Glebe Collegiate Institute - Lux Glebana Yearbook (Ottawa, Ontario Canada)

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UX GLEBANACEQQ- settled in beauty at the head of Chedabucto Bay, and our destination, finally appeared around one of these corners. This town combines the atmosphere of the country town with that of the sea-side town, and boasts as one of its homes the summer residence of a former Lieutenant- Governor of the province. To travel- stiffened limbs, a stay of two weeks beside the smiling bay seemed very welcome. The prospect of sailing and fishing made cars suddenly distasteful. An old fisherman's two master, with tanned sails, was ours for the length of our stay, and many happy hours were spent on board. Sailing gayly down the lovely land-locked harbour, we would foam through the tide rips at the narrow entrance. Keeping the black buoy to starboard and the red to port, we would safely con our staunch craft past the old fort and lighthouse, and with eased sheets enjoy the more boisterous sailing in Chedabucto Bay. A big tramp steamer, the Keret of Bergen, was loading lumber from booms in the bay, and the boat used to sail very close to the ship and then tack suddenly, probably causing the sailors to wonder what the city folk would do next. The exhilarating motion, and the fresh salt air would send us back with glowing cheeks and ravenous appetites. An extremely interesting excursion was made one day to Canso, a fishing town about thirty miles distant on the Straits of Canso in the south-east tip of Nova Scotia. A Hsh Cannery there holds much of instruction as well as interest. Rows and rows of fish were hanging in the smoking room. Great quantities of fish are brought in every day, and the speed with which they are cleaned is remarkable. The finnan haddie which later reaches the Ottawa stores is seen in a new light after this visit. The chief point of interest, however, was the cable- station where messages are sent and received from abroad. Some of the latter, according to the ones the operator read to us, must have been written by people in holiday mood. Outside the town is a direction Ending station by which the location of all sea-going ships is verified QShades of Trigonometryj. One could spend hours at the harbour. A few tramps and freighters were among the many fishing ships, for the most part two-and-three masters . -QEPALERE FLAMMAM Tied to one of the wharves was a lifeboat from a ship, which earlier we had seen burning a few miles out, and which had to be abandoned. Also riding at anchor, was a ship with its Hag at half-mast, as one of her crew had been washed overboard. The road back from Canso had many quaint and sometimes barren looking fishing villages. The Heet was home for the day, and nets were spread on the beaches to dry. In one of these villages there are stories of false lights which used to lure the ships to the rocks, and of the wrecks later plundered. Near Port Felix, a rather bleak little hamlet, we thought we saw an iceberg far out on the Atlantic. No wonder the water was cold for swimming! There are many barrens around this Part liter- ally covered with blueberries. When the negroes go blueberry picking, they sometimes take their mattresses with them and stay all night. Most of the darkies are very friendly and beam and wave when you pass. As we were staying in Guysborough a few weeks, and as the hotel was mainly for over- night guests, we rented an old Baptist parson- age. This was a comfortable house, one hundred and sixty years old. The ministers' wives used to keep school there for small children. One rather interesting morning was spent on Long Beach, an unique formation of sand forming a natural break-water at the mouth of the harbour. The sea-gulls were very amusing to watch and hear. Their screeching became even Wilder when we came near their nests, hollowed among the stones. They swooped down at us and would have willingly peeked our heads. 44910

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UX GLEBANA XQ,',m- wo CARS were gaily skimming along the highway, and to their joyous occupants there came the realiza- tion that at last they were to see some of the beauties of provinces other than their own, and that the prospect of reaching and lingering in the charm and tang of Nova Scotia was to be theirs. By way of explanation, the cars belonged to my father and his brother, who were taking their respective families to their old home town for the holidays. Eagerly the passengers caught the frequent glimpses of the sparkling St. Lawrence as the road led up the cliffs to Quebec, and curiously they discussed the gay splashes of colour in the forms of hooked-rugs on sale at most of the French homes. The proud old citadel of Quebec lived up to and surpassed its fine repu- tation, whether viewed while crossing the river, or while strolling through the steep crooked streets of Lower Town, or the fine modern ones of Upper Town. Seeing the Plains of Abraham and Wolfe's monument made the party recall the history which had excited the city long ago. Later, on the opposite side of the river, the travellers passed through many neat and pretty French villages. As it was Sunday, all the church-yards were filled with buggies and horses, and in one instance, where the service had just concluded, a man was on the steps reading the news to his assembled listeners. Probably just an old French custom. The dreariness of the Father Point district vanished at the sight of a tug bearing mail and pilot going out to meet an ocean liner, and of the -QEPALERE FLAMMAM OUR VAGABOND TOUR if M. and E. BUCKLEY SA-C pilot and mail being received on deck. Looking back from a point some miles fur- ther on, we had revealed to us by a far- away sparkle of sunlight on gleaming white paint, that the ship was once more on her way in charge of the pilot. After turning inland near Mont-joli,a short drive brought us to the lovely wooded steeps of the Mata- pedia Valley, which stretched along for many miles. New Brunswick offered a forty-mile short-cut between Chatham and Newcastle through virgin forest. This was broken only by the rude dwellings of newly settled Scan- dinavians. . Stopping for lunch by the shores of North- umberland Straits was a happy interlude. With appetites whetted by the tang of the sea, bacon, cooked over an open fire, disappeared in large quantities. Here the beauty was startling. The vivid clear blue of the sea, the red sands of the banks and shore, and the bright green of the long grass was enlivened by the white flashes of sea gulls. Nearby was an Indian encampment, and the Indian children were peeking shyly around the corner of the huts at the gay luncheon party. At Moncton the famous bore refused to perform although the time was due for the phenomenon to occur according to those standing around. just at the border of Nova Scotia, a huge road sign, in the form of a splendid relief map, clearly showed the principal routes and many cities and towns. At Amherst, Mounties and silk- hatted ofiicials were much in evidence. Un- decided what to do, our party joined a long line of cars, only to discover later that we were in the official procession conducting Lord Bess- borough back from a formal visit. Travelling in Nova Scotia is at once a thrilling and dusty affair: between clouds of dust the corners pounce at unsuspecting tourists leaving them to wonder if the road will ever straighten out again. Guysborough, a quaint little town 448-lt

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7 . UX GLEBANACKQ All too soon our visit was over, and we were once more on the highway. We paid a hurried visit to Halifax, before starting back by the St. john valley route. This grand old city im- pressed us very much with her guarding citadel, old churches and lovely gardens. Halifax is justly proud of her Government House and it was interesting to see the rooms of this fine old building, and to gaze on the famous bed where King Edward the Seventh and other notables have slept while in Halifax. On, our journey led us to Truro, Amherst, Fredericton and the St. john Valley. Fredericton is very like Ottawa in many ways. The park by the St. john River and the Parliament Buildings is similar to sections of our driveway, and the provincial Experimental Farm adds a homelike touch. The St. john Valley is extremely pretty and picturesque, and the cultivated farmland along the river is distinctly contrasted with the wild beauty of the hills and river in the Mata- pedia Valley. We sped through many little towns with quaint and queer sounding names. Every evening the French families would gather outside their homes, the old folk gener- ally in rocking chairs, and the young folk in odd two-seated swings. Night driving in New Brunswick was enlivened by the tre- mendous number of toads and frogs which kept hopping across the road, ,perhaps at- tracted by our head- lights. They managed three hops before extermination. Deer were more agile and our score was nil. At Riviere du Loup we connected with our eastward route. Here we stopped overnight at an inn, which reminded one of the old French Canadian manor houses with its carved wood- work and dormer windows. The city was gaily decorated in honour of some religious QASPALERE FLAMMAM festival. At Levis we climbed a hill more like the Rockcliffe ski jump than a highway, and rolled along the south shore of the St. Lawrence to the Quebec bridge. That bridge is marvel- lous and the panorama both up and down the river from our moving observation post ex- tremely interesting. There is a nice park at the north end for picnics. Homeward we sped. Three Rivers Hashed past, we were on familiar ground and soon wc were engulfed in the traffic of Montreal. A short jaunt and Ottawa once more. Twenty-Hve hundred miles of Canada had been covered by our flying wheels, and what memories we retain - majestic rivers, busy towns, quiet villages nestling by the mighty ocean, the murmur of surf, the puff of a por- poise, a sea-gull's scream, quaint homes and customs-oh, many, many more all woven into the pattern of a perfect holiday. A beautiful country is our heritage. Anderson:- You ave that cloak-room at- . . 3 ,, tendant a big tip, old boy. ohnson:- Well he ave me a 'ood coat! v g g HX' 'ls 'lf Bob Davis:- You're my idea of a girl. Anon:- Well, I hope you're the kind of a bov who believes in drivin an idea home. , . g xx Insurance 55 METCALFE STREET QQ PHONE QUEEN 1 998 Insure in Sure Insurance - J. STUART BINKS alsol'