The Story of Grenfell of the Labrador | Page 6

rented. In the course of his cruising, the

thought came to him that it was hardly fair to the boys in the slums to
run away from them and enjoy himself in the open while they sweltered
in the streets, and he began at once to plan a camp for the boys.
This was long before the days of Boy Scouts and their camps. It was
before the days of any boys' camps in England. It was an original idea
with him that a summer camp would be a fine experience for his boys.
At his own expense he established such a camp on the Welsh coast, and
during every summer until he finished his studies in the University he
took his boys out of the city and gave them a fine outing during a part
of the summer holiday period. It was just at this time that the first boys'
camp in America was founded by Chief Dudley as an experiment, now
the famous Camp Dudley on Lake Champlain. We may therefore
consider Grenfell as one of the pioneers in making popular the boys'
camp idea, and every boy that has a good time in a summer camp
should thank him.
But a time comes when all things must end, good as well as bad, and
the time came when Grenfell received his degree and graduated a
full-fledged doctor, and a good one, too, we may be sure. Now he was
to face the world, and earn his own bread and butter. Pleasant holidays,
and boys' camps were behind him. The big work of life, which every
boy loves to tackle, was before him.
Then it was that Dr. Frederick Treves, later Sir Frederick, a famous
surgeon under whom he had studied, made a suggestion that was to
shape young Dr. Grenfell's destiny and make his name known wherever
the English tongue is spoken.

II
THE NORTH SEA FLEETS
The North Sea, big as it is, has no great depth. Geologists say that not
long ago, as geologists calculate time, its bottom was dry land and
connected the British Isles with the continent of Europe. Then it began

to sink until the water swept in and covered it, and it is still sinking.
The deepest point in the North Sea is not more than thirty fathoms, or
one hundred eighty feet. There are areas where it is not over five
fathoms deep, and the larger part of it is less than twenty fathoms.
Fish are attracted to the North Sea because it is shallow. Its bottom
forms an extensive fishing "bank," we might say, though it is not,
properly speaking, a bank at all, and here is found some of the finest
fishing in the world.
From time immemorial fishing fleets have gone to the North Sea, and
the North Sea fisheries is one of the important industries of Great
Britain. Men are born to it and live their lives on the small fishing craft,
and their sons follow them for generation after generation. It is a
hazardous calling, and the men of the fleets are brave and hardy
fellows.
The fishing fleets keep to the sea in winter as well as in summer, and it
is a hard life indeed when decks and rigging are covered with ice, and
fierce north winds blow the snow down, and the cold is bitter enough to
freeze a man's very blood. Seas run high and rough, which is always
the case in shallow waters, and great rollers sweep over the decks of the
little craft, which of necessity have small draft and low freeboard.
The fishing fleets were like large villages on the sea. At the time of
which we write, and it may be so to this day, fast vessels came daily to
collect the fish they caught and to take the catch to market. Once in
every three months a vessel was permitted to return to its home port for
rest and necessary re-fitting, and then the men of her crew were
allowed one day ashore for each week they had spent at sea. Now and
again there came to the hospital sick or injured men returned from the
fleet on these home-coming vessels.
When Grenfell passed his final examinations in 1886, and was admitted
to the College of Physicians and Royal College of Surgeons of England,
Sir Frederick Treves suggested that he visit the North Sea fishing fleets
and lend his service to the fishermen for a time before entering upon
private practice. The great surgeon, himself a lover of the sea and

acquainted with Grenfell's inclinations toward an active outdoor life,
was also aware that Grenfell was a good sailor.
"Don't go in summer," admonished Sir Frederick. "Go in winter when
you can see the life of the men