78 PORT HOOD HARBOUR MCINTOSH. 



beaches at the bottom of the cliffs. When the Southermost 

 bears W. by S. you may haul around by the anchorage in four 

 and five fathoms water and muddy bottom, where ships may 

 lie well sheltered from all winds. The water on the Flatts 

 appears very white, and breaks when ye wind blows strong 

 from the southward. 



"There is a passage for small vessels between Point Susannah 

 and Henry Isle." 



In the Crown Lands Office in Halifax are old land grants 

 which show that late as 1826 the northern entrance was closed. 

 On one grant the connecting strip of land is divided into cross 

 lots from end to end of the neck, six in all, evidently for fishing 

 purposes. The narrowest part of the neck on this grant, which 

 bears date of 1826, is about six chains. There appears to be 

 some doubt about the accuracy of these plans, as a grant of 

 1823 on which the land connection is much narrower has written 

 upon it: ''A dependance can be placed on this plan. — T. Craw- 

 ley, Sur-General." 



There is also available evidence of personal recollection. 

 The writer is indebted to Mr. N. H. Meagher, until recently a 

 Judge of the Supreme Court in his native province, for the follow- 

 ing :"My father came to Nova Scotia about 1820 or 1821 and 

 for a time lived at Port Hood. At that time there were a num- 

 berof Smiths living on the inner Port Hood Island. A daughter 

 of one of these married a man named Hayes — a Catholic. The 

 visit of the priest to Port Hood at that time was a very rare 

 event, and when one came, my father was sent over to the island 

 to notify the Hayes family of his presence on the mainland. 

 Sometimes he made the journey to the Island on foot, and at 

 others on horseback. At that time a small stream would cross 

 the sand bar when high tides occurred — and only then." 



The Immediate Past. 



There is, therefore, accurate knowledge of Port Hood Harbour 

 as it existed somewhat less than a hundred years ago. As a 

 haven for ships it ranked high. It was excellently protected 

 from wind and wave. Lying open to the south-west, it would 

 not be affected much by a storm from that quarter as the reach 

 of outside water in that direction is not great. The approach 

 lay open giving easy accessibility. The channel was sufficiently 

 wide with a depth at the shallowest part of six fathoms. No 



