56 THE MAGDALENE ISLANDS — PATTERSON. 



With their want of education they are extremely superstitious. 

 They believe hrnily in the power of the Devil, and tell seriously 

 of men bargaining with him, or of his fishing with them a whole 

 season in the disguise of a man, and perhaps relate with some 

 satisfaction some clever trick by which they (jutwitted him. 



While many of the old can neither read or write, the young 

 generally possess the first and perhaps both of these accomplish- 

 ments. I am informed, too, that there is a desire among them to 

 learn English, as they feel the disadvantages of being unac- 

 quainted with it. I may add that they and their English neigh- 

 bors have always lived on terms of peace and kindness — and 

 that there is no spirit of violence among them. I may say also 

 that there is much of French courtesy among them. You never 

 meet a boy on the road without a 1 ow that a Parisian would not 

 need to be ashamed of, a touch or lifting of the hut if he has one, 

 and a polite Bon jour. 



The English are superior in intelligence and as a class in 

 wealth. And though they do not amalgamate with the French 

 they have become very much assimilated to them. They oc- 

 cupy almost entirely Entry, Grosseisle and Bryon Islands. The 

 French occupy Amherst, Alright and Grindstone, though there 

 are about 30 English families mixed up w'ith them, principally 

 on the last mentioned. They number over 4000. They have 

 three chapels, with as many priests, and, besides their churches 

 have to maintain convent schools. With the failure of the fish- 

 eries of late years, the maintenance of all these has been felt a 

 burden. 



There are three Protestant churches, all small, on the islands, 

 one at Amherst, one at Grindstone and one on Grosseisle. They 

 have been for some years supplied by a Church of England mis- 

 sionary. Under the Quebec school law, they have separate 

 schools on the two last mentioned islands. 



And now a word in conclusion, as to political or civil affairs. 

 They are divided into three parishes — Amherst, which includes 

 Entry, Grindstone, and Alright, which includes Grosseisle and 

 Bryon. The civil afiairs of each are administered by a council of 

 seven. The three mayors form a county council, though other- 



