The Story of Grenfell of the Labrador | Page 3

the sea. This is why it was fortunate that he was

born at Parkgate, for his life there as a boy trained him to meet
adventures fearlessly and prepared him for the later years which were
destined to be years of adventure.
Far up the river, wide marshes reached; and over these marshes, and the
Sands of Dee, Grenfell roamed at will. His father and mother were
usually away during the long holidays when school was closed, and he
and his brothers were left at these times with a vast deal of freedom to
do as they pleased and seek the adventure that every boy loves, and on
the sands and in the marshes there was always adventure enough to be
found.
Shooting in the marshes and out upon the sands was a favorite sport,
and when not with the fishermen Grenfell was usually to be found with
his gun stalking curlew, oyster diggers, or some other of the numerous
birds that frequented the marshes and shores. Barefooted, until the
weather grew too cold in autumn, and wearing barely enough clothing
to cover his nakedness, he would set out in early morning and not
return until night fell.
As often as not he returned from his day's hunting empty handed so far
as game was concerned, but this in no wise detracted from the pleasure
of the hunt. Game was always worth the getting, but the great joy was
in being out of doors and in tramping over the wide flats. With all the
freedom given him to hunt, he early learned that no animals or birds
were to be killed on any account save for food or purposes of study.
This is the rule of every true sportsman. Grenfell has always been a
great hunter and a fine shot, but he has never killed needlessly.
Young Grenfell through these expeditions soon learned to take a great
deal of interest in the habits of birds and their life history. This led him
to try his skill at skinning and mounting specimens. An old fisherman
living near his home was an excellent hand at this and gave him his
first lessons, and presently he developed into a really expert taxidermist,
while his brother made the cases in which he mounted and exhibited his
specimens.
His interest in birds excited an interest in flowers and plants and finally

in moths and butterflies. The taste for nature study is like the taste for
olives. You have to cultivate it, and once the taste is acquired you
become extremely fond of it. Grenfell became a student of moths and
butterflies. He captured, mounted and identified specimens. He was out
of nights with his net hunting them and "sugaring" trees to attract them,
and he even bred them. A fine collection was the result, and this,
together with one of flowers and plants, was added to that of his
mounted birds. In the course of time he had accumulated a creditable
museum of natural history, which to this day may be seen at Mostyn
House, in Parkgate; and to it have been added specimens of caribou,
seals, foxes, porcupines and other Labrador animals, which in his busy
later years he has found time to mount, for he is still the same eager and
devoted student of nature.
During these early years, with odds and ends of boards that they
collected, Grenfell and his brother built a boat to supply a better means
of stealing upon flocks of water birds. It was a curious flat-bottomed
affair with square ends and resembled a scow more than a rowboat, but
it served its purpose well enough, and was doubtless the first craft
which the young adventurer, later to become a master mariner, ever
commanded. Up and down the estuary, venturing even to the sea, the
two lads cruised in their clumsy craft, stopping over night with the
kind-hearted fishermen or "sleeping out" when they found themselves
too far from home. Many a fine time the ugly little boat gave them until
finally it capsized one day leaving them to swim for it and reach the
shore as best they could.
At the age of fourteen Grenfell was sent to Marlborough "College,"
where he had earned a scholarship. This was not a college as we speak
of a college in America, but a large university preparatory school.
In the beginning he had a fight with an "old boy," and being victor
firmly established his place among his fellow students. Whether at
Mostyn House, or later at Marlborough College, Grenfell learned early
to use the gloves. It was quite natural, devoted as he was to athletics,
that he should become a fine boxer. To this day he loves the sport, and
is always ready to put on the gloves for a bout,