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Peg's Rock
This rock is about a half hour brisk walk away from my house in Longmash, Burnt Point. There is a lot of folklore behind it and I have written my version of the story told to me about this rock.
Peg's Rock Peg's Rock Today (part one) August 4, 2008
We have a rock and a tolt in Conception Bay surrounded by folklore and legend. It is said that the tolt has the devil's footprint going up the steep side. The rock is where Peg is buried
Peg's Rock
The day was foggy as usual for the late spring. The fog swirled around in great eddies clinging damply to one's clothes. Maggie loved the fog. ... click to read morePeg's Rock Today (part one) August 4, 2008
We have a rock and a tolt in Conception Bay surrounded by folklore and legend. It is said that the tolt has the devil's footprint going up the steep side. The rock is where Peg is buried
Peg's Rock
The day was foggy as usual for the late spring. The fog swirled around in great eddies clinging damply to one's clothes. Maggie loved the fog. It muffled the harsh sounds of the wooden wheels of the horse and boxcar coming up the drung from the beach down below. The fishy odour of the capelin assaulted the nose. Everyone in the household had come down to the garden to spread the capelin on the flourishing potato plants. The potato crop was a balm to the soul as she looked with pride on each plant now about eight inches high. Even little Larry had a small bucket and Ned put a prongful of the little fish into his bucket. He jumped with the joy of seeing the little fish. He followed his mom and older brother back to the beds of potatoes and watched the adults as they put the small fish on each side of the garden beds. This was the time to fertilize the precious plants. "Be careful Larry and don't be tredin' on the potato plants. Maggie guided the smallest youngster away from the top of the potato beds and into the trench ahead of her. She showed them how to lay the little fish along the side of the bed neatly. Her brother Gerard came behind them with the shovel to cover the capelin with the soil.
After the recent years gone by back in Ireland the whole family prayed for a good crop of potatoes to feed them for the winter. "These fish are small, Joe, maybe we will be able to salt some for the coming winter months," Maggie said her thoughts out loud. Joe had heard her and agreed with a nod of his head. They both knew in their hearts and souls that this year would be different. They were in a different land. Far away from their beloved Ireland and all the troubles of the past few years. It breaks the heart to leave the old sod but that was how it had to be. He didn't have to like it, though. His conscience smote him and he felt ashamed of his thoughts. Already this land had given him some hope. The families he and his family had come over with shared a horse and a large garden to grow potatoes, cabbages and turnips and carrots. There was lots of spruce and pine to build homes. Yes, this place - Northern Bay, Newfoundland - gave them all hope for the future.
A strong sun was trying to come out and burn the heavy fog away. He heard someone balling out from the O'Flarethy's garden on the other side of the drung. Malachy was pointing to the water. Joe shielded his eyes with his hand from the bright sunshine to see well. The sun was beginning to burn the last whisps of gray fog away. There was a large ship just off shore. They could see a dory being slung over the side of the ship. Right now it dangled over the side just above the water and with a splash it was sitting on the water. Next a rope snaked through the air and fell to the water. A man climbed over the side and slid down the rope. When he reached the water's edge he pushed himself off the side of the ship with his foot and landed in the dory. He pulled the dory closer to the boat just as another man followed him down the rope. They both stood steady in the dory as a body was passed down with some ropes. The two men in the dory paying special attention to the body coming down to them managed to catch the body and secure it in the dory. Two more men joined them in the dory along with a long stretcher. Two men took the oars and started to row to shore. They were heading for potato gardens.
"It looks like murder has been done on the ship and they are coming in to bury the evidence," Maggie wondered out loud.
"Can't be, said Gerard." They would have thrown the body in the ocean. Who would have been the wiser? Must be something else outside of the law.
"Sweet Jesus", said Maggie, "we're all gonna be killed here today." She remembered another time when they had to defend themselves and were not very lucky. "Grab your weapons and arm yourselves well!" She raised her hoe in a threatening stance above her head, ready to kill the first one to come close to her. She was used to dealing with such threats, and would use anything available to defend herself.
Her brothers, Gerard and Gerald, came over to her and each took an arm and brought them down. "Wait and see what goes", said Gerard, "wait and see." There are four of them to the 12 of us and it looks like we are bigger unless they are carrying guns or knives on their person.
Dominic and Joe came over. Something's not right with this, they agreed. "Keep a watchful eye while I go hunt out some weapons if we should need them." With that they were gone to find the hunting weapons.
"Hope to God we won't have to use them," Maggie muttered.
The dory was now coming ashore up the beach. The men were scanning the banks for a path to come up on foot. They gestured to the drung leading up to the gardens directly where they were all doing their part to get the capelin on the potato beds.
Two of the men broke from the group and started walking up the drung. The other two took the body from the dory and placed it on the carrier. It looked like an old ladder with padded rungs.
They too started to walk up the beach. The first two men had reached them just after Dominic and Joe walked down to the family members.
The men greeted them with an arm stretched out with an open hand. Dominic was the first to shake hands after a quick look in the men's eyes.
They looked kind enough and did not seem to pose a threat to them.
"Ahoy there mates, a bit of trouble has followed us from Ireland and we would like to give this one her last wish.
Joe took stock of the two men as they gestured to the others to keep their distance for now. "And what pray tell is the last wish, does she have a sickness? Stay away from us with your filth and pestilence, we have no drugs to heal except wound infection."
The tallest man doffed his hat and said he was from England. They were sailing many weeks from New York. This passenger had consumption and was drawing her last breath. She had begged them to not throw her in the ocean. She wanted to be buried on land in the ground. The captain would give them until he got back from St John's to attend Peg. She had possibly another day to live.
"I thought you said Ireland," Dominic inquired, catching them in a lie.
"Yes," they both spoke at once. "We sailed from Ireland last fall and wintered in New York."
"We were taking her back to her husband. Now she won't make it. Will you allow us to grant her last and dying wish?"
"That depends, what you are planing to do with her, are you just going to leave her here to die?"
"No, no my good man we will take her farther inland just past the first rise. We want to build a temporary shelter and be with her 'til the end. We're her brothers - she's our only sister. She will join Ma in heaven, she will."
Dominic and Joe called the others over to talk this piece of information over.
"Will they stay far enough away from us? We don't need the likes of that to wipe us all out," said Malachy's wife Patricia.
"Her name is Peg, she's dying and we wish to grant her last wish. We could bury her down on the beach." His voice was so solemn, so unhappy that the tears were not far behind.
"What say we let them pass and get on with the difficult task? The two men nodded gratefully and waved the remainder of the party onwards."
They stopped when the lady on the litter had a fit of coughing. They set the litter down on the ground to attend to her. She tried to sit up and managed only to get her herself up on one arm her head bearly off the makeshift pillow.
Maggie made the sign of the cross again and again. God help this woman Peg. She was thin as a rail. Her black hair had lost its entire luster and her thin face was as white as a sheet. She coughed and her bony body was racked in great heaves. It was plain that she was on her deathbed. She settled down again after that bout of coughing.
The other two brothers picked up the make shift litter and made to continue on their way.
"Not so fast," said Maggie, "maybe we can give her a better pillow and some wood to build a fire to keep her comfortable and warm. Come Anne and help to get some things to see to her comfort."
Maggie's heart went out to the woman with the greenest eyes she had ever seen. Maggie gently put the sheepskin over her thin body. She looked in her eyes and saw an incredible kindness and thankfulness there. She was glad to have given the warm sheepskin to keep her warm. She and the children would miss the warmth of the sheepskin but it was going to a greater cause now.
The five of them started walking along the drung. In a few minutes they were out of site through the grove of spruce trees.
That night they saw the fire from the makeshift location just on top of the nearest hill. About a mile in over the barrens. No one wanted to go in for fear of catching the plague she had.
The next morning one of the men came out to the house to talk.
PEG'S ROCK TODAY (part one) August 4, 2008
Dominic and Joe are brothers
Gerald and Gerard are Maggie's brothers
Joe is married to Maggie
They have two children Larry and Ned
Malachi lives across the drung in the ... click to read morePEG'S ROCK TODAY (part one) August 4, 2008
Dominic and Joe are brothers
Gerald and Gerard are Maggie's brothers
Joe is married to Maggie
They have two children Larry and Ned
Malachi lives across the drung in the next garden with Patricia
We have a rock and a tolt in Conception Bay surrounded by folklore and legend. It is said that the tolt has the devil's foot print going up the steep side. The rock is where Peg is buried
Peg's Rock
The day was foggy as usual for the late spring. The fog swirled around in great eddies clinging damply to ones clothes. Maggie loved the fog. It muffled the harsh sounds of the wooden wheels of the horse and boxcar coming up the drung from the beach down below. The fishy odour of the capelin assaulted the nose. Everyone in the household had come down to the garden to spread the capelin on the flourishing potato plants. The potato crop was a balm to the soul as she looked with pride on each plant now about eight inches high. Even little Larry had a small bucket and Ned put a prongful of the little fish into his bucket. He jumped with the joy of seeing the little fish. He followed his mom and older brother back to the beds of potatoes and watched the adults as they put the small fish on each side of the garden beds. This was the time to fertilize the precious plants. "Be careful Larry and don't be tredin' on the potato plants. Maggie guided the smallest youngster away from the top of the potato beds and into the trench ahead of her. She showed them how to lay the little fish along the side of the bed neatly. Her brother Gerard came behind them with the shovel to cover the capelin with the soil.
After the recent years gone by back in Ireland the whole family prayed for a good crop of potatoes to feed them for the winter. "These fish are small Joe maybe we will be able to salt some for the coming winter months." Maggie said her thoughts out loud. Joe had heard her and agreed with a nod of his head. They both knew in their hearts and souls that this year would different. They were in a different land. Far away from they're beloved Ireland and all the troubles of the past few years. It breaks the heart to leave the old sod but that was how it had to be. He didn't have to like it though. His conscience smote him and he felt ashamed of his thoughts. Already this land had given him some hope. The families he and his family had come over with shared a horse and a large garden to grow potatoes, cabbages and turnips and carrots. There was lots of spruce and pine to build homes. Yes this place Northern Bay, Newfoundland gave them all hope for the future.
A strong sun was trying to come out and burn the heavy fog away. He heard someone balling out from the O'Flaherty's garden on the other side of the drung. Malachi was pointing to the water. Joe shielded his eyes with his hand from the bright sunshine to see well. The sun was beginning to burn the last whisps of grey fog away. There was a large ship just off shore. They could see a dory being slung over the side of the ship. Right now it dangled over the side just above the water and with a splash it was sitting on the water. Next a rope snaked through the air and fell to the water. A man climbed over the side and slid down the rope. When he reached the water's edge he pushed himself off the side of the ship with his foot and landed in the dory. He pulled the dory closer to the boat just as another man followed him down the rope. They both stood steady in the dory as a body was passed down with some ropes. The two men in the dory paying special attention to the body coming down to them managed to catch the body and secure it in the dory. Two more men joined them in the dory along with a long stretcher. Two men took the ores and started to row to shore. They were heading for potato gardens.
"It looks like murder has been done on the ship and they are coming in to bury the evidence." Maggie wondered out loud.
"Can't be, said Gerard" They would have thrown the body in the ocean. Who would have being the wiser? Must be something else outside of the law.
"Sweet Jesus", said Maggie," blessing herself furiously, we're all gonna be killed here today. She remembered another time when they had to defend themselves and was not very lucky. Grab your weapons and arm yourselves well. She raised her hoe in a threatening stance above her head ready to kill the first one to come close to her. She was used to dealing with such threats, and would use anything available to defend herself.
Her brothers Gerard and Gerald came over to her and each took an arm and brought them down. "Wait and see what goes", said Gerard "Wait and see". There are four of them to the twelve of us and it looks like we are bigger unless they are carrying guns or knives on their person. Yes the guns changed everything.
Dominic and Joe came over. Something's not right with this they agreed. Keep a watchful eye while I go hunt out some weapons if we should need them. With that they were gone to find the hunting weapons.
"Hope to God we won't have to use them," Maggie muttered.
The dory was now coming ashore up the beach. The men were scanning the banks for a path to come up on foot. They gestured to the drung leading up to the gardens directly where they were all doing their part to get the capelin on the potato beds.
Two of the men broke from the group and started walking up the drung. The other two took the body from the dory and placed it on the carrier. It looked like an old ladder with padded rungs.
They two started to walk up the beach. The first two men had reached them just after Dominic and Joe walked down to the family members.
The men greeted them with an arm stretched out with an open hand. Dominic was the first to shake hands after a quick look in the men's eyes.
They looked kind enough and did not seem to pose a threat to them.
"Ahoy there mates, a bit of trouble have followed us from Ireland and we would like to give this one her last wish.
Joe took stock of the two men as they gestured to the others to keep their distance for now. "And what pray tell is the last wish, does she have a sickness? Stay away from us with your filth and pestilence; we have no drugs to heal except wound infection.
The tallest man doffed his hat and said he was from England. They were sailing many weeks from New York. This passenger had consumption and was drawing her last breath. She had begged them to not throw her in the ocean. She wanted to be buried on land in the ground. The captain would give them until he got back from St John's to attend Peg. She had possibly another day to live.
"I thought you said Ireland," Dominic inquired, catching them in a lie.
Yes, they both spoke at once. We sailed from Ireland last fall and wintered in New York.
We were taking her back to her husband. Now she won't make it.
Will you allow us to grant us her last and dying wish?
That depends what you are planning to do with her, are you just going to leave her here to die.
No, no my good man we will take her farther inland just past the first rise. We want to build a temporary shelter and be with her til the end. We're her brothers she's our only sister. She will join ma in heaven she will.
Dominic and Joe called the others over to talk this piece of information over.
"Will they stay far enough away from us? We don't need the likes of that to wipe us all out said." Said Malachi's wife Patricia.
"Her name is Peg, she's dying and we wish to grant her last wish. We could bury her down on the beach, but she would rather be buried further inland. His voice was so solemn so unhappy that the tears were not far behind.
What say we let them pass and get on with the difficult task? The two men nodded gratefully and waved the remainder of the party onwards.
They stopped when the lady on the litter had a fit of coughing. They set the litter down on the ground to attend to her. She tried to sit up and managed only to get her herself up on one arm her head barely off the makeshift pillow.
Maggie made the sign of the cross again and again. God help this woman Peg. She was thin as a rail. Her black hair had lost its entire lustre and her thin face was as white as a sheet. She coughed and her bony body was racked in great heaves. It was plain that she was on her deathbed. She settled down again after that bout of coughing.
The other two brothers picked up the make shift litter and made to continue on their way.
"Not so fast said Maggie, maybe we can give her a better pillow and some wood to build a fire to keep her comfortable and warm. Come Anne and help to get some things to see to her comfort.
Maggie's heart went out to the woman with the greenest eyes she had ever seen. Maggie gently put the sheepskin over her thin body. She looked in her eyes and saw an incredible kindness and thankfulness there. She was glad to have given the warm sheepskin to keep her warm. She and the children would miss the warmth of the sheepskin but it was going to a greater cause now.
The five of them started walking along the drung. In a few minutes they were out of site through the grove of spruce trees.
That night they saw the fire from the makeshift location just on top of the nearest hill. About a mile in over the barrens. No one wanted to go in for fear of catching the plague she had.
The next morning one of the men came out to the house to talk. He looked exhausted from worry and lack of a sound night's sleep.
Maggie came out from the house and enquired about his sister. She didn't want to venture closer for fear of catching the dreaded disease. The man also kept a respectable distance, knowing the reason she shy and unforthcoming. Consumption was a killer and had the bad stigma about it because it was merciless to the rich and the poor. Something about the man's kindness towards his sister and the way he had met their party when he landed yesterday made her change her mind. She offered him some kindness. Her way to help was small a cup of her herb tae, but that is all she had and she offered it.
"Will you take some of my herbs with ya to ease her suffering?" she enquired of him. She had prepared a cloth bag full of the herbs she had found on the barrens. Her tea was soothing and comforting. Maybe his sister would find some small comfort from the aroma and taste. She placed the small bag filled with the precious herbs in his hand.
Thank you for your generous gift kind lady. I am sure my sister Peg will be very grateful to you. If there is something else where we can help you please let us know. He was about to put his hand out to shake hers and hesitated but doffed his hat instead, and told her "My name is Michael Hewitt and my brother is Thomas at your service good lady."
"Your husband missus" he enquired. "I am in need of an axe sharpener to cut some firewood." She knew that Joe had gone out on the water to check the thralls again and would be hours before he came back.
She decided to show him the to grindstone in the yard rather then send him away until Joe came home. He thanked her for her help and followed her direction.
Michael made his way back again to the rock where they had made their campsite for the duration. Thankfully she was sleeping. He knelt down beside her and held her lily white hand in his. She opened her emerald green eyes and smiled. He was lost in the smile for a minute. She no longer had the twinkle in her eyes, however they still said volumes. She put her other hand over his and tried to speak. He gently placed his index finger over his lips for fear of starting another spurt of coughing. What could he do, to help her, to ease her pain? How this thought tormented him to see her tiny body so racked with the ugliness and suffering of the blasted disease. Words failed him again as he was overcome with the emotion of seeing his only sister slipping away.
He firmed up his emotions, and held up the bag full of tae that Maggie had given him.
We will have a cuppa tae my maid. She smiled at him and nodded. At that moment Thomas came in with an armful of blasty boughs.
"By God Peg you are not gone yet, you are still her with us and I have some tea for you."
Tae for all three of us it is and he removed the kettle from the makeshift fire pit and filled a tae pot. Thomas helped Peg to get propped up better to have her tae. Maybe she would even try the tasty rabbit from this morning's meal.
She ate a couple of mouthfuls chewing slowly and washed it down with the hot tae. God help her they prayed.
That night they tended to Peg lovingly. They washed her face and hands with a cool wet cloth dipped in herbal water. They spoke gently while she slept for a short time until the coughing racked her frail body again and again. Finally she slipped away from this life as the breath was gone from her forever.
That day everyone came in and said a prayer over her grave. Wild roses were abundant and the petals were strewn over resting place. Her brothers had buried all her garments, shoes and her remains together beside this peculiar rock. Somehow it gave them comfort that the rock looked like a lion. Would they ever find it again to bring a priest to say the final blessing over her remains?
