“A ship was sailing somewhere on the high seas. One night the “Captain, in going down to his cabin, noticed a writing on his slate saying, “Steer South-east” He enquired among the crew; no one knew anything :3. out it.

The second night the same writing appeared on the slate, and this happened for the third night in succession. The Captain became very much worried and called the crew together to know what they thought should be done. The verdict was, “Obey the writing on the slate.” Ac- cordingly, they altered their course, and after sailing for three days, they came to an uninhabited Island where they found a shipwrecked crew whose ship had grounded and they had made ashore in their boat. 'The Captain of the wrecked crew was a brother of the Captain who found the mysterious writing on his slate.” I give you this story as told by the I)fr.,hthe verdict of the reader will be your own. Of such is the mystery 0 t e sea.

The first account we have of dredging in Crapaud harbour is taken from The Islander of December 20, 1861, which states that the “Corpora- tion of the Crapaud Dredging Machine Company entertained Alexander McBean, Esq., the enterprising owner of the dredging boat now at "Crapaud, together with his Superintendent, Mr. Howard Beattir, on the evening of Friday last, the 13th. instant. A sumptuous supper was provided at the residence of Mr. Isaac Trowsdale, Sr., where every variety of good things that the village of Crapaud could afford was provided.” This dredging enabled vessels of greater draft to enter the harbour. Isaac ‘Trowsdale, Sr., lived on the farm now occupied by Louis Myers.

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THE FRENCH IN CRAPAUD

The first Census of the Island, taken in 1752, ShOWS the following inhabitants in Crapaud:

CENSUS BY THE SIEUR DE LA RO‘QUE‘ — 1752 SESSIONAL PAPER NO‘. 18

From Canadian Archives Report for 1905, Vol. 11 Appendix A. Part I with map and preceding pages. Census of the settlers at the Riviere au Crapeau in men, women, children etc.

LOUIS BOUR'G, ploughman, native of Port Royal in L’Acadie, aged '65 years. He has been 22 months in the country. Married to Cecille

Michel, native of L’Acadie, aged 58 years. They have seven children, three sons, and four daughters:

Eustache aged 30 years Louis aged 22 years Charles aged 15 years Marguerite aged 25 years Elizabeth aged 24 years Marie Magdalaine aged 19 years Anne Joseph aged 8 years

In live stock they have 2 oxen, four cows, one calf, four pigs, and ten fowls.

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