THE NEWFOUNDLAND COAST. 6l 



tains, said by some to iiave been seen by Weymouth from 

 inside of Monhegan. The ocean swell not being con- 

 ducive to historical controversy, we turn to watch the 

 Mother Carey's chickens and the grampus as well as the 

 fin-back whales sporting in the waves. 



By the next morning we had sailed 190 miles from 

 Thomaston, past Cape Sable, and our northwest wind 

 still attending, we bowl along, through schools of por- 

 poise, while two or three whales pass within a few 

 fathoms of our vessel, showing their huge whitish backs. 

 The next day our seven-knot breeze does not fail us, 

 and takes us by the 30th into a region of light winds and 

 calms off the Gut of Canso. 



July I St we sail along Cape Breton Island, its red 

 shores glistening in the noonday sun and then mantled 

 with purple as the sun goes do<vn over Louisbourg. As 

 darkness sets in the lights of Sidney appear. The next 

 morning's sun rose on Cape Ray, around which we beat, 

 passing within a mile of Channels, a fishing-village of 

 Newfoundland, behind which rise steep hills clothed 

 with " tucking-bush," or dwarf spruce and larch. Cape 

 Ray pushes boldly into the sea, its precipitous sides of 

 decomposed sandstone furrowed by the rains which pour 

 down its scarred cheeks, on which still linger banks of 

 the last winter's snows. 



By the next evening we pass Cape St. Georges. The 

 4th was celebrated in the Gulf of St. Lawrence amid 

 fog and rain. It was succeeded by a twenty-four hours' 

 gale, rather severe for the season, which tested the excel- 

 lent qualities of the Nautilus as a sea boat. This being 

 our fiirst storm at sea was enjoyed more keenly than sim- 

 ilar gales in after-years. The sea swept our deck, but 



