[Illustration: St. John’s, the capital city of Newfoundland, sits high on a hill overlooking the land-locked harbour. It is the centre of the fishing industry, and the commercial metropolis of the island. Its atmosphere is distinctly British.] St. John’s is not quite as large as Portland, Maine, but it is the chief city of Newfoundland and the centre of the fishing trade. The whole country has only about a quarter of a million inhabitants. It is as though the people of Toledo formed the total population of the state of Ohio. The Newfoundlanders are a mixture of English, Irish, and Scotch, with an occasional trace of French. The original Indian inhabitants have practically all disappeared. Most of the people worship at the Church of England, though Catholics also are numerous. Both denominations have cathedrals at St. John’s, the Catholic edifice being especially conspicuous as viewed from the harbour. The Methodist Church is well established, and there is a sprinkling of Congregationalists. Education in Newfoundland is sectarian, each church receiving a grant from the government for the support of its schools. There is much rivalry between the churches, especially in the villages, but I am told that some of the Protestants send their children to Catholic schools, considering them better. The sons and daughters of well-to-do people usually go to England to complete their education. CHAPTER III AROUND ABOUT ST. JOHN’S Come with me for a drive around St. John’s. We can hire a touring car of almost any make, but for novelty we choose a one-horse open coach. The grizzled driver tells us times are dull with him just now, the taxis getting most of the trade, but that he will have the best of it in December, when the cars are laid up until spring on account of the snow. St. John’s has an average of about four feet of snow in a season, but I have seen pictures of the streets snowed in to the roofs of the houses. The thermometer rarely falls below zero, but once the snows begin, the ground is covered until April. The chief business street of St. John’s is strung out for a mile or more just back of the wharves. It is lined on both sides with three- and four-story wood and brick buildings. Among the most modern is the home for sailormen built by the Doctor Grenfell mission of Labrador fame. Though the store windows look bright and attractive, many of the shops are tiny affairs, and the street seems more English than American. I notice many branches of Canadian banks, which monopolize the banking business of Newfoundland. Contrary to the belief of many Americans, Newfoundland politically is no more a part of Canada than it is of New Zealand. It is a separate dominion of the British Empire, to which its people are enthusiastically devoted, having more than once refused to be federated with Canada. They will tell you that the name of their country is pronounced with the accent on the last syllable--New-found-_land_.