New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-09-17
ruE coAsr or NEWFOUNDLAND.
v>css cas Special Correspondent
Orr CARR RACs, (New@sn''""sJ
x,,S,,x Aus. IA. txS 1


49,. .,s Yesterday mornisg was ~ splendidly
slear a. an Arctic midsummer. We sailed nc
>~,,n two hemispheres Of blue, famed by
lind which was tonic to both soul and body
I'VE cniy vspor which blurred the horizon was
xksse, 6lmy band, lying over The coast OF New
ksndlsna, dead ahead. l saw the faint blue
Lsem cf land early in the morning, when u must
Nave been between thirty and forty miles dis
A.st, but the outline Of the coast was not very
Nstiact until about Q O'Clock. immediately
after breakfast there were religious services in
sAe after cabin--prsyers by the Rev. Dr. sP Jog
and Mr.. Sherwood. ana sermon by Mr.. Field
Al hour or more passed in the performance oil
this duty, and when we assembled to the deck
we were rapidly nearing the long line OF bold,
barren hills. Cape Ray, the extreme south
western point of the island was on our lefi, ris'
inc from the sea 10 lofty conical peak, which
was separated by u brosd natural gap from the
nesntain.wall, 1900 feet in hight, which rose
INLAND. behind the southern coast. The aspect
of this shore was sublime in its very bleakneSs.
Not tree was TO be seen, and the gray of its
heary rocks was but partially vailed by the
sysss and stunted shrubs cOaxed into life by the
shor, Summer of this latitude.
Our pilot headed directly for Port-au1-Basqnes,
our destination but to the eye the coast presented
q long line of iron rocks, without any apparent
place Of shelter Even after We had made out the
struggling huts of the fishermen along the bro" OF
the cliffs and seen their tanned sails creeping out
side the line of snow white surf there was no sign
of a hsrbor, such as our chart indicated. Our
little pilot, however knew the ground, and when
he had brought us within half a mile of the gray
rocks, we saw the narrow mouth of the harbor on
their right. The hue of the water showed deep
seundincs everywhere, and we ran securely INTO
the port. which was deserted, except by fishing
boat that put out 10 meet us. The bark Sarah l..
Brant which sailed from Liverpool on the I'd OF
July with the submarine cable on board, had
not arrived We were too coon for our errand,
and the chiefs of the company immediately decided
TO leave for st. Johns, after communicating with
the shore. The steamer was ordered to lie in the
mouth Of the harbor, while Mr.. Cooper, MIR. Field,
Mr. sluyter Capt. Turner and two or three 9TH
ers took the fishing smack and put oil Tor the
village.
seized this chance of putting my foot on New
foundland soil. Wejumped into a rough but very
servicesble boat of native manufacture, manned
BY two Oarsmen-stOut, lusty fellows, with red
checks tanned breasts, and clear, honest, cheerful
eyes Half way to the shore fOur-oared boat
met us, with Mr.. Canning, the engineer of the
Mediterranean Submarine Telegraph, on board.
He had come from England specially 70 supern-
tend the laying of the cable to Cape Breton, and
had already been two weeks at Portau-Basques.
He is quite young mao, but active and resoute
IN appearance. He informed us that the little
steamer Victoria, chartered by the Company, had
left for st. Johns the day before. The fisherman
stated that on Thursday night and Friday they had
experienced the heaviest gale known in the Sum-
mer season for period of twenty years--the same
which kept us all night outside Of Halifax.
We passed behind the piles of gray weather
beaten rocks, which we now saw formed an island,
called Cham ell Head by the bOatmen. The water
was full of floating kelp Of great size, and the oars
and rudder frequently became tangled in it. In
the narrow strait between the rocks and the main
land the water was shallow, showing a rich and
brilliant vegetation. The rocky bottom was COW
cred with moses of the purest emerald, pur.
pie, k-red and amber hues, over which dragged
the long orange stems, and thin, giutnOus ruies OF
fbe kelp. But now we approach ed the village,
whose one-stOry wooden houses began to stud the
bluff, grassy knobs. Further back, in higher
mounds, were groups ofthe inhabitants principally
women, who seemed to be watching US. We
sprapg ashore on some rocks, climbed the HILL
despite the fshy odors which saluted us, and were
in the village of Portaux-Basques.
1t was one of the queerest places in the world
Fancy line OF the toughest mounds or knobs,
formed of marshy soil sprlDkled with bouders of
gneiss or some kindred rock, and flung together
IL the most confused and irregular manner pos
sible. Drop a square, clapboarded, veteran hut
here and another there, with studied avoidance
Of order; stack qanties of dried Goldfish, after the
manner of hay-cocks, in any convenient place
infuse q smell of sated fish into the air and smell
OF cooked fish into the huts add few handsome
dogs some stalwart specimens of men, and chill
dren each of whom would furnish vitality for four
New. Yorkers,-and you have the prominent fea-
lures of the place. Where there were no rocks,
there was swamp, even on The h-tops, and where
the grass and weeds had bridged over the oozy
soil il was as elastic beneath our feet as floor
Of India-rubber The vegetation was that of Spring
and Autumn combined the golden ranunculds was
in blossom beside the aster and the golden rod the
delicate blue harebell grew beside the white
Towering elder-bush; the fragrant vernal grasses
scented the air (n places distant from tish); and
the azure iris, or fear-de-is, grew in thick beds
between the rocks.
The village contains bet yeeu seventy and hun
dred houses, which are scattered along the knobs
for distance of three-qusrters of mile. These
knobs are separated by ravines, two of which are
crossed by wooden bridges There are foOt-paths
branching in all directions, but saw nothing like
a regular road Near the center Of the place ut
the head of the sheltered cove, there is q large
two story building for the storage of fish. A hag
staff behind il had the English and American en-
signs hoisted together. Hereabouts the stacks of
dried fish were very plentiful. was forcibly TO
minded of the description of the Norwegian fish
market at Lofoden, in Mugges romance off, At
"rsja." Some of the houses were painted white
or dark red but the greater part showed the dingy
leaden hue of the native wood There was neither
tavern, church nor store to be seen, but we were