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PREFACE
I feel that the publication of a book
made up of such slight materials as the following notes demands some
apology. My reason, then, for sweeping out my note-books and laying
their contents before the public is, the utter ignorance which
prevails in England with regard to Newfoundland. Of this ignorance I
must plead guilty to the possession of a full share before my visit
to that country. Before I looked into books to learn something of
the place I was going to, I did not know the name of the capital, or
whether the island had any towns or permanent inhabitants or not.
Since my return from the country I have found many persons—I may
say, indeed, almost every one —in the same state of entire darkness
on the subject. Very great ignorance of the condition and extent of
our Colonial possessions, generally, prevails indeed among all ranks
of society, except in those classes connected with them by trade;
but Newfoundland, the oldest of all our Colonies, seems to have
become utterly blotted out of our recollection, or is known only by
its dogs. 1 thought, therefore, there might be a sufficient number
of people willing to know something about it, and who would allow me
to take them by the ear while I told them what I had seen of it.
Scarcely had I begun, however, to enter on this task, when I was
called to commence preparations for an excursion of some years, to
another quarter of the globe. The marks of extreme haste, and many
slips of the pen, will, no doubt, be abundantly evident to the
reader, but let me assure him that such haste was the result of
uncontrollable circumstances, and not a mark of disrespect towards
him.
Should he desire to be more thoroughly and better informed on many
points with respect to Newfoundland, I beg to refer him to a work
shortly to be published by my friend Dr. Stabb of St. John’s, which
will, I believe, contain a full historical and statistical account
of the island.
It now only remains for me to state that the Legislature of
Newfoundland voted in their last session the sum of 100Z. to defray
the expense of printing mv Report on the Physical Geography and
Geology of the island, and lithographing and colouring its
accompanying maps and sections. That vote, with the rest of the
money bill, was subsequently lost in the Council. At my request,
however, His Excellency the Governor, Sir John Harvey, has taken
upon himself to pay this grant, and to him my acknowledgments are
accordingly due, as enabling me to put everything in train before I
leave England. I must here also publicly offer my thanks to the
Honourable J. Crowdy, the Colonial Secretary, for the uniform
courtesy and kindness I have received from him in this and other
matters.
Wolverhampton,
February 8th, 1842.
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