THE MAGDALENE ISLANDS — PATTERSON. 55 



not imagine. Perhaps it is that the constant breeze from and to 

 the sea purifies the air. Certain it is that men, women and chil- 

 dren live among these scenes and presume to be healthy. 



Having referred to the women, I may here say that of all the 

 industrious creatures I have seen, the French women bear the 

 palm. Besides their help in the fishing, the cultivation of the 

 land is largely their work. Besides their household duties they 

 spin the wool on the old fashioned wheel, weave it into cloth 

 for themselves and their families. And as for knitting" it would 

 seem an unpardonable waste of time, to go along the road even a 

 short distance without the knitting needles being in operation. 

 See two girls driving along the road in one of their little carts : 

 while one drives the other is addino- some rounds to the stockins". 

 And as might be supposed they are not extravagant as to dress. 



As a people, we may say they are generally temperate. There 

 are no places where liquor is retailed. Some of the large traders 

 do not suppl}^ it at all, and others only import small quanti- 

 ties to be used for special purposes. Doubtless it is imported 

 otherwise, but still its use is comparatively limited. But on the 

 other hand, tobacco is reo-arded almost as the staff of life, and 

 in the use of tea they excel even the people of Nova Scotia. 



Notwithstanding the resources of the island, the majority of 

 the inhabitants have been kept in a state of comparative 

 poverty. While this probably was owing in some measure to 

 want of thrift, yet the system of dealing, combined with their 

 want of education, tended to the same result. Every person 

 in spring went in debt to the merchant for supplies, and at the 

 end of summer gave him the proceeds of his fishing. The 

 latter gave him no account, as he could neither read nor write, 

 but told him that he was clear, or that he was still in debt so 

 much, and they commenced the same process again. 



In the year 1882 they almost sufiered from famine. The j^ear 

 before the potato crop failed. A vessel sent to Quebec with 

 their fish and to bring back supplies, foundered, and by spring 

 they were reduced to the verge of starvation. Flour was not to 

 be had at any price. The rich could not help the poor. The 

 first relief was by a vessel bound for Newfoundland, which was 

 wrecked on Grosseisle. 



