THE MAGDALENE ISLANDS — PATTERSON. 45 



At a distance, approaching it from some directions, it has the 

 appearance of a gigantic corpse, l3"ing upon the surface of the 

 water, three protuberances representing the feet, the abdomen 

 a.nd the head. But doubtless it deserves the name for a sad- 

 der reason. Who can tell how many gallant men have gone 

 down to death in the pitiless waves which beat on its sides ? 

 The fisherman lands upon it to cure his fish, l;)ut still regards 

 it with somewhat of the superstitious awe, which has prompt- 

 ed the lines of the poet Moore : 



" There lieth a wreck on the dismal shore, 



Of cold and pitiless Labrador, 

 Where under the moon iipon mountains of frost. 



Full many a mariner's bones are tossed. 



Yon shadowy bark hath been to that wreck, 



And the dim blue fire that lights her deck. 

 Doth play on as pale and livid a crew 



As ever yet drank tlie church-yard dew. 



To Deadman's Isle in the eye of the blast, 



To Deadman's Isle she speeds her fast, 

 By skeleton shapes her sails are furled, 



And the hand that steers is not of this world." 



From Amherst Island two ridges of sand extend northwardly 

 a distance of nearly eight miles, till they reach Grindstone 

 Island. The western starts from the extreme west of Amherst 

 Island, the other from a point about three miles to the eastward, 

 but they converge as they approach Grindstone to less than a 

 mile and a half. Each of them is broken through by the sea, 

 b)ut still these openings are fordable by vehicle in moderate 

 Aveather, though it requires the guidance of some person 

 acquainted with the shoals, otherwise one might be carried 

 into deep water or sink in quick sands. The waters enclosed 

 by these is known as Basque Harbor, but it is of little value 

 from its shallow, narrow opening, though it used to be a fav- 

 orite spawning ground of the herring. 



Grindstone Island derives its name from a rounded hill of grey 

 freestone, forming a cape some three hundred feet high, to which 

 the French used to resort for grindstones. Looking at it from 

 the east, it has a remarkable resemblance to a human face with 



