In a north-easterly direction from Moncton the line of the Intercolonial Railway reaches Painsec Junction. The main line here passes to the east, after throwing off a short branch that leads to Shediac and Point du Chêne.
Shediac is a pleasant town situated on a broad harbor, sheltered by Shediac Island. It has a good sand beach, and is celebrated for its fine oysters. There is excellent fishing here, both in fresh and salt water. The place was once strongly garrisoned by French troops.
North of Shediac is a large Acadian settlement, the Cocagnes, reached by coast road, or by boat around Cocagne Cape and into the mouth of the Cocagne River. East of Shediac are other interesting Acadian villages; these also are accessible by coast road and boat.
Point du Chêne is well placed as a pleasant little Summer place for boating, etc., but it is chiefly known as the place of departure for the passenger steamships crossing the Northumberland Straits to Summerside, Prince Edward Island. Steamships for other parts of the same island leave from Pictou, some 140 miles east; but the Point du Chêne route is preferable for all but those who come from Cape Breton, Halifax, etc., and the comfortable and smart-looking steamships of the Prince Edward Island Navigation Co. that cross from Point du Chêne to Summerside leave nothing to be desired in the way of equipment and speed.
Prince Edward Island
Evening cloud effects of a beautiful character are frequently seen when crossing the Straits of Northumberland from Point du Chêne to Summerside on Prince Edward Island. On one occasion it had threatened rain on leaving the mainland, but when the steamer was well over and nearing Summerside the clouds began to disperse. The sun was about to dip below the horizon, and its upward slanting beams gave marvellous coloring to the dispersing cloud drifts. These assumed the deepest and richest tints of pink and terra cotta, with an infinite variety of fantastic forms; and this lovely Prince Edward Island sunset, with all its gorgeous display of form and color, was the topic of conversation then and afterwards amongst those on the steamer, and who met by chance on the Island later on.