NOTES ON SABLE ISLAND—MACDONALD. 19 
with only a few feet of water, which form heavy breakers when 
there is any sea running, making it exceedingly hazardous for 
landing in boats. 
On the south side the water deepens very gradually, thus 
extending its dangers far into the sea in that direction. Vessels 
seldom anchor on the south side, because of the prevalent swell 
from the south, and from the great distance from a landing, 
which is only practicable after a long continuance of northerly 
winds. While on the north side boats can only land during 
southerly wind and after a continuance of fine weather. But 
there are surf-boats belonging to the Island which ean generally 
communicate when ordinary boats would swamp. 
On the north side vessels anchor from one to two miles off 
shore. The bottom being fine sand, holds well, but the sea is so 
heavy, except in off-shore winds, that on the first indication of 
wind from the sea, a vessel must weigh anchor immediately and 
make an offing. 
Wrecks on the N. W. or N. E. bar are of course far more 
dangerous to life than those that take place on the Island. In 
bad weather the rescue of a crew on the submerged portion of 
those bars would be impossible. 
We have here a chart showing the wrecks that have taken 
place since the formation of the establishment by the Govern- 
ment, in 1802, for life-saving purposes, which I have compiled 
from official reports, and submitted to the three superintendents 
that have had charge of the Island. This chart shows the name 
and position of known wrecks. The unknown, on the bars, are, 
perhaps, far more numerous. After gales, and a jong continu- 
ance of foggy weather, there are often sad evidences of disaster 
in the wreckage, and frequently bodies drifted on shore, of which 
nothing more is ever known. These bars, on the north side, 
are extremely steep, especially so the N. E. bar, having as 
much as 30 fathoms water close to it; hence a vessel caught 
here ina S. W. to S. E. gale, would probably strike, forge over 
and founder in deep water, leaving nothing whatever above to 
tell the tale. 
In the immediate neighbourhood of the ocean little else but 
