8 MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 



five miles from the western end. Its removal was necessitated in 1814, 

 in 1820, and in 1833, the sea advancing meantime eleven miles. A survey 

 in 1829 gave a length of only twentjf-two miles, while another in 185 1 

 increased this to twenty-three, since which time no snrve}- has been made. 

 Two wooden liglithouses, one at either end, were erected in 1873, the 

 distance between them in a direct line being twent3'-one miles, with 

 probably a mile or so of grass-covered hills beyond them at either 

 extremity. In 1882 the sea undermined the western lighthouse, and it 

 was hastily taken down and moved 1218 feet further eastward. In 1S88 

 a second removal became necessary, and this time it was transported 

 nearly two miles eastward (9100 feet SE. by E., J E.) to the site it 

 now occupies. Meanwhile the sea has advanced to within about half a 

 mile, and in a very few years will again tin-eaten its destruction. 



These figures are derived principally from one of Mr. Macdonald's 

 interesting papers on Sable Island. 1 It will be observed that they are 

 somewhat conflicting, but whether this is due to inaccuracies in the survej's, 

 to the difliculty of determining exactly where the ends of the island are, 

 or to an actual movement eastward of the sand, the fact remains that 

 the island is far smaller than it was a century ago. 



Reo-arding the history of the lagoon or lake which has always occupied 

 a large portion of the island, I cannot do better than quote a few lines 

 from the Rev. George Patterson's excellent and exhaustive paper,'- where 

 he says : — 



The changes going on in the physical structure of the island appear further from 

 what has taken place in the lake. Some time before the first government establish- 

 ment was placed on the island there was an opening into it from the north. The 

 superintendent, writing in 1808, says that 'it is completely shut, and it is difficult to 

 trace where it has I)een.' The superintendent in 1826 mentions the same fact, but 

 urges the reopening of it, which he thinks might be accomplished at moderate expense, 

 in which case it would serve as a harbor of refuge for vessels of fifty tons. Some 

 years after a terrific storm caused a similar opening from the south, through which 

 small vessels entered for shelter, but in the year 1836 a similar storm filled it up 

 again, inclosing two American vessels which had taken refuge within. 



For some time after the formation of the government establishment on the island, 

 this lake was fifteen miles long, and, though gradually becoming shoal from the 

 material drifting into it, it afforded a very convenient means of transport by boat. 

 The residents largely used it in conveying supplies to the east end, in bringing wood 



' Trans. N. S. Inst. Nat. Sci., Vol. VI, pt. iv, 1S86, pp. 110-119. 



^ Rev. George Patterson, ' Sable Island, its history and phenomena,' Trans. Royal Soc. Canada 

 Sec. II, 1894, pp. 1-49. 



