Nova Scotia Archives

Footprints in the Sand

Pre‐1867 Government Records for Sable Island

Affadavit from both Martin Clye, James Clye and Donald Gillis sworn to Joseph Darby

1848. — 4 pages : 30 x 48 cm.

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We the undersigned being called upon to state what we know of a man by the name of Robert Nichols a hired servant on the establishment at Sable Island do solemnly declare, that when he came here he was nearly naked, and was unable to do his duty for want of clothing, that Mr. Darby took him in and furnished him with clothing out of his own private stock to keep him comfortable, that we think that Mr Darby was particularly attentive to him, and we don't know for what reason, as he was a very ordinary boat man, without it was because he was a good smith and he wanted to encourage him, he was a very ordinary hand at any other work, he was always very eager to get liquor, and has been known where there has been six glasses of liquor put together in a cup for six men to be divided amongst them, that he has seized on it, and taken two glasses to himself and some of the others have gone short, that he was always grumbling about salt provisions, and on one occasion Mr Darby went with five men in a boat to the wreck of the Milo, he took a bottle of spirits, and plenty of break and meat, the liquor was all given to the men, and we eat as much of the bread & meat as we wanted and took the remainder home with us, and when we returned about 4 P.M. and shifted our wet clothes, Nichols began to grumble that he had no dinner yet, although we knew that something was preparing for us at the house, he said it was a d_d shame to keep men until now near night without their dinner; that in breaking up wood on the beach about five miles from home, we would get our breakfast before starting, and Mr Darby always told us to do what we could until early in the afternoon and then come home, we took bread & meat ready cooked with us, and fire works, and a kettle with tea and sugar in it, to make a fire and boil a kettle of tea on the beach to make a refreshing drink about noon, yet Nichols was dissatisfied with this, and would say that it was a d_d shame to make people live that way, not to get their meals regular and have to boil a kettle on the beach; now it is evident that this was a great indulgence, and we was pleased with it; and found no want or suffering, and it was too far to come home over five miles to dinner; and return; when the Levant was cast away, the first or second day that Nichols was at work at her he told Mr Darby that the salt water limited him as he had some breaking out over his body and legs, Mr Darby looked at him and said he thought it was the scurvy, or some very bad humour in the blood, he kept him out of the boat, or told him to keep out of


4 pages 30 x 48 cm

Date: 1848

Reference: Nova Scotia Archives RG 1 volume 425 number 52f

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

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