328 



REVIEWS. 



[1855. 



Mr. Roche's Essay on Antioosti, but of entering into consider- 

 able detail on the merits of the eminently patriotic views of the 

 ■writer, by means of free progressive quotations from his valu- 

 able Remarks, in the confident hope of not only drawing public 

 attention more generally towards an object of great public im- 

 portance, but of happily, assisting in promoting the speedy 

 peopling of the Island. 



It is now near twenty years since the writer of this article, 

 then on his way to England, was during a whole dreary tem- 

 pestuous night in November, kept in no little Ijodily fear of 

 of being either shipwrecked or worse, on the long proverbially 

 dreaded desert coast of Antieosti; and had his attention and 

 feelings ever since strongly enlisted in behalf of some amelio- 

 rations of its desolate state. It was, therefore, with no small 

 satisfaction that he at once participated in the surprise express- 

 ed by Mr. Roche, that in the midst of the progress going on 

 throughout British North America, in reclaiming the wilder- 

 ness, and developing new sources of wealth, no account " had 

 been taken of a valuable island, large enough to become a Pro- 

 vince of itself, lying nearly in the centre of our North Ame- 

 rican colonies, and at the threshold of the most important 

 colony of the whole; that while all is life and healthy activity 

 about and beyond it, and a commerce, second hardly to the 

 commerce of any one channel in the world, is carried past its 

 shores, the seasons roll on without bringing to the latter any 

 change in that state of desolation which invests it with fright- 

 ful yet imaginary terrors, and which has done more to injure 

 the reputation of the St. Lawrence navigation than all those 

 real dangers upon the main shores of the river and gulf, where 

 so many gallant vessels have been wrecked, and so many valu- 

 able lives have been destroyed." 



Among the circumstances, (observes Mr. Koolie) which have repelled 

 all proper inquiry and all enterprise from Antieosti, and which h.aye done 

 much to injure the Province by giving a worse character to its great outlet 

 thanitreally deserves, are former disasters from famine, which occurred 

 there before provision posts were carefully kept up,* and the erroneous 

 opinion which has hitherto prevailed, that a greater proportion of 

 vessels have been wrecked upon the island th.an have been lost in any 

 other part of the river or gulf. Thus the mariner has been taught to 

 regard his approach to Antieosti with intense dread, the island having 

 been described as presenting the greatest dangers to him when afloat, 

 and as aifording no sustenance for him if cast upon its shores. 



But to those who have drawn conclusions unfavorable to the island, 

 from the number of wrecks which have been reported to have taken 

 place upon it, it is necess.ary to point out, that the wrecks, which in 

 returns appear so formidable in the aggregate, under the head of 

 " Antieosti," have not occurred at one spot, but at many spots widely 

 separated, extending over a distance of 320 miles, that being the 

 circumference of the island, and consequently the extent of coast in 

 front, not taking into account the indentation caused by bays, creeks, 

 &o. Take the same length of coast upon any part of the main shores 

 of the river or gulf, and it will be found, upon proper inquiry, that six 

 times as many wrecks have occurred witliin it each year, as have for the 

 same period taken place upon Antieosti. 



"And further, (observes our author,) the evil reputation which still 

 hangs over the island, became attached to it many years ago, before 

 its coasts were thoroughly surveyed, when it was laid down in the 

 chart as being many miles shorter than it actually is, in consequence 

 of which many vessels ran upon it in places where deep water was suppos- 

 ed to exist, and before lighthouses were placed there, since the erection 

 of which and the late survey of its coasts, wrecks upon the island have 

 become less frequent. Most of those which now occur there, are 

 caused by the neglect of using the lead in foggy weather, many of 

 them through the incapacity or drunkenness of masters, who, generally, 

 are shamefully underpaid, and some of them through design, for the 

 purpose of cheating the underwriters. Of these latter cases the 



■* The sad wreck of the Granicus took place in 1828. Light-houses 

 and provision stations were established in 1831. 



Insurance oiEcers are perfectly aware ; but, instead of endeavoring to 

 meet them by preventive measures, they increase the rates of insurance 

 so as to cover such losses, by estimating for them in a certain proportion 

 to the whole ; thus making the entire trade pay for the dishonest acts 

 of the ronue." 



"At all events," it is justly remarked by Mr. Roche that, "to whatever 

 extent plausible reasons may have once given a bad name to Antieosti, 

 there is no just reason for that name being perpetuated ; and those, who 

 yet view the island as it was regarded shortly after the wreck of the 

 Granicus, can neither comprehend the unjust grounds upon which it 

 was then condemned, nor appreciate the importance to every counti-y 

 bordering upon the St. Lawrence, of many recent events, attending the 

 rapid progress of the trade and general prosperity, which, with the 

 exception of Antieosti, is going on in all parts of British North 

 America. That the island should participate in that progress, it is 

 necessary to divest it of the evil reputation through which it has been 

 hitherto blighted : and this will be best accomplished by making 

 known, in addition to what has been already advanced in its behalf, 

 what it has yielded to the trifling labours of agriculture which have 

 been attempted upon it, what its climate has been found to be by those 

 who have resided there for many years, and what its natural resources 

 and its important advantages of position really are. 



" The island of Antieosti lies W.N.W. by E.S.E., between the 49th 

 and 50th parallels of North latitude, and the 61st and 65th degrees of 

 West longitude, about four hundred and twenty miles below Quebec, 

 three parts of it being in the gulf, through which it stretches out 

 towards the south-west coast of Newfoundland, and the remaining part 

 in the river, the waters at the entrance of which it divides into two 

 channels. It contains nearly two millions of acres, being upwards of 

 one-foui'th larger than Prince Edward's Island, which is a province of » 

 itself, with its Lieut. Governor, its legislature and a population of 

 eighty thousand souls. It is about one hundred and thirty miles long 

 and thirty-iive broad in its widest parts, which is at the South West 

 Point, nearly in the centre, whence it gr.adually narrows to both ends, 

 the one terminating in Heath Point, with Fox Bay lying a few miles 

 round the point upon its northern shore, and the other end terminating 

 in West Point, with Ellis Bay a few miles short of it, looking towards 

 the south. Thus there is a harbour upon each side and at each 

 extremity of the island ; but Ellis Bay is better situated for the general 

 shipping of the St. Lawrence, has greater depth of water, and is much 

 more spacious than the other, being about two miles wide .and four 

 deep, with good anchorage. The excellent position of the island in 

 regard to ships, commerce, cSic, becomes at once apparent, when we 

 consider that every vessel must take either of the channels formed by 

 Antieosti, upon entering or leaving the river, whether having passed 

 from the Atlantic, or intending to pass to that ocean, through the 

 Straits of Belleisle, now coming much into use, and about to be 

 lighted," through the most frequented passage between Newfoundland 

 and Cape Breton, or through the Gut of Canso, or whether running 

 between Quebec and those portions of Canada, and of the Lower 

 Provinces, lying upon the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In taking either of 

 the channels formed by Antieosti, vessels pass close to the island, in 

 consequence of the moderate breadth of the northern one, and of the 

 strong south-east current which always runs along the southern 

 channel, to avoid which, and the risk of being driven upon the truly 

 dangerous coast of the south shore of the gulf and river, where, for 

 several hundred miles, there is no harbour or place of shelter for any 

 craft larger than a schooner, and where, for long distances, there is 

 not one foot of beach outside the perpendicular cliffs to land upon, 

 vessels generally stand out till they make the West Point of Antieosti, 

 close to which is situated the convenient harbour of Ellis Bay, occupy- 

 ing a spot nearly mid-distance between the northern and southern 

 banks of the St. Lawrence, and of easy access from both channels of 

 the river. Considering that about two thousand vessels from Europe 

 alone, will have made this point in the course of the present season, 

 some slight idea may be conceived of the capabilities of position 

 attached to the island, and in particular to Ellis Bay. The inner 

 anchorage of this bay has a depth of from three to four fathoms at low 

 water, with excellent holding ground, (gravel and mud), is of as large 

 capacity as the harbour of Montreal, and has been found, by experi- 

 ence, to afford perfect shelter, in all winds, to vessels of upwards of 

 500 tons ; while the outer portion of the anchorage could be materially 

 improved at a trifling expense, so as to be able to contain in safety, 

 during all winds, almost any number of vessels of the largest size. 

 Docks, with a patent slip, &c., could also be constructed there, which 

 would be admirably situated for the repair of vessels, stranded or 

 receiving other damage throughout the St. Lawrence, most of them 



