20 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY. 



away it would be necessary for him to remove the establishment to 

 a more secure position; that within 4 years previous, 4 miles had gone 

 entirely from the west end, leaving but a mile between him and the 

 sea which was advancing steadily. On the north side an area equal 

 to 4,0 ft. wide and 3 miles long had gone bodily from the island during 

 a single night. He intended to move the buildings to a place called 

 'Middle Houses', 3 miles further east. 



"In 1820 the Superintendent again wrote the Government, that 

 not only had the old site of the main station gone seaward; but the 

 sea was again encroaching to such an alarming extent that he would 

 be obliged to once more remove the station, and had selected a place 

 known as the 'Haul over/ 4 miles further east. Here it enjoyed a 

 short respite when again the sea threatened its foundation. * * * 

 again the sea advanced, the two following winters were noted for the 

 frequency of storms, and the havoc made along the sand cliffs, every 

 gale sensibly diminishing the western portion of the island, toppling 

 great masses of sand hills into the surf below as well as changing the 

 surface of the interior. One instance * * * when thousands of 

 tons of sand were carried from the beach and strewn over the island, 

 smothering vegetation, so that hundreds of horses died for want of 

 food." 1 



It has been argued by J. B. Gilpin 2 , and following him by Prof. 

 John Macoun 3 , that the action of the wind is here always constructive, 

 that it takes the sand from the dry upper beach, moves it inland and 

 builds it up into the dunes, but that it does not act as a waster. It 

 does build up, of course, but on the lee side it is also picking up the 

 sand grains and carrying them out over the sea, where at the slightest 

 lull they drop into the water, and are lost, as far as Sable Island is 

 concerned. That the wind is constantly shifting the sand in what- 

 ever direction the wind happens to blow, is forcibly brought to the 

 attention of anyone who ventures out of doors in a strong wind. If 

 the wind is blowing 20 miles an hour or more, it picks up so much sand 

 that it acts like a veritable sand-blast. In consequence all the lights 

 of glass in the windows become quickly dulled and soon so abraded 

 that they are no longer transparent but only translucent. Any trav- 

 eller feels it and is forced to shield his eyes, face, and hands from its 

 severe action. 



1 Macdonald, S. D.: Trans. N. S. Inst. Nat. Sci. vi. part 2, 113 (1884). 



2 Gilpin, J. B.: Sable Island, 19 (1858). 



* Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv. Can. n. s. xii. 213A (1899). 



