118 SABLE ISLAND—(CONTINUED).—MACDONALD. 
water ponds so often found in the interior, while around the 
stations it requires the utmost vigilance of the men to watch 
the first break in the sod and repair it before headway is gained, 
otherwise the buildings would soon go from their foundations. 
While the wind and waves have been so active modelling and 
remodelling the Island proper, currents and eddies have also been 
at work on its submerged portion, although from the difficulties 
attending observations we are not cognizant of the various 
changes taking place. One however, fraught with much danger, 
is making itself manifest in a painful degree, that is, the prolong- 
ing and shoaling of the north east bar. 
By reference to this wreck chart, it will be seen that most 
of the wrecks of late years have occurred here, some of them being 
as much as 16 miles from the light. 
The changing character of the bar at the other extremity of 
the Island may be inferred from an extract of Capt. Darby’s 
reports in Blunt’s Coast Pilot of 1832, as follows :-— 
“JT have known this Island for 28 years, during which time the 
west end has decreased in length 7 miles, although the outer 
breakers of the N. W. bar have the same bearings from the west 
end of the Island as they formerly had, demonstrating that the 
whole bank and bar are travelling eastward.” : 
With regard to this Island having travelled the entire distance 
shown by those charts, it would be rather hazardous to adopt 
such a conclusion. Yet it is certain that its progress eastward is 
in keeping with the natural tendency of all sand accumulations, 
and although the material may be carried sometimes one way 
and sometimes another, yet nevertheless its progress must still 
be in the direction of the prevailing wind. 
In some parts of the world in consequence of the preponderance 
of certain strong winds in one direction, such accumulations 
make a regular progressive movement, and have buried farms, 
houses, cities, and even whole tracts of country, of which there 
are numerous instances on the English and French coasts. 
At this island the strong west wind is as constant as a trade 
wind, and its material is being constantly blown before it. 
In this way the amount drafted from west to east must have 
