ST. JOHN: SABLE ISLAND. 15 
Turf and the Sea brings them Wood; so they are not deprived of the 
Necessaries of Life, nor without Profits of se\eral Sorts; besides their 
having the pleasure of saving many Men's Lives, according to the 
motto of the Island, viz — Destruo & Salvo. When I took Possession 
of the Island there was no four-footed Creatures upon it, Init a few 
foxes some red and some black (some of which remain to this Day) 
now there are I suppose about 90 Sheep, between 20 or 30 Horses in- 
cluding Colts, Stallions and breeding Mares, about 30 or 40 Cows 
tame and Wild, and 40 Hogs. There are all sorts of Utensils for 
Farming and trying Fat, several Boats and six or seven small Houses 
and Warehouses. The advantages which do acrue or may acrue from 
the Improvement of that Place are so great that I would not easily 
part with it if I was so skilful in Navigation and Shipping as is nec- 
essary: That Ignorance of mine induces me (not any Defect in the 
Island itself) to part with it. If any Person desires to purchase it, 
and to know further about it, they may see at my House a Map and 
Plan of it, or if they live at a Distance by letters sent (Postage free) 
they may enquire about any Thing, they want to be satisfied in, and 
I will endeavor to gi^■e them all the Light they desire. I must know 
their Mind within 2 or 3 Months, that the Crew now upon the Is- 
land, may be disposed of accordingly." 
" Boston, the oth Day of Andrew Le Mcrcicr, 
"February, 176S Pastor of the French Church." 
It does not appear that Le IVIercier found a purchaser. He died on 
March 31st, 17(34, and his will, drawn on the 7th of Novemlx^r, 17(51, 
does not mention Sable Island. At least in 1760, the island was un- 
inhabited and a certain Boston merchant. Thomas Hancock', desir- 
ing to relieve the sufferings of those shipwrecked, fitted out a sdiooncr 
with "Horses, Cows, Sheep, Goats, Hogs and Animals likely to li\e 
on the Island. They were landed there and generally answered \ery 
well." 
In 17()0, a vessel with a part of the 43d regiment, returning from 
the capture of Quebec, was wrecked on the island. The evidence of 
this was found long afterward. "In the year 1S42, during a se\ere 
gale, an old laiidiuark in the form of a pyramid, said to l>e one hun- 
dred feet high, was complelcly blown aw;i\-, (>\posing some small IiuIn 
built of the timbers and planks of a ncsscI. On examination they 
were found to contain (juite a iiunilx'i- of ;irtirlcs of furiiiiure. stores 
iRept. on Can:uli:in Arcliivos, SO (1895). 
