ST. JOHN HARBOR
1. Beacon in St. John Harbor 2. Market Slip, St. John, High Water 3. North Head, Grand Manan 4. Martello Tower
“Half-veiled in the smoke-cloud,
Her hand grasped thy pennon,
While her dark tresses swayed
In the hot breath of cannon!”
Fort Frederick, built by the British, and now generally known as the “Old Fort,” stands on the site of the former Fort La Tour. On the Carleton Heights stands a Martello Tower erected by the British about one hundred years ago. It is well worth a visit, and the caretaker has an interesting collection on view inside. There is an excellent view from the top of the tower. At Jemseg up the river an old French fort was occupied by Villebon, before he abandoned it for the fort he built on the Nashwaak, opposite Fredericton.
The harbor of St. John is deep and large, and shipping from all parts of the world may regularly be seen at its wharves. Its waters have been the scene of many a naval engagement in times long gone by. The famous “Reversing Falls,” the only phenomenon of the kind in all the world, may be seen at the huge rocky pass where the St. John pours out its great flood into the harbor. An immense body of water passes through this channel, representing the natural river drainage of over 25,000 square miles of country. It is not a fall as ordinarily understood, nor a sheer drop from high to low level. The outlet, though wide, is not sufficiently large to admit the inflow of the tidal water. The tide packs up, therefore, and falls into the river. In the same way the tide recedes in the harbor much faster than it can escape from the river channel, and at such time the fall is outward. Apart from the curiosity of such a strange sight, there is much beauty in the view from the Suspension Bridge. The view of the river from the Fairville side is very good, and the general scene from Prospect Point is also excellent.
There is a spot below the Fall where a rocky cavity causes a whirlpool effect at times. It was known in La Tour’s time, and was called the “Pot.” Floating timber was often caught in it and confined in a floating circle for days and weeks. One great tree is known to have been impounded there for many years. In connection with that tree it is told that the Indians called it Manitou, or “the Devil.” To propitiate the evil spirit that lodged—as they thought—within it, they offered homage of beaver skins, which they attached to the tree with an arrow head made of sharpened moose bone.