THE WILD PONIES OF SABLE ISLAND 209 



leaden haze obscured the rays of the sun, only a few moments 

 I). 'fen- at their very brightest. Moreover, it is thought that 

 the sea, ever nibbling voraciously, and in memorable hours of 

 fury taking huge bites out of the sand-cliffs, will never rest until 

 men and ponies and all living things are driven away or devoured, 

 and Neptune will claim for his own the windswept desolate sand- 

 hills which he appears to covet so ardently. 



The Dominion Government would be wanting in the common 

 instincts of humanity were all possible means not taken to prevent 

 shipwreck and to carry aid to sufferers after disasters have occurred. 

 Communication is kept up with the island by means of a monthly 

 visit of one of the steamships of the Marine and Fisheries Depart- 

 ment. And the care of two well-equipped lighthouses, or huts 

 of refuge, 1 repairs to the station buildings, the looking after life- 

 boats and life-saving appliances, the cutting and hauling of fire- 

 wood, curing hay for stock, the gathering of the annual crop of 

 cranberries, and attending to the monthly visits of the packet, 

 keep a staff of some score of individuals continually busy. 



During the prevalence of fogs the island has to be patrolled 

 twice a day ; also on days of storm, when outward there are sixteen 

 miles of white and broken water, and landward drifting sands 

 and flying mists shut in the vista from the ' lookout '. Mounted 

 on his hardy pony, the solitary horseman now rides up the central 

 valley, once and again climbing a hillock to peer seaward, or turning 

 his horse to the beach to examine some broken spar, or empty 

 bottle, or bit of wreckage tossed up by last night's gale. Now 

 he invades the sanctuary of the sea-gulls until, with harsh clamour, 

 hundreds of angry birds scream above his head and swoop down 

 towards his weather-beaten tarpaulin jacket, or snap viciously 

 at his pony's ears. A few minutes more and he has drawn rein 

 to mark the seals resting their sleek wave-tossed bodies on the sands. 

 The wary old male turns his broad moustached nostrils to the tainted 

 breeze and the whole herd begin a lumbering retreat. Great ocean 

 bulls and cows and calves are seen to be tumbling over each other 

 in their haste to reach the water, wherein they are at home and safe. 



Charging the herd for the fun of it, the patrolman gives his 

 pony her full stride along the beach. He snouts with laughter 

 at the rolling, tumbling mass, wallowing towards the surf into 

 which they splash at length with loud snorts of relief. Now they 



1 Each house is furnished with a fireplace, matches and drywood. A 

 bag of biscuits is hung upon the wall out of reach of the rats which at all 

 times infest the island. Written instructions are posted up with direction* 

 how to find the main station, and how to dig for fresh-water. Many a 

 poor fellow has been saved by the welcome shelter. 



F.C. 



