Cape Breton's Magazine

only a few days after that again. Well, Harold and I were out three days, trying to break through. And I said to Harold, "Oh, the hell with it. I'm going to get a couple of other fellows to come over with horses. Come out and give my horses a rest." So on Friday we got George Hussey and Jack Mann to come out. And Mr. Hussey --a Newfoundland man--he said, "Well, I'll be glad to help you." He said, "I'm sure glad to help you." He said, "Billy'11 be in Neil's Harbour at half past 10 tomorrow morning." I said, "That's just the kind of horses we want, sir." And he clapped his hands like this. Herman laughs. He said, "Yes, boy, I'm glad to be able to help you. Billy'11 go with you in the morning." So the next morning they started out. And I left my two horses home to rest, and got their legs to straighten out a bit. We got down to where we had quit the day before that. We had been at about 5--just about a 5-mile mark. And I said to George, "Now, let you try Billy ahead, George, for awhile. See how he'll get along." And--he didn't get as far as from here to where the car is out there; once he lost his footing, he lost his horse. There was that much snow on the road, you see, there was no sign of the road. The horses that were Baddeck • on the Bras d'Or Lakes iii::iii3:. 1/ / A MnuM'} Dealer for Cover-It Instant Garages ON CABOT TRAIL. WEST OF BADDECK Exit 7 (Cabotland) • 3.5 km. off T.C.H. HOURS: 7;30 - 5:00 MONDAY-FRIDAY WOOD WORKERS INC. SPECIALISTS IN COMPLETE CUSTOM SIZE WINDOWS VINYL OR WOOD REPLACEMENT OR NEW CONSTRUCTION ALSO: DOORS (STEEL & PATIO) VINYL SIDING SOFFIT & FASCIA SHUTTERS, MOULDINGS GLASS & MIRROR KITCHEN CABINETS FREE ESTIMATES 295-2549 FAX 295-2952 Evenings & Saturday Appointments Available used to it, they knew where the road was. And I think they could smell it, more so than a horse that wasn't used to it. And when they got off of the road, they wouldn't get excited about and begin jump? ing and pawing and trying to get back again. They just--if they got off of the road, they just lay there. And then after? wards, they spread out on their hind legs to come back again. And I always took them out of the harness--took them out of the sleigh, out of the harness, and just left the reins on them. It gives them freedom. And Billy went, and he got down there, and he wouldn't get up. And George said, "You wait till I get a stick, 'cause I'll make him." I said, "George, just as well leave him. He's not going to be able to do it." So, he went anyway, cut up a little birch switch. No, he couldn't do it. He didn't get a hundred feet. So I said to Jack, "You try yours for a little while. Jack, and see what he will...." So, that day, we made about a mile, with the two horses. Oh, man! Poor Billy, he never--once he lost the hard road underneath him. While there was snow, you know, he could reach the hard road while he was on the road. But once he got off to the side, there was probably 6 feet of snow on the road. And he lost heart and he just couldn't do it. So the next day was Saturday, and raining. Oh, pouring rain when I got up in the morning. So Harold says--my brother-- "You're not going to try in this rain." I said, "We've got to, Harold. We can't do anything different about it. Boy, if it comes to freeze on this," I said, "we're going to have the same as we had with the mare a week ago in that other storm. It's going to be on ice again." Okay. We put on our oilclothes--black rub? ber clothes. And we drove down as far as we had left the evening before that. As MacAskilFs Funeral Home Ltd., C. D. Duniop & Sons Personalized service for over 80 years We encourage inquiries about prearranged funeral service Our office is located in Telegraph House & Motel Chebucto St., Baddeck 295-9988 Catering Services I for Any Functioni Large or I Yellow Cello Cafe Bakery Pizza 295-2303 ' ' Outdoor J Terrace l jFacing the( < Wharf in > [baddeck] Baddeck: The Beginning and End of the Cabot Trail