28 NOTES ON SABLE ISLAND—-MACDONALD. 
such elements of atmospheric disturbances on its bosom, it fol- 
lows that storms of the most violent character would accompany 
it in its course. Accordingly the most terrific that rage on the 
ocean have been known to spend their fury on its northern 
border.” 
There have been some memorable tempests here which have 
marked, as it were, perzods in the history of this Island,—-nights 
of terror never to be forgotten. The inhabitants of this lonely, 
desolate sand-bar have often despaired of ever seeing the dawn, 
and sat speechless for hours, listening, terror-stricken, to the 
howling of the blast, which threatened every moment to hurl 
their dwellings from their unstable foundation into the seething 
ocean. On one occasion, on going forth after such a night, they 
were horrified to find that, in addition to the transformation 
undergone around them by the removal of sand-hills, and the 
creation of others, that a portion equal to 3 miles long, 40 feet 
wide, and from 20 to 60 feet high, had gone bodily from the 
north side of their Island. This now forms one of those parallel 
bars over which the sea in storms breaks in terrific tumult. The 
awful violence, as well as the suddenness of those storms, which 
are cyclonic in their character, form one of the most remarkable 
phenomena of this Island. 
The sun often rises clear, giving indications of continued ° 
good weather, and, with the exception of the sea breaking high 
on the bars, and the fretful moan of the surf as it breaks along 
the shore, there is no premonition of the coming storm. Sud- 
denly a dull, leaden haze obscures the sun: clouds gather from 
all directions, The sky assumes a wild, unusual appearance, 
The wind begins to rise in fitful gusts, carrying swirls of sand 
before it. The darkness increases as the low, driving scud shuts 
in all distant objects. Now the gale bursts in awful fury, 
whipping off the summits of the hummocks, carrying before it 
a cloud of blinding sand-drift. Darkness adds to the horror of 
the scene, while rain descends in a perfect deluge. No human 
voice can be heard above the tempest. The crinkled lightning 
for an instant lights up the mad waves, as they rear aa hiss 
alone the beach. Then a sudden calm ensues,—as strange as. 
