Longfellow’s final decision to adopt the name Evangeline for his poem, rather than Gabrielle (which was the name of the heroine of Mrs. Williams’ story of “The Acadian Exile”) has given existence to a character that will live for all time.
Origin of Names in “Evangeline”
Another name to be perpetuated by history is Acadie, or Acadia as it is known at the present time. Whether we accept the statement or not that the Italian navigator, Verrazano, who explored the American coast as far as New York, called the country “Arcadie”, because of the magnificence of the trees, there will be preference for the Micmac Indian origin of the name, “Acadie.” The country was visited by Breton and Basque fishermen a hundred years before the settlement of Port Royal in 1605. From that time the Maritime countries of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and part of the State of Maine, were named Acadie. Many places to-day retain their original Micmac names. We have Benacadie, Katakaddy, Shubenacadie, Shunacadie, with the meaning, “abundance of,” or “the place of” certain things. As we know, Nova Scotia is in truth Acadie.
The Bay of Fundy comes from “au fond du Baie,” as the Port Royal people designated the head of that great tidal stream. The discovery of native copper and coal led to the naming of the headland at the upper end of the Bay of Fundy, “Les Mines.” This name was extended to designate the country about the Basin of Minas connected by Minas Channel with the great Bay.
Grand-Pré and Canard, the original names of the Acadian period, are still used to distinguish the townships of Horton and Cornwallis. The Gaspereau River and Valley, New Minas, Habitant and Pereau, remain the memories of the Acadian period.
THE POEM EVANGELINE
Thousands of throbbing hearts, where theirs are at rest and forever, Thousands of aching brains, where theirs no longer are busy, Thousands of toiling hands, where theirs have ceased from their labours, Thousands of weary feet, where theirs have completed their journey!