Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1891-12-12


Newfoundland. 1t
ysas already late in the season, and if
those sehooners delayed there much
longer they would have to remain all
winter, rs there is no navigation there
after the autumnal storms begin; the
3iRrIlors are few and the entire coast
Is rocky, one great cliff, offering not
shelter, but only destruction.
Yes, 1t was high time for those six
srti0oners to start for home. The
wind was at the northeast and fair
DOR el'en, although the sky was over
cast, and out in the gulf it was doubt
1ess blowing hard But if they could
once get clear OF the land before the
wind shifted to the west, as it was sure
TODD, they could manage to work their
way home Anyway. this was their
chance, and they had to risk it. He
rriss goes to sea must be ready to take
risks No fair weather sailor ever sue
eesticd in his vocation.
,Tiiesix schooners started in a bunch,
gard the rapid current, with the litfuI
sqsssilts, took them past the narrows
into tine middle OF the Bay OF Islands.
Had dlse wind held they would have
cleared the laad long before night.
but the tremendous cliffs which sur
rounded them often shut of the wind,
viii.-ii would again sweep out OF the
marrow gulches with the quickness
and force OF q canuon-ball Under
the vast cliffs OF Blamidan the squalls
and cclms were exceedingly trying.
What made the matter worse the
wind WAS gradually shifting to the
-ssuutF, wf,ich showed that it was
working around to the west, the very
tim. the shippers OF the little fleet
ni0st dreaded.
I.tteIn the afternoon the schooners
fOutsd themselves near Ouibai, or
Guernsey island, an inaccessible rock
I,3oO feet high. which stands lust in
che entrance Of the Bay Of Islands.
Jt,creIs "a passage on either side, al
though the southern channel is pre-
GeFycd- The question Tor eachcaptain
to decide now was which passage to
stlI..t. From habit as much as any
re- nm I've of the schooners took the
southern passage. The Sea Foam
toos the northern channel, and the
ss.lrsponers parted never to meet again.
Every one of these five scliooners
aEere lost that night with all on board
Hack Fowler was on the Sea Foam.
HIS father was captain and part own
or of the stanch little clipper He was
as smart a man as ever sailed q
schooner on the Gull OF Lawrence.
IL was the custom at the open
u1g of the sea- OH to Toad
aTY gsis vessel with motions" ard start
ON n Trading cruise on the coast OF
Newfoundland. In the hold were bar
reels OF Hour, kerosene oil rice, oat-
meal fishing nets and the like. The
calm was fitted with shelves like a
country grocery store, and it was
packed with ginghams, sea boots, oil
coats, wooden caps, hoods, thread and
needles, looking glusses, combs and
brushes, fish-hooks, cheap dolls, Jews
harps, acoordions, plug tobacco, three
S1S-z-cent cigars, and i'm fact, every
gte0f knick-knack likely to be needed
ihy the simple folk in that out-of-the.
way corner Of the world. There was
also good store of poor tea and ardent
spirits. On dropping anchor in port
Captain Fowler would hire the largest
available room and give a dance that
would be the sensation Of the season
In Che settlement Thus pleasant
understanding would come about and
a. brisk trade would follow; he took
his pay chiefly in salt fish.
The trade that year had been good
and the hold OF the Sea Foam was
Seii loaded. There was good store
OF silver in the captain's chest as well,
iRnd he looked forward with lively sat.
dissection to comfortable winter at
4iame with his family. He had
zsever stayed as late as this in
Newfoundland, perhaps because he
had n larger vessel than usual and
more goods to dispose of. 1t was
Intensely dark when the Sea Foam
fsEaIly cleared the vast, vague mass
af Guernsey Island, whose head was
wrapped in driving scud. There was