^ 
 
 ^.Zr^^ 
 
 IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-3) 
 
 /. 
 
 // 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 M/.x 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 1.0 
 
 I.I 
 
 1.25 
 
 l;£|28 ||2.5 
 (|5o ■■■ lir g 
 
 ■^ Ih 1112 2 
 
 :!: ^ mil 2.0 
 
 1.4 
 
 
 % 
 
 
 o^ 
 
 Hiotographic 
 
 Sciences 
 
 Corporation 
 
 23 WEST MAIN STREET 
 
 WEBSTER, N.Y. M580 
 
 (716) 872-4503 
 
 m 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 V 
 
 s^ 
 
 k 
 
 :\ 
 
 ,v 
 
 \ 
 
 
 % 
 
 N*. ^7*. 
 
 ». ^ 
 
 ;\ 
 
 ?o». \^«* 
 
 '■!* 
 
 «,' 
 
 <^ 
 
^^ 
 
 CIHM/ICMH 
 
 Microfiche 
 
 Series. 
 
 CIHM/iCIVIH 
 Collection de 
 microfiches. 
 
 Canadian institute for Historical IVIicroreproductions / institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques 
 
Technical and Bibliographic Notea/Notas tachnlquas at bibliographiquaa 
 
 Tha Instituta hat attamptad to obtain tha baat 
 original copy availabia for filming. Faaturaa of thia 
 copy wh!ch may ba bibllographlcally uniqua. 
 which may altar any of tha imagaa In tha 
 raproduction, or which may significantly changa 
 tha usual mathod of filming, are checked below. 
 
 L'Institut a microfilm^ la mailleur exemplaire 
 qu'il lul a 6t4 possible de se procurer. Les details 
 de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-Atre uniques du 
 point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier 
 une Image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une 
 modification dans la mAthode normale de f ilmage 
 sont indiqute ci-dessous. 
 
 Q Coloured covers/ 
 Couverture de couleur 
 
 r~n Covers damaged/ 
 
 D 
 
 D 
 
 D 
 D 
 
 D 
 
 Couverture endommag6e 
 
 Covers restored and/or laminated/ 
 Couverture restaurAe et/ou pellicula 
 
 □ Cover title missing/ 
 Le 
 
 titre de couverture manque 
 
 I I Coloured maps/ 
 
 Cartes giographiquas an couleur 
 
 Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ 
 Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) 
 
 I I Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ 
 
 Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur 
 
 Bound with other material/ 
 Relii avec d'autras documents 
 
 Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion 
 along interior margin/ 
 
 La reliure serr6e peut causer de I'ombre ou de la 
 distortion le lung de la marge intArieure 
 
 Blank leaves added during restoration may 
 appear within the text. Whenever possible, these 
 have been omitted from filming/ 
 II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajouties 
 lors d'une restauration apparaisssnt dans le texte, 
 mais, lorsqua cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont 
 pas At6 filmAes. 
 
 D 
 D 
 D 
 
 D 
 
 -y 
 
 D 
 D 
 □ 
 
 Coloured pages/ 
 Pages de couleur 
 
 Pages d«maged/ 
 Pages endommagAtats 
 
 Pages restored and/or laminated/ 
 Pages restaurias et/ou pelliculAes 
 
 Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ 
 Pages dicolorAes, tachettes ou piquies 
 
 Pages detached/ 
 Pages d6tach6as 
 
 Showthrough/ 
 Transparence 
 
 Quality of print varios/ 
 Qualit^ in4gale de I'i Tipression 
 
 Includes supplementary material/ 
 Comprend du materiel supplAmantaira 
 
 Only edition available/ 
 Seule Mition disponible 
 
 Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata 
 siSps, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to 
 ensure the best possible image/ 
 Les pages totalement ou partiellement 
 obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata. une pelure, 
 etc.. ont 4tA fiim^es A nouveau d« fa^on i 
 obtenir la meilleure image possible. 
 
 T 
 
 S' 
 
 T 
 
 N 
 dJ 
 ei 
 b( 
 ri! 
 re 
 m 
 
 D 
 
 Additional comments:/ 
 Commentairas supplAmentairas: 
 
 This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ 
 
 Ce document est filmA au taux de reduction indiqut> ci-dessous. 
 
 10X 
 
 
 
 
 14X 
 
 
 
 
 18X 
 
 
 
 
 22X 
 
 
 
 
 26X 
 
 
 
 
 3QX 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 y 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 12X 
 
 16X 
 
 20X 
 
 24X 
 
 28X 
 
 32X 
 
The copy filmed here has bean reproduced thanks 
 to the generosity of: 
 
 Library, 
 
 Geological Survey of Canada 
 
 The images appearing here are the best quality 
 possible considering the condition and legibility 
 of the original copy and in keeping with the 
 filming contract specifications. 
 
 Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed 
 beginning with the front cover and ending on 
 the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- 
 sion, or the back cover when sppiopriate. All 
 other original copies are filmed beginning on the 
 first page with a printed or illustrated impres- 
 sion, and ending on the last page with a printed 
 or illustrated impression. 
 
 The last recorded frame on each microfiche 
 shall contain the symbol -^ (meaning "CON- 
 TINUED"), or thfl symbol V (meaning "END"), 
 whichever applies. 
 
 Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at 
 different reduction ratios. Those too large to be 
 entirely included in one exposure are filmed 
 beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to 
 right and top to bottom, as many frames as 
 required. The following diagrams illustrate the 
 method: 
 
 L'exemplaire film^ fut reproduit grdce d ia 
 g6n6rosit6 de: 
 
 Bibiloth^ue, 
 
 Commission Gfologique du Canada 
 
 Les images suivantus ont 6x6 reprodultes avec le 
 plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition ei 
 de la nettet6 de l'exemplaire filme. et en 
 conformity avec les conditions du contrat de 
 filmage. 
 
 Les exempSaires originaux dont la cou ». rture en 
 p»pier est imprirn6e sont film6s en commenpant 
 i^ar le oremier plat et en terminant soit pat la 
 dernlAre page qui comporte une empreinto 
 d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second 
 plat, salon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires 
 originaux sont filmis en conrmenpant par la 
 premiAre page qui comporte une empreinte 
 d'impression ou d'illustration et on terminant par 
 la derni£>re page qui comporte une telle 
 empreinte. 
 
 Un des symboles suivants apparattra sur la 
 dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le 
 cas: le symbole — ^ signifie "A SHIVRE", le 
 symbols V signifie "FIN ". 
 
 Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Stre 
 fiim^s d des taux de reduction diff^rents. 
 Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre 
 reproduit en un seul cliche, il est filmd d partir 
 de Tangle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, 
 et de haut en bas. en prenant le nombre 
 d'images nicessaire. Les diagrammes suivants 
 illustrent la mithode. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 

 
 ) 
 
 SABLE ISLAND, 
 
 t 
 
 Its prolKiblc Orii^iti and Sub- 
 
 m('rLr(M"i("(\ 
 
 BY SIMON D. MAGDONALD. F. G. S 
 
 { luad ihtorc llic liistilittc oj \a/ina/ Siiciicr, fa i: nary ii, iSS(\) 
 
 I 
 
 PROPERTY OF LIBRARY 
 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY O^ CANADA 
 , 601 Booth St^ 'Ottawa 
 LENT TO /.V'^..,..?../..../vr:l; PLEASE RETURN 
 
 DATE v.. 2. 
 
 / 
 
 L 
 
 /-/ 
 
'^'Cy^r.AL \ 
 
 r^ 
 
 'I 
 
 I 
 
 l-J>. 
 
 
 (7 .tV> o.v^ .~-y 
 
 / 
 
 
 
 .^ 
 
 Airr. III.— SAiiLK Island, No. 8. — Its Prohahle Ouirax and 
 SuiiMEHGENCP:.— Bv SiMON I). Macdonald, F. G. S. 
 
 {Head Jmuary 11, ISSC.) 
 
 yir. President (ind Gentlemen, — 
 
 I make mo ap()]oL;y foi- oecnpying your uttL'Tition in discussiiii;' 
 for the tliini tiiiio Sable Island, and its attendant phenomena. 
 
 Independent of the call this Island makes to a rieli and variiMJ 
 Held for scientirie research, thei'e comes a deeper voice across the 
 mad tumult of its breakers, and amid the storms that appear to 
 vent their fury in its vicinity, asking in the interests of humanity 
 tor a wider kncnvledge of th(! causes wliich have associated such 
 iiorrors with its very name. 
 
 Ill addition to this, the proximity of tliis fatal Island to our 
 shore, — tlie unfavorable reputation it lias alrer.dy given to our 
 coast and its approaches, and the certainty of its complete sub- 
 mergence at no distant day, with the probabilitv of its becoming 
 a still greater dread to the mariner, — makes this Island a proper 
 subject of investigation for this Society. 
 
 It comes within its province to observe and record for the 
 benefit of not only the present but for the many future investi- 
 gators, who will doubtless value everything of information left by 
 us, and scan with eager glance in coming days the varied resume 
 of facts we have collected, or left for them tu theorize and 
 debate upon. 
 
 In my Hist paper I brought to your notice the Island gener- 
 ally, its history, natural features, wrecks, etc.; and also showed 
 that from its geographical position situated at the interlacing of 
 three of the most remarkable currents which encircle it with those 
 swift eddies so fraught with destruction, whilst the atmosph(.'ric 
 influences borne to it on the bosom of those dissimilar and oppos- 
 ing currents, surround it with conditions not found elsewhere, 
 and afford for meteorological purposes a point unsurpassed in 
 the North Atlantic. 
 
 • • ' » ••, 
 
 . • • • , 
 
 • • • • • • 
 
 . > ; • • 
 
 , • I • > • 
 
 I • t I 
 
 9 
 
 • • • • 
 
•2f;(; 
 
 i-iAlitK ISLANt) — MACDONAf-I*. 
 
 III my second paper I called your utteiitioii to tl\(.' vicisMitilile- 
 tliis island had underi^'one iVoni Htorni and curivnt wliicli, at-cord- 
 iivj; to Admiralty surveys, Ijad within (SO yearn reduced its ai-eit 
 I'rom 40 miles in len!L,^th and 2| miles in breadth to 22 miles in 
 ieno'th and less than 1 mile in breadth, and itn heii^ht from 200 
 ft-et to <S0 feet, niaterially alterin^i;' its outline and position. 
 
 I will now endeavor to trace its orii^in, its ndatiun to that 
 vast sand accumulation known as otV shore banks, and also the 
 tiauses now at work hastening;; its destruction or submergence. 
 
 Of coui-se any atten^pt at an explanation of its oi'igin must be 
 based upon the assumption that it is the result of natural 
 a<'-encies, in other wor<ls that it is not a mere huge san<l baidc 
 thrown up by some freak of nature, as it might api)ear to n 
 casual observer, but that the forces that rolled each grain of 
 sand aoainst its fellow until this innnense accumulation ai-ose as 
 an island from its ocean bed, are governed by a law as fixed and 
 unalterable as that which holds the planets in their orbits. 
 
 in seekimx for its origin among others two theories are prom- 
 inent, 1st, that it is the result of causes now visible and suV)ject 
 to investigation, as in the case of material being transported by 
 icebergs. 2nd, that it is the remains of a former age, now under- 
 going geological changes yet unfinished. 
 
 Before us we have a chart showin'g off shore Imnks, and 
 another showing their relative submergence, which 1 have com- 
 piled from latest survfjys. 
 
 Be*dnnin<>- at tlie eastern extreniitv of this remarkable forma- 
 fcion we have what is known as the great bank, 240 miles E. and 
 \V., and 21)4 miles N. and S., an area equal to the whole islatid 
 of Newfoundland. West from this we have the Queio bank, 120 
 j'uiles in lenath ; north of this again is the Canso bank, 00 miles 
 in length ; west from Quero, 12 miles distant, we have the Sable 
 Island bank, 200 miles in length and 90 miles in breadth. On 
 this bank we have a narrow thread-like elevation above the sur- 
 face which is Sable Island proper. North of this, separated by 
 a narrow channel, is wdiat is known as the middle ground, 35 
 miles in length. West from this is Sambro, 12 miles in length : 
 
 ^l/e«:I^lWk).bank 32 miles E. and W. ; then the Rose way bank, 
 •• *•• • • •» • *••• • * 
 
 t « ,• • • 
 
 •• • ' • 
 
 • f • • • 
 
 • • • 
 
 • • • • 
 • • • • •-• 
 
 • , • • • • 
 
 • • * • 
 
 ••• • •• • 
 
 • • • • •• • •» ,• 
 
 ••o • •• ••• •• 
 
 • ••• •••'<•*••«• 
 
 ---- ••*- 
 
WWi 
 
 V,' 
 
 SAIil-K ISLAND - .MA('li(»N.\M». 
 
 207 
 
 •I 
 
 Hi miles loiin-; westward ai;uia \V() have the (Jreat Ooori^^e's bank, 
 \vitli shoals reachin^^ tlie suii'aer ; a little fnither westward ue 
 roach the shoals of Nantucket , the \vl\(/ie foniiina- an imiiienso 
 deposit, following- the ciirvatioii or the coast. 
 
 We will now turn from i^eojoi^ical formation to the course of 
 tliose j^reat currents which <livide and control ocean forces. 
 
 By i^lancinn- at Manrv s pliysical chart it will he seen that the 
 flult Stream, aftir discharuin<;- it« hrattMJ watei- tlij-ouo-h the chan- 
 ■iu-l tormrd hy th.> coast of Florida (^-ii tht^ one side and Cul)a and 
 th( Bahamas on the othei-. follows the trend of the American 
 coast northward until approaching' the shoals of Nantucket where 
 it swerves to tlu; N. K., passing- south of Sahle Island to the tail 
 of the i^-reat hank of Newfoutidland, and tlien stietehini;- over to 
 Euro})e in a dr.e east diix'ction. 
 
 In oppo.*;iti(jn to this wc have the cold icedaden current of the 
 "north, one porti(.n of which after leavino- the Aictic ocean, passes 
 southward aloii!^ the eastern coast of (Jreeidand wIkmc, heini,' 
 joined by another branch comiuo- from Batfin's liay and Davis 
 Strait, it passes along' the coasts of Labrador and Newfoundland 
 to the great banks, ^vhere it is met by the northern edge of the 
 Gulf Stream. 
 
 At this p(/int a division of the polar current takes plac(\ One 
 portion, from its gi-eater density, sinks below tlu" vrarm current of 
 the Gulf Stream, and continut.'s its course southward as a sub- 
 marine current. 
 
 The other portion of tlie polar current, where it iir.pinges on 
 the Gulf Stream at the Great baidv, becomes detii'cted t(Whe 
 westw^ard partially by contact with the Great bank, and in its 
 course its nortliern edo-(; sweeps around Gai)e Race int(j St. 
 Marys and tlie other bays north until losing its momentmn it 
 falls back and joins the main body of the current. This portion, 
 sweeping around and into those bays, is commoidy culled the 
 indraught by mariners, and to it b'eing accelerated by certain 
 storms may be attributed the loss of the Cedar Grove at Canso 
 and the Groniwell boats and the Hanoverian at Cape Race. 
 
 The southern edge interlaces tlie Gulf StrerMu and carries west- 
 ern bound vessels at such a rate as frequently leads mariners to 
 
2().s 
 
 SAHLK rSLAND — MACDONAf.D. 
 
 miscalciilattj tlieir position with ivfercncu to this Ishvud, to whiclv 
 fact is attiil)\it,il)l(' many of the wrecks. 
 
 Capt, l^aihy, a (oi'ni(;r Superintendent (>f the Tshmd, in «. 
 letter to IMnnt's coast pilot, witli regard to the strenijth of tliis 
 polaj" cunent, says : 
 
 " The most of tlie wreck's occurrinj^^ here aiise from error in 
 loni-ituih'. 1 have known vessels from Europe tluit had not 
 ma(h3 an error of half a (h'^-ret! in their lonuituch^ nntil tl»evcame 
 to the hanks of Newfoundland, and from there in moderate 
 weather and li^ht winds have matle enors fiom ♦)() to lOO 
 nines. 
 
 It is dilHcidt to undei-stand how that tlie connnandcrs of 
 vessels makino- voyages to and from this country for so many 
 years, sliould he apparently so ignorant of the strength of these- 
 currents, unh^ss as it woidd seem they have periods of compara- 
 tive (juiesccnce and activity. 
 
 Then ai,^ain we have a third cnrrc.'nt, a portion of the polar 
 current, which, becoming- detached at the southern end of Labra- 
 dor and sweepiuf,^ tln'ou^h the Strait of Belle Isle, is joined by 
 the vast flow of the St. Lawrence, and f(n-ms what is known as 
 tlie Gulf of St. Lawrence current. This combined cunent skirts 
 the east si<le of Cape Breton, passes soutli and strikes oblicpiely 
 in the vicinity of Sable Island, that portion of the polar current 
 which is deflected westward by contact with the Banks of New- 
 foundland. 
 
 We will refer to tliis oblicjue current again.— 
 
 From ocean currents we wdll consider another of nature's m-eat 
 foi-ces shown in the transporting ])ower of ice. 
 
 This great polar current skirting the coast of Gi'eenland and 
 Labrador is constantly bringing its great ice rafts laden with 
 rock, sand and gravel from the north to the margin of the Great 
 Bank, where meeting the waiin waters of the Gulf Stream the,y 
 deposit their burdens, the finer portion of wliich being carried 
 forward by the current is distributed along the line of the 
 impinging stream. 
 
 To learn something of this transporting power we w^ill refer 
 to the evidence of those Arctic navigators who have rainutelv 
 chronicled their observations. 
 
 ><• 
 
 I ' 
 
 
SAinj: iST.AXf)-— MA(T)OXAM>. 
 
 2(1!) 
 
 y 
 
 I 
 
 1 ' 
 
 Onpt. Sc-oivsl.v. vvl„) .v(oinM,itrn.| tlir r,M,t„l' the oivat -lacior 
 of SpitzLer-^ron, coni.t.Mi at on.; tim,' upwards of oOO ior'l.cr.rs 
 Martin- ont on tluMr cnrse soutlnvanl. many of wl.icl. w.-re 
 iadon witli tlionsan.ls of tons of san.l, iimd and o-,av,.I 
 
 Oapt. \Vill>;..s, „f tho TTnit.>d Statos oxplorln- rxp..diiion 
 and.'d upon an npturn.Ml uvl..,.., supposin^r it to lu' an island' 
 ^'pon It lie f..un<l Ini-.. l.oul.lnvs of l.asult and san.lstor.c <.,nl.rd- 
 <I»'<1 iH iMiKl, san.l an.l -rav.d, the wl.olo fornung an ic- L'on-d.un- 
 erate. 
 
 Sir John Ross mentions an inci.h-nt of an ic-hev- f'ai)si/in..' in 
 lat. 74-, h^n,oin^Mlp a portion of tlie hottom 100 feet al..)v."th(. 
 surface, so that it was for tl,e M,on...nt supposed t., he an ishmd 
 nut previously seen. 
 
 In a.l.liti.m to the n.asses of rock, san.l, etc., aecuninhitcd on 
 the surface of the ^i^lacier from the a.lj.,inin- chtr, a.i.l th.> mu.l 
 and .se.hmentary n^atter scooped from the sea hottom hy upturn.-.l 
 iceboro-s.is to he a.hhnl the effect of hm.l ice, as ohserv.^l l>y Kane 
 and others, where the shores of the Arctic in a similar n.anner to 
 ^•roun.l ice ioitns in more than a hun.h-e.l feet of wat.^r, raisin- 
 from the bottom an enoi-mous amonr»t of material. On the 
 breakino- up of tlie ice those floes are cairie.l off' by th.,' current 
 «outiiwar.l to be dischar<,red at the -reat diUiipini,. o.,oun.ls of 
 Newfoundland. 
 
 Commander White, of the U. S. Navy, in l>is Arctic voya<.-es 
 also relates seein^ir the birth of an iceberc. wliich cracker! from 
 the ojacier with a loud report, an.l after a sunnncMsault in 180 
 fathoms of water app.-are.l with an .-normous cliff of <Manite 
 embed.led in its su.face, which it had carried from the ad'h)inin<r 
 bluff. '' ° 
 
 It is obvious that with tliis transporting process, ca.-ried for- 
 war.l for a long period of time, we may look here for deposits on 
 a colossal scale, and account for not only the o-reat Bank ..f New- 
 foundlan.l, l,ut the whole series of Banks, of wliich SabV; Island 
 is the apex. 
 
 It may be thougdit by some that while this process may bo 
 deemed sufficient to account for the formation of the great Bank, 
 we must look to some other source for the presence ol:' the west-' 
 .ern Bank.s, 
 
 I 
 
270 
 
 HWM.K rsr.ANP— MAfnONAI.f*. 
 
 Assuiiiin:^; tliis to \n> tin; t'oicf tluit cirat-'il tli'' Ljitai iJfuik, 
 ilicro must have been a tinit; wlu'ii this IJunk )in<l not trjichcl its 
 proscnt (liiMonsions, and iiKh-rd was only in the hrst stages of 
 foi ination, c*onso(|uently tho nnin»|)."it'<l (Jnlf Stream wonM press 
 the shores more closely, erowflin;^' tl»e we.st( in honnd ciu-retits and 
 thus hv narrowinLT its chaniu4 increase its velocitv. A(hl 
 to tin's, the fact tliat the jxylar current, not heiiiLT diviiifd as now 
 by th(! /^reat Hank, would liave a more de( ide(l How, aiid would 
 carry its ice r.-ift fuither westwai-d. 'I'lius th(> dumpinu' of 
 material would take ]>laee at the western extremity j'.s well as. 
 alouLf the whole line; of inteilacin^ eui'rents. 
 
 This opinion is sti'eji^thened hy the fact of the walrus havin;^ 
 onc(! resoi'ted to this lslan<l in n'l'eat numhcrs, thi/ir tusks IveiuL^ 
 fre((u<'ntly found imhcdded in the sand. 
 
 That icehei-jLTs once followed the line of the polar currc^nts past 
 oui" shoies there can be no doubt, even in this period. 
 
 Hy referrinnf to Blunt's coast pilot, wheie poiutini>- out thi^ ico- 
 dangers of the coast, we find the follow inni- ; 
 
 "In July, 1>S:>(), H. M. bri<« jmcket b]\pi-es.s fell in with two 
 islands of ice on Sable Island bardv, lat. +S.O.S, loni^. 20.17, in 4.> 
 fathoms of wateT, estimated hei,q;ht 150 and ISO fe(>t." 
 
 J woi.id next call your attention to the wouderful siniiiarity 
 of those Banks and their limited { mount of submero'cnce, which. 
 suL;;Lfests that many of them, if not ill, have l>een elevated aliove 
 the surface at no distant period in the past. We will consider 
 the most interestinf' ones. 
 
 Bv GflancinLf at this chait of relative submer<xenee of otF shore 
 Banks, at the eastern exti'cmitv, vve have the iSYont Hank of New- 
 foundland, at the summit of which is a very dangerous shoal 
 known as the Jessie Ryder, having only *U f'athou)s or 11>.\ feet. 
 
 At Quero bank, in lat, 44, long, 57, is a long narrow sul)- 
 merged I'idge 40 miles in length, which in form, and direction is.. 
 an exact counterpart of Sable Island. 
 
 Next is the Sable Island Bank, 200 miles by OO, with a thin 
 line of elevation, already alluded to, of 80 feet above the sur- 
 face. 
 
 The next is one of great interest, viz., George's shoals, situated; 
 ^t George's bank, otf the New England coast,. 
 

 T 
 
 ( 
 
 
 HAlU,i: 1S|,AN|) — MA('I»(»NAM>. 
 
 271 
 
 (^apt. Hair, of tl... M. S. Xavy, win, snvvoy^.] tl.is llank 
 repoft(Ml "Tl.ut M... hrrakris ucn- s.,cl» that unlass th. uvatl.rr 
 NVMs iHTfrctly mil,, it Nvasi,„|u)s,sil.I..to^roani.,.i- tlir shoals with 
 3'OHts nn account .,f th.- heavy sra.. Nor was it cousMtT.-.l sal. 
 to attrh.pt ,t with the vcss.-I, r.„- ln.si,j,.s th- -lan-.Tof strikin-. 
 on a -an.l l.ar the vessel wouM he h'ahle t., h<. lille.l with th'e 
 hreake.s. Ai.-; ha.l M.,t thcNea h.HM. po.rectlvsi.i.mthai..! at 
 'ii^h wat.M-, he wo„l<l not have heen al.Ie t., -et wh.'iv he foun.l 
 Imt H tcet at I(,w water. And fmther h(! had no .louht hut that 
 tills i,atch wouM he har.' with a continuance of offshore win.ls." 
 This spit has an area of al,out ojie-thir.l of Sahle Man. I. 
 Th.' hreakers on those shods aiv very heavy an.l can he l„.;tr,| 
 and svcn for a consjdeiahle distance. 
 
 it may he aroue.j that this theory may account for the f„rrna. 
 tion of this islan.l, hut not for its elevation ahove the surface. 
 
 In n,y last pap.-r J referred to one of the n.ost reniarkahln 
 loatures in connection with this place, vi;;., tho swirl-like cur- 
 J'-nt that surrounds it. A -mo.I illustration of this was <riven 
 Nvhen, in Feln-uary, LSO.S, the Hrst superintendent havin- ha.l 
 thr(,.e months of anxiety from the rapi.litv with which th(^ island 
 had heen washed away in the vicinity of his house, and hav'tvy 
 .ost much of his provisions by th.> depredations of rats, an<l fear- 
 Jncr that want would stare l,im in the face hefore relief would 
 roach him in tlie sprin- vessel, built a <lispatch boat and .sent her 
 out crowded with sail liefore a S. K. ^^^'ale in jiopes sh<' would ivach 
 the M,:i,n land or be pick.'d up by .some in boun.l ves.sel that 
 would carry the dispatcher to the Government, and accjuaint them 
 ot the condition of atfairs on the island. 
 
 To hi,, surprise, in M] days after «he returned to the beach, (j 
 miles above where she set out from. 
 
 Experiments are often made to test the stren-th of this cur- 
 rent by thi-owino- over a cask or barrel which will make circuit 
 after circuit of the Island. 
 
 Bodies from wrecks also- make the .same circuit. It is quite 
 customary for th(« surfmen to search on the oppo.site side for 
 things which, in consecpience of ofi' shore winds, have been car- 
 ried thither by the current (jnd deposited upon the beach. 
 
272 
 
 SABLE ISLAND — MACDOXALD. 
 
 This swirl is no doubt caused by this third current, viz., the 
 Gulf of St. Lawrence, augmented by that portion of the polar 
 that sweeps thi-ough the Straits of Belle Isle, strikinir obli(inely 
 the other portion of the current in the vicinity of the island. 
 
 It is a well established fact that oblique currents have a ten- 
 dency to form p Jdy or circular currents, and also that eddy cur- 
 rents of water pile up material carried along with it, as eddies of 
 wind carrying snow build up all manner of fantastic drift. 
 
 In like manner this eddy or swivl current passing over a shoal 
 so neai- the surface heavily charged with sand, on meeting with 
 an obstacle, or even in its own vortex, would deposit the material 
 held in suspension, thus forming a nucleus of the island. This 
 shoal once reaching the surface and coming within sub-aeriel 
 influences would hasten land makino-. 
 
 A beach once foinied, the surface exposed at low w^ater, would 
 be dried and carried by the wind to a greater height, little by little 
 hillocks or sand dunes would form. The waves would push for- 
 ward tie material on a long reach of bank r<'ar the .surface, 
 gradually the current would be ciowded offshore, but still assist- 
 ing to increase the area by depositing its material, which in turn 
 would be dried and carried upwards by the wind. At last vege- 
 tation appearing the roots would anchoi- the summit. 
 
 Thus the process of land making would go forward so long as 
 currents weie favorable. 
 
 We have a remarkable instance of this in the formation of 
 wdiat has been called the new island off tlie east-(^nd light. 
 
 An old wreck formed the nucleus around which the cui-rent 
 piled its material, until a shoal formed, which gi*adually reached 
 the surface and formed a small i.-iland. 
 
 At length grass seeds borne from the main island took root, 
 anchored its summit and hastened its up-buildino-. 
 
 This little island forming was watched with great interest by 
 the surfmen, who entertained the hopes of its attainino- such 
 dimensions as would afford slight shelter, if only for a moment, 
 wdien passing in the life-boat to a v/reck on the N. E. bar. But 
 the current that eddied around it became changed or w^eakened; 
 it being left to the attacks of wind and wave and perhaps an 
 
 
SABLE ISLAND— MACDONALD. 
 
 273 
 
 « 
 
 
 adverse current, inelte<l away. A channel now marks the place 
 it once occupied. 
 
 As in the case of this small island land building reached its 
 culmination and declined. So in the case of the main island. 
 Brought into existence by the current its maintenance would 
 depend upon the favorable condition of the current. 
 
 But Nvhen the gieat Bank of Newfoundland reached such 
 dimensions that it interrupted and divided the polar current, 
 scmdingone poition southward, the other on its western way, as a 
 reduced and sluggish stream, the effect becomes at once visible. All 
 the westerii eddies or currents would be altered, the swirl that so 
 aided in the foru)ation of the island so weakened that during 
 storms it would be converted into a confused erratic current, 
 which, gnawing at the foot of the embankment, would topple 
 great masses of its sand cliffs into the waves, as recorded hom 
 time to time by eye-witnesses. In this manner the forces that 
 called this island into existence may now, under changed condi- 
 tions, be hastening its destruction. 
 
 The first theory then is one supported by actual observation, 
 and may be a prominent one in future investigations. 
 
 I now turn to the second theory, which has for its subject the 
 result of those great forces exhibited during the ice ao-e or Macial 
 period. 
 
 That such a period did exist is beyond all controversy, 
 although the condition of that period is still a matter of dispute 
 among ffcolotrists. 
 
 I will epitomize two of the most popular theories: 1st, that 
 of Lyell, Dawson and others, who suppose a general subsidence 
 took place bringing down each part of the land successively to 
 the level of the water. 
 
 Large islands and bergs of floating ice came from the north 
 which, as they grounded on the coast or on shoals, pushed along 
 all loose inatei-ial of sand and gravel and broke off all angular 
 and projecting points of rocks and where fragments of hard stone 
 were fiozen into the lower surface scooped out grooves into the 
 sub-adjacent solid strata. 
 
 After the surface of the rocks had been smoothed and o-rated 
 
^74 RARLE ISLAND — MAC'DONALD. 
 
 upon !)y tlie pas.sa,£(o of innuinoraltle icebori:js, tlie clay, sand and 
 gravel of the di'iffc woro deposited and occasionally the fi-ag-- 
 ments of lock, botii larr^e and small, that had been frozen into 
 the o'laeici- or taken up by current ice, were strewn at i-andoni over 
 the bnttom of the ocean wherever they happened to be detached 
 from the fi'ozen ice. 
 
 Finally a peiiod of )'o-elevation, or that intermittent upward 
 movement in which the old coast lines were excavated and the 
 ancient sand bars laid down. 
 
 This process continued for an unlimited period, which has 
 been considered to be rpaite sufficient to account for all the pheno- 
 mena observed. 
 
 The second theory is one advanced by Agassiz and ad,)ptod by 
 a lari^re majority of ireoloirists who have interpreted th,' olucial 
 period as being one in which those forces acted on a much 
 grander scale, which has been so graphically described by ])ana, 
 Belt and others. As a time wdien from the then elevated frozen 
 regions of the Ai-ctic an enoruious ice-cap or glacier estimated to 
 be from 4,000 to (i.OOO feet in depth was forging its way south- 
 ward across the northern portion of this continent with teirible 
 abrading power, scooping out valleys, wearing the softer rocks 
 into clay, tearing asunder the harder crags, grinding and polish- 
 ing and grooving the sub-adjacent rocks, pushing before it and 
 incorporating with itself great masHes of i-ock, sand and gravel 
 taken fj-oni the mountains over which it passed. At length it 
 reached its culmination. The sumtnit of Mount Washington 
 •stood out as a lonely island in a frozen sea. while to the north 
 the whole continent was covered, not a single peak risiim- above 
 the universal pall. 
 
 Another period was ushered in by a milder climate known 
 as the Champlain period. The glacier melted at first with 
 extreme slowness, but when thawed down to about 500 or 1,000 
 feet to where the gravel and stone were, it went foiward rapidly 
 and then took place a pell-mell dumping of this material over 
 hill and valley, forming what is known as the glacial drift, of 
 which the islands of our harbor re foiined. 
 
 4-t last, owing to the rapidity of the final nielting, an immenso 
 
SA KLE IShAN [) — MAC DON ALD. 
 
 ^irx 
 
 ii'ood took place, whicli swept away the finer portion of the 
 material and sand to a Jower level or seaward, leavin-; those 
 perched rocks so frequently met with on h.illsides and in vnlleys. 
 Everywhere beneath our feet on this peninsula of Halifax; 
 where the bed rock is exposed are the deep o-roovincrs which, 
 attest to the powerful pressure it has been subjected to. 
 
 From the labors of ]Jr. Honeyman, to whom this Institute' is, 
 so much indebted for tlie ^ajoloi^dcal problems wrou^^ht out by 
 him in illustratinu- from time to time this drift period, tracini;- its, 
 bouldeis to their parent source, and by a ti'ain of evidence so. 
 -Strono-ly mai-ked as to leave no doubt as to the distance and 
 dir(!ction of their transportation, we learn something of the 
 erosion our province has undergone while participating in this, 
 great ice period. 
 
 The retreat or melting of the glacier was followed by a re- 
 elevation of the land e/i rua.s.Sf:?, bringing abovr; the surface an. 
 immense deposit of material known as the Ohamplain sands. 
 
 As far as asceitained in the geology of our province the. 
 Champlain sands are wanting. Where shall we seek for the 
 immense amount of finer material which must have been pro- 
 duced in this erosion ? The conclusion is obvious. The stria- 
 tion on our rock suifaces all point to tlmse off shore banks lying 
 at right angles to the glacier. 
 
 Is this deposit too great ? Listen to the evitlence of Sir Roger 
 Mui'chieson, one of England's greatest geologists, who, in speaking 
 of the abrading effects of the ice period in which the British 
 islands also participated, sayj : 
 
 "In the Silurian formation of those islands alone there is a 
 mass of rock worn from the land which would form a mountain 
 chain of 1800 miles in length, with a breadth of 3'J miles, and an 
 average height of 10,000 feet." 
 
 This implies a vast amount of finer deposit, and also gives us 
 an idea of the changes that must have occurred in the topo- 
 graphy of our province. 
 
 In this Dominion, according to Sir VVm. Logan, thei-o is in the 
 triangle foimed by Montreal, Ohamplaip. and Quebec, an area of 
 9,000 square miles of the Champlain san<ls and clays, containing 
 fQW boulders, and carrying grains of magnetic iron and garnets, 
 
270 
 
 SABLE ISLAND — MACDONALD. 
 
 Befoie us this evening we have a fair sample of sand taken 
 from Sable Island. The cor-relation of tliis material with that oF 
 Sir Wm. Logan's is very striking. There are few or no hoiilders 
 found on the Island. The sands are siliceous and carry magne- 
 tite and garnets, in every way equivalent to tlie Champlain 
 «ands. 
 
 This deposit at Montreal has an elevation of 500 feet, and may 
 be traced in a continuous line 400 miles to Nantucket, where it 
 merges into the off shore deposit. 
 
 It is (evident we cannot hesitate in referring those san<ls to the 
 same oriji-in. 
 
 It wotild be idle to speculate on the probability of tliis whole 
 offshore deposit which the currents have moulded and detached, 
 being once above the surface. 
 
 Yet, I think this re-elevation that took place at the close of the 
 Champlain period that uplifted those sands 500 f;>et at Montreal 
 and gave Sable Island such an elevation that at this later period 
 after its beino- for aijes exv ■■■■'' to the ravages of the waves 
 of the broad Atlantic so much is yet visible, would be (juite ade- 
 quate to uplift the whole embankment and form a sand continent 
 equal in extent to the combined area of Nova Scotia and New- 
 foundland. 
 
 At the opening of this, or what is known as the modern 
 period, we have entered upon another downward movement, a 
 gradual subsidence being now in progress over the whole 
 northern part of this continent, of which there is ample proof. 
 
 By observations at Nantucket and other points along the 
 eastern seaboard, the subsidence has been 30 feet. The inun- 
 dations that have of late so per[)lcxed the railway people 
 and farmers along the New Jersey coast attest to this change 
 of level. In our own province we have the evidence given 
 by the submerged forest at Bay Verte and other places in the 
 Bay of Fiindy ; also the ditliculties of keeping up the dykes 
 at Grand Pre, owing to, as the farmers sav, the tides rising higher 
 than former! >•, and the fact of hundreds of acres of giass lands 
 being given up to the sea from the same cause, no later than last 
 winter at Horton. 
 
 t 
 
 •'^ 
 
 •V> 
 
 •f 
 
SAKLE rSLAND — MACDONAI.n. 
 
 277 
 
 .-% 
 
 I 
 
 'V. 
 
 A 
 
 A few months ao-o, in conipnny with Mi\ John Woodworth, of 
 Grand Pre, I travei-sed the shelvin-r l)eaeh off Long Island, 
 which is l)arcd at low water for 'j of a mile. From the channel 
 to the shore we traced stmnps and roots of forest trees, some of 
 w>" h would be covered at high water to a depth of 45 feet. 
 Now, startling as this may appear to many, it is strictly in 
 accordance with the geohigical changes that have taken place in 
 all pa ;t ages. 
 
 This rising and falling of the bosom of mother earth tells of 
 life within. 
 
 Sometimes she heaves a sigh and w.^ leeord an eartluiuake 
 And when those movements cease atid she assumes the condition 
 of a dead planet, as the moon is thought to be, we, her children, 
 will also cease to live. But I di<rress. 
 
 ^ 
 
 This offshore accumulation, having partaken of the upward 
 movement at the close of the Champlain period, would also in 
 sympathy with the coast partake of the subsidence now in nro- 
 
 1 
 
 gress. 
 
 This, aided by the leveling effect of waves and currents, would 
 soon reduce it to the condition we now find it, with its suuimit 
 alone above the water. 
 
 The rapidity with which it has reached its present condition 
 can be judged by the changes that have occurred in the outline 
 and area of this island since its discovery, to some of which I 
 will turn your attention. 
 
 It is evident from the fauiiliai- manner in which those early 
 navigators resorted to this place, it had a much greater area and 
 importance without the dangerous surroun<lings it lias to-day. 
 
 In lo60 Baron de Leroy arrived on the coast and findiu"- it 
 too late to get his colony under cover before winter would over- 
 take him decides on returning, but first placing his cattle on 
 Sable Island and sails thither. In 1598 Manpiis De la Roche 
 reached Cape Breton with his convict colonists, an<l fearing they 
 Avould escape if left on the mainland prefers trying Sable Island 
 and heads his vessel accoidingly. 
 
 Five years after the King of France sends for De la Roche's 
 pilot and orders him to proceed to Sable Island and bring back 
 the convicts. 
 
■278 
 
 SABLK ISLAND— MACD^NALI"). 
 
 In suhsL'qficnt years conipanius were t'onued in Hostoii and 
 'elsewhere for the purpose of hunting wiM cattle on this island 
 for their hides. 
 
 One of the party reports having- seen over 800 head of cattle 
 antl many foxes, some of which were black. Unfoi-tunately wo 
 have no dates fioni which to arrive at its former size, except that 
 t'urnisht'd by loss of area since the establishment of the govern- 
 Jnent life saving station, during which time (8.) years) it has 
 been reduced to one-half its extent. 
 
 This is independent of charts and surveys which some have 
 thought may not have been reliable, but such changes as neces- 
 sitated the removal of buildings, light-house, etc. 
 
 1 am not at liberty to assert that the present rate of denuda- 
 tion has been in force ever since those earlj' voyagers visited the 
 island. Nevertheless, after caivful consideration and allowing 
 for periods of comparative repose it may have enjoyed, T think ] 
 am wari'anted in placing the dimensions of th's island at 
 the time of its occupancy by the French convicts at least e([ual 
 to an area of HO miles in length, 10 miles in breadth, and a 
 height not less than '.^00 feet, with an extensive harbor, having a 
 northern entrance and a safe approach. 
 
 I do nob believe an island of suialler extent sO situated and sur- 
 rounded by the same inlluence would at the end of 28i) years be 
 above the breakers. 
 
 As late as 50 years ago it had a commodious harbor, to which 
 fishing vessels on the banks would run for on approach of a 
 storm. 
 
 During a gale in 183G its entrance was closed, shuting in two 
 American vessels, whose ribs are now buried in the sands. 
 
 Early English charts shov: an entrance on the north side, 
 which, in consequence of the depth of water on this side, would 
 render approach thereto quite safe. 
 
 At that time also the survey gave the elevation of the sand 
 cliiis as 200 feet, which enabled vessels to make the harbor more 
 readily. A shallow lagoon now exists in its stead, separated from 
 the ocean by a narrow ridge of sand. 
 
 In order to show the ravages committed by storms and cui- 
 tents on this island I will enumerate a few instances. 
 
^1 
 
 * 
 
 \ 
 
 KAiU.E Isr.ANI)— \iAfI)(JXALn. 
 
 27i> 
 
 111 LSl.S, (luvinLT a siiii;l'j ^jiIl', an •avvw ( (|Uiil to *> miles loiii;- iiiul 
 40 fuot wi<le was carried away. Witliiii 4 years iiicvion.s 4 
 inilcM of the west end disappeared. This iieees>'irareil tlie 
 removal of tlie main .station, wliicli was tlien located at a d'st.-ince 
 of M niile.s l)eK)\v. 
 
 In 1S20 tlii^ station was' ai;aiii moveil 4 miles t'urtlnT t ist, the 
 sea jiavinL;' encroached upon it. In iN.So there heini;' hut \ a 
 mile ))etween it and the sea, it was ai^ain moved 4 miies fur- 
 ther ea.stwai'd. Once more the .sea advance<l, obliicinn- them to 
 abandon this .station and erect new building's \u aboilt the centre 
 of tlio i.slainL 
 
 At this time the late lion. Joseph Howe vif^uted tiiis place a.s 
 a comnus.sionei'. 
 
 On his return he \\^•c\^\(^ the star'lin-' I'ljpoit that b\ actual 
 measurement in 30 years II miles of tin? west end (Hs;i]'pi'ared. 
 
 In this excessive removal (jf sand cliffs, a bar v.'as fdi'ineii over 
 1;\'hicli tlie seas broke before reachinu' the clirts and thus lost their 
 abradinu^ force and <rave the v/est end a sh^ji-t respite, llut 
 gradually the currents removed tliis bar or shoal vav\ the seas- 
 began again to manifest their force. 
 
 In addition to this gradual Work of erosion nwvAt areas were 
 removed bodily. 
 
 During one gale in 1S81 70 feet by I a mile (h'parted. A 
 month later 3.S feet of the whole breadth of the island disap- 
 pearetl in a few houis; and the following gale 48 feet by ] of a 
 mile was cari'ied away b(jdily, causing a hasty removal of tlie 
 light-house apparatus. The place where the light-hoUse once 
 ^tood has passed seaward. 
 
 I need not dwell further (jii this evidence of demolition; 
 enou'di has been ij'iven to show the destructive character of the 
 forces still in operation. 
 
 Therefore, in seeking for the origin of this interesting island, 
 1 thiidv I am justified in referring it to the Champlain ])eriod, 
 that period which lifted from tlie deep that vast agglomeration 
 of iletritus as if to testify to the destruction wi'ouglit in the for- 
 mer age by the glacier, that ponderous engine of nature that 
 lias so .scoured and remodeled the face of this continent. 
 
280 
 
 SABLE ISLAND— MACDOiVALD. 
 
 As to its probaldc sul)irieri,'('nc(!, if then tliis island and its sub- 
 marine surronn<lin<r.s belong to the Chauiplain period, and those 
 are (Jhamplain sands, we are enabled to coinpniiend aright the 
 many changes that have come to this sand island or sand 
 endjaidvuient. 
 
 It IS apparent that an island so constituted having no solid 
 strata whereon to rest, even if not participating in the general 
 subsidence this coast is now undergoing, exposed to the full 
 force of the unbroken waves of the Atlantic, befoiv- whose power 
 its sand clifis melt away in a manner that iriust be seen to be 
 understood, must and will soon disai)pear beneath the waters. 
 
 
 V 
 
i -« 
 
 V