62 GENERAL, REMARKS. 



gulf of St. Lawrence causes a block between St. Paul island and cape 

 Ray ; this block, which sometimes lasts for three weeks and completely 

 prevents the passage of ships, is known as the " Bridge." It is re- 

 corded that 300 vessels have at one time been detained by this obsta- 

 cle, and many wrecks have occurred in consequence, on the coast of 

 NcAvfoundland. 



Ice from the gulf is generally met with in Cabot strait early in 

 January ; at this time it is thin, but it increases gradually to as much 

 as 4 feet in thickness ; occasionally small bergs, some 18 feet in height, 

 are seen, although a large berg is seldom visible; ice may be said to 

 flow through till May, or even till the beginning of June, according 

 to the season. 



A prevalence of northwesterly and northerly winds drives the ice 

 toward the strait and along the west coast of Cape Breton island, 

 when incoming vessels meet no ice except south westward of St. Paul 

 island. A southwesterly gale occasionally takes the ice out between 

 the Magdalen islands and Cape Breton island, when it meets the main 

 body flowing past Bird rocks, and closes the strait between St. Paul 

 island and cape Anguille. Winds between northeast and south open 

 the Newfoundland coast; and the strait often clears quickly with 

 winds between northwest and northeast, so that in about thirty-six 

 hours very little ice may be visible from cape Ray, but quantities of 

 ice pass through for many days after navigation is open, particularly 

 with northerly winds. 



The ice usually passes out of the strait in the direction of Ban- 

 quereau bank, the eastern edge extending halfway between Scatari 

 and St. Pierre island. Its path broadens when through the strait, 

 and is principal^ governed by the winds, but under the influence of 

 the current alone the ice drifts south west ward, and in latitude 45° 

 north may be from 10 to 75 miles in width. Much of this is very 

 heav3% and prevents the passage through it of all vessels not specially 

 built to encounter ice. The coast between ca.pe North and Scatari 

 often holds the ice, during easterly winds, until late in May. 



Gulf of St. Lawrence and west coast of Newfoundland. — 

 During spring and autumn the navigation of the gulf is rendered 

 difficult by ice, and navigation is entirely closed during the winter. 

 In spring, generally until May, and sometimes early in June, parts 

 of the gulf are usually covered with drift ice, and vessels are some- 

 times beset in it for many days; if unprepared for meeting ice they 

 often suffer from it and are occasionally lost, but serious accidents 

 from this cause do not frequently occur, as the ice is then generally 

 more or less in a melting state from the effect of the sun and warmer 

 winds. In autumn, accidents from ice seldom happen, except when 

 winter commences unusually early, or when vessels have lingered 

 imprudently late. 



