ON SABLE ISLAND. 21 



two but then died. He thus describes the result of his eiforts with other plants : "I have 

 been mueh deceived in tlie nature of the soil in tliis island. I supposed that almost all kinds 

 of grain and garden vegetables would grow spontaneously with a little manure, but without 

 abundance of that its fertility fails within two years. Not only so, but the south and south- 

 east winds are poison to all that I have tried, such as oats, wheat, barley, Indian corn, 

 English and Dutch grass, clover, potatoes, beans, cucumbers, onions, except when sheltered 

 by hills or barricaded by art. But cabbages, turnips, beets, carrots, salad and radishes stand 

 the blasts well and would thrive if the little fly would let them grow." Again he says, " I 

 have not found any method in a variety of experiments to enlarge the growth of potatoes on 

 the island. They are generally not larger than walnuts, but very good eating." 



Since his time all attempts to raise grain, with the exception of oats, have been 

 abandoned. And that is only sown for the straw as fodder, so that oats for the use of the 

 horses and for seed has to be imported. English grasses are cultivated and hay is made 

 from them for the wintering of the stock. Mr. Morris probably had not made a jjroper 

 selection of soil for his experiments, for now potatoes grown on the island are not only of 

 good quality, but are of fair size and yield good quantities. All the other vegetables 

 mentioned by him are raised and some of them thrive well. 



For the special work of the establishment, he was imperfectly provided. Though he 

 had only four men with him, yet we iind the commissioners ordering him to discharge two 

 of them. He asks, in remonstrance, " Which shall it be, as they are all inclined to stay, are 

 quiet, and always readily obey, and so must I?" But he delays till the return of the vessel. 

 AVe need not say how crippled he would have been in carrying on even the ordinary work 

 of the establishment, but especially in saving lives and property in the case of a wreck, if he 

 had only two men with him and Hodgson at the other end of the island. But the commis- 

 sioners do not seem to have insisted upon it. 



But he seems to have done his work as efficiently as could be expected in his circum- 

 stances. In the year 1803 Governor Wentworth sent down Lieut. Torrens of the 29th 

 regiment, in the brig " Hariott," to inquire into the state of matters. Morris, too, had 

 requested the removal of a family of bad reputation. The vessel was untortunately lost, 

 and the lieutenant was obliged to stay that winter on the island. He took a deep interest 

 in the men and their work, and did what was in his power to encourage and assist them. 

 On tlie 9th July, 1804, a committee of the House of Assembly reported that the number 

 of persons saved from shipwreck since the establishment was made on the island was as 

 follows : 



From the ship " Hannah and Eliza" of Boston 13 persons. 



" " "Union" 11 



" " " Stark Odder " of Copenhagen 5 " 



" schooner of Lunenburg 4 " 



" brig " Hariott " of Newcastle 8 " 



Total 41 " 



That it appeared from the commissioners' account that property had been saved from the 

 wrecks to the value as under : 



From the ship " Hannah and Eliza " £ 207 4 10 



" " "Union" 158 8 4 



