RED BAY HARBOR. 243 



which he said had been taken from the neighboring hills, and also 

 informed me that mica, in large sheets, was abundant not far off; 

 but no one could inform me as to Labradorite, which, however, 

 occurs as a bright green and as a black, glittering, scaly variety in 

 several places along the coast. 



As a short description of the harbor may be of interest I will 

 try to give it. From Twin Island, the eastern boundary of the 

 eastern mouth, which is shaped much like a carpenter's square, we 

 approach directly to Saddle Island, which stands in the very centre 

 of the mouth of the harbor, so that, in approaching, neither the 

 eastern or western entrance is perceived until one is directly upon 

 it. This island is about twice as long as it is broad, and lies about 

 southeast by northwest. There is a hill on either end one of 

 which only contains a beacon. The island is almost wholly rock. 

 The depression between these two crests reaches nearly to the level 

 of the water and yet it contains a pond of tolerably good water 

 where the people obtain their usual supply for daily use in the sum- 

 mer time. In what is known as the outer harbor, the water is deep 

 on both sides close to shore, while the eastern entrance is more 

 shallow than the western ; so that while men-of-war vessels often 

 pass in at the western, and anchor within the second or inner harbor, 

 only small boats can pass through the eastern entrance. The west- 

 ern entrance enlarges into what is called West Bay. The shores 

 of the outer harbor gradually approach each other to within almost 

 a stone's throw, and yet there is ample room for the largest man-of- 

 war vessel to pass safely and anchor, as the revenue and other ves- 

 sels that often enter here do, within the inner harbor. 



Close to shore the inner harbor is shoal, yet in its centre, it is 

 very deep. In the farther end of this peculiar hour-glass are situ- 

 ated the winter houses of the inhabitants, at the foot of high, reced- 

 ing, unevenly sloped and gorged hillocks that look like a vast 

 amphitheatre. Near by, on the east side, is a little brook ; here 

 plenty of fresh water is always to be obtained, while the slopes of 

 the hills furnish abundance of firewood, if one will only cut it. Taken 

 all in all, this is a most beautiful place, and well calculated to ex- 



