1859 Season
Dec The Miramichi Gleaner reports the river as fast bound in ice, and horses and sleighs passing over it in all directions. Here [Halifax] we have had barely ice enough to carry our skaters and curlers. (NS 26/12/1859 p2#4)
Dec 13 For the last three or four days has been of almost unprecedented severity. On Saturday night, the harbour was frozen over sufficiently to enable parties to walk across, and yesterday and today it has become strong enough to bear teams safely. We witnessed today the somewhat unusual spectacle of the cutting a channel for the exit to more genial regions of a small fleet of a dozen vessels, laden with produce and bound to the States and the neighbouring Colonies. We regret to hear that several vessels are ice-bound at St. Peter’s. The same may, we fear, be safely predicted of other ports of the Island. (Ex 13 Dec p2 c4)
Dec 17 Two men drowned at Pictou – The Colonial Standard says that on Friday evening, 17th of December, a young man, resident of Pictou, named Henry Wier, and John Joseph Kennickell, his father-in-law, were drowned by breaking through the ice on the harbour, near Brown’s Point. (Ex 10 Jan 1859 p2 c4)
Dec 20 We regret to learn that the vessels which were cut out of the ice in this harbour during the past week have been prevented from prosecuting their voyage by the ice in the Strait. Some of them have returned to the mouth of the harbour, and others are ice-bound in the neighbourhood of Point Prim. (Ex 20 Dec p2 c4)
Dec 21 Sackville, NB, arrived, schr “Lucy Ann”, Halifax. When opposite Judge Botsford wharf she was carried out of the river by ice and now lies at Auc Lac … (AR 01/01/1859 p3 #2)
Jan 3 Ships arrived at Halifax from P. E. Island from December 3 to December 25. (Ex 3 Jan p3 c1)
Jan 5 Strait of Canso, Jan 6 – Yesterday several schrs were forced through the strait into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, by the combined force of an east wind and, current and floating ice. I suppose them bound to PE Island. No communication was had with them as far as I know. Several other schooners which passed to the northward, and three or four days since have not returned. Report says several schrs are in the ice between Port Hood and Cape George. … No heavy gulf ice has made its appearance yet. Floating ice made its appearance 24th Dec, 10 days earlier than usual. (AR 15/01/1859 p3 #3)
Jan 10 A Vessel, said to be a Brigantine frozen up in the ice, has been seen drifting up and down the Gulf, on the North side of the Island for some days past. On Thursday or Friday last she was close in on the shore near the Sandhills, at the entrance of Richmond Bay, and a number of persons went down on the beach, and would have boarded her could they have procured a suitable boat. On Monday last she was again seen to the Eastward of New London Harbour. (Ex 10 Jan p3 c1)
Jan 14 Souris, P.E. Island, Jan 14 – The schr “W.T. King”, of Souris, from Halifax, after being several days in the ice, being near the shore here on Sat last, was on Sunday abandoned by the crew after some of he cargo had been landed. The “Scottish Chief”, Halifax, was got ashore on Sun last, near Little Harbour; she had been some 10 days in ice. (AR 29/01/1859 p3 #5) (NS 07/02/1859 p7 #4)
Jan 14 The Schooner “W.T. King” of Souris from Halifax, with goods, after being several days in the ice, being near the shore here on Saturday last, was on Sunday abandoned by the crew, after some of the cargo had been landed. (Ex 24 Jan p3 c2)
Jan 18 The Brigt “Three Brothers”, Quebec, appears to have been driven by the ice from some harbour, as she is in a large field of solid ice, such as make in harbours; and has a chain out at both bow and stern. There was only about half a barrel of flour and the same of beef, on board. Michael Campion, and some four or five other men, went on board of her on Friday, and took some provisions with them, and I believe are on board still, and expect to be able to save her. She had some four feet of water and ice in the hold. She was seen yesterday off the East Point, rather to the south side of it. The belief is that the wind blows from the westward she will be forced round Cape North, where she will soon be clear of the ice. It is considered rather a hazardous attempt. (AR 29/01/1859 p3 #5)
Jan 18 The Brigt. “Three Brothers” of Quebec, appears to have been driven by the ice from some harbour, as she is in a large field of solid ice, such as makes in harbours; and has a chain out at both bow and stern. …The belief is that if the winds blows from the westward she will be forced round Cape North, where she will soon be clear of the ice. It is considered rather a hazardous attempt. (Ex 24 Jan p3 c2)
Feb 1 Halifax: “Scottish Chief” from this port was got onshore near Little Harbour, PEI on Jan 9, after being 10 days in the ice. Accounts from Souris, PEI, stated that the “W.T.King” from Halifax, after being several days in the ice, being near the shore here on Jan 9 was abandoned. (LL)
Feb 3 A Correspondent at Port Hood, under date Feb 3 writes as follows: -“There is a brig in the ice some six or eight miles northwest of Port Hood, she is from Prince Edward Island, with an assorted cargo of provisions, … Being surrounded by ice there is no probability of her getting clear till spring, should she survive the occasional heavy pressure upon her from the ice. She drifts about with the ice, which is constantly moving; sometimes she is within about six miles of this shore, at others so far off towards P. E. Island that we cannot see her from here. I think her name is the “Petrel.”” (Ex 28 Feb p1 c4)
Feb 14 The Harbour Frozen – On the morning of Mon., St. Valentine’s Day, 1859, the harbor of Halifax appeared to be and was frozen. There was no mistake about it – no half way work ; it was frozen across its whole width and nearly, if not quite, down to McNab’s Island, … On Mon. evening, the Cunard steamer “America” arrived. The ice was not sufficiently thick to form any serious impediment to her movement. … The last time Halifax harbor was frozen over was on the 5th of Feb 1839, … it remained frozen for about a fortnight. (AR 19/02/1859 p3 #3)
Feb 28 Capt. of schr “Beverly”, from Newfoundland, reports ice on the coast far out. (NS 28/02/1859 p7 #5)
Mar 28 Halifax, arrived, “A.A. Chapman”, Fortune Bay, 14 days, – fish, bound to N. York, – put in for supplies; met ice 120 mi south of St. Pierre. (AR 02/04/1859 p3 #2)
Apr 4 The harbour is now nearly clear of ice, and there is every indication of an early summer. (Ex 4 Apr p3 c2)
Apr 9 Capt. Gulliford, steamer “Ospray”, which arrived here on Sat. night last from St. John’s NF, reports that on Sat the 9th inst. fell in with the brigt “Petrel” of PEI., waterlogged and in a rapidly sinking state, and took off the crew. The vessel had been three months at sea, a considerable part of that time in the ice. The Petrel was from Georgetown, PEI, bound for NF. (NS 25/04/1859 p6 last col)
Apr 28 Plaister Cove, Apr 28 – Gut and Bay all closed with ice …” (AR 30/04/1859 p3 #2)