Labrador Odyssey

"Ronald Rompkey Labrador Odyssey is a fascinating personal and photographic account of a brief summer visit to Britain's first colony, the harsh and unforgiving territory north of Newfoundland. In a quiet and unassuming style, the region comes to life through the private voice and vision of Eliot Curwen, a young idealistic medical missionary. Curwen's account, ostensibly written for his sisters back home, is rich with both observation and insight, providing stories and anecdotes on the flora, fauna, and grim weather of the region. It is this quiet hush of confidences that gives the journal its immediate appeal, suggesting much about the nature of Victorian leisure activities, as well as the sheer philanthropic motives lying behind such a grueling adventure."