INLAND POND — OFF FOR HOME. 277 



the limestone ledge above the house to Schooner Cove, a small 

 western branch of L'Anse Loup. Here one of the Newfoundland 

 merchants has a well-to-do fishing establishment, as also a small 

 storehouse for the sale of supplies for this part of the coast ; here 

 we were to meet our vessel which had preceded us by sea. The 

 walk was over a fertile limestone ridge about two hundred feet high, 

 where still further evidences of glaciers could be seen about us. I 

 found the dry beds of several ponds as I walked, and in one place 

 one small pond still existed. It was situated in a hollow formed in 

 gradually sloping hillocks. Considerable vegetation grew around it, 

 and it was altogether quite a picturesque spot. Our guide then 

 told us its history. He said that the water of the pond was fresh, 

 but yet so deep that after repeated trials no one had ever been 

 able to reach the bottom with the sounding lead. It was supposed 

 to have an underground connection with the sea ; but, he further 

 explained, that the water itself was not salt since the fresh water, 

 the results of springs and drainage was lighter than the salt water, 

 hence would and did not mix with it. At times, he said, the sur- 

 face was agitated with heavy waves, and covered with a frothy sub- 

 stance like that which the sea waves cast upon the beach. The 

 pond appeared to be about seventy-five feet below the height of 

 the surrounding plateau which averaged two hundred and forty 

 feet above the sea level. 



Saturday, August 13th. We are fairly off for home, I mean our 

 United States home, to-day, having left our farthest point north- 

 east, and started towards Quebec. Oh, what beautiful evenings ! 

 What superb weather ! How long will it last ? Shall we ever 

 visit here again ? These were the exclamations and questions that 

 escaped us as we ploughed on, — on through the waters towards 

 home. 



Sunday we reached Old Fort Island, received on board the re- 

 mainder of our luggage, and in a few hours were off again. To- 

 wards night it came in foggy, and in the morning it rained quite 

 hard. In this state of the atmosphere we missed the proper entrance 

 to the sea that we should have taken, and passed on through what is 



