note: transcription publicly contributed - please contact us with comments, errors or omisions

We the undersigned Servants of the Establishment on Sable Island, do solemnly swear that on Friday the second day of June 1848 we were, with the other people of the Island, at the East End at work at the wreck of the Brig Bessy Dryden cast away on the N.E. Bar. And that John Nisbett in charge of the House at the East End of the Island, was beastly drunk in the House, that he got one of the seamen into the house with him, at night, that he urged the seaman to drink, and to carry on in any way that he pleased, and that he Nisbett would stand between him and all danger, that the man was also drunk and very noisy, that Nisbett was laying on the floor drunk and encouraging the sailor to carry on and make as much noise as he pleased, and that between them both they made so much riot, that we with the other men of the Island could not rest in our beds, but had to get up and put the sailor out of the house and send him to where his bed was, [crossed out: and with some difficulty, and after a long time time got Nisbett away into his own room] that we tryed to get Nisbett to go to bed, and not disturb the house, and Mr Darby, who was in his bed in the Next Room, that he swore he would not, that he damned Mr Darby and said that he did not care a Damn for him, and we had to go and leave him sitting on the hearth quarrelling with, and abusing his wife.

As Witness our hands, this fifth day of June 1848

John Clybourne
Henry Webb
his X mark

[at lower left]
Sworn to before me one of Her Majesties
Justices of the Peace for this District
Joseph Darby, J.P.

[at lower right, there is a large letter D]