NEAR TRAGEDY AS TOLD BY JOHN J. CAMPBELL .....•■ The young people of New London hired Capt. John Johnstone to take them for a sail aboard his Black Fox vessel to a picnic on Lennox Island . All went well until they were nearing New London Harbour on return, a violent thunderstorm and shift of wind churned up a rough sea. Capt. John battened down the hatches leaving only the crew and me on deck. The vessel had no ballist and the Capt. was afraid she would founder on the bar, a difficult harbour to navigate. Below deck many were sea sick and thought they would never see land again. When we tied up at Clifton wharf there was a lot of sand and gravel on the deck due to waves washing over the vessel. My cousin, Jemima Johnstone , was so sick I had to carry her off the ship. Capt. John said, "Never again will I take a party like this, for had the ship gone down nearly every house in New London would be in mourn¬ ing." This 72 ton vessel was built by John and Robert C. Orr in 1870 and was lost in 1880 with the Captain and two young men from Ken¬ sington. DOUBLE DROWNING ACCIDENT NARROWLY AVERTED Anna and Jim Cousins were used to coasting down their hill and across the two bridges at the mill, this morning the sleigh went out of control and both children landed in the brook. Dan Johnstone had a full head of water and was using both water wheels so there was a big brook running. Anna grabbed Jim who was trying to stand waist deep in water and screaming at the top of her voice Uncle Hugh! Uncle Hugh! Come and fish us out we're drowning. Hugh James Montgomery was loading a sleigh with slabs and on hear¬ ing the cries ran to investigate and there was Anna staggering around in the water holding on to little Jim like a cat with a kitten. Hugh pulled them out and Dan took them home to their mother who asked Ann — what did uncle Hugh say to you------"Dan take the poor little wretches home they are nearly frozen." An upsetting catastrophe as told by the late Arthur Johnstone Adonijah Marks brought a grist to the mill; in those days grinding was done on the second floor. Nige as he was familiary known backed his horse and cart up to the north door, tied the reins to the cart and went to take the bags off when he pulled the bags back the box tipped, it hadn't been fastened down, this pulled the reins tight upsetting the horse and cart over the bank. Dan hearing the terrible noise came running to the door, not seeing anything but the bags of grain lying at the door said, "Arthur what has happened." I told him that Nige's horse and cart 28