port hood harbour ^mcintosh. 77 



Evidence of Former Land Connection. 



The discussion up to this point has been based upon known 

 geological changes in the earth's history, and the probable re- 

 sults of processes at work under conditions that very likely ex- 

 isted. That they may be questioned, the writer is well aware. 

 No doubt, however, exists as to the presence of a land con- 

 nection where is now the northern entrance to the harbour. 



In the Legislative Library at Halifeix are three volumes of 

 unique charts owned and used by Admiral Lord Nelson, and 

 presented to the Library on August 21st, 1885, by Vice-Admiral 

 Sir J. E. Commerell, K. C. B., V. C. They were published for 

 use of the Royal Navy of Great Britain by Joseph F. W. Des- 

 Barres, and bear the date of 1781. Two of these charts, plates 

 3 and 33, are of the western coast of Cape Breton and show 

 the harbour of Port Hood, with the depths of water in the harbor 

 and around the coast. Henry Isle is separated from the nearest 

 land by shallow water with two narrow channels three fathoms 

 deep. What is now Smith Island is joined to the mainland 

 and the connecting neck is marked ''Sand hills," but at four 

 places, two near each end of the neck, is the conventional 

 sign for "Cliffs of red earth." (See Fig. 2.) These red banks 

 must indicate underlying rock above high water mark. It is 

 probable that the original rock extended from each side, and that 

 towards the middle the sea had worn it down, so that at high 

 tide or during heavy gales some water passed to and from the 

 harbour. The customary sand grasses would cover the sand 

 hills. 



On the plate, a part of which is shown in Figure 2, is the 

 following in engraved script; — "Port Hood, situated on the 

 north-western extremity of the Island of Cape Breton, bears by 

 compass North 4° East distance twenty miles from the north 

 entrance of the Gut of Canco, and East S° South 1 71/2 niiles 

 from Cape George, The Flood Tide sets from ye Northward at 

 from Cape George. The Flood Tide sets from ye Northward at 

 the rate of one and half miles an hour and on the days of Full 

 and Change it is High Water at half-past seven. Common 

 Spring Tides rise about five feet. To sail in, keep your course 

 to the Eastward till Point Emersion is on with the Gut of Canso; 

 this direction will lead you into no less than six fathoms water, 

 and close by the end of the Sand Flatt which runs from the South" 

 east part of the Peninsula, here are two small remarkable white 



