Cape Breton's Magazine

was a dipsy lead. And it would weigh maybe 8, 10 pounds. It was heavy. It was lead. They let it run. On a long cord. And he had the dipsy lead. So he soaped the end of the lead--it was full of soap. S-O- A-P. Do you know what that was for? Well, I told you the dipsy lead was very heavy. Bang--it's down on the bottom. You've got your chart there. And the chart tells you what kind of bottom is here and there. Is it mud bottom, is it rocky bottom, is it gravel--whatever it is, chart tells you. So he let it go, measured the bottom. He knew how much water was there, exactly. Hauled it back. And when he hauled it back, you've got the bottom there. You'd know whether it was gravel bottom or whether it was mud or whatever it was, be? cause it stuck in the soap. So the Frenchman hauled the lead back, looked at the ass of the lead. Said, "Okay." Took the wheel, spun it around, put it on the course there. That was about 2, 3 o'clock in the evening. So about 10 o'clock that night--there was a good smart breeze all afternoon, all day. About 10 o'clock that night, my father and George were back at the wheel. Old French? man came on deck, came back, took the wheel. Told my father and George, "Go on the lookout. Go forward." Blowing in the breeze, he had all the rags on her. Father and George went up in the bow. And after he was there for awhile, George said, "Ha, ha, I don't know what we're looking for, boy," he said. "We'll never see no goddamn land there!" He said, "There's no land ahead of us to be seen." "Well." Father said, "that's what he wants us to do. He wants us to watch, watch for the light." My father said he was there about maybe 20 minutes. And he thought he saw a light--a glow of a light right ahead. Dead ahead. Cape Breton Tours operated by Briands Cabs Ltd. ( Discover the Beauty of Cape Breton ) Cabot Trail Miners' Museum Cape Breton Fortress Highlands 564-6200 louisbourg right clear of the bowsprit. Said he watched for awhile. By and by, saw it again. You know what a revolving light, if you see it. He saw the glow of it again. He told George, he said, "George, come up on this side," he said. "Do you see any? thing down there?" "No," he said, he couldn't. George was to the lee side, any? way. George couldn't see it. "Tell George," he said, "come up." He told George, he said, "I believe I see a light ahead." "Oh, God Almighty," he said, "you don't. There's no light ahead of her, boy." He said, "That old Frenchman don't know where he's going." They watched for a bit. By and by, there it was. They saw the glow of it. Dead ahead. My father said, "Fair ahead. As fair as if there was a line on him drawing it to that light." He said he ran down, ran aft and told the Frenchman. Saw a light ahead. "Oh, yeah," he said. The Frenchman knew that it was there. He knew where he was going. "Yeah," he said, "Gallantry Head Light." That's at the entrance of St. Pierre's Harbour--Gallantry Head. And Father said they were going just as fair for it as could be. He knew his navigation. Limousine Service Taxi Fleet 24 KINGS ROAD SYDNEY THE# TOWN li'UDIO 2nd Floor of Quality Cameras Building, corner George & Dorchester Streets. PEOPLE YOU CAN TALK TO. CAMERAS LTD. ONE STOP PHOTO ANO VIOEO CENTRE e are committed to provide the highest quality in cameras & audio equipment. Our products have the most features available for the best value. The quality commitment also extends to our photofinishing. * Quality Cameras & Accessories * Quality Photo Finishing * Quality Video Equipment & Supply * Quality Audio Visual Equipment MonMnniaoTt 562-3600