ON SABLE ISLAND. 13 



outfit of the duke was very valualile, iiieliuiiug furniture, plate, a select lilirary, ami a col- 

 lection of maps, collected on the eontiiieut, of much value. Among those lost were the 

 surgeon of the prince's regiment, who was in charge of the property, his wife and children, 

 his Royal Ilighness's coachman and gardener, several officers, and a crew of nineteen men.' 



About this time reports were current of the island being the resort of wreckers and 

 pirates of the worst descriiition, but these became more prevalent in connection with this 

 event. Jewels and rare articles were seen in the cabins of fishermen on the shores of Nova 

 Scotia, and reported as coming from Sable island, some of them such as excited suspicion 

 of their belonging to his royal highness's outfit. Stories were circulated even of murder, 

 and it was believed that some belonging to this vessel had reached the shore in safety but 

 were afterward murdered for the sake of their property. The attention of the authorities 

 of îTova Scotia was roused. Accordingly, in response to a message from the governor. Sir 

 John "Wentworth, the legislature at its session in 1801 passed an act for the protection of 

 shipwrecked property. Several clauses applied to the province in general, but some refer 

 specially to Sable island. By these the governor was authorized to appoint a person from 

 time to time to inspect the island, who should have power to remove from it any person who 

 may have gone there voluntarily, without a license under the hand and seal of the governor, 

 lieutenant-governor or commander-in-chief, together with all goods found in his possession. 

 Justices were empowered to onler such to be imprisoned for a period of not less than six 

 months, thegoods found in their possession to be sold, and the surplus, if any, paid over to 

 the rightful owner if known, or, if not, into the treasury to be held for his benefit. 



A proclamation was issued to this efiect, and it having been reported that a man and 

 woman of bad character had taken up their abode on the island for evil purposes, Mr. Seth 

 Colman was sent there witli power to remove them, which we understand was done. 



In connection with this afiiiir there hangs a tale of the marvellous, which, as it has 

 gained a place in literature, must be referred to. It is thus given by Haliburton in his 

 " Wise Saws and Modern Instances," omitting his Yankee dialect and pruning his verbiage : 



" In the year 1802 the ' Princess Amelia ' was wrecked here, having the furniture of the 

 queen's father, Prince Edward, on board, and a number of recruits, officers and their wives 

 and women servants. There were two hundred souls of them altogether, and they all per- 

 ished. About that time piratical vagabonds used to fr.equent there, for there was no regular 

 establishment kept upon the island then ; and it is generally supposed some of the poor 

 people of that unfortunate ship reached the shore in safety, and were murdered by the 

 wreckers for their property. The prince sent down Capt. Torrens of the 29th regiment to 

 inquire after the- missing ship." But he was wrecked, and nearly lost his life in endeavour- 

 ing to save others. There were few that could be rescued before the vessel went to pieces. 

 He stationed the survivors at one end of the island, and went to the other to extend his 

 lookout for aid as far as he could ; but first they had to bury the dead that floated from the 

 troopship, and gather up such parts of the jjrince's effects as came ashore and were worth 

 saving. It was an awful task, and took a long time, for the grave was almost as large as a 

 cellar. Having done this, and finding firearms in the government shelter-hut, he started 

 oft" alone to the other end of the island. One day, having made the circuit of the lower 

 half (we presume the western), he returned about dusk to where there was a hut that had 



' Neaîe's " Life of the Duke of Kent." 



'' In the brig " Hariot " of Newcastle, not the gunbrig " Harriet," as sometimes asserted. 



