/nai^o/u 
 
 i 
 
 TO THE 
 
 HOME 
 
 OF 
 
 HI^tORICAL Rd^A^NCE OF THE 
 
 ■^111^^? 
 
 ACADIAMS. 
 
 
 BY 
 
 MDE. MOREL OE U DURAWTAYE. 
 
 DETROIT: 
 188S, 
 
^n 
 
 A VISIT 
 
 TO THE 
 
 HOME 
 
 OF 
 
 EVANGELINE 
 
 HISTORICAL ROMANCE OF THE 
 ACADIANS. 
 
 BY 
 
 
 
 • <' • 
 
 • I 
 
 •WDt/MOREL DE LA DURAN7AYE. ' 
 
 DETROIT: 
 
 1898. 
 
• I 
 
 
 ''^Lbin'tT'aimef l*a guerre il l^abhore 
 . En.CrjgmRliaiit* pf^pil 'MPf^f; . 
 • •* •L'fes desa6tr«&'cfH''elle pr(KJu?w»' ' ■'• 
 Et courronne par la victoire, 
 11 gemit de sa propre gloire 
 Si la paix n'en ai pas le truit" 
 
INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 My Dear Friend — I hear you have returned from 
 your pilgrimage to the Maritime Provinces, and that 
 you were at Grand Pre the anniversary day of the 
 mournful expatriation of those poor Acadians. How 
 great would have been my pleasure could I have 
 shared the deep emotion you must have experienced 
 in visiting this beautiful village, as also the church 
 and cemetery, from which these unfortunate people 
 were banished, and at the sword's point compelled 
 to follow the road to exile! 
 
 Permit me to learn from your pen what of the past 
 now remains of our poor Acadia? What ruins still 
 stand of the once beautiful and ancient Port Royal, 
 and also of the forts Beausejours and Beau Basin? 
 
 I remain in anticipation. 
 
 Your grateful friend. 
 
 G. 
 
 Very Dear Friend — You write me as though I had 
 returned fr. m Acadia, my hands filled with archao- 
 logical spoils. Do not deceive yourself. In visiting 
 Acadia, I obeyed a request addressed me by His 
 Honor the Mayor and the Aldermen of Montreal to 
 kindly interest myself in a charitable cause, and to 
 go where fancy directed mc in the interest of my 
 work. Therefore, in tracing my itinerary, it is not 
 surprising that I should remember the home of my 
 ancestors; for it is among those who have suffered 
 that we must seek and receive tender sympathies. 
 
 Although my journey to the Maritime Provinces 
 has been a mission of charity, I have not. however, 
 been able to traverse this ground — watered with thi- 
 tears, and immortalized by the ineffectual despair 
 
 59490 
 
of so many brave French, consigned to extermina- 
 tion as a populace— without the powerful remem- 
 brance of ;he past taking possession of my senses 
 and filling them with the melancholy drama now for- 
 gotten ! 
 
 Yes, I visited the cemetery and saw the tombs, 
 though time has effaced the names they once bore, 
 and there I drank long draughts from the chalice of 
 
 memory. 
 
 You desire to know what impressions T received 
 and to read the notes gathered so hurriedly in the 
 course of this busy pilgrimage. T yield to your de- 
 sire, and will simply copy what I have already 
 written; this recital will necessarily be disengaged 
 from all elegance of style, but I do not think the 
 artifices of rhetoric will be required to captivate, 
 impress and interest you; it is with confidence, 
 therefore, that I give complete liberty to my inex- 
 perienced pen. 
 
 This report will be divided into two parts; the 
 first will treat on the merits of the Acadian charac- 
 ter, and the second, on the expulsion of the Aca- 
 dians, substantiated by documents which are unpub- 
 lished, and from authentic and historical data in the 
 possession of the writer. 
 
The Acadians. 
 
 Departure from Montreal. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 On the 1st day of September, at eight o'clock in 
 the morning, I left Montreal. I do not recall the 
 writer who said there is no pleasure so sad as that 
 of parting. 
 
 "Parting is such sweet sorrow." 
 
 I know that this is true and false at the same time. 
 Nothing is truer if the traveler has no object in 
 view, and is ^imply going through the world like the 
 Wandering Jew; he may change his residence never 
 so often, he will always find that, as Boileau says, 
 "Weariness mounts in the same saddle and gallops 
 with him, or takes passage in the same conveyance 
 and travels by his side!" 
 
 Quite different with the traveler who has an object 
 to attain, the monotony of the journey is dispersed 
 by the activity of thought, in planning and viewing 
 the result of a successful journey. Although I was. 
 going on a mission of charity, my journey was 
 nevertheless charming, and my ardent desire to re- 
 visit the home of my ancestors caused an anxious 
 longing for a speedy arrival at my destination. 
 
 I traveled all through the Maritime Provinces, 
 and at every door I knocked. I am pleased to say, I 
 was made welcome with a hearty hand shake, al- 
 though in many places I am sure I received the last 
 
spare farthing the home possessed! "You come 
 from Canada, niadame?" many have said to me. 
 "We love them dearly, the Canadians, because they 
 are like us French." I wtLs profoundly touched and 
 moved by these few words which bespoke the ten- 
 derness and loyalty of the Acadian heart; and I can 
 never forget the kindly generosity of the Bishops 
 of Portland, Halifax, New Brunswick and Charles- 
 town, as also those good priests who had only to 
 speak the word to their parishioners and their purses 
 outpoured liberal contributions. 
 
 I had much reason to count on the generosity of 
 the Acadians, and will always remember with grati- 
 tude these dear people who have remained so faith- 
 ful and patriotic. 
 
Origin of the Acadians. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Of the many who have read Longfellow's "Evan- 
 geline." how few there are who fully realize that 
 the poet's pathetic Acadia is but the picture of a 
 sensitive people, portraying their simpL mode of 
 life and their multiple misfortunes. Yet our Nova 
 Scotia once bore that romantic name, ar 1 her pcoi)Ie 
 were the Acadians of history, romance and song. 
 
 The story carries us back to that long ago. when, 
 from the frozen sea to the tropical gulf, this vast 
 country was an unknown wilderness, its solitude 
 unbroken save by the few English colonies on the 
 Atlantic shore of what is now the United States, 
 and the French settlements, in Canada; each claim- 
 ing that which belonged to neither, and each fiercely 
 jealous of the other. 
 
 Thus the two most powerful nations of Europe 
 sought extension of dominion, and addition of 
 wealth, while colonists of all classes from various 
 quarters, endeavored to improve their condition by 
 casting their fortunes in the wilds of the "Now 
 World." 
 
 The experience of all these early pioneers was 
 usually pitiful in the extreme, it not infretiucntly 
 happening that they fell victims to cold, starvation 
 and drtsease, to the hostility of neighboring adven- 
 turers, or to the tomahawk of the savage, to be 
 finally either entirely destroyed or as a tattered rem- 
 nant return to their old-time homes. 
 
 Among those, who so early as 1604 -cast their lot 
 in the western wilderness, was a body of French 
 people from Notmantlx-, who chanced to fix their new 
 
homes in Acadia, the peninsula now known as Nova 
 Scotia. This effort proved a failure, especially be- 
 cause of the inroads of settlers from the English 
 colonies of Virginia, who claimed the peninsula by 
 right of discovery and whose people led by a free- 
 booter in the end utterly destroyed the colony. 
 
 The French government had given the rugged 
 reahn its tropical name, but in the turmoil of the 
 rations the English obtained possession and in 1621, 
 "with greater fitness, pronounced it to be Nova 
 Scotia, or New Scotland. But neither tropical nor 
 frigid designation brought to them quietude to its 
 borders. It became the shuttlecock of war and 
 diplomacy. In due time the French became its 
 master, to be overcome by their persistent enemy 
 in 1654. Thirteen years later the French were in 
 power, fickle fortune returning it to the English in 
 1714. Thus, the past has shown little certainty of 
 tenure of possession, and that the imperious English 
 so deemed it is amply shown in the fact that the 
 treaty by which it was secured to them contained the 
 to them galling proviso that their new subjects, the 
 Acadinns. or French citizens of Nova Scotia, might 
 enjoy freedom of worship, being Catholics, while 
 the Engli.H'h government w^as intensely Protestant. 
 and still more, they were granted immunity from 
 military service, being thus permitted to enjoy the 
 benefits of a government, and be in it protected, 
 without being compelled to raise a hand even in 
 fheir own defense. This unprecedented favor may 
 have partly risen from the fact that joining the 
 English forces they would be brought face to face 
 with her hereditary foe. and thus be compelled to 
 battle against personal friends and relatives; but, 
 odious as this tacit citizenship must have been to the 
 haughty English government, it must in justice be 
 
stated that the treaty was faithfully kept. It seems 
 strange that the well-known vicissitudes and turmoil 
 did not act as a bar to emigration. During each 
 period in which France held the territory her people 
 with consummate pertinacity established homes in 
 Acadia. The English with equal blindness occupy- 
 ing New Scotland during their time of possession. 
 
 This seems all the more surprising, when the fact 
 is recalled, that the various changes in mastery so 
 briefly noted, were always the result of bloody and 
 harassing struggles, participated in by both French 
 and English regular troops, the militia or citizen 
 soldier of both sides, in every case each party being 
 aided by the bloodthirsty Indians, who spared 
 neither age nor sex and in whose hands immediate 
 death was usually a desired blessing. The cheek 
 alternately pales with anger and blushes with shame, 
 as we review the history of the part taken by either 
 party in these fierce contests for empire; contests 
 which excited the deepest concern in the great cap- 
 itals and courts of Europe three thousand miles 
 away. 
 
 The Acadians not only brought with them the 
 habits of the Norman peasant, but adhered to their 
 peculiarities with unyielding tenacity. 
 
 The French spirit, always gay, always quick to 
 act, prompt at repartee had preserved itself among 
 the Acadians, though they had no other instructions 
 than the solid principles of Christianity. Moderate 
 in their tastes, simple in their habits, they had few 
 wants, and were contented with their fate. In con- 
 sequence they became noted for their patient and 
 persistent toil, for their devotion to the religion of 
 their fathers and an ardent pride in their fatherland. 
 Totally devoid of those ambitious aims which fire 
 the hearts of other people they sought nothing be- 
 yond their modest homes. As to their morality no 
 
10 
 
 other proof is needed than that of the fecundity of 
 their families. The incomparable fertihty of their 
 farms gave to them in a few years sufficient means 
 to easily establish their children near by, and they 
 themselves be permitted. to enjoy a comfortable old 
 age. Every impulse of their hearts centered there; 
 no toil was too severe if it but tended to increase 
 their humble store. The soil of the low grounds 
 being most fertile, they built dikes, by which the 
 waters were controlled, thus converting marshes 
 into reclaimed fields where the cereals grew in abun- 
 dance, while thousands of cattle grazed on the ad- 
 jacent plains. They indulged in none of the vanities 
 that corrode and impoverish more pretentious com- 
 munities, but frugality reigned supreme. Without 
 education, and relying on the "Cure" for instruction 
 and guidance in all essential things, they kept aloof 
 from others, desiring most to be by the boisterous 
 world forgotten. Absence of ambitious aims sim- 
 plified their wants and rendered possible the exist- 
 ence of such a typical band of brothers, who asked 
 only to be permitted to enjoy their toil, their con- 
 tentment, neighbors and religion. 
 
 It would seem that these meager favors were their 
 due and should have been accorded them, but in- 
 stead they were the victims of the fierce contestants 
 for power and empire. Long, weary years ot conten- 
 tion with repeated change of ruling powers had at 
 last resulted in the treaty of 1713 before referred to, 
 apparently bringing with it the long desired repose. 
 
 Under the English regime, in accordance with the 
 terms of this compact, nearly half a century had 
 passed, the Acadians being nominally English sub- 
 jects, but clinging with the keenest ardor to old 
 memories, bound in every sympathy to those who 
 spoke their native tongue, and who in every way 
 were to them most dear and congenial. In every 
 
XI 
 
 sense their rulers were to them foreign, the name 
 engrafted on their land cold and cheerless, their 
 dreams reveled in "Acadia." 
 
 Thus the embers of unrest were ever warm m their 
 bosoms, and calm and well disposed as they were, it 
 required but little effort to fan them into a blaze. To 
 the interior Canadian colonies, conditions e\'er pres- 
 ent promoting active effort. Nova Scotia, now an 
 English province, occupied a position on their east- 
 ern borders that largely interfered with their access 
 to the ocean, which was not only the highway of 
 commerce, but the only means by which they could 
 maintain communication with France. 
 
 Fierce tribes of Indians, attached by interest to 
 the Canadian colonies, occupied adjacent lands, and 
 secret emissaries were always busy in arousing acri- 
 monious feelings in the hearts of both the gentle- 
 souled Acadians and the brutal savages. 
 
 To the English the accorded neutral citizenship 
 was extremely distasteful, and when to this was 
 added the unrest wrought by the agents of France 
 it became odious. They were further both vexed 
 and alarmed by the erection of a French fort just 
 over the line. This was situated at Beausejour and 
 adjacent to the district of mines, on a narrow isth- 
 mus connecting Nova Scotia with the mainland of 
 Canada and seemed significant as the "Basin of 
 Mines was the most populous and also the wealth- 
 iest of the Acadian settleme^nts. Whatever the real 
 purpose may have been, the fort and its occupancy 
 by the French troops was a constant menace to the 
 rulers of the Province. 
 
Surrender of the Fort. 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 The tempest was slowly but surely gathering. But 
 through all the perplexing situations the Acadian 
 people kept as much aloof from participation as 
 possible. Their purpose and intent was to remain 
 true to their obligations as neutrals, but being flesh 
 and blood and the continued prey of those who by 
 secret persuasion, and every possible device, sought 
 to lead them to some measure that would result to 
 the advantage of the French provinces, and 
 through this means to the government of France 
 what could be expected as the result? With all this 
 they greatly preferred to till the soil, tend their 
 herds, and live in peace, that with far fewer excep- 
 tions than could be expected, they persisted in the 
 pursui-t of their pastoral career. At last the tempest 
 had gathered its forces; a cloud of ill-omen over- 
 cast the sky. The drama of turmoil, of battle, of 
 unrest and unchanging rulers was about to ter- 
 rhinate in tragedy. The innocents were again to 
 suffer: the only ones that could be by any means 
 accounted guiltless, were to be made the victims of 
 an aet that thrills every sensibility of the human 
 heart. 
 
 The American colonies were in fact a part of 
 England and represented her interests in precisely 
 the same sense that the Canadian colonies repre- 
 sented (their home government. 
 
 Through the instrumentality of the former an ex- 
 pedition was fitted out in 1755 to reduce the fort at 
 Beausejours. the ultimate object being to destroy 
 French influence in Nova Scotia, thus making 
 
13 
 
 it practically and really an English province. The 
 fleet sailed from Boston harbor, and on arrival near 
 their destination was joined by a force of British 
 regulars under Col. Moncton, who took command 
 of the whole. The negotiations with the English 
 government and preparation of the expedition had 
 been conducted with so much care that the occu- 
 pants of the fortress were surpri-^ed at tb appear- 
 ance of the enemy. Their consternation qu.ckly ex- 
 tended to the A'cadians who, with instinctive French 
 predilections, required only a threat from the com- 
 mandant oif the French forces to lead many to cast 
 their fortunes with them. Not knowing what was 
 reailly involved, believing their all to be in peril at 
 the hands of practical freebooters, they accepted the 
 only apparent chance for self-preservation. Ren- 
 dered desperate by the gloomy outlook, some three 
 hundred joined the troops in the fort, while many, 
 being undecided to the last moment what was 
 best to do, finally hid their families in the woods and 
 fought the invader from any cover they could find 
 Heroic but mistaken purpose, idle effort; the hand 
 of fate was upon them, they struggled against des- 
 tiny. 
 
 The fort surrendered after feeble resistance, and 
 the misguided Acadians were at the mercy of the 
 English who, having granted them neutrality, now 
 pronounced them traitm"s. 
 
 With mock generosity they pardoned this grave 
 offense, but there awaited them a doom no less 
 grievous. It is this doom at which every sentiment 
 of humanity revolts against stamping the perpetra- 
 tors as men worthy the brand of Cain. No claim of 
 precedent, no plea of national policy can be made to 
 hide the infamy of that at which the hearts of all 
 good men rebel. Precedent does not palliate wanton 
 
14 
 
 torture, physical and mental, more than it excuses 
 the savage for burning his victim at the stake. The 
 course pursued had not even the manly quality of 
 open dealing, but consisted in a series of schemes, 
 each oif which was a trap so that turn which way 
 they might, the intended victims must at last suffer 
 the sentence of spoliation and expatriation. The 
 purpose was perfectly hidden until the fatal line 
 was passed. 
 
 Having been forgiven for joining hands with the 
 enemy in the recent contest at the fort of Beause- 
 jours, their hearts were sufficiently softened by the 
 unexpected clemency, to respond promptly through 
 their representatives that they were willing to take 
 the oath of allegiance to the British crown, a sum- 
 mons having been issued to them to determine the 
 matter. These representatives were, however, as- 
 tounded when informed that the old time treaty pro- 
 viso, granting them immunity from bearing arms 
 and also allowing especial religious privileges, could 
 no longer be tolerated and would not be permitted. 
 The oath must now be taken, without proviso or 
 reservation, as an evidence of complete abandon- 
 ment of any former allegiance. This measure was 
 wholly unexpected and to them shocking to the last 
 degree. The representatives could not at once 
 answer for their constituency, in faot could do no 
 less than to return to them for instruction in a mat- 
 ter so vital to their interests. When they returned 
 for final consultation, the trap was sprung; it was 
 pronounced too late. Pronouncing the delay an evi- 
 dence of unwillingness and insincerity, the oath 
 could not now be taken ait all or in any form, and 
 the suppliants were their government's outcasts. 
 Thus, step by step the cords were being drawn 
 
15 
 
 closer, there being from the beginning no intended 
 method of escape. 
 
 Wandering blindly in a desert of doubt, the peas- 
 ants went on with their harvest labor, without a 
 dream of calamity greater than had so ofiten befallen 
 them, that with it they were as familiar as with tho 
 face of an old-time friend. It was just as well, as 
 neither negligence nor diligence could change their 
 predetermined fate. 
 
 GOV. LAWRENCE AND WINSLOW PLANNING THE TUANSPORTAT'ON. 
 
 The further development and execution of the 
 diabolical plot required great care and secrecy, from 
 fear of a revolt, to quell which would result in 
 slaughter. Only such delay occurred as was un- 
 avoidable. While the husbandmen were occupied at 
 
i6 
 
 their labor, the commanding officers were busy per- 
 fecting every detail, and issuing the orders of the 
 "Trjovincial Governor," who represented the British 
 crown to his military subordinates, detailing their 
 duty at each of the French or Acadian settlements. 
 Of these there were several, each one a little world 
 within itself. 
 
The Acadians Prisoners. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 The 2d of September, 1755, the licntenant-colonel, 
 Winslovv, under pretext of devotion, hastened to 
 Murray to be sure nothing had happened in am- 
 bush. It was here understood that a meeting should 
 be called at the two districts the following Friday 
 at three o'clock in the afternoon. Consequently a 
 proclamation was issued, which was translated into 
 the French language by a merchant nameu Beau- 
 champ. 
 
 The proclamation addressed to the Acadians read 
 as follows: "John Winslow, Esquire, Lieutenant- 
 Colonel and commander of his Majesty's troops at 
 Grand Pre, Gasporeaux Mines, Canard River, and 
 adjacent districts, — to the inhabitants; oild men. 
 young men and boys. His Excellency the Governor 
 desires to inform all of resolutions from his majesxy. 
 We order strictly all inhabitants as all boys over 
 ten years of age to assemble at the Grand Pre 
 church the following Friday, the fifth of the current 
 month, at three o'clock of the afternoon thereby, to 
 communicate to them orders received, hereby de- 
 claring attendance demanded without any excuse 
 or pretext for absenice under pain of confiscation O'i 
 all goods movable and immovable. Given out at 
 Grand Pre the 2nd day of September, twenty-ninth 
 year of his majesty's reign, A. D. 1755." 
 
 On its face this notice was entirely innocent and 
 in some places was fully and in others partially com- 
 plied with. Possibly some might have noticed on 
 that morning extraordinary military precautions had 
 been quietly taken, the strictest discipline observed 
 
i8 
 
 and the troops supplied with powder and ba'l. There 
 could have been nothing beyond a suspicion as the 
 dread secret was unknown save to a few trusty 
 officers who were sworn to absolute secrecy. 
 
 The two commanders now hurried their officers 
 to the two principal centers to affix this proclama- 
 tion. They found the inhabitants everywhere in 
 the fields and suspecting nothing. 
 
 The following day at noon the whole American 
 detachment were under arms at the entrance to the 
 Grand Pre church, their guns loaded ready to fire. 
 
 Winslow, in grand uniform, surrounded by his 
 staff was stationed at the door of the presbytery. 
 His anxious looks were frequently turned toward 
 the different roads which led to Grand Pre. He 
 could not repress the expression of secret joy plainly 
 visible on his features as he saw the inhabitants ap- 
 proaching in long files, those near by were coming 
 on foot, and others from the Mines, Canards river, 
 and the interior farms were coming in wagons. 
 
 At precisely three o'clock in the afternoon four 
 hundred and eighteen Acadians of all ages were 
 assembled in the church. 
 
 When the last one had entered the doors were 
 closed and guarded the commander and a few- 
 officers took their places in front of the altar where 
 a table stood on which he placed his instructions 
 and the address he was about to read. For a mo- 
 ment his eye glanced at the sunburnt faces fixed on 
 him with an expression of anxious silence after 
 which he read the following address immediately 
 translated to the French. 
 
 "Gentlemen. — I received from his excellency, 
 Governor Lawrence, these instructions from the 
 king which I hold in my hands: it is by this order 
 that I declare you all and make you prisoners in 
 
X9 
 
 the name of the king and I hope that in whatever 
 part of the world your fortunes may be cast you 
 will be faithful subjects and a peaceable and happy 
 people." He continued, "I must also inform you 
 that it is his majesty's pleasure that you shall be 
 retained in the custody and discretion of the troops 
 which I have the honor to command." 
 
 Winslow finished his discourse by declaring them 
 all for the second time prisoners of the king. 
 
 The astonishmenit and consternation of the Aca- 
 dians on hearing this sentence is easier imagined 
 than described. This awful communication coming 
 like a thunderbolt so appalled the prisoners that 
 they doubted what they heard; but all became too 
 plain for doubt when they saw the stern sentry at 
 the door, and beyond them the guard under arms. 
 Then their strong hearts bowed under the weight 
 of wretchedness. Instantly passed before their eyes 
 as in a panorama, their homes, their families and 
 
20 
 
 every sacred tic, now suddenly to be severed for- 
 ever; their fertile fields and well filled barns, their 
 herds grazinp: on the plains, lost to them. Anguish 
 rent every heart; they were now exiles and outcasts 
 without country or home. Seated in their place* 
 in painful expectation, they began to realize the full 
 extent of the blow; all they held dearest in the world 
 was lost, themselves prisoners and their families 
 doomed to perpetual exile. 
 
 They now^ understood that the vague suspicions 
 they had refused to entertain were indeed too well 
 founded, and that this pretense of assembly was but 
 an infamous trap into which they had allowed them- 
 selves to be led; yet they did not immediately realize 
 the full horror of their situation as they pursuaded 
 themselves there was no such intention of expul- 
 sion. They could not believe there was a single 
 minister in London who would advise the king to 
 set such a trap for them or give his signature to 
 such a decree; and they were right for the whole 
 thing was an audacious falsehood. Never had such 
 an order left England. Far from it, for precisely at 
 the moment when Lawrence put his plot into execu- 
 tion and loosened the chains of his American blood- 
 hounds against the poor Acadians the cabinet of 
 London was not only ignorant of these proceedings, 
 but requested their representatives at that very mo- 
 ment to be cautious and adopt measures of peace 
 and conciliation. 
 
 This exile was due to the indiscreet zeal of the 
 English government representatives in this country, 
 tormented by their surroundings they submitted to 
 fanaticism, and we may also admit it — to cowardice. 
 
 But what is still more incredible, is that after these 
 intimidations, when a few Acadians decided to take 
 the oath of allegiance so doubtful to them, and pre- 
 
21 
 
 sented themselves to Lawrence, he, instead of re- 
 ceiving them and promising them the quiet pos- 
 session of their lands, haughtily repulsed them, say- 
 ing it was too late, and that hereafter they should 
 be treated like the miscreant papists they were, 
 and had them flung into prison. 
 
 Ah! had their been in Halifax a true representa- 
 tive of the cabinet of London, the Acadians would 
 never have been banished, and this stain would 
 never have been inflicted on civilization. 
 
 When, after the famous assembly of the Sth of 
 September, the Acadians saw Winslow go to the 
 presbytery, a few of the older ones followed, beg- 
 ging permission of him to see their faniiilies that they 
 might tell them what had happened to relieve their 
 anxiety. After consulting with his ofBcers he :on- 
 sented to release twenty each day on condition 
 that the remaining ones would be responsible for 
 their return, each family being enjoined to bring 
 food for their members who were prisoners. 
 
 Their families knew nothing of what had trans- 
 pired until the expected did not return, when in- 
 quiry caught the rumor, and, like the hot and 
 suffocating simoon, the revolting fact spread abroad. 
 There arose shrieks of lamentation and agony in 
 every home. In frenzy women and children rushed 
 along the streets, wringing their hands in despair. 
 It was the wailing of hopeless women for absent 
 loved ones, and for crushed hopes in every form — 
 everything near and dear seemed to have been 
 gaithered by the hand of death, and amid desolation, 
 lay coffined before them. 
 
 Some historians have tried to deny that covetous- 
 ness of the Anglo-American colonies has been one 
 of the causes of the expulsion of the Acadians. 
 
22 
 
 We have only to open the collection of official 
 documents at Nova Scotia to find the proof. This 
 eagerness of gain dated back a half a century; it 
 was one of the motives which engaged the provin- 
 cials of New England in 1710. to enroll themselves 
 in Nicholson's expedition against Port Royal. 
 "They possess the best and largest farms in this 
 province, wrote Governor Lawrence in I754, 'i^d I 
 cannot help thinking it would be much better if 
 they refused to take the oath, as they might then be 
 banished." 
 
 In other parts the Chamber of Commerce an- 
 swered. 20th of October: "If the chief judge is of 
 the opinion that in refusing to give their oath with- 
 out reserve, or by deserting their establishments to 
 join themselves to the French, they have forfeited 
 their title of proprietorship, we desire that effica- 
 cious measures be at once taken, through legal pro- 
 ceedings, to place this forfeiture into execution, and 
 by this means you will be in a position to grant 
 these lands to all persons desirous of fixing them- 
 selves in this district, where we believe an establish- 
 ment will be of very great utility." 
 
 The ax had fallen successfully at Grand Pre, 
 which was a populous and thrifty village, surround- 
 ed by charming farms, with fields well tilled and 
 barns overflowing from the recent harvest; but not 
 with like success at some of the settlements, especial- 
 ly that of Beau Basin and Annapolis, where the peo- 
 ple accustomed of old to seek in the forest a refuge 
 against the cruelties of war; and where suspicions 
 had by some means been aroused, only a portion re- 
 ported as ordered, the remainder not waiting for the 
 completion of this terrible catastrophe; the horror 
 of which they only faintly imagined, but had 
 hid themselves with their families in the woods 
 
23 
 
 hoping against fate for something better than their 
 fears had painted. Therefore a certain number only 
 fell into the hands of their foes; and for this reason 
 the American colonies did not at once take posses- 
 sion of their lands on account of the close proximity 
 of the Arcadians, who might, they feared, return, 
 and aided by the Indians, slaughter them all. 
 
 The downfall of the Beausejour fort, which placed 
 most all of the Presque Tie in the hand., of the 
 English, decided the fate of the Acadians. The 
 proof lies in the fact that those among them who 
 were ready to take the oath were showed no more 
 mercy than the rest, they were also condemned to 
 exjle. The missionaries being the only friends who 
 remained faithful to them in their misfortune; for 
 instance, the Abbot Millard, one of the most re- 
 markable, who remained faithful to them, even on 
 their descent to the Gulf; yes, and died in their 
 midst, worn out with long privations and fatigue. 
 And the Abbot Desenclaves followed them, in their 
 retreat to Sandy Cape, until tracked there by the 
 English, he was taken prisoner with the others and 
 landed on the New England coast. Also the Abbot 
 Laloutre. who drew the just reproaches of his Bishop 
 upon himself. Is no merit due him for having ex- 
 posed his life time and again for his Hock? Had 
 the Acadians heeded him when he beseeohed them 
 to emigrate, when he told them they stood on u 
 volcano, that they had no worse enemf.es than those 
 who maintained them in a false security, would they 
 not have escaped their exile? And at the moment 
 of the crisis, if his bravery and ind(;fatigable energy 
 had been seconded by Vergor, the, traitor, could not 
 the Acadians have rallied and aided by the Indians 
 of the environs of Beausejour, prevented the down 
 
24 
 
 fall of the fort and by this means, make imprac- 
 ticable the outrage on the Min',s? 
 
 Murray, whom we will presently know more of in 
 the course of this recital, wrote to Winslow, say- 
 ing, in regard to the troops, "You know that our 
 soldiers detest t'he Acadians, and could they only 
 find a pretext for killing them they would do so." 
 This American veteran wl o had accepted so un- 
 worthy a mission of a soldier, had not a quiet soul, 
 and to the credit of his heart be it said, shrank from 
 it, for he was conscious of the role which he wai 
 about to act and the blem"sh it would forever place 
 on his name. From sev-eral pages of his journal 
 
 may be judged the remorse which troubled him.. 
 
 Realizing, seemingly, from his own admissions, 
 the depth of misery which he was about to create, 
 it seems strange that he was not moved to com- 
 passion sufficiently to cause him to withdraw from 
 such inhuman proceedings. "My hands and heart 
 are heavy," he writes, "and I am anxious to be done 
 with this business, the most painful I have ever 
 taken part in." 
 
 And in spile of himself he kept contrasting the 
 rural tenderness now present and the wild despair 
 he would provoke in a few days. This contrast ap- 
 peared all the more striking, being just the season 
 of the year which the Basin of Mines offered the 
 most seductive view, and at the point from which 
 he gazed could assemble the full details which 
 animated the quiet and charm of the country. He 
 felt himself in an atmosphere of quietude and seren- 
 ity, a solitary remoteness ignored by the world, here 
 near this sheet of water, scarcely ruffled by the 
 sheltered breeze, there by majestic heights, further 
 on by the al^rupt promontory of Pare Epic, and be- 
 
25 
 
 yond by a quiet descent which circles into Grand 
 
 Pre. 
 
 In a few days, however, this peaceful valley, which 
 sheltered so many happy families, would become the 
 most desolate spot on earth. The farmers scattered 
 here and there in the field paused at intervals to in- 
 quire of each other what this new arrival of troops 
 meant, but none could answer; they only shook 
 their heads and sighed. Notwithstanding the vague 
 suspicions which came to them from different places, 
 they still had no idea of the frightful catastrophe 
 which was about to fall on them! Following the as- 
 sembly, the patrol were sent out to trace, and seize 
 if possible, those who had evaded them at the first 
 arrestation. The soldiers fired without pity on all 
 who attempted to escape. 
 
 An Acadian, the name of ^Melanson, having seen 
 the patrol in his neighborhood, jumped on his horse 
 and tried to gain the woods, but an English ball 
 prevented him, and he fell to the ground dead! And 
 many others suffered the same fate. 
 
 Soon after the church at Grand Pre, which had 
 been converted into a prison, contained nearly five 
 hundred unhappy Acadians. They believed they 
 had given sufficient proof of their neutrality in de- 
 livering up their fire arms, and by so doing they 
 committed their last and most fatal mistake, thereby 
 placing themselves at the entire mercy of their 
 enemies, who were only awaiting a favorable occa- 
 sion to lay the snare for the Acadians to fall into. 
 
 Five long, weary days passed by, doubt and hope 
 alternating in the breasts of the imprisoned, and 
 their families still in their homes. Would the cap- 
 tors carry away fathers, husbands, sons and broth- 
 ers? Limited numbers, under careful guards, had 
 each day been allowed to visit their families; would 
 
26 
 
 this blessed favor be taken away? were (lucstions 
 continually asked and ever answered by a hopeless 
 moan. 
 
 We cannot read without emotion the request the 
 Acadians presented to Winslovv a few days after 
 their detention. 
 
 "In view," they said, "of the misfortunes which 
 seem to menace us on every side, we come to re- 
 claim your protection, and to beg of you to intercede 
 for us at his Majesty's throne, that he may have a 
 little mercy for those among us who have inviolably 
 held to the fidelity and submission which we 
 promised his Majesty, and as you have given us to 
 understand the king has ordered us to be banished 
 from this province, we implore that if we must aban- 
 don our property and homes, we may at least be per- 
 mitted to go where we will find some of our com- 
 patriots, we will willingly bear our own expenses of 
 transportation, and that a convenient length of time 
 will be allowed us; furthermore, we beg leave to 
 go where we will be permitted to preserve our re- 
 ligion, which we have deeply at heart and for w'hich 
 we will be contented to sacrifice our property." 
 
 This request remained unanswered! 
 
 The early imprisonment may be regarded in the 
 light of a precaution to prevent disorder, which, 
 through some mischance, might have resulted from 
 delay and arousing of suspicion. At least it was 
 otherwise premature, as there were not at command 
 a sufficient number of vessels to transport the mem- 
 bers of the colony which necessitated painful delay. 
 
Inflexible. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Winslow had remained equally deaf to all the 
 prayers and supplications of the women and child- 
 ren. Seeing- the more daring ones openly show 
 their indignation and consult each other, he became 
 fearful lest they might do something desperate; ac- 
 cording to the advice of his officers he resolved to 
 take advantage of the arrival of five ships from 
 Boston which had just anchored at the entrance to 
 the Gasporeaux river. He was thus enabled to em- 
 bark fifty captives on each ship. 
 
 Winslow called one of the oldest residents of the 
 place, an old man eighty years of age, known as 
 Father Landre, understanding English the best, he 
 was called to act as interpreter. Winslow bid him 
 tell the Acadians that two hundred and fifty among 
 them would be immediately embarked, beginning 
 with the young men; that they had a delay of one 
 hour to prepare. Father Landre was completely 
 astounded. "But I told him," adds Winslow, "that 
 it had to be done and my ordeis must be executed." 
 
 Each circling sun sternly reduced the hours of 
 stay, and when on the designated morn, its light set 
 all their beautiful land in glory before them, the 
 drums were resounding in the village streets. At 
 eight o'clock the church bell tolled into the desolate 
 hearts that the fatal hour had come. 
 
 The melancholy column was formed and two 
 hundred and sixty young men were brought before 
 the garrisons and placed in lines six abreast, then 
 the officers left their ranks; the young unmarried 
 men numbered one hundred and forty-one. After 
 
28 
 
 they were placed in line eighty soldiers surroimded 
 them, commanded by Capt. Adams. And these un- 
 fortunate victims submitted without resistance, until 
 ordered to march toward the river to embark, then 
 all refused obstinately, saying they would not leave 
 in this barbarous manner. 
 
 THE liMBARKATION. 
 
 The pride and strength of their manly hearts for- 
 bade obedience. They asked only for their families 
 in company. With them they could bow to the 
 yoke, but to leave them they would not. This could 
 not be, and while drums resounded, the soldiery ad- 
 vanced with fixed bayonets. Appeals were vain, to 
 resist with empty hands utterly hopeless. A few 
 were wounded, when in despair the march began. 
 
 The commander heeded not their cries or their 
 despair, but brutally separated tb.e son from the 
 father, the brother from the sister, the husband from 
 
29 
 
 the wife! This was the beginning of the cruel dis- 
 membering of families ,that nothing can ever justify, 
 and which has left a stain on the name of the author 
 of it, which will never be effaced! When we remem- 
 ber that some of these young men were mere child- 
 ren of ten and twelve years of age we realize that 
 these prisoners were not very dangerous. It is im- 
 possible, therefore, to understand this refined in- 
 humanity. We will permit Col. Winslow himself to 
 recount this incident: "I ordered the prisoners to 
 march. All those little impudents answered they 
 would not go without their fathers. I told them 
 these were words I did not understand; the king's 
 commands to me were peremptory, and mustt be 
 obeyed, if not, more vigorous measures would be 
 taken. I ordered all the troops to charge their bay- 
 onets and advance on this small French vermin. I 
 commanded the four ranks of prisoners to the right, 
 which comprised twenty-:eight young men, I or- 
 dered them to separate from the others. I seized one 
 among them who tried to prevent the others from 
 advancing, bound him with cords and threw him 
 into one of the small boats which was to transport 
 the married men." 
 
 These poor children then resigned themselves to 
 obedience, but not without some resistance and 
 their cries and lamentations hurt even Winslow. 
 
 A crowd of women and children, among whom 
 were the mothers and sisters of these little victims 
 were witnesses of these heart-rending scenes, and 
 the cries of the children who remained on the shore 
 only increased the confusion around them. 
 
 The distance from the church to the point of em- 
 barkation was no less than a mile and a half. All 
 along the march the unhappy women followed the 
 prisoners' footsteps; mothers, wives, sisters, sweet- 
 
30 
 
 hearts and babes, those who tottered from age, and 
 those whose cheeks were pallid with the touch of 
 death. Neither pen nor pencil can picture a heart- 
 agony nor can they portray the fierce sorrows ot 
 those who knelt by the way, greeting the prisoners 
 with tears, blessings, and lamentations, bidding them 
 as they fully believed final adieu, and seeking to 
 kiss even their garments for a-last time. 
 
 Another squad of a hundred married men em- 
 barked after the first and in the midst of the same 
 scenes. Husbands inquiring for their wives and 
 children who remained on the shore begging the 
 officers to reunite them; who, in response, fixed 
 their bayonets and pushed them into the boats. 
 Thus all moved quickly along the melancholy path, 
 though trembling hand clasped hand that trembled, 
 husbands for a moment only pressed lips to those 
 of wife and child as they moved on under the eyes 
 of the stern guard who would noit, if they dare, 
 brook the least delay. 
 
 When from the decks the prisoners looked ashore, 
 there stood their loved ones, gazing through blind- 
 ing tears to catch even a faint glimpse of those so 
 cruelly wrenched from them. Riveted to the spot 
 the unhappy women and children wept and wrung 
 their hands until "tired nature" and the gloom of 
 night fall forced them to seek their homes. 
 
 One act in the infamous drama was over, an act 
 that brought shame and dishonor into the English 
 hearts who under orders compelled its execution. 
 
 There is a form of mercy in ithe ending of torture, 
 but even this trifling boon was not granted the un- 
 happy Acadians, for through long weeks of weary 
 waiting for additional means of transportation they 
 lay anchored in full view of their lost treasures. 
 
31 
 
 Horrified beyond measure, incapable of thinking 
 this cold inhumanity could be more than temporary, 
 the women felt that tht persecutors must relent, the 
 hard heart soften, the iron hand loose its hold, and 
 the imprisoned be returned to them. Soothed with 
 this "forlorn hope" they turned their attention to 
 their varied duties, each day by permission carrying 
 food from their tables to those on board the ships. 
 However harsh Winslow may have been to the 
 inhabitants at Grand Pre, it was nothing compared 
 to the brutality of the Anglo-American soldiers, who 
 were inspired with an inveterate hatred, and wrestled 
 without shame against the Acadians. 
 
 In a letter from Murray to Winslow, announcing 
 his arrival, we read the following passage: "I am 
 anxious to see all these wretches embarked, then 
 I will treat myself to the pleasure of meeting you 
 and drin^'-ing a good journey to them!" 
 
 I renounce my intention of describing the tortures 
 of this lamentable journey of the 8th of October; 
 we can with difficulty listen to the tales told by the 
 great grand children of the exiled Acadians; tales 
 of this 8th day of October, which have been handed 
 doiwn to themi by their ancestors and which will 
 never be forgotten. 
 
 You should hear them tell you of this day of 
 great disorder. From early morning crowds of 
 women and children from Gasporeaux river and 
 Grand Pre, the old and decrepid, feeble and infirm, 
 were dragged along in wagonettes, while young 
 mothers, carrying their new-born babe in their arms, 
 were hurried along by the soldiers; the road seemed 
 alive with this feeble and despairing mass of people. 
 Again the drums beat, troops paraded under arms, 
 and divided into squads, proceeded to the perfor- 
 mance of the last act of the cruel tragedy. The labor 
 
32 
 
 of the housewife, the phiy of Acadian children in 
 Acadia, was ended. For the last time had been 
 heard there, their lullaby, for the last time the prattle 
 of their babes. The order was imperative, the fatal 
 hour of embarkation had arrived. Mothers, wives 
 and children must now join their imprisoned friends, 
 not definitely as families at the fireside, but as chance 
 
 ■'/■','"' * 
 
 
 DEPARTURE OF THE ACADIANS. 
 
 might determine. With this awful reality, the last 
 hope was crushed, and horror thrilled every heart. 
 
 In bewildering griei and terror, almost unconscious 
 of what they did, some prized treasures were gather- 
 ed together. Still reluctant to go, the soldiery were 
 compelled to force their departure, and amid tears 
 hot with agony, mothers carried their children. 
 
friends bore the aged and infirm in melancholy pro- 
 cession to the boats that were to bear them to the 
 vessels awaiting near the shore. At each of the vil- 
 lages the same blood-chilling scenes were enacted: 
 without arms, and crushed beneath calamnity the 
 Acaclians melted into tears and bowed to the atro- 
 cious law of a triumphant foe. 
 
The Work of the Incendiaries. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 The last vessel had not yet cleared the entrance to 
 the Basin of Mines, when the captives which they 
 carried cast a lingering glance of farewell at their 
 loved land and perceived small rings of smoke rising 
 from their homes and curling themselves heaven- 
 wards. Soon tiames burst through windows, crept 
 over roofs, houses and barns melted like wax, while 
 each stack of grain became a huge cone of smoke 
 streaked with fire, until nothing remained but a 
 cloud, that hung like a pall over the cinders that 
 smoldered beneath. The exiles could only gaze, 
 wring their powerless hands and weep, A loud 
 cry of anguish arose from every heart as the flames 
 shot forth from their pretty church at Canards river, 
 knowing full well the fate of the Grand Pre church, 
 their hearts sank within them. These two temples, 
 surmounted by their graceful steeples, had cost them 
 many sacrifices; the rich ornaments it contained 
 were presents sent from Louis XIV., and these also 
 would disappear under the torch of their persecutors 
 and tyrants. 
 
 The abandonment of their cemetery and their 
 loved ones therein was another source of bitter pain 
 for those unfortunate people. All these relics of 
 veneration and profound attachment would soon be 
 trampled and crushed under the tyrants heel on this 
 ground so long venerated! Such were the agonizing 
 thoughts of these poor wretches. 
 
 When the inhabitants of Port Royal, who had 
 taken refuge in the woods, saw their houses and 
 churches in flames, they had not as yet dared leave 
 
35 
 
 their retreat; but on seeing their property melt into 
 flames, threw themselves furiously on the incendia- 
 ries, killing and wounding twenty-nine; the re- 
 mainder fled. 
 
 Also at Chipody the Acadians who had taken 
 refuge with their families in the woods, on seeing 
 the flames rise from their homes, their blood instant- 
 ly became heated beyond endurance, guided by an- 
 ger and thirsting for revenge, they hastily hid their 
 wives and children more securely and hurriedly 
 threw themselves on the enemy, who, broken by the 
 furious attacks, hastened to their ships, leaving dead 
 and wounded. For several consecutive evenings, 
 the cattle would congregate around the smoking 
 ruins of the homes, as if expecting the return of their 
 owners, while the faithful watchdogs were howling 
 on the deserted hearths. Whichever way they turn- 
 ed, the fate of these fugitives could be nothing less 
 than deplorable to the utmost extreme. Their Eng- 
 lish persecutors were unrelenting and sought them 
 out in the most unfrequented places. Those that. 
 by dint of watchfulness, suffering and dubious good 
 fortune escaped, either hid in rocky caverns, fens or 
 marshes, subsisting by fishing and kindred methods, 
 or joined their comrades who had united with the 
 French before the battle at the fort, and shared 
 with them their flinty destiny. Others found refuge 
 in the wigwams of their savage friends or wandered 
 to adjacent islands within the French borders, all 
 hovering near their lost treasures. Detached groups 
 found their way into the interior of the Canadian 
 settlement, to receive such care as is meted out to 
 the impoverished and disconsolate. Through some 
 chance, a group of these people fixed their habita- 
 tion on the Madawaska, where, having passed 
 through indescribable privations, they gradually de- 
 
36 
 
 veloped comforts, which, in time, ripened into pros- 
 perity and happiness, and there, at this day, may 
 be foimd an untarnished type of the Acadian people. 
 Little bands found resting places within the provin- 
 cial borders, at points remote from English settle- 
 ments, their security consisting in their poverty and 
 the unfrequented locality of their homes. 
 
 In 1763, the iron grip of the British hand slightly 
 yielded its grasp, permission being then granted to 
 the expatriated to return and establish themselves 
 in Digby County, Township Clare, a rough and 
 jagged place on the southwest shore of St. Mary's 
 Bay, remote from all habitation and accessible only 
 from the sea through a narrow and rockbound inlet. 
 A few promptly availed themselves of this meagre 
 indulgence. Long deprivation and suffering seemed 
 to have softened the memory of their wrongs, and 
 lent energy to their efiforts. Labor for themselves 
 had in it such pleasurable quality, that soon the 
 rough lands were made to yield their treasures, 
 which, with ample facilities for fishing, enabled them 
 to secure life's comforts, now to them the sweetest 
 luxuries. 
 
 This experience is sufficiently heartrendering, but 
 is, if possible, surpassed by those, who, as they glid- 
 ed down the bay, gazed their last on their native 
 land as the flames shot upwards through the dense 
 clouds of smoke. No fleet had ever born on its 
 decks such burthen of heart-breakings, decks that 
 were moistened with torrents of tears. No desola- 
 tion can be more dreary than transition of home to 
 homelessness, from loved land to one which at best 
 had no allurements, that could only be a place for 
 wandering and servitude; from the cheers of the 
 family fireside to a bleak and dreary desert. 
 
37 
 
 But grief will often exhaust itself and yield at last 
 to passion, or mingled together they find expression 
 by turns. 
 
 Thus it was on one of the vessels sailing down the 
 Bay of Fundy an Acadian, from Port Royal, by the 
 name of Beaulien, asked the captain, with two hun- 
 dred and twenty-seven others, what part of the world 
 they were to be taken. "The first deserted island I 
 run across will be good enough for such French 
 Papists as you are," insolently answered the captain. 
 Beaulien, beside himself with anger and endowed 
 with extraordinary strength, struck the captain a 
 blow which stretched him on the de<:k. This was 
 the signal, ahhough without arms, they threw them- 
 selves on the guards, wounded several and over- 
 powered the remainder, and run the vessel ashore 
 near St. John's river, finding refuge in friendly wig- 
 wams. 
 
 The remaining fleet sped o^i its way, each vessel 
 consigned by orders to certain of the colonies along 
 the Atlantic coast, where their livir^ freight was 
 heartlessly set on shore, among these whose lang- 
 uage was not understood, and each to the other 
 odious by long hostility, and where the faith of each 
 was deemed by the other a heresy, a wicked and 
 unclean thing. According to the Revue des Deux 
 Mondes of 1831, the nuimber of prisoners thus re- 
 moved from the district of Mines amounted to 4,000, 
 and it may be said that the whole French population 
 had been banished, as very few could escape. 
 
 From the following statement may be obtained 
 an idea of the wealth of that country: Four thou- 
 sand houses and five thousand stables were burned; 
 twelve thousand oxen, three thousand cows, five- 
 thousand calves, six thousand horses, twelve thou- 
 
38 
 
 sand sheep and eight hundred pigs were taken pos- 
 session of. The American colonists, who had long 
 since provoked the -measures, obtained a grant of 
 the land, and of course the numerous herds were 
 not without profit to some one; so nothing had been 
 neglected to succeed in that canton, which was the 
 wealthiest of all. 
 
Fate of the Acadians. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 As to the fate of the Acadians d-welHng along- the 
 river of Annapolis, they threw themselves in the 
 woods at the first suspicion, for they had for some 
 time been accustomed to such tactics, but this time 
 it was not a passing storm after which they could 
 return to their fields and rebuild their wooden 
 houses. The English levied on them a lasting war. 
 One portion of the Acadian people of Annapolis 
 were obliged to take refuge in forests and deserts, 
 with the savages, while others scattered along the 
 shores where poor and unnoticed they earned their 
 living as fishermen. There for several years they 
 siioceed in concealing their existence, and anxie- 
 ties and privations, hiding carefully their small 
 canoes, not daring to till the land, watching with 
 apprehension any English sail, and dividing with 
 their friends, the Indians, the supplies due to fishing 
 and hunting. How did these poor people live in the 
 forests and wilderness? Through what succession of 
 dangers and sufferings did they pass in the presence 
 of speculators among whom their lands were di- 
 vided? This we do not know. But we are aware 
 that they felt the pangs of hunger and cold and de- 
 fended their lives against wild, beasts. 
 
 At the present time we find a small parish of 
 Acadian origin, growing on the ruins of their coun- 
 try, in the midst of British invaders. The popula- 
 tion are French Acadians and Catholics in every 
 principle, and remain as an unconquerable protest 
 of justice. They are the inhabitants, who, escaping 
 from British persecution, took refuge in the woods. 
 
40 
 
 and later emigrated into several localities of St. 
 Lawrence. Imagination alone can follow their devi- 
 ous fortunes as history has not preserved its details, 
 
 FKIKNDLY WIGWAMS. 
 
 more than at the hands of those so intensely dis- 
 liked Ihey received greater favors, and more real 
 kindness than did the refugees at the hands of their 
 
41 
 
 Canadian friends. But it was not possible to com- 
 fort them. Wherever they might find refuge among 
 the colonists unhappiness was still their portion. If 
 they had few wants they were keenly felt, and could 
 Tiot be yielded; every tradition being a sacred thing 
 to which their very souls were attached as by hooks 
 of steel. Their unrest, consequently, never appeased, 
 necessarily separated, they soon scattered far apd 
 •widie in well-nigh aimless purpose, some in after 
 years working their way back to Digby and Mada- 
 ■waska. Others were sent from Virginia to England, 
 or found refuge in the Norman land of their fore- 
 fathers. 
 
 No leigend tells us how or when a portion of these 
 strangely unfortunate people reached Louisiana. 
 The long stretch of inhospitable wilderness forbade 
 a journey thither by land, but it may be readily sur- 
 mised that some kind-hearted captain took them by 
 sea to the then far-away colony, where they could 
 once more hear in speech the music of their native 
 tongue. 
 
 Fancy will paint how memory of the harsh and 
 forbidding clime they had left behind, together with 
 their suffering and poverty, must have vanished 
 from their minds as they slowly wended their way 
 out of the tropical gulf into beautiful Berwick Bay, 
 and thence into Bayou Teche (Bio Tesh) extending 
 northward two hundred miles, to receive the silent 
 flowing Atchafalaya (A-shafala). We dwell with 
 them on the scene. There is no: a ripple on the 
 sleeping Bayou, a deep waterway from two to three 
 hundred feet wide, that, like a ribbon of silver, 
 stretches far, far away; on the eastern shore, stand- 
 ing then as now, an unbroken forest of cottonwood 
 and cypress, their lofty branches interlacing, all 
 draped and festooned with Spanish mos3, as if in 
 
42 
 
 sorrow that the waters into which their shadows fell, 
 must pass away to return no more. On the western 
 shore their eyes were greeted with charming undu- 
 lations, where the live oak spread its branches, and 
 the palmetto rose in pretentious dignity; where 
 roses, magnolias, jessamine, camelias and oleanders, 
 of spontaneous growth, loaded the air with intoxi- 
 cating perfume, seeming to offer a paradise where 
 the rudest must long to linger -md from which the 
 blest could scarce wish to w?.nder. Far up the 
 stream, on the billowy lands, the exiles established 
 a colony, in which the gentle-souled Evangeline 
 sought her lost lover; where the habits of their an- 
 cestors becoming firmly rooted are still untarnished, 
 where the spinning wheel and loom are heard in 
 the cabin home; where girls wear the Norman 
 bonnet and petticoat, and where the village Cure 
 is their guide and master, and church bells call them 
 to that form of devotion from which they have 
 never swerved. 
 
 Since then like the passing of a terrible storm 
 leaving wreck and ruin in its track, the persecution 
 subsided. The Acadians made use of a kind of suf- 
 ferance to establish themselves openly on the shores 
 that had been their refuge for so many years. Not 
 long after they were joined by another small por- 
 tion of the banished. Such is the origin of the 
 Acadian population in Canada that has given its 
 name to the parish called Acadia, in the county of 
 St. John, a place made immortal by the beautiful 
 
 poem of Longfellow, and is known as the home of 
 Evangeline. 
 
 A certain number still remained scattered in dif- 
 ferent places, living miiserably in the remotest can- 
 tons. 
 
 All writers of Acadian history agree as to the 
 preservation of their language, national character 
 
43 
 
 and their vigilance in maintaining old customs. 
 
 Families had necessarily been separated never to 
 be reunited, save by such chance accident as could 
 rarely occur. Fancy alone can picture the joy of 
 such unexpected meetings, and none could be more 
 touching than the story of the lovers, kindly handed 
 down to us by authentic history. 
 
 They were to have wed on the very day on which 
 the male inhabitants of Grand Pre were made pris- 
 oners. On his way to the ship Jean stopped to kiss 
 the kneeling weeping maiden, and hurriedly said: 
 "Adele, trust in God and all will be well." On dif- 
 ferent vessels both were landed in New York, and 
 the maiden with her mother found a home far up 
 the Hudson, from which the former was carried 
 away in an Indian raid, and made the petted pris- 
 oner of a chief in the deep forest recesses of the 
 Mohawk valley. 
 
 In time Jean became a trader with the Indians, 
 and in one of his long journeys, one day "ap- 
 proached the wigwam of the old chief,' and amid the 
 forest shadows saw a young woman with her back 
 toward him, as she sat on a mat, feathering arrows. 
 On her head sat jauntily a French cap. With this 
 her fair neck suggested her nativity. He approached 
 her gently; their eyes met. The maiden sprang 
 from the mat, and uttering a wild cry of joy and 
 'Jean/ fell fainting in his arms." 
 
 Poetry and romance have vied with history in 
 portrayal of the pitiable experience of tlhis people, 
 who left France with hope of bettering their lives in 
 the rugged wilderness of a far away and unknown 
 land. 
 
 Strangely enough its history presents the elements 
 of romance, and poetry and story can scarce reach 
 beyond the real limits of cheerless history. 
 
44 
 
 A rugged land, an unostentatious people, ever on 
 the rack of misfortune, but never swerving from the 
 habits and faith of their fathers, Acadia has been 
 made by the poet's magic pen the land of Evang- 
 eline, and she, the pure souled, the patient, ever lov- 
 ing and ever faithful, the representative of her peo- 
 ple, whose cup was always well-nigh filled with bit- 
 terness, but who, like her: 
 
 "Meekly bowed their heads, and murmured. 
 Father, I thank Thee." 
 
A Touching Scene. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 The following story was recounted to me by a 
 most worthy Acadian veteran who assured me of its 
 truth, his father being one of the actors. While 
 crossing a wood he saw in the distance three little 
 children, and on drawing nearer perceived they were 
 playing beside the corpse of a woman, though they 
 did not realize she would never press them lovingly 
 to her breast again. "On seeing me approiach them," 
 continued the father of the veteran, "the elder of the 
 children in terror called to their only protector: 
 'Mamma, mamma, get up! Why can't you riset 
 Mamma, here is a bad man who will again separate 
 us!' and the poor children covered the body of their 
 unfortunate mother and tried to protect her. The 
 little boy cried to me in a determined tone: 'Do not 
 approach my mother, for I will kill you!' the brave 
 little fellow continued with a pride natural to the 
 Acadians. 'You must not touch my mother; she is 
 sleeping; she is very tired.' When he saw I still 
 drew nearer, he caught up a stone: 'I will kill you,' 
 he exclaimed. One of the little girls now said: 'We 
 buried our father over there.' 'Yes, and our mother 
 made the large hole in the ground,' answered the 
 smallest of the trio. Then, with tears in my eyes. I 
 took the little boy's hand and asked: 'Why do you 
 want to kill me, my little lad.' 'Because you are 
 English and you separated us and killed my father.' 
 The little fellow now perceived tears in my eyes^ 
 and he turned very pn'e; the two little girls at ther 
 mother's feet were sobbing aloud. I will not speak 
 of the scene that occurred when these poor children 
 
46 
 
 were told their mother must be buried and that I 
 was going to take them with me. The little boy 
 with a will and energy incredible for a child of his 
 size answered: 'Monsieur, leave our mother and do 
 not touch her, or I will kill you.' I could no longer 
 control myself, but seizing the little fellow in one 
 arm I grasped the little girls with the other and 
 pressed them all tightly to my bosom, assuring them 
 of my friendship. I told them I also was in search 
 of my wife and children. 
 
 "I buried this homeless wanderer, and finally the 
 little ones decided to follow me, for I had com- 
 pletely abandoned my English accent, but I wished 
 to know just how far these children were familiar 
 with their own misfortunes. I had not long to wait. 
 As we walked onward the little boy said: 'Sir, you 
 have told us you were in search of your wife; very 
 well, we will assist you, but be very careful not to 
 harm my little sisters or we will leave you.' Eustace, 
 what shall we call this good man,' asked the younger 
 child, 'The name he wishes.' 'Then call me father, 
 my children, for I will try and be one to you.' Then, 
 Eustace, you will not kill him/ quickly spoke up 
 the little girl. 'No, and if he is good to you I will 
 be good to him, and we will find his wife and we 
 will call her mother.' 'Yes, yes, we will call her 
 mother,' answered all three." 
 
 During seven years, Joseph Letetlier, who tells 
 us the above story, searched for his family, some- 
 times in the woods, now on the borders of the coast, 
 interrogating the horizon which way to set his sail; 
 hiding his boat at the least noise, for the English 
 pursued them to the utmost; often he was obliged 
 to take the three children in his arms to cross some 
 precipice, which they were unable to leap. I will 
 not attempt to describe what this weary traveler 
 
47 
 
 must have suffered with these three younj? children. 
 Never did mother watch with more solicitude three 
 little beings than did this brave man. It freciuently 
 happened that when tired and exhausted from fa- 
 tigue and hunger little Eustace would come and 
 bravely offer to take his place, saying: "Rest, father, 
 and sleep well, my little sisters, and I will keep 
 watch and if the English come and take our boat 
 we will kill them and throw them into the river." 
 
 Thus these children knowing only turmoil and 
 strife had been taught to defend their lives from 
 early youth. 
 
 At the end of seven years Joseph Lctellier and his 
 three orphans were sitting on the banks of the river 
 gazing with melancholy eyes towards Belle river. 
 Away in the distance near the shores of the Ohio, 
 floated a small boat well-filled, guided by Acadian 
 oarsmen; it carried a small band of exiles — a raft 
 from a shipwrecked nation; united through com- 
 mon belief and common misfortune, men, women, 
 and children, guided by hope or by the vague 
 rumors were going to seek in the smiling prairies 
 of Opilansas their relatives banished like themselves 
 from Acadian shores. 
 
 After four hours of expectation, during which the 
 boat glided with the current, now on the foam of the 
 rapids, now amid verdant isles, finally approaching 
 the regions of eternal summer, where blossom the 
 orange flowers and citron. At last this little boat 
 with its somber banner, hanging to the mast, made 
 its way to the banks of the Mississippi to anchor 
 there. Joseph Letellier sprang to his feet, gave one 
 bound towards the boat; for he had recognized in 
 its captain his own son. "Joseph, my beloved son," 
 he cried, "where is your mother, your brothers and 
 sisters?" 
 
48 
 
 "We are but two remaininjjf, Antoinette and my- 
 self. My poor mother and the others were unable 
 to survive so much s(;rrow. misery and privatioiu!" 
 
 It is impossible to describe the grief of this poor 
 old man on learning of the death of these beings so 
 dear to him; his arms beat the air, and he fell to the 
 ground. The brother_and sister failed to realize 
 what was going on, but the two girls, Therese and 
 Charlotte, hurried to the side of their adopted father, 
 crying: "Assist our father!" 
 
 AS THEY REACHED THE SHORE JOSEPH RECOGNIZED HIS SON. 
 
 Quick as lightning the young captani like the 
 Acadian he was, briskly jumped from the boat to the 
 shore, closely followed by his sister. Then they 
 both realized that it was indeed their father whoim 
 they had found. They covered him with caresses and 
 gave him the best care their meager supplies af- 
 forded. Eustace returned from the river with water, 
 while Therese with gentle hands bathed his temples, 
 and every one from the boat hastened to the spot. 
 
49 
 
 Charlotte the eldest of the sisters tremblingly asked 
 Joseph, "Are you the son of our adopted father?" 
 and when the captain replied in the affirmative she 
 murmured: ''Then since you are his children, my 
 sister and I cannot be any longer." 
 
 Mr. Letellier opened his eyes as the fresh water 
 toiuched his face. "These poor children," he said to 
 his son, "I found them in .-the forest near the body 
 of their mother dead about six hours." He motioned 
 Eustace to come nearer and taking his hand placed 
 that of his own daughter in it, saying: "Eustace, 
 promise to love her and protect her." Oh, father, I 
 promise you." Then the poor unhappy father raised 
 his eyes and hands to Heaven and gazing at this 
 group of unfortunate children who had found their 
 father only to lose him again, tried to projriounce 
 
 -the name oi his son, "Jos " He never finished! 
 
 His eyes closed never to open again. But what the 
 father had been unable to finish, the hearts of the 
 young people had understood. Like one and the 
 same family, they threw themselves in each other's 
 arms and there beside the corpse of their loved 
 father swore an eternal friendship. 
 
 During the last war the Creole Acadian women 
 fought as bravely as did their fathers in the 
 ranks of the confederates. A regiment composed 
 mostly of Acadian women was commanded by a 
 liand'somje Acadian. Captain Joiseph LeteUier mar- 
 ried Therese three months after the death of their 
 venerable father, who had afBanced them with his 
 last breath; and Eustace married pretty Antoinette. 
 
 The devotion and patriotism of Captain Letellier 
 had won for himself the love and confidence of his 
 whole regiment. This gallant warrior was decorated 
 only by a white shoulder belt on which was written 
 "Vive Dieu et la France." 
 
50 
 
 Ah! It ib a pity that the courtiers from the court 
 of Louis XIV. had not seen this beautiful regiment 
 of young women ranked in columns and braving 
 the enemy from all sides with these proud words of 
 response on their lips: "God, our captain, France 
 and Acadia," for it is probable that peace might 
 have been restored; for a people in which patriotism 
 can inspire such devotion is worthy of respect and 
 justice. But, alas! This heroism was witnessed only 
 by their foes who at the sight of this regiment be- 
 came more enraged. 
 
 The general of the enemy's army on hearing these 
 lofty exclamations ordered his army to advance and 
 charge their bayonets. But this command did not 
 frighten the regiment of women, who again shou-^ied: 
 "Long live France, Acadia, and our captain." Just 
 then the brave and handsome Commander Letellier 
 quick as lightning passed in front of the ranks and 
 with his tomahawk struck the general a blow which 
 sent him headlong from his horse. The stupefied 
 confederates now believed they were dealing not 
 only with women but a very formidable looking 
 band of men, well armed, who seemed to rise out 
 of the ground. They became cowards; confusion 
 spread in their ranks; they retreated, fleeing on all 
 sides. With this finished the war record oi young 
 Letellier. 
 
New Parishes and their Founders. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Our two young couple now turned their attention 
 to their lost Acadia, their beautiful home still so 
 fresh in their memory, and accordingly decided to 
 peipetuate that memory in their newly found home 
 where they were to find quiet and rest, in giving to 
 this colony the loved name of Acadia. 
 
 The first band of Acadians who settled here were 
 followed in 1765 by many others, some coming from 
 Nova Scotia where they had been hidden in the 
 woods. These patriots founded on the shores of 
 the Mississippi the parishes called St. James and 
 the Assumption. The above facts relating to the 
 Acadians were obtained from New Orleans, 
 
 That small society organized by the curate of St. 
 Mary has remained so purely French, that we 
 might call it a strand transplanted from lower Nor- 
 mandy with a seal of originality striking to visitors. 
 The moment we enter the district of Clare, the 
 houses, the instruments of husbandry, the strange 
 language, and characteristic customs, are surprising 
 to the traveler. We would not believe there existed 
 in. Nova Scotia a district with an aspect so verv 
 distinct from the remainder. 
 
 The Acadians of to-day are far from being as far- 
 advanced as their neighbors; they differ in thib form 
 from their ancestors who were excellent cultivators. 
 But this is easily understood by those who know 
 their history. Since their banishment, they have a 
 singular attachment to their language and customs. 
 Although their trading naturally brings them in 
 contact with the English, they never adopt their 
 
52 
 
 manners or intermarry with them, nor do they est- 
 tablish themselves in English villages. This is not 
 due to a sentiment of aversion, but rather from hab- 
 its of the national character and their system of edu- 
 cation; and if they are not endowed with as much of 
 the spirit of progress as the English colonies they 
 may favorably stand comparison as regards social 
 and domestic virtues. 
 
 Without ambition and with wonderful frugality 
 they live according to their means; devoted to their 
 ancient culture they have never been divided by re- 
 ligious discords. With happy dispositions and moral 
 habits they enjoy every pleasure compatible with 
 human nature. 
 
 Clare is now in a flourishing state; it owns sev- 
 eral small vessels and the surplus of farm products, 
 and fishing profits, permit the farmers to enlarge 
 and improve their farms and purchase elsewhere 
 all necessary articles for their comfort. 
 
 They have two chapels at either extremity of the 
 village. The one built at the oriental extremity is 
 one of the largest in Nova Scotia and does great 
 honor to the generosity of the people who have 
 completed it without outside assistance. 
 
 They have several sawing machines, and there 
 remains not a trace of the fire which consumed the 
 whole village in 1820. 
 
 The greatest misfortune to the Acadians has not 
 been the fact alone of their expatriation, but in the 
 complete abandonment in which they have been 
 left for nearly a whole century. During this sad 
 period they have had, we may say, no means of edu- 
 cation whatever. The greater number of the Acad- 
 ians were for years without even missionaries resid- 
 ing among them to instruct them. 
 
 We can conceive the ignorance and stagnation 
 which must have followed. But in our days a new 
 
53 
 
 era has begun for the Acadians, and it coincides pre- 
 cisely with the opening of the college oi Memra- 
 cook which has been the principal cause. 
 
 From this college came forth men thoroughly in- 
 structed, active, and animated with ardent, and 
 brilliant patriotism; who have won their reputa- 
 tion in different vocations, and who have defended 
 the cause of their comrades both in public and pri- 
 vate life. We may name among them senators such 
 as P. P. Pourrier, as distinguished a writer as he is 
 a brilliant politician. Deputies of local as well as 
 provincial legislature, such as Messrs. Landry, Le- 
 blanc, Terriault, Le Billois, etc. Also lawyers, phy- 
 sicians, and instructors, as well as excellent priests. 
 Among the latter we may mention the Abbot Car- 
 mier, cure of Cocagne, and the great benefactor of 
 the college named above, also the Rev. Father Le- 
 febure, superior of the same college. 
 
 Each year will add to this splendid lot of men who 
 in time will regain for the Acadian people the posi- 
 tion which they had lost through their misfortunes. 
 
 There are two other French settlements in the 
 district of Argyle situated fifty miles further, the 
 one at Pubinco, the other at El Brock. In these set- 
 tlements the inhabitants are called temperate, indus- 
 trious, and hospitable. They have fine herds of cat- 
 tle, and are very comfortably built. Illegitimate 
 births are entirely unknown in these settlements 
 and true misery is never felt, as the poor are cared 
 for by the settlers, who are all encumbered with 
 large families. The poor pass their time making 
 stays from house to house, each family feels it a 
 sacred duty to receive what they consider the living 
 remains of their ancestors, and their death is often 
 regretted as they imagine it a duty and a benediction 
 which God sends to them, for they say: "Whosoever 
 giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord." 
 
Halliburton's Speech. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Mr. Halliburton, judge in Nova Scotia, had 
 written the following in 1829: "While Germans 
 have a tendency to disappear in the English popu- 
 lation, the Acadians live together as much as pos- 
 sible, keeping their religion, language and peculiar 
 customs. They never intermarry with their Protest- 
 ant neighbors. Among themselves they speak but 
 French." This great man's friendship for the Abbot 
 Sigogne continued to the period of his election for 
 the county of Clair, which includes St. Mary's par- 
 ish. These two men of superior talent in their dif- 
 ferent careers, understood one another at their first 
 meeting. 
 
 The author of Sam Slick took great interestin 
 conversing with this French priest, whose life, ideas 
 and habits contrasted so strangely with his sur- 
 roundings. On his part the priest felt a warm friend- 
 ship for this bright, intelligent, sensitive, sarcastic, 
 free-of-all prejudice Protestant, and he did not hesi- 
 tate to notify his party that they could depend on his 
 influence in favor of religious independence; and 
 was one of the first to propose the abolition of the 
 test oath, which barred all Catholics from holding 
 a public office. Father Sigogne was one oi the first 
 promoters of the emancipation act, presented and 
 unanimously adopted by the legislature of Nova 
 Scotia — thanks to the masterly speech by Halli- 
 burton in 1827 — the most remarkable part of which 
 was his eulogy of the Acadians, of whose manners 
 and habits he had made a special study during his 
 residence in Annapolis, from 1722 to 1724. Says 
 Beamish Murdock, referring to it, "it was the most 
 magnificent and eloquent oratory that I ever heard." 
 Halliburton was then mentally and physically in the 
 
55 
 
 prime of his life. The bracing air of his native 
 home, Windsor, gave him a robust appearance, al- 
 though his figure was still young and spare. On this 
 occasion he literally carried his audience with him 
 by the force of his eloquence, aided by his classical 
 and historical studies, and by his appeal to the 
 tenderest feelings of human nature. The speech is 
 too closely allied to our subject to pass without 
 citing a few passages. After informing them that he 
 represented a great number of Catholics, and that 
 for several years he had been an intimate friend of 
 their venerable pastor. Father Sigogne. "For what 
 reason," he asked, "does the Protestant and Cath- 
 olic mix in the same social reunions — and live in 
 perfect harmony? Why does the Catholic weep at 
 the death of a Protestant friend he has loved while 
 living? Why does he act as pall-bearer to his final 
 resting place and mingle his tears with the dust that 
 covers his friend? If in Great Britain there is an 
 evident feeling of hostility it must be for other 
 causes than a simple difference of religion. Ireland 
 offers the saddest spectacle. While the Catholic is in 
 duty bound and naturally inclined to support his 
 priest he is obliged by the laws of the country to 
 pay tithe to the Protestant minister. Then you see 
 churches without believers, ministers without con- 
 gregations, and bishops enjoving immense salaries 
 without any duty to perform. These Catholics must 
 be more or less than men if they suffer all this with- 
 out complaint; they feel it and murmur. The Prot- 
 estants on their part are continually clamoring 
 against them, and declare them a bad class of peo- 
 ple. All Catholic church property has passed into 
 the hands of the Protestant clergy, also^ie tithe, 
 lands and domains of the monasteries. Who can 
 contemplate without regret those monasteries, ven- 
 
56 
 
 erable even in their ruins? What have become of 
 those scientific, charitable and hospitable asylums, 
 where the pilgrim, weary from a long journey, or 
 the harrassed traveler, stopped for rest and received 
 a hearty welcome; where the poor received their 
 daily food — and implored with a heart full of grati- 
 tude the benedictions of the pious and good mci 
 that fed them. Those asylums where knowledge 
 held her assizes and science plunged her flaming 
 hand into the darkness of barbarism and ignor- 
 ance.'^ 
 
 "Allow me Mr. President to linger as I often 
 have in times long ago during hours and days 
 amidst these ruins; you also must have lingered to 
 contemplate those desolate ruins. Tell me while 
 contemplating those cloisters, and while your foot 
 tread their mosaic paths through which the grass 
 grows, have you not imagined hearing the solemn 
 trciad of the monks in their holy procession? Have 
 you not imagined hearing the chimes of the bells 
 pouring forth in the eve their soft and melancholy 
 sounds through the quiet and solitary valley? Have 
 you never heard the Seraphic choirs diffuse the har- 
 monious chant of their hymns through immense 
 waves or aerial arches? Do not these columns in 
 ruins, those Gothic arches, those cracked and ivy 
 covered walls appeal to you, while reminding you 
 of the spoilers, at least to shed a tear in the memory 
 of those great and good men who founded them? 
 It has been said that Catholics were the enemies of 
 liberty, but that assertion, like many others brought 
 against them, is utterly false^ Who established the 
 grand chart? Who established our judges, our jury 
 system, our magistrates, our sheriffs, etc? It was 
 the Catholics. It is to those slandered people that 
 we owe everything of which we are proud to-day. 
 
57 
 
 Were they not loyal and brave? Ask the green hills 
 of Chrystler's Farm; ask at Chateauguay; ask the 
 hills of Queenstown. They will tell you they cover 
 the loyal and brave Catholics, the ashes of heroes 
 who died for their country. Here their sentiments 
 had full sway, because there was no cause for dis- 
 sention and no properties to dispute. They were 
 looked upon as good subjects and good friends. 
 Friendship is natural to man's heart. It is like the 
 ivy searching the oak, twining around its trunk, 
 embracing its branches, surrounding them with 
 beautiful wreaths and climbing to the top, balances 
 its magnificent banner of foliage above, as though 
 proud of having conquered the king of the forest. 
 
 "Look at the township of Clare. There you see a 
 magnificent spectacle, a whole nation having the 
 same habits, speaking the one language, and united 
 in the one religion. It is a spectacle worthy of the 
 admiration of man and the approbation of God. See 
 their worthy pastor the able Sigogne, at the rising 
 of the sun surrounded by his people rendering 
 thanks to the author of all gifts. Follow him to the 
 sick bed; watch him diffuse the balm of consolation 
 on the wounds of the afflicted. Follow him in his 
 field showing an example of industry to his people; 
 in his cabinet instructing the innocent youth. Fol- 
 low him in his chapel; you will see the savage from 
 the desert with all his fierce and untamed passions. 
 You will see him conquered and submissive in the 
 presence of the holy man. You will hear him tell 
 the Indian to recognize God in the calm and soli- 
 tude of the forest, in the roar of the cataract, in the 
 splendid order of the planetary system, in the regu- 
 lar order of day and night; the Indian does not for- 
 get to thank God in his own dialect for the revela- 
 tions the white man has taught him." Mr. Halli- 
 
58 
 
 burton next recited the dispersing of the Acadians; 
 then as a representative of the descendants of those 
 people, he demanded of the deputies the abolition 
 of the test oath, not as a favor, as he would not ac- 
 cept it through compassion, but from their justice. 
 "Any man." said he in conclusion, "who puts his 
 hand on the New Testament, and says this is my 
 book of faith, be he Catholic or Protestant, what- 
 ever may be the difference of opinion on certain 
 doctrines, he is my brother and I embrace him. We 
 are traveling different paths to the same God. In 
 my pathway of life I meet a Catholic. 1 salute him, 
 travel with him, and when we arrive at the term, 
 'flammantia lumina mundi,' and when this time 
 comes, as it surely must; when this tongue that to- 
 day expresses my thoughts will chill in my mouth: 
 when this breast that now breathes the pure air of 
 heaven will refuse longer to serve me; when these 
 earthly clothes will return to the earth from whence 
 they came and will mingle with the dust of the val- 
 ley, then with the Catholic I will turn a long, lang- 
 uishing look at the past, I will kneel with him, and 
 instead of saying like the presumptous Pharisee: 
 'Grace to God, I am not like this papist,' I will pray 
 that both being of the same blood we will both be 
 pardoned, and being brothers we will both be re- 
 ceived above." 
 
 Such language from a Protestant addressed to a 
 Protestant audience could not fail to produce its 
 effect. At the same time he showed the impression, 
 the holy life oi the Abbot Sigogne had on all hiis 
 surroundings. The Catholics of Nova Scotia, and 
 particularly the Acadians, have placed beside the 
 name of Halliburton the name of Mr. Uniacke, one 
 of the most noted members of the legislature, who 
 supported the deputy of Clare, if not with the same 
 
59 
 
 eloquence at least with the same spirit of justice. 
 With this victory dropped the last chain from the 
 Acadians and opened an era of liberty that has 
 made them one of the happiest nations on the face 
 of the earth. 
 
Reminiscences. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Providence granted the Abbot Sigogne seventeen 
 years of life from that date to strengthen the good 
 he had done in the midst of this population, becom- 
 ing more and more docile to his voice and examples. 
 He died of old age in 1844, at the age of eighty-five, 
 taking with him the regrets of all his people and 
 everything that shows a man that life is worth liv- 
 ing for, and the conviction of having accomplished 
 his duty and deeds that never die. If ever you cross 
 St. Mary's bay you will see Abbot Sigogne's grave, 
 surrounded with honor and respect. You will see 
 there the children whose parents he baptized, and 
 of whom he made more worthy of the confessors 
 of the last century. With the Abbot Sigogne died 
 in Acadia the generation of Apostoical men that the 
 tempest of '93 had scattered over the surface, and 
 divided into three provinces, namely, New Bruns- 
 wick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward's Isle. The 
 small knots of families the missionaries had dis- 
 covered on the verge of being lost, that they organ- 
 ized, disciplined, to whom they gave a part of their 
 lives and virtues, have to-day become legions, full 
 of brave and courageous people on whom we can 
 •depend. After increasing on their own merit, by 
 doubling every twenty-one years from 1785 to 1827, 
 they doubled every twenty-two years from 1827 to 
 
 1871. The last official census of 1881 states that 
 there is to-day 56,635 Acadians in New Brunswick, 
 41,219 in Nova Scotia, which forms part of Cape 
 Breton, 10,757 on Prince Edward's Isle. Those fig- 
 ures do not include the Acadian population of the 
 
6i 
 
 Magdelena Isles, which numbers over three thou- 
 sand, nor those north of the Gulf of the Bay Des 
 Chalems, Newfoundland and the State of Maine, 
 belonging to the Madawaska group, which will 
 raise about twenty thousand souls, giving the Aca- 
 dian population of all these regions a total of over 
 130,000 souls. As I said before the Acadians are rep- 
 resented by men of their own race. In the Senate 
 and House of Commons they have their deputies 
 and even their local legislators. Men educated and 
 noted among all classes of society, we no longer 
 count the number of their schools, at the head of 
 which stands Memramcook's classical college, with- 
 out a doubt the best Catholic institution in the 
 Maritime Provinces. They have several convents 
 devoted to the instruction of youth in each of the 
 Provinces, and as far as the Magdelena Isles they 
 control the election in many counties. They have 
 their French papers that teach them their rights, 
 their attachment to their language and to France, 
 at the same time declaring their entire fidelity to 
 England. In fact they possess all the elements of 
 progression possible to wish. The reunion of the 
 British Provinces in Confederation strengthened 
 them, at the same time binding them more closely 
 to their brothers in Canada. In fifty years they will 
 number half a million, and will be a power in the 
 Maritime Provinces, as the Canadians are to-day in 
 the Confederation. 
 
 France has been, till the middle of the last cen- 
 tury, one of the greatest colonial powers in the 
 world. The moment seems propitious to present to 
 the public the researches I publish here. It is sad, 
 indeed, in exhibiting the national character, to call 
 back the painful end of efiforts which, at their begin- 
 ning, raised such bright and legitimate hopes, but 
 
62 
 
 we must overcome the national repulsion generated 
 by misfortune and fix our minds on these sad recol- 
 lections of the past, to derive from our disasters use- 
 ful information to guide and strengthen our conduct 
 in the future. We know that it is not without con- 
 cern for us to follow the French people abandoned 
 in our old possessions and to show what has be- 
 come of their posterity, through the difficulties and 
 trials of a foreign domination. France seems to 
 have forgotten that in the dark hour of her history 
 important populations of her own blood, and in 
 spite of misfortune, faithful to their origin, were 
 forsaken by her. Who remembers to-day, Acadia, 
 Canada, Louisiana, or even Maritius, though so re- 
 cently lost? Who has any recollection of places 
 illustrated by so many heroic fights, and the devc*ed 
 patriotism of their inhabitants? It is hard to awaken 
 remembrances of our past glory, and to point out 
 that France has been the first to commence this 
 wonderful development of civilization in North Am- 
 erica, while losing through her carelessness, the 
 generous children she knew not how to defend. 
 
 Courageous colonists, who with energetic perse- 
 verance have faced persecutions and abandonment, 
 you have kept everywhere, not only the tradition, 
 but also the religion, customs, language and love of 
 your country. Has not the time arrived to depart 
 from that selfish indifiference with which we re- 
 warded their affection? Those to whom the great- 
 ness and prospect of France are yet worthy of con- 
 sideration will understand that to call attention to 
 the national question is to attend to the future 
 eventually laid up for the French race. 
 
Tragedy of Claude de la Tour. 
 
 CHAPTER XIT. 
 
 Five hundred and seventy-nine miles in twenty- 
 four hours by the Intercolonial road from Quebec 
 to St. John, New Brunswick. The train, as usual on 
 that line, was just late enough to enable me to miss 
 the boat making three trips per week between St. 
 John, Digby and Annapolis. Compelled am I to 
 wait until night for the s'eamer from St. John to 
 Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. These delays are so fre- 
 quent that gossip says there is an understanding be- 
 tween the railroad conductors and St. John hotel 
 keepers, the latter having the reputation of charging 
 exorbitant prices to travelers. My experience at the 
 Royal Hotel will confirm the above statement. 
 
 Far away to the south the blue shores of Nova 
 Scotia, separated here by the narrow but high chain 
 of mountains, with a suspension bridge a hundred 
 feet above the gorge, at the bottom of which the St. 
 John River percipitates itself in a foaming cataract 
 of elegance and strength. From this point can be 
 v^itnessed one of nature's greatest wonders on the 
 continent. The tide that rises as high as twenty-six 
 feet in this vicinity engulfs itself in this gorge, re- 
 pulses the current and permits for a few minutes 
 vessels to mount above the cataract. In 1634 Baron 
 La Tour, a Huguenot gentleman, built a fort on 
 Point Carleton, opposite Navy Island, a few rods 
 above the oataraat. where he did a profitable busi- 
 ness in pelts and trading with the Indians. This fort, 
 now entirely demolished, witnessed one of the most 
 tragical events in the annals of America. Leaving 
 Paris with his son Charles Amador, then fourteen 
 
64 
 
 years of age, Claude La Tour at first thought of 
 settling in Acadia, near Port Royal. Seventeen 
 years later Charles La Tour was elected governor of 
 Acadia through the death of Biencourt, son of Pout- 
 rincourt, whom he succeeded. 
 
 Claude De La Tour being taken prisoner by the 
 English some time previous was conducted to Lon- 
 don, where he was surrounded by caresses, made 
 Baronet, and married to the first Maid of Honor of 
 Queen Henriette of France, wife of Charles the L 
 the same Princess that was immortalized by Bos- 
 suet. Claude De La Tour offered the King of Eng- 
 land to secure him the keys of Fort St. Louis, the 
 ably fortified post held by the French in Acadia. He 
 sailed with two frigates for America and anchored 
 under the walls of Fort St. Louis, of which but a 
 few ruins remain, and proposed to his son to deliver 
 the place to him. In return he assured him the 
 greatest honors awaited him in London, and the 
 supreme Government of Acadia in the name of the 
 King of Great Britain. "Father," answered Chas. 
 De La Tour indignantly, "you are greatly mistaken 
 if you think I would deliver this fort into the hands 
 of the enemies of this State. I will defend it for the 
 King, my master, as long as I have a breath in my 
 body. I highly esteem the positicn offered me by the 
 King of England, but will never purchase it at the 
 price of treason. The Prince I serve is able to re- 
 compense me, but should he forget me, in my fidel- 
 ity I will find the best of all rewards." 
 
 Seeing there was no alternative he landtd his troops 
 and cannon and attacked the fort, where he was gal- 
 lantly repulsed and forced to retreat. Becoming at 
 the same time a traitor of France and the cause of 
 a disaster to England, the poor unfortunate dared 
 not return to Europe. He advised his wife to return 
 
65 
 
 with the vessels to England, for there was nothing 
 left him but shame and misery. "Never," assured 
 the noble woman; "I have not espoused you to 
 abandon you at the first reverse of fortune. Where- 
 ever you will conduct me, and no matter to what 
 misery you may be reduced, I will always be your 
 faithful companion. My happiness shall always be 
 to share your grief." La Tour then turned tc^ his 
 son, whose grandeur of soul he began to under- 
 stand, and asked fqf clemency. The hero did not 
 belie himself, but taking his father and family, gave 
 them a house and a bountiful supply of everything 
 necessary, on condition that he and his wife should 
 never put their foot inside the fort, where they lived 
 in peace and comfort several years. 
 
Acadian Recollections. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 The writer of this, being a descendant of the 
 Acadian exiles, ventures to offer a contribution to 
 their sad history, partly derived from records, and 
 partly from impressions made by recitals of those 
 among whom I was reared. Jt is true that those 
 who made the terrible journey through the wilder- 
 
 OKT TOLD ACADIAN LF.GENDS. 
 
 ness had been gathered by death before my birth, 
 but I well remember seeing and conversing with 
 their children born after their departure from their 
 original homes, some on board the vessel that 
 carried them to the English colonies, others in the 
 forest during their wanderings in search of a place 
 to rest. 
 
67 
 
 Some of those people, then very old, had been 
 nursed by their mothers all through the long, weary 
 way, as in terror they fled they knew not where. 
 
 These sorrowiu. stories were so burned into my 
 young heart, that in my after-journeyings through 
 the province I have eagerly listened to repetitions 
 by their descendants, who tell, with touching pathos, 
 the incidents handed down in families, from genera- 
 tion to generation. The length of time that has 
 elapsed makes it impossible to now give primitive 
 exactitude, and, <^herefore, this record must bear 
 somewhat the form of legends of my native village 
 where my story begins. 
 
 Going backward more than a century, eastern 
 Canada was a trackless wilderness. It was 1755 or 
 1756 when a few families were seen wending their 
 way through it; all victims of the same misfortune, 
 who, for some cause, now unknown, halted on the 
 banks of the Mont-eal river, and decided that they 
 were now sufficiently hidden, and might venture 
 to there establish a home. 
 
 It was a curious but not unnatural fancy, that the 
 exiles usually named any new place they might 
 decide to occupy, after som one that was dear to 
 them in the land from which they had been ex- 
 pelled. 
 
 This group had found a spot where they deter- 
 mined to begin anew the struggle of life, to try once 
 more what unremitting toil might bring forth^ and 
 named it Little Acadia — after their lost country. 
 Thus began a little colony, toward which other 
 fugitives, as if by instinct, worked their weary way. 
 The scenes then occurring there would soften the 
 flintiest heart. The poor unfortunates arrived, one 
 after another, in straggling groups and wholly desti- 
 tute, seeming like parts of a wreck after a storm, 
 drifted by the winds to the same shore. Fathers, 
 
68 
 
 with large families came, accompanied, perhaps, by- 
 some of their neighbors. Often poor young girls 
 lived through the journey while their aged parents 
 died by the way, from hardship and starvation, find- 
 ing their last rest in the gloomy forest. Groups of 
 these wanderers were often partly or wholly lost in 
 the wilderness to be seen no more. The survivors, 
 filled with grief for those that had disappeared by 
 the way, and embittered toward those who had 
 caused their misery, could but recount- the painful 
 story and weep. Occasionally an old mother, whose 
 love for her children was great enough to surmount 
 every obstacle and bear with all the hardships of the 
 journey, would finally reach the place that was to 
 witness the last sacrifice of her life. In her dying 
 hour, she might be heard asking God to bless all 
 the poor exiles around her, and then, in a way so 
 innocent and pure that you would know it was the 
 last wish of a loving mother's heart, hear her cry, 
 "My children, where are they? Alas! God only 
 knows; but if any of you ever see them, tell them 
 that their old mother died, blessing them, and ask- 
 ing God to protect them from the tyrany of the 
 English, and lastly, to forgive them." 
 
 In pain and poverty, sighs and tears, thus was 
 Little Acadia begun, and in the midst of these hum- 
 ble unfortunates, in the fields close by the cottage, 
 the erection of which was just starting, my father 
 was born; and in the same colony I first saw the 
 light of day. 
 
 This constitutes but the insight into the multitude 
 of oft-told experiences, of trials and sufferings that 
 had seared the souls of the exiles, and prepared their 
 soil for the growth of the tares of hate which to this 
 day flourish in luxuriance. 
 
 No, the voice of their children shall not be 
 hushed; it will outlive these courts, upheld by the 
 
69 
 
 tears and sufferings of a nation, rocked in the cradle 
 of their misery. The calumny will fall upon the 
 memory of those vile representatives of a noble 
 English crown, and follow them beyond their 
 tombs. 
 
 (The End.) 
 
 
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