WAPITAGUN 



summits. The island was undoubtedly named 

 by Captain Bayfield in the summer of 1833. 



Off Coacoacho Bay is a small rocky island, 

 — Outer Island or lie au Large^ — on the 

 summit of which, about forty feet above the 

 water, a triangular beacon had been placed. 

 Even from a distance we could see that the 

 top of the rock was crowded with birds to such 

 an extent as to lead Captain Joncas to exclaim: 

 "This is the old times come back!" We were, 

 indeed, fortunate, as it was evident that this 

 year, at least, no one had visited the island. 

 The red granitic rock was painted white with 

 guano, against which the birds stood out black 

 and prominent. From afar we could distin- 

 guish the strange black forms of cormorants, 

 which we later found to be all of the double- 

 crested species. As we sailed nearer we saw 

 that every foot that was not occupied by cor- 

 morants and their bulky nests was filled with 

 murres standing erect in their black coats and 

 white vests, while overhead hovered a dozen 

 or more complaining great black-backed gulls. 

 We landed on the rocks on the lee side, but in 

 by no means calm water. Our landing-boat 

 or tender was stoutly built and the captain's 

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