Brentwood College School - Brentonian Yearbook (Mill Bay, British Columbia Canada)

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Brentwood College Magazine at 5:00 p.m. we walked about a mile, and then from 5:15 to 5:20 got a ride into Courtenay, where we bought our supper and breakfast. At 5 :45 we left Courtenay and started out for the Elk Hotel at Comox, in order to visit Mr. Osier. The people in this district seemed very cruel, for we had traversed three weary miles before we got a lift. On arriving at the Elk Hotel, we refused a kind invitation to stay to dinner and to spend the night there. Perhaps the eighth wonder of the world was when we refused a drink of gin. We left Comox at 7:20, and after a one and a half mile walk, received a lift in the same car as had taken us there. After some trouble, we found a camp site by the Courtenay River about a mile outside Courtenay. From 8.15 to 9:15 we prepared our bed and cooked supper. We certainly enjoyed the pork and beans and sliced pine- apples that we had to eat. At 10:00 we hit the hay but did not sleep very well. The bed seemed even harder than our customary ones at Brentwood. When we got up at 5 :30 the next morning it was raining slightly. We had some poached eggs and ham for breakfast, and at 8 :00 we started off for Campbell River. We did not obtain a ride until 9 :10, having then walked about four miles. At 9:15 the car we had just occupied dropped us at Merville. After Merville the road is rougher, which makes the walking much harder. We stopped a short distance from Merville and picked and ate some huckleberries. At 10 :40, only two miles having been traversed, we were picked up by a friendly milk wagon. It was only a five-minute ride but very much appreciated. Fifteen min- utes later we received a ride from Black Creek, which is half a mile from where the milk wagon dropped us, to Oyster Bay. Then came the drudgery of the journey, from 11:15 until 1:45 no lifts; two and one half hours is a long time on the road with nothing to do. We only walked three miles, resting most of the time. We were going to drink some water at a creek, when the soft purring of an engine attracted our attention. It was a welcome lift, even if we had to fill some sacks with wood for the driver. We arrived at Campbell River at two o ' clock. We bought some provisions and a post card, and had a drink there. It was raining, so we decided not to go fishing. We had reached the limit of our journey now, but could we get back again was the question. About three hours later, under the protection of a tree a mile south of Campbell River — as it was still raining hard — we unanimously decided the answer was no. We were wrong however, for at 4 :50 we got a ride from the manager of the Union Oil Company at Courtenay. He dropped us at Courtenay at 5 :40. Fifteen min- utes later we left this town, having restocked our larder with a few provisions. A few hundred yards outside Courtenay, our signals again bore fruit, and by 6:25 we found ourselves at Union Bay. Here we remained in the shelter of a hotel verandah, as the rain was still pouring down heavily. An hour later we started to walk and were picked up by a car which took us to Bowser. In this car we ran across a fellow-hobo whom we had previously met. From 8:10 to 9:15 we walked some three miles, until the combined forces of darkness and rain compelled us to stop for the night. We slept the night in a garage. Wil- liams was half the night on the running board and the other half beside me on the floor. There was just three feet in which we had to wedge ourselves. Page Nine

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Brentwood College Magazine Up- Is I and Trip HE object of this trip was to reach Campbell River and get back in time for the St. Michael ' s School break-up on Friday afternoon, June 29. The total equipment taken was two blankets, one ground sheet, three spoons, two knives, two forks, two towels, two dishes, matches, a scout knife, tooth brushes and tooth paste, string, and least but not last four dollars. Williams and I left Beach Drive at 8:10 on Tuesday morning, June 26. We boarded a number six tram at the Foul Bay Terminus five minutes later. At 8:40 we joyfully got off the tram at the Junction of Government and Douglas Streets. After walking about 500 yards along the Island Highway, we were picked up by a Central Transfer truck. This truck dropped us at Colwood at 9 :00. Here we bought a ten-cent package of Turret cigarettes for the express purpose of having something to offer those who would be kind enough to answer our signals. Then we walked 50 yards and were picked up by Vowel ' s Wood truck, and in this vehicle taken to Goldstream (arriving there at 9:20). After this we walked about two miles until 9:55, when we were picked up by a gentle- man in a Dodge car. This man dropped us at Cousin ' s Road at 10:05 from whence he was going to Shawnigan Lake, after we had in vain tried to persuade him that there was a better road some fifteen miles further up the Island High- way. Luck still seemed to be with us, for we had only used Shank ' s Pony for about 100 yards when we received another reply to our signal in the form of an insurance agent and his wife. This gentleman turned off down the Kilmalu Road, as he had to take his wife to a house at Cherry Point. Here the lady of the house very kindly gave us a cup of tea, and nearly went as far as to offer the two poor unfortunate little boys a job. After a fifteen-minute stay we left, and arrived at Koksilah at 11:20. Only another 200 yards and we were in another car. We gave the owner a cigarette, from whom we received profuse thanks. At 11 :30 he deposited us at Duncan, where we bought some gum, leaving the town ten minutes later. About one and a half miles outside Duncan we were again picked up by a gentleman, if I may call him such, in a red coupe. As this man could swear quite well, the journey became quite lively. We were in his car from 12 :05 until 1 :00 when he left us at Nanaimo. Then, after walk- ing a short distance outside Nanaimo, we entered the Bush, and partook of our lunch from 1 :15 to 1 :45. Hey Presto! and a few minutes later we perched on the back of a vegetable wagon. At one place the driver stopped, and after selling some vegetables, he scrutinized us carefully and said Gosh, what a funny looking bunch of . . . Having paid us this polite compliment, he took us to Rock City Road, 2 :00. This was followed by a small walk of two miles. Then just after Wellington, at 2:30, we were picked up by a chinaman, who took us to Nanoose Bay. Then came the longest ride of the day. At 2 :40 we hailed a car, and were taken in it to Royston (about five miles from Courtenay). It was an extremely uncomfortable ride because there was so much gear in the back of the car, where we sat. This was in part made up for by the new vocab- ulary we learnt from the other two occupants of the car. Arriving at Royston Page Eight

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Brentwood College Magazine We were up at 4 :30, our feet thoroughly wet and our bodies altogether very sore. We ate a meal of fried potatoes, pork and beans, sliced pineapples, and canteloupe. We were on the road from 6:30 until 8:35 walking and resting. Then at the Big Qualicum River we received a lift from a lumber truck for a short distance, while at the Little Qualicum River an hour and a half later, we received a lift from the mailman for quite a considerable distance ( from Dash- wood to Parksville). It was now 10:15. Twenty minutes later a foreigner gave us a ride to Nanaimo. An hour and a half after we had left Parksville, we had one of the most interesting rides of our trip. The gentleman, we learned, was the Chemainus parson. He asked me questions such as what did I think of the morale of Brentwood College — to which of course there could only be one opin- ion ; and talked to us on religion generally, impressing on us the evil of smutty stories. At 12:30, wishing us God Speed, he left us at Chemainus. Now came the last spasm of the journey; after two short lifts, we received one which took us within three miles of Sahtlam. Here we ate our last can of pork and beans and then walked the remainder of the journey, arriving at Sahtlam by 3:45. Here at Mr. Williams ' house I was very kindly put up for the night. The next morning they considerately took me into Duncan, from where I received my final lift to Victoria. The driver of the car turned out to be the Longshore- men ' s Agent of B.C., who offered me a job that he knew to be open. He also gave me some interesting sidelights on the present strike. I bade him adieu at Victoria about mid-day. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip, and felt that we had gained some ex- perience of human nature, and were particularly pleased in having accomplished it in so short a time. We found miost people only too pleased to give us a lift when hailed, with the exception of American cars, who in no case answered our signals. We understand the reason, for there is a difference in conditions in their country. Data (Summary) Total Distance in cars 320 miles Total Distance walked 35 miles Total Distance travelled 355 miles Total Number of lifts 26 Total Expenses for both $1.40 N.B. — The participants in this trip object to it being stated it was a hitch- hiking and not a hiking trip. Thirty-five miles were actually walked! GEORGE P. KIDD. Page Ten »