Island Communication in Winter

INTER communication is one of the most engrossing questions with tlte Islanders. For years they have been agitating for tunnel connection with the mainland, but no practical step has been taken in that direction yet. Navigation across tlte Straits ofNorthnmberland

to the mainland is rendered difficult by the drift ice from the Arctic, which obstructs the

passage. The splendid ice-breaking, government steamers Minto and Stanley, however, successfully cut the floes and solid ice, and keep up regular communication during the winter. It is an exhilarating trip to take, and it is interesting to watch the steamers attack a mammoth floe and by repeated assaults force a passage through.

Our illustrations show both the new way and the old way of reaching the Island in winter. Until recently a great deal of the travel was in ice boats crossing between the Capes, Traverse and Tormentine, a distance of nine miles. The standard ice boat is eighteen feet long and five feet wide. It has a double keel, which serves for runners. The crew are hardy, courageous men, and the passengers work their pas— sage. Each man is strapped to the boat, and starting out from the shore they shove the boat over the hummocks and hollows of the hard ice. Occasionally one of the party drpps into an air hole, but the strap saves him. Then the boat is at length launched in the channel‘of the Straits and the oars do the work until the hard ice of the other shore is reached. If there is much “ lolly" (a sort of slush which frequently floats in the water to the depth of several feet) the difficulties of the journey are greatly increased.

It takes from three and a half to six or seven hours to cross, and on the coldest day crews and

passengers arrive at their destination dripping with perspiration.