The August Gale
The Faith: Lost and Found
Transcribed from 'The Island Magazine'. Fall/Winter 1992:32
By: DR Allan J. MacRae
The August Gale swept into the Bay of Fundy area on Saturday evening, 23 August 1873. On Prince
Edward Island, the wind had been blowing from the south - southwest, bringing pleasant 70º F
temperatures. On Sunday morning the 24th of August 1873, the wind shifted to the north, and by
evening had increased to a fresh breeze from the northeast, which rapidly developed during the
night into a furious gale, with heavy rains. Temperatures plunged to 47º F, and heavy seas pounded
the night-black coast. In the whole history of maritime disasters, only the Yankee Gale of 1851
wreaked greater havoc on Prince Edward Island.
Along the Cascumpec Sand Hills, the devastation was widespread on that terrible night. The Bergue
Helen, corn laden, from Montreal and the schooner Dominion both were wrecked on hog island in
Malpeque bay, where seven of the Helen's crew were lost. Meanwhile, John Yeo's brig Maggie went
ashore off Northport Harbour.
As the great gale struck, the Faith and the Kewadin arrived off the bold, sandy expanse of Cascumpec
Sand Hills heading south for Northport Harbour within sight a few miles distant. Using eyewitness
descriptions of the storm provided by survivors from the Dominion, Kewadin, and Helen (as well as
Israel Mayo, tourist stating at Rustico) and evidence derived from the wreck, it is possible to
reconstruct the final hours of terrors and tragedy aboard the Faith.
Despite the deceptive calm on early Sunday, Captain Clouston must have noticed how fast his
barometer was falling. As the wing veered around to the north, he likely wore the Faith's head
around south. As night came on the breeze freshened into furious gale. Heavy rain fell. For
captain and crew Providence was at hand.
As the storm intensified, the heavily laden brig must have labored amid the seething waters of the
Gulf. By now it was impossible to navigate the narrow passage into Northport. The Faith was brought
to anchor just a few yards east of the gully, south of Shell Duck Bush, near the entrance of the
Harbour. The tide rose by five feet and the vast expanse of beach yielded to a steady flood for the
next 24 hours. The night turned cold and the crew, like their comrades on the other vessel nearby,
had difficulty keeping their feet in the face of "the mad wind" as the crashing surf and flying
spray swept the decks bare. At that point they were likely forced into the rigging or to lash
themselves to bulwarks or other places of safety. Nearby, the Kewadin was driven hard aground on
the sandy bottom. The Faith was less lucky.
Sometime during to terrible night, as the brig lurched in the mountainous seas, the cargo of steel
rails in her hold shifted. Breaking loose from the their moorings, they smashed thought the hull a
quarter of the way down the port side bow, ripping a gaping hole just below the water line.
Simultaneously, the Faith snapped her anchor chain (which ended up deposited in a pile directly
below the wrecks bow). The brig's hull twisted. Heavy seas spilled through the exposed hole,
sending the vessel down, bow first, pointing north, into the gully four fathoms deeps. As she
plunged downwards, the Faith lost her masts. One was swept away rigging and all; the other fell
broken, into the ragging sea and came to rest beside the hull. The brigs fatal cargo, her papers
and manifests, her log - and her crew- were lost.
Five days late, on August 30, the Patriot reported that 33 bodies had been picked up between North
Cape and Cascumpec. It is probable that some were crewmen from the Faith.