Cape Breton's Magazine

that in order to stay within Cape St. Lawrence we had to walk fast towards the west, as once past Cape St. Lawrence, there would be no rescue.... Hungry and tired, our strength and courage started to diminish. We continued to walk towards the west. Placide Boudreau who was the youngest of the three, started to get really weak. I said to Hypolite LeFort: "What will happen if our friend loses all his strength?" Hypolite responded with: "Everyone for themselves. It's better to leave him here to rest while we continue to try to gain solid groimd." All this time and still we had nothing to eat, we were getting weaker. We searched for seals or anything else that we could eat but it was useless. We had no other option but to use our knives and carve the bark from our wooden sticks to use as nourishment. The sticks were heavy as it was but we would have wanted them even bigger so more bark would have been available. This was on the second day around noon. We only had ice as nourishment for the rest of the journey. You can see by what we had to eat, it certainly wasn't a feast! As we mentioned earlier, Placide Boudreau was get? ting weaker. He followed us until four o'clock in the after? noon when we arrived at an opening facing northwest. We were then obligated to camp for the night. We had stopped walking towards the west and the wind and current was for? ever pushing the ice towards the east to our disadvantage. I spoke earlier of Cap Rouge. At this hour, four o'clock, we ex? amined the distance that we had gained towards the east al? though we had walked all day towards the west. We estimat? ed the houses at Cap Rouge were af a distance of about seven or eight miles south. We then searched for shelter for the night. We looked all around us and finally although it wasn't a feather bed, we did manage to find a bit of shelter. It was the best we could do. Our feather bed for the night was a pile of ice where the bottom was level and somewhat smooth. For cover there was a piece of ice hanging over us about three to four feet square. over175titles FOR AND ABOUT !! NOVA SCOTIANS 'l??: • AGRICULTURE-BOOKS for CHILDREN- • BUSINESS/ECONOMY • CRAFTS ?? EDUCATION - • ENVIROMENT-FISHERIES-FORESTRY - I NUTRITION-HISTORY & GEOGRAPHY • /NERSHIP & HOUSES-MAPS- I GEOLOGY-MUNICIPALITIES- For a FREE copy of our NEW catalogue CALLTOLL FREE 1-800-526-6575 (within Nova Scotia) or write to: Nova Scotia Government Bookstore One Government Place, 1700 Granville Street P.O. Box 637, Halifax, N.S. B3J 213 Nova Scotia '['' Government ''' Bookstore It was big enough for three people but we decided to sleep two on the ice with one of us on top in order to keep more warm. As you know, the temperature was milder causing the ice to be wet and humid, taking no time at all to get our clothes soaked. When the humidity got too bad for the per? son imdemeath, we'd trade places. We did this until mid? night in order to keep warm. As we were wet from our feet to our knees and our shoes were fiiU of holes from all that walking in the water and slush, we were forced to keep ac? tive and walk to protect us from the cold. Hypo? lite and I got up first. It wasn't that we had re? ceived a good night's sleep but to the contrary, never slept a wink. Plac? ide Boudreau, so fa? tigued from the night be? fore, slept as if he was on We started to pace back and forth, my? self and Hypolite LeFort. While pacing I said to Hypolite LeFort: "I think I hear the sound of a bell ringing." Hypolite an- Specializing in ?00P also STEAKS & CHOPS Fully Licensed Dining Room Sunday - Thursday: 4 PM to12 AM Friday & Saturday: 4 PM to 3 AM 78 Townsend Street (5-MINUTE WALK FROM CENTRE 200) MR. Fl's Custom Picture Framing specializing in Custom Framing • Needlepoint Framing • Paper Tole Framing • Dry Mounting and Laminating Good selection of mouldings and acid-free mats at reasonable prices 308R Commercial St, NORTH SYDNEY (ACROSS FROM SCOTIA BANK PARKING LOT) MON-FRI 10-5 or by appointment 794-8826 GILLIS tibmecare I BUILDING CENTREI wmw'' THAT NEW HOME CALL US FOR AN ESTIMATE FLOOR & ROOF TRUSSES KINGS ROAD, SYDNEY RIVER 539-0738 HOMES ms3d ' Complete Home Packages Cottages • Garages Contact Darren Wilcox: 539-0738