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Another Story of “token” in loss of
SS Lion Sir: I read with the greatest of interest your article on “The mysterious loss of SS Lion” in the January 4, 1974 issue of your paper. Towards the end of your item you mentioned that the 1882 sinking in Baccalieu Tickle has given rise to a number of strange stories, almost legends, of tokens and other warnings received by people far from the scene, but somehow connected with the ill fated ship. Here is yet another story. Every autumn after the year’s voyage was clued up it was a common occurrence, if the voyage were good, for some of the men (and women) to travel to St. John’s to buy some extras not obtainable at the local dealer’s. In 1882 my great-grandfather Abraham Brown was 30 years of age and was soon to be married. For years before that he had been maintaining his mother and running his half of the family fishing plantation at Trouty (2 or 3 miles south of Trinity) Anyway, he was at St. John’s that fall and by early January he would have few opportunities left to return home before freeze up. The trip home was arranged for on the SS Lion. Then something happened. A fortuneteller in one of the many waterfront taverns told great-grandfather of impending danger which should encourage him to change his travel plans. So at the last minute he did just that and came home by some other means. It was not until he arrived home that he learnt that his first choice of transportation had come to an untimely end halfway between ports. CLARENCE BROWN DEWLING
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