1

Snuffer Pearl remembers his days as a rum runner in Mahone Bay.

2

Gorden Pearl speaks.
1920
Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

3

Name's Gordon, Gordon Pearl, but I can't get no-one to call me that. They all call me 'Snuffer'. ( Snuffs ) Not sure why...

So, you want to know about the rum running, do you? Well, it was the big ships brought up the rum from Barbados, but they all stayed out beyond the twelve mile limit 'cause the Pro'bition officers couldn't touch'em out there. It was the small boats, you see, that brought in all this booze, kegs upon kegs.

4

Snuffer talks about rum running.
1920
Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

5

I tell ya, that rum was some powerful! The runner, he'd mix a gallon of rum with water to make 13 pints, that's how powerful it was. Even cut by 2/3rds, it burned the whole way down.

When we was teenagers, we'd go with Joe Turner in his boat to the dance hall in Martin's River. Sometimes there'd be twenty of us. Joe would have a suitcase full of pint bottles. One week we'd land on the western side of the river, and the next week we'd land on the eastern side and the Mountie, well, he was always on the wrong side.

( Now, they might have figured out the needed two Mounties... given time. )

6

Snuffer laughs at his memories of rum running.
1920
Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

7

We knew all the trails through the woods, all these places that come out to the dance hall. Each of us was holding 3 or 4 bottles and Joe would walk in Scot-free. When we got in there he'd start selling and collecting, a dollar a pint bottle and if three men chipped in on it, well, all three got loaded.

8

Snuffer continues his talk on rum running.
1920
Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

9

And we never got caught... No, but we had some close calls... This one time, it was almost dark and we was headed for Martin's River. We was making down the eastern part of Indian Point and we looked out to see Boosey Gildert and the pro'bition cutter bearing down on us from over on the other side.

10

Snuffer talks about almost getting caught by the Prohibition Officer.
1920
Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

11

So, we run back of Crow Island where there's all kinds of boulders. With a small boat you can get in there, but there's no way the cutter could, so we stopped the engine and sat tight.

12

Snuffer continues his story.
1920
Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

13

Suddenly, Boosey's got his searchlight shining on us.

14

Snuffer animates the actions of Joe Turner.
1920
Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia