HAULIN' ROPE & GAFF: SONGS AND POETRY IN THE HISTORY OF THE NEWFOUNDLAND SEAL FISHERY. by Ryan, Shannon and Small, Larry - 1978

St. John's, Newfoundland: Breakwater, 1978. 176 pp, large 8vo (9 1/2" H). B&w photographs, maps, some music notation. "This collection is an attempt to bring together from various sources songs from Newfoundland's sealing tradition. In some instances we have included more than one version of the same song. This was done to give readers some understanding of the composition process and the changes which occur when songs and stories are transmitted from one person to another - these songs are historical documents and as such they enable us to learn more about the sealing industry; it is for this reason that the songs have been arranged in a rough chronological order. (T)he songs are also an expression of a fundamental part of our cultural heritage." Includes: Come All ye Jolly Ice-Hunters; Ferryland Sealer; Terra Nova Seal Fishing; Captain Bill Ryan left Terry Behind; Trinity Bay Tragedy; The Wreck of the 'Maggie'; The 'Greenland' Disaster (7 versions); The Sealer's strike of 1902; Captain Bob Bartlett; The Spring of the Wadhams; The 'Newfoundland' Disaster (2 versions); Captain Frederick Harris and The Grates Cove Seal Killers of 1915; The Cooks of Torbay; Cotton's Patch (2 versions); Mrs. Mullowney was three weeks in bed since she ate the fipper stew; Arctic Ice and Flippers; etc., etc. Three tiny dints/scuffs on front board, minor edgewear. Dust jacket has very light edgewear/wrinkling, a few tiny light scuff marks, light rubbing, small closed tear and tiny closed tear, slight fading to spine colour.. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good-.