2 



FOREST AND STREAM 



and report on what steps could be taken to prevent a repeti- 

 tion of such scenes. The gentleman who went in charge 1 

 happened to know, and he has told me that so numerous 

 were the bears at this time, that he has seen men cutting up 

 the carcass of a whale on the beach, actually obliged to 

 leave their work and beat them off. 



From this time dates the establishment of Provison Posts, 

 which were built at different parts of the island ; one at 

 Fox Bay, near the scene of the wreck, another at Gamache, 

 or Ellis Bay, and a third at Shallop Creek.. These have 

 been since added to, and at the present time besides the 

 above, there are stores at West Point, South West Point, and 

 East Point Boards were also nailed to trees, or posts, in 

 conspicuous positions near the beach, with the distance to 

 the nearest provision depot, and direction east or west lead- 

 ing to it, marked upon them. These have done much to al- 

 leviate distress, Avhilethe construction of light houses which 

 followed soon after, ha greatly diminished the number of 

 wrecks. 



During the summer of last year a hunting party was or. 

 gauized for the purpose of visiting the island, and the 

 writer of this article was invited to join. The opportunity 

 was one not to be lost, so applying for two month's leave of 

 absence, which was granted not without some little dificul- 

 ty, he proceeded to meet them. From several causes the 

 starting of the expedition was delayed until it finally was 

 broken up. Mr. De Courcy and myself, however, determin- 

 ed not to be done out of the trip altogether, and resolved to 

 spend a fortnight there. My leave would not admit of a 

 longer stay. We started for Gaspe in Canada, where we 

 hoped to hire a schooner, and Indians to take us across. 

 Here again fortune was unpropitious; we were two days de- 

 layed in obtaining a vessel, and, when at length we did get 

 away, were three days in going a distance we should have 

 accomplished in a few hours. We were anxious to see as 

 much of the island as posible, but as the short space of time 

 at our disposal would not allow much shooting and fishing 

 combined with rapid traveling, the object of our trip, as 

 regards sport, was almost nil. In many other ways, how- 

 ever, it proved most enjoyable. If, in the following imper- 

 fect sketch, the writer can give some idea of the wild, weird 

 island, with its low spruce-clad shores, and picturesque 

 quiet bays and inlets ; of the fertility of its soil, which in 

 many places is quite equal to the best in Canada; of the 

 bright bracing -climate ; and if he can in any degree dispel 

 some of the gloom and popular aversion, with which the 

 mention of the island is inivaribly associated, he will be 

 more than satisfied. 



Having prefaced thus far, let us now take a glance at the 

 quiet village of Gaspe, and follow the preparations there 

 being made for the trip. Situated at the head of a noble 

 bay to which it gives its name, the village lies nestled on 

 the slope of a hill overlooking the south-west arm of the 

 harbor, which here forms a basin shut in by mountains on 

 every side. Some of these, sloping grace fully backward, 

 are cultivated almost to the summit of their greatly round- 

 ed heights, whilst others, clothed to the base with pine and 

 spruce, descend abruptly to the water's edge. Here and 

 there picturesque cottages with gabled roofs, and green jal- 

 ousies, each surrounded by its well trimmed garden, dot the 

 surface of the hills, and the landscape is one of quiet 'ait 

 exceeding beauty. The town and neighborhood of Gaspe 

 appear to have sunk into a kind of Rip-Van- Winkle torpor, 

 which perhaps has its effect in contributing to the still and 

 peaceful feeling which pervades the very atmosphere. Fifty 

 years ago probably nearly as many houses might, have been 

 found as there arc at present Of lown, or village, properly 

 called, there is none. A few wharves, with large wooden 

 blocks Of store houses, two or three shops which combine 

 under one roof the grocery, hardware, and drapery busi- 

 ness, in the most wonderful manner, (the Post Office, by the 

 way, forms pari of one,) a small wooden hnf which serves 

 as a telegraph station, and .we have its extent. As one con- 

 templates the grass-grown kind of square in which these 

 Stand, and the deserted aspect of the wharves, he is forced 

 to ask whence springs the source of that quiet ease and 

 snug air of comfort which is to be seen in the surrounding 

 homesteads. Visit the place a, month later and the problem 

 is solved. As the close of the fishing season approaches, 

 and the boats return from their summer cruise, an amount, 

 of stir and bustle not, often seen may be noticed. As schoo- 

 ner after schooner discharges her cargo, and flic vast store- 

 houses are filled with cod, only awaiting transhipment to 

 lie carried over the navigable world, the secret of their riches 

 lies revealed; the only thought that suggests itself is one of 

 astonishment at the demand ihaf must of necessity exist, 



We remained here two days, taking up our quarters at 

 the Gulf House, a small wooden building, all doors and 

 windows, pleasant enough in fine weather, but very chill 

 and disagreable on a wet day. it was clean, and the pro- 

 prietor we found willing and obliging to the best of his 

 ability, though steeped in lethargy, and perfectly blind to his 

 own interests. During the summer he had from fifty to 

 sixty people constantly boarding with him, and was obliged 

 to hire spare barns and houses to accommodate them. The 

 charges were certainly moderab; ; live shillings a day includ- 

 ed lodging, attendance, and three "square" meals, plain 

 but wholesome of their kind ; but the majority of the vis- 

 itors, merchants with their families seeking a little relaxa- 

 tion and escape from the cramp of hot dusty towns during 

 the summer months, would gladly have paid more for bet- 

 ter accommodation and increased • facilities for seeing the 

 country. Horses were only to be procured with the great- 

 est difficulty, pleasure boats not at all, and the natural con- 

 sequence was that people were thrown too much on their 

 own resources. 



Possessing as if does so many natural advantages, fine 

 scenery, pure bracing climate, sea bathing, good harbor 

 for boating, and ample scope for the angler or tourist to 

 follow the bent of bis inclinations, Gaspe only requires a 

 little American enterprise and energy to develope into a 

 fash ion able watering place. 



Meantime we ascertained that the "packet, 11 a small 

 schooner which under contract from the Canadian Govern- 

 ment, Carries the mails during the summer, to the settle- 

 ments along the Labrador shore, was to sail in a few days 

 on her monthly visit, and we made arrangements with the 

 captain to drop us at West Point, Anticosti, which though 

 not, -,\ regular place of calling, is often touched at. 



Our time was now fully occupied in selecting the sup- 

 plies such a trip demanded. The forethought of kind 

 friends in Quebec had provided us with an ample store to 

 choose from, and the only difficulty lay in deciding what 

 portion we could take. Space was limited ; once fairly 

 started we knew everything must be carried either in the 

 canoe, or on our backs, and so selecting a round of corned 

 beef, a couple of tongues, apiece of bacon, some sauces, and 

 a plentiful supply of flour and tea, indispensible articles on 

 occasions of this kind, we set to work to stow them away. 

 One of our camp kettles held the meat, the other a flying- 

 pan, tea pot, plates, pannikins, and the various requisites 

 forming our misme. A barrel of beer, a case of claret, and 

 one of brandy, now awaited our approval. Claret was out 

 of the question; beer was a luxury not to be despised; so we 

 put it on one side, together with a large wicker rruehe of 

 brandy. Our effort, worthy of abetter cause, did not meet 

 with the success it deserved, for, as the sequel will show, 

 Ave had to leave the greater portion of the beer at the West 

 Point light house. A leather case held our bedding, con- 

 sisting of a light mattress and blanket each, which when 

 rolled up formed a bundle some two and one-half feet long, 

 by one and one-half feet in depth. Our waterproof sheets serv- 

 ed a double purpose : during the day a small and portable hav- 

 ersack in which a change of clothes, tw 7 o flannel shirts,, a 

 pair of boots, and two pair of socks were always packed, 

 and at night they proved a most acceptable addition to our 

 bedding. A small package of quinine powders, and a bot- 

 tle of chloroform constituted our medicine chest, which, 

 with a field glass, and a few toilet necessaries De Courcy car- 

 ried in a small bag over his shoulder. We each took a 

 rifle, and a double barrelled gun, a trout and a salmon rod. 



Nothing now remained but to procure a couple of In- 

 dians and a canoe. Unfortunately nearly all the men were 

 camping far up the river, and could not be summoned un- 

 der three or four days. Through the kindness of Mr. E — , the 

 harbor-master, we were at last enabled to secure tw.o, and 

 having agreed to pay each of them one dollar and twenty- 

 five cents for the use of the canoe, besides finding them in 

 provisions (for which we allowed them ten dollars), we or- 

 dered them to get our baggage and the canoe on board the 

 schooner. Shortly afterwards we received a message from 

 the captain that should the wind be favorable he would 

 start at daybreak. So we turned in early, and slept sound- 

 ly till about four o'clock, when the deep gutteral voice of the 

 Indian under our window warned us it was time to be off. 



If was a cold, gray morning ; a, thick mist hung over the 

 land-locked basin of Gaspe, and in the eastern sky the frost 

 streaks of Aurora, were lopping the hills. Naught broke 

 the stillness save I he cry of the black ducks winging their 

 morning High! far out to sea, and the voices of the schoon- 

 er's crew, as with a cheery "'heave away, haul away, "they 

 hove round, the capstan. In less than five minutes we were 

 on board the packet, which was lying with her head up the 

 stream. The anchor was already tripped, and as she paid 

 Off under the jib, we, hoisted the fore and main sails, and 

 with a fair breeze stood out of the harbor. 



Let, us now briefly glance at the little vessel and her oc- 

 cupants. The former needs little description, being an or- 

 diary fishing schooner of some twenty-five tons. The lat- 

 ter consisted of the captain and two men, natives of Gaspe, 

 fine able-bodied fellows, with honest faces well tanned by 

 exposure to many a winter storm and summer sun. Our 

 party numbered five : De Courcy, myself, Flanigan, De 

 Oouny's servant, an Irishman who had served with* him in 



the th Hussars, (a, great character, and a constant 



source of amusement to us), and last, but, not least, the In- 

 dians. The nationality of one of the latter was unmistakable- 

 Ilis small piercing eyes closely set together, long coal black 

 hair which fell in straight thick masses down to his shoulders, 

 and dark sallow complexion, proclaimed him a descendent 

 of those children of the forest who for countless ages held 

 undisputed possession over the boundless prairies, and far- 

 Stretching mountains and valleys of the vast continent of 

 America. Peter Jocque was a good specimen of his race, lithe 

 and supple, ( though from a, natural deformity he walked 

 a little lame). Of a gentle and tractable disposition, we 

 had every reason to be satisfied with him. He proved a capi- 

 tal canoe-man, and if any hard work was to be done, was in- 

 valuable. Of his companion and foster-brother, Hamilton, 

 one cannot speak so well. He was a half-breed, his father 

 being a Scotchman, and his mother a squaw. He had in- 

 herited the fair complexion and curly hair of the former. 

 Of his Indian descent there was not a trace, though having 

 been brought up from infancy among them, he spoke the 

 Micmac language, that of Ms tribe, with fluency. He was 

 an active man, and could work well if he chose, but was 

 of a lazy, stubborn nature, and- on more than one occasion 

 gave us trouble. Peter was a teetotaller, a u vara, avis" in 

 that respect, drink being one of his countrymen's worst fail- 

 ings. Hamilton, however, fully maintained the credit of 

 his race. Several times we found him "three parts in the 

 wind," though he generally had the decency to wait till 

 evening, when it was not of so much consequence. 



Meanwhile the schooner had run along the coast, and w<s 

 now abreast of Sandy Point Beach, a long, low spit of sand 

 stretching almost across the bay and dividing if. froin th* 

 harbor, properly so called. Under the lee of this natnr^ 

 breakwater vessels may lie completely sheltered from the 

 heavy swell which at times rolls into the outer bay 

 rounding the point we found that the wind was drawing 

 ahead, and we consequently had to beat out. 



As we stood across the bay, first on one tack then on u le 

 other, we had a good opportunity of observing the scenery and 

 aspect of the coast. On one stretch we headed for the pretty 

 little village of Douglas, which stands on the rising ground 

 at the south side of St, John's river, and where there appears 

 to be more land under cultivation than at Gaspe. The coast 

 from Douglastown to the entrance of the bay gradually 

 rises, and forms a succession of cliffs of shale and sandstone 

 which in many places attain a height of two hundred 

 feet. There are few houses, and the general appearence is 

 bleak and sterile. On the other tack we lay over to the north- 

 east side of the bay ; the bold steep nature of this coasl 

 thickly covered with the houses of the fishermen. The store- 

 houses in many places arc built on some receding ledge 

 half way down the face of the cliff, and the curious zigzag 

 manner in which- the " flakes " (platforms of spruce houghs 

 resting on uprights, on which the fish are spread to dry ) 

 run along the tops and down the sides of the rocks, is very 

 striking. One of -these fishing establishments, some four 

 miles within Cape Gaspe, known as the " Grande Grove " 

 employs nearly two hundred men, of whom the larger half 

 are engaged in fishing, while the remainder work on shore 

 and superintend the "curing." 



The wind had been falling light all the afternoon, and 

 towards evening we found ourselves becalmed outside the 

 bay, some* few miles to the north-west of Cape Gaspe. On 

 our left the cape and its range of cliffs rose sheer from the 

 water's edge to a height of six hundred to seven hundred 

 feet, grim sentinels guarding the entrance to the bay— a 

 bleak forbidding coast — the home of countless flocks of sea 

 birds which hovered around us, filling the air with wild com- 

 plaints, till as the shadows stole down the cliffs and the west- 

 ern sky grew red and warm with the glories of the dying 

 sunset, they betook themselves to its clefts and crannies for 

 the night. In front the low neck of Cape Rozier stretched 

 far into the ocean, with its rocky shores, white cottages and 

 light house glistening in the sunlight, while far behind on 

 the other side of the bay, the softly rounded outline of the 

 Perce Mountain showed clear and sharp against the evening 

 sky. 



The distance from Gaspe Cape to West Point, Anticosti, 

 is only seventy miles, and we had fondly hoped to have 

 spent, the night on the island. The accommodation on 

 board the packet was not of the best; w T e had the choice 

 between the " cabin," a small darksome abode, reeking of 

 cod oil and tobacco, and the forehold, which, though not 

 sounding so dignified, w r as at all events clean. We pre- 

 ferred the latter, and, having had a long day, about eight of 

 us spread our mattresses on a, rude kind of framework 

 built round the hold, and rolling ourselves in our blankets 

 were soon asleep. 



On waking, about six o'clock next morning, the wash of 

 the water, as it ran along the schooner's side, fell pleasantly 

 on my ear, and as I lay for some minutes dreamily listening 

 to the gentle ripple, which only a single plank separated 

 from my bunk, I was lured into the belief that at last we 

 had a favouring breeze. Vain delusion ; on going on deck 

 where one of the crew sat at the tiller we found we Had 

 drifted some seven or eight miles during the night, and 

 were now abreast of Cape Rozier. Of wind there was not 

 so much as a breath, but as we rose and fell on a long ground 

 swell setting from the eastward, which told of the storm 

 that had raged in the Atlantic some days before, the water 

 laved the side with each successive roll, and the cause of 

 my deception was apparent. 



On returning to the hold I found De Courcy awake, 

 while a shapeless mass of rugs and blankets lay on the deck. 

 A pair of large boots protruding from one part, seemed to 

 indicate that Flanigan had come to an untimely end. A 

 gentle kick at the centre of the inanimate mass was follow- 

 ed by a grunt ; a second met with no better success, and it 

 was not till a third, more forcible than the previous ones, 

 had been administered, that a, wild apparation shot from 

 under the blankets, and sat upright, with shock head of 

 hair, and half opened eyes winking and blinking in the gloom 

 of his unaccustomed domicile. It was our tl ftdw Achates,' 

 who for a minute or two glared angrily at the intruders of 

 his slumbers, until perceiving where lie was, he pulled him- 

 self together with a— 



"Beg pardon, sir, shure I thought it was one of those In- 

 jin devils." 



Despatching him to get breakfast ready, we dressed and 

 went on deck, where we- were soon joined by the Captain 

 and the rest of our little party. 



All day long we lay on deck, listening to tales of adven- 

 ture by sea and land ; of how in the summer of '59, from 

 some cause which could never be explained, the foxes forsook 

 the forests of the Labrador, and were found running along 

 the shores ; a strange phenomenon, as they are rarely seen 

 except in winter, when they are occasionally met with sport- 

 ing on the ice-floes which skirt the coast, Hundreds were 

 killed, and the little schooner in which we now were, had in 

 the short space of a fortnight sailed from, and returned to 

 Gaspe, with over fifty skins, the accumulated value of which 

 (there being a number of the black and silver grey), was over 

 £500. The proceeding winter had been one of unsual severity 

 and the return of the Montagnais Indians in the spring, after 

 their long winter hunt, was marked by sadly diminished 

 numbers. Many of their tribe had fallen victims to starva- 



