NOTES ON SABLE ISLAND—-MACDONALD. 21 
row’s nest on the cross-trees of the flag-staff has an elevation of 
120 feet, and commands a view, in clear weather, of the entire 
{sland. . 
During fog the island is patrolled once in 24 hours by rounds- 
men, or men from the outposts, on horseback. 
Through the kindness of Miss Drx, who spent a short time 
on this Island, four Francis metallic life boats were placed at 
the different life-saving stations. There are also surf-boats, 
rockets and mortars, for throwing lines to wrecks, a life-car and 
bretches buoy for the landing of crews. 
At the different stations there is a supply of tame horses 
always on hand to convey the boats to the vicinity of wrecks. 
The life of the surf-men, though somewhat monotonous, 1s 
not an idle one. Each day has its duties. In fine weather their 
time is occupied in keeping the stations in repair, hauling fire- 
wood, attending to the domestic cattle, and farming in its season, 
besides landing supplies, and shipping wrecked materials on the 
visit of the Government steamer, and at stated times they 
have rocket and mortar drill, &. In foggy weather, or after a_ 
storm, the watching of the beach for wrecks claims their whole 
attention. 
Mounted on his pony the patrol wends his way, frequently in 
the teeth of the blast that almost sweeps him from his saddle, while 
often snow, hail and sleet—and oftener still, sharp sand drift, 
that cuts the face until smarting with pain—forces him to take 
shelter between the sand hills, and follow along the central 
valley, ever and anon mounting the hummocks to look seaward, 
and betimes plunging down into the land-wash to examine some 
object floating in the breakers—a spar, an empty bottle, or 
perhaps a hen-coop. Such tokens are often all he finds. And so 
he trudges on for miles. At length he discovers the next patrol 
approaching : they draw rein, exchange notes, turn and retrace 
their steps to report at head quarters. Thus patrols make the 
cirenit of the Island. 
The horses found wild here have been considered by Dr. 
GILPIN and others to resemble the wild horse of Meaico, It is 
generally thought that they were landed from some Spanish 
