CONTENTS.
| [CHAPTER I.] | |
| Vague Rumors of Nova Scotia—A Fortnight upon Salt Water—InterestingSketch of the Atlantic—Halifax!—Determine to stay in theProvince—Province Building and Pictures—Coast Scenery—Liberty inLanguage, and Aspirations of the People—Evangeline and Relics ofAcadia—Market-Place—The Encampment at Point Pleasant—KissingBridge—The "Himalaya"—A Sabbath in a Garrison Town—Grand Celebrationof the Peace, and Natal Day of Halifax—And a Hint of a Visit toChezzetcook | 13 |
| [CHAPTER II.] | |
| Fog clears up—The One Idea not comprehended by the American Mind—AJune Morning in the Province—The Beginning of the Evangeliad—IntuitivePerception of Genius—The Forest Primeval—Acadian Peasants—A NegroSettlement—Deer's Castle—The Road to Chezzetcook—Acadian Scenery—AGlance at the Early History of Acadia—First Encroachments of theEnglish—The Harbor and Village of Chezzetcook, etc., etc. | 34 |
| [CHAPTER III.] | |
| A Romp at Three Fathom Harbor—The Moral Condition of the Acadians—TheWild Flowers of Nova Scotia—Mrs. Deer's Wit—NoFish—Picton—The Balaklava Schooner—And a Voyage toLouisburgh | 58 |
| [CHAPTER IV.] | |
| The Voyage of the "Balaklava"—Something of a Fog—A NovelSensation—Picton bursts out—"Nothing to do"—Breakfast under Way—APhantom Boat—Mackerel—Gone, Hook and Line—The Colonists—Sectionalismand Prejudices—Cod-fishing and an Unexpected Banquet—Past the oldFrench Town—A Pretty Respectable Breeze—We get past theRocks—Louisburgh | 77 |
| [CHAPTER V.] | |
| Louisburgh—The Great French Fortress—Incidents of the Old FrenchWar—Relics of the Siege—Description of the Town—The twoExpeditions—A Yankee ruse de guerre—The Rev. Samuel Moody'sGrace—Wolfe's Landing—The Fisherman's Hutch—The Lost Coaster—TheFisheries—Picton tries his hand at a Fish-pugh | 102 |
| [CHAPTER VI.] | |
| A most acceptable Invitation—An Evening in the Hutch—Old Songs—Pictonin High Feather—Wolfe and Montcalm—Reminiscences of theSiege—Anecdotes of Wolfe—A Touch of Rhetoric and its Consequences | 121 |
| [CHAPTER VII.] | |
| The other side of the Harbor—A Foraging Party—Disappointment—Twilightat Louisburgh—Long Days and Early Mornings—A Visit and View of anInterior—A Shark Story—Picton inquires about a Measure—Hospitalityand the Two Brave Boys—Proposals for a Trip Overland to Sydney | 133 |
| [CHAPTER VIII.] | |
| A Blue-Nosed Pair of the most Cerulean Hue—Prospects of a HardBargain—Case of Necessity—Romantic Lake with an Unromantic Name—TheDiscussion concerning Oatmeal—Danger of the Gasterophili—McGibbetmakes a Proposition—Farewell to the "Balaklava"—A MidnightJourney—Sydney—Boat Excursion to the Micmacs—Picton takes off hisMackintosh | 154 |
| [CHAPTER IX.] | |
| The Micmac Camp—Indian Church-warden and Broker—Interior of aWigwam—A Madonna—A Digression—Malcolm Discharged—An IndianBargain—The Inn Parlor, and a Comfortable Night's Rest | 176 |
| [CHAPTER X.] | |
| Over the Bay—A Gigantic Dumb Waiter—Erebus—Reflections—White andBlack Squares of the Chess-Board—Leave-taking—An Interruption—TheAibstract Preencipels of Feenance | 185 |
| [CHAPTER XI.] | |
| The Bras d'Or Road—Farewell to Picton—Home, Sweet Home—The Rob Roysof Cape Breton—Note and Query—Chapel Island—St.Peter's—Enterprise—The Strait of Canseau—West River—The LastOut-post of the Scottish Chiefs | 196 |
| [CHAPTER XII.] | |
| The Ride from West River—A Fellow Passenger—Parallels of History—OneHundred Romances—Baron de Castine—His Character—Made Chief of theAbenaquis—Duke of York's Charter—Encroachments of thePuritans—Church's Indian Wars—False Reports—Reflections | 212 |
| [CHAPTER XIII.] | |
| Truro—On the Road to Halifax—Drive to the Left—A Member of theForeign Legion—Irish Wit at Government Expense—The first Battle of theLegion—Ten Pounds Reward—Sir John Gaspard's Revenge—The ShubenacadieLakes—Dartmouth Ferry, and the Hotel Waverley | 224 |
| [CHAPTER XIV.] | |
| Halifax again—Hotel Waverley—"Gone the Old Familiar Faces"—The Storyof Marie de la Tour | 237 |
| [CHAPTER XV.] | |
| Bedford Basin—Legend of the two French Admirals—An Invitation tothe Queen—Visit to the Prince's Lodge—A Touch of Old England—TheRuins | 251 |
| [CHAPTER XVI.] | |
| The Last Night—Farewell, Hotel Waverley—Friends Old and New—Whatfollowed the Marriage of La Tour le Borgne—Invasion of Col. Church | 258 |
| [CHAPTER XVII.] | |
| A few more Threads of History—Acadia again lost—The Oath ofAllegiance—Settlement of Halifax—The brave Three Hundred—Massacre atNorridgewoack—Le Père Ralle | 269 |
| [CHAPTER XVIII.] | |
| On the road to Windsor—The great Nova Scotia Railway—A FellowPassenger—Cape Sable Shipwrecks—Seals—Ponies—Windsor—Sam Slick—Alively Example | 279 |
| [CHAPTER XIX.] | |
| Windsor-upon-Avon—Ride to the Gasperau—The Basin ofMinas—Blomidon—This is the Acadian Land—Basil, the Blacksmith—AYankee Settlement—Useless Reflections | 293 |
| [CHAPTER XX.] | |
| The Valley of Acadia—A Morning Ride to the Dykes—An unexpectedWild-duck Chase—High Tides—The Gasperau—Sunset—The Lamp ofHistory—Conclusion | 302 |
| [Appendix] | 317 |
ACADIA.
CHAPTER I.
Vague Rumors of Nova Scotia—A Fortnight upon Salt Water—Interesting Sketch of the Atlantic—Halifax!—Determine to stay in the Province—Province Building and Pictures—Coast Scenery—Liberty in Language, and Aspirations of the People—Evangeline and Relics of Acadia—Market-Place—The Encampment at Point Pleasant—Kissing Bridge—The "Himalaya"—A Sabbath in a Garrison Town—Grand Celebration of the Peace, and Natal Day of Halifax—And a Hint of a Visit to Chezzetcook.
It is pleasant to visit Nova Scotia in the month of June. Pack up your flannels and your fishing tackle, leave behind you your prejudices and your summer clothing, take your trout-pole in one hand and a copy of Haliburton in the other, and step on board a Cunarder at Boston. In thirty-six hours you are in the loyal little province, and above you floats the red flag and the cross of St. George. My word for it, you will not regret the trip. That the idea of visiting Nova Scotia ever struck any living person as something peculiarly pleasant and cheerful, is not within the bounds of probability. Very rude people are wont to speak of Halifax in connection with the name of a place never alluded to in polite society—except by clergymen. As for the rest of the Province, there are certain vague rumors of extensive and constant fogs, but nothing more. The land is a sort of terra incognita. Many take it to be a part of Canada, and others firmly believe it is somewhere in Newfoundland.
In justice to Nova Scotia, it is proper to state that the Province is a province by itself; that it hath its own governor and parliament, and its own proper and copper currency. How I chanced to go there was altogether a matter of destiny. It was a severe illness—a gastric disorder of the most obstinate kind, that cast me upon its balmy shores. One day, after a protracted relapse, as I was creeping feebly along Broadway, sunning myself, like a March fly on a window-pane, whom should I meet but St. Leger, my friend. "You look pale," said St. Leger. To which I replied by giving him a full, complete, and accurate history of my ailments, after the manner of valetudinarians. "Why do you not try change of air?" he asked; and then briskly added, "You could spare a couple of weeks or so, could you not, to go to the Springs?" "I could," said I, feebly. "Then," said St. Leger, "take the two weeks' time, but do not go to the Springs. Spend your fortnight on the salt water—get out of sight of land—that is the thing for you." And so, shaking my hand warmly, St. Leger passed on, and left me to my reflections.