Port Hope Simpson wild bay

historical fiction based on year as vso volunteer in Port Hope Simpson, Labrador, Newfoundland, Canada 1969-70 and coming back out to The Town of Port Hope Simpson's Coming Home Celebrations in July 2002; also based on holiday travels; Richard ap Meurig's sense of purpose, peace, quietness,returning to awe-inspiring wilderness of The Labrador, spiritual retreat & renewal...http://porthopesimpson.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, July 20, 2004

32. boats of different sizes in his time.




Quite a few of them are still in use in Mary’s Harbour to this day. Ben organised the men in the woods without the Company ever finding out'bout him. He was some smart operator. He always acted a bit dumb so as not to draw attention to himself. So they wouldn’t suspect him of organising the labour against them. Ben and Abbie live in that lovely home just up past the Hotel from where you’re staying.”
Richard knew where they lived. He had enjoyed their fantastic hospitality on many an occasion, with meals of fresh salmon and potatoes been out for him with delicious cakes to follow. He dearly wanted to just call in and see them again. He thought about all his other friends whom he hadn’t seen for so long.
“What about Winston James? How did he manage to stay here through the bad times?”
“Winston’s dogs were the best here. What he didn’t know about keeping them in tip-top condition wasn’t worth knowing. Prince, Busker, Flurt. They were some powerful animals. Wince was like a leader to all the other men when time came round for hauling out. He knew just how much to haul out for what the Company was going to pay them. He was like a measuring stick, a scaler for the others. However much he was bringing out, the other men would bring out the same. Wince showed them the best mix of feed for the dogs when they were working, the best roads to take coming out and how to keep them lean and hungry. His dogs would pull until they dropped dead for him. Quigley sensed that he had to keep Wince happy but he didn’t know why. He sensed that if Wince turned against him then all hell would break loose with his operations. Wince liked it that way. The boss and not the boss. It suited him just fine. Wince was a good man. He would always keep an eye on how the