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Kathryn in the barrel
1905
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

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Kathryn and 'friend' having a bath
1905
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

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The dog 'Pilot'
1905
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

43

Q. Do you miss the sea?

A. No, I don't miss it. Of course, once in awhile I got an old homesick feeling for it, but it wasn't something that I wanted to go back to again. You know, the life was very
boring. I know it all sounds so exciting to you, just in little patches, but on day after day there were no children to play with, no flowers, no grass, mostly salt beef and salt cod and things like that to eat, salt mackerel, you see. And we did have hens on board, and so occasionally, perhaps once a week we would have chicken, roast chicken. But the sailors didn't like roast chicken. They were being given chicken too. And they sent a complaint up. They were allowed to have their salt beef, by law they were allowed to have so much salt beef a day, and they would like to have their salt beef, they didn't want any chicken. So father was most amazed, but he gave in most naturally, and gave them their salt beef.

44

Kathryn polishing brass again
1905
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

45

Kathryn Ladd's childhood at sea was relatively uncommon at the turn of the 20th century although in earlier years many captains' children spent a good part of their childhood with their parents voyaging to many parts of the world. What is nice about Kathryn's adventures is that she was old enough to remember the time aboard ship and that she was able to tell us about those times in both audio and visual formats. The National Film Board's film "Empty Harbours, Empty Dreams" features Kathryn Ladd, in her garden, speaking of those early days of her life.