66 EJPERIMEXTAL FARMS 



THE EXPEDITION STARTED. 



1-2 EDWARD VII., A. 1902 



As soon as the shipment of trees from Normandy had reached Halifax prepara- 

 tions were made for our departure. The party comprising the expedition was Lieut.- 

 Col. F. F. Gonrdeau, Deputy Minister Marine and Fisheries, Mr. W. E. Saunders, of 

 London, Ont., Mr. Thomas Dalies, of Ottawa, and myself. We arrived in Halifax on 

 May 14 at 10 p.m., where we were met by Commander Spain, in charge of the govern- 

 ment steamers, who informed us that the steamer Minto was in waiting with steam up 

 and that everything was ready for an immediate start for Sable Island if we wished 

 to go at once. After consultation we found this was not quite practicable, so we went 

 on board and rested until morning. The obtaining of some additional supplies occu- 

 pied the next morning, and it was 2 p.m. before the steamer left. When we got well 

 out to sea we found a rather heavy swell, and as evening approached the captain deci- 

 ded that we could not reach the island that night so we headed for Liscombe harbour, 

 which is about the nearest point on the mainland to Sable Island where we arrived 

 about 9 p.m., finding there smooth water and good anchorage. About 4 a.m. the anchor 

 was weighed and the steamer followed a direct course to the island. The sea was fairly 

 heavy, but we made good progress, sighted the island at 10.30 a.m. and anchored a^ 

 11.30, about » mile from the shore, which is as near as large vessels can safely come 

 owing to dangerous sand bars which extend in several directions from the land. 



ARRIVAL AT THE ISLAND. 



As soon as the steamer was sighted signals were run up from the look-out point 

 on shore, and one of the large surfboats was soon got out and manned and on its way 

 to the ship. The Superintendent of the island, Mr. R. J. Boutellier, came in this boat 

 and extended a cordial welcome to us to the island. A load of supplies with the bag- 

 gage of the party was first landed, and the next trip we were all taken ashore. On the 

 way to land we were several times surrounded by shoals of large cod-fish which were 

 eporting about and jumping out of the water in a very vigorous way. We also met a 

 number of seals near the shore, which poking their heads above water eyed us with great 

 curiosity, while hundreds of terns were flying just overhead making very discordant 

 screams. As there is no harbour, wharf or sheltered landing place on any part of the 

 island the only way of reaching the shore is to ride in on the crest of the breakers. 

 In this way the visitors reached within a few yards of the island when they were car- 

 ried to dry land on the shoulders of some of the sturdy officials who trod the water as 

 if it might have been their native element. As the sea was comparatively calm there 

 was but little difficulty experienced in getting ashore. 



INTERESTING SCENES. 



On landing the scene was one of great novelty and interest. The island is a 

 singular formation, the larger part consisting of bluffs and rolling hills of white sand 

 varying in height from 20 to 100 feet, much of which is partly held together by the 

 roots of a sand-binding grass Ammophila arenaria, while considerable areas are covered 

 with loose sand which is blown about by the strong winds which prevail there, hence the 

 configuration of the surface is ever changing. Near our landing place was the boat- 

 house which has been built in a large gully which has been formed by the tearing 

 away of a high sand cliff by the wind. Near the west side of the gully stood a pyra- 

 mid of sand which had originally been a part of a continuous cliff running from east 

 to west. The gully had apparently been worked out in two parts, and when the exca- 

 vation was complete this pyramid was left standing between the two, a perfect cone 

 from 30 to 40 feet in height. Passing up through this gully we got our first view of 

 the interior of the island. From the hill tops on the north side the land sloped away 



