Such however is the fact nevertheless, and you ought to
record it, as an instance in which they have shown their superiority
to this universal weakness. Still, both men and women are decently and
comfortably clad. There is no such thing as a ragged Acadian, and I
never yet saw one begging his bread. Some people are distinguished for
their industry, others for their idleness; some for their ingenuity,
and others for their patience; but the great characteristic of an
Acadian is talk, and his talk is, from its novelty, amusing and
instructive, even in its nonsense.
"These people live close to the banks where cod are found, and but
little time is required in proceeding to the scene of their labour,
therefore there is no necessity for being in a hurry, and there is
lots of time for palaver. Every boat has an oracle in it, who speaks
with an air of authority. He is a great talker, and a great smoker,
and he chats so skilfully, that he enjoys his pipe at the same time,
and manages it so as not to interrupt his jabbering. He can smoke,
talk, and row at once. He don't smoke fast, for that puts his pipe out
by consuming his tobacco; nor row fast, for it fatigues him."
"Exactly," sais I, "but the tongue, I suppose, having, like a clock, a
locomotive power of its own, goes like one of my wooden ones for
twenty-four hours without ceasing, and like one of them also when it's
e'en amost worn-out and up in years, goes at the rate of one hundred
minutes to the hour, strikes without counting the number, and gives
good measure, banging away often twenty tunes at one o'clock.
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