Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1912-04-12
THAT is
DREADED ALIKE
BY The SAILOR
and KEEPER

in the Magdalen islands in the Gulf Of
st. Lawrence; but it Is only one Of
the many tales of death and disaster
that can be told of this barren and iso-
lated bit Of land
After her husband had been wash
ed overheard and drowned during a
storm that threatened the demolition
of the lighthouse Mrs. Borque kept
the beacon burning for ten days, and
thus probably saved several vessels
from piling up on the rocks. Both she
and her young baby suffered severely
from exposure and hunger and she
was so weak when rescued by the gov
eminent steamship Seal that 1t was
necessary to carry her on board. The
authorities say that the courage of this
woman is unsurpassed in the history
of the Canadian lighthouse service.
For time I thought / would go
cue, but knew had to do my duty.
My baby suffered terribly from the
cold, but held it as tight as / could.
1t was q terrible task to crawl with
her into the light chamber to keep the
lamps trimmed, filed and burning.
There was food, but you couldn't cook,
and the baby cried constantly. Many
times I heard the whistles. but they
went away when they heard the bell
ringing and saw the light
The Magdalens are a group of Is
or Ia islands that lie almost in the
center of the Gulf OF st. Lawrence.
Their position makes them dangerous
to vessels and so many are the wrecks
thereabout that they have been styled
by sailormen the graveyard Of the
gulf
Inaccessible Bird Rock.
Bird Rock Is the most northerly is
land of the group and is little more
than huge rock rising abruptly out
of the sea to height of 140 feet, on
which the Canadian government main
tains one Of the most inaccessible
lighthouse stations of the Atlantic
coast Thousands of gannets, INJURIES,
kittiwakes and other sea fowl hover
over 1t at all times, while beneath on
its rocky Lodges they have built myri-
ads Of nests in series of tiers. The
sides of the rock are very precipitous,
and until few years ago, when a
roadway was blasted out of the solid
rock leading to the top. all visitors
and supplies were taken ashore by a
cage lowered TO the water and hoisted
up by means of windlass. The
waves that generally break upon it are
so tremendous that it is only possible
TO effect a landing in calm weather.
But it is such a wild and DESC
late spot that the man in charge of
the lighthouse must make it his
home during the entire year. Jean
Quette, the first keeper, remained one
summer with two assistants Then the
solitude preyed so upon his mind that
he went insane. He recovered his rea-
son only when he returned to civiliza-
| ton.
Keeper Perished With Son.
Pierre Wealen, the next keeper.
managed to hold out for nine years.
He came to tragic end in 1889. In
the spring OF that year he, his son
and an assistant ventured out on the
ice surrounding the Bird Rock during
a binding snowstorm and lost their
way. The assistant succeeded In re-
| turning to the lighthouse in safety.
| Wealen and his son persisted.
Charles Chaisson, the third keeper
of the lighthouse. was killed on Aug
ust Is, 1881, by the premature dis
charge Of signal gun he was prepar-
ing to fire. His son and an assistant
were badly injured In the same acci-
dent.
Telesphore Turbide, the next keep
er, remained In charge OF the light
house for over is years, but even he
did not escape the dangers of his call
ing. On June "a. 1891, he was putting
home charge in a signal gun when
it exploded and blew off part of his
right hand
Another tragedy of Bird Rock &C.
Cured in March, 1897. In the spring
of the year the hooded and harp
seals come down on the ice from Lab
rador and Anticosti, and hundreds of
men and boys from the Magdalens go
out to hunt them for their pelts and
oil. These seal hunts are attended
by many dangers. A storm is liable
to come UP and drive the hunters
out e. sea on the moving ice. Snow
covered assures may mean death in
case OF misstep. The danger of
drowning is ever present
Fatal Seal Hunt.
In Marab. 1897 Damien Cormier, an
assistant keeper of the lighthouse.
started ous on seal hunt accompan-
led by Charles Turbide, a lad OF II,
and Arsene Turbide, cousin Of the
latter. Cormier's wife was left in
charge az the lighthouse during his
| absence. They had noticed a large
number of hair seals lying on the ice
to the eastward, and proceeded In
| that direction, dragging behind them
| small boat for use on the open glades
~