Cape Breton's Magazine

would normally cut in a day!) Yes. (Does your pay change, or do you still get the $1.40?) No, no, we still got the $1.40. But, a day or two, after we were all done on that cut. And Bill MacPhee asked us, he said, "You fellows can go to the next camp, if you like. We're shutting this down. And help finish the camps." Me and Levi didn't like that idea, messing around building a camp. We liked to chop. We were real choppers. "No, we'll wait." "Well, maybe next week we'll let you know." So next day. That was Tuesday. Next day I came--no, I washed all my clothes and cleaned up. Next day I came in town. Oh, yes, my friend was in the hospital--Peter Sack. Visited Peter, and this and that. A lot of ships in Bedford Basin. And I in? quired round. I said, "Shouldn't have no trouble getting a ship." Guy told me--he happened to be an old seaman. He said, "Look, go down to the shipping office. Tell them you want to go on a ship." He said, "They'll lock the door behind you, so you won't get away!" So I went down. I asked, "Any chance of a ship out?" "Have you had any experience?" I said, "No." Said, "I have no experi? ence." There was a man standing there. I Danena's Restaurant and Take-Out LICENSED OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK ( Home Cooked Meals * Home Baking j 383-2118 SOUTH HARBOUR on the Cabot Trail near Cape North didn't know yet--he was the second engi? neer on the ship I went on. He grabbed my arm. "Oh," he said, "he'd make a good fireman. Just feel the muscles!" And they signed me off, okay! I said, "Well, let me go home. I'll be back tomorrow morning. I'll go home and get my working clothes." I had my best clothes. In fact, I had my suit on, the one I was supposed to get married in a month or two before that, but I didn't. And the captain--Patterson was his name. He was there, and the second engineer. He said, "No. You come aboard ship with us and we'll give you an advance. You'll buy your working clothes tomorrow morning. We'll be coming ashore tomorrow morning." I said, "Good enough." And then. "Well," he said, "we'll sign you on. You'll get so many pounds a month. And your pay will go on--you'11 get transport? ed back to Canada. Your pay will go on till you get back to Canada. First trans? portation back." I said, "I won't have to come on this ship?" "No, we'll pay you off in England, but your transportation will be paid back to Canada, and your pay will go on till you get back to Canada." Good enough. Sounded very good. And then this captain--shore captain--he read these articles out to me. And I couldn't understand half of what he was saying--mumbled them over, you know. "Sign here." I signed. Good. We went aboard the ship. Next morning, I went up to the bridge. And I was smoking a cigarette. Captain said, "Take that cigarette out of your mouth! Throw that overboard! You're not supposed to smoke on the bridge!" "Okay, sir. When Island Crafts The Talent of Cape Breton Knitters Is but One Example of Excellence at Island Crafts Old-Fashioned Cliarm Is Our Tradennark VISIT OUR STORE & SEE THE KALEIDOSCOPE OF TREASURES Handknit Fishermen's Sweaters - Kitchen Accessories Designer l/lohair Sweaters - Hand Carved Clan Crests Hats & Scarves for Every Age Group - Cookbooks Intricate Designs in Pottery - Hand Appliqued Quilts Ruffled Cushions - Wide Selection of Baby Items The Mad Potters Collection • Boats in Bottles A Good Selection of Local Literature The list is endless! Treat yourself to ISLAND CRAFTS! Wholesale: full line of souvenirs The Focus of Your Visit to Cape Breton, in Downtown Sydney OPEN YEAR ROUND: MONDAY TO SATURDAY, 9 TO 5; FRIDAY, 9 TO 9 539-6474 329 Charlotte Street, Sydney 564-5527 A project of Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation Un projet de la Soci6te d'expansion du Cap-Breton