Farewell Eyes!

Art Wicks

Art Wicks is one of the best known fishermen in Newfoundland. He is often heard on radio open line shows talking about the fishery. Here is one of his memories of living in Port Nelson, Bonavista Bay.

THIS IS A REALLY TRUE STORY. Now, up in the other bottom, in the other little cove, the first man to inhabit that was a man by the name of Uncle George White.

Uncle George White came over from Greenspond and at that time, he used to sell wine in jars. It was really common in those days.

Then the law said that you had to go two miles inland before you could sell any wine. So, Uncle George White had to go two miles inland, to a place called John White's Mesh. That's where he built this wine factory. People who came over from Greenspond or anywhere, they had to walk in there, two miles in the country.

Anyway, Uncle George was a real wine drinker himself. At that time, I think our doctor was Doctor Jamieson, one of the early doctors. Uncle George went over and the doctor found something wrong with him.

His eyes weren't all that good and the doctor told him, "You're drinking too much wine. If you drink any more wine you'll go blind."

Uncle George didn't give a damn. If he didn't say goodbye to his drinking, he would lose his eyesight. What was more important?

He turned to the doctor and said, "Farewell eyes!"