THE LAST CRUISE OF THE MIRANDA. 49 



Within its confines is a fine sheet of fresh water ; Quidi Vidi 

 Lake it is called, or rather it is spelled that way, and com- 

 monly called Kitty Viddy. The lake is admirably adapted 

 for aquatic sports, and here annual regattas take place in the 

 month of August, and are, I am told, very exciting affairs, 

 attended by the entire population. 



ON THE ROAD TO TOPSAIL. 



About a dozen miles from St. Johns is one of the most 

 charming resorts that it has ever been my good fortune to 

 visit. It is known as Topsail Beach. There are no large 

 hotels there in fact, no hotels at all, but only several small but 

 neat and pretty inns, or boarding-houses ; for Topsail yet awaits 

 the magic touch of capital to broadly popularize it. As it is, 

 nature has been very lavish to the place, and its situation and 



