Arriving back at Poplar Point, I drove down to the wharf and unloaded the canoe at the exact spot where I had beached her the summer before. Then leaving the Model A in their care, I waved goodbye to the Campbell’s and about 11 am. pushed off down river towards Annandale.

Rounding Cape Spry I went ashore for a quick lunch and short walk and then set out to paddle along the shore in the open Gulf in the general direction of Souris. From Cape Abel I set my course straight for Souris hoping to make it by dark.

“It was a beauteous evening, calm and free”. Here I was about half way across the wide mouth of Fortune Bay and at peace with myself and the World. Not a breath of wind to stir the glass-smooth surface of the ocean. Far off I could hear quite clearly the tinkle of a cow bell or some bell or other, and so I paddled along in a sort of half doze, in no way concerned that l was a long way from land in any direction (including straight down) and lulled by the twilight.

Suddenly, about fifteen feet to my left the head of a huge fish silently broke the surface, gulped air like a choking horse and as suddenly disappeared. Startled from my Lotus-land semi-slumber, I almost fell out of the canoe. However, I quickly recovered and renewed my paddling with somewhat faster strokes.

Landing at Souris just east of the wharf, I set out to find my brother Dr. Jim. At his home I learned that he and his wife Agnes had by mere coincidence gone for a walk down to the wharf. Re— turning toward Souris Wharf, 1 met them on the way home. As my canoe was in the shadow of the wharf, they had not noticed it, nor from the end of the wharf had they noticed me as I climbed up the bank and started up the road. Early next morning I set off for East Point. At Red Point I went ashore and walked across the fields to the home of my old college chum Donal’ Campbell. That night Donal’ and I spent an hour or so on Black Pond in a dory attempting to spear eels with the aid of a lantern. We saw about fifty but landed only one, a big fellow, who swimming around in the bottom of the dory, was quite enough for “company”.

After enjoying their customary Highland hospitality, I said goodbye to the Campbells and resumed my journey carrying with me a large parcel pressed upon me by Donal’s mother.

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