THE MAGDALEN ISLANDS. 223; 



taking the tail end of yesterday's storm, though before 

 the anchor was weighed I did some good dredging, 

 bringing up among other notable creatures Tritonofusus^ 

 cretaceus. On the whole the Strait of Belle Isle pre- 

 sented the most varied and rich dredging grounds I met 

 with on the coast. We now had before us a run of 340 

 miles from Salmon Bay to the Gut of Canso, it being 80 

 miles from Bird Rock to the latter strait. At about five 

 in the afternoon of the 27th the wind hauled into the 

 southeast and freshened into a gale of wind during the 

 night ; it was very thick, but there was no rain. We 

 lost our reckoning and came near running ashore between 

 Bird Rock and Byron Island, making seven fathoms"" 

 sounding twice ; moreover, the forecastle stove upset, 

 and the floor got on fire, so that between the danger of 

 shipwreck and of fire we had an anxious night. 



On Sunday morning, the 28th, we ran under jib and 

 reefed mainsail past Bird Rock to the westward of the 

 Magdalen Islands, just seeing land through the thick rain 

 and mist and driving spray, and part of the time a cold 

 sleet., The water came in over our rail ; things above 

 and below were knocked about a good deal, and some 

 bilge-water leaked into the cabin. At 2 p.m., however, 

 the gale broke, the rain abated, and after a while the 

 sun broke through the clouds and lighted up, intensify- 

 ing the rich red hues of the long, low shores of the 

 Magdalen Islands. Here for the first time we saw the 

 fish hawk, while the gannets, glorious birds while on 

 the wing, were diving from far aloft for mackerel, or 

 soaring up among the low rain-clouds. The 29th was 

 warm and pleasant, and we passed many sails, some 

 going to the Magdalen Islands, but most of them converg- 



