Cape Breton's Magazine

out. She'd be a two-master, running right directly before the wind. But they didn't have a lookout, which they should've. Should've been a man forward on lookout-- running direct, winged out like that. The helmsman couldn't see anything with the compass. They should've had the lookout on there. But this schooner didn't. The mainsail was out on one side; the foresail was out on the other. And the jibs were all up and drawing and--what they could. And Uncle John was--they were anchored, codfishing on a ground. And one of the fellows, he was a Morrison from Framboise: John Philip Morrison. John saw this schooner coming and he hollered and said, "Come on," he said, "that schooner's coming--she's going to run us down!" And they all ran forward on the fishing boat. And when the schooner struck them, they grabbed the bobstays and the foot- ropes from the bobchains, grabbed the footropes. Came in over the bow, and I guess the fellow at the wheel here, he nearly.... {Chuckles.) When he saw three strangers walking in! He didn't know. He heard a thump all right, you know. (Annie: But the boat never sunk, did it?) Yes! She went right down. Lord yes, went right down! Well, of course, he got a new boat out of it. And compensation. (Annie: What was wrong with the fellows coming to them? Couldn't they see?) They didn't have a lookout on forward, and she.... (Annie: Oh, on the other boat.) (Ranald: On the other boat, yeah.) The vessel didn't have a lookout on and they should have. They were running before the wind and, as they say, "winged out." The mainsail was out over on one side, and the foresail out on the other, and the jibs drawing as well. It wasn't blowing real hard, but there it was. They were going directly before the wind--was just a breeze. (Annie: But none of those boys were drowned?) No. They all got up on the bow, up on the bow with the fishing boat. And when the vessel run them down, they grabbed onto the forechains--bobstays-- footropes, which they have, you know. Lloyd MacDonald Recorded August 13,1992, in L. IMacDonaid's living room, Four? chu. Lioyd i/lacDonald is not related to iVIurdoch l/lacDonaid. (Ranald: You were telling me about Murdoch MacDonald's drowning....) Lloyd MacDonald: Well, I'll tell you now just what was passed down. It was my uncle that used to fish with John Severance that talked about it. But at that time he wasn't with him. But they were out this day. I guess they were fishing up here on Framboise some? wheres, off of the grounds there. And he had a--I guess it was a fairly new boat. And the old man--Severance--wasn't very used to the boat, you know. They didn't know. They were coming down the shore, coming home, and it started to blow a breeze. I guess it was no good for fish? ing. And he started down the shore. And off of Framboise, off of Winging Point out here somewheres, there was a squall of wind come off of the land, a nor'west. Something like yesterday. A rain and thun? der and lightning and that. And there was too much wind for the boat, and she capsized. And one man now--I understood it was Mac? Donald that started to swim for the shore. And they never saw him any more. But then We want you to go away. 181 Charlotte Street 5394800 • IN COMFORT • Mayflower Mall 5640600 1' Maritime Mariin Travel We Know Travel Best. 13