Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1900-08-11
THE VERY COOLEST BREEZES
Said 10 be Found on the MagdaIen
. Islandc- Whore pnn.,l.. Nn..r Tn ~

| Said 10 be Found on the MagdaIen
Islands, Where People Never Thaw.
Since the return from the recent trip
| to the Gulf of st. Lawrence and the
Magdalen islands, sweltering under the
| fierce heat of New England July, We
would gladly effect compromise be-
tween the weather forces of these re-
spectiEe regje-S. To wear winter cloth
ling and 0fcrcoat on independence day is
II sSf1oek to habit and almost to patriot
II lsn. B3.g9 70 return within two days to
/ III IN the shade is an even seyercr one
Ito the nervous system, The day before
| the Fourth was the warmest of the
year thus far on the Magdalens, but,
| though we doffkd the sweater thick
| winter underwear was still very com
| Portable. But people seldom appreciate
| their blessings until deprived of them.
Then we were inclined to grumble at III"
| Arctic climate; it would seen. very CRATE
! ful now.
| A fisherman on Gloucester schooner
said that he had passed three winters
in one year He had spent a winter at
trip 10 the Grand Banks, where he had
another winter. Then he went for the
summer mackereling to the Magdalen
| islands and enjoyed winter number three.
| A business man accounted for the prim
! tive habits of the people of these islands,
| and their lack of enterprise, on the
ground that they never had chance to
thaw out. The pilgrims in Plym )utE in
1920 could not have Jared more simply
than do these worthy folk today. The in
itiated claim, though it may be an exag-
geration, that one can count on the fin
gers OF one hand the places on she is.
lands where the traveller can get n gen
uine square meal. Strange as il may
seem, the home of Keeper Bourque Of
Bird Rock Light is one of these, though
supplies are brought by the government
lighthouse tender but twice n year.
Modern conveniences of all sorts, from
toilet arrangements to intellectual priYi-
leges, are conspicuous by their total alb
sence. For three weeks we were as H.
another world, and as though no other
existed. We asked boy if he were &C
ing to school in the fall, and were mysti-
fed by the reply: "NO. we had il last
custom, to hold school only IN alternate
years! Some children we have seen
would enjoy living there.
There is no mail or communication
with the world all winter, except by
means Of Il cable, which is said to be
at Bird Rock are the remains of dis
used cable, which was discontinued be
cause it broke twice in Il decade. The
sad side OF the isolation of the worthy
keeper was wildly shown when. intrus:-
ed with letters for a near relative of the
family, we found on returning that he
was dead Perhaps they have not even
yet learned Of il. The Rock stands right
on the highway Of commerce Of vessels
to and from Montreal and Quebec. the
first and only possible signal station at
the mouth Of the gulf, aud vet these
fleets are unreported.
The present keeper Of he light has
| now had three years service. In the ear
| ~ spring of 1897 the ice-pack drifted in
close TO the rock, covered with herds Of
seals from the north. The keeper. with
the two assistants, went after them,
| leaving his wife in charge. 4 shift Of
wind started the PACK awaT and the
men could not return. Thick snow
squalls shut out the rock from view and
when il cleared nothing out ice was in
sight A northwest gale sprang up, send
ing the mercury far below zero. The
men either persisted on the ice or died
soon after reaching land at Cape Breton.
And there for a whole week. in awful
solitude and anxiety the brave woman
kept the light bright, unable 10 com
municate with the world or to secure re-
| lief until a chance sailing vessel made
/ its appearance and responded to her sig
nails Of distress.
In case of sickness on the rock they do
! the best they know how and trust the
| rest to Providence. And even on some
Of the other larger islands the case is
almost as desperate. There is a physi-
elan on each Of the two more popul0ns
! islands. Grindst0nc and Amherst, but
the nearest Is some thirty miles away
| from most Of the other settlements. and
| these isolated neighbOrhoOds are thrown
| zach upon its own resources.
Some years ago an autumn gale de-
! stroyed The vessels that were bringing
| the winters supplies for the islands, and
| the government had to send a relief OK
| pedition. Occasionally a winter passage
| has been made by the government ice.
| breaker. Boston Evening Transcript.