Page 86 - Mary E. Blatchford's Letter from Beinn Bhreagh, 1891

ISSUE : Issue 58

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1991/8/1

rest. It was highly picturesque. And so we sailed out into the night with a lantern swinging from the masthead and all sails set and a fair wind. We steered first for Baddeck to pick up our trunks, and as we crossed the lake the wind died away and from dreading the wind I now also dreaded a calm that might keep us out all night. However, we landed and took the trunks on board, and once more started to meet our fate. It was eight o'clock when we had left Beinn Bhreagh. Very soon we met the breeze and after we passed beyond the friendly banks of Washaback and sailed into the Great Bras d'Or we found ourselves "going like a bird," before the gale. Well, it was fine, and I really enjoyed it and found From a post myself wishing I might go all the way home so. I was so comfortable lying among my cushions and looking up at the stars and Jupiter and the moon which rose behind us; and I heard Mr. Bell snoring at ease on the other end of my pillow, and knew he was happy, and although there was a good deal of motion it did not trouble me and all was peace, until at last we came in sight of the lights on the bridge which crosses the Grand Narrows--"a clever bit 'rcts 2yor Sakes, < • ?' H r'?i:!i!!f::! ComW?? EDISCOVER YOUR ROOTS Visit the N.S. Highland Village and experience pioneer life in Nova Scotia from 1800 to the 1920s. Visit displays of early architecture, in? cluding the only known replica of a "Taigh Dubh" (Black House) in North America. Our costumed staff are friendly and trained in conver- sadonal Gaelic and local history. Facilities include an outdoor stage and amphitheatre for concerts, the largest being our annual Highland Village Day on the first Saturday in August. Our Reception Building contains interesting displays as well as a small gift shop. It also houses "Highland Roots" • a computerized program offering genealogical information to those people interested in their family history. The village is open daily from June 15 to September 15. For more information write orpfione: N.S. Highland Village Box 58, lona, N. S. BOA ILO (902) 725-2272 card photograph of the Grand Narrows Bridge, postmarked 1908 of engineering" of which the natives are vastly proud. There are so few trains -- only two or three in the day--that the draw is, as a rule, open and any difficul? ty in that way had not occurred to us. Imagine our dismay when we saw the long, moving line of lights that showed a train running down toward the Narrows and we saw that the draw was shut. "Take in your main? sail and go as slow as you can," called out Mr. Bell, "and give the train a chance to go over the bridge, for it will be bad work if we have to tack in this sea!" Nearer and nearer we sped, for there was no such thing as "slow" about that wind, and still the train stood still and the draw was shut. "Gardiner, cover up your aunt, there's no help for us, we must face this wind, and it will be bad work," was the next word, and my heart sank as the fur hood was drawn close over my head, leaving one small breathing hole, and the rugs and shawls were piled on, and then we tacked! come down. The View at the Heart of Your Great Cape Breton Visit! Kelly's View Motel East Of Boularderie Centre 3/4 mile from Seal Island Bridge Cape Breton's Newest Motel at Affordable Rates ( Modern Motel Units featuring Full Baths and Colour TV ) Phone 674-2473 Your Hosts: Billie & Joe Smolenaars RESTAURANT ADJACENT ~ Overlooking the Bras d'Or Lakes and Kelly's Mountain ~ You have heard of riding the waves and ploughing the sea? We did both. We rode in front and ploughed behind, then reversed, and ploughed in front and rode behind, and every time we went up I thought we should never and each time we went down, we stayed there! How horrid it was--and we shipped every wave we met, never missed one! The first one struck full on my breathing hole, and all that I did not swallow ran down the back of my neck. I shut the hole and stopped breathing. I wondered what the cookies were doing and what about our open basket- work valise and Mabel's fur cloak and the four men. After going so far that we

Cape Breton's Magazine