Nova Scotia Archives

Footprints in the Sand

Pre‐1867 Government Records for Sable Island

The Report of Seth Coleman to Sir John Wentworth, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia

1801. — 4 pages : 30 x 49 cm.

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have escaped to impart their melancloly [melancholy] fate.

The soil in general is nearly the same, excepting up on the upland which is principally of a nature to produce the Beach Grass intermixed with the Wild Pea, and round the edges of the Pond their is a finer kind of Grass, but much of the same quality, and I discovered some small spots if English grass, and on he borders of the Pond vegatables [vegetables] might be raised if enclosed for Gardens, sufficient to supply several families, and I have no doubt but Indian Corn might be produced but not in large quantities. No settlers I should suppose would attempt any further improvement of the Soil than merely gardens for their Families from the difficulty of procuring fencing or manure, the only Animals now upon the Island are a few wild Horses, the Number I could not ascertain, Nine were seen together a few days before I arrived, but during the time I was there, the fog was too thick to make the discoveries I could have wished. I believe the Island capable of supporting 5 or 600 Horses, or in that proportion of black cattle, if they could be wintered without care; but whether that could be effected I cannot determine. Sheep would succeed well, I know of only one objection, which I do not consider as a substantial one, the possibility of their ^ overloaded being with sand, in high winds, if that could be obviated, the Island would support 4 or 5000. I am of opinion that Hogs would thrive exceedingly well, as they would procure the principal part of their living, out of the Pond, but from their


A report sent back to Lieutenant-Governor Sir John Wentworth from Seth Coleman which details his discoveries when sent to investigate the possibility of establishing a human presence on the Island. Coleman documents the American shipwreck he encounters upon arrival, some details of the Island’s flora (pea grass) and fauna (horses), its current residents (shipwreck survivors), makes a case for the potential and necessity of a lighthouse, and then continues to speculate on the success of a settlement on the island, believing it could support “several families”.

4 pages 30 x 49 cm

Date: 1801

Reference: Nova Scotia Archives RG 31 series 120 volume 2 number 2

Nova Scotia Archives — https://archives.novascotia.ca/sable/archives/

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