New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-27

| ness cOuld not DC SURPASSED. FROM MIGRANTS dis
tributed throughout the city the water can bo
thrown, in Of fire. the highest buildings
thus giving unusual security against the destroy.
| ing element.
Beyond Windsor Lake we entered on ths
gradual descent TO Portugal Cove, till at sudden
turn of the road Conception Bay. in all its
beauty burst into view. The atmosphere was 50
clear that from the height where we paused we
could take in the whole scene at a glance-Great
and Little Belle Isle, the whole range of the
northern shore, twenty-five miles distant, and the
lonely rocky isle Of Baccaieu in the dim distance
at the mouth Of the bay. The professor was en-
raptured. After half an hour spent In the quaint
little fishing village, with its wooden houses
nesting in the clefts OF the rocks, admiring the
great overhanging cliffs, the huge boulders scat
tered all around, and the pretty little waterfall
which tumbles the rocks into the sea, we
took departure for Torbay a fishing-villsge
on the Atlantic, by cross-road which greatly
shortens the distance.
AS we were leaving Portugal Cove we passed
a poor blind man who asked us for a stick Of
tobacco, in weak and tremulo6s accents and IL
is needless 10 say he got the equivalent Of several
sticks" His tale was a sad one. He was over
seventy years of age he had been forty springs
to the ice"-that is, he had for forty years braved
Of the icefelds had so affected his eyes that he
became stone blind. Here was a poor conscript
brother who for us had been toiling and carrying
heavy burdens; and all MANNED and poverty
stricken--the vision of this beautiful world blot
ted out TO him forever-he spending
his last days in loneliness, Indulgence and dark
ness. As l looked into his thin, toil-worn face
and sightess eye-balls, thought what hard lot
blS--hOw
how little from the overfowing abundance Of tie
rich would comfort him now and smooth his
passage to the grave
TOrbay is a picturesquely situated village the
cottages scattered over wide area-hardly two
of them together, but all presenting the appear
ance OF neatness cleanliness and comfort. The
people are thrifty and industrious. Formerly it
was not so, and the change for the better has
been largely owing TO the enlightened and indie
fatigable labors of the Rev. Father
Clarke, the Roman Catholic priest Of the
village, nearly the whole of whose inhab-
itants are under his spiritual oversight
He has erected schoolhouses OF superior
description, and established an excellent system
of education for the young, and night schools
for adults. He has built a spacious and CON-
modous temperance hall in which Lectures, con-
certs, etc, given he has also built beautiful
church. nunnery and cergyman's residence. lie
has taken a lead in the promotion of Temperance,
and the bulk Of the fishermen have become total
abstainers. The transformation wrought under
his influence has been marvellous. Agriculture
has extended, and the people combine farming and
fishing TO a greater extent than elsewhere. ard
are in consequence in more comfortable cir
cumstances. The professor and 1 paid our re-
spects TO Father Clarke, and met with a most
cordial welcome. He is man Of culture and
refnement-kindly, genial and hospitable
From Torbay we wended our way back by
Middle Cove, Outer Cove and Logic Bay. The
coast scenery along this route could hardly 10
surpassed.
During our long and pleasant drive, Professor
BckmoTe gave me an outline of his excursion
along the Newfoundland and Labrador coasts, and
also favored me with his views and impressions
Of the country and its inhabitantS. | Inquired
first Of all, what he thought Of the Dido cod
and lobster hatchery, TO which, soon after his
arrival, he paid visit. ! gathered from ms
reply that his opinion of the establishment and
all it's arrangements was highly favorable; that
in Mr.. Nielsen we have all expert thoroughly
qualified for his work, whose knowledge, ex-
periencc and industry eminently fit him for his
office as superintendent of our fisheries, aud whose
services of great value TO the country In
regard to tie artificial propagation OF goldfish
carried on at Dido, he said
"You are engaged in the solution of problem
of moment0us Importance, not only 20 Newfound-
land, but to the world at large; and | am Of
opinion that you will be able 70 conduct il 10
successful issue. You have advantages for the
artificial multiplication Of cod in Newfoundland
which exist nowhere else TO such an extent Your
magnificent sheltered bays, with their pure water
of great salinity, present the very best localities
for Matching the cod and for their growth dur
ing the earlier period Of their existence. The sue
cess Mr. Nielsen has already achieved gives
abundant warrant for prosecuting the enterprise
till all doubts are removed. 1t deserves tne
cordial support Of the Government and the coun-
try. As 10 the possibility Of propagating HOLSTERS
by the hundred million and restoring and sus-
tanning the fishery, that has been demonstrated,
and Mr. Niesen's ingenious invention OF floating
incubatoTs deserves the highest praise. Dido
hatchery is admirably and economically managed.
| have had an opportunity OF examining the
whole coast Of this great fishing country, from
Cape Race to Main, the most northern OF the Mo
ravian mission stations l have been deeply
impressed with the enormous value OF the
and the development of which your fisheries are
capable. | am not prepared to give an opinion
regarding your mineral wealth or agricultural ca
liabilities; but whatever these may prove to be,
they will never compare, in value and importance,
with your magnificent fisheries. Ny advice would
be, guard your fisheries and bring science To bear
on their protection and development. Your Fish
cries Commission is q step in the right direction
All else should ne secondary 70 the protection and
restoration of these precious silvery quarres OF the
sea. Your true wealth is and must ever be in the
precious things OF the deep which Providence has
bestowed in such profuSon on your encompasslns
waters. These gifts can see have been sadly
abused. II is FOR a generation wiser than its pro
decesSors to recfy the mistakes and abuses of the
past"
Such In effect were the weiglty utterances OF
Professor Bickmore. In a subsequent talk ! asked
him what was his opinion of the country after the
extensive tour he had made rs regards It's attTao-
tons as a summer resort for tourists The sub
stance of his reply that in rgard 70 beauty
and grandeur Of scenery, health giving climate and
general attractiveness for those whose energies
have been lowered by city life, and who seek 10
recuperate few countries could surpass Newtound-
land But he added. it is not sufficiently known.
The way Of reaching il has not been duly pub
lished and proper accommodation for tourists Ia
places outside OF St. Johns has yet to be provided
guide-book fully illustrated in which its attrac-
lions should be- set FORTH and information such rs
tourists require should be given at length. Many
hundreds OF Americans would each season find the,
future if proper steps are taken Newfoundland
may become one of the most popular summer
snrfs In addition TO fine SCENERY and nnre air.