Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-01
OLD ACADIA AND BEYOND.
Watching the Flow Of the Mighty
Tides In the nay 81 Eumdy.


TIE WONDERFUL WORK TIE sKA PERroRxs-How
THE WATERS ARE THROWN NLASD-BsAuTrzs OF
THE COAST OF NOVA scorIA-AMoNa TIE sINPLx,
HONEST PEoPLK-HIsToRIC LoCAIIrIKa
tcopyrishted. 1888,
Special Correspondence Of The EVENING star.
ANNAPOLIS, Nova SCOTIA, August "a, 1883
All my life / have been Interested and curious
regarding tides and being well equipped for
little Investigation OF my own, I determined TO
know as much as could about the much-talked-of
tides In the Bay OF Fundy. Constantly referring
to this subject with the hope that might luckily
hit upon some chance Observation-Disclosures have
long since learned that one gets the least knowl-
edge OF the sea from sea-fartng men-good Capt
Ballast and long bodied, ong-sunertng Tom
became mucn wrought up about the mat
ter. Tom suffered in q general way be-
cause the subject was worrying US all
and could not be settled. He 'tsorter hated" he
insisted with much feeling, "to have any ship
come TO these ar docks couldn't be knocked TO
getnsr and launched" The captain had deeper
sorrow with personal grievance In It. The toea
that any land-lubber could come into these waters
and know anything about anything hurt him.
would remark, with two or three savage grinds Of
his larb0ard eud Of tobacco, "broad an long, m
6etner =, upper It's Jess the pint as ier my
negligence! Why, that ar diry's got the tide bis
Mss ter sech bounds inter 1t as makes my wife
Almost feard a havin' It north O. Qu0ddy HeadP
IN BAY OF FUNDY AND BRISTOL CHANNEL
good deal after the manner OF the evasive
policy OF willy Captain Ballast, the scientists have
chiefly left their diaries at: home. Read all you
may, and there is little even Of this sort TO be
found. You have simply two things to confess.
lightened, and the scientists have never yet
brought forward rational reasons for the strange
and mighty action OF the ocean currents and coast
The sun does that; the rotation OF the earth does
some other thing; and white they have revealed
good reason for want OF better reason for along
shore regularity OF general tide action they have
not 1athomed, or they cannot TELL any satisfying
cause for such tremendous phenomena as occur
right mere, and In Bristol Channel England where
Thousand estuarieS and bays exist when, according
TO their logic, equally majestic movements OF the sea
phenomena correctly. The Bristol channel tides
are said by these men TO rise 'from 40 to so feet.
That Is not true. have repeatedly witnessed the
mouth. just below Bristol, where the tide reaches
The highest elevation. Its greatest difference be-
Tween tWten regular low ana niga water Is 81 feet
Channel from the west with the tide 1t has
reached 80 feet That is enough. SO, too. in
all Old and new Biographies from which you
and 1 were taught and in the encyclopedias
IT Is affirmed that the tide swelIs from lS
ie fee at the entrance Of the Bay Of Funday, to
the highest spring tides This statement OF science
Is more glaringly false than the former No tide,
nor even tidal wave ever rose In the Bay Of Fundy
to height of 20 feet. 1t is possible that the great
''Saxby tide" OF 1865 as it Is called by ali F1ndy
waterside folk, rose so feet above lowest known
low water. That is the highest tide ever known
on these shores, notwithstanding the book au-
thoritieS
VARYING HEIGHTS.
In our weeks cruising around the Bay of Fuudys
shores, In which we encountered neither a won-
derful fog nor the Wanted terrible seas Of this
region, some singular tides statistics were secured
Az PASSPORT, the average highest tide rises "a
Ieet; at ST. John, 80 feet; at st. Martha Salmon
River and Salisbury Cove, 20 feet; near Moncton,
Bay, 80 feet; at the head OF the Cumberland Bay
tne northeastmost estuary OF Fundy, Al feet-the
highest single tide-spot on the bay. Returning 10
the southern waters the average rise at points In
the great and romantic Basin Of Minas an eastern
arm OF Fundy and the heart OF the old Acadian
southern shore, formed by the north coast of
Novia Scotia, the tideheight gradually decreases;
unth az Annapolis it is but "a feet; at st. Marys
Bay stu nearer the ocean, 1t is but ID feet; while
about the Island OF Grand Manan, which sets
SQuarely In the mouth OF Fundy, the year through
II WIZ not average higher than at Boston. New
RECEIVING THE GULF STREAM
This Is all important from the fact that 1t ex-
plodes nearly three centuries colossal exaggera-
ton. regarding matter that is sufficiently won
derful II the simple truth be told For 1t is con-
seriousness OF infinite magnitude In itself that the
sea Twice each day, Nils an area equalling 5000
aging 80 rect In depth, piled sQuarely upon the
lmmeasurable volume already existing there since
the sea was made! 1t also demonstrates a plain
and simple reason for an apparent marvel The
authorities say that "the Bay OF Fundy opens its
BOSOM 10 receive The great Atlantic tide-wave,"
which forever moves east to opposite the direc
ton Of the earth's revolution. Any school, boy no
looking at MS map, could tell you differently.
Nova Scotia bare their bOSoms receive this great
Atlantic tlde-wave OF science, II any such exists
Inc Bay OF Fundy faces precisely in the opposite
direction. what IT does receive Is portion OF the
great gulf stream, which, debOuching from the
solid walls OF our curved eastern and northeastern
shores Is brought up with ever-recurring sudden
checkings and chuckings against the rocky walls
Oh this great Bay OF Fundy pocket, and is lifted
and massed TO It's enormous height and volume by
the mighty and irresistible force OF the Oncoming
current, which has gained added velocity and
power through Its debOuchment from the granite
coasts OF Massachusetts, and Maine.
TIDE BOREs.
At the eastern cad of Fundy we also saw and
heard those strange creatures OF these mighty
currents, the ''tide-bores" Many OF the rivers
entering at little coves and bays are practically no
rivers al all when the tide Is out They present
the appearance OF deep, stnuOus, shining ravine
or bright mahogany color, owing to the peculiar
nature OF the Soii with followed sides and with
nothing more than blue rivuet whipping along
through low central hollow. Some present their
red mouths fquarey TO the sea- Others have be-
fore them long reaches OF reddish aluvial as Level
edge, or again are patched here and there with
the bright blue or water left standing In prettiIy
shaped hollows and swales. so great Is the vol
seml-dally that It's action Is not, as On ordinary
coasts, almost imperceptiDle. 1t comes as II
lifted bodily from The sea and flung against the
shore. Seeking escape from impossible barriers
the waters dart into these Open-mouthed vents
and go whstling and howling upstream for miles
gigantic hollow wave (hence "bOre'0 in advance
as II to engulf The land.
THESE PHENOMENA VARY
In some streams the Hottest tide. bore Ia at the
front and Is followed by bores OF decreasing size
and velocity. At other points they follow each
other at regular intervals and apparently OF about
equal volume. But in some Instances the frst IL
small, spumy, spitefu; the second will follow with
Increased height and power, as II driving the nrst
before II; the third Is o tremendous hollow roll Of
such volume that the spumy iridescence is Changed
lowed by lesser waves until the tide Is at its fun
but all That are large enough to have formed from
the force behind ana the resistance In front the
spnercai, or "Dore" form, give forth rOarlngs and
DeilowlngS OF the most hideous character: are
Often heard1or miles distant; frequently engulf or
brighten oer-venturesome hogs and cattle; and by
many OF the lOwly and ignorant waterside folk
are regarded with superstiJious awe
INTERESTING NOVA SCOTIA
II one has the time and disposition for lettering
alongshOre or among coastwise towns Nova Scotia
furnishes SURPRISING opportunity for interest and
pleasure. The peninsula with Its cOveS, bays and
river-mouths has tremendous length or coast
line, and there Is not mile or 1t which is without
Beginning at the north shore along Cumberland
strait, sweeping TO the east around Cape Breton
Island, following the south shore past Halifax and
the Old Dutch region or LunenburY, rounding the
southwest point at Cape Sable, following the shore
lines OF ST. Mary's Bay, the Annapolis Basin,