Part 12 (2/2)
The captors are armed with barbed harpoons and with spears. The harpoon is sometimes thrown at the beluga from a considerable distance. When struck the creature rushes to the surface, plunges and rolls to get free. He never defends himself but thinks only of flight. It is an accident if a boat is upset by the stroke of its tail; such accidents sometimes happen but the victim gets little more than a soaking, much to the merriment of his companions. The harpooned beluga will make off at full speed dragging in his wake the a.s.sailant's boat which flies over the face of the water, boiling with the mighty strokes of the monster's tail. Soon the water is red for each beluga sheds eight or ten gallons of blood. When he is tired the boat is drawn in closer by the rope fastened to the animal. As opportunity offers the spear is used and, driven home by a strong hand, it sometimes goes clear through the body.
A skilful man will quickly strike some vital spot; otherwise the beluga struggles long.
”Picture if possible,” says the Abbe, ”the animation of the beluga hunt when a hundred of them are in the weir, when twenty-five or thirty men are pursuing them, when five or six boats dragged by the creatures are ploughing the enclosed waters in every direction, when the spears are hurled from all sides and the men are covered with the blood which gushes out in streams. Some years ago the pa.s.sengers of a pa.s.sing steamer from Europe were witnesses of such a scene and showed their keen interest by firing a salvo of cannon.”
When the belugas have been killed the next task is to get them to sh.o.r.e.
The work must be done quickly for the next tide will stop all work and may sweep the animals away. Horses are brought and the bodies are dragged ash.o.r.e or partly floated with the aid of the rising tide. The task of cutting up and boiling follows immediately. Workmen with long knives take off the skin and separate the blubber from the flesh. The Abbe Casgrain describes the process in detail. In the end the blubber is cut up into small pieces and boiled in huge caldrons. The poor never fail to come for their share of the catch and, with proverbial charity, the Company carrying on the operations never send them away empty. ”The share-holders” says the Abbe Casgrain, ”are convinced that the success of their labours depends upon the gifts which they make to G.o.d, and their generosity merits His benediction,” Many a habitant goes home with a ma.s.s of blubber in his pot or hooked to the end of a stout branch.
The fishery is old and has been very profitable. La Potherie describes the industry as it existed at Kamouraska in 1701: that at Riviere Ouelle is found in 1707 and it remained in the hands of the heirs of the original promoters until, in 1870, it was found necessary to form them into an incorporated company. The oil is highly valued. It is very clear and has good lubricating qualities. Before the universal sway of petroleum it was much used for lighting purposes; an ordinary lamp would burn for 72 hours without going out. The Abbe Casgrain says that a barrel of the oil is worth from 100 to 200 dollars and since each beluga would yield not less than a barrel the value of the fishery in a good season is evident. The skin is very thick and of extraordinary strength.
It has no grain and will take a beautiful polish.
[Beddard, ”A Book of Whales” (London, 1900), pp. 244 _sqq._
Sir Harry Johnston, ”British Mammals,” (London, 1903), pp. 22 _sqq._
La Potherie, ”Histoire de l'Amerique Septentrionale,” (Paris, 1703), Vol. 1, Lettre X., pp. 273 _sqq._
Casgrain, ”Une Paroisse Canadienne au XVIIe Siecle,” Oeuvres, Vol. 1, pp. 530 _sqq._
Casgrain, ”Eclairciss.e.m.e.nts sur La Peche aux Marsouins,” Ib. p. 563 _sqq._]
APPENDIX F (p. 122)
THE PRAYER OF COLONEL NAIRNE
(There are several versions of parts of the Prayer. It is, I think, partly copied from some other source, partly Nairne's own composition.)
We believe in Thee our G.o.d; do thou strengthen our faith; We hope in thee; confirm our hope; we repent of all our Sins; but do thou increase our repentance. As our first beginning we wors.h.i.+p thee; as our benefactor we praise thee; and as our supreme protector we pray unto thee that it may please thee, O G.o.d, to guide and lead us by thy Providence, to keep us in obedience to thy justice, to comfort us by thy mercie, and to protect us by thy Almighty power. We submit to thee all our thoughts, words, and deeds, as well as our afflictions, pains, and sufferings, and in thy name and for thy sake [we desire] to bear all adversity with patience. We will nothing but what thou Willest, because it is agreeable to thee. Give us grace that we may be attentive in prayer, vigilant in our Conduct, and immovable in all good purposes.
Grant, most merciful Lord, that we may be true and just to those who put their trust in us, that we may be Courteous and kind to all men, and that in both our words and actions we may show them a good example.
Dispose our hearts to admire and adore thy goodness, to hate all errours and evil ways. a.s.sist us, most gracious G.o.d, in subduing our pa.s.sions, covetousness by liberality, anger by mildness, and lukewarmness by zeal and fervency. Enable us to Conduct ourselves with prudence in all transactions, to show courage in danger, patience in adversity, in prosperity an humble will. Let thy Grace illuminate our understanding.
Direct our will and bless our souls. Make us diligent in curbing all irregular affections and Zealous in imploring thy Grace, careful in keeping thy Commandments and constant in working out our own salvation.
We humbly beseech thee, O Lord, to a.s.sist us in keeping our temper and pa.s.sions under due restraint to reason and to virtue, so as not only to contribute to our internal peace of mind, honour, and reputation in this life, but also to our eternal Comfort and happiness in the life to come; and to defend us, O Lord, from the arts and subtilties which designing men may work against us in order to lead us into evil or idle purposes.
Finally, O G.o.d, make us sensible how little is this world, how great thy Heavens and how long will be thy blessed eternity. O! that we may well prepare ourselves for Death and obtain of thee, O G.o.d, eternal life through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
APPENDIX G (p. 144)
THE CUReS OF MALBAIE
Of the early missionaries I have found no record, though no doubt one could be compiled from the episcopal archives. The registers at Malbaie do not begin until 1790 but I find a note that in 1784 there were sixty-five communicants. Isle aux Coudres, Les Eboulements and Malbaie were then united under one cure, M. Compain, who lived at Isle aux Coudres. He served Malbaie from 1775 to 1788. This cure has a share in the legend of Pere de La Brosse, which, since it is characteristic of the region, is worth repeating.
Pere de La Brosse was a much loved and saintly missionary priest, dwelling in his later years at Tadousac. On the evening of April 11th, 1872, he played cards at Tadousac at the house of one of the officers of the post. Rising to go at about nine o'clock he said to the company:
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