THE FIRST SUBMARINE CABLE 17

I knocked. From within came the sound of hurrying feet. Then the key was turned in the lock. Then it was turned back again, then forward Finally it stuck. I became impatient.

“Never mind. I’ll go around to the back!"

The wind blew me around the corner of the house. What a View! Below the house a river wandered on seemingly lost in its wide red bed; but further on it rushed gurgling in a narrow channel into the strait. This, I suppose, is the Riviére de la Traverse, the crossing place, or ferry. So the French thought— probably because it is the nearest point to the main- land. The Indians saw the Cape in a different light. To them it was simply Baslooakade—Seacow Haunt.

As I looked over the river to the cove, I saw in my mind those poor Acadian peasants trying to wrest a living from the Island. Their settlement here was poor and small. They understood the reason.

“We be all farmers—all fishers—dat be de veri ting dat mak us all beggars.”

The back door opened quite easily. Soon the Captain was back in the 1890’s

“The boats," he began, “were covered with tin. They were flat on the bottom, with runners. Eight or ten straps were attached. These were for protec- tion in case passengers went under where there was thin ice. Each boat took four to six passengers. They paid for the privilege of pulling. ”

He chuckled at the remembrance.

“Ladies and gentlemen preferring ease were hauled in the boats for double fare. ”

“ Plutocrats! What about baggage?”

“Three cents a pound—above forty pounds. ”