54 THE MAGDALEXE ISLANDS — PATTERSON. 



Other fisli abovind, though the takiiio- of them is not of great 

 economic importance. Halibut are caught in deep water ; oc- 

 casionally porpoises are seen spouting ; sea eels are speared in 

 the lagoons ; smelts come up the streams in great abundance, 

 and splendid sea trout are caught at the head of them. 



But no person once visiting a fishing station at the Magdalene 

 Islands, can forget the sights and smells which there regale his 

 senses. Take as a typical example Etang du Nord (in English 

 North Pond) corrupted in Tandanore, a small haven for boats on 

 the west side of Grindstone Island. The view is picturesque as 

 you approach, or view it from higher ground, as is generally the 

 case with all the fishing stations. But nearer approach dissipates 

 sentiment. Here is the lobster canning estaljlishment. Shall we 

 enter it ? Inside it is rouo-h, and thins's don't look inviting, but 

 it is said that every thing about the work is quite' clean, and you 

 can convince yourself of the fact. But outside, if not within, 

 you will see what will have a tendency to diminish your relish 

 for lobster salad next winter. Only the meat in the claws and 

 tail of the lobster are used. The bodies are thrown out and 

 pigs are enjo^^ing high festival. But go a little farther and you 

 meet a semi-circular row of little huts set on pillars in the sand 

 and used for storing fish, and huts scarcely an 3^ better, in which 

 the fishermen with their families come to live during the fishing 

 season. Here is a group of women chattering as onl}- French 

 women can, sittino- on the sand shellino- clams for bait, while 

 others in carts are brinHng them in the shell from where thev 

 have been dug, others may be engaged in the operations neces- 

 sary for the curing of codfish, disembowelling, splitting, salting, 

 drying and piling them. Boats are landing their catch either of 

 codfish or lobsters. But upon all this ofifal pigs are feeding in 

 dozens. But I am afraid the effect of the whole scene on another 

 of your sense will be likely to cause you to lose the Ijenefits 

 to be derived according to some sanitarians to your brain and 

 bodily health, by a diet of salt cod. Perhaps 3'ou may even be 

 tempted to become a Jew as far as prejudice against pork fed on 

 these islands are concerned. 



How this state of matters does not breed a postikncc ve crai- 



