THE -303 AND BEARS 241 



some Mediterranean Line and was chartered to take cargo out 

 to Canada and bring grain back. We had the bad luck to meet 

 the full force of the equinoctial gales, and had terribly bad 

 weather almost all the way. Most of the sails the boat was 

 square-rigged were blown away, and most of the live-stock, 

 intended for our food and carried in those days in coops 

 arranged on the deck, washed overboard. Water splashed 

 about in the cabins and saloon it was decidedly uncomfort- 

 able. Then, of course, all state-rooms were aft and opened 

 into the saloon, with an oil lamp in the partition between every 

 two cabins, which dim and smelly light was extinguished by the 

 carpenter every evening at 10.30. There were about twenty 

 passengers all told, among them a then very well-known 

 American G. F. Train whose tramway schemes in London 

 had failed and made him very bitter against England. 



We left London on August 18th, and arrived at St. John's, 

 N.F., on September 4th, at Halifax four days later, and on the 

 17th at Montreal. 



Loaded with loose grain up to the hatches, we left again on 

 September 24th, to meet another gale as bad as the other. 

 Water somehow got in among the wheat, which naturally 

 swelled and threatened to burst the decks. By hard work a 

 sufficient quantity was got out and thrown overboard, thereby 

 greatly lessening the danger, still the trip was not particularly 

 enjoyable. Once more salt water found its way into the saloon 

 and carried off our poor hens, ducks, and pigs. We did not 

 reach Gravesend until October 15th, after a very disagreeable 

 trip of twenty-two days. 



17 



