418 SABLE ISLAND . the island weekly. It has no harbour; but a large lagoon, eighteen miles long, and more than half a mile wide, is formed by a sandy ridge thrown up by the sea. It has been named Lake Wallace . A storm some years ago broke through the sandy riclge, and formed an inlet, which for some time afforded a har¬ bour for small coasters; but a subsequent storm closed it up again, and shut in two small American fishing vessels. There is at present only a mere brook running from it into the sea. About the mid¬ dle of the north side of the lake, stands the house of the superintendent, and the stores for provisions, &c, and goods and materials saved from wrecks. On the high hill adjoining, there is a signal-staff made out of the spritsail yard of the French frigate, L 'Africane, wrecked in 1822, from which signals are made to vessels in distress. At each end of the lake there is a small house, in which are deposited direc¬ tions to find the depot, and the means of kindling a fire. Nothing is planted on the island except a few cabbages, which, cultivated with much care, have arrived at maturity. The climate, however, is not so severe as that of Nova Scotia . One great cause of shipwreck is the current run¬ ning to the south-west, between the coast of and the Gulf Stream, which frequently carries ves¬ sels much further west than their reckoning. There is always a vast quantity of drift timber ashore on the island. The horrors of a storm on this island are described as truly terrible. The whole island trembles and