Extracts from a Journal of a Voyage of Visitation in the Hawk, 1859 | Page 7

&c., afford sport and means of
subsistence. Seeing several boats fishing outside, I despatched my
friends to inform the men who and what we were, and to request them,
if possible, to bring their families on board in the afternoon.
Fortunately they were able to communicate with parties living above
and below. All, though the fishery was at its height, accepted the
invitation, and Mr. C---- came also with his crew, so that the cabin
could not contain them, and several of the men stood round the skylight
on the deck, from which they looked down upon us as from a gallery.
The day was very fine and warm, and I suffered no inconvenience from
open skylight or sky, except when a piece of tobacco descended on my
head. Twenty-one children were received into the Church, and one
couple married. Very few, if any, except some men of Mr. C----'s crew
(who, thanks to their good pastor at Greenspond, had their
Prayer-books, and were attentive and well behaved) could read, but
most of the children could say the Lord's Prayer and Creed. One
woman brought forward her daughter as "a terrible girl" to, say her
Creed and Lord's Prayer, and some of the Commandments; and "that
hymn you sung below (Evening Hymn), she knows he, but she lips
(lisps), so she's ashamed before strangers." Another woman, after
surveying with, much admiration a large alphabet-sheet (as I should
Egyptian hieroglyphics), said, "I suppose, sir, that's the A B C." I gave
little books to all who desired them. Though most of them had a
considerable distance to return, they seemed unwilling to leave me and
the vessel, and I was in no hurry to dismiss them. It was very sad
indeed to think that the meeting and intercourse, after so long delay,
and with so little prospect of being renewed, should be so short, when
so many important things had to be done, and alas! so many left

undone!
Saturday, July 16th. Purbeck Cove, at sea, and Seal Cove.--At five
o'clock sent letters on board Mr. C----'s vessel, to be forwarded viâ
Greenspond to St. John's. Sailed for Seal Cove (fourteen or fifteen
miles); for three hours no wind, and then wind ahead, so that we did not
reach our harbour till eight o'clock P.M., happy and thankful to reach it
then, having in remembrance the difficulties and anxieties of last
Saturday night. In this Cove, which, at this season, and all seasons
when the wind is not strong from N.W., is a splendid harbour, are only
two families; but one boat's load had preceded us from Purbeck Cove to
profit by the Sunday services. We found the people on shore (a family
of Osmonds), very thankful for our coming, though a Roman Catholic
family had just arrived to spend the Sunday with them. How so many
people are lodged and accommodated (there must be twenty-five now
here) in one small hut is difficult to understand. I know not how to be
thankful enough for the mercies and comforts of the past week. This is
the eighth harbour I have been anchored in, this week, and in six I have
held services; and except in entering Little Coney Arm, have
encountered neither difficulty nor delay. The winds have been
generally fair, the weather always fine; the people, without exception,
grateful for our visits and services. Ninety-two persons of various ages
have been formally received into the Church; eight couples married;
one person admitted to the Lord's Supper; nearly one hundred and
eighty of all ages have been present at the services. The bread has been
cast upon the waters, may it be found.
Fourth Sunday after Trinity, July 17th. Seal Cove.--I was pleased to
find that two families had followed in their boats, from a harbour we
have already visited, to attend the services on board. The head of the
family resident here (in Seal Cove) is Joseph Osmond, a younger
brother of Basil; he had lost his wife last fall in giving birth to her
twelfth child, and he could not speak of her without tears. He pointed
out to me the spot, where he had himself committed her body to the
ground (the first and only one buried in the place), which he had
carefully fenced, and was anxious to have consecrated. The babe had
been nursed and kept alive by her sisters, but appeared very sickly and

not likely to continue. Nine of his twelve children he had carried to
Twillingate to be christened (i.e. received into the church after private
baptism), but three remained whom he desired now to be received. All
of these had been baptized by lay hands; two of them, he said, "had
been very well baptized," i.e. by a man who could read well, the