CHAPTER VIII.

MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.

Two famous races-Physical and social characteristics-An orderly and amiable people—The middle and upper classes-Life among the fishermen "The credit system"-Amusements and pastimes.

THE present population of Newfoundland is derived entirely from the Saxon and Celtic stocks, blending the strength, endurance, and perseverance of the one with the versatile rapidity, brilliancy, and imaginativeness of the other. This blending of two races on the same soil, in proportions not far from equal, has resulted in producing a hardy, energetic, industrious people, with many of the best qualities of the stocks from which they originated. Reared in one of the healthiest climates in the world, and engaged mainly in open-air employments, they are physically as fine a race as can be found, with plenty of iron in their blood, able to "toil terribly," and well fitted to encounter the world's rough work. We have depicted the early settlers, in these pages, and the hardships they had to encounter, fighting cold and hunger in their "tilts," battling with the ice-floes, drawing a scanty subsistence from the stormy ocean, and pursuing their ill-remunerated labours amid discouragements of all kinds. But in the struggle with difficulties they gained energy, courage, self-reliance, all

that constitutes true manhood; and they transmitted these, as an inheritance, to their posterity, who have now "entered into their labours," and find their lot cast amid happier surroundings. According to Samson's riddle, "Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness." But it is not alone in physical qualities that the Newfoundlanders hold a high place. Their intellectual development has not been helped by education, as, under happier circumstances, it might have been, so that their contributions to the mental wealth, or literary or scientific gains of the world, are yet to come. In the earlier periods of their history too often

Chill penury repressed their noble rage,
And froze the genial current of the soul.

The struggle for the daily bread rendered mental pursuits an impossibility. Now, however, that material prosperity has dawned, and many have attained comfort and even wealth, leisure is found for the cultivation of the mind; and when young Newfoundlanders go to other countries for the higher education not yet attainable at home, they frequently carry off the highest honours at school and college. Indeed anyone who comes in contact with the people will be struck with their mental quickness and intellectual aptitude. When education, which is still in its infancy, though making hopeful progress, has done its work, there can be little doubt that the descendants of the fishermen who fought the billows and drank in the health-giving sea breezes will be found competing successfully with the foremost brain-workers of the coming age.

As to their moral qualities, it is admitted on all hands that a more orderly, law-abiding population cannot be found elsewhere. Serious crime is very rare, and the proportion of offenders against the law to the whole population is very small. Formerly intoxicating drinks were cheap and