The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-01
THE MAGDALEN ISLANDS.
[From the Boston Transcript


Except for a few outlying rocks, and
Byron Island, the Magdalen group is
really all one island, being a series OF
higher areas, each several miles long,
connected by a, long strip of beach sand.
In some cases there are two parallel
strips, with a shallow lagoon between,
through which small boats can be rOwed
or sailed in perfect security in any sort
of weather. The land Is in the form of
a great curve or loop, and is belted by
a line of telegraph that stretches eighty
two miles from Grand Entry to Am
herSt Island.
Grand Entry is a cluster of houses
at the end of a desolate sand pit at
the entrance to a large bay with a mar
row outlet at this point. Here we were
met by a pleasant English fisherman,
with whom we were to board until the
schooner which had been chartered
should take us to Bird Rock Four
miles east, at the head of a lagoon,
across a narrow strip of land, and fac
ing the wild open sea, that throws it's
strength against the cliffs land a mag
nificent beach of white sand, stood
cluster of houses, one of them our des-
tination.
One of the first things noticed was a
heap of bones, and more of them scat
tered all about Our host picked up one
of them to show US 1t was a WalruS
tuSk, and thereby hangs a tale. 1t is
said that about a hundred and fifty
years ago herds of the great walrus
used to come ashore on the ocean side,
were headed off by settlers and driven
they were slaughtered. The soil is sup
posed to be underlain with these bones,
and from time to time more of them
blow out of the sand. Every visitor
carries away specimens of these tusks,
and we soon secured a number; but the
larger ones are gone and the supply
must soon be practically exhausted, I'M
less one cares to excavate for them.
The inhabitants of the islands are
largely French, but there are also
goodly number of the English. Fishing
~ ff11I 1x- h Ar71xr
industries. Farming is largely out of
the question, as the climate is cold, and
the warm season very short. No fruit
trees will grow, and now the middle of
June, the few deciduouS trees, largely
birch and alder, are just beginning to
leaf out, and the trailing arbutus, or
mayfower, is still in bloom. The season
in Nova Scotia seemed backward, but
from the Magdalen standpoint Nova
Scotia is next door to the tropics. Heavy
winter underwear is always in season
here, and at the time of this writing
the keen northeast wind has almost the
chill of snow But after all it seems
good not to swelter in the great city,
and the Magdalen Islands is a. grand
place to spend the summer
Here must be one of the finest spots
on the coast for the summer and fall
bay-bird and wild-fowl shooting, and
some knowing sportsmen have already
scented it out. The Eskimo curlew and
golden plover, which have long since
given New England the go-by, keeping
here in great f1ockS in August from the
wilds of Labrador as they follow down
the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Wild geese
arrive as early as August and remain
till the ponds are icebound. Ducks
breed all over the great marshes and
sloughs, and other hordeS of them from
the far north make it their resort II
ones means are limited, here is the
place to come for board can be had
anywhere for from SO to So a week.
The monOtony of the winter for the
hardy fishermen is broken in March by
the arrival of the fur bearing seals,
drifting down the gulf on the ice foes.
The wind drives the fields of ice on
shore, or near shore, and out over the
ice go the inhabitants with guns or
clubs, striking down the seals, young or
old. The harp seal falls an easy prey
but the adult hooded seal, large and
powerful species, is very savage and
will make a dangerous attack upon the
man who molests it. When angry or
on it's guard there seems to be rush
of blood to the head that initiates sort
of hood, making a cushion, upon which
bullet or club fall comparatively harIr-
less The wise hunter gives the old
hooded seal a wide berth and tries Tor
the young, whose pelts (and faO are
the more valuable. The young seals are
gentle, beautiful creatures, that cry
like a child and look up with sort;
mournful eyes when attacked, ana
many kind father has to struggle with
his emotions as he kills them.