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Sable Island, Feby, 28th - 1848
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Gentlemen
I have to inform you of the loss of the Schr Fulton of Baltimore U.S., Captn Speights from St. John's, Nfld, bound to Boston loaded with dry and pickled fish, a crew of seven men, & thirty nine passengers, all saved, She was lost on the night of 14th of Feb, on the Norh side near the West end, some of the materials are saved, but little of the cargo will be worth saving, the passengers are behaving well and I am giving them full rations, & a little small stores, since the 28th - inclusive, I have let Captn Speights, have the Levants [pinnau?] which was here, for the sake of communicating, and have taken a bond from him to deliver her to her owners in Halifax whoever they may be, and consigned her to my Son J.W.E. Darby for the benifit of her owners, they have furnished their own materials and equipments.
We are all quiet, are making a good deal of oil, and have provisions to last two months, if we get no addition to our numbers.
I much regret the vessel having to leave the Island so suddenly on the 13th, but the gale sprang up so soon, and so violent that I had not time to open your letters, or know anything of their contents, but I am now prepared with documents that I hope will be satisfactory; Nicholls statement is not true.
I have written this in duplicate intending one to be sent through the first post office the boat may arrive at,
And remain your Obedient Servant
Joseph Darby
To the Commissioners for the affairs of Sable Island, at Halifax