The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-19
ENJOYING A VACATION
UNDER FRENCH FLAG
I'm NORTH AMERICA
Delightful St. Pierre, the Breton Fishing Village,
"Icrty-f five Hours From Broadway" Is
Mine of the Unusual and Picturesque
for the Recreation Seeker

W i'pSlpHs tneTc I DOardpd
| small steamer bound for Halifax. n. s..
1t was the middle Of July when I
sailed. The weather was summary In
the extreme. When I asked for a bath
on the steamer whimsically minded
cockney steward replied: "a barth
sir! There amt none on board this
ere boat. But you really don't need
one. sir. Coin north we strikes pretty
cool temperatures you know and you
really don't need a barth."
| had expected to get some kind of
passage to st. Pierre from Halifax, but
discovered when | got there that |
would have to Journey up to Sydney
for vessel on arriving by train at
| sydney | found that owing to dispute
between the French authorities at st.
Pierre and the owners of the smelly
little steamer that usually made the
| trip the regular service was tied up in
definitely and the only possible way To
get to my destination was by taking
steamer to Port aux Basques and
| then hiring fishing vessel to Grand
| Bank and motor boat for the remain
Ing twenty milo stretch Of water be-
tween that point and st. Pierre.
| mention these details to warn any
| adventurous souls who read this from
/ attempting the trip without first finding
out definitely whether there is direct
service. Instead of reaching St Pierre
ON the third day after leaving Boston
! got there on the nth. grim, determined
| tired and trying to encourage myself
| with philosophical reflections. But
twenty-four hours in St. Pierre was to
me more than ample reward for every
disappointment. delay and discomfort
endured in getting there To the bored
Ame rican tourist who has been in the
habit of spending his annual two weeks
land his surplus CASH at some adver-
tsed seaside. mountain or lake resort a
trip To st. Pierre is as the sweet sea
breeze after a stuffy, steam heated
| drawing room.
Imagine a picturesque Breton fishing
village set down in North America with
all its native charm and naturalncss.
and you have st. Pierre. To me 1t was
far more delightful than Breton VIII
lage in Brittany Itself. because in Brit
tany you expect Breton village.
whereas in North America it has the
joy Of the unexpected added to its in
trinsic charm. S.. Pierre is as abso-
lutely French as IL 1t Wore twelve miles
from Marseiles instead of twelve miles
from Newfoundland.
on the wharvcs you see red capped
blue bloused fisherman with all the
swagger of their profession marking
their gait. Here and there. coloring the
ensemble with their gold lace and str!k.
ing uniforms the gendarmes Imported
from France, please understand stroll
along the cobbled streets. Worthy citi.
zens sip their various concoCtions al
small round tables placed outside the
cafes.
The whole sc,,ne Is for all the world
like the second act of the average
American musical comedy supposed tC
interpret a certain phase Of French
life.
The French Government even sends
"A Governor direct from France to rul,
this last remaining possession of whar
was once the great empire of New
France, which extended from the st
Lawrence away down to the Mississippi
st. Pierre has n population Of 5000
regular inhabitants. I say regular
advisedly because every spring thi.
number takes a sudden jump to 90 900
These hordes are all fishermen who com,
from France for the annual fishing a
st. Pierre, which Is the centre of tn
great French cod fishing industry an,
where from April TO October each YEA
cod is king.
Your first step on the island leaves n,
room for doub, as 70 what It's chief in
dustry Is. OF all the persistently lin
gering doors II has been my smelful lo
20 remember. that possessed by dryinl
Goldfish is by all odds the most unforget
tably Clingsome. Wherever you go yo,
see acres and acres glstening snow
white with piles Of drying fish. II i
the chief support directly and indi
rectly. Of every one In St. Pierre an,
the neighboring islcts.
When the fishing boats arrive in por
with their cargoes Of cod already spill
and sailed the fish are thrown int
crates and submerged until all the sal
has been soaked out of them. The
begins the cleaning process, in whicI
} only women and boys engage When tn
fish are ready for drying they sprea
them over the stony beaches to dry
and smell.
was told that the best Goldfish ar
those that have been dried the most. bu
. | was well content to believe this with
, out tasting one. BY the way, you ca
, hardly induce Pierrols To cook or ca
, Goldfish. Familiarity has evidentl
bred the same contempt in him for
; cod as The Australian farmer has for
rabbit.
During the fishing season St. Pierr
presents very lively, active appear
ance. The cafes tand their name is L.
gionD seem to be filled continuousl
from morning to night, and judgin
V from what l saw almost daily on III
d streets, many Of their patrons We're ais
g Those who go down to the sea in shiI
/ are thirsty souls the wide world owe