The excursion – Part 2
The excursion – Part 2
** For the start of this Bay of Fundy picnic gone wrong, visit Pat Hampsey’s onl-line archive on NovaNewsNow.com **
The passengers of the Brunswick, who had been waiting for quite some time as the August 16, 1913 excursion from Harbourville and Canada Creek to Port Greville across the Bay considered its return, were not very pleased by the change in plans – as anyone can imagine.
Among the disgruntled passengers was Mr. Meisner, who had made previous arrangements with Rev. P.S. McGregor to conduct baptism services at Victoria Harbour for several Burlington Baptist Church members on the Sunday afternoon. Mr. Meisner’s presence was not crucial, but those scheduled to be baptized were – they, too, were passengers of the Brunswick. In 1913, the long and rough travel from Wolfville to Victoria Harbour and back Mr. McGregor did make was no small inconvenience.
There was not one bit of space affordable for sleeping that wasn’t used in Joshua Welsh’s hotel that night, and several generous residents of Port Greville took guests into their private homes. Another 100 and more passengers had nowhere else to go but the ship, where there were only 14 berths available, aside from those of the officers and crew.
It was about two o’clock on Sunday morning two ladies from Harbourville and a man from Black Rock made a quiet raid for food in the ship’sgalley, joined by seven more hungry passengers. The newspaperman passenger, Pete Lawson, was very descriptive about the discovery of the crock of “big brown,juicy, well-baked beans,” and, commending the cook as an artist in the profession, there is no doubt he was among the raiders. They were nearly finished their meal when the ship suddenly listed once the tide went out, rolling sleepers leeward and sending dishes crashing across the galley. There were enough beans saved in the crock for the captain’s breakfast and, as for the crew, it was assumed they would have little appetite in the morning from their leisure activities the afternoon before.
The Brunswick had listed enough she might turn over, and most of the passengers left, finding shelter among the mills and lumber piles nearby. Following a rough a sleepless night, there was a long line-up of people waiting for breakfast at six o’clock Sunday morning outside Mr. Welsh’s hotel door. It is uncertain how Mr. Welsh was able to provide breakfast for so many people, but it is likely food was brought in. Lawson made a comment, although the demand for eggs was stronger than Port Greville hens could supply, everyone did manage to get a little something to eat.
A around 11 o’clock Sunday morning, the Brunswick steamer was again upright with the incoming tide, but it was noon before the ship was able to turn itself about in the channel and head towards home. Captain Moore announced with authority the ship would commence first to Harbourville and then to Canada Creek but, once near the mainland, it was obvious the tide was too far from Harbourville wharf to make a close landing and the ship headed to Canada Creek instead to allow the 50 passengers ashore. Finally reaching Harbourville shortly before three o’clock in the afternoon, it was nearly six o’clock that evening before all the remaining passengers had been transported fro the ship by boat to the wharf.
Attempts to reach Kings County with the Brunswick’s change of plans had been made by telegraph and telephone Saturday evening and Sunday morning, but they were unable to make a connection. Not knowing why the ship had not returned as scheduled Saturday evening, there were a good number of worried people, and there were several disquieting rumours already afloat.
Despite all the problems, there were few who regretted the trip and, if nothing else, they had a tale to tell, a story that might be retold long after the adventure.
