NEWFOUNDLAND: Sculps & Swilers

A hard, just, God-fearing man is Abram Kean. A devout Wesleyan Methodist, he neither drinks nor swears. Even if pious Newfoundland's law did not forbid it, he would no more think of letting one of his "swilers" (sealers) crack a seal's skull on Sunday than he would think of failing to impose a 10ยข fine for any cut or tear in a seal "sculp" (fat-lined pelt) one of them brought in. He got his first schooling after he was 25 and rose to be Minister of Marine & Fisheries in his country's Cabinet....

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