The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-07-22
GRAVEYARD OF THE ATLANTIC.
Desolate Region Where the Disaster
Occurred.

Sable Island the locality OF La Bour-
gogne disaster, is known to marines as
the graveyard of the Atlantic. IL is APP
propriately named, for it's barren and
desolate sands cover the remnants OF
more ships and the bones Of more sailors
than any like area Of land washed by the
Atlantic. a more forbidding region would
be difficult to find says the Omaha Bee.
IL lies south OF Newfoundland, where the
Labrador current and the st. Lawrence
strike the gulf stream broadside, and
from its whirling vorteXes cast up the
sand which forms the island. II IS a mar
row strip of land about one-third OF a
mile wide. and nifty miles long. in the
form of a crescent. tapering TO a point al
either end The long arms reach out 70
sea northeast and southeast and lie a all
times half submerged in gittering surf
and yelled in fog and mist. Thirty miles
out ship is in danger long before. even
In good weather the hummocks OF sea
colored sand may be distinguished from
the waves that surround them. And there
is not one clear day In thirty from Octo-
Der 10 May IN the vicinity of Sable
Island.
The almost impenetrabe wall Of fog
and mist which shrouds the island is
caused by the action of the warm and
cold ocean currents. The cold current
turns southwark inshore. runs the length
Of Nova Scotia and spends its wrath on
the southeastern point of the peninsula.
Here the battle royal comes, with the
cannonading of surf and the booming OF
great guns OF waves the whole year
round The cold water sinks TO the Dot
tom hOurly-ever slain. never conquered,
constantly reinforced by recruits That
pour down from the exhaustless north,
ef oh Mt
halla shouting for the havoc they nave
wrought.
Treacherous currents sweep round It
and draw the ships 10 their doom. No
friendly light CLEANS through the fog. for
no lighthouse could be built on that
stretch of sand that could buffet the
gales. no light buoy could be anchored 10
the shifting bottom. The sip is driven
to death through unbroken gloom. But
knowing that such help as can be given
is on these unseen shores the log horn
screams above the blast. the signal guns
boom. the ships bell sends a faint unkle
over the water tar barrel Is burned
from the bow in hopes that the patrol
men on the shore may reach the vessel
when # goes aground on the bar
Life on Sable Island is meteorological
tragedy. The diary Of day reads hke
ship's log, with but little 20 indicate that
| n is not terra nrma. The island Hes
| twice nine leagues away from any shore'
sprawning like some colossal dying Sau-
| rian on the buneting waves, Its sldes
sloughing off into the sea like proud hesh
from the wounds Helpless and inert II
lies. itself the plaything Of the sea as
much as any ship wrecked on It's coast
There is a Iife-saving station on the
| island consisting OF sixteen men some
Of whom have families. The station Is IN
a sheltered ravine. shut out from the sea
on an sides. 1t is bounded by hummocks
| Of sand. notified with patches OF gray
| green grass upon which sea blrds OF
prey can always find food. The cluster
of houses painted gray and white IN the
midst OF gardens, is an oasis or Ire III
sea Of death.
AT the edge Of this favored spot is a
narrow lake. few hundred feet wide
but half as long as the island. on wnlcn
tame water fowl float. Chickens strut
about gossipng among themselves IL Is
all as tranquil a scene as any Canadian
village. But for the booming 81 the surf
and the skulls the little children turn up
| I'm their play
Sometimes the whole colony, except the
| man on watch. goes of on cranberry
! hunt. or 10 trap rabbits. They cross the
! lake in skiffs or go quite around IT, There
\ is no outlet now II was once harbor for
| vessels. but a mountain of sand tumhled
| into the mouth and shut in two ships
! that had sought shelter there.
Everything has suffered a sea-change.
| In a season hillocks that have become
| landmarks melt into the sea; assures ap-
| near mountains are piled up. Ol1
wrecks. long buried, come 70 view human
skeletons start unbidden from graves a
/ 1rI Enn "
superintendent house stood fifty years
| ago is now three miles out al sea- under
fathoms Of water The island is tossed
| into fantastic shapes by every gale and
| slides insidously into the sea on the
| trsnquilest day.
Every foot is hallowed ground. Gods
acre" indeed. Every hummOck OF SAND
| is tomb Of the good and the great. the
! humble and the heroic. The Forty-third
! English Regiment. returning from the
siege Of Quebec. all lie here. Cartier left
some OF his most intrepid explorers. One
| dead man. a sailor. faithful even unto
death. pioted his boat over the bar. A
man and a woman. dashed to spar, were
washed in together. These ghosts all
| walk when storms are abroad.
Sometimes an empty barrel or mes-
sage in "A bottle is ali that ever reaches
shore trinket. a swollen corpse may
be found on the beach any morning at
sunrise. once a beautiful coat-of-arms
| such as hang on castle walls. blazoned
| with Jewels washed up. II bore the
motto: 'SSpero melesia''-1 hope for bet
ter things. Alas what hopes went down
with the boast OF heraidry and pomp OF
power
Here are traces OF an encampment-a
coin touched by an Iron finger In the
mint OF the great Elizabeth. and the bit
| OF gold remebers that touch yet. and
tells how long II has lain In these un-
corroding sands. A knife, a dirk. a pair