24 REV. GEORGE PATTERSON 



During Mr. Hodgson's incumbency there was the usual number of wrecks, some of 

 them of interest. Perhaps the most noteworthy was the loss of the French frigate '' L'Afri- 

 caine," in 1822, in which were two hundred men, who were all saved by the boats of the 

 establishment after her own were stove in. In acknowledgment of the services rendered, 

 Louis XVIII. sent a gift of a silver cup filled with gold coin and a medal struck for the 

 occasion to the superintendent and his men. This was followed in the next year by the 

 loss of the brigs " Hope " and " Marshal Wellington." In these three vessels there was said 

 to have been in all four hundred and twenty-nine souls, who, it is asserted, would all have 

 perished but for the men connected with the establishment. Noteworthy also was the loss, 

 in the year 1812, of II. M. ship " Barbadoes," with a schooner and sloop under her convoy, all 

 of which went ashore on the north side of the island near the east station. 



Of another vessel we have the brief record : " On the 25th October the snow " Adamant " 

 ran on shore on the north side of the island, full of water. On the 26th hauled on shore 

 with ropes five out of a crew of thirteen. Four we found dead on deck, who had died from 

 want of food and water. Those saved were very sick and frostbitten." 



Equally sad is the following : " June 5, 1820. — We have had a toleralile winter, and no 

 wrecks, except the hull of a schooner, the "Juno" of Plymouth, a fishing vessel, that came 

 on shore the 20th November, without masts, sails or rigging of any description, and no person 

 on board except one dead man in the hold, whom we got out and buried." 



Mr. Hodgson carried on the cultivation of the soil as his predecessor had done, Init 

 seemingly with more success, for we find him reporting one season that he had raised two 

 hundred bushels of potatoes, and plenty of cabbages, turnips, parsnips and carrots, for their 

 own consumption, though another year he complains of all his vegetables having been much 

 blighted by the wind. 



He died in the year 1830. During the time he was in charge there were wrecked upon 

 the island two frigates, seven ships, thirteen brigs, eleven schooners and one sloop, in all 

 thirty-four, or perhaps two or three more. 



Mr. Hodgson was succeeded by Capt. Joseph Darby. lie had been in the habit of visit- 

 ing the island almost from the commencement of the government establishment upon it. 

 From 1807 or earlier to 1811 he commanded the vessel Ijy which communication was main- 

 tained with the island. During the years 1812-13 he served in the " Phœbe " and " Shannon " 

 and in the dockyard at Halifax. From 1813 to 1830, as master of his own vessel, he was 

 employed by the government of Nova Scotia in the service of this establishment. He was 

 thus well acquainted with the island and the work required, and being a thorough seaman 

 was well qualified for the duties of his position. 



Of his work during the first seven years of' his incumbency, from November, 1830, to 

 November, 1837, he thus reports. During that time there were lost three ships, ten brigs, 

 and four schooners. One ship with passengers was got off uninjured, with the assistance of 

 the establishment. From three brigs and one schooner nothing was saved but the crews. 

 The other twelve had nearly all their rigging, sails, boats, anchors and cables saved. Alto- 

 gether, two hundred and eighty-three seamen and passengers were saved, together with 

 their baggage, and goods to the value of £14,000 sterling. There had been shipped, as the 

 produce of the island, one hundred and fifty-six horses, fifty-seven barrels of oil, forty-four 

 barrels of skins, five wrecked boats, two barrels of horsehair, and several lots of old iron. 

 Of the improvements made he mentions that a small vessel had been built, which had run 



