They Left Priest Pond Last Night and Have Not Been Heard of - The Brant Left in Search This Morning - Great Anxiety Concerning Them

Last night three men belonging to Priest Pond, Largus Campbell, aged 30, Peter Strachan, aged 21 and Ephraim Holland, aged 18, left in a gasoline dory to overhaul their herring nets about half a mile from the shore.

Strachan and Holland were employed as lobster fishermen at McAulay's factory. Campbell was a friend who accompanied them on the trip.

They had two pairs of oars, but were only lightly clad, and had no provisions, nor water, expecting to return in about half an hour.

The wind was blowing very strongly from the south sou' west, and there was a heavy sea.

When they started to return, people on shore noticed one man working at the engine, which had evidently given out, and the other two straining hard at the oars.

They were unable to make headway against the wind and sea and as darkness fell were being carried out into the gulf.

Last night, Mr. John Ryan left in a gasoline boat to the rescue but the engine also broke down, and he and his men did not return till three this morning. They were unable to locate the missing men.

This morning Capt. Taylor, Agent of Marine, on being informed of the occurrence at once dispatched the Brant to the rescue. She left at nine o'clock. The greatest anxiety is being felt for the three men, and it is feared that the dory could not live in the heavy sea. They left the shore opposite McAulay's factory at Campbell's Cove about 1½ miles from where the Sovinto wreck occurred in 1906. All three men were unmarried.

The same newspaper published the following information on May 14, 1910.

Gasoline Dory Was Picked Up

It Was Supposed To be That Used by Strachen, Campbell And Holland

The following letter was received this morning by Bruce Stewart & Company.

Griffin's Cove, P.Q.
May 2nd, 1910
Schr. "Burleigh."
Messrs Bruce Stewart & Co., Ltd.

Charlottetown, P.E.I.

Dear Sirs: - On my way to Gaspe yesterday morning, I picked up a boat what is called a dory, flat - with one of your gasoline engines in it complete. The boat is new and does not appear to have been used. She was full of water and as it was rough I had some trouble to hoist her on board without damage, and when I saw your name on the engine the only way I saw clear was to write you and get you to advertise it in the papers.

I picked it up 35 miles E. G. W. from Cape North, P. E. I., and think it must have come from the North Side. I am here loading lumber for the Barbadoes, and will likely leave her in Gaspe. Please do all you can to assist the owners to get their boat. If it belongs to a lobster factory, they miss the loss as much as a poor fisherman.

Please write as soon as you get this and address in care of C. Sutton Leboutillier, Esq., Gaspie Harbour, P.Q. I remain,

Yours truly, (Signed.) Capt. Wm. Butler, Schr. "Burleigh."

(This is probably the dory which was used by Campbell, Strachan and Holland, the three men who were carried out to sea from Priest Pond on April 19th, and who have never since been heard of. The finding of the dory confirms the general belief that they were drowned.)

S'side.

Copyright
Waldron H. Leard