BACK REFLECTION

a.m. the boat having weighed anchor I started with Joe and Benjamin by taking N by W & N ½ N. course until 2 p.m. when the wind worked round SW & down came the everlasting rain in torrents. There being no woods to run for shelter we soon got a thorough drenching in as cold a rain as ever fell. A 3 p.m. we reached the N west brook of La Pole which we waded knee deep & then continued for 5 miles further until meeting with a few stunted spruce trees about 5 feet high. We made a temporary shelter of boughs under which to pass the night. We were startled by several heavy claps of thunder as we were trying to kindle our wretched fire. This weather is enough to frighten a man. At 8 p.m. the wind went back northward and it cleared up. Shivering with cold we lay down on the wet ground to pass the night. I slept well however being fatigued with carrying my load (55-60 lbs) over rugged hills all day. Ahead 9 miles. Note. Some little time must be devoted to finding but an easy ascent from La Poile Bay as the rise westward is very considerable; then once the high land is mounted however it is easy country. The road would average £30 per mile to which add £50 for 2 bridges. No good land leaving La Poile.

NOV. 10TH.

Clear and cold, wind W. Travelled off W. by N. & W ½ N until we made Garia Brook about 2 miles north of the Arm. We had some trouble in crossing this gulsh as it was very deep & perfectly precipitous. We had to skirt along its edge for more than a mile before we could venture to drop from crag to crag to the water edge. We had then to break the young ice wad across slippery tor- rent middle deep and break thro the ice again on the opposite shore. The intense cold made our hearts ache, We had a tremendous hill to climb when across & continued our march until near sun down when seeing but little chance of falling in with any wood we raised a screen of small touching bushes, there being no poles even half high enough on which to rig the camp. It now commenced to snow with the wind at N.E. & we were about to enter on the climax of our sufferings. At this time we were on the summit of a very high country with barren table lands and gulshes bare of vegetation around us. About midnight we had 6 or 7 inches of snow around us and our bodies under the blankest were flush with the surface of it. This was not very bad but about midnight, the wind having veered into the S.E. the snow changed to rain and our position can be more easily imagined than described. Wet thro & shaking with cold. I sat or rather cowered down over my bag wrapped in a soaked blanket until an hour after daylight. We then with the utmost difficulty set a few green bushes on fire & warmed ourselves in the smoke. Ahead 15 miles. There appears to be some well wooded land in the Garia Bay but otherwise our march today was over desolate barrens. Our land mark after leaving La Poile was Paul’s Hill & we passed close under its SW side. The road however must run north of that eminence a mile or two & the course should be W by N.W.N. until Cape Ray bears SW as Garia Gulsh is impassible for a road where we crossed it. There will be an expense of £50 in crossing & bridging Garia Brook & the road will average £30 per mile.

NOV.

11TH.

Wind E.S.E snowing & blowing hard all day. Benjamin almost dead with cold. Improved our shelter & then lay down to sleep from pure fatigue. Miserable.

NOV. 12TH.

Awoke in the middle of a stormy night (the tilt on the same spot) wet, cold and fireless to find matters only worse. The snow was 2 feet deep & drifting heavily. At daylight Joe appeared frightened & expressed his feelings in the following significant terms. “Captain, I feel all same suppose 2 guns point at my head on this side and the other side (suiting the action with words) suppose I move a little bit this side one go off suppose I move a little bit this side the other go off”. We crouched behind our shelter holding our famished dogs in our arms for the sake of heat their bodies imparted & again at sundown lay down to live or die. Soon afterwards a perfect gale arose accompanied by sleet & snow. Chilled and numbed, at my suggestion we lashed the guns, chart case & a few small sticks together and threw our silk tent over them and crept under to avoid that piercing pitiless storm. Another such night and this would finish Benjamin & go very hard with Joe & myself altho’ in truth I may say that notwithstanding I had not on my inside flannels (not having ever worn such an article of clothing) I stood it better than Joe. Whilst under the flapping wet silk the following dialogue took place between Joe & myself. Joe What you say Captain, give up? G. What do you say Joe? J. Suppose you say give up we go down land not stick bread, meat. G. I never said “give up” Joe in my life & won’t now. (long pause) Captain? Yes. You, not white man your father must be Indian. We call you Cap- tain no more you are “Waabeck Albino”. Then it was that I obtained the name of the “White Indian” among the Micmac & interior tribes of Newfoundland. Well! Said Joe in conclusion ,”Suppose fine tomorrow, we try him” He would not say he gave up before a pale face.

NOV. 13TH.

Awoke at dawn of day by the convulsive coughing of Benjamin to find matters outside about the same. In desperation we set fire to our shelter in order to get a last warn & a cup of tea, packed up and fared westward. After one or two falls Joe stopped short turned around & said emphatically “No man able to go ahead now, near cape more snow than here. At this time Cape Ray was visible thro an occasional break in the flying mist & was about 13 or 14 miles distant. Inspired by the sight I was terribly anxious to reach it, asked Joe if he could plough thro it if was to give him a £20 reward. Another plunge into a snow bank brought forth this following ejaculation. “suppose you give me two thousand pounds Weabeck, me not able!” Without a word no sustain a yoke of oxen we made rapid progress in the direction of Garia Bay. We marched for 2 hours thro some very fine groves of beach and spruce before reaching salt water. As we looking for a place to encamp for the night I discovered a snug little winter tilt which we unceremoniously took possession of. Inside we found pots, kettles, pork, flour, tea, sugar, and salt fish. This was a perfect God send to us as it was now snowing hard again & another cold night under the tent was a thing not to be tho’t of with indifference. We were so very near to the end of our survey that I at one time meditated making snow shoes & proceeding on. Joe however informed me that a line of road could readily be made between Burnt Island brook & the Cape and as our boat’s charter is already 3 days up & the men’s wages running on I tho’t it hardly worth while going to any further expense in this matter especially as I knew from the past stormy weather that our boat must of necessity still be where we left her. Ahead 2 Miles.

Note. Garia Bay is the best wooded spots have yet visited & there are some good natural meadows & some very fine spots of land in the neighbourhood. The road hence to the Cape will average £30 per mile to which add £150 bridging 5 more brooks I should like to visit this spot again.

NOV. 14TH.

A tolerable night in a bunk a foot shorter than my body & up and off soon after daylight. The bay was covered with ice about ½ an inch thick so that we could neither walk on it or make use of a flat bottomed boat which we found away in the bushes. We therefore picked our way along the rough beach until we reached the N.W. brook. Here Joe proposed making a raft but I set that idea aside by plunging in up to the middle and forcing a passage across amidst ice an immense boulders of granite around whose edges sharp plates of ice we congealed which made the passage long an dangerous as the current was very strong. The water was not luke warm by any means. After crossing the tide drove us up into the hills again & it was 3p.m. before we came in sight of the houses on Garia Point. When on the high land we saw a large boat beating to windward some 4 miles off shore which Joe pronounced to be the “United Brothers”. The sight was so inspiriting that we ran at an Indian trot for the last 2 hours. The instant we reached the settlement I jumped into a boat & put out to sea in pursuit of the craft we had seen. After hours sailing & pulling I fired 2 shots which were instantly answered by the vessel & in a few minutes I was again on the welcome deck of the “United Brothers”. It was an extraordinary piece of good fortune thus to catch her. We shot 3 ptarmigan close to the houses, the severe weather having driven them out near the salt water. We put up at the house of Mr. John Smith an industrious & kind man. An old man of the name of Baker is the patriarch of the place & the tilt in which we passed the last night belongs to him. Altho’ near 80 years of age & rich this old gentleman still attends to his salmon nets and otter traps frequently staying a week by himself in his little hunting hut. Smith is well off, he and his 2 men having taken 400 quintals of cod during the summer fishing alone. Wind W. with snow.

NOV. 15TH.

Calm until noon when a light breeze sprang up from the westward. We put to sea & about 2 p.m. just as the wind died away reached La Pole. On landing I was met by the Rev’d Mr. Appleby (Protestant Minister) who took me to his house where I was treated with greatest hospitality. His kind English Lady together with the home comforts of his bedroom made me for a while forget our recent hardships. I met the Rev’d Mr. Bowland of Channel, Mr. Clemont (the manager of the Jersey establishment) & Mr. Reid of the Custom House to all of whom I am indebted for their kindness. During