Page 6 - A Visit with Nan Morrison, Baddeck

ISSUE : Issue 47

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1988/1/1

off, and I came back on the next train. Mother was only about 47 when she died. When my mother died, my sister said she would stay home, and that I would go back to Boston. And then when she would leave, I could come home. Well, my sister didn't like that kind of a life--she had lived in Boston for a long time. So she and my father decided that she should go back (to Boston), and let me come home. So I came home, and I looked after (the family) for a year. And then I got a job: stewardess on the Aspy (a coastal steamer serving northern Cape Breton). And I got Christine Maclnnes to keep house for my father--I paid her-- and look after the two boys. And I went to work on the Aspy in April. And I'd come home in December or January or February-- whenever the ice stopped us. And I was on the Aspy for 6 years. And that gave me a chance to send all the provisions home to my father on the boat. My father never had to buy one single thing the 6 years I was on the Aspy. I'd send home all the winter's flour and all the winter's sugar and rolled oats, and everything that they needed in the house. I was getting it wholesale. And I got along great, everything went along fine, for 6 years. Then I got home in Feb? ruary, and I was home till April. That gave Christine a vacation. But it was kind of a hard life. (Working on the Aspy?) It wasn't an easy life. Although I was never seasick. It was a rough time. They all had to leave the boat one night in Neil's Harbour. And somebody asked if they were going to wake me up, and the captain said, "No. She's the first one that'll be saved if anything happens." So they left me alone. I wouldn't have gone ashore anjrway. (I don't understand. What do you mean?) There was a snowstorm. And a roaring wind, gale. And they were afraid we'd go ashore, or get lost. But they had to leave the wharf, because they were afraid they were going to break the wharf. The boat was banging against the wharf, and they were afraid about the boat, so they had to get out. And they decided they would go-- whichever way the wind was, they'd go against it full speed for 20, and come back in 10. What would you call miles on the boat? Just with the wind, you know. Well, that was about 11 or 12 o'clock at night, we started out. And we didn't see any signs of anything. They were going towards Ingo? nish from Neil's Harbour. We didn't see anything till 10 o'clock the next morning. We were alongside Ingonish Island. That's how near we went to going ashore. (What was it, that they'd leave you sleep? ing, and they would all go ashore?) All the passengers had to go ashore (in Neil's Har? bour. And you were sleeping.) Somebody said, "Well, we should tell Nan." And the captain said, "Oh, she'll be all right. She'll be the first one that'll be saved, anyway." So, I stayed. I wouldn't have gone ashore anyway, because that was my duty to stay there, if anybody took sick or if any? thing happened. Ncrth Sydney Mall 116 King St., North Sydney, Nova Scotia B2A 3R7 Ph. (902)794-4703, 794-4704 Agnew Alteens Co-operators Insurance Schwartz Direct Film Guys & Gals Household Finance Pipes & Things Starcade Peoples Store ??With Over 25 Shops and Services- 794-3429 794-3513 794-4788 794-3567 794-3440 794-4409 794-4735 794-8305 794-8274 794-4900 Nova Scotia Liquor Commission Employment Centre Shoppers Drug Mart Cape Breton Video Super Touch T's Chantelle's Dining . Room & Lounge 794-4917 564-3510 794-7211 794-7783 794-8330 794-8245 Workout Fashions Jean Gallery Zellers Carlton Cards Sears Jennifers Place Sobeys Maher Northside Liquidators Sports Den 794-4997 794-8244 794-7206 794-7151 794-3610 794-8088 794-3963 794-8847 794-8810 (6)

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