THE MAGDALENE ISLANDS — PATTERSON. 33 



unbroken, except l)}' some passing sail, looking in the distance 

 " like wing of wild bird," as we saw it, calm and resplendent 

 under a July sun, even then, however, giving you the idea of a 

 quiet consciousness of reserved power — but soon it may be roused 

 by the tempest to display its awful majesty and irresistible might. 

 In the nearer view the land stretches out in cliffs of varied hue, 

 which are said to resemble those of the Channel Islands, or in 

 long ranges of sand dunes, while often the tints on sea and sky 

 are so beautiful, that travellers have pronounced them such as 

 they have only seen among the islands of the Egean or in the 

 fairest spots of the sunny south. Below you lies some cove or 

 bay, on whose surface may be seen small vessels and boats, in 

 which the hardy fishermen pursue their avocations ; around you 

 are many sunny slopes or verdant valleys, thickly dotted with 

 the homes of the inhabitants, suggestive of all the scenes of rural 

 life, while in the rear the view is bounded by a higher range of 

 hills of a rich dark green from the stunted spruce and fir, which 

 are now almost the only trees upon the islands. And all ,so (j[uiet 

 perhaps no sound being heard, unless yon are near enough to 

 catch the low melancholy murmur of the waves in their ceaseless 

 beat upon the shore. Such is the scene which in the long sum- 

 mer day may be seen at any point in the Magdalene Islands, as 

 is so often seen in God's works, the same in general features, 

 endlessly diversified in details. 



If, however, you are of a more practical turn, and have come 

 with the idea commonly entertained regarding these islands, you 

 will 1 le delighted and surprised to find them possessing a soil un- 

 surpassed in fertility in these Eastern Provinces. It is a deep, 

 sandy loam, free from stones, easily worked, and under anj" 

 proper system of agriculture it would yield abundantl}' all the 

 cereals, grasses and vegetables of the temperate zone. 



But any observer of the works of God in nature cannot pass 

 among these islands, without being struck by the exhibition here 

 seen of the working of those agencies, by which the land is 

 covered by the sea, and again the sea turned into dry land. 

 Westward the rocks are a dark red sandstone, as I judge the 

 continuation of the new red sandstone of P. E. Island. These 

 3 



