The Romance of the Coast   By: James Runciman (1852-1891)

by

JAMES RUNCIMAN.

[Illustration]

London: George Bell and Sons, York Street, Covent Garden. Chiswick Press: C. Whittingham and Co., Tooks Court, Chancery Lane.

1883.

To FREDERICK GREENWOOD,

THE EDITOR OF THE James's Gazette.

DEAR SIR,

I dedicate this little book to you. When you first gave me the chance of escaping from the unkindly work of political journalism, I used to think that your treatment of efforts which I thought extremely fine, was somewhat heartless. I am glad now that I have passed under your severe discipline, and I am proud to be one of the school of writers whose professional success is due to your help and training.

I am, Dear Sir,

Yours very faithfully,

JAMES RUNCIMAN.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

AN OLD SCHOOL PILOT 1

AN UGLY CONTRAST 6

THE FISHERWOMAN 11

THE VETERAN 16

THE HEROINE OF A FISHING VILLAGE 22

THE SILENT MEN 27

THE CABIN BOY 33

THE SQUIRE 40

THE VILLAGE PREACHER 47

THE FISHER'S FRIEND 52

THE COASTGUARD 57

THE SUSPECTED MAN 63

THE RABBIT CATCHER 68

THE GIANTS 79

THE COLLIER SKIPPER 85

IN THE BAY 90

THE SIBYL 96

A VOLUNTEER LIFE BRIGADE 102

KEELMEN 107

BLOWN NORTH 113

NORTH COUNTRY FISHERMEN 118

A LONG CHASE 126

HOB'S TOMMY 131

THE FAILURE 151

MR. CASELY 169

THE ROMANCE OF THE COAST.

AN OLD SCHOOL PILOT.

At the mouth of a north country river a colony of pilots dwelt. The men and women of this colony looked differently and spoke a dialect different from that used by the country people only half a mile off. The names, too, of the pilot community were different from those of the surrounding population. Tully was the most common surname of all, and the great number of people who bore it were mostly black eyed and dark haired, quite unlike our fair and blue eyed north country folk. Antiquaries say the Romans must have lived on the spot for at least two hundred years, judging by the coins and the vast quantities of household materials unearthed; and so some persons have no difficulty in accounting for the peculiarities of the pilot colony. Speculations of this sort are, however, somewhat beside the mark. It is only certain that the pilots lived amongst themselves, intermarried, and kept their habits and dialect quite distinct. When a pilot crossed the line a hundred yards west of his house, he met people who knew him by his tongue to be a "foreigner."