NOTES ON SABLE ISLAND—MACDONALD. 17 
years. At what period they were destroyed, and succeeded by 
the wild horses now upon it, is not known. 
From this date up to the beginning of the present century, 
we have little information respecting this Island, except that it 
became a favourite resort of fishermen, for the purpose of hunting 
the walrus and seal. 
With the increase of commerce, wrecks were more frequent, 
and it became the haunt of pirates and wreckers of the worst 
description, who are said to have lighted fires cn the shore 
luring vessels to their destrudction. Valucble jewels and rare 
articles having been exhibited as coming from there from time to 
time, strange stories of piracy and murder became frequent. 
This, together with the report of several vessels being lost 
with all hands, in quick succession—among them being the 
“ Princess Amelia,” a transport having con board the household 
effects of the Duke of Kent and upwards of 200 officers and 
recruits, all of whom perished, although it was thought that 
many of them reached shore and were afterwards murdered by 
the pirates, excited the suspicions of the authorities. 
The gun brig “Harriet” was dispatched, under Lieut. 
ToRRENS, to investigate matters, when she, too, was lost. The 
government at once took action, and, by the advice of Sir JoHN 
WENTWORTH, an amount was appropriated for settling families on 
the Island to assist shipwrecked persons and for saving property. 
A proclamation was issued, stating that persons found resid- 
ing upon the Island without a license from the government 
would be removed and imprisoned for a period of not less than 
six years. This had the desired effect, driving off the wretches 
who infested it, and the present establishment was formed under 
the superintendence of one JAMES Morris in 1802. 
Such is the early history which, though dim and frag- 
mentary, yet serves to show that the Island was well known 
and frequented hundreds of years before the founding of Halifax, 
and that by a race of people who have left no descendants 
along our coast. 
We will now consider the general features of this 
Island. It is simply an enormous accumulation of loose grey 
