20 NOTES ON SABLE ISLAND—MACDONALD. 
sand is seen, thrown up into every variety of drift, or scooped 
out by the wind into bowl-like hollows, relieved only by the 
stark timbers of many an unfortunate ship, washed by the waves 
or thrown high upon the shore, and the unceasing headlong 
plunge of the breakers, as each in turn rears its green head and 
breaks in a crest of foam as it rushes up the sloping beach. 
As we mount the hummocks and descend into the lake valley, 
the scene changes to that of a Western prairie. Desolate wastes 
of sand give place to green knolls and waving meadows of tall, 
luxuriant grass, interspersed with wild pea. In the vicinity of 
the lake can be gathered in their season wild roses, lilies, asters, 
strawberries, blueberries, cranberries—the latter affording quite 
a revenue to the Island. 
Herds of wild ponies dot the valley and hill side. Here 
and there are fresh water ponds, girt with dense rank grass, 
where wild duck and water-fowl breed in thousands. Here, 
again is a long barren, known as the “desert,” whose sands 
are as shifting as those of the Sahara, and equally as destitute 
of vegetation. 
Thus alternate barrenness and vegetation, fertile valleys 
and sand hummocks, the entire length of the Island. 
The Government establishment on this Island consists of a 
superintendent and 18 men, located at different parts of the 
Island. Besides the main station, there are five owt-stations, 
where some of the staff reside. There are also two houses of 
refuge, in which are fire places filled with wood ; match-bozes, 
a bucket, and a bag of biscuit, hanging against the wall, out of 
reach of rats, which sometimes infest the Island. The door is 
simply latched. Written directions are posted up, showing the 
- way to the stations, and how fresh water can be had by digging 
18 inches in the sand. Many a crew, thrown on this desolate 
sand-bank in storm and darkness, finding their way to those 
houses, have had reason to bless the government for its thought- 
fulness in providing for their emergency, without which many a 
poor fellow would have had to succumb. 
At these out stations signal staffs are erected for the purpose 
of communicating with vessels or the maim station, at which the 
