Excursions in and about Newfoundland (Volume 2)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1842. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER X. Start for Bonavista Bay--Walk to Harbour Grace, and visit Carbonear--Arrive at Bonavista--Expedition in search of Wood--Clode Sound--Bunyan's Cove and Bread Cove--Greenspond--Advance into the Interior--Mount Man Point Ridge--A Haunted Cove--Bloody Bay and Troytown--Ascend the Lonil Hills, and return to Greenspond. July 16th.--I was detained three weeks in St. John's for want of a mode of conveyance to Bonavista Bay, but was at length offered a passage in a boat which Mr. Packe of Carbonear was about to send to find wood. I accordingly rode over to Portugal Cove, intending to cross to Brigus, and look once more at the geological position of some rocks there, concerning which I thought I might have made some mistake on a first examination, and I afterwards proposed to walk down to Carbonear. At two P.m. we sailed in the Brigus packet, but were becalmed all the afternoon in the bay. Father M'K, the Catholic priest of Brigus, was on board, and, as with my usual haste and carelessness I had forgotten to make provision for this lengthy voyage, I should have kept a very Catholic fast had it not been for his kindness. We dined on fish and vang, which being interpreted means cod-fish and salt pork cut into junks and boiled together, and with a mealy potato it is really a most excellent dish. The term fish is restricted in Newfoundland entirely to cod: they ask you whether you will take fish or herring, fish or salmon, and everything but cod and salmon is frequently spoken of by the fishermen as rubbish. We landed in Brigus Harbour about two in the morning, and as there were no inns I became indebted for a comfortable bed to the same kind friend who had provided me with a dinner. July 17th.--Went down in a punt as far as a small cove called Sculpi...