Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-10-25

/ WY We o"N~ a@"'S oSay Co Val ohVi '
the day after we crossed Gaspe Bay,
which was Friday, the 23rd of
August. Had we noticed we could
have seen that S. K. wind was travel
ing in scuds, and that it's calm mo-
ments were hoax, and that these
scuds were oftener and heavier since
the wind began.
But we didn't observe, rose like
two dutiful children instead of wise
ones, on that oath of August and
prepared to leave. Scarcely breath
of wind was blowing, only big roll
was on. The southern side of the
Bay loomed up six miles over. We
rode like duck for an hour on the
swell, when a breeze came over s. E.,
fresh and freshening every moment,
sharpening those seas into combing
mountains of water. Experience has
taught us that we can't run from a
gale Of wind in the Dipper, so we
placed our feet firmly in the chocks,
made few remarks and prepared to
run. And run we did In three
hours We set hot psce for shore,
losing strokes only when we had to
bail and when the use of our oars
was lost IN the sea. 1t so happened
that we were in splendid physical
condition, to which we unquestion-
ably owe our continued existence.
When we finally landed on the
rocky shore about Swo o'clock in the
afternoon, we just seemed to have
strength enough to drag ourselves
out of the boat, carrying the anchor
with us, when we lay down heavily
on the solid rocks. And 1 believe
had feather bed been twenty-five
yards father on we 'sould have stayed
on the rocks in preference to walking
the intervening distance.
And now we enter the historic Bay
de Chaleur. The sun shines bright
against that picturesque stone guar
dian, Natures monument to the Bay
de Chaleur, Perce Rock, on this
Sunday morning. The bay stretches
away before us as we proceeded on
our journey, hiding with lis broad
ness the New brunswick shore. The
Quebec land Isn ahead on our STAR
board In broken line Of mountains.
The passage across the Bay de
Chaleur was marked by two note
worthy occurrences-the kindness of
the elements and the kindness of
Captain Moses Davis. The day was
calm, and We gained confidence as it
wore on. AT noon we rushed upon
a fishing boat drifting with the tide.
The mate at the wheel called the
captain to look at the Dipper. The
captain came on deck, asked us to
come aboard and helped us over his
rail. "My name is Moses Davis" he
said, "come aud have some dinner
with Davis of Quebec"
We looked him up and down and
accepted his offer. If John were to
see that sentence he would say that
We accepted his offer first because we
had nothing but cold lunch aboard
the Dipper, and We were hungry.
| Now, just word about that dinner,
if you please. 1t consisted of potato
hash and tea. What the host had in
it | am not going to tell, but it was
good. With the tea we received q
spoonful Of molasses in lieu of sugar
Now you may size up the rest. The
captain and the mate and ourselves
sat down and the meal started. The
braggadocio air of Captain Moses
Davis was astounding. He told us
yarns and he was the hero. The
fact of the matter was he was very
much interested in himself and VIZ
were very much interested in the
hash, and l don't think we have done
a cleverer piece of work since we hav,
been on the trip than keeping his
interest on himself and off the dinner
When we arose from the cockpit tn,
; boiler was empty, and if 1 am no
very much deceived the captain
thought he ate his share, wherein b,
was mistaken.
"Boys," he said, when we wer
leaving, 81 have fished on the Miscal
Banks for thirty years, and my mat
here has seen sixty summers, bu
never have either of US seen a boa
r as small as yours attempt to cross tn
Bay de Chaleur."
e A few days of uneventful trave
: bring us to N. e. storm just befor
t entering the Northumberland Strait
e We ran up near a sand beach an,
t threw the anchor overheard to wal
" and see if the darkened heavens wer
g going to become darker still. 1t wa
n one o'clock in the afternoon. Cloud
e continued to roll on clouds, and W
e landed. A gale was on us in fiftee
It minutes, and We were in the midst O
n rain and sand. In sheer desperatio
e we wrapped snugly in our sleepin
haoa and went to slean Dnrino fb