europe every spring being interested solely in what the neighbouring shoals held for them.
The first patentee of the uncharted tract was Sir Humphrey Gilbert who made an attempt at colonisation in 1583. On his return to England he was lost in the ten-ton pinnace Squirrel. No heirs claimed his Newfoundland plantation. In 1610 it was granted to the "Treasurer and Company of Adventurers and Planters of the City of London and Bristol, for the Colony of Newfoundland." The company comprised many noblemen, among them the Earl of Northampton and Sir Francis Bacon. The latter wrote the prospectus, "a truly Baconian production" in which he compared the fisheries of the New Isle to the mines of Peru, to Newfoundland's advantage.
​when an exploring party was sent to search for them.
The merchants who owned the fishing fleets opposed the colonisation of Newfoundland and for a hundred years an incessant conflict was waged by the planters and the fishing admirals who represented the companies in England.
Newfoundland was created a colony in 1728 at the beginning of a more lenient era for her settlers, but the construction of permanent buildings was not permitted until almost another century had elapsed. The covetousness of the French and the tenacity of those to whom the island belonged by right of discovery, led to years of assault and antagonism which four treaties failed to govern. The French established themselves oh Placentia Bay but surrendered their claims in 1713 and retired to the Miquelon Islands and Cape Breton. However, as late as the end of that century they were still attempting to bring about the colony's surrender to the French flag.
In return for her renunciation of territorial rights France had been granted by Bute, Prime Minister of England following William Pitt, certain fishing privileges on the west and north shore of the island which they wished to construe as giving them an inviolable hold upon 500 miles of coast line to the exclusion of the colonials themselves. The English maintained that the foreign fishermen were permitted only to catch and cure cod on this ​"French Shore" during the fishing season. These contentions were not adjusted until 1904 when France withdrew her claims upon advantageous terms.
In 1818, United States fishermen were given concessions in west coast waters which led to misunderstandings that were finally submitted to the Hague Tribunal in 1910, which found in favour of Newfoundland.
The colony was granted Representative Government in 1832 and became a self-governing colony in 1855. A Governor sent from England represents the Crown, aided by an Executive Council, or Cabinet of Ministers. The Crown appoints a Legislative Council of twenty members for life. The thirty-six members of the House of Assembly are elected by the people.
St. John's.
"The oldest place in the oldest colony" lies deep within a steep-walled basin whose portal opens narrowly to the sea. A gloomy bulk of bare rock masses rises from the edge of strait and harbour. On the right is Signal Hill, with an outlook 500 feet above harbour and ocean. At the head of the spacious bay whose waters gleam the brighter for the sombre ramparts that shut them in, the unlovely city of St. John's piles up the hill from wharves and low warehouses to square cathedral towers. Unpaved streets ascend abruptly ​from the one main business thoroughfare, which runs parallel with the water-front. The capital is a reformed fishing village dignified by the appurtenances of Government and by establishments whose solidity is based on industries of the sea.
The "bankers" of four centuries ago chose this harbour as their rendezvous. The fleets of to-day are manned by crews of the same West-of-England stock that Cabot selected as best suited to hardy marine service. Less than a hundred miles south is the upper end of the mountainous shoal 500 miles long and 300 miles wide which is formed by the conjunction of the Gulf Stream and the Arctic Current. The cod returning from polar waters where they go to spawn—one medium cod lays 9,000,000 eggs at a time—find on the ledges of the sand-bank favourite small fish, crabs, worms and sea insects. The codders bait them with herring, caplin and squid and take in an average year over 125,000 quintals (112 pounds to the quintal) on the banks alone. Besides, Newfoundland controls the fisheries of the Atlantic Labrador coast, and her local fisheries are of vast importance. The best cod for eating are plump near the tail and have undulated sides. Most of the catch is "hard" or salt cured. Nearly every cove of Newfoundland's 6000 miles of coast line shows a straggling group of huts and drying stages on the restricted beaches or clinging to the shelves of grim cliffs.
​The first week of March sees the departure from St. John harbour of the seal-killers, nowadays on strong steam vessels. Their goal is the moving field of ice which jams about the northern shores of Newfoundland and carries on its surface herds of harp and hood hair-seals. The hood is a savage and unsociable native of Greenland. The male when attacked blows an inflated skin over his head. The harp family returning to their habitat in Hudson's Bay from the winter migration climb on the ice floe in the neighbourhood of Belle Isle, but being a mild and gregarious species maintain a separate community from the hoods. The young of both tribes are born on the ice toward the end of February. The date when they may be slaughtered—mother seals, dogs and "white-coats"—is governed by law. The pups grow at the rate of 15 pounds a week during the first month after birth. The hair seal is valued for its fat, from which oil is rendered, and for its hide. The sealing steamers, some of them carrying crews of 200 to 300 dauntless Newfoundlanders, are outfitted by their owners. The best ships are captained by skippers who in past seasons have secured the greatest number of seals. They work on a salary and percentage basis. The crew is "found" and receives one-third of the cargo of seals. The steamers for the gulf fishery sail from St. John's for Port-aux-Basques and from there ascend the Gulf of St. Lawrence. They are ​permitted to make one trip only, and must be back in St. John's by the first part of April. When the fields are entered they run head on into the floe, back away, then steam ahead to crush the "pans" or cakes of ice and force leads. At word from the captain the crew goes on the ice from different positions at day-break of each morning equipped with "gaff or heavy boat-hook, stout rope, 'sculping knife,' skin boots, warm cuffs, close-fitting working suit, and coloured goggles to prevent ice-blindness." The seals may be congregated miles from the waiting vessel. When they have been killed by blows over the head or by shots from a revolver, their fat-laden coats must be dragged over heavy ice to the spots where each vessel's catch is piled, the flag of the ship's owner being thrust into each mound to denote ownership until the lots are picked up and loaded on board. In 1910 one vessel, the Florizel of the Red Cross Line, secured 49,000 seals valued at over $90,000, this being a record catch. The Neptune, commanded by Captain Bob Bartlett, brought in 40,000 seals in April, 1913.
In the event of a blizzard arising when the men are on the ice, they may be isolated from the steamer over-night. Under such conditions forty-eight of the Greenland's crew were lost in March, 1898. In March, 1914, eighty of the Newfoundland's men perished from exposure. On the last day of that month in the same year, the Southern ​Cross, loaded to her scuppers with a cargo of 17,000 seals, foundered in a storm off Trepassey Bay, carrying down one hundred and seventy stalwarts, "pick of a Viking race."
The bodies of the Newfoundland's crew recovered by the Bellaventure from the ice were assembled at the Seamen's Institute on Water Street, St. John's, and were later transported in sleighs to the railway station. All the east coast was thrown into mourning by these twin disasters. Whole settlements were robbed of their able-bodied men. One hamlet which had sent twelve sons to the seal fishery received back only one. A fund of $300,000 was contributed by Newfoundland, Canada, the United States and England to provide for the families of those who perished on the floes and in the sea.
The Seamen's Institute, whose patron is King George the Fifth, is the first building of importance which the visitor passes on ascending from the steamer landing to Water Street. Dr. Wilfred Grenfell was the instigator of this enterprise which received support from many of his American friends. The cost of the edifice was $180,000. It was inaugurated in December, 1912. Lodgings are provided at 20 to 35 cents a night. There are reading and game rooms and special conference halls for captains of vessels, for sealers and members of the Royal Navy. The Institute is also headquarters for ship-wrecked crews which are ​received and cared for without religious, racial or national distinctions.
Water Street is solidly built of grey stone. The most conspicuous buildings are the Court House whose corner-stone was laid by King George when Prince of Wales, the Post Office, and the railway station, at some distance from the passenger wharves. The Colonial Museum is an interesting exposition of native products, animals and Indian relics.
Strangers admire the pure Gothic of the Church of England Cathedral, and visit the ridge above it to see the painted ceiling and altar-piece of the Romanist Cathedral and the pillared House of Parliament. Government House, a mansion of dark stone, is at the head of a wind-blown and unsightly street overlooking the harbour. Nearly all the buildings of this "most stubbornly English" of all the Empire's over-sea capitals are of dull coloured wood. Few trees gain a footing in the shallow soil which covers the city's rocky foundations. The brighter the summer sun the more dreary in contrast is the municipal landscape. There are, however, several drives and vantage-points which dispel the memory of St. John's gracelessness.
From the crest of Signal Hill is unfolded an inspiriting panorama of bays, looming sea-walls, the spreading ocean, inland meadows, lakes and groves. Cabot Tower was erected at the peak to ​commemorate the island's Italian discoverer. From this point the approach of vessels is signalled to the city. Cape Spear, at the harbour mouth, is 1213 miles from Sandy Hook, 885 miles from Boston, 488 miles from Halifax and 1921 miles from Liverpool.
In June, 1762, the French Government outfitted four warships for the capture of St. John's. The town had a small garrison in forts which had been long neglected and was guarded by a single sloop armed by twenty guns. The French forces numbering 700 men easily captured Signal Hill and strongly fortified it. During a bloody engagement in September of that year they were dislodged by Scotch and American colonial troops who marched overland from Torbay and Quidi Vidi, and stormed the seemingly impregnable defences with such valour that the interlopers were routed at the point of the bayonet.
Excursions from St. John's.
The country on the border of the capital is in fertile contrast to the bleak splendour of the sea front. Beyond the green-fringed lake of Quidi Vidi, where summer boating regattas are held, is as characteristic a fishing village as may be found on this crenated coast. A ring of dark-hued rocks girdles an irregular basin graced by drooping sails. In the rough shacks below the clean-swept houses of the Quidi Vidi fishermen the cod are headed, ​split and boned preparatory to the process of salt curing. The drying flakes are made of cross-laid hemlock boughs. Every one is busy, cheerful and well-mannered. Here one will detect less the Irish brogue that marks the speech of St. John's, but may be confused to hear a gusty wind called a flaw, a stormy day, a coarse one, and a fine day, a civil. A girl is a maid; a kitchen, the house-place. Like the Highlanders of Cape Breton and the Acadians of Clare, the inhabitants of the outports have held more tenaciously to the archaic speech of their ancestors than have natives of the British Isles, or peasant French who still dwell in Normandy. The dialect and the use of obsolete English words varies in different communities according to the County from which the original settlers came. In some obscure villages the accent is almost unintelligible to ordinary ears and is not easily understood even by the inhabitants of present-day Dorset, Devon or Somersetshire. The pronunciation of certain words recalls terms used by Chaucer. In some sections the boy "runned" and the fleet "goed." On the south coast a plural subject is used with a singular verb, and vice versa, with quaint, not unpleasing effect.
The drive of 8 miles from St. John's to Torbay affords views of the surf at Logie Bay and of the fjord and headland scenery for which the island is most renowned. Even casual tourists will not miss the scenes about Torbay and Pouch Cove on the ​upper reach of Avalon peninsula, and about Portugal Cove on Conception Bay. The composition of the land and sea-scape is so characteristic of the entire coast that those who go no further afield than these short motor-runs from St. John's will gain an understanding of the overpowering grandeur of the island's ravaged, cliff-guarded, isle-studded sea-board whose uncountable harbours are cleft between bastions of stone.
A railway is promised to the lower Avalon coast which is now reached by the highway that connects St. John's with Petty Harbour, Bay Bulls (20 m.), Cape Broyle, Ferryland (44 m.) Fermeuse, Renews, Cape Race (64 m.) and Trepassey. The road is sufficiently good for comfortable motoring, but the lodging accommodation is of the plainest. The trip may also be taken by the Bowring fortnightly mail steamer which touches at the most important harbours on Avalon peninsula and proceeds from Placentia to ports on the south and west coasts.
THE HARBOR OF BURGEO, ON THE SOUTHERN COAST OF NEWFOUNDLAND
​Mary's, including Ferryland. Cartier referred to the bay of Rougnoze which Howley believes was known to the Basques and Bretons before Cabot's voyages. The name has descended through fantastic stages to Renouze, Renowes and Renews.
Cape Race was called by the Bretons, Cap Raz. Situated at the southeast corner of the island and stormed by all the winds of the Atlantic, it is the sepulchre stone of myriads of vanished ships. Steamers crossing between New York and Liverpool set their course by this point. Its grey wall is equipped with a beacon, a fog-whistle and a Marconi telegraph station.
Nine miles west of Cape Race is the emerald Bay of Biscay and beyond it the harbour of Trepassey which is destined as the terminal of the projected railway from St. John's.
St. John's to Nain, Labrador.
During the month of August the thousand-mile voyage "down" the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador is usually attended by comparatively fair seas and a cloudless sky. The Kyle's excellent service enhances the pleasure of the trip which until late years was known only to the professional fisherman, the explorer and the sportsman. The coastal area is analogous to that of Newfoundland, rock-built, bleak, stupendous. Nearly all friths receive the tribute of rivers which ​frequently fall to sea level in splendid cataracts. The procession of "growlers," bergs and floating pans moving southward on the breast of the Arctic Current, the wild life of birds and sea creatures, the activities associated with the summer fishery during which thousands of Newfoundland labourers toil near the Labrador, the life of the Esquimau and the savage antics of his dogs—such scenes stimulate sensations uncommon to the tourist.
On the way north the steamer makes brief calls at more than fifty ports. Travellers who wish to acquaint themselves more intimately with the stern beauties of miles-long fjords and turbulent streams can find lodgings with the "liveyers" or permanent settlers, or at the houses of managers in charge of fishing stations, and factors of Hudson's Bay posts, or at the Grenfell and Moravian Missions. Dr. Grenfell's benefactions on the Labrador are well known in the United States. For twenty years he has given his talents and energies to bettering the physical and spiritual state of the deep-sea fishermen. In the capacity of surgeon and physician he cruises during the summer among the fishing fleets and settlements in the hospital ship Strathcona. At various places he has established ​institutions for the sick, schools, and co-operative stores. During the winter he performs heroic service with his dog-sledge, journeying for miles over the ice to those in need of him.
Early in the summer the steamer takes to the Labrador as passengers hundreds of "landsmen" or independent fishermen from eastern and northern Newfoundland ports. From Twillingate in Notre Dame Bay the course is laid for Battle Harbour on the Labrador side of Belle Isle Strait. This land-locked basin sheltered the Roosevelt on the return of Rear-Admiral Peary from his final expedition to the Arctic. There is a wireless station here and a Grenfell Mission. The steamer makes stops above this point at frequent intervals, dropping off groups of codders, parties of trout and salmon fishermen and an occasional tourist, all bent upon their own pursuits. Anglers frequent the rivers which enter the head of Sandwich Bay and the great watercourses of Hamilton Inlet. Cartright Plarbour is a Hudson Bay station. Indian Harbour has striking island scenery and bold shores. Before entering its broad roadstead, the steamer passes up the narrows of Hamilton Inlet to Rigoulette. The Grand River falling into Hamilton Inlet, whose head is 150 miles from the sea, forms a cascade whose successive leaps total a descent of 800 feet. From Rigoulette the Inlet ​may be ascended by the mail packet which serves the Hudson's Bay post on Northwest River and the mill at the mouth of the Grand River.
Indian Harbour is about half-way to Nain, the destination of the staunch Kyle. Between Nain and Cape Chidley, at the entrance to Hudson's Bay, the coastal spurs and ranges present the loftiest, wildest views on the Labrador. About Cape Mugford the mountains bordering the sea attain an altitude of 2000 to 3000 feet. Rivers, gorges and waterfalls of the far north are accessible to the cruising launch or schooner. Good harbours occur frequently the entire length of the coast and at nearly every one there is some sort of settlement. Much of the Labrador voyage lies within the protection of scattered islands which are separated from the shore by narrow channels known to the native as "tickles."
The Laboratoris Terra, Land of Labour, was so named following the sixteenth-century explorations of the navigator Cortoreal, who enslaved some of the indigenes and transported them to Portugal.
* ↑ See Chapter III.
* ↑ See under "Transportation," Chapter XIV.
* ↑ The name first given in the form of Excomminquois in 1611 by the French, is derived from the Abenakui word, Esquimantsic. According to the Handbook of the Indians of Canada published in 1913, there are about 1300 Esquimanx in Newfoundland Labrador.
* ↑ The Bowring S.S. Prospero calls at all principal ports in the five main bays on its bi-monthly trips to and from Battle Harbour.