50 THE LAST CRUISE OF THE MIRANDA. 



the country surrounding it are very beautiful. I ran out there 

 one fine Saturday afternoon with Professor Freeman, under 

 the escort of Mr. McGrath, the bright young editor of the 

 St. Johns Herald, who gave us much information about 

 Newfoundland in general on the way. The train was 

 crowded with excursionists running out for an afternoon's or 

 a Sunday's outing ; and a very bright, healthy, happy -looking 

 lot of people they were. The ride afforded us many pretty 

 glimpses of lake and woodland, but these were to be eclipsed by 

 the first view of Topsail. It is situated on a magnificent bay 

 called Conception, so named by the pious Portuguese navi- 

 gator, Gaspar Cortereal, in the year 1500 — a beautiful 

 sheet of water gently rolling in upon a pebbly beach. The 

 surrounding country is wild and rugged, and the combination 

 of hills and forests and sea makes up an ideal resort, whether 

 one wishes merely to loaf and enjoy his soul, or to hunt in 

 the woodlands, or fish upon the sea. We took supper at one 

 of the little inns, which had a number of small dining-rooms, 

 so that parties could sup together without intrusion, and 

 after enjoying a very comfortable and cozy meal we returned 

 to St. Johns exceedingly pleased with our trip. 



Indeed, I found the surroundings of St. Johns so very 

 attractive that I much regretted I could not run farther into 

 the interior, where many beautiful spots are to be found, and 

 which is a paradise for the sportsman. But day and night 

 the workmen were hammering away at the Miranda's bow, 

 and it was only a question of a few days before she would be 

 ready to start again on her northward journey. 



The interior of Newfoundland has never yet been fully 

 explored ; and in the dense forests that dot it, as well as in 

 the more open country, an abundance of game is to be found. 

 In 1822 a Scotchman named Cormack crossed the island from 

 east to west at its broadest point, but his journey has never 

 been repeated. It is said that great numbers of caribou and 



