RETURN TO GLENWOOD 137 



route. Except at Whitburn (eight or nine hours out of St. 

 John's), where it is possible to obtain a slice of corned beef 

 and a cup of tea — that is, if the train will wait for you — 

 there is no other halting-place where food can be obtained. 

 My friends in the train had telegraphed on to Gambo to 

 have breakfast ready at the hotel {^sic). When we got there 

 the "lady" in charge said she did not make breakfasts for 

 travellers, but that they could have " a glass of whisky " apiece 

 at an exorbitant price. At Gambo I managed to steal two 

 pints of hot water out of a section man's house which I 

 invaded, and so got enough to give the tired-looking women 

 and children some tea. I also had a small supply of biscuits 

 and cooked carabou meat, and this was all most of these 

 unfortunate passengers had in thirty-six hours' travel. Near 

 Terra-Nova we stopped an hour or two, and Dr. M'Pherson, 

 myself, and the two St. John's boys turned out and helped 

 to load lumber from the side of the track ; we thought it 

 would save time and assist us towards a decent breakfast 

 at Port Blandford. When we reached that small village 

 the passengers made a rush for the " hotel." " Breakfast," 

 said the proprietor ; " oh no, we received no telegram from 

 Gambo, and we can do nothing for you in such a short 

 time." The crowd then swooped down on a place that 

 called itself a shop, and here met with better luck. 



If the "accommodation train" and its attendant dis- 

 comforts are a disagreeable experience, I must confess, in 

 justice to the line, that the passenger need not take it unless 

 he is obliged to do so. The regular passenger train, which 

 runs every second day, is just as comfortable as any train 

 in the Colonies. There are good sleeping -berths, and 

 excellent meals are served on board. 



