Burlington High School - Rarebits Yearbook (Burlington, Ontario Canada)

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38 RAREBITS overboard before they could be lashed down. Among these were several props that had been washed from under the life boats on the top deck near the funnels. That gave me some idea as to the height of the waves. As for personal injuries, several people had fal- len, and one member of the crew had sus- tained a broken leg. On the afternoon of that third day when the wind and waves were still high, a small fishing schooner passed us .on our larboard beam, her sails reefed to mere strips. At one moment she was visible, the next she was hidden in a gulley between the waves. Life looked quite perilous aboard her, and it gave me a certain thrill of pride to see through a pair of binoculars that she flew a tattered old Union Jack. Two days later .I was to see that flag on most of the shipping in Reyk- javik harbour, and a day after leaving Reyk- javik I was to see it again on the H.M.S. Rodney, one of the largest battleships in the world. It impressed on me the fact that it is a pretty good old flag, despite depressions. When ca person can travel thousands of miles and land on territory under the same flag, the experience is quite an object lesson. But let us return to Friday, July 20. Every- thing was shipshape once more, although, as I have said, it was a terribly depressing day. However, by mid-afternoon the fog lifted, and people began to walk out on deck, chatting expectantly about Iceland. Everyone seemed to know what would be done on our arrival. yet no one really knew. .It wasn't often that a liner went up there, but we were carrying about two hundred Icelanders back to Ice- land for the millennial anniversary celebra- tion of their parliament. They had come from all over North America, some were cul- tured and some were not. The celebration was to be held on the ancient Plain of Thing- vellir and already a great city of tents and temporary shelters had been thrown up there. As the evening wore on it became a little colder. Strange to say, it wasn't cold up there, but the dampness ran through your body as sand runs through your fingers. Another one of nature's little curiosities became evident in the fact that at this time of the year, when the people of Reykjavik go to bed at night, they have to pull down their blinds in order to keep the midnight sun out of their eyes. About eight o'clock we sighted land, but Oh! what a dreary land! There was a light- house, a shack or two, and a church - the whole insignificant conglomeration being blessed or cursed with a tongue-twister of a name. I won't afflict your ears with it simply because I've forgotten what it was. In a few more knots two large greyish-brown moun- tains loomed side by side out of the sea, miles ahead of us. The grey clouds above them and the grey sea below made them look more forbidding and desolate. Several ships seemed to separate themselves from the foot of these mountains and come steaming to meet us. As they came closer we saw that they were the Icelandic navy, consisting of two de- stroyers and some other craft. The destroyers were flying a message of welcome and were distinguished by the names Aegir and Odinn . The officers and official reception committee from Reykjavik were on them. As they boarded us through a watertight door, I freed myself from the noisy cheering crowd, who craned their necks over the rail, and ran down to one of the dining saloons through which the newcomers were entering. It was quite a dignified meeting, with the usual pomp and dignity of uniforms, diplomacy, and elaborate manners, and it was rather in- teresting to watch. On my return to the deck, a fine, uniformed choir on the nearby boat started to sing some Icelandic songs. A little later, the destroyers shoved off from our side and formed an escort as we steamed into Reykjavik harbour. By this time, the decks were alive with chatter- ing rand laughing people. Scores of boats of all shapes and sizes, filled with people from the town, moved around us. They were laughing, shouting and hailing, and waving their red, white, and blue flags about. The whole population of 25,000 seemed to have come swarming around us. By about two o'clock in the morning most of the boats had gone back to the town and most of the pas- sengers had retired. By three o'clock all the boats had gone, and the only people on deck were two or three noisy parties from Reyk- javik. Since there is partial prohibition in Iceland, these people had bought some strong liquor at the ship's bar before it closed, and had proceeded to go on a spree . When I saw them they were in various stages of merry inebriation, but through diplomacy they weren't disturbed. As I wandered about alone I took stock of the surroundings. We were anchored out- side the harbour because the ship was too big to moor inside. Across the bay from Reykjavik were two large mountains of sand and shale. In the bay 'itself were two is- lands, and several tramp steamers could be seen. Within the harbour mole were scores of ships of all kinds, from square-rigged whalers to modern destroyers. There were also two junker sea-planes, which kept in daily communication with Denmark, the mo- ther country, and the Scandinavian Penin- sula. Along the shore line were the usual factories, an :oil refinery, and a ship-building plant. On every stretch of open shore were small white objects that looked, from the ship, like square tents. I found out later that they were used for ldrying .fish upon. The town proper is scattered over two low hills and a Tvalley. On top of one hill is a huge Catholic church, which can belseen for miles. Far from the town, at the end of the bay, stands a very gloomy looking building, all who enter can escape only through the grave, for it is a leper hospital. After taking some snap-shots of this, I retired. That day, all who wished to could go ashore in the life-boats, from six-thirty to ten-thirty a.m. I took the six-thirty landing party and in a few minutes 'I had set foot on Iceland for the first time. There were not many people up, but those who were stared at us as if we were from Mars. On and on I strolled up hill and down dale, for, indeed, those Icelanders don't care where they put their apologies for cow-tracks which they call roads. A travelling acquaintance of tContinued on page 713

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RAREBITS 37 illrgkiauik By TOM LEIGHTON IV Mist - mist everywhere, weighing us down like some tremendous shroud! A soft rainy drizzle alighting gently upon the glistening decks added to the general brooding loneli- ness. The storm of two days ago had died down to a heavy silent swell. The only noises were the deep foreboding groans of the ship's fog-horn, and the rattle and creak of cordage, blocks, and trunks coupled with an occasional hail from a member of the crew at the hold. All this was dulled and muffled by the chok- ing fog which dripped, dripped, dripped from spars, cordage, and guy wires with a mad- dening monotony. Time:-Forenoon of Friday, June 20, 1930. Ship:-S.S. Montcalm, C.P.S., under Com- mander A. Rothwell. Place:-Just below the Arctic Circle, be- tween Greenland and Iceland. Destination:-Reykjavik, capital of Ice- land, scheduled to reach there at about 10.30 p.m. The voyage thus far had not been exactly uneventful. Upon rounding the south tip of Greenland, we had borne into a storm which lasted three days. I had crossed the Atlantic before, and had seen some rough weather, but never before had I experienced such a storm, nor have ,I any desire to do so again. It came from the north east, right into our bows, precipitating sixteen and a half thou- sand tons of ship into a most exasperating corkscrew motion. Its potency became mani- fest in an extremely nauseating brand of sea- sickness. Now, to those who think sea-sick- ness is something to make jokes about, ,I would advise a day's indulgence in it, for ex- perience is the greatest teacher of all. It particularly struck the third class passengers, most of whom were Icelanders, cursed with the idea that an abundance of intoxicants was the ideal cure for it. Most of them had never travelled scientifically and didn't know that the best thing for sea-sickness is a dry stomach. But sea-sickness, like death, is impartialg it also laid low most of the cabin passengers and of these, I was no exception. I survived the first day of the storm with merely a dizzy feeling. The second day I felt worse, and tried to walk it off, although the tremendous seas made walking rather pre- carious. What finally conquered me and sent me below was 'the sight of so many people leaning over the rails at the side of the ship. They were jerking rather spasmodically and, although I could see only their backs, I felt quite sure that they weren't fishing. I shan't dwell much upon my experience below, but I soon reached the conclusion that, even if Al- cock and Brown did land in an Irish bog, they certainly had the right idea. As the ship rolled, the curtains at the side of my bunk swung back land forth, and my valise slithered across the floor from one side of the cabin to the other in a most annoying man- ner. As dinner time approached tmy cabin being near the dining saloon? I could hear the crockery slide off the table and crash and clatter right merrily with every severe lurch of the ship. But not many people worried about it that day. On the third day the storm abated some- what, so I went on deck and soon felt my old self again. The ship wasn't in such bad shape, considering the severity of the storm. Of course, many things had been washed

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RAREBITS 39 Elmpmminnn nf Battle Ahhrg By Bos MITCHELL, Form IA This place of war is Battle called, because in Battle here, Quite conquered and overthrown the English nation were: This slaughter happened to them on St. Cel- tict's day, The year whereof 1066 this number doth array. In the south of England is a 'small town, Battle Abbey, which is noted for a certain battle. It is .situated on the Hump, as it is called, or the little hill on which Harold of England fought and died. While 'I was in England last summer there were many places that were very interesting to me. The quaint cobblestone streets ,of Rye, Ypres Tower and Camber Sands near Rye all attracted me. But none held my interest like Battle Abbey. The place is now in ruins, for the most part, and the towers at the gate are covered with vines and creepers. The gates them- selves are made of heavy oak timbers held together by strips of iron. Perhaps before taking you inside I .should refresh your me- mory regarding the event connected with the ruins. When Edward I died without child- ren, Harold, Earl of Wessex, became the suc- cessor. Harold had promised the throne to William, Duke of Normandy, who landed in England to claim the promise. After an all- day battle, Harold was killed by an arrow and his forces defeated. It is said that Wil- liam that night slept on fthe field among the dead. Now let us view this ancient battle ground as it is today. There are nine arches on the side of the building, upheld by slender pillars, some beautiful stone carvings of the eleventh century and some lovely windows Hwith a va- riety of figureheads of the thirteenth century. The Cloister garden is an open square with the Holy Well in the centre. In this shel- tered garden you see plants such -as castor oil trees, etc. Passing around the east side of this house you come first to an old archway with a curious stone gargoyle above it. This was the Abbot's bed-chamber. Then comes what remains of the old and lofty dining hall and next the Cloisters. Next we come to the Crypts-three vaulted chambers with a pas- sage containing a semi-circular roof. The first chamber is very low with a tiled floor and seats of the same construction arranged around the Abbot's chair in the middle. This was The Silent Room of studies. Upon in- vestigating we find that the second room was probably used as a crypt for the dead, while the 'third room was the library where the monks laboured over their lstone and wood workings. Overhead is the Dormitory which was one time laid out in squares for accom- modating eighty to one hundred monks. Abutting from the Dormitory block on the east side was a considerable building com- prising the Hospitium and farther south was the Gong or washhouse. Next we pass the Dormitory lawn. From here we get a fine View of the gable-end of the building, all the facings of which were brought from Normandy. On fthe old wall one can still see wmarks of ancient vinery. A peep at the lily pond shows us that it was beautiful when it was built and its beauty has been increased with age. When passing the cedar lawn we notice some recently discovered stone foundations and cedar trees. This is said to be the spot where William .supped and slept among the dead. It is believed to have been the burial ground of the monastery. Beyond the Cedar lawn is the Yew walk where in places the limbs of the trees have grown together and have formed arches. Here at night owls screech and fly among the trees. Both the Church and the Benedictine monastery, which we have been describing, were built by William the Conqueror to fulfil the vow made by him, if God granted him victory. Although it is now in ruin, no other church of the kind could rival fit except Can- terbury Cathedral. As we leave, the last thing we see are two faces peering down at us from the walls. They are supposed to re- present Harold and William. Now I hope that I have given you a ,good impression of Battle, for of all the places QI saw in England, it interested me the most. E' .7-gi..- : f 'l-- in rg' fuk 145-A' 'S - This , -1' ' ff JL- -... i-.. 1 lj., N Wan.. K r,- K 1 f J 5 . fl 1 5,1 . I f X45 XX ' . x xx x