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Ml « •.-■. >» >t k i.'l H *Ti8 the land of the forest, the bay, lake, and river, The land whore the dense fog in slumber reposes, The land of brave hearts with the " true blue " for ever; The land of "green tir," and the laud of " Blue-NoKOK." Azure rrohoscis. \: '• X ilHontrcal ; * '% 1PE1NTED BY JOHN LOVELL-, ST. KICIIOLAS SXKEKT. I^*:| 1863. i'Si ^ INTRODUCrrOKY ADDRESS. TO MY PATRONS AND THE PITRLTC IN GENERAL. Ladies and Gentlemen, I use no apolo<,^y in coming again before you as an author. In the writing of the present work, I have neither been biassed ])y fear nor flattery. My chief object has been to preserve in type my notes and rominiscences of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, which have 1)een collected from generally reliable sources. To my subscribers and future purchasers, I express my honest gratitude, and trust that from a perusal of the work you all may derive considerable projit, which is more than I expect from the sale of it. However, I have the honor to subscribe myself respectfully — The Author, A. L. SPEDON. St. Jean Chrysostome, Chateauguay County, C. E, May 1st, 18G3, «, si ..w ».^vl i**. ' •'.#. ■yli i.-i,. I i' f * '■% t .* fc' Intr( Emb Myf CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Introductory remarks. Departure for the Lower Provinces. Description of the City of Quebec — its prominent character- istics — the citadel— a view of the surrounding- country, &c. Beauport Asylum — its inmates — singular traits of insanity, Ac. Description of the Falls of Montmorency — a fatal accident — a magnificent prospect, &c. Montmorency River — natural steps. Island of Orleans — strategies and defeat of Gen. Wolfe in his first attempts to take Quebec — his ingenious and effectual strategy. Capture of the city — remarks, &c. CHAPTER II. • .:r| • I 'I Ik.;: 1 .,♦ .» •s Embark on the steamer Arabian at Quebec. A run-a-way match — the pursuit, &c. Description of the river and scenery of the Lower St. Lawrence. The Gulf. Cape Rosier — a shipwreck — its horrors and consequences. Gaspo Head — a tragical occurrence. Gaspe Village, Ac Percy Rock. Bay of Chaleurs — singular appearance of the water at night, &c. CHAPTER III. My first sight of New Brunswick, and the singular objects that first attracted my attention. Town of Dalhousie, and sur- rounding scenery. Bay of Chaleur — its fish, &c. — appear- ance of the coast and country. Sail up the Miramichi river. Town of Chatham — a conspicuous character — a series Of singular events. Newcastle. Burning of Miramichi — the fearful and fatal ravages of the tire, and the sufferings of the people, &c. Our passage through the Richibucto cb^nnc^ < > 1', ' /If, ..''•' J A- VI (;onti:nts. — tlio galo — 51 rough sei\ — our dangerous coiulilion — ji panic among the paasongcM's — its causes anil consequences. Ar- rival at Shediae, kc. Departure for St. John. Aspect of the country. Town of Monckton. Sussex Vale. Kennc- becasls river — Indian names of phiccs. Arrival at the city of St. John. A his CIIAPTKR IV. The aboriginals of the country — their past and present condition. P'irst Kuropcan settlers. Position of New Brunswick — its natural features — population, &c. Capture of the St. John forts by the English — a legend. Description of the City of St. John — characteristics of its citizens — commerce, ship- building, &c. Suspension Ilridge — an Indian legend. The St. John Falls. Lunatic Asylum, (fee. Departure for Fredericton. The St. John River — the river scenery, its beauty and defects. Manner of taking in and letting otit passengers and freight — competition of the steamers. CHAPTER V. Fredericton — appearance of the city, and surrounding country. Origin of the name of Blue-Nose as applied to the people of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Climate, soil, alluvium deposits, forest and cultivated lands — agriculture — lum- bering — shipbuilding — fisheries — mines — i)ublic lands, &c. Agricultural statistics — commerce — railways — roads — reli- gion — education and literature. An interview with the poet Murdock. An evening with an old philosopher. CHAPTER VI. Departure from New Brunswick. Bay of Fundy. Our progress — Gulliver's Cove — an interview with two Yankee fishermen — a singular colloquy on the Union War — wonderful mani- festations of Northern patriotism and bombast. A dead calm and a dense fog. Six days and seven nights befogged on the Bay of Fundy, and the incidents connected therewith- Arrival at Halifax. A sad occurrence. \ CONTL.^TS. CHAPTER VII. VJJ A historical sketch of Nora Scotia — its early struggles — pro- gress — population — position — geographical features, Ac. , I.. I y CHAPTER Vni. Principal towns of Nova Scotia. Chcbucto Harbor. City of Halifax — its past and present — its progress, appearance, and prominent cliaracteristics. Town of Dartmouth, and surrounding country. Counties of Nova Scotia — na- ture of the soil — Granitic metamorphic district — salt and fresh water alluvia — Carboniferous, Silurian and Devonian soils — fertility of the alluvial. Area. Agriculture. Pro- ductions — lumber — manufactures — coal— fisheries — game — commerce — railway's — roads — telegraphs — revenue — ex- change. Government of the Province. Educational sta- tistics. Christian sects. CHAPTER IX. Hidden treasures — gold-seekers. Pursuit and burning of a French Man of War. Deposited treasures. Sad adventures of the seamen. Captain Kidd the pirate — his capture — escape of Lieut. Laurence — his adventures— divulging of the secret. Removal of the Dutch settlers from Massachu- setts Bay. Apparent discovery of the place where Kidd deposited his gold — The numerous attempts to obtain it, and the mysterious incidents and characteristics connected therewith. The discovery of gold in Nova Scotia — subse- quent discoveries — its eflfect upon the people of the Province in general. 1 1 .' 1. I I i-'M * ]' ''9 1« fl CHAPTER X. Manner of laying off the grounds at the gold mines. Forming of companies — mining operations — the position and condi- tion of the gold when found — appearance of the rocks, gold veins, &c. Shafting and tunneling, &c. Description 'r'» . \^. h ;; W*- \ •"►■ -\^^ '¥. ' .Ol-I m .',"'•"•'4'' ■ -4 ■ ■■■•( ■:Oi ■••1; ♦.. it' ''4 ■ I •■ ■ I' ■'.t 12 RAMBLES AMONO THE BLUE-NOSES. fortifications extend over an area of forty acres, and, next to those of Gibraltar, are the strongest in the world. From the summit of Cape Diamond, the hill upon which they stand, a most masj^nificent prospect is obtained ; and the soul feels as if elevated and expanded beyond its ordi- nary capacity, as, in vision, it stretches over the variegated and clysian landscape around. Ranges of hills in the dis- tance, and well cultivated fields, interspersed with trees, attract the fancy with poetic enchantment ; and the eye is delighted when it gazes upon the verdant island of Orleans, which smiles upon the bosom of the river, like a lovely virgin in the fond embraces of her lover. Nor is it alone in prospective loveliness that the fancy delights to revel ; there is a historic grandeur around those embattled walls. Look at yonder monument within the city gardens — read the inscriptions thereon — and the deaths of daring heroes are revealed. Go to the western extremity of the city and you will behold — The noted Plains of Abraham — Dread field of carnage and the dead ; Where gallant Wolfe and brave Montcalm In martial conflict fought and bled. Forced by the hardy Highland clan, With fearless dirk and bold claymore, The foe confused in numbers ran, And stained their country with their gore. 'Twas then the dying hero heard These words—" they fly,"—" they fly ; " " If 'tis the foe " — he faltering said — " My soul ib blessed, in peace I die." My next visit was to Beauport Asylum, some three miles distant from Quebec, The place and buildings are well tlAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 13 adapted for their purpose ; being away from the din and bustle of the city. The grounds are beautifully inter- spersed with trees, and watered by a winding rivulet ; nor is the interior of the building, although too small for the present demands of the Province, less worthy of attention. Every part is suitably constructed, — extremely clean, and well ventilated ; all of which have a magical influence to soothe and temper the disordered mind. The institution is partly supported by the Government, oid is under the superintendence of Dr. Douglas. The inmates number nearly 500, the females apparently in the majority. Each sex has its separate apartment, and is again subdivided and classed according to their diflFerent degrees of insanity ; and, nearly all are at liberty to enjoy sweet fellowship with their companions. On entering the apartment, I felt a peculiar sensation when I beheld tlie pitiable and eccentric gestures and mimicry of the poor unfortunates. My fency became bewildered betwixt the ludicrous and sympatlietic ; and my feelings, like the sun in a rain-cloud, knew not whether to burst into tears or give place to a smile. Many of the women were engaged in knitting and needlework ; a few were singing with all the pith and pathos of an orchestra ; some skipping about and performing a variety of clown-like gestures and gymnastics ; others dressed and being dressed in the most homely and fantastic shapes, and apparently inclined to neither disturb, nor be disturbed by the visitor. But a number of dejected-looking old women, with haggard and affrighted features, ran to the corners of the room to hide themselves, or drew their aprons over their faces ; while hero and there, sat a grim, old Wrinkled matron rocking to and Iro upon her haunches, and crooning to herself some doleful and expressive dirge. The nervous temperament appeared to predominate in ■A ^■■M\ ■ ' .'-I I •■■■■p] ■J- • ' »l II .■fi 'l! n 14 KAMLLES AMONd THE BLUE-NOSES. nearly all, particularly with the i'emtiles, many of whom had heads indicating high intellectual capacity ; but the disordered mind was clearly recognized at first sight, by the vacant stare, and their seemingly bewildered appearance. The most amusing character I beheld among the males, was a stout, elderly looking personage, with a patriarchal beard, and apparently once possessed of superior abilities. He was dressed in the most unfashionable and grotesque costume ever invented, and assuming the royal title of " David, the king of Jerusalem," and using considerable authority among his subjects, whom he titled the " Children of Israel." Another singular picture of insanity that attracted my notice, was that of a young athletic fellow rolling up his sleeves, knuckling his fists, and in pugilistic attitude ad- vancing upon some supposed antagonist, indicating a man beside himself — thrusting the air with prodigious avidity, and threatening to annihilate the retaliating phantom witli- out pardon or mercy. I had scarcely entered the next apartment, when one of the inmates from behind, grasped me suddenly by the arm, at the same instant calling me by name. Somewhat alarmed, I involuntarily sprang round, and after a moment's gaze, recognized him to be a very familiar and respected acquaintance of mine, whom I had neither seen nor heard of for some time. He shook me frantically by the hand, and appeared, at first, to speak sensibly enough; but a few moments of conversation wore sufiicient to con- vince me that he was still labouring; under the influence of insanity. When any of them addresses a stranger, it is generally in soliciting money or tobacco, which shows that the love of cash and a desire for stimulus are the inherent and fostered propensities of their nature. They are allowed to wander iaas..: RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 15 about the yard lor exercise ; and, during summer, many of the convalescent ones work in the garden and adjoining grounds. The most mischievous and immoral are confined in individual cells in a separate building ; but few persons are permitted to see them, as their habits are too filthy and disgusting for the politer feelings of humanity. During the winter season, one evening of each week is devoted to dancing and general amusement, of which they are particulaly fond. The moment the violin is sounded, men, women, and children, of every age and stature, spring to the floor, and the promiscuous dance is carried on with the most delightful enthusiasm ; the whole assuming a more antic and unearthly appearance, than did the Tam-0- Shanter witches of " Alloway Kirk :" — Through jigs and cotillons, plays, waltzes, and reels, They stamp and they shuffle and kick up their heels ; They laugh and they giggle, with winks and grimaces, With squirming, and wheeling, and shifting of places. And hugging and kissing in others embraces ; As happy as angels, as merry as clowns, And monarchs of nations and mayors of towns ; Victoria and Sheba, King David and Saul, Goliath and Samson, St. Patrick and Paul, Priests, poets, and painters, juofcssors and all. Happy and convivial as the wild revelry of their gym- nastic festivals indicate them to be, they are no doubt fre- quently aiFccted by feelings of a different character ; their mirth is only the flickerings of a fluctuating spirit, whose light of reason has become dimmed. Idiocy is the de- ficit of sense and reason, effected chiefly by a corrupted and uncongenial parentage; whilst that of insanity is nothing more than a circumstantial disarrangement of the mental machinery and the motive principle ; yet to what ■' 1- '■I '4. 16 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES* varied causes is it attributable. A father's brain is per- haps wrecked by some impending and inevitable calamity^, or perchance the fervid feelings of a mother's heart are unstrung through the reckless profligacy of a favourite son; and some fond and endearing wife is stricken by the harsh brutality of a drunken husband ; — ah ! thou demon of the licjuid hell — I fear thou hast hud long the majority in madness. Seduction too — thy work is here — The blighted hope and broken vow, The fading form of beauty's glow ; The slighted heart and grief-worn brow, The ruined maid — the wreck of woe. My next visit was to the " Falls of Montmorency," distant about eight miles north-east of Quebec, and at the junction of the Montmorency river with that of the St. Lawrence. On approaching them, I felt somewhat disap* pointed ; occasioned by the diminutive appearance of the river, and their comparative silence with those of Niagara. Having descended a stairway from tlie bank to a platform projecting to the very edge of tlie precipice, I then beheld with enraptured amazement, the beauty and sublimity of the cataract — the rolling and tumbling of the water over an almost perpendicular ledge of solid rock, to the depth of 280 feet, and then hiding itself in the misty folds of its fallen dignity. From below the Falls, a magnificent view of them is also obtained ; and when the tide is out, it is easy to creep along by the base of the mountain crags, until one feels him- self enveloped in the ethereal spray, and beholds, as it were, the overshadowings of the Almighty. Magnificent pros- pect! how beautiful and transporting to the reflective soul, and how refreshing to the feelings that are jarred and wounded by the jostling world. The spirit bathes in thg RAMBLES AMONO THE BLUE-NOSES. 17 fountain of delight, and feels a longing to be at liberty to revel amid the sparkling effervesence of the pellucid element. The mystery of their beauty and enchantment is neither embodied in the thunder of troubled waters, nor in the grandeur of imposing magnitude ; but is beautifully revealed through the emblem of purity and simplicity. So sweet — so lovely they appear, that the fancy is impressed with the similitude of a lovely virgin bathing in the crystal fountain of innocence, and gently gathering up around her the white mantle of modesty. From the incessant friction of the waters, the cataract appears to have receded, at least a quarter of a mile, leav- ing a beautiful and romantic cove, hemmed in by craggy steeps of an amazing height. At the head of the " Falls," immediately over the precipice, a suspension bridge was erected a few years ago, but shortly afterwards fell, carry- ing with it a man with his wife and child, who had been passing over it with a horse and cart, and all were precipi- tated over the fearful cataract into the misty depths below, a distance of nearly 350 feet. The pillars of that fatal bridge are still standing, and serve as monuments to the memory of their awful and untimely fate. One of the finest water privileges in Canada is afforded by this river, and has been made subservient for several years. Six extensive saw mills, a pail factory, &c., giving employment to many persons, are driven by a portion of the water brought from above the Falls, by an aqueduct, over the brow of the hill, a distance of nearly 200 rods ; and the density of the water in the '^'luice, by its intense rapidity and pressure, is rendered, at its greatest descent, as impregnable to penetration as the marble rock. These mills, and the greater portion of the land in the vicinity of the *' Falls," are the property of G. B. Hall, B t> t . 1. •' •<., .11 in 'i ti •J •X? I 1, ■I • {; .1 Mm :l 18 RAMBLES AMONG TlIK BLUE-NOSES. Esq. ; his mansion is situated on the bank of the river, directly opposite the cataract, and the adjoining grounds are beautifully adorned by groves and avenues. That very mansion, and those romantic fields were formerly the seat and pleasure gardens of British royalty. Hero the Duke of Kent, father of our present Queen, had his summer residence, during his stay of several years in Canada. From this point a splendid view of Quebec is obtained. The jutting promontory of " Diamond Hill," and the reced- ing declivity of the north side of the city, towards the St Charles river, together with the many spires and tin covered buildings radiant with the sunbeams, like palaces of crystal, render the prospect at once delightful and picturesque. The scenery around the ''Falls "is beautiful and romantic. Proceeding up the Montmorency river, the channel becomes more narrow, and the banks high and rugged ; in some places rising to a perpendicular height of 150 feet. At a short distance above the " Falls," the Iron river enters the Montmorency, having a subterraneous pas sage from its entrance of more than half a mile. l*roceeding further up the river, which becomes deeper and more rapid, we come to what are called the " Natural Steps." These are nothing more than shelves of limestone, resembling steps, and leading down towards the edge of the water. The river here, though small, assumes a most splendid appearance. It winds itself through a channel of solid rock, with fearful rapidity; lashing itself against the sides of the ledges that jut out, which in many parts are beautifully carved and hollowed out by the water, and resemble the works of an ingenious sculptor. The 8t. Lawrence river,opposite the " Falls," is separated r r f RAMBLES AMONG TIIK HLUE-N0SE8. 10 into two brahchcs by the island of Orleans, forming the North, and South, or French, and English Channels. It is said, that the former was preferred by the early navigators of the river ; but from its increasing shallowness, and the growing safety of the other, it has been nearly abandoned. This island is twenty one-miles in length, — high and beau- tiful, and is resorted to in summer by pic-nic parties and pleasure-seekers. It is noted as being the head-quarters of the British invaders under Wolfe. It was from here th.-^t the young general gazed, with the eye of a Napoleon, upon the " Mountain City," and beheld its impregnable bulwarks, and apparently invulnerable enemy, it was here that he tested his superior abilities and military tactics in framing the designs and strategies of attack ; and here a thousand British swords were whetted for the bloody conflict upon the crown of loyalty. To prevent the English from landing, the French had erected fortifications along the higher banks of the shore from Quebec to Montmorency. Wolfe, having surveyed every point, attempted to land his forces at the Falls, under cover of the gunboats, but was shamefully repulsed. At Beauport another desperate attempt to drive the enemy from the heights was made, but without effect. Finding himself repeatedly defeated, yet more courageous and resolute than ever, he had recourse .to another strategy. He landed a portion of his troops three miles below the " Falls," so as to effect a passage through the woods, cross the Montmor- ency river, and meet the foe upon equal ground ; whilst the remaining part of his army were attracting the attention of the enemy by an unceasing fire from the gun-boats. Montcalm, having discovered the design, sent a large body of Indians into the woods, who so harassed and destroyed the invading party, as to compel them to retreat with con- .1 'fc ,■ J Pi, 0-. 'd rk * _* !!■ •■I I, \t\ y •• 20 llAMBLES AMUNci TIIR HLUK-NOSES. sidoralilo loss. Ai^jiiii bjifflud and defeated, tlie liritisli General had recourse to a morc^ ingenious and effectual expedient. Having ceased every action of aggression, lie withdrew his fleet to the lower extremity of the island, and leaving the enemy to suppose that he had finally withdrawn. The French, finding themselves rid of so harassing a foe, and much exhausted i'rom previous exertion, allow- ed themselves a greater freedom of indulgence in secu- rity that night, than they were wont to do. Meanwhile the British fleet ascended the channel under cover of night, and continued an uninterrupted (iourse along the southern side of the river — passed Point Levi, and finally landed at a cove some three miles above the city. Here began the laborious task of effecting a passage up the rugged and almost insurmountable heights ; but the work went on silently and determinately, until the incredible prodigy was achieved. In the meantime, so as to divert the attention of the enemy towards the opposite direction, a frigate, con- taining a (quantity of gunpowder, and purposely detained at tlic island, was run into the northern channel and set fire to The fearful conflagration, and the terriffic explosion aroused the morbid enemy into action, impressing them with the idea that the British were practising some infernal and effectual " ruse dc guerre " upon them. The whole atten- tion of the city was also directed towards the dreaded and suspicious beacon, and a reinforcement was ordered from the Citadel to Beauport, in case of the actual appearance of the British upon the shore. This intellectual and ingenious strategy had its desired effect, in weakening the garri- son, and attracting the main foTce of the enemy to a dis- tance of several miles from the city. Whilst the French were bustling with activity, and strenuously watching for the approach of the enemy, the British were busily en- • ..1 UAMliLES AM()N(J THE lil.UE-NOSES. 21 ^ai^ed, at a different point, in laying the gruinulwork of un effectual attack : and when the sun of the morning had arisen,, the '' Plains of Abraham " were dotted with red- coats and cannon, all in readiness to meet the foe. liut ere Montcalm had time to gather his re-inforcements from the shores, (the bridge over the St. Charles river being treacherously destroyed,) the British flag was hoisted upon the walls of the Citadel, and waving in martial triumph amidst the shouts of victory and renown.* Since this eventful period, one century has passed away, and with it have also passed the heroes of that fearful struggle ; yet vestiges of their work still survive. Some of the ruins of the French intrcnchments are still visible along the shore, and weapons and gun balls arc frequently extracted from the ground. Two years ago a portion of the hulk of the " decoy frigate " was discovered by some fishermen, and the good old English oak sold to the hihitans and converted by them into fence pins. But all these things, insignificant as they appear to the vulgar eye, are suggestive of ideas to the reflective genius, that are wortliy of being cherished and revered. A thousand spectres are con- jured up from the hollow sepulchres of the Past ; and every vestige, kindred to that scene, is animated by the magic wand of anticjuity. Tlie actors of that fearful tragedy have long since played their part, and the white curtains of peace have dropped upon the bloody scene ; but still do the proud waters of the St. Lawrence roll on as majestically as ever; and the Falls of the far-famed Montmorency, .* ' * ■■ ''■'■» ii\ ■ I' ■ i ,l un intense bewildennent, betwixt hope and fear. Scarcely had they entered upon the vensel, when the phmkH w(;re drawn in, and the paddle-wheels be^an to move. At that moment a caleclie was seen driven furiouaiy down tliu wharf towards the steamer, eoiuuining the driver and a stout, elderly gentleman, who were incessantly beckonino with hat and hand, and shouting with herculean lungs to stop the steamer. The captain, believitig the demand to be of great importance, ordered the vessel *'to lay to;" and the portly old gentleman entered puffing and per- spiring, as if the steam-engine was working within his own liulk ; and very abruptly demanded of the captain if his daughter was on board, who he said had eloped with a blackguard of a fellow ; but without waiting for a reply, he Imrried towards the cabin deck. This unexpected incident created considerable amusement to all on board. The fugi- tives could not be found, and the captain having assured him that he had seen no parties of their description, the frantic old gimtleman hurriedly departed to follow them up on some other track. The clue to this mysterious aft'air was, however, made known shortly afterwards. The captain having occasion to enter his room was astonished to find in it the young couple referred to ; they having secreted themselves there on seeing the sudden approach of the ftither. They narrated the incidents relative to their elopement, and begged of the captain to allow them to con- tinue their journey. To give my readers a further insight of the affair, I will briefly explain the incidents connected therewith. The old gentleman alluded to, was a French Canadian of considerable wealth and influence, and the young lady was the favorite daughter of his family, highly accomplished and beautiful in the extreme. It appears that she had formed '••f •r-h i! I . ■» '4. ■V 24 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. an attachment to her cousin, who as ardently manifested his love to her; but the kindred alliance, and his father having designed him for the priesthood, seemed immovable barriers to their union. But any force when applied to suppress or exterminate true love, serves only to strengthen and accelerate its will and progress. Such was the effect produced in their minds, and so openly did its manifesta- tions become, that he was forbidden to enter the holy " sanctum," and she was denied the indulgence of his com- pany. Her parents being suspicious of an elopement, kept a strict observance over her movements ; however, a secret interview was obtained, and the fugitive design matured. On the afternoon of that day on which she left,, she expressed a desire to walk down to an aunt of hers, who resided in the eastern part of the city, on pretence of get- ting some new paintings she wished to copy, promising to return in half an hour. It was then within a few minutes of four o'clock ; the hour at which the Arabian was announced to leave. Having thrown on her bonnet she left the room, and in a few moments reached the avenue where a covered carriage stood in readiness to receive her : — a mo- ment passed aid she was seated by the side of her lover, and away rattled the wheels over the dusty pavement. But ingenious as the strategy had been, it had not escaped the eye of her father. It appears that he must have either seen her from the adjoining street, or from some window adjacent to the avenue, as he was not in the house when she left. Be this as it may, he had assuredly noticed them as they mounted the carriage, or he would not have followed them in such hot pursuit ; under these circumstances I have already introduced him to the notice of my readers. The passengers on board the Arabian were in general intelligent and conversive; and, togetlier with the kindness M RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. tilt.) and attention of the ofl&cers or" the vessel, the voyage was rendered interestingly instructive. The steamer, being u coaster, afforded us an excellent view of the southern shore of the river, and an opportunity of calling at several places on the route. The scenery of the lower St. Lawrence is m general possessed of a very romantic and magnificent appearance, having a background of wooded heights: the fore- ground picture is pleasantly varigated with bright, cheerful looking cottages, with clustering groups of these, here and there formed into villages, and all presenting a very neat and clean-looking appearance. The river is dotted with numerous islands ; many of which are interspersed with trees of the richest foliage, and beautified by a luxuriant vegetation. Elated as my feelings had become by the lively aspect under the calm and inspiring influence of a lovely summer evening, I felt a sudden turn of reflection as we passed the station of quarantine at " Grosse Isle." There, reposed the dust of thousands who had braved the danger- ous ocean in ilie bright anticipation of realizing a happy home — perhaps a fortune — in the widely celebrated forests of Canada. There, many a family circle had been broken, — and many a tear had moistened the kindred dust, in the first struggle with the vicissitudes of Canadiati life. Dur- ing the summer of 1847, no fewer than 40,000 Irish emi- grants died of ship fever on this island, 5,000 of whom are buried in one pit, without a stone to point out to posterity that fearful wreck of human mortality. The mighty river itself was also to me a magnificent object of interesting contemplation. Its expansive waters rolling down ocean-ward in evergatliering strength, with rapid current and glorious sweep, — grandly emblematical of power and majesty ; and when the orb of day had sunk beneath the gorgeous trappings of the horizon, the queen m ' *"< if F, " t.i ■•■. 'V ' . I ■ ■ is:,- :. I!.- ■ i- 4 •V: I. ■.4i 2(J RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. of night arose in pale beauty, shedding its silvery sheen upon the bosom of the waters, forming a scene of surpas- sing loveliness. The land bordering the coast gradually becomes more sterile and mountainous as we approach the gulf, present- ing a bleak and uninteresting aspect. At length the signs of cultivation almost totally disappear, and over two hundred miles of shore are passed, that is still girt by the pri- meval forest ; with the exception of here and there, a few fishermen's solitary dwellings in some secluded cove. Ranges of rugged hills ru . parallel with the shore, on whose tops are the scraggy forests of a thousand year^', that have never echoed to the settler's axe. Dark inaccesiblc ravines, overshadowed by irregular masses of rocks, remain yet untouched by the foot of man, and where the wild raven an the prowling monarchs of the wood still revel in unmolested majesty and power. The summits of the St. Ann moun- tains were still white with snow, which seemed as if relent- less winter had given a stern refusal to the genial favors of a courteous summer; or, as if June, like a lovely virgin, was struggling within the iron embraces of January. When such is the aspect during the sunny months, what must it be when under the icy influence of winter, — When Boreas sweeps with icy breath The dark ravine, the mountain woods ; And scatters forth his seeds of dcatli, And hill and rock are sunk beneath The snows, like Alpine solitudes. On the second day we passed '' Cape Rosier," — a bleak and unattractive spot on the gulf shore, and 420 miles dis- tant from Quebec. A light-house and a number of shanties scattered around the cape, give a partial relief to the rugged RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 27 landscape ; but neither the nature of the soil, nor the inclin- ation of its inhabitants, will ever admit of a gigantic pro- gress in a2;riculture and civilization. Gold and uncongenial as Cape Hosier appeared to be, yet there was no spot that I beheld in all my travels so attractive and interesting to my fancy. I gazed upon it with intensity, and every form and feature were scrutinized by an all-absorbing gaze. Feel- ings of a mystical influence arose within my mind ; and through the dim vista of years, upon the swelling tide of a youthful memory, and perchance imagination, the vivid spectres of the dreary past arose in horrible array. That very spot is pregnant with a thousand associations ; and were it gifted with the power of language it could tell an appalling tale of suffering and of death. Yes, — it was there — and unexpectedly too, — that I received my first introduc- tion to Canadian soil. But the event is so full of stirring and interesting incidents, that I feel unwilling to proceed until T have unfolded the circumstances connected there- with. In the good old classfc town of Edinburgh, Scotland, I was ushered into the world of life : three years afterwards, my parents being influenced by the opening prospects of Canada, resolved to emigrate thither. We embarked at Leith on the brig Wellington, commanded by captain Young, and bound for Quebec. By boisterous seas and contrary winds, our voyage over the Atlantic was rendered long and extremely rough. And when we had entered the gulf of St. Lawrence, it being early in spring, large quan- tities of floating ice rendered our condition anything but safe and agreeable. On the morning of this memorable event I am about to relate, a dense fog, preceded by a dark night, had settled upon the waters; a calm prevailed and the floating vessel "it A t # yi 4 1 ■i4 •m ■'.s- .ii I f ' ■■i '■•*«pw««««i3si^^@rp^s„ 28 KAMBLES AMONU THE BLUE-NOSES. was borne onward by the landward tide, wliicli was running extremely hij^li. At length a tremendous shoek, followed by a fearful crashing of the ship's timbers, was felt, which vibrated with convulsive terror through every soul on board ; but, for the present I leave the vivid imagination of my readers to picture the frantic and bewildered scene that immediately ensued. On examining the vessel it was dis- covered that she had struck upon a reef and was in immediate danger. The shore was apparently at no great distance. Signals of distress were fired — boats lowered — but before many minutes had elapsed, two fishermen from shore in a small boat came to our assistance. The captain gave orders that the women and children were the first to be taken ashore ; this having been accomplished, every man on board was more desirous than ever of saving his own life, as the vessel by this time was filling up fast by the immense volume of water that found an entrance by the shattered hulk ; but all were not so fortunate in the attempt. One of the last boats with its living cargo, ready to leave, was swamped by the heavy swell of the plunging vessel as she sank, and all were suddenly swallowed up in the fatal and overwhelming vortex. The winters of Cape Rosier are extremely severe, and contijQue several weeks longer than those in the district of Montreal ; the srow frequently falls to the depth of ten and fifteen feet. At the time we landed upon its shore, it being the fifteenth of May, the cold was intense aad the snow averaged three feet in depth. On the cape there were only one hut and the walls of another. At the distance of half a mile, on the receding bend of the coast were also other two hovels ; and these were the only visible specimens of the house species there in those days. Imagine for a moment tlie niisernble condition of one luindred and fifty RAMBLES AMON(i THE DxiUE-NOSES. 20 persons, thrown upon the barren coast of that cold and uncongenial climate, huddled together in dirty hovels ; and destitute of the common necessaries that human nature requires, as nothing of any consequence had been saved from the wreck. Cape Rosier, though not assuming an extremely danger- ous position, has some underlying reefs around it, that have f're(juently proved treacherous and even fatal to benighted mariners. The scattered inhabitants along the coast, once having shar- ed in the spoils of shipwreck, like the hound that has once tasted of blood, were ever afterwai'ds ready to seize upon the effects of a shipwreck, and murder the passengers if any resistance whatever was shown. But few were the apparent allurements of our wreck. Few, if any, had saved more than the common coverings of their person ; yet, prudence in the protection of life was essential, even under our meagre circumstances. At the time of the wreck, the captain, aware of our future danger, had ordered the guns and ammunition obtainable to be taken ashore. Such foresight was rendered available, — a regular guard was immediately organized, to be relieved by turns. The intelligence of our wreck was soon conveyed to the neighboring shanties ; and, on the morning after the event, a banditti of about twenty rough-looking fellows, armed with weapons, came down among the passengers. The appearance of such barbarous and apparently blood thirsty ruffians, struck terror even to the stoutest heart. In person they were tall and stoutly built, swarthy in color, and bearded with hair of the coarsest black. They had probably originated from a union of the French and Indian, as they spoke the bastard language of the former in a very gruff and confused tone. They existed by fishing, hunting ' ■.•'1,. ,■ -1! t;lj ■o-. * ■",♦1 ■:! •J. : . '^ i* !• . V!.. •■'I '- * ' 'i:! 30 UAMP.LES AMON(ji THE BrilIl'>NOSE.S. I and ship-plunder, and might with propriety be called coast pirates, or rather "land sharks." On their approach, the captain cautioned the passengers not to assume fear ; yet to show them all possible kindness and civility, unless harsh treatment in return rendered it otlierwise ; however, noth- ing vjf a disagreeable nature occurred. Having surveyed the men at arms and the passengers in gcnertd, either from fear to attack, or the poverty of our condition, they behaved themselves wisely, and at length walked oif, gabbling like geese, and apparently much disappointed. Imperfect as our accommodations were, our fare was still worse. For several days we subsisted entirely upon fish. The captain, however, succeeded in obtaining a few barrels of flour from a Mr. Butler, who kept a small store at the head of Gaspe Bay, — the only thing of that kind in exist- ence in those parts. The flour was converted into biscuits, and each person allowed but one per day. A young gram- pus was caught, and boiled and roasted for the common want. Circumstances, it is said, alter cases; such indeed was truly verified in our condition. Many, who had pre- viously lived in comfort and abundance, were here necessi- tated to slumber in a dirty hovel among promiscuous bed- fellows, and satisfy their sharpened appetites with the " dainty bits " of a reeking grampus. The women and children suff"ered severely, many of whom never wholly re- covered. Day after day in this miserable condition we continued in anxious anticipation of a removal; but owing to the severity of the spring, and being distant from the regular course of the sea vessels, our chances for some time appeared rather a matter of uncertainty. Two weeks elapsed ere a favorable opportunity occurred ; but, only one fourth of our nund»er could be then taken, — lots were cast — and the fortunate removed. Three weeks — and three-fourths RAMBLES AMONG THE BLlfE-NOSES. 31 i r 1 of the passengers had gone ; but, one month had elapsed ere the remaining part were removed ; and amongst that un- fortunate number it was our lot to be cast. But thanks be to Providence that we survived, the consequences of that fearful and conflicting calamity. Twenty odd years have run their rounds since that eventful period, and, young as I was at that time, the deep impression that was then engra- ven upon my mind will live while my spirit has an earthly existence. I now return to my voyage by the Arabian. — Seven miles from Cape Rosier is Gaspd Head ; a bold promontory of solid rock rising perpendicularly to the height of 400 feet, and projecting a considerable distance from the mainland. A tragedy of the most barbarous nature is traditionally connected with this place. During the early part of the last century many deeds of a piratical nature were perpe- trated in the gulf of St. Lawrence ; its geographical position affording the most favorable opportunities. A noted ban- ditti of pirates, having for many years pestered the mariner on his course, were at length captured in Gaspd Bay, — into which they had run their vessel to evade their pursuers. Nearly all of them were taken alive, and then conveyed to the extremity of Gaspd Head. Ropes were tied to their feet, and they were thrust over the verge of that fearful precipice, and left, suspended by the heels, to suffer a mis- erable death, and become as carrion to the eagle and the raven of the rock. Gaspe village, situated at the head of the bay, is small and very irregular, yet considerable busi- ness is done there in the fish trade. The scenery around has a somewhat romantic appearance ; but a bleak sterility, even in the very atmosphere seems to pervade the wlioh^ The land is extremely mountainous, woody and barren, but ma^ probably be rich in minerals. Lead mines have ■ !i . k ■ '* I - I 4 ■■I M *^«***»eessi^^ 82 RAMBLES AMON(J THE IJLUE-NOSES. been lately discovered on the coast, and are worked to con- siderable advanta^ije. So as to increase the population, and cultivate the soil, the Canadian Government lately ap- pointed a land ap;ent, instructinii; him to grant farm lots to nil who desired to become actual settlers. This inducement attracted thither a Ijirt^c body of Norwegian emigrants, who, after a short and ineffectual trial, deserted the land and removed to the more genial climate of Western Canada. After leaving Gaspe Bay, although nearly dark, my eye was attracted by a very interesting natural object in the shape of a mountain resting upon the waters, like some huge mammoth mastodon of the primeval period sitting in the gulf of Erebus. It consisted of solid rock, 400 feet in height, and apparently a quarter of a mile in length, and known by the name of " Percy Rock." It appeared to be partly divided by a perpendicular split from the top, as if some huge Hercules had cleft it in twain by a blow of his sword. A natural tunnel, some thirty feet in height by for- ty in width penetrated its base, forming a sort of disputed territory for the angry billows as they meet and mingle in mutual conflict from either side. Night has again overshadowed with its sable wings the glories of departed day, yet calm and beautiful is the face of nature. The heavenly moon is shedding her profusive effulgence over the living waters, and lightening up the dark profile of hills that skirt the eastern extremity of Ca- nada, — a magnificent blending of the serenely beautiful with the wild sublimity of nature. The passengers are promen- ading upon the deck, or sitting conversing in convivial groups, seemingly delighted with the beauty of the scene. The liours roll on, and the vessel is coursing over the dark- green waters of the Bay of Chaleur. Nor is the fancy delighted only by the surrounding aspect enveloped in its I RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 33 silvery sheen ; turn the eye towards the deep, and behold that mysterious phenomenon of the waters sparkling with innumerable gems of intrinsic light, and the radiated forms of myriads of fishes darting from before the vessel like the flitting streaks of the northern aurora,and beautifully diverg- ing into the form of the rainbow. These phenomena arc supposed by some to arise from innumerable insects emitting a pliosphoric gas from their bodies by the action of the waters ; others imagine such to be only the effect produced by the the friction of salinous particles assuming certain positions. Again, and again, I have since tried to discover the real cause, — and now feel confident in believing such to be noth- ing more than the visible effect of electricity when disturbed from its latent position, and in the act of escaping to the atmosphere. These phenomena assume a more vivid appear- ance before rain, or when the wind is coming out of the east, — an indication of a change of soft weather in that part of the country. The philosophy of such appears to me to be simply this : — The secondary instrument of every change in the earth and atmosphere seems to be electricity, or rather magnetism. It is the vital messenger of the spiri- tual system, and the purifier and organizer of all matter. Influenced by foreign attraction, it soars into the higher strata of the atmosphere, and spiritrlike embodies itself with the clouds, and causes them to fall in liquid upon the earth. To supply the demand occasioned by the rising and descending of the different strata in the upper regions of the atmosphere, the earth and sea give off a portion of their electric fluid, and we behold it as the phenomena I have described. We see it also in the form of the '' aurora bore- alis," which is nothing more than currents of electricity rushing to a higher region to enable the clouds to discharge themselves upon the earth. But why do not the fresh P- ■■■■;'■■ i'!'..l . r * ; ■*} ii •Ml "I ^•- 84 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. waters assume similar phenomena? to which I answer, that the salinous fluid is more of a compound body, and hence contains, and generates more of the electric element. Such is corroborated by the established fact, that electricity is more strongly and rapidly produced by a union of differ- ent ingredients. Mysterious as such phenomena appear to be, they are undoubtedly a very beautiful manifestation of the Deity in the essential economy of nature. The longer that I gazed upon those living images of divine wisdom, the more deeply I became impressed with the harmonious philosophy of nature; and long after my ship companions had retired to the shades of oblivion. I sat upon the solitary deck, unwilling to annihilate the vital enjoyment of the scene. All was apparently silent but the clanking of the machinery and the monotonous music of the paddle wheels, yet, the voice of nature was not silent. Every object in nature, dumb though it appeared to be, was full of language to the poetic soul, and peopled the imagination with a world of its own creation. The vessel curves its pathway o'er the deep j And from her sides the severed waters leap, Hissing and foaming till their strength recedes; All radiant with the germs of living light, Like fire-flies dancing on the waves of night. Or rich embroidery strung with silver beads. llAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 35 \ , CHAPTER III. From foreign scenes " 'tis distance lends Enchantment to the view," But here is seen the " sylvan green " Instead of "azure hue." Tourist. Early next morning I was awakened from my dreamy slumber by the hoarse voice of the Arabian's steam-pipe announcing our arrival at the port of Dulliousie. I imme- diately hurried upon deck to get a prospective view of the town and vicinity — my first glance upon the coast of New Brunswick. I also felt a sort of quivering curiosity to see a New Brunswick " Blue Noser," as very probably he might differ in some respects from our Canadian " Rouges." But the first object that attracted my notice was a " reg'lar darkey " on the wharf, hugging at the hawser or " stay rope " of the vessel, and in such an awkward and unstylish manner as to convince me that his "greenness " would be but a poor certificate to constitute him a " Blue-Jacket." My attention was further arrested by a number of singularly- looking, and strangely dressed beings, apparently of the human form, but of varied sizes, lining the wharf, and seemingly waiting with eager desire to get on board. Each one had a blanket around the body, and drawn closely over the head and face, leaving the proboscis bare, like the neb of a nestled chicken sticking out through the wing of its mother ; which organ being blue with the morning chill, left me no reason to doubt of their identity as a specimen of the " Blue Noses." But a secondary observation annulled the assured veracity of my vision ; for on having rubbed the I .11 j:'- .?< mi 3G RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. s i fog out of my eyes, I recognized them to bo no other than a party of s([uaws, apparently on a trading excursion to some other town. In the course of a few minutes a num- ber of gentlemen cliiefly of tlie " weiglit and measure '' business, came upon the wharf, whose active and respectable appearance upset my vague and outlandish ideas of the New Brunswiekers, and substituted a more favourable impression. Having ascertained that the steamer would stay for a couple of hours, I availed myself of the opportunity of visitinu; the town. Dalhousie is situated at the furthest western extremity of the Bay of Chaleur. Its population, I think, cannot exceed 800. It is built on the acclivity of a range of low hills; but neither the design of the town, nor tlic appearance of the houses represents a modern dignity in taste and architecture. The scenery possesses a shade of the romantic and beautiful, but the apparent sterility of field and forest, throws a damper over tlie heated fancy, and the eye turns to gaze with invigf rated delight over the calm pellucid waters of the Bay, and thence arises to take its final glance of the adjacent hills that cluster in wild disorder along the Canadian coast. From Dalhousie our course was directed to Bathurst, situated upon an arm of the Bay, on the eastern shore. But it being low tide at the time, the steamer was prevented from reaching the port, and passengers and freight were removed by small boats. Thence returning, we proceeded down the eastern coast of the Bay of Chaleur — a magnifiicent sail, indeed, as the weather was favourable. The Bay is over 100 miles in length, and from fifteen to fifty in breadth, and is destitute of any impediment to navigation. It was originally one of the principal fishing gTOunds of France; IIAMIJLES AMON(J THE BLUE-NOSEH. 87 and is still famed for tlic variety and abundance of its fish.* Immense numbers of nmall boats dotted its surface, and the constant hauling of the line and hook was an evident sign of the universal presence of cod-fish and mackerel. This bay, during its whole length, separates Canada from New Brunswick, but there is a striking contrast between the two coasts ; that of the former is rocky, mountainous, and almost incapable of being cultivated, whilst the latter is less hilly, in many parts low and flat, apparently formed from alluvial deposits of sand and clay, and wooded with scraggy fir ; however, a considerable portion of the country bordering the shore appears to be well inhabited and culti- vated. Day at length passed, and night with its gentle moon, again visitejt.1 our hemisphere, exhibiting with calm and solemn sublimity, the glorious assemblage of the etherial heavens. The vessel was again skirting the expanded shore of the great gulf, and the moonbeams playing upon the gentle ripples of its restless bosom ; as if the stars of heaven had left their refulgent shadows upon the broken mirror of the deep. Early on the following morning we entered the Mirami- chi river, and proceeded to Chatham, a distance of twenty miles. The town is small, but beautifully situated upon the bank of the river ; but does not command that atten- tion which its position might enable it to do. The streets arc irregular; the houses are chiefly of wood, and their dingy, weather-beaten aspect shows that neither paint nor whitening is considered as the essential attributes of taste or beauty. * The Indian name of the Bay of Chaleur is (Eckretannema- CHi)--3ignifying a " Sea of Fish." . ■•' ■r; • 'I 38 11 AMBLES AMONC} THE BLUE-NOSES. As my narrative is neitlicr confined to subject, nor cir- cumscribed by rules, I feel at liberty to notice an incident that occurred whilst here. A few minutes previous to the steamer leaving, a rather conspicuous character made his appearance upon the wharf, attended by a bristly specimen of the canine species. One glance was sufficient to see that the organ of self-esteem occupied a very prominent position in his cranium — so much so that it universally reflected itself, and magnified the man in his own mirror. His dress was superbly stylish, and fastidiously adjusted in every part. On the oily summit of his cranium sat a Parisian castor of the latest fashion, from under which, hung curling locks, glistening with odoriferous oils. A tuft of hair protruded from his upper lip ; whilst a similar specimen, resembling a paii^ter's brush, hung presumptuously from his chin. From his ostentatious appearance and manner, I popped him down at once in my " note book " as a " foppy-show," a " reg'lar pompy swell " of the first magnitude, so to speak, and apparently foreign to the place, as nothing of his stamp was visible about the town. He appeared as if wishing to become a passenger; but before entering, stood a moment or two, twitching him- self up with a sort of ungraceful dignity, and eying the vessel with rather a waggish stare, whilst with finger and thumb, he kept whirling a flimsy cane in careless yet graceful motion. Beside him stood his mastiff" companion, like a dog of conse(iuencc, casting a white-eye expression at the passers-by. At that moment one of his own canine species happened to come along, and gave him a sort of " how d'ye do" look, which irritated his feelings to such a degree, that he shewed his dignity at once by showing his ivory. The other dog feeling himself as big, saluted him after the same manner, and received, in return, a sharp rap over the RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 39 head by the cane, accompanied by a savage grip of the mastifif. "A dog fight," hoarsely shouted one of the seamen, and a rush was made towards the spot. Yes — a dog fight in reality — one of those singular incidents that draw a crowd together in a jiffey — affording an excellent subject to the " rto^-matical philosopher of the magnet," as a "dogma" demonstrable of the mysterious attractive forces of " Animal Magnetism." What a prodigious up- roar is generally created by a dog fight. It astonishes me why so many, even of our Christian community, will countenance such brutal barbarity, and find amusement in the sufferings of an animal. But the fight goes on — rough and tumble is the order of the battle; up and down, hither and thither they go, followed by the motley squad, and headed by the "hero" of the uproar. A moment more, and the dogs are upon the very verge of the wharf. Our hero springs forward to save his dog from a plunge, but his eager expertness is overdone, for just as he seizes hold of the tail, away they go, and he is also hur- ried over the wharf with them, and a heavy splashing gulp of the waters is heard from below, which beautifully verifies the old adage — " There's many a slip T'wixt the shore and the s/tip." At this instant the crowd becomes excited — noise and confusion ensue — a moment more — and the dogs are separ- ately beating their course to shore. A rope is thrown over the wharf and the man is saved ; but alas ! the magnificent castor — like the bulrush ark of Moses, — is seen floating at random upon the stream. The man is saved — but not the man of the superb exterior that he was. Where is the white starched collar and the glossy coat, the oily ringlets and the .,< ■.'•,..kj ■ : ]h • ■ 'I 1 '■' '^i' '**'. It I 'J l» if ,.< I ' i\ H 40 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. N 1 velvet vest ? where, the cloth-proud dignity and the pom- pous pride ? — gone — vanished — and the man has been sud- denly metamorphosed, as if by magic, into the miserable shadow of what he was, — shrivelled and saturated — vanity cooled, and a multiplicity of ills about him, and his tongue ready to exclaim through his coldly chattering teeth, in the language of Shakespeare : " Oh! what a fall was there my countrymen^ It reminded me of the tailor who broke through the ice while skating, but having regained his position, declared that he would never again leave his hot " goose " for a cold '' duck" ; and our hero no doubt, like the man of obscure parentage, who was suddenly raised from indigence to afflu- ence, felt more proud of his " ascent " than " descentJ^ But the drama is not concluded yet : troubles, it is said travel in a train, and it appeared that those of our hero had only but begun ; for no sooner had he shown his ap- pearance upon dry land, when two men somewhat hurriedly apprehended him by a warrant. It appears that he was a native of Yankeedom ; and pro- bably one of those peaceable patriots, or " Bull Run skedad- dlers," who unwilling to fight for the '' Union," " Had left his country for his country's good,^^ He was also a teacher of vocal and instrumental music — and rather than become drum-major, to rally his country- men around the " starry banner " of Lincoln's '^ blue caps," he had quietly slipped over the " lines," choosing rather to exist upon music for a season among the " Blue Noses," and for the time being, let "Yankee Doodle" and "Hail Columbia," go with all the other good things of his nation to the " Land of Dixie." RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 41 For several weeks prior to this affair he had lived in the house of a respectable gentleman, some fifteen or twenty miles distant from Ch; tham, instructing his family in the art of music ; and had at length initiated himself into the favors of his eldest daughter. But the father being somewhat suspicious of their apparent intimacy, paid him his dues, and informed him that his services were no longer desired. He was to leave on the following morning; but, during the night, he made his exit, taking with him the gentleman's mastiff, and a sum of $85, that he had extracted from the cash box. The gentleman, being early made aware of his departure, by a servant who had noticed his nocturnal egress, immediately procured a warrant, — and more by good fortune than anything else, had struck upon the right track, and finally nabbed him the instant that he was extracted from the liquid clement , and thus, unexpectedly he was taken from his study of hydrology, to graduate in burglary at a court of justice. Our next stopping place was Newcastle, seven miles further up the river. This town or rather village is pleasantly situ- ated, but its appearance indicates that the orgians of order and color are somewhat deficient in the people. Immense quan- tities of sawn timber here, and at many other places along the shores, show that the lumbering business is extensively carried on in the district of Miramichi. The river is large and beautiful, and is divided into two branches, each of which are navigable for a considerable distance. The coun- try is slightly undulating, and in many parts apparently well cultivated ; but it appears singular to me that so large a quantity of cereal produce is annually imported to these parts. Miramichi, literally translated, signifies "happy retreat," — so called by a tribe of the Micmac Indians, who had ■•-»■> ■' • •■■ : fell *fv .r^ .-■f 4» . .''f- ^ '..1 ■ • t 1 . * f ' V 3 1!' ., 4^ I I ■'," v< V ■■ 11 42 IIAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. !'!; t '4: ¥.1 i I .1 retreated thither after an inglorious contest with those of the Iroquois. Many of my readers, may probably have heard of the fearful " burning of Miramichi " — a conflagra- tion that still reflects horror on the memory of those who witnessed the awful scene. The summer of 1826 had been excessively hot and wither- ing, and some parts of this continent, and even Europe suff'cred severely from drought and fire. Many parts of the Canadian forest were also desolated at that time, and much of the land deprived of its vegetable deposits by the ravages of a fire, that in some parts of the combustible soils con- tinued to burn even until the middle of winter. Autumn came, and the sultry sky still continued to withhold its moisture, and the kingdoms of nature became morbid, and languished under the scorching; element. On the afternoon of a Sabbath in August of that memor- able year, the fire of Miramichi broke out in the village of Newcastle, the identical place on which the present one stands; with such immense rapidity did the fire extend its fury in the gathering strength of the atmosphere, that in a few minutes the whole village was enveloped in one univer- sal sheet of blazing fire. The aff"righted inhabitants like the ancient Pompeians ran confusedly from the all-devouring element j but many were overwhelmed in the fiery vortex. The very wharves were burnt to the water's edge, and vessels and their cargoes alike destroyed. Nor did it confine its ravages to this place alone ; nor could the hand of mortal arrest its progress, or say ^'hitherto shalt thou come and no further." Infuriated by the winds the contagious element spread rapidly over the land, at that time chiefly covered with woods. The very air was pregnant with fire and smoke ; and burning cinders were carried to the opposite side of the river, setting the forests on fire. Cattle were overtaken RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 43 in their flight and roasted alive. Vessels were burnt to ashes upon the water. The inhabitants of the country fled to the river to save their lives, and were compelled to lave the water over their bodies to prevent them from being burnt to death by showers of fiery cinders blown from the trees. Even the wild beasts of the forest sought an asylum in the waters, and seemed for the time being to forget their fear of man. The river at length became so hot and dele- terious that the very fish lay dead upon its shores. And for weeks after the fire had subsided a dense smoke, black as Erebus, hung like mourning over the desolated land. Such an alarming and destructive calamity has been con- sidered by the reflective Christian as a divine chastisement for the sins of the people. The inhabitants being chiefly lumbermen, and generally destitute of moral and religious influence, had become at length regardless of the laws of both God and man. Drunkenness and gambling triumphed over virtue ; the Sabbath was desecrated, and in a sense, blotted out of the decalogue ; Newcastle was a second So- dom in profanity ; the infant country had become old in iniquity ; and the '^ollen darkness in the moral atmosphere burst forth at length in a storm of fire : Newcastle was con- sumed to ashes ; the country was made desolate; and the inhabitants reduced to a state of mental and physical suf- fering From the Miramichi river we proceeded to Richibucto, by way of the gulf. This village is situated at the upper extremity of the river bay. The channel is narrow, irre- gular, and extremely dangerous; both sides of which are girt with shoal and reef. Banks of sand line the shore, and scraggy fir cover the land in many parts. The coun- try is flat and marsh-like — is bleak and raw, and appears as if lately emerged from the deep. I cannot speak of * ■ >e, » H ■ . ; *.> -;1 »•. ij i'.i'l. -., I,, ' : ■ *: M M 44 RAMBLEB AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. ,P('; i!'^ %*: i-4 the village with accuracy, as our short stay at the wharf rendered a visit impossible. But my unfavorable ideas of the place in general may have been partly augmented by the weather, which for the first time since we left Quebec, had become unfavourable. The clouds had already begun to respire freely, and the waters to shew their spleen, indi- cating a boisterous evening. Several of the passengers, either from a dread of returning by the channel, or that of sea sickness, went ashore, preferring to go by stage to Shediac, whilst others less fastidious about their feelings came on board. I noticed one in particular who appeared to possess no anxiety of thought or feeling beyond the limits of the present moment — a young "Miss," appar- ently but newly imported from the boarding-school, and full of fun and frolic. Accompanied by a young man of similar stamp, she promenaded the deck with graceful step, chatting and giggling in chorus to tvery frivolous and unmeaning expression of his puny mind. Such fools ! thought I, to sell their characters in this manner to the public for so little. But we leave them for the present. Shortly after our departure from Richibucto, we began to experience the heaving of the waters, which gradually increased. I stood for some time upon the upper deck, viewing with admiration the finely curved swells, and the steamer magnificently leaping over them, causing the spray to ascend in showers. But the billows continued to rise higher and with greater force, until they dashed themselves, over the vessel, making it to roll and stagger at every plunge. A few of the passengers began to show uneasiness, and pensive silence hung upon the lips of many. Every plunge of the vessel awakened additional fear, and with difficulty each one endeavoured to maintain his centre of gravity. Another fearful dash, — a creaking of the ship's RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 45 timbers — and an electric stagger of the people. The steam-whistle was knocked off by the concussion, and a portion of the steam began to escape, making a gurgling, whirring, and hissing noise, not unlike the pressure of water through an orifice ; at least my imagination at that moment conceived it to be the rushing of water into the hulk of the vessel. A panic then prevailed among the passen- gers; for indeed, every one present anticipated the worst — some that the vessel had struck a reef and was sinking ; others less skilled in " steamology," imagining that the boilers had burst, killing the captain and crew, as none of them could be seen. Almost simultaneously with this event, the hideous and incessant cries of a man, apparently in intense agony, was heard. Fear seized with death-like grasp upon the vitals of every soul ; — faces grew pale, and every eye had a ghastly stare, looking the very image of death, full of meaning, deep, wild, mysterious, prayerful. Two of the gentlemen present purposed going forward to the crew's deck, to ascertain the cause, and the danger of our position. Alarmed as I then was, fear had not paralyzed my curiosity, for I endeavoured to follow them ; but the excessive plunging and rolling of the vessel ren- dered our progress difficult, as faithfully described by the Psalmist, when he said, '^ They go down to the sea in ships ; they reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man." Just as we had reached the purser's deck, another roll of the vessel suddenly upset our equilibrium, throwing us promiscuously upon the floor. Being somewhat stunned by the fall, I drew myself up to a seat in the corner, resolving to follow no further. I had scarcely adjusted myself, when clanking of chains was heard, succeeded by a sudden convulsive swing of the vessel between the billows; and — oh horrors ! what a magnificently fearful effect was ■ 'i .y., ■ ■ . ri ■■-'I; %':^ t" '. .;ff^';- 46 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 1^ produced. A wave, tremendous as an earthquake, struck the side of the vessel, forcing in with a prodigious crash, the side boards and banisters opposite the ladies' saloon, breaking the door and windows, and lashing the water like a mountain torrent over the inner deck, and sweeping every movable article along with it in wild confusion. Then was heard the hurried tread of feet over the upper deck, the screeches of females, the horrid yells of the man in the hold, and the whirring noise of the escaping steam. But most appalling of all to me, was the indescribable appear- ance of my investigating companions, who at that instant were forcing their return along one of the passages, and followed by two of the ship's erew, all in a frantic state of deplorable terror; staggering and jostling along — coats torn, hatless, and their hair dishevelled about their eyes. Never can I forget their wild and bewildered appearance, that seemed as terible as death; nor the hopeless, ghastly expression of their frightfully distorted features, which seemed to me as the interpreters of a fatal destiny. "What's wrong?'' I tremulously ejaculated, looking, perhaps, as horribly bewildered as themselves. " Oh / we^re lost/ we^re lost I " eo-claimed one of the party ^ " the rudder chains are hrohen — the steamer is drifting upon the reefs, and we're all going to the bottom J ^ Oh I horrors ; unimaginable horrors I Momentous mo- ments ; life — death — eternity — crowded into thetn at once. The heart reels at the thought — the pulse beats rapidly , as if it desired to make the most of time — the soul feels — looJcs^ and is momentarily swallowed up loithin itself — a glance at home and kindred friends — a moment's look upon death and eternity : but, ah! the picture is too appalling to retain a fixed gaze, and the spirit soars in imagination to the God of the sea and landj and embodies itself in fervent and faithful prayer* RAMBLES AMONO THE BLUE-NOSES. 47 Along with the others, however, I managed to get back to the cabin, all endeavouring to take the matter as cooly as possible ; but our dejected appearance betrayed what we wished to conceal. A scene never to be forgotten pre- sented itself as we entered. Men, women, and children were huddled together in woful confusion, and jostling hither and thither by every roll of the vessel ; all in a state of physical inebriation and terror. Wives screeching and embracing their husbands, determined to die with them, if die they must. Some fainting from fear, and others begin- ning to shew the unmistakable symptoms and effects of that much dreaded though incidental ill of humanity — " sea- sickness." Amongst them, I beheld the *' boarding school miss" in a very pitiable condition, experiencing the inde- scribable horrors of that insufferable malady, and supported in the arms of her paramour, himself looking the very image of horror, and like a criminal Pharisee, appearing, by his excruciating spasms, either to be " straining at a gnat, or swallowing a camel." Never do I remember of feeling the reality of death so vividly before me, as in those moments ; but though alarmed, I felt a perfect presence of mind, and in every sense composed to encounter the worst. A few minutes more having passed, the noise of the steam-pipe ceased; but the steamer was still grappling with the waves, and appa- rently at every stagger about to fall discomfited in the death-struggle. At that moment, the captain, a good- hearted, yet fearless sort of a soul, entered dancing and singing " Jim Crow," indicating that all was right. The sight of his portly appearance, and the half-ludicrous smile of his jolly face, like the rising moon, made every other face to appear radiant with hope, and to cause the foreboding shadow of fate to lose half its terror and dark- ness, 1* ^i; 11 ■ ..*> 'k '' ■.■:!■■( ■ - 1. ■ ■ '"rli. ■Utv5 I 'Mi 'i', . I* ■ 'I I '■;' . ;■■ .' ■JKv • it'- ' -111. ■ 48 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. It \i^ ^ f. ii g. ,: ^ #.. " Oh, do captain tell us if wc are all gone," nervously exclaimed an elderly lady, as he entered. " Gone ! " said the captain jokingly, " oh no ! not all yet, my dear lady. I see that you for one, are still to the fore; but don't feel alarmed about yourself; your old man won't get rid of you so easily as you think." "A terrible hurricane outside, Captain," said a flimsy gent in the corner. '' Only a pleasant bit of a rub," retorted the captain ; ^' but I rather think the hurricane has been here," he added, casting a slyish look at the agitated crowd, — " ha, ha, ha ;" and he shook his portly sides with a hearty good old English laugh, which acted upon our imaginations like magic, inspiring every feeling with renewed life, and giving a new phase to the scene. Unalarmed as the captain aifected to be, there is no doubt but he experienced the sense of danger, particularly when the rudder chains were broken ; the steamer being, cit that time, so nigh the reefs, and fully exposed to the gulf wind. Were it not for the energy and exertion of the captain, and the officers of the vessel, it is very probable that the result would have been of a different character. The fearful cries to which I have alluded, proceeded from one of the coal-men in the " reserve hold ; " he having been there when the steam-whistle affair took place, and through the influence of fear and uhe rolls of the steamer, he was rendered unable to get out ; hence the loud and terrific noise, ominous of danger and death ; and, after all, like Lady Motherwell's cat, more frightened than hurt. However, after a rough passage of two or three hours longer, and no other accidents occurring, we were safely landed at Shediac, feeling happy indeed, that we had not become inhabitants of the deep : and also grateful for our RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 49 1 preservation to Him, '' who makoth weights for the winds and weigheth the waters by measure, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea ; and none can say unto Him, * What doest thou ? ' " The village of Shediac has rather a scattered and irregu lar appearance. A few stores, a saw-mill or two, and a rail-road depot, constitute the chief features of business. The country is somewhat low and sandy, and is neither possessed of beauty nor enriched by agriculture. 'The people exist chiefly by fishing and lumbering, and live largely upon crabs and lobsters, if I may infer from the many heaps of decomposing offal. Having spent two days in and around th« place, I then left €71 route for the city of St. John. The country joining the rail-road, for many miles is chiefly in forest, many parts of which have been terribly ravaged by fires. The land in general is flat, of a sandy gravelly nature, and destitute of much of the surface soil. In vain, I looked for the bough-spreading elm, and the stately maple j but Inatead thereof, only beheld the poplar, fir, and white birch, few of these possessing anything apparently of beauty or value. Moncton was the only place on our route of any conso- «][uence between Shediac and Sussex valley. This town or rather village, ^d situated on the banks of the Peticodiao river, commanding a fine position and country, and pre- senting an industrial orderly appearance. Farming is a genera! feature of labour in this part ; but lumbering and ship-building are the staple productions of business Th« river has received its name from its singular curve at this place, resembling an elbow. The tides from the Bay of Fundy ascend the river for thirty miles, the water vertically rising here to the height of thirty feet ; but of that won- . 1. n ■ . ti< , 'l ■'•i w4 ; .'i I . ■* • i1 ■. ' ^. ,V.. 60 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. derful phenomenon of the tidal wave, termed the '* bore," occurring: hero and at other places, I will speak hereafter. As we advanced, the country assumed a more undulating appearance ; and when we had entered the Sussex Vale — called the " Pleasant Valley,"wc were surrounded by scenery lovely and picturesque. This place is equi-distant from Shediac to St. John. The Valley itself is low, exceedingly fertile, and intercoursed by a winding river. The back- grounds are romantically formci! by ranges of hills, that look like verdant walls, sloping with finely-cultured fields, and dotted with fashionable houses. It is here that the '' Hero of Kars" has his New Brunswick residence, and the mansion, beautiful in itself, and imbedded with trees of the evergreen, like its possessor, stands eminently high in position. It is very probable that this valley and its continued extremities were formerly the bed of a large river, contributing to that of the Kennebeccasis. Indica- ' tions of coal are visible in this vicinity. Something of that nature has been lately discovered by a Mr. Light ; I hope that neither the invaluable treasure has evaporated in " gas," nor that the said gentleman has buried his talents in the earth; but that he will give to the world all the "light" that he possibly can.* At length we came in view of the Kennebeccasis, a name poetically adapted to appearance, signifying a " River of Lakes." At one part the river is apparently a small arm or stream, abruptly it widens into a beautiful lake- like form; then separating in several arms, running in beautiful circles among verdant meadows, and at length meet and mingle into one, again to be divided and re-united. * Since writing the above, I have been informed that this coal discovery will not likely amount to any thing of consequence. RAMBLES AMON(» THE BLUE-NOSES. 61 until it diffuses its silvery waters into those of the St. John river. I may hero state that the distance from Shcdiac to the city of St. John is 108 miles. The rail-road is well laid, and considerable taste is displayed in the con. struction of the cars and the station buildings In general. One disagreeable feature,particularly to the more fashionable and fastidious traveller, is the aboriginal name of the places being attached to almost every station. Such for instance, as Nauwigewaugh, Plumweseep, Quimpamsis, Apohaqui, Penobesquis, &c. I could not prevent myself from giving a hearty outburst to my tickled fancy, when I first saw the conductor open his mouth like a dying cod-fish, and roar out one of these terrible etymological jaw-breakers. Hor- rible and unchristian-like as they may appear to the civil- ized ear of the Englishmen, they are beautifully emblema- tical of a reality connected with the place, or object, and contain more poetical sentiment and geographical truth than most of our modern namesj many of which are only the unmeaning words of a whimsical fancy, or the revived echo of an apish nationality. As we approach St. John, the country gradually becomes more rugged and sterile; sternly romantic, and offering few facilities for farming : some parts apparently a barren wilderness of mountain crags, and fit only for the exis- tence of chameleons and rock salamanders. But I wind up for the present, as the steam whistle announces our arrival at the depot ; and I alight among a noisy and promiscuous crowd of strangers, and find that I am safely landed at the " City of the Bay." ■ K «..J.. a''-l '( » R .1 .■*■*•'.( ■:s,'M- 52 RAMBLES AMONG THE RLUE-NOSES. CHAPTER IV. Land of the Micmac and Milete, — Lords of the mountain, wood, and waste ; Land of De Monts, where regal France Her legal standard proudly placed. Acadia ; — now no longer theirs ; Britannia's heart now moves thy breast ; Industry crowns thy bays and shores, And thy brave sons are amply blessed. Saint John. Having arrived at the city of Saint John, New Bruns- wick, I intend to make it for some time my centre-point. But before entering upon a description of the city, I think it necessary to give a glance at some of the features connected with the past and present of the Province. The aboriginals of the country were the Micmac and Milete Indians. Of the two, the former appear to have possessed greater intellectual and physical energy; more courageous in war, more authoritative in command, and more ambitious and envious in principle. The consequence was that the latter gradually diminshed in number and power, and at length became as the plebeans of their patrician brethren. But the Micmacs were also destined to suiFer in turn the effects of superiority. Having a formidable antagonist in the Iroquois, the native Indians of Canada, they encountered them in many a deter- mimed and bloody contest; but were ultimately compelled to surrender the palm of prowess and honour to their brave and victorious enemies. A remnant of these tribes is still scattered over the country, and like the wandering Arabs, retaining the habits and pursuits of their fore- RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 53 fathers ; but, oh ! how abject and miserable their condition. All, alas ! is now changed. Across the expanse of waters, came a fearless band of men, carrying the flag of their country, and bringing with them the seeds of life and death ; the former were sown for themselves ; the latter grew up in the path of the simple native. The Indian of lion strength and noble bearing, the hero of the pathetic tale, is gone ; and his posterity dwindled into insignificance and obscurity. His springs are dried up, and his arrows broken. His hunting and fishing grounds have been invaded, and instead of the gloomy forest, the bark canoe and the wigwam of former days, the present generation witness fertile fields, and substantial and elegant edifices reared on the spot of his conflicts and triumphs. The hand of the European has done more to degrade and exterminate the Indian than sectional oppression and war- fare. As soon as the foot of the Anglo-Saxon treads upon the threshold of a country, that moment does the Indian appear to suffer a retrogression in nature. The very air, apparently polluted by the breath of the white man, becomes deleterious to the principle and procreation of the savage ; and now he carries upon his forehead, as it were, the self- evident axiom, as a motto, — CiviUzation is the curse of the Indian. I loved the Indian ere the white man came To teach him vice and infamy without shame ; Whose savage breast had ne'er been taught to beat With polished vices and with learn'd deceit. The first European settlers of New Brunswick were French, and some of their descendants still remain there. It was then known only as an integral part of Acadia; the name at that time representing the greater portion of 4 I .. ■■MU '.:ii :#! 54 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. V I '.-■ if 1:1 - I that eastern country bordering on the gulf of St. Law- rence, and the Atlantic ocean. Owing to the interna- national warfare of the French and English, few improve- ment^ were made prior to the year 1783; the only settle- ments being a few along the St. John river, and at the north shore, so small and and so sparsely populated its to be scarcely deserving of the name. New Brunswick may date its political history from the year 1783, at which time, the first important settlement was made by a body of 5000 disbanded soldiers and Loyalists from the revolted colonies, at the close of the American Revolutionary war. So great was the impetus given by that determined band of pioneers to that wilderness country, that in the follow- ing year, New Brunswick, which had previously been included as a part of Nova Scotia, was constituted a sepa- rate province, and has enjoyed a distinct colonial existence since. New Brunswick is situated between Canada and Nova Scotia, separated from Prince Edward's Island by only a narrow strait. Its greatest length is 210 miles, its greatest breadth, 180; containing an area of 27,620 square miles, or about 17 million acres of land. The geographical limits of the province are within the degrees of 45 and 48 north latitude, and between the parallels of 63 and 69 West longitude. It is bounded by Nova Scotia and the Bay of Fundy on the South ; the State of Maine on the West ; the Bay of Chaleur and a part of Canada on the North ; and the Gulf of St. Lawrence on the North East and South-East ; and having a sea coast of over 400 miles. Along this extensive coast-line, there are numerous fine harbours and bays well adapted for the purposes of com- merce. The country is indented with many lakes, and intersected with noble rivers, the greatest of which is the St. John. ■*. ! iiAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 55 !f he liatural features of the country are picturesque, rather than bold and striking. A range of hills, the highest of which is 2170 feet, extends from the American frontier, near the Grand Falls, across the Province to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Another chain of hills commences near the Chepntneticook, and runs east to the river St. John. Smaller ranges of hills cross the country in various directions; but notT7ithstanding these, the general char- acter of the surface of the country is undulating, except that bordering upon the gulf of the St. Lawrence, which, for a distance of twenty miles inland, is low and generally level. The nature of the soil is varied ; that of the hills, and of those counties skirting the Bay of Fundy, is ren- dered unprofitable, and almost impracticable for cultivation, by the roug^ih. s of the surface, and the universally distri- buted bouldei r, rocks jutting out of the soil; whilst that in the nortn-easterly part of the province is principally of a more sandy and gravelly nature, and tolerably free from stones. The chief settlements are along the shores of the bays and rivers; the land there, being generally favorable to cultivation, and the water affording ample facilities for millage and manufacture, and the exporting of produce and lumber. The province is divided into four- teen counties, all of which are accessible by water. Those not bordering on the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and the Bay of Fundy, have their frontage on the river St. John, and their interior is permeated by numerous smaller streams, feeders for the main rivers, and navigable for various distances ; thus rendering every county in a position to participate in the ocean-trade of the Province. The population of New Brunswick, in 1783, after the Loyalists had landed, numbered about 1,100. Since that period, emigrants, chiefly from the British Islands, have ' -■ • ■■I » i'l; ;. ^*~' . -if » ; ..vr;. 66 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. from time to time become settlers ; so that by emigration and natural increase, the present population, as represented by the Census of 1861, is 252,047, being only about a one- tenth part of the number of the inhabitants of Canada. A comparison with the Returns of 1851, shows an increase of 58,247 persons, being an advance of 30,05 per cent, m ten years. Of the present population, 30,179 are Irish, 5,199 Scotch, 4,009 English, 8,721 born in other British Possessions, and 3,594, are foreigners. There are also, 1,581 coloured persons, and 1,212 Indians. The males are in proportion to the females as 65 to 61. The average number in each family is a little over 6J, There are 172 reported blind, 166, Deaf and Dumb, and about 260 Lunatic and Idiotic ; these being in propor- tion as 1 to every 969 of the entire population. Notwithstanding, that the development of the resources of the Province has steadily increased, immigration has gradually declined within the past few yef\rs, until it has nearly ceased. This unfavourable circumstance may be attributed to several causes. The valuable gold discoveries along the Pacific shores of this continent, and Australia, have recently attracted the attention of intending emi- grants, as affording prospects, for a more speedy realization of their ardent hopes in competency and independence. New Zealand also is becoming known as a field for emi- gration, owing to its salubrious climate and the fertility of its soil. Western Canada, and the Prairie Lands of the " Far West'' have held forth inducements to the agricultural emigrant that New Brunswick is incapable of doing. These, together with the incompetent schemes of coloniz- ation, have been the chief impediments in the progress of emigration to the province ; therefore, the surplus popula- RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 67 tion of the Mother Country no longer confine their aspira- tions to the Atlantic Seaboard of America, but base their hopes of success wherever the prospect appears most invit- ing The city of St. John is situated at the entrance of the St. John river, and upon an arm of the Bay of Fundy. It stands upon a rocky peninsula, once of very uneven ground, that slopes in opposite directions from a central ridge. It was founded by the French when they held possession of that country, and was a station at which trading with the Indians was extensively carried on. On the opposite side of the harbor, the ruins of an old Frenh fort are still to be seen, where many a bloody contest between the French and English took place. After several years of unsuccessful fighting and determination on the part of the British, they finally succeeded in taking the forts, and driving the French from the town by coming upon them unawares, at the early dawn of the morning, when most of them were in bed. " So keen and reso- lute were the French, that the majority of them sallied out upon their invaders, undressed, but after a severe contest they were compelled to surrender. Tradition has still preserved a few of the many legends connected with the place, during those troublous times; but they are now difl&cult to be obtained. A very interesting one, however, is related of a young English lady, who figured very heroically at the capture of the forts at St. John. Two years previous to this event, it appears that she had gone from England to pay a visit to an uncle of hers, residing in France. During her stay there, her accom- plished graces had gained for her the affections of a young French officer, to whom she became united in wedlock, but (>■:■ 44 '-r^ , V . • -.-'1' i^ VIJ ■■ ''••Hi 1 :'- 'i\ i: ■,nmn 'in 68 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-N0SEf5. I not agreeabl)^ to the wishes of her relatives. Shortly after- wards, the regiment to which he belonged, was sent as a reinforcement to the defence of Acadia, against the en- croachments of the British. He was stationed with a part of his division in one of the St. John forts. Thither, also, had he taken his young wife. When the battle of this momentous morning had begun, he sallied out at the head of his company to aid in the united force that was brought to bear upon the invaders, but fell in the early part of the action. During the battle this young lady distinguished herself as a heroine. In the fort she aided and encouraged the men at the guns, and even fought more desperately after the French had been driven from the grounds, and the fort besieged. " Fight on my braves." Let us die rather than sur- render to our invaders ! " she exclaimed, like the noble Spartans of Thermypolae, — and dealing death at every blow with her flashing sabre, as a storming party were striving to force an entrance to the fort. " My sister ! my sister ! — Spare her ! for heaven's sake, spare her! shouted a young English officer, as his eye cauii'ht the features of the heroine, and he rushed forthwith to snatch her, as it were, from her fate. One glance of his was sufficient to paralyze her, and every hand appeared to fiill motionless at the command. Thus ended the last struggle of that momentous battle, and the final discomfi- ture of the French in that part of Acadia. The young- officer had indeed discovered his fugitive sister — he was the very brother who had accompanied her to France, His father, it appears, had bought him a commission in the army, and shortly afterwards we find him at the battle of St. John, fighting with his own yet unknown sister. The meeting was as happy as it was mysterious. She after- RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 59 ■wards became united to an English officer ; and it is said that some of the most aristocratic families in Nova Scotia are descendants of her. And it is even hinted that the Hero of K s is a scion of that illustrious heroine. All is now changed. The heroes of that age have gone, and the dirty insignificant hamlet of St. John is swallowed up by the magnificent city, whose wealthy and elegant edifices, designed by the lights of science, and projected by the hand of industry, now stand as the unmistakable evidence of a nation's wealth and prosperity. The Saint John of the present day is one of those pleasant little cities in which the tourist delights to feel himself at home for a few days. Its design, on the whole, is purely of a mathematical order, exhibiting a refined taste, and a high sense of convenience and comfort. Many of the houses are of a superior structure, but the majority are composed of wood, yet neatly and elegantly finished. The streets are wide ; and run at right angles to each other. In the centre part of the city, divided only by a block of buildings, are King's and Queen's Squares, each consisting of several acres of land, interspersed with trees, and kept in excellent condition. In the centre of each is a fountain, standing in a pedestal basin and ejecting a continued stream of cooling and refreshing water. From this point beautiful pathways diverge to each angle, and middle of the exterior of the squares ; and numerous seats are placed at convenient distances from each other. These parks are the favourite and fashionable resorts of the citi- zens ; a sort of elegant parterre, to which all classes have an equal right. It is, indeed pleasant to the wearied feelings to take an airy ramble around these grounds in the lovely summer evenings, and participate, as it were, in the happy and social feeling of the varied throngs that V:;-l ■■■i;i- :i.. 60 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 1a' I 11 r't': 'il pay a visit to these verdant elysiums. There you behold men of every grade, and of varied vocation, — a wide field, indeed, for the observing student of human nature, and one that can furnish many practical lessons of humanity. The wearied wight from toil and care, And din and dust of day, Breathes there the sweet refreshing air. And whiles an hour away. Fond parents, too, with happy looks, Are seated 'neath some tree — Eying with pride their little ones That sport in childish glee. There too, the well-bred gentleman. With lady by his side ; — The boy, the matron, and the maid, The lover, and the bride. See yon aristocratic dame, Who proudly passes by ; She guides her daughter, under charge, To shun the vulgar eye. Some portly " Punch," — a Bacchus Lord, With brandy coloured face. Goes hobbling past with puffing speed. To say his evening grace. The stylish gent with supple cane. Goes strutting proudly by. Feasting his soul with peacock pride, On every gazing eye. The sprightly belle on fashion's wing Superbly squirms along, — A butterfly — an airy thing That haunts the mazy throng. RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 61 The spruce old maid now sallies forth To make a dashing show ; See how she spreads her hoops and net To try to catch a beau. The young green widow now comes out, As if to take the air ; And casts a slyish eye about,— But, oh ! young man, beware. The lounging wit with wistful eye Marks each conspicuous one, And warps their eccentricities With many a laughing pun. And there I see a sickly frame- Consumption's faded form. The hollow breast, the heaving breath, Now strike the " death alarm." And there is one whose anguished heart Is painted on her brow ; Perhaps she mourns a mother's death. Or feels a slighted vow. Some loitering by the cooling fount ; Some seated side by side ; Whilst others walk their airy rounds For pleasure, health, and pride. As varied as the forms I see The thoughts and feelings are. With hopes and joys that harmonize, Or pains that smite and jar. Contiguous to King's Square, is the old cemetery — the garden of the dead, — a venerable looking place. It is beautifully laid out, being interspersed with elegant walks, bordered with flowers, and with graceful trees on either * v ^ . ■>^- * • *'■, y ■m ■'\ * . ? . * '! 'I. ' '. 1:1 A v'M;.:w.- W -V ■I 62 llAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. side, forming cool and delightful avenues. Its surface is dotted with tablets and tombstones, many of which arc con- siderably weather-browned, and their inscriptions partially effaced. In deciphering those short narratives of human mortality, I was forcibly reminded of those beautiful and appropriate lines of the poet : — " The grave has eloquence ; — its lectures teach In silence louder than divines can preach. Hear what it says, ye sons of folly, hear, It speaks to you, lend an attentive ear." With melancholy pleasure I wandered among those dumb yet expressive monitors of mortality, — those marble sentinels, that stand, like Peri at the gate of Paradise, announcing that the indwellcrs of the earthly tenement have departed : — " The man how blest, who, sick with gaudy scenes (Scenes apt to thrust between us and ourselves) Is led by choice to take his favourite walk Beneath Death's gloomy, silent, cypress shades, Unpierced by vanity's fantastic ray : To read his monuments, to weigh his dust. Visit the vaults, and dwell among the tombs." Yoimg^s Night Thoughts. The population of St. John and its environs is estimated at 42,000. They are chiefly the descendants of the U. E. Loyalists, but a sprinkling of the British Isles is discern- ible. In person, the people are generally tall and robust, of noble bearing, and fine expressive countenance ; with a sort of " free-and-easy-go " motion. In manner they are courteous and extremely civil; in conversation agreeable and intelligent, and ever ready either to give or receive '-■"'^."'iv RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 63 information : and on the whole, apparently possessing more of the American characteristic, than that of the British. In business thoy appear to be diligent and persevering, and accomplish more with affability and prudence than by counterfeit and boisterous arrogance. The city gcr^ orally assumes a quiet and business-like appearance ; and, not- withstanding its maritime position, its laws seem to bo strictly observed, and few signs of intemperance are visible. The people in general seem to estimate the healthy, exhila- rating, and invaluable exercise of walking. The streets arc not lined, like those of our Lower Canadian cities, with calcches and catch-penny-cabs; nor is the pedestrian at all molested in his perambulations by the unmannerly demand of ''caballing whipsters" and "petty drivellers,'* to have " a drive." Special omnibuses are always in attendance on the arrival and departure of the cars and steamers ; and any person desirous of taking a drive can get a conyeyance at a moment's warning at any of the numerous livery estab- lishments throughout the city. St. John possesses an excellent harbor, and its wharves extend over a mile. An extensive trade with other coun- tries is generally carried on ; but, owing to the present Amer- ican war, a universal depression appears to prevail. Ship- building is also a prominent feature of industry. Some of the finest ships in the world are built here, many of which are purchased by Britain. During my stay of two weeks in the city, I saw no less than half a dozen of stately, well-finished vessels launched. I noticed that several of the ships belonging to this port bore names of Scottish origin, such as — " Bonnie Doon," " Ailsa Craig," "Ettrick Shepherd," '' Heather Bell," &c., &c. Carleton, a small town, is situated upon the opposite V » -4, f^^ .-71 v.* M R-r. ■'!* 1 I I ...;►: 04 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. side of the harbor, and is connected by a suspension bridge, spanning the mouth of the St. John river, 600 feet in length, and resting upon abutments of solid rock, rising perpendicularly to the height of nearly 200 feet. The passage of the river at this place, and for some distance above, has apparently been cleft by volcanic agency. The tradition of the Indian informs us, that the river originally had two outlets, opening at a considerable distance from each other; but that the " Syegah " or Water Spirit hav- ing become very angry, occasioned by a party of the Indians fishing upon the '' Fcejah," or holiday, had shut up the two mouths and opened the present one. Part of this story I believe to be true, as indications of their former courses are still traceable. Under the bridge, at low tide, a beautiful fall of the water is formed. A story is related of an accident that occurred at these falls many years ago. It appears that several of the early settlers on the St. John River, in the vicinity of Long Island, had gone into partnership in the construction of a very large canoe, by which conveyance they might be enabled to carry their produce to the town, and get in exchange such commodities as they required. Their first voyage, however, proved to be very unfortunate ; for while passing over the St. John Rapids, it being low tide at the time, the canoe upset, and fifteen persons were drowned. The bridge is a beautiful specimen of architecture, and is the only one in the province at which a toll is demanded. It has been erected by the government at great expense. A former one was erected years ago, but fell when nearly completed, killing a number of workmen. On the oppo- site side of the river, a little above Carleton, stands the Provincial Lunatic Asylum ; a splendid building, having a front 300 feet in length, with two wings projecting from RAMBLED AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 65 the main body, each 160 feet long, &c. It posscssca a ■comaanding position, and a fine view of the city and sur- Touttding country ; and on the whole is well designed for ^promoting the health and comfort of the patients. It appears that the first effort to provide for the accom- modation of insane persons, was made in the year 1836, when a building was obtained in the city of St. John, and appropriated to the purpose. It was soon found necessary to provide improved and more extensive accommodations ; but not before the sub- ject had been frequently discussed in the Legislataro, ^as it decided to erect a Provincial Asylum. Legislative grants were then appropriated to the erection of the neces sary buildings, which were completed in 1848. Since then many requisite additions and improvements have beci made. The control and management of the Asylum are regu- lated by a Board of Commissioners. The chief resident officer of the institution is Dr. John Waddell, a gentleman of superior abilities, and in every way efficient for the position and responsibility he sustains. "When Dr. Wad- dell first took charge of the establishment, except a small spot in front of the main building, the whole of the land belonging thereto, consisting of 40 acres, was a t\iv.i- .J -'^^ RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 67 of 38 miles to its source, it is the dividing line between Canada and Maine. It is navigable for vessels of about 100 tons to Fredericton — eighty-five miles from its mouth, — and steamers of lighter draft ply to Woodstock, sixty-two miles further up, and at some periods of the year they ascend as far as the Grand Falls. The St. John river is to New Brunswick what the St. Lawrence is to Canada, — the main artery of the Province, into which numerous tributaries empty themselves; many of which are navigable to various distances. During summer, six small steamers ply daily between St John city and Fredericton, — and the number of persons who pass up and down the river is estimated at 60,000. The river, in proportion to its general size, for some dis- tance above its mouth is extremely narrow, circuitous, and apparently deep, and is called the " Narrows." The shores in this part are bound by rugged ledges of rock, rising perpendicularly to the height of from one to two hundred feet, and their bold fronts looking down with stern sublimity, threatening aninvasion upon the waters. Gradually the river widens ; but ranges of rocky hills still line the shores seemingly unfit for animal existence to subsist therefrom* Seven miles from the city, the Kennebecasis river enters the St. John ; and in the distance it appears as a mountain lake. Some twenty miles further up, the land assumes a less formidable aspect ; and as we advance, the hills become beautifully modified, particularly on the northern side of the river, and at length gradually recede, leaving extensive flats of alluvial land. These intervals are low, marshy grounds, producing immense quantities of hay, from being enriched by the annual inundations of spring. The farmers in these parts obtain an animal and a vegetable crop yearly from their farms ; for during spring the inundations bring ■l.?y:t K iff ^^f - r i^i ■ ^1 '■'m v.- 1 ■' ■■" 'J •k ::■^ ^ I • ^ ' i| t > • - 1 .IA '^ 1 '.'' *. « 1r' •1 % ^?f ■i-l '/'I •*' . ff' 68 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. II :*; ■ r:i :l large quantities of fish to their very doors ; and afterwards the soil produces an abundant harvest. In some places, these flats are indented with little silvery lakes. The most beautiful and picturesque scenery along the river is in the vicinity of Long Island, and at the entrance of the Gemsec. At the latter, the river resembles an archipelago, and might with propriety be called the '' Valley of Vfaters." Around islets of romantic beauty the arms of those rivers are thrown as if embracing them with aifectionate delight, and the vessel glides as a thing of life among those lovely isles that nestle upon the bosom of the waters, while the eye wanders in poetic fancy over the elysian scene. The steamer now deviated from its usual course by~entering the Gemsec, in purpose to carry our " spiritual brethren" to their destina- tion, at the distance of a few miles. The scenery here is also delightful, and every heart appeared to appreciate its charms. Nature is to be met here in forms of modest and magnifi- cent beauty, whose features are more designed to please the fancy than excite the feelings into ecstasy. The country on each side of the river St. John, for many miles beyond its confluence with the Gemsec, is in keeping with the other portions of the river scenery. For miles are tracts of level land, gradually swelling into hills, and then hill and dale alternate, — the former, rising at times to the dignity of a mountain, and the latter subsiding into a valley ; then the banV ^ become abrupt, steep — and again they are terrace-like, sloping away with a graceful incline from the water's edge. But as we approach Frede- ricton, the scenery assumes a less lovely appearance, and the soil apparently more sandy and sterile ; but when we had reached the capital, an involuntary feeling of disap- pointment stole over my mind, and the painted bubble that I had been blowing up all day unexpectedly burst . T3 '<- RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 69 before my eyes. But, before entering the ^^ Great City,^^ I feel disposed to linger av*: ''e over the scenes of the day and comment a little further upon the general features of the country. I have admitted that the river scenery is in general beau tit ul and pleasing to the fancy; but the true poetic eye soon discovers that there is a marked deficiency in some of the ingredients eessential to constitute an agreeable picture to the taste of the epicurean admirer of nature. The beauty of the scenery arises more from the mere out- lines of exterior and position, than from the contributaries of the general features, or the combination of the minutiae with the greater. Every candid observer of nature will admit that the river possesses a noble appearance, — winding as it does through a romantic country. Its form is large ; its water pellucid, — and beautiful islets dot its surface in many places. The form of the hills are also finished with geometrical skill, in places receding with gentle accli- vity in ranges ; and at others rising, as it were, out of the bosom of each other, — and all united as a family in one extended chain of brotherhood. But a further observation informs us that the country is destitute of that verdant vegetation and vivid vitality/ that Canada is possessed of, particularly at that time of the season. The trees in general are of the fir kind, small, and scroggy, and apparently the worst specimens of the species. The softwood and evergreens are naturally designed to exist in marshy lands ; but here, we find them high and dry, as if nature had pitched her productions of the swamp at random upon the heights. In vain do we look for the vegetable emblem of Canada, and the graceful presence of the leafy grove. Nothing but fir, fir continu- ally — everywhere we go j and the eye at length feels so ■'■'■m -mi ¥>H . 1 '■ MM •'.,»' 70 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. m- % .jj>- ■-•; If disgusted with its monotonous omnipresence, that neither the beauty of the river, nor the symmetry of the hills can relieve the feeling. I have, indeed, an inveterate anti- pathy to the fir ever since, — and were I to become a bo- tanical author I would totally exclude it from the genera of that species of natural philosophy. Again : the cultivated land of the hills, on both sides of the river, from St. John to Fredericton, and farther, appeared to be universally covered with weeds bearing a white flower, and known by the very romantic cognomen of " Bull's Eyes." A product so general and utterly useles'- shows, at once, that the soil is either puerile by nature or rendered so by the lack of proper attention ; — both may possibly be true. In many places, red soil, apparently sand, was visible through the verdure of the fields ; and, judging from the appearance of things in general, I ven- ture to say that agriculture is sadly neglected. Fishing and lumbering, I fear, too much absorb the time and atten- tion of the farmer, — and to that degree, that farming may only receive a secondary consideration. The islands and intervals are the formations of alluvial deposits brought down from the hills and mountains by thT rains and rivers, — and within the memory of the old settlers, many parts, then covered with water, are now dry and producing immense crops of hay. The country may be rich in its resources, — the people may be wealthy, — but another indication of something wrong in the wheels of progress is the want of towns and villages. Not one single instance of such is visible along the St. John river, between the city of St. John and Fred- ericton. A paltry wharf or so, with a house or two at the rear, are the only "stepping stones" to commercial business in those parts. It may now be asked, " How then igr RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 71 then are travellers and freight disposed of T ' When a passen- ger on board has arrived nearly opposite his destination, a signal is made, known to his friends on shore or persons stationed there for the purpose of attending to the steamer, who immediately come out to receive the person or what- ever freight has to be taken ashore ; or when any party or freight is to be exported, as soon as the steamer makes its appearance, a boat with its cargo is hurried out — a signal is made, — and responded to by the bell or steam whistle, and the process of removal is performed in almost an instant of time. Indeed the whole affair is very ingeniously and expertly accomplished. As the small boat approaches the side of the steamer, it is drawn closely to, and held by catch poles, while a man descends a step-way that is let down, and the passengers and freight, are instantly removed, without scarcely a perceptible halt in the motion of the steamer. In my downward trip by the "Heather Bell," that runs in opposition to the "Anna Augusta," I counted no less than two hundred persons who had to undergo this process of " positionary exchange." A spirited competition is manifested by these steamers ; and as they ran together, they were continually striving to out-wit each other in the picking up of passengers frequently passing and repass- ing each other, at times coming so close as to almost touch sides. This afforded considerable amusement to many of the passengers who were evidently desirous to out- win their opponents. But, from such reckless and irresolute actions and " goaheaditiveness" of our fast going age, too frequently has it been the case that fatal and calamitous events have ultimately resulted therefrom. ■ ' K> it *'-f Al, ,1 '.;■■:, tj-s • Mi T '" ' ft- ■ '''t >V' -f? . ■!»■ -■ si* ■; ; V ' . -J ' ~ f J I 72 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLtliJ-NOSES. I .*. CHAPTER V. We shared our toils ia mutual brotherhood. For private virtue and for public good ; Tho' much arose our progress to retard Industry has secured its own reward ; And art and science, by our toiling hands, Have spread abroad and beautified our lands. New Brunswicker. The morning after my arrival at Fredericton, — the " city capital " of New Brunswick, I strolled out to get a peep at this "great central emporium" of the province ; but after pedestrianizing for half an hour, straining my eyes in vain to see more than could be seen, I felt a sort of bewildered disappointment creep over my feelings of anticipation, and, like the man that denied his own self when he discovered in the morning that his whiskers had dis- appeared during the night, I concluded that I must either deny the capital, or doubt my vision ; or, perchance, that I had committed an error by landing at thu wrong place, — so in order to satisfy my mind, and do justice to the city, I stepped into a shop in the main street to make in- quiry. Beyond the counter stood a youthful scion of the weight and measure species, and apparently but newly^initiated, — yet, affecting a sort of mercantile air and position, and my " humble servant" in full readiness to wait upon me as soon as I had entered. Having introduced my presence by the usual morning salutation, and taken a mental survey of his clerkship's scarlet colored cranium, and speckled countenance, I in- KAMBLES AMONO THE BLirE-NOSES. 78 quired, with bare-faced Yankee inquisitiveness, if this was the city of Fredericton. " Ye-es sir," was the reply. " Is it the capital of New Brunswick ?" " Ye-es sir." " Is this the principal street of the city then ?" " Ye-es sir." " Is there much business done here?" " Ye-es sir," was again the reply. Like Abraham of old, I ventured to ask another ques- tion, per adventure I might strike his natural vein of con- versation. " Are there many soldiers here at present ? " " Ye-es sir," he hesitatingly replied, somewhat astonished and staring at me as if I had come in the undercovered capacity of a Yanke spy, to get a peep at the garrison. Having obtained so much information through the me- dium of only two words, and not wishing to tamper with his humor and civility by extracting a further repetition, — and perhaps get myself into as bad a fix as did Slidell and Mason, I thanked him for his kindness, and made my exit with good decorum, leaving his " clerkship "to his own reflections. Indeed, I narrowly escaped a temporary detension. Whilst at supper in the evening, a gentleman was telling with great gusto, that a Yankee had been seen that day loafing around the barracks, and making himself very in- inquisitive about the city affairs in general : whereupon a universal volley of national anathemas was inflicted upon the suspected spy, and the doings of Yankee Jonathan's children in general. I could not refrain myself from smirking under the eyelids at such a personal remark. The whole affair reminded me of Chamber's visit to a ■ ■' I* I '..U a? 74 RAMBLEH AMONG THE BLUB-NOSES. li burying-ground in Scotland, the contents of which, are as follows : Scarcely had he entered the hallowed ground, and began to decipher the almost obliterated inscriptions upon the gravestones, when an old wife showed her head over the paling, and demanded his errand. Mr. Chambers very calmly informed her of it ; and thence interrogated a series of questions about the '^auld h'^kyaird^^^ whereupon she suspected him to be a resurrectionist, — and away she ran to the village ; and, in less than no time, about thirty " auld wives" were after him with stone and turf: and had he not been possessed of such speedy legs, he might have been sacrificed, Stephen-like, as a martyr to his local inquisitiveness, and met with his death and grave at the one place. Fredericton, with only about two or three thousand inhabitants, is in reality an incorporated city, and the capital of the Province ; but, I know of no feature connected therewith that should have given it the pre- eminence. Properly speaking, New Brunswick like Nova Scotia — has only one city, namely, Saint John, which, I think, is fully entitled to the preference of that title, which the insignificant, so called city of Fredericton pre- sumptuously inherits. The city is built upon the side of an eminence ; and when viewed from the river it possesses a somewhat lively and romantic appearance. The principal part in the city, and where the business in general is conducted, consists of one wide street of a mile in length, running parallel with the river; — the houses of which are chiefly com- posed of brick ; — large, elegantly finished, and principally used as ware-rooms and shops. The other buildings of the city are generally inferior, RAMBLES AMONO THE BLUE-NOSES. 75 and on the whole destitute of sufficient attraction to elicit a description. The governor resides in the city. A bat- talion of soldiers is also stationed there. The surrounding country, though hilly, has a tame and barren appearance, and lack that bright vitality — that ely- sian enchantment, which the magic genii of nature f Around the bills and valleys fling As incense brought from heaven, From which the native beauties spring. And every charm that's given. To continue a uniform description of my travels through New Brunswick would only be, in a sense, a similar repe- tition ; as the specimens given are general representatives of the exterior of the province ; and, as a considerable part of my subsequent travels was after my return from Nova Scotia, it would also be out of order to continue them at present. However, I will endeavour to furnish my readers with a further account of some of its geogra- phical and statistical characteristics, which, independent of my own observation and experience, I have gleaned with con- siderable care from various yet generally reliable sources. Some of my readers by this time may feel inclined to call into question the title of my book, as applied to the people, of which I have given no explanation. The name is universally known to be spurious — a sort of "swr houquet''^ applied to the native inhabitants of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia ; but previous to my trip to Frederioton, although I had made numerous inquiries, I could glean nothing to substantiate its origin. Some have said, that the people received it from their remarkable ten- acity to a species of potatoes, known by the name of "blue- nose;" others assert that the Indians, who are fond of tt k 'hi 76 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. I - « painting their own features with various colors, each representing a peculiar characteristic, used to distin- guish any European they caught committing an offence upon their women, by tying his hands behind his back, painting his nose with the azure colour of disgrace, and then drumming him from the locality. Others, chiefly foreigners, and less tenacious to truth, allege, that because of the perpetual union of "fog" and *'^cold" a blueness has crept over the feature thus represented — hence the name, These, and a variety of other versions have been given from time to time. They may or they may not be true ; I will not account for their veracity. The follow- ing, however, has an appearance of truth. I received it from an elderly gentleman who seemed to possess a carefully collected fund of general information relative to the pro- vince. The Duke of Clarence, afterwards William the Fourth of England, when a young midshipman in the royal navy, was one day dining with a number of English officers in the town of Annapolis, N(>va Scotia. He was induced by the fine appearance and flavor of the potatoes before him, to inquire what species they belonged to. '' Bluenose," was the reply. " Bluenose ! — Who ever heard of a potato hav- ing such a name the country's 'coat of arms,' I sup- pose," said the Duke, apparently tickled at the eccentric title — and burst into a fit of laughter, occasioning a gene- ral chorus from all present. After his return to England, while in company one evening, it appears, that he was re- lating a very interesting adventure of his own when abroad. A young lady present being intolerably excited, and he not having designated the place where it had occurred, beg- ged pardon to interrogate where such events had transpired. " Oh, said he — in — in " — disremembering the name of RAMBLES AMONCI THE BLUE-NOSES. 77 Nova Scotia, but not the name of the potato — he abruptly ejaculated — " Oh, amonp^ tho * Blue Noses' ". This ^was sufficient to set the whole party into fits of laughter, and as a "yew d'esprity' it continued to be a frequent remark among his courtiers. Every one knows that many of the petty sayings and doings of royalty are often wonderfully magni- fied, and universally made known. This little incident ever afterwards distinguished the Duke among the nobility as a brilliant wit. Since receiving this version of the story I have met with parties who attribute those incidents to the Duke of Kent — father of Queen Victoria. Be whom it may, it appears, to have been founded upon roy- alty — hence, the name may be considered as a kingly cognomen ; it is now universally applied to the inhabitants of both New Brunswick and Nova Scotia." To call a New Brunswicker a " Bluenose," he appears neither to feel insulted, nor a step lowered in dignity. Speaking from my own experience, I believe them to be generally a social and charitable people. Few of them have the prerogative to hereditary riches and distinction. Wealth and fame have been acquired by united colossal strength, with inde- fatigable energy, industry and enterprise ; and univer- sally speaking — they are neither unhumanized by the unwieldy dignity of a suddenly-acquired fortune, nor derogated by the fastidious customs of a foreign aristo- cracy. Respecting the climate of the province I cannot speak of it in general from experience, — it being only during the summer that I made my tour. People foreign to the place, generally entertain the idea that it is a country so cold that one half of a man's life is passed in a continual shiver, — so foggy as to keep one continually wet, — and generally so unpleasant as to allow only one half the pleasures usually i,' •«,, • ■■;''i ' ■ 4 ^m ' ■ « •■•if : 4N iv: ^ '. if.' 4 ■1!^ ^■. ! • It . « .■< ■ If' :. ;»•■■ ■ ■■ !1 • < , c ^ .^ ■■';;; * i •' ,*■ '. H.''. . , M:r 14 78 RAMBLEB AMONG THE RLUR-NOSEB. • 1 '■ ;' ■* i- ^ 1 enjoyed in other places ; but I feel inclined to think l<..t such opinions are falsely exaggerated. There is of cour . . difference of temperature in different parts, occasioned by the relative position of tho country to the sea, and by various other local causes ; but, it would be injudicious to commend or condemn all from only observing and experi- encing a part. The atmosplu^re which surrounds those places near the sea is always more humid than that of inland places ; and thus in summer the coast is colder, while from the same cause it must be warmer in winter. That portion of coast bordering on the Bay of Fundy, is frequently visited by damp and almost impenetrable fogs, and the weather subject to sudden and variable changes. The prevailing summer winds, are the west, southwest, and south. The seasons of New Brunswick appear to be a couple of weeks behind those of the district of Montreal : but vegetation is rapid. Judging from the robust appear- ance of the peop)e, I feel disposed to believe that the climate, though foggy in some parts, and liable to sudden changes, is by no means deleterious to health and energy. Yet, it is said, that pulmonary diseases are prevalent, and that diphtheria of late years has been of frequent occur- rence. In a province so varied as New Brunswick, there must of course be many different kinds of soil, varying in their productive capability. The richest lands are the '' dyked marshes" of Albert and Westmoreland, near the Bay of Fundy, and also on the alluvium deposited along the banks, and islands of the rivers. There are two kinds of allu- vium — the fresh water, and the marine. The former is caused by the deposit of matter carried along by the rivers. It occurs largely on the St. John and the Restigouche, and indeed, to a greater or less degree, in all the rivers of the province. RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 70 The marine alluviums arc carried inward by the rapid tides of the Bay of Fundy, and are spread along its estua- ries, where in the course of time they become grass-bearing marshes,'and are then rescued from the sea by embankments built for the purpose. These " dyked marshes," as they are termed possess extraordinary and enduring fertility. The marine alluviums occur rarely on the gulf of St. Law- rence. One of the '' dyked marshes " divided between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia contains over 250,000 acres. Of the 17,000,000 of acres in the province, there arc but 12,000,000 available for cultivation, of which 0,000,000 are disposed of; and in all only about 700,000 are cleared and cultivated. It will thus be seen that a very small proportion of the land alienated from the Crown is being improved. This may be partly accounted for, on the ground that many of the principal purchases have been made on speculation ; and, as in some of the counties there is no tax on land thus held and in others the amount levied is very trivial — persons thus purchasing are encour- aged to retain possession with the hope of realizing large amounts on the sums originally invested. In every county of the province there are large quantities of land held by individuals in this manner, of which no use is made. This land alienated from the Crown is in a sense *' locked up," — its owners making no eiforts to improve' it, or to make it directly subservient in any way to either private or public good. The attention of the Government should be directed to this matter, and legislation should be had for the purpose of making land held in this way productive in some degree to the province. In respect to the development of the Provincial resour- ces ; agriculture is deserving of more consideration at the •l Ilk ■i! t', 'f ! ■ ■:! ! . 'i. ;!>..' ! ► I, V '"A .i -■■ - n, '>■■■■. k$M 80 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. hands of the Government, and hence a liberal policy should be pursued towards it. Another very efficient cause why so small a quantity of land is under tillage is the univer- s«d tendency of the people to lumbering and ship- building. As the forests of New Brunswick afford an unlimited supply of timber for those purposes, and for transportation to foreign markets in various forms of manufacture or preparation, these branches of industry have been largely entered upon to the neglect and exclusion of agriculture. The cultivation of the soil has therefore occupied only a secondary consideration. In the manufacture of lumber thousands of the people are engaged, and a large amount of capital is invested. Some idea of the extent of this trade may be formed from the statement, that to the average value of nearly twenty-four hundred thousand dollars are annually exported in the shape of lumber alone, — independent of the value of newly-constructed ships. Upwards of 300,000 tons of shipping are employed to convey the lumber exported from the port of St. John and out ports. The returns of 1861 show that the value of lumber exported during that year amounted to $2,920,000. A country rich in natural resources, offering inducements for speculation in various branches of business while pos- sessing a very limited population, is not calculated to have its agricultural capabilities very speedily developed. Mankind in general, look more especially to the realiza- tion of present hopes, than in trusting to future advan- tages. Whatever occupation appears for the moment to bring in the largest amount of money is therefore the more readily entered upon, no matter what risks may attend it. Distracted as the attention of settlers has been with a Bpeedy realization of wealth presented by lumbering RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 81 operations, the hardiest of tlie population have forsaken the ease and immunity from labor which they might enjoy on their farms during the most inclement season of the year, and leaving the quiet of home, have spent the winter campaigning in the forests ; while in the spring, when they should be clearing and preparing their land, they are engaged in floating their timber down the rivers, to the neglect of farming operations. It is impossible for any settler to combine two interests so widely different as farming and lumbering. If he applies his mind to one of these pursuits, it must be to the detriment of the other. As the lumbering business is precarious in its nature — depending upon the state of the British markets, some seasons abundantly remunerate the toil of the lumberman, and thus encouraged, he obtains larger supplies, and prepares for more extensive operations in the lumber woods ; but one unsuccessful season arising either from a depression of the lumber trade, or from his inability to get his timber and logs to market on account of the early breaking up of winter, or from the lowness of the water in spring, — will not only seriously embarrass him, but may even sweep away the rewards of all his toils. It will thus be seen that the lumber business is uncertain in its nature, and should not be largely entered upon by the practical farmer. The construction of vessels is another important branch of industry in New Brunswick; but like the lumber trade, it is greatly affected by the demand in Britain. In seasons of prosperity when trade is brisk and shipping in request, a great activity is manifested in this department of Colo- nial enterprise. From statistics given, I find that in the year 1858, 'h:i number of vessels built in the province amounted tc- deventy-live, with an aggregate of 26,l!0ii ■if im Mi- It i^ ■') . •' •ft'.l'.' 82 tlAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSEB. y a- '^ . tons. There were also on the stocks building, at the close of the same year, seventy-five more, measuring about 42,155 tons. The value of ships built and registered in 1361, amounted to $1,674,000. The average number of vessels constructed annually in the province may be esti- mated at one hundred , the average value of which is about $30 per ton. In comparison to her size and popula- tion, Mow Brunswick appears to be one of the largest ship- .. building countries in the world. In 1849, she built one ton of shipping to every five of her inhabitants. In 1854 she built 99,426 tons of shipping, being one ton to every two of her population. Aside from the ships built and lumber sawed. New Brunswick can scarcely be' called a manufacturing country; yet, there arc few countries in the world possessing greater facilities for such. The water-power, supplied by the brooks and rivers intersecting it in every direction is almost inexhaustible. Independent of these, there are coal and wood for the working of factories, in abundance, and the mineral resources of the province are universally acknowledged to be good. How- ever, it is evident, that as the population of the country increases, and the resources become developed, manufac- tories will spring up, and the demand for many articles now imported, will be furnished in the province. The fisheries of New Brunswick are exceedingly Valuable ; but they, like the mineral resources, are comparatively undeveloped. Owing to the attention given to lumbering no other branch of industry, except that of ehip-building, appears to be developed at all. With the frontage which New Brunswick possesses upon the sea, it is apparent that the facilities afforded for pursuing the fishing business are very numerous and great. Fish of finest quality and endless quantity are to be found along Gambles among the blue-noses. the sea-coast — in the rivers, bays, and lakes ; and all that is wanting to turn it to profitable account, is lahor. The Americans, however, avail themselves of the opportunities — for no less than eight or nine hundred sail of fishing vessels, belonging to them, annually pass into the gulf of St. Lawrence, which washes the eastern shores of the province, — whence they return laden with cod and mac- kerel. The provisions of the Reciprocity Treaty extend to the Americans a participation in the fisheries aroiind the coast of British North America, and they have not been slow to avail themselves of the wealth thus opened up to them. Their success seems to have had a good influence upon the provincial fishermen, who, now, that they have an able competitor, feel more determined, at least, to enjoy a share ' of the treasures before neglected ; and in a few years, it is believed, that the deep-sea fishing will be actively prose- cuted by colonial, as it is now by American fishermen. That the province is rich in minerals has long been the opinion of many ; but from want of capital and men of speculative calibre in the mineral department, and because of the limited knowledge that prevails regarding the geology of the province, this great source of riches remains comparatively u^h touched, and the actual extent, nature, and value of the mineral resources unknown. Limestone, coal, copper, iron, gypsum, and other minerals are known to exist in various sections of the country : and in the counties of Albert and Westmoreland, mines are being worked. The coal of Albert is principally bituminous, and is of a superior description fbr the manufacture of paraffine oil, gas, &c. The value oj^coal exported in 1861 amounted to no less than $150^000. •' \ ■■«♦. ■I ! i^ 84 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. Mii Here in Cariadii, Sir William Logan has been employed for sevcr;il years past at the expense of the government, in making accurate geological surveys of the whole country ; and if the same course were pursued in New Brunswick, I think it would be attended with good results, as the infor- mation thus obtained would facilitate persons desirous of engaging in mining operations, and contribute to their success, and the wealth of the province in general. The Public Lands of New Brunswick may be obtained either for money or labor at the option of the applicant. Public Sales are held on the first Tuesday of every month. Persons wishing to purchase with money, apply to the Lieutenant-Governor by petition, which is transmitted through the Surveyor-General. Warrants of survey are then issued, on the return of which, the land applied for is advertised for sale, and sold at auction on a regular sale day ; and if there is no competition the purchaser gets it at the " set-up " price of sixty cents per acre. If all the money is paid at once, twenty-nvc per cent discount is allowed. But the actual settler can procure his land upon even more easy terms than these, — not in cash but in labor on the roads in his own district. The only condi- tions exacted by the government are, that he shall be an actual settler on the land, and shall, within five years, prove to the satisfaction of the government that he has paid the full amount of his purchase by labor, and has cleared and cultivated not less than five acres of land. The statistics of the Province, and the opinions express- ed by some prominent individuals respecting the agricul- tural capabilities of New Brunswick, have been so highly eulogistic, that the candid observer may feel inclined to call in, question the veracity of their statements. The inost glowing and exaggerated ideas are by many enter' RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 85 tained respecting the general features of the Province, and its capabilities of sustaining a numerous population. One Report informs us that New Brunswick exceeds in wheat fourteen wheat-growing States in the Union; — in barley twenty- four out of thirty ; — in oats, buckwheat, and potatoes thirty States and territories — and in butter and hay, all the States. Another Report says " that the whole Province of New Brunswick taken together exceeds even the favored Genesee Valley, and the southern shores of Lake Ontario." From agricultural statistics I find that twenty bushels of wheat is the average to the acre — with average weight sixty Ids., and reaching sometimes as high as seventy lbs., and oats as high as fifty lbs. ; per bushel, other cereal productions being in proportion. Potatoes, average bushels to the acre, two hundred and twenty-six, turnips four hundred and sixty, rising to the maximum of one thousand bushels ; — whilst that of Canada is represent- ed as being fifty per cpnt less, at the very highest number; other things in proportion. Another Report winds up by saying that : " of the climate, soil, and capabilities of New Brunswick it is wipossihle to speak too highly. There is not a country in the world so beauti- fully wooded • id vxitered, and possessing such unlimited facilities for the promotion of icealth and universal pros- perity.^^ Such statistical eulogy, and the desire to manifest such unwarrantable exaggeration, remind me of Yankee bom- bast, and whilst reading it I could not refrain myself from smiling with irritable astonishment. Too much of provincial eulogy is like too much pepper to the broth, it absorbes and injures the natural and essential ingredients of the dish, and renders thcrii unhealthy and unpala^ table. ■ m -I .*,; ■?r ^ '1 ..J'. 86 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 1^ I - ., -.* m If in reality the province is so productive, why yhould three hundred thousand pounds sterlinc/ be annually expended on the imports of flour and grain for home consumption. In 1859 no less than 226,649 barrels of wheat flour were imported, the value of which, cost $1,031,241 ; 21,518 barrels of corn meal, valued at $79,958; 67,152 bushels of wheat, valued at $82,430: 303,205 lbs. of butter and cheese, valued at $50,361 ; value of animals imported $96,000 ; cured meats $153,600 ; makinii; in the aggregate no less than one million, /our hundred and ninety-three thousand, Jive hundrt.d and 'i'nct}/ doUars. And these are not figures only, but facts ■ .((Jlocted from the statistics of the Province. Nothing Heri c^n more clearly show the undeveloped state of the 1. 'Ticultt ral resources of New BrunBvick, than the fore- going authentic statements. It v;ill thus be seen that great improvements are yet required to make the Province independent of other countries for its supplies of agricul- tural products. In order to accomplish this, there must be an increase of population — not mechanics nor profes- sional men, but stern, hardy farmers — a sufl&ciency of food-producers so as to change the annual expenditure of £300,000 sterling f )r bread, to the other side of the ledger. Hence it is that scliemes for the settling and developing of the country have been a fertile topic of discussion both in the Legislature and amoii^ the people ; bus: none of the schemes suggested up to the present tiue seem to have produced the desired eifect. Notwithstanding the deficiency in agricultural products, the exports of the Province from other resources are somewhat significant. Those of 1860 amounted to nearly $6,000,000, and the imports bordered on ;fiS,000,000. Upwards of 1000 vessels of 180,000, tons are owned in the province ; and about 4,000 vessels RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 87 of 600,000, tons, giving employment to 30,000 seamen, clear her ports annually. The Ordinary Revenue is estimated at $8,000,000, the funded and floating debt about $3,000,000, the assets exceed $2,500,000. A considerable portion of this debt has been incurred by the building of the St. John and Shediac, and the St. Andrew's and Woodstock Railways, The distance between the former places is 108 miles, the latter, 100 ; making in all 208 miles of Railway in the Prov- ince. There are sixty lines of Great Roads in New Brunswick, the length of which is 2,200 miles. All these roads, also the bridges, have been built and are supported by the government. The Legislature yearly allows a certain sum also to the Bye-Roads. In 1859 there were expended $70,000 on the Great Roads, and on the others $60,000, With the exception of the Suspension Bridge at St. John, there are no tolls upon either the bridges or the roads. They are free to every man to make use of them ; and in justice to the Government and the country, I feel happy in being able to say that as far as my observation extended, the roads and bridges are generally in excellent condition. Would that the government of Canada might imitate the example. The Government of New Brunswick is similar to that of other British Colonies. The province has a decimal currency like that of Canada. The Post Office Department is under the control of the Post Master General. A uniform rate of five cents is charged upon all letters for transmission through the Prov- ince, or sister colonies, Newspapers are free of postage, — a slight charge is made for pamphlets and magazines. There i)* HI ■A' hi ••■1 ■1 r^ .:~-^ 88 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. arc no less than 50 post offices and the same number of way offices, the length of the mail routes is over 3000 miles. In religion there is a perfect freedom of conscience : every man is at liberty to worship God in whatever way he may see fit to do. The offices of trust are open to every one without reference to his particular form of belief. There are 565 places of worship, being one church for every 446 of the inhabitants. The Baptists and Episcopalians are the most universal. Anti-Christians assume but a small figure — there b6ing only two Deists, five Free Thinkers, and five Atheists given in the last census of all the Province : I may also add, that there are seven Mormons, and six Millerites among the community ; but I am inclined to believe that these few and solitary ones are standing upon slippery places. In respect to education, every effort has been made to place it within the reach of every individual. The Parish School system is extended over all the province. There are established 968 Parish Schools, attended by 31,973 pupils. There are also fourteen County Grammar Schools? several Academies, a Normal School, and a Provincial Uni- versity. These are equally accessible to all classes, and denominations, and are assisted by annual grants of money from the Public Revenue. Wherever the people desire to establish a school, the government supplies one half of the teacher's salary. The annual appropriation to school purposes is estimated from twenty to thirty thousand pounds. Between thirty and forty newspapers are printed in the province ; and almost every town and village has its Mechanics' Institute and Library Association, by which means a taste for reading is created and common intelligence disseminated. Yet strange indeed does it seem to me, that a country so varied and picturesque as RAMBLES AiMONCJ THE BLUE-NOSES. 89 New Brunswick, intersected with numerous rivers, and indented with lakes and bays, should be so destitute of authors and native literature. Beautiful as the exterior of those objects may appear, they lack that literary romance which the reflective fancy loves to associate with them- What a noble field there is for the native sons of genius to gather the forest laurels of a past age, to adorn the liter- ature of their country, and give to it that mystical enchant- ment which antiquity alone is capable of giving. for a shade of Scott, Cooper, or Irving, to call up the Indian from his tomb — the hero from the battle-field, — the mariner from the deep ; to breathe upon their dry bones, — to embody them in nobler forms, and to give to them a life and an immortality unknown before. ye Blue Noses, why will ye slumber in literary indolence, and allow your noble rivers to roll on year after year — " unlettered and unsung ?" With the Indian their poetry and romance exist only, and with him they die. Such were the suggestions of my fancy when I had discovered the fact that New Brunswick is almost destitute of native literature beyond the limits of the press. In all ray travels through the Province I met with only one of the solitary sons of song^ a Mr. Murdock, author of a volume of " Poems and Songs," and at present a resident of Saint John. He is not a Blue-Nose either, but a "Canny Scot" — a real importation from the " land of heather." When having heard of the poet during my stay in the city, I felt an itching curiosity to see my coun- tryman and brother of the Muse. I suggested to another Scotchman, an acquairtance of his, that I would like to have an evening's conversation with the poet before I left. " Weel man, we'll gang owre the night an' see Willie," said he, embracing the idea eagerly with a sort of happy anticipation. And owre we baith gacd, and a friendly >^ :•■>.: . ', tf. H-M' Jtil ' ?! . It i; i kz . ,.l. >m, s* M ■ :''\' p 'i 90 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. ' •» social meeting it was, and one of the happiest evenings I over remember of spending with man. To meet with one of the*softer genius is to me a delectable treat ; for when such kindred spirits come together, like ingredients of a chemical affinity, they not only meet, but they mingle together, and become united as one in spirit and in feeling. Mr Murdock possesses a fine intellectual expression, and goes heart and soul into feeling, when the spark of a kindred friendship is kindled. Hymen has blessed him in his choice, for Mrs, Murdock is indeed by all appearance an excellent person. The poet himself is distantly related to Mr. M'Lachlan the Upper Canada Bard — and like him, he is true to nature, and as ardent a lover of his native country, of which he thus sings so beautifully : " Hail, Scotia, hail! with love for thee My raptured boaom swells ; Land of the brave, — the good, the free, — Of woods and flowery dells : Land where the thistle proudly blooms, Fresh as the rising morn,— ril love, till time this heart consumes, The land where I was born. Land where proud Rome in days of yore Forth led her countless hordes. Till Scotia gleamed from shore to shore With empire winning s\t ords. But glory to our sires of old, — All stainless and untoru. Still bloom the laurels which unfold The land where I was born. Hail, Bruce, dread essence of the brave ! Hail, monarch of my soul ! Thy deeds, where thraldom found a grave, To endless fame shall roll, . '*»'' RAMBLES AMONG THE BLTJE-NOSES. Thy deeds on Bannock's bloody field Thy name shall aye adorn. Bright glory crowns and valor shields The land where I was born. Hail, land of song ! where countless bards Have tuned the heavenly lyre ; Where Tannahill's soft strains were heard To blend with Burns's fire ; Where Scott in peerless splendor reign'd, And Hogg awoke his horn ; I'll breathe your name in life's last ''' , Dear land where I was born, &c. 91 •■ill ' Mr. Murdock is a contributor to the " Scottish American Journal." Many of his pieces are written in the Scottish dialect. Comparatively speaking, he is but a young man, but he is old in literature, particularly the lore and legends of " Auld Scotia," and appears to be well versed in the Scottish and Eriglish poets, from " Thomas the Rhymer"* * Scotchmen in general are familar with the name of Sir Thomas Learmont, commonly called " Thomas the Rhymer, ^^ a knight who flourished in the 13th century, — cotemporary with Sir William Wallace : he was brother in law to Sir Richard Maitland, and the Earl of Mar, — and son-in-law to the knight of Thirlstane. He was one of Scotland's first poets. His works, with the exception of* Sir Tristriem," and " Rhymes of Prophecy^' are now lost. His singular power of foretelling future events has characterized and preserved his name from oblivion during the lapse of six centuries, and his Rhymes and Prophecies have become household words in the ancestral homes of Scotland. The author of these " Rambles" claims kindred to the old " Rhymer," by a direct lineage, and is now one of the last of the descendants of him, and that once illustrious and ancient family, the " Learmonts of Ercildoune" (Earlston), at which place the ruins of the " Rhymer's" castle are still to be seen. • '■^r IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) // r 14// % .^5^: '^^ h /A y. y. ^ 1.0 t^ I I.I 1.25 2.5 1^ lis IIIIIM 1= U IIIIII.6 V] <^ /^ 7: c^l ^ "^ ^'V (? / /A Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 873-4503 iV iV 9) .V '^ o 6^ 02 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. C! « down to Smith and Tennyson. Indeed Mr Murdock is a sort of poetical antiquarian ; and I felt quite delighted at his antiquated collection of maxims, miniatures, anecdotes, autograpliS, and numberless ct-ceteras of the departed sons of song. But he is out of his true poetical element where he is, isolated in solitude, as it were, and only kindled into inspiration and poetic phrcnzy when the sweet minstrelsy of Scotia's muse steals softly over his heart-strings, like the wild soft murmurings of the Eolian harp. The following verses of his, entitled " Musings in the Rural Cemetery, are I think very touching and beautiful : Alone, like exile far remote From country, triends, and home, I seek thy mazy cedar walks In musing mood to roam ; Or awe-struck, gaze with silent grief Upon each narrow bed, Which holds for thee, my kindred dust, — Lone city of the Dead. I see within thy genial gloom The ghosts of other years ; Their love notes come on every wind, — Their hopes, their joys, their tears ; But soon, too soon, the transient dream Which rapt my soul is sped, And left alone thy spectral spires, — Dark city of the Dead. G reat monitor of youth and age, I see thy pillars rise, Like hope within the Christian's soul, Which points from earth to skies ; T hear thy vigil angels sing Their requiems round each head, That sleeps in thy spulchral halls, — Stern city of the Dead. RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. Within thy dark and cold embrace An infant daughter's clay Co-mingles with ancestors' dust, Whose locks were thin and gray ; Now lonely o'er their silent graves My burning tears I shed, In tribute to thy sacred dust, — Loved city of the Dead. 93 Along thy wild romantic ridge. In nooks, dark, drear, and lone, I read the tales of other years. On tablet and on stone. Here from his toil the soldier rests, Who for his country bled. Now prison'd in thy charnel mould, — Grim city of the Dead. 'ii I I Beneath this lowly, humble board, Reclines the stalwart form Of him who braved the billow's rage, And dared the demon storm ; No tender mother seal'd his eyes, Or watch'd his dying bed. No sister mourns him in thy shades,— Drear city of the Dead. Upon this stone I gaze, I weep, The magic of that name — " My Mother"-— clothes my soul with fire, And burns through all my frame ; Oh! could I clasp that blessed form, Recal the years now fled, I'd gladly yield me to thy'bonds,— Dread city of the Dead. ■ir;.:- t ; \ »i' f ll 94 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. Adieu, ye sullen shaded nooks, Adieu, thou genial gloom ; Adieu, my long lost kindred's dust, — Each dear and sacred tomb ; Adieu, dark city, stern and drear : When time and death have sped, Then will thy day of reckoning come,— Proud city of the Dead. ' i- I also felt interested in the company of a Mr. Foulis, — a citizen of my own — who happened to be at the poet's that night. He invited us to spend the next evening at his house ; agreeably therewith wc made our appearance in good season, forming a literary quorum, not unlike one of the " Fleet Street Clubs" of the last -entury. Mr* Foulis possesses a venerable appearance, and is possibly beyond the period of three score. He is deeply read in the problems of philosophy, and has a peculiar taste and talent for geology and chemistry, — a real palaeontologist — and is as great an antiquarian in that way as the poet is in his. After a brief parley, he led us into his scientific *' Sanctum Sanctorum" — a sort of geological grotto— where lay shelved in accurate order innumerable specimens of an ancient antiquity j and their names he could rattle off as fast as did Burns' " Bauld Apothecary." Indeed I felt deeply interested in the geological comments that the old gentleman gave us, and, also, in the vast varieties of fossils and strangely-figured stones, &c., that he had carefully collected and treasured up; and with more than the fondness of a parent did he seem to foster these immortalized existences — the divine interpreters of an inhabited world, myriads of ages anterior to the Adamio era. Scotchmen are said to be guilty of being clannish. Be RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 95 this as it may, I must confess that at that time, I felt a sort of leaning that way. But time and space forbid me to prolong the description of our literary and philosoph- ical interviews Farewell then to my Scottish cronies, and New Brunswick for the present, as the vessel is now ready at the wharf, that conveys me from these romantic shores, to the Province of Nova Scotia. Be CHAPTER VI. So thick are fogs in Irish bogs That none can stir about ; — In Scottish glens and English fens, That many ne'er get out ; — But those are not to be compared With that of Fundy's Bay: 'Twas such a dense and darkening fog, It blotted out the day. Mons, de Monh, Travelling to the practical tourist is, in a sense, like money to the miser, — the greater the acquisition the greater is the energy to add, — hence, the desire to extend the prospect and increase the fund of information. Under such an influence I felt myself actuated to prolong my tour, by visiting the Province of Nova Scotia. In accord- ance therewith I embarked at St. John, N. B., on the schooner Amazon, preferring a three days' sail around the coast to the city of Halifax, than by steamer and railway by way of Windsor. By the coast the distance cannot be less than three hundred miles ; and when wind and wea- ther are favorable, the voyage is generally conducive to health and happiness. Shortly after we had left St. John Jll ' » 96 RAMBLES AMONd THE BLUE-NOSES. el 4 i ■J • s i a strong head-wind started up, — .so that neither the out- going tide nor the ingenuity in tacking rendered our pro- gress of much account. The tide at length turned against us, and by it and the wind we were carried up the bay a considerable distance. The Bay of Fundy was discovered by Mons. de Monts in the year 180-4. It separates Nova Scotia from New Brunswick, and is one of the largest in the British Pro- vinces. After extending one hundred miles inland, it diverges into two branches : — the northern branch called Chiegnecto Bay, continues to be the boundary line between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia ; the southern, called at its mouth Minas Channel, rapidly narrows to a width of six miles, and then suddenly expands into the Minas Basin, — an expanse of water about forty miles in length, and nearly twenty in width, — its eastern and narrowed pro- longation being called Cobequid Bay. The Bay of Fundy varies in width from 100 miles downwards, and opposite St. John is estimated at 50 miles. In shape it is that of a converging tunnel, and owing to its tides there are but few harbors along its coasts. These tides have become widely celebrated fortheir great rise and fall and the rapidity of their currents ; the causes of which have fre- quently been the subject of much discussion. It appears to me that they are effected in no small degree by the gulf- stream, and by the converging form of the Bay itself, — for the tide-waters as they rush towards the American coast are driven up the Bay by the immediate force of the gulf-stream and in proportion as the Bay becomes narrower the waters are elevated and their rapidity increased. During the second day, the wind being still contrary, little progress was made ; however, with some difficulty we approached the Nova Scotiau coast, which served as a / ■ RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 97 " break- wind " to the vessel. Towards evening we approxi- mated a small harbor known as "Gulliver's Hole;" and as the sky indicated a change, and the tide beginning to run inward, the captain considered it prudent to moor the vessel, and remain there during the night. This harbor is a small sandy cove from which a beautiful valley ex- tends inland, forming a sort of curve. On either side high jutting rocks rise abruptly to the height of two or three hundred feet — thence extending in high ridges of hills. The whole coast in this vicinity is extremely rugged and mountainous, and is iron-bound with trap-rock, covered with scroggy trees. The land is barely settled and will not admit of much progress in cultivation. Scarcely had we entered the harbor when a couple of seamen from an adjacent craft set towards us in a small boat. The elder of the two was rather above the middle size — raw-boned, of about sixty years of age, and appa- rently the skipper of the vessel ; but his clothes like him- self appeared to have seen better days. His pantaloons were of finer texture than seamen generally wear, and were possessed of ■ as many holes as there are Sundays in the year ; through some of which, a portion of his inner gar- ment and interior made a somewhat conspicuous appear- ance. His coat, which had once belonged to the broad- cloth species had lost both its lustre and fashionable aspect, and was not unsimilar to the Scotchman's breeks^ . .'{ Wi' here a darn and there a patch, Till neither ane nor a' wad match. » f" >rary, tywe as a, And worse than all, were the wort: of stitching to conti- nue much longer I am afraid that this noble appendage of the man would lose forever its distinguished originality. jElis hat ^as a dimpled " Castor " of progidious magni ■ ■ } .■ . 1 •\i. 98 KAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. i i ' I P u tude, such as '* Pollux " was wont to wear; and notwith- standing its dilapidated features, it set off to advantage his sea-bronzed face that wore the wrinkles of many storms, and gave an air of respectable dignity to his whole appear- ance. The other person was a low, thick-set bearded youth of twenty summers, and presented nothing in person or appearance that was any way remarkable. " How d'ye do, gentlemen?" said the elder Sinbad fami- liarly addressing the captain and myself, as he approached the larboard, near to where we were standing watching their movements and wondering whom they might be. We saluted them, and they came on board. We recognized them to be Yankee fishermen. " W-a-11, gentlemen," continued he, ^* I have just made myself to home a-boarding yer vessel." ** You are perfectly welcome, sir,"' said the captain. " You're the skipper then, — oh, — aint you Mr oh, beg pardon I don't know yer name." " Captain Locke, sir." " Oh ! Captain Locke — yes, I've hearn of you ; Oh, then, you see I'm a chip of the same block, you know, I am skipper of that air fishing craft yonder. Lubec's my na- tive place, you see ; but darn't if I haint been home for more'n three weeks. I just poked into this tarnation hole to-day. I then dressed myself, d'ye see captain, and heaved to shore to hearn all about the war ; but the folks in this confounded cove knows nothin whatsomever — so I felt kindy uneasy-like not having hearn nothin' these three weeks ; but, gentlemen, I reckon ye can tell me all about it." " There has been a terrible battle of late before Rich- mond," said the captain. "A week's fighting, and no less than fifty thousand of the rebels slain." i« 1 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 99 no " Good I good ! good ! " loudly exclaimed the old Fede- ral, twitching himself suddenly up, and then slapping both hands in the joyous excitement of gratification. " I know'd all along," continued he, waxing with exhilarated eloquence, ** that old Abe Lincoln's the boy that would gull them black-hearted devils, and sharky-toothed demo- crats that have all along, you know, been a-fishing and hooking at the money trunks and trying to dissolvicate the " Union " with their stump speeches about sending their nigger wenches into our free and independent states to breed young uns, and a thousand other sich-like things ; but this will scuttle their bulwarks for 'em like winkum. Good, on yer old head, Abe Lincoln, I say." " But," said the captain, " I feel sorry to inform you that there are seventy-five thousand of the Northerners also killed." " A darnation confounded liCf I tell ye, captain," wildly ejaculated the Yankee skipper, twitching his grinders, and stamping his heavy boot upon the deck. " Well," said the captain, " I hope you do not impeach me as being the fabricator of this statement ; here is the paper in which I saw it, read it for yourbci'." The old skipper somewhat seriously and slowly mumbled out the following heading of a telegram : ^ Great Battle Fought : Seven Days Tremendous Fightingy Before Richmond. 50,000 of the Confederates^ and 75,000 of the Federals killed. " By scizzors and jack-knives, aint that terrible ; aint it, captain ?" he exclaimed, somewhat chop-fallen, " but I say, Captain Locke, that's your name, aint it, captain ? ':i- « I, I . { 100 RAMBLES AMON(i THE BLUE-NOSES. t. ^ ■• t i' V VV 5/ • ;i W-a-11, I say, I don't believe one single tarnation word of it — no, Captain Locke ; by ginger I Abe Lincoln's not the boy, I tell ye, to let JefF. Davis shin-plaster 75,000 of our Union boys." '' Well, but you see, skipper, we must believe it to be true until we hear it contradicted,^' said the captain, still wishing to keep on the joke. ^^ Believe it to be true !" By Jerusalem ! no, Captain Locke, and Amos Saddlejinks is the first man to contradicket too, you know ; I say, Captain, you're not so wide-awake as I be, or you'd be on the same opinion as myself. Them con- founded lies is manifactur'd for dollars and cents by a gang of cowardly war-loafers, who lie like Lucifer, and beat the devil holler by a long shot." " That may all be true, friend ; but why don't President Lincoln put down the Rebellion at once ?" " At once," — Captain: by Jove! I believe 'tis a gone goose aforen now — that's just what I reckon all them con- founded lies is manifactur'd on ; put 'em down at once, you say, captain. — Wa-U I guess you'll fin'd out that Abe Lincoln has done more'n his time nor " any other man" in creation. Every one knows, — Captain, — that General — Washington was a peeler — England knows it toOj I reckon — but 'taint no matter now. Abe Lincoln can beat him all holler, don't you see, — Captain, — how he walked his boots right into Jeff Davis's fly-gib at once, and powdered 'em into and out of every fort from the Potomac all the darn'd way to Mexico — and scuttled every plantation of 'em from Virginia to Arkansas, — sunk every vessel and frigateer that belonged to 'em, — and stoned up all their ports and harbors, and the devil knows what, — until England grow- Jed i and growed frightened, you know, and sent all her trdom right all the way up to Canada to hide 'em until the V RAMBLES AMONO THE BLUE-NOSES. 101 darn'd fuss was over ; good again on ycr head, Abe Jjincoln. Amos Saddlejinks will never turn his back upon you like thin-skin'd skcdaddlcr on a jack-ass ; no siree. Three cheers for Abe Lincoln and our glorious independent Union — hurra ! — hurra ! — hurra !" *' Well, Mr. Saddlejinks, I must compliment you as being a first-rate speechifier, and a zealous lover of your country and its heroes." " That's so, captain — aint it?" (abruptly) — *' But there is one point in particular," continued the Captain, — that I wish you to give a satisfactory explana- tion of, — namely — what about '' Bull's Run." — how did Abe get along there ?" At this point the mate, who had been also present and attentively listening to the whole affair, burst out into roars of laughter; and the captain and the rest of us began biting and compressing our lips to prevent a similar explosion of our risibilities. " Oh, I see, captain, you all want to fool me — don't you; — hut you can^t doit — no, hy Jove! you can't — BulVs Run — eh] — yes — another darnH lie you know ; but wait ft little longer, and the * Yankee Boys' will let you see ' John Bull's Run.' Good bye — Captain and gentlemen — goodbye;" and Mr. Amos Saddlejinks made his exit to his ship, having immortalized himself upon our memories, and furnished us with food for amusement eluring the remainder of our voyage. Early next morning we left the harbor ; the wind, though somewhat subsided, was still headward, yet we endeavored to turn both ship and wind to the best advantage. Towards evening the breeze settled into a dead calm, and a dense fog, dark as chaos, crept over the waters, and the limits of our view were contracted into a narrow circle j ■¥•'. .;i' !'■■ ■,'. J M 102 RAMBLES AMONO THE TILUE-NOSES. 'I / ;J — and night dark night, set in — and nought was Hoeu or heard but the tall, ghastly sheets still hanging to the masts, and flapping in their folds by the rocking of the vessel upon the tidal waves. Three days had already gone — the time anticipated for our voyage, — yet scarcely one fourth of the distance accomplished ; night passed away — and morning was again ushered in, — but, how unlike the sunny mornings of our Canadian July. The air was damp and driazly with the dense fog, which had continued all night ; it seemed as if earth had been blotted out of exist- ence, and the sun out of the heavens, — and we appeared as if entering upon some unknown region ; the vessel drifted at random upon the tide, and was rocked upon the windless waves; fragments of sea-weed were floating past; and scarcely a ripple seen upon the undulating bosom of the water, — nought was heard but the pufiing of the porpoise, as it rolled itself lazily upon the tidal swell ; or the elfin scream of the deep-sea gull. Sometimes we caught a glance of the " Carey chicken"* or some other lone sea-bird ! i- *^l • The Carey chicken is a small inotfensivo aoa-fowl that hovers around vessels, frequently at an immense distance from land. It is said to have derived its name from a woman by the name of Carey, who kept a tavern in the town of Limerick : a crew belonging to a vessel about to leave the port had been in- dulging somewhat freely in her liquor, and on leaving, refused to pay her all her demands. Enraged at such a dishonest act, she expressed her wish with a tremendous oath that every soul of them might be lost. Shortly after they had left the port the vessel was wrecked, and the whole crew perished ; it is said that the spirits of those men, however, arose in the shape of these birds, that are commonly styled " Mother Carey's chickens." They are ever restless, and are believed by seamen in general to be ominous of fearful and fatal consequences. Rambles among the blue-noses. 108 circling around the vessel, and wheeling away again with graceful sweep into the all-absorbing fog ; and the only visible thing of life in that apparently limitless expanse. Every thing around us had a dreary and solitary aspect ; yet few as we were, we endeavored to make our moments as interesting and instructive as present circumstances would allow. I never met in with a more temperate and moral class of seamen than those on board of the *' Amazon ;" drinking, swearing and card-playing were strictly prohib- ited by the captain, himself a noble pattern of moral excel- lence. During the day I occasionally observed a young man — apparently one of the crew — appearing very solitary and sad-like, frequently wiping his eyes as if they were suffused with tears ; his countenance, though somewhat dejected, had rather a pleasing appearance. In form he was small and slender, with the nervous temperament predominant, and apparently about twenty years of age ; I felt a curiosity at first to know the cause of his grief; but reasoning from my own feelings I attributed it to his home affections under the present condition, and therefore passed it over with little further consideration. " Captain, I don't know what to make of that land lubber of a fellow you took a-board at St. John," said the cook, as he entered our little cabin that evening with the tea- dishes. " Why so?" said the captain. " Because he appears to be sick all over, and yet he says he's not sick ; but I guess, captain, there's a weak spot in his stomach somehow, for he's a-blubbering all day like u bull-calf that's a-lost its mother." " Perhaps he's thinking of the girl he left behind him," ejaculated the captain ; — " love, you know, will make any man weak before it makes him wiser," 1 ""^ i '. ■, '•J il • ' 1 , t • .1 » » ' HI '^-4-1 104 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. I ;' t ■ ■ i 1 ji-,i - , it:' ■■( ' v% ,. " No danger of Denis," exclaimed the mate ; " he'll get over his sea affections afore he's twice married and once a widder." At this part of the colloquy I stated that I had seen him apparently in a state of deep anguish ; and began to expos- tulate in behalf of the poor fellow that something seriously might be wrong with him. " Well cook," said the captain, send him down after supper, and we'll sound him." After supper, Denis made his appearance in the cabin and very modestly inquired of the captain if he wished to speak to him. " Well sir, I have been informed that you have not con- ducted yourself to-day in a manly manner becoming to a sailor," — said the captain, with an affected seriousness of expression. " I know of nothing, sir, that I have done wrong to-day, sir," said he, apparently affected. "Your eyes indicate something to be wrong — a wheel appears to be out of joint somewhere. Now, sir, tell me what is the real cause of all your trouble; and if it is foreign to yourself, you shall have my sympathy and aid. Here- upon Denis hung down his head, and a teardrop was seen to fall ■: poor fellow he appeared to be much affected. After a few moments' hesitation he divulged the secret of his grief and the circumstances connected therewith, the substance of which is as follows : Denis was the son of a cattle-dealer in St John. It appears that his mother had considerably indulged him, and, contrary to his father's wishes,allowed him to grow up in com- parative idleness ; and as is too frequently the case, he con- tracted the evil habit of associating with idle vagrants, and at length, of indulging freely in the inebriating bowl. JIAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 105 wl, Daily he felt an increasing intensity of his sinful desires, but made no ejQfort to check their influence. His mother when too late beheld the sad effect of her misapplied kindness and love, yet still endeavored to hide his faults from the father. Nor did he cease to feel less affection for her even, though deeply addicted to licentious dissipation. At length through her benign influence and entreaties he was persuaded to abandon his, evil course and companions, and go in partnership with his father, and be a sharer of the profits. Several weeks passed on, during which time, Penis was a renewed man — a man of business too. He had made some very profitable bargains ; and, by all appear- ance, was likely to succeed in the new course of life he had lately shaped out for himself. One afternoon his father, who had already implicit confidence in his son, sent him over to Carleton to get some accounts cashed amounting to nearly $100,the greater part of which he readilycollected. But whilst returning home by way of Porte-land* he accidentally met in with two of his former associates, who greeted him with the greatest ceremony, and flattered him on his prosperous-like appearance. Denis, it appears, was sensible of the danger he was in, and consequently endeavored to avoid their company on pretence of hurried business ; but their wily influence and glibtongued flattery induced him at length to enter a "rum hole," one of his former rendezvous, to taste with them only one friendly glass ; but having met there with others of his old associates, the old spirit was readily renewed ; — the fuel of intemperance was again kindled and at that moment ready to burst forth into flame ; and when he had drunk and rioted in the revels of debau- chery until the night was far spent, he saijk unconsciously * One of the suburbs of the city. 1 .,,<^> ' " ft- ''P. • '-it i % •il .V -f \\ 106 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. : m* ■' i>}- H i I If *' X'. 11^ I'll « i upon the couch of Somnus deadly inebriated. Poor fellow ! how soon indeed had his dignity fallen, and his honour gone. Next morning revealed to him that his companions of the night had gone away ; his purse and its contents had also disappeared and could not be found. What was he to do ? How could he meet his loving parents and ask forgiveness from their injured feelings ? No — the thing was impossible, he was ruined, yes ruined forever. The demon spectres of that night's debauchery threw their long dark shadows over his fevered brain, and he reeled in madness under the fiery influence of a black remorse. Live longer he could not; drown himself he must, and away he hurried towards the harbor, to find some convenient spot to pop himself into. In this excited condition of feeling, as he was sauntering along the wharf; he beheld the ^' Amazon" about to heave off. A change of resolution flashed across his mind. He ascertained wrhere the schooner was bound for, — made an agreement with the captain to work his passage, and came on board in the capacity of a sailor. Such are the previous circumstances connected with poor Denis, but a sadder tale is yet to be told of him. The fifth morning had made its appearance, and, like the previous one, dim and drizzly, and hanging amid all the horrors of fog. As a worshipper of the sacred institu- tion of Divine Revelation, allow me to call that day by the hallowed name of Sabbath. Blessed day — of all others, inheriting more of the essence of divinity. But how unlike my Sabbaths of the Past. No spire, rearing its lofty head radiaiit with the beams of heaven, was seen ; nor solemn chime of " church-going-bell" was heard upon the humid atmosphere. Nothing seemed to disturb the death-like silence of the air, but the ominous screech of the sea-gull, itu- the RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 107 or the occasional sound of some distant "fog-horn" giving precautionary intimations to other vessels. We nearly came into collision this morning with a small schooner that was carried past us almost touching our bowsprit; the captain of this craft appeared to be fearfully bewildered, as lie solicited in strong terms if we could give him any idea of where he was. It reminded me very much of a Scottish sea-captain, who had ventured a little further upon the ocean than his nautical knowledge rendered it safe and agreeable to his feelings. Believing himself to be lost, he saluted a passing vessel, and requested of the captain in his broad and emphatic dialect, "' Whaur am I ?" " In your vessel, sir," was the abrupt and unexpected reply. The same answer, according to our own idea respecting our nautical locality at that time, was also applicable in this case. During the whole day a solemn stillness appeared to prevail over the Bay, as if the winds had died in the misty caverns of the deep ; or, as the poet very beautifully expresses himself — "JT was like the universal Sabbath ; or, " As if the pulse of nature had stood still." Such was the Sabbath. Yet I felt not altogether destitute of devotion to my great Creator, whom I worshipped in silent adoration in the great temple of nature, and with peculiar sublimity of feeling called to mind the sublime language with which the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, " Wfio shut up the sea with doors when it brake fori\ as if it had issued out of the womb ? When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a svmddling hand for it, and brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors, '^ and said, '' Hither- «■ ■ ■ I *' 'if' - 1 "''if f-i fj ■? ''I ' > \ . '. ! '■ \* ■ » ■ p' 108 RAMBLES AMONG THE BtiUE-NOSES. 'f I ?^ lit S ,' ;''■: to shall thou come and no further, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed;^ and, thus meditating on the majesty and power of Him ^^ who holdeth the winds in his fists and the waters in the hollow of his hands,^^ — the Sabbath closed. .Morning again came. I arose early and hastened upon deck expecting to see the sun ; but soon found that I was not sufficiently versed in nautical meteorology to give correct barometic indications. Oh, horrors ! the everlasting fog was still around us, denser and darker than ever, and no prospect of a change for the better. My feelings of chagrin at that moment were, however, amusingly relieved by the odd-like image of Denis as he issued from the galley. He was only in half dress. His eyes had a smoky appear- ance, and in no small degree resembled a pair of black buttons set in circles of red flannel. His head being uncovered, his hair had a tangled and dishevelled aspect, standing on end like porcupine quills, and looking the very picture of affright. He was holding on firmly with his teeth to the short stem of a black pipe, from which he was endeavouring to exhale the fumes of its ignited contents- I saluted him, and we entered into conversation, which ultimately turned upon his own unfortunate circumstances. I saw that he felt exceedingly sorrowful. " Perhaps," said he, "my poor mother is thinking that I have come to some untimely death. Oh ! I have broken her heart, and ruined myself. Merciful God ! what will I do !" I endeavored to soothe his feelings, and advised him to return as soon as possible after our arrival at Halifax, and seek forgiveness from his parents, confessing his faults with true repentance. "But" said he, I am afraid I'll never reach there, for the cook has just told me that the captain intends dropping me overboard, like Jonah, as I am the cause of RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 109 all this fog, that will continue, he says, whilst there's a fragment of me hanging to the ship. But to relieve my feelings, sir, I am trying what virtue is to be found in this pipe," but added he, " thcre^s dry smoking in ground coffee y " Ground co^ee," said I, laughingly, " why do you smoke coffee." " Because I've no tobacco," said he ; " the cook gave me this pipe, — the only one on board, and told me I'd have to smoke coffee as there was no tobacco. " "Well Denis," said I, "you must keep away from the cook if you wish to live longer, and do not believe on any account what he has told you. I can assure you that the captain has purposed to assist you to get home, and you may safely depend upon it. At this saying, a radiant smile of happiness passed over the woe-begone countenance of poor Denis ; but I leave him for the present. I will not tire my readers any further by giving the connected details of three other additional days and nights in the fog upon the Bay of Fundy, as the subject is too local to excite general interest, and too monotonous to be agreeable. To relieve the tedium of our passing moments, which for the most part were occupied by reading and conver- sation, the captain and mate would occasionally spin out some long sea-yarn : but every thing had begun to lose its enchanting influence ; and variety was not to be found as an essential ingredient, or the pleasing feature of a foggy atmosphere. Nine days were we upon the Bay, six of which we were in a dead calm, enveloped in dense fog, and knew not whither we were going, — the vessel being carried to and fro upon the swelling bosom of the alternate tides, and we ■ ■.>'• '4 *' •■4!' I • -;> ■ i:' ft": ,'. ill !V. ■• i". I 110 RAMBLES AxMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. knew not at what moment we might be thrown upon the ledges, or come in collision with some vessel also drifting at random. But our last night upon the Bay of Fundy has so deeply impressed my own mind that I cannot forbear indulging myself in a short description of the scene. The day had been excessively dark and foggy, augmented apparently by heavy masses of clouds gathering in the atmosphere and indicating rain. Night, dreary, dismal night set in at length, enveloped in all the blackness of the nether world, and "Dark as chaos, Ere the infant sun was roU'd together, Or swept athwart the depths profound." P 1 i T \ I,: k r:' ' iP!' f V*; Calm as the air around us appeared to be, the upheaving of the tides was considerably augmented, arising, perhaps from our proximity to the confluence of the St. Mary's Bay. From the dark mirror of the waters myriads of electric parti- cles were reflected, sparkling in all the lustre of the stars, and imitating in miniature the cloudless canopy of night,-- or, like millions of fire-flies sporting upon the dusky waves of Ache- ron. But, hark ! — a jarring murmur is heard in the dis- tance. Every ear is awakened to the sound. It is either the voice of breakers, or the rout of tidal billows lashing against the shore. The captain supposed it to arise from the surges dashing over the north west ledges, — a line of reefs in the vicinity of Bryer's Island. The vessel was drifting towards them, and their harsh sounds fell with ominous murmur upon the ear. Every sail was unfurled, and every means applied to avoid them. Fortu- nately the tide at that moment having turned in our favor, we narrowly escaped a collision with them. At length, flashes of lightring in the distance were seen, and dis- the ling trom line essel fell was )rtu- our At and RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. Ill the booming of thunder echoed in the murky caverns of the sky. Nearer they approached, not in the whirlwind or the furious tempest, — but in calm sublime majestic power, lightening up the dark chambers of creation's canopy with lurid glare, and awakening echo from the vaults of night, causing the very air to tremble with affright, and the watery particles to rush together, and fall in torrents towards the earth, which continued to pour down incessantly for hours. Morning came — the hours of the night had gone — and oh, what a glorious and mag- nificent prospect appeared. The fog and the rain had also gone — and the bold outline of the Nova Scotian coast presented a noble aspect, and with joyous gratitude I realized in feeling the sentiments of Solomon — *' that truly light is sweety and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun." We recognized our position to be but a short distance north west of Bryrer's Island, and by no means a favor- able one. A fine breeze having sprung up, we were enabled before evening to get around Cape Sable. This cape designates the most southernly point of Nova Scotia ; it is embanked with large quantities of sand, assuming a somewhat treacherous appearance. In this vicinity the S. S. Hungarian is supposed to have been lost, but no one on hoard survived the catastrophe to tell her fate. The whole coast from Bryer's Island to Halifax presents a rocky cor- rugated aspect ; but of the general features of the interior I will speak hereafter. On the afternoon of the following day, being the eleventh of our voyage, we entered Chebucto Harbor, and were safely landed at the city of Halifax. Gentle reader, — before closing this chapter, let me draw your attention to the sequel of the narrative of poor Denis. Puring the stay of the Amazon at Halifax, he was • -'i ■ 4 ■:ii} ■■in 112 RAMBLES AMONa THE BLUE-NOSES. f in" ;, if:' i- 'If «c employed by the captain in disloading and re-loading the vessel, by which means he realized sufficient to defray his expense homeward. His kind and agreeable disposition had merited the favour of all connected with the vessel, and their charity was liberally bestowed upon him. During the week's stay of the schooner, I visited my Bay of Fundy friends daily, for, indeed, I had become much attached to them, and to the vessel also. The day previous to their departure we all bade a sorrowful adieu to poor Denis, having cautioned him with every necessary advice. He appeared to fully appreciate our sentiments, and felt deeply at parting with us all, and he left us with the tears glistening from his eyes, — this was the last I saw of poor Denis. Early next morning I walked down to the wharf to bid adieu to my friends of the Amazon. I met the captain upon deck. I recognized in his features an expression of solitary anguish. I imagined that some- thing serious was troubling his mind, for he was a man of deep compassion, and I attributed it at once to unfavor- able news from him. " Ah," said he — apparently much affected, " I feel sad indeed for what has happened Denis," "Denis!" said I, astonishingly, "What has happened him, captain ?" " About ten o'clock last night as I was preparing for bed, I heard a person come on board and walk down to the fore- castle. A few moments afterwards the cook came running and told me that Denis had returned drunk and fearfully cut about the head. I hastened to where he was : he pre- sented a fearful aspect. He was without hat ; his coat was torn to fragments ; his face was covered with blood that appeared to be oozing from his head ; and through pain and the effect of the liquor he was perfectly frantic, Rambles among the blue-noses. 113 approaching to demon madness. I immediately sent for a doctor, who came, examined and dressed his wounds, and pronounced them not dangerous. " Having inquired as to the cause of what had occurred, I learned from him that after leaving us, a young fellow with whom he had formed an acquaintaince here, had enticed him to take ' one glabs ' before they parted. — he had done so — took another, — and another ; treated, played cards, and reveled in debauchery all day, spent all his money, and, finally in attempting to assist his comrade in a quarrel, he was cruelly beaten, and kicked out upon the street. Seeing the desperate condition he was in, I endeavored to allay his feelings, and promised to assist him again." "'Ahl captain' he exclaimed, *i'm ruined I Tm ruined ! soul and hody for ever I IlelVs horrors are opening upon me ! oh, my poor mother ! I have hrohen her heart ; oh, captain ! I cannot live under such horrors of horrors, worse than madness, oh, I cannot live f I can- not ; no, J cannot / no; no T^ " Having spoken to him for some time in a calm affec- tionate tone, he cooled down, and agreeably to my request retired to bed. I ordered one of the crew to attend to him if he wanted anything through the night. Early in the morning I arose and hastened to his room to ascer- tain his condition ; but Denis was not there, nothing but his shoes were lying in the place I had put them, no one had heard or seen him. I then went up to the city called at the police stations, made several inquiries, but to no purpose. Poor fellow ! I believe he has thrown himself overboard in the night in his excited state of mind, and is drowned. We are endeavoring to discover his body around the vessel, but I fear the tide has borne it away.'*^ n :;t. - w • t t ■;■■ A 114 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. As a corroboration of the captain's supposition I may here state, that a few days afterwards the body of Denis was found on the upper part of McNab's Island, having been carried thither by the tide. Such was the end of 1)enis, ^i CHAPTER VII. Hold Acadia, ocean bounded ; Oer thy rough and rocky strand France did fall, and Britain stumbled, Leaving footmarks on thy land : Land of forest, lake, and river, — Land, where gold the mountain fills ; Where the fir and fog forever Perch upon thy rocks and hills. Nova Scotian. Every colony of our extended empire has a history of its own more or less replete with incidents. Nova Scotia possesses one of even romantic interest. It is, however, so interwoven with the history of the British North Amer- ican Provinces generally, that its colonial individuality has been almost unrecognized in the Fatherland, although since 1713 it has permanently existed as a British colony wholly distinct from Canada. Unlike the more recently acquired colonies of other regions, Nova Scotia, in common with the sister provinces, claims a niche amongst the memorials of those States which were created by the intellectual impulse of the fifteenth century. It was then that the mind of Europe was awak- :!"J* llAMBLES AMONO TIIK BLUE-NOSEf*. lift cried to the glowing wubject of maritime discovery. The authenticated as well as the fabulous accounts of the riches of the Indies, stimulated this spirit of enterprise, which, though exhibiting a desire for the sudden acquisition of wealth by uncertain means, rather than by the plodding pursuits of patient industry, was ultimately overruled by a benignant Providence, to the increased happiness of the human race. Among the Venetians resident in England during the reign of Henry VII, was John Cabot, a scientific and experienced mariner. The king, prompted by the mar- vellous tales of gold and silver abounding in America, granted to him and his three sons a patent to fit out a small squadron ybr the conquest, discovery, and occupation of the lands beyond the Western Ocean inhabited by heathens and infidels. The elder Cabot and his son Sebastian sailed from Bristol in May, 1497, in a ship of their own, accom- panied by three small ships of London merchants, laden with articles of traffic. On the 24th of June they beheld the appearance of land, which they called '^ Prima Vista," generally supposed to be that of Newfoundland. Shortly afterwards they discovered another island to which they gave the name of St. John, now Prince Edward's Island. Seventy years elapsed, during which time the English bestowed little attention upon their newly-discovered ter- ritory. Newfoundland, because of its valuable fisheries, was yearly visited by the ships of English merchants, of which island formal possession was taken by the crown j but no attempt was made to colonize the continent. The apathy of England afforded a favorable opportunity to France to extend her power on the new world. The Marquis dc La Roche, in 1598, was sent from France to explore the country with the object of settlement, Hg ' •* .- > ■ v^ • I .■ t } * V ■. ■ 1 I .< { ■^ •Wil. 11 RAMBLER AMONG TnE BLUE-NOSES. 'if %'%< I. i *' '}^ '4. ^ '.' carried with liiin n number of convicts from the prisons, and landed forty of the men on Sable Island, which is about one hundred miles eantward of Nova Scotia. On this desert isle they spent a miserable existence, living almost wholly on fish, and clothed with garments of seal skin, &e. Seven years afterwards the king of France sent a vessel to rescue them from their dreary exile. Only twelve out of the number had survived, and their appearance was so squalid and miserable that the king granted them a pardon, and gave to each a gratuity of fifty crowns. No important steps towards colonization was further made by the French, until Mons. de Monts, in 1603, was appointed Governor-General of that part of North America, extending from the 40th to 54th degrees of north latitude, known by the name of '* Cadie," subsequently styled " L'Cadic, Acadia, and Arcadia."* Accompanied by Cham- plain, and other noted mariners, he explored the bay sepa- rating the peninsula from the mainland, and gave to it the name of La Baye St. Frangois, known at present as the Bay of Fundy. During the succeeding winter they estab- lished themselves on the island St. Croix, and in the follow- ing spring, removed to Port Royale, now called Annapolis, and there founded the first permanent European settlement in the north of the American continent. f * It received its name from the first settlers, wlio were natives of L'Oadie in France. t There is an interesting historical memorial of this event in pos- session of R. G. Haliburton, of Halifax. It -was found by Judge Haliburton at Annapolis. It bears the inscription, 1606, with rude Masonic character engraved on it. It was probably executed by De Monts in commemoration of his taking possession of La NouvELLB France. [V f: RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 117 Nine years aft-erwards, this infant settlement was broken up by an English captain sent by the colonists of Virginia, who considered th* French as intruders upon British terri- tory. Eiglit years subsequent to this event, Sir William Alexander, a Scottish nobleman, obtained a royal grant of the whole country denominated Acadia, which included the islands of Cape Breton and Prince Edward, the greater part of New Brunswick, and the district of Gaspd, to which he gave the title o^ Nova Scotvi — (New Scotland). Sir William profited little by this splendid acquisition. His attempts at colonizing were unsuccessful, and were cut short by the treaty of Saint Germains in 1632, by which all the settlements were restored to France. Nova Scotia reverted to the English in 1654, during the administration of Cromwell, who dispatched an expedition, under the command of Major Sedgewick, to retake the country, and restore it to the dominion of Great Britain. Efforts to people the country, and to revive the settle- ments which had been commenced by the French, were only begun, when the colony was again restored to France by Charles II, in exchange for the islands of St. Chris- topher, Antigua, and Montserrat, in the West Indies. The French enjoyed undisturbed possession for twenty years; when an expedition, sent from Massachusetts, under Sir Wm. Phipps, again wrested it from them. But its vicissitudes were not yet ended. Six years afterwards it was again restored to France by the treaty of Ryswick. War with France, however, was shortly afterwards declared, when the country was again conquered by the English : axid Jinallj/ peace having been concluded between England and France on the 11th April, 1713, all Nova Scotia, with its ancient boundaries, as also the town of Port Royale, were, by the treaty of Utrecht, ceded to Great Britain. * < 'in it'. i:& u--^ i;?^' 'i^ ^ 118 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. The name of Port Royale was changed into Annapolis Royal in honor of Queen Anne. From this period may be dated the beginning of permanent British rule in Nova Scotia. Nearly fifty years, however, elapsed before any effort was made by the English to colonize the country; during which time, the Acadians renewed their claim to a part of it. They maintained that Acadia comprised only the Peninsula, known at present as Nova Scotia ; that they had yielded nothing more to Britain ; and that all the country intervening New England and the Bay of Fundy was a part of New France, now Canada, which they then held in possession. The New Englanders sternly opposed such unwarrantable claims ; and the consequence was, that the British Government, after having investigated the subject, took more active steps to confirm and extend its power and dominion in the provinces. An extensive Colonization Scheme was immediately projected and laid before the Board of Trade and Plantations, of which the Earl of Halifax was president. The scheme merited a liberal attention, and was shortly afterwards put into execution. A free passage and grants of land were offered to all intending settlers, besides a gratuitous supply of fire-arms for defence, implements of husbandry, and provisions for one year after their landing in the country. The result of such an in- ducement, was, that in May 1749, a body of 3760 persons emigrated to the Province, under the superintendence of Hon, Edward Cornwallis, who had been appointed Gover- nor of Nova Scotia. Having landed on the western shore of Chebucto Harbor, they established their respective claims, and organized themselves as a British colony. In order to strengthen their position, and unite their interests, they immediately began to form the rudiments of a town, to .-,? RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 119 which they gave the name of Halifax. This was the first important accession to the population of Nova Scotia : prior to this period the inhabitants consisted almost wholly of the French Acadians, and Indians. The emigrants, who arrived with Lord Cornwallis, being sufficiently settled, were desirous of obtaining some addition to their numbers. A proclamation was accordingly sent over to Germany inviting people with fair promises, to remove to Nova Scotia ; the result of which was, that before the lapse of three years, more than a thousand had arrived at intervals in Halifax. The soil in the vicinity of the city not ap- pearing favorable to the operation of farming, the greater number of them took up their settlement in Merliguish Bay, which name they changed for the German Lunen- burg. Cape Breton, however, still remained in possession of the French, where they founded the strongly fortified town of Louisbourg. Allied with the Indians they made fre- quent forays from this Island upon the English settlements. Louisbourg was twice conquered by the British ; and Cape Breton was finally ceded to England by the treaty of Paris in 1763, when France relinquished all claims forever to Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, Canada, and the islands in the river and Gulf of St. Lawrence. An expulsion of the disloyal Acadians had taken place in 1755, at which time they numbered about 18,000, about half of whom were actually exiled. However, when peace was proclaimed in 1763, a considerable number of them were permitted to return ; and, allotted certain lands as a recompense for their former loss. Profiting by the severe lessons they had learned, they ever afterwards proved a loyal, inoffensive and industrious people, which traits appear to characterize their descendants. In person they •i < ' ■ in 120 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES, ■si I,v possess a more ruddy and robust appearance than our French Canadians do in general ; less active in motion, but apparently possessing a greater solidity of principle and intellect. Their largest and most prosperous settlements are in Clare, bordering on St. Mary's Bay, in the county of Digby, Pubnico in Yarmouth, and Minudie in Cumberland ; and smaller settlements of them are in various other parts of the province. At present they number about 21,000. Just before the return of the exiled Acadians, Governor Lawrence issued a proclamation inviting the people of New England to come and settle in the lands of the banished Acadians : these liberal proposals induced several hundreds of substantial farmers from those States to Nova Scotia. The inhabitants of Horton and of Hants are the descend- ants of emigrants from New England. Some portions of the Province are settled almost exclusively by Scotch- men, and the descendants of Scotch. In Pictou and the Island of Cape Breton, the majority of the people are the descendants of Scottish Highlanders, whose emigration dates as far back as 1770. Also, a great number of the Loyalists, who, unwilling to remain in the revolted states, removed to Nova Scotia. Not less than 30,000 arrived prior to the close of the year in which the independence of the United States was acknowledged. Their descendants are to be found in the counties of Digby, Annapolis, Gruysboro, Shelburn, and a part of Hants. Descendants of the Irish are to be found in Colchester, Cumberland, and other counties. In Nova Scotia there are not less than] 6,000 negroes, not slaves, but free and independent people. Their ances- tors came to the country in four distinct bodies. The first were originally slaves, who accompanied their masters from the older colonies. Again, a number of free negroes ;roeB, nces- The ,sters rroes RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 121 came at the close of the Revolutionary war. Next came the insurgent negroes of Jamaica, known by the name of Maroons ; of which, with the previous number, the greater part were sent to Sierra Leone. The last arrival of Afri- cans was in 1815, from whom with those who first came, have chiefly sprung these of the race who are now resident in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. About fifty years ago, upwards of 200 negroes belonging to the vicinity of Shelburne, N. S., on the Atlantic coast, were treacherously kidnapped by an English sea captain ; who, it appears, had frequented the port for some years, and familiarized him- self with many of the negroes, in order to mature his pre- concerted scheme. At length, on pretence of commemo- rating his birth-day, he collected upwards of 200 of them into his ship to hold the Grand Festival. Abundance of every good thing was at their disposal. Liquor, of which they were particularly fond, was indulged in to excess, and finally, through its influence, they became deadly ine- briated. In this state they were bound and put under hatchway, taken to Virginia, and sold as slaves. A remnant yet remains of the Micmac Indians, the ori- ginal occupants of the country. They exist as a distinct race, retaining the roving and indolent habits of their ancestors, but degraded and miserable to the lowest degree. They are sadly enslaved by habits of intemperance ; re- duced through disease, and are fast disappearing. In general they do not seem to possess the physical and men- tal stamina, which is needful to bear the transforming impress of religion and civilization. They have dwindled down to the insignificant number of 1,400. They are not, however, wholly neglected by the white man ; an annual grant of over $1,000 is appropriated to their wants. They are largely dependent upon charity ; and though enjoying reserved lands, cannot be induced to labor. . ■ . it \ ►^ '' " "' It . I ■ H ■ "■ J. I < ■ i- I i\ A ' S V f ll ' 1^' v-:^-'' 122 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. inrl ■3: W •H 44 Nova Scotia, pursuing so checkered a career during her early stages, and subject to so many vicissitudes, was impeded for many years in the progress of population and the development of her resources ; while her sister colonies, previous to their independence, were steadily advancing in population and improvement, and had assumed the aspect of prosperous communities, arising from their peaceable condition and a continual influx of emigrants. The pro- gress in the population has therefore been slow, and cannot reasonably be compared with that of the States, or Canada. Nearly three fourths of the population of our Province, and one half of that of the States have arisen from emi- gration during the last fifty years, while Nova Scotia, since the arrival of the Loyalists after the Revolution, has received no important addition to her population from that source. Including the different races of people who belong to Nova Scotia with that of Cape Breton, now an integral part of the province, the population, as represent»d by the census returns of 1861, is 330,857. Having briefly described the past history of Nova Scotia, I will now venture to delineate a few of its present features, such as I have collected from personal observation, and the statistics of the Province. It is not, however, my design to lead my readers through a continued course of my varied rambles in Nova Scotia, as it would materially interfere with the classification of the different subjects under notice ; but, wherever any personal adventure, object, or incident of travel occurs, I shall consider it as essen- tial to the nature and title of my book to describe them individually, in their respective places, under a proper head. The Province of Nova Scotia is situated on the eastern side of the continent of North America. It consists of a peninsula, called Nova Scotia Proper, connected with New the and my je of ially ects ject, sen- hem lead, tern of a New RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 123 Brunswick by ah isthmus of about sixteen miles in width ; and of the island of Cape Breton, separated from the penin- sula by the strait of Canso, an outlet of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It lies between north latitude 43° 25° and 47° ; and between 59° 40' and 66° 25' west longitude. It is bound on the northeast by Northumberland Strait, and St. George's Bay ; on the south and southeast by the Atlantic ocean ; and on the northwest by the Bay of Fundy, Chignecto Bay, and the Province of New Brunswick. Nova Scotia Proper is 256 miles in length, and in great- est breadth 100 ; and contains an area of about 15,600 square miles. The Island of Cape Breton was annexed to Nova Scotia in 1763. However, in 1784 when the territory was divi- ded, and the province of New Brunswick created, it was established under a separate Government. In 1819 it was again annexed, and has continued to the present, a compo- nent part of the Province of Nova Scotia. It is the near- est point of communication with Europe of any part of the British North American possessions. Its greatest length is 100 miles, greatest breadth 72, and its area about 3000 square miles. In the northern part the surface is elevated, uneven, and extremely rocky : in the southern, undulating, in many parts rugged and abounding with stone. The eastern coast is much indented by arms of the sea, while on the western shores the harbors and inlets are few. The most striking feature of this island is the existence of a salt water lake called the Bras d'Or, which occupies the central portion of the island, and nearly divides it into two. Its greatest length is forty miles, its greatest breadth twenty. It is navigable throughout for ves- sels of the largest class ; and being connected with the ocean is affected by the tides. ■4..-- Mi ''I v.- 124 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. i,\f^l t, r f'^ 180 RAMBLES AMON(i THE BLUE-NOSES. towns and villages are, however, becoming more populous, and the growing commerce of the shipping ports is tending to centralization. The principal places which are designated as town^, though some of them appear only as villages, — Pictou, Yarmouth, Windsor, Truro, Liverpool, are Wolfville, Kentville, Bridgetown, Annapolis, Amherst, Digby, Lunenburg, Sydney, and Guysboro ; the only city of the province being that of Halifax, which is the capital of Nova Scotia. It was settled under Lord Comwallis in the latter part of June, 1749. The harbor of Chebucto, on which the city is situated, is about midway between the eastern and western extremes of the Atlantic seaboard of Nova Scotia Proper. It is entered from the south by way of Sambro Island, upon which stands a light-house, extends northward nearly sixteen miles, terminating in a magnificent sheet of water, — ^^Bedford Basin — which is separated from the outer waters by a deep channel called the " Narrows." The harbor has two entrances, formed by McNab's Island, and known as the eastern and the western passage ; the eastern entrance, however, is narrow, and obstructed by a sand-bar, and is open to small vessels only. The western, or main channel, is broad, with water sufficiently deep to float vessels of the largest size. The city is built upon the slope of the hill on the western side of the harbor, from which it arises with steplike regularity, and, when viewed from the opposite shore, assumes a magni- ficent and picturesque appearance. It originally consisted of three separate divisions known as " Halifax," " Irish-town," and " Dutch-town." Notwithstanding its being the oldest city founded by the British in North America, its growth has been slow. In the beginning of this century it contain- ed 15,000 inhabitants, while the present population is only 25,000, with 2484 inhabited houses, — taxable property W' RAMBLES AMONO THE BLUE-NOSES. 131 lous, iding laicd es, — ppool, herst, only is tho iwallis buoto, jtween iboard ith by -house, g in a lioh is called fonned id the larrow, vessels water The rn side larity, magni- isted of town," e oldest growth kontain- is only roperty amounting to $14,400,000. The city itself is a true represcsntation of its inhabitants — the meeting of extremes. Water street is the nearest to the harbor, and runs paralUil with it the wliole lengtli of the city and its suburbH. From this street are entrances to the difterent wharves ; but, with the exception of a few good houses, the whole range of buildings is of the most filthy and inferior dencription ; nearly all of which aro petty shops, groceries, and grog- geries of the lowest sort, and frc(iuonted by innumerable hordes of soldiers and seamen, and otliers belonging to the most degraded order of society. To the stranger who has not visited the other parts of the city this street presents a very unfavorable impression of both the capital and its community. With disgusted feelings we leave this gangway of riot, and at a short distance further up we comt^ to Hollis street, where the disagreeable impression is imm ^diately re- lieved. Another block is passed and we enter upon Granville street — one of the finest, T think, in British N. America. The structures are costly, and belong to the moat fashion- able and magnificent order of architecture, consisting of five or six stories, and possessing the utmost uniformity throughout. Their interiors have been converted into costly ware-rooms, and exhibit many of the richest speci- mens of the world's manufactures. A few of the other streets present a fine appearance ; but the design of the city on the whole is the result of a very irregular unscientific order. Some of the streets converge to a point or centre-focus ; but such may be attributed in part to the unfavorable locality, and the originally separate divisions of the city. Under a late city enactment, the erection of temporary wooden houses is prohibited; which law, will cause many of the insignificant buildings to disappear and give place to substantial and elegant brick and stone • ll ' I Hi 15 132 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. structures, and the city gradually to assume a more uniform and improved aspect. The principal public buildings are the Government House, Dalhousie College, Lunatic Asylum, Provincial Penitentiary, County Court House, City Hos- pital and Wellington Barracks : the Market and Post Office, also ; but these are scarcely deserving of being men- tioned, so insignificant they appear. The city and its sub- urbs, north and south, extend over two miles, but in width, barely reach at any point a half mile. There are no public squares in the city, the absence of which shows a lack of good order and taste, and leaves it destitute of much of. that beauty and harmony that it might otherwise possess : how- ever, it is greatly compensat-ed by the appearance of the citadel and military grounds, on the hill which rises behind the city. The citadel crowns the summit of this hill, which rises 250 feet above the level of the sea. It is a fortress of great strength, and overlooks the harbor and city, and commands the country for miles around. This fortress, next to that of Quebec, is the strongest and best constructed fortification in B. N. America. Its elevation is so great, that if assailed from the harbor, no impression could be made upon its massive walls. Opposite to the southern extremity of the city is George's Island, which, being well fortified, forms another of the chief defences of the city. Halifax is an important military post, — the head quart- ers of the Lower Provinces. There are usually stationed there two battalions of Infantry, and several companies of Artillery and Engineers. It is also the chief naval station for the Provinces and West Indies. The admiral resides there in the summer months, but for the winter removes his flag to Bermuda. I counted no less than twelve battle ships, or man-of-war vessels lying in the harbor ; each of which contained on an average about liform i,re the jylum, Hos- Post y men- bs sub- width, 1 public of good of. that : how- of the behind I, which tress of ity, and !ss, next Itructed great, luld be luthern ing well ^e city. quart- ,ationed ipanies sf naval admiral winter iss than in the |e about RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 133 seven hundred seamen ; but, previous to my departure from Halifax, four of the number left for another port. As they passed down the harbor, fronting the city, they assumed a very beautiful and imposing appearance. From the masts and top sails were suspended numerous flags of varied design and color ; and on each vessel no less than three hundred Jack-a-tars scattered over every part of the rigging, which reminded me of a prodigious mass-meeting of black spiders upon web-work, or, like so many antic Lilliputians nestling around the hulk of Sinbad the sailor. Some of them were dancing, and performing gymnastics upon the cross spars of the vessels ; whilst the others were waving their bonnets, and cheering with lusty chorus, intermingled with the booming of cannon, and the martial music of the diflferent brass-bands : all of which presented a very lively and magnificent appearance ; at least, I thought so, having never before seen any of the navy ships or their perform- ances. Few places, if any, in the B. A. colonies represent a greater distinct variety of class and country than Halifax. Walk along Water street, particularly on a market day, and a strange variety of shades and grades meets the eye. Seamen of varied clime and craft, soldiers of different ranks, and citizens of every class are there ; here a trail of Indians with their squaws and children, ar6 seen dragging their miserable forms in a slovenly attitude along the streets, or lounging about the market grounds offering some paltry gew-gaw or bead-work for sale — alas ! how wretch- ed, how degenerate they appear. Many of them are barely clothed — their long, coarse black hair hanging loosely over their neck, while the low forehead denotes a lack of that higher order of intellect which designates the superior mind. There too the sons of Africa are seen. Their habits t I' • J * ■■'' il' -.»Wj|»-- • (!' *». 134 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. n ^ . ^..; i ( and manner indicate an indolent disposition, but a merry group they appear to be. Whole families of them have assembled upon the market grounds — sturdy, oily-faced wenches, and chubby-cheeked Sambos, together with " UhcU Sams'' and " Aunt Chloes" of antiquated appear- arance are there, laughing, talking, eating, selling and buy- ing, &c., mixed up with all the fantastic fun and humor peculiar to their nature ; and no doubt believing themselves no less than the lords and ladies of the fashionable world. In Halifax, as well as in some other towns of Nova Scotia, a greater distinction is visible in the different grades of society than in any other of the British American Prov- inces. England has left her living impress upon the country. A stiffness in courtesy very generally prevails among the people, and they lack much of that easy and affable manner that so generally characterizes the viitizens of St. John, N. B. But by no means will this apply universally : many there are, indeed, who possess every ingredient essential to con- stitute the true gentleman. However, among a certain class in Halifax, common to all cities, there appears to be some who assume a selfish superiority and proud distinction. These traits of society in some cases arise from the claims to a boasted English ancestry, and, in others, to the wide differences that designate the respective grades of the com- munity ; whilst those of the gay and fashionable are affected in no small degree by the numerous military and naval officers resident at Halifax. In the city there are sixteen places of worship : four o* which belong to the Episcopalian, three to the W. Metho- dist, two to the United Presbyterian, two to the Church of Scotland, two to the Church of Rome, and one to the Unlversalists. The city corporation includes a mayor and eighteen aldermen ; three for each of the six wards. RAMBLES \MONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 135 some .f rhteen The Press is tolerably well represented. There are published six tri-weekly and one weekly general news- papers ; also four weeklies, organs of religious denomina- tions, and one total-abstinence journal. The lower part of the city is noted by travellers as being a place of discordant noises. Among the unmusical sounds that assail the ear, perchance is heard the semi- guttural intonations of some greasy, raw-boned, crab-sliell and lobster hawker, wheeling his crustaceous cargo along the street. Again the ear is provokingly assailed by the shrill-toned whistles and elf-like screeches of tin-horns, with which a score of scrubby-fac^d ^^ printers' devils " are publicly intimating the sale of telegraphic extras and speechy supplements, containing another prodigious and overwhelming battle of the Union War, or, another cowardly and inglorious stampede of the Bull-Run- Kabble. Perchance at night you are unceremoniously awaked from the dreams of Morpheus by the terrific indications of a "/re," followed by the treading and running of a thousand feet upon the adjoining pavement, accompanied with unearthly shouts, intermingled witli demoniac screeches and yells, amid the sounds of fire's artillery, — all of which, appearing as if Lucifer had unhinged the portals of Pandemonium and let loose his myriad hordes of infernal demons upon the earth. But, in justice to the citizens I do not attribute to them such tumultuous gatherings and " run-riots,' but to the numerous sailors, &c. ; for as soon as a signal of fire is given every vessel appears to empty its living cargoes within the town. But I do blame the " City Fathers " for allowing such outrages upon the finer feelings of humanity. How many upon beds of sickness, and even those of the nervous class, whose weak systems are easily shocked, are the immediate ■1? ^^1 - '* I I. li » ll< \- f' " » t 4' }l 136 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 4 ,., >*it IM! and perhaps fatal suflferers of such barbarous and ^' fieri/ " rowdyism. Halifax, notwithstanding its acknowledged superiority as a safe and commodious harbor, and its commercial relations with Great Britain, has no line of steamers projected and sustained by local enterprise. This may arise from the fact that all the advantages to the public from such a commercial undertaking are enjoyed from the steamers belonging to the Cunard Company, which call at Halifax to land and receive passengers and freight, both from Liverpool to Boston, and on the return voyage to Liverpool. This company has stationed at Halifax a line of Screw Steamers, regularly plying between Halifax and Newfoundland, and also to and from Bermuda, conveying Her Majesty': Mails. The principal commerce of Halifax is carried on with the North American and West Indian colonies, and the North American States. The exports during the year 1860 amounted to $3,902,6a8 ; of which $1,136,352 were to the North American Colonies; $960,091 to the West Indies ; $998,936 to the North American States; $175,832 to Great Britain; and $633,427 to other countries. The imports in the same period, were $6,431,581; of which $2,743,290 were from Great Britain ; $2,009,713 from North American States ; $810,304 from North American Colonies; $96,707 from the West Indies ; $771,667 from other countries. Total number of vessels entered inwards 1,409 ; number cleared outwards 1,415; tonnage 78,696 ; and value $1,693,540. On the east side of the harbour opposite the city is situated the town of Dartmouth ; between which places a semi-hourly communication is kept up by steam ferry-boats. The country around Halifax, though in some parts beauti- ful and romantic in appearance, is hilly and extremely )) RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 137 rooky : the land is sterile, and affords no favorable facilities to the pursuits of agriculture. The Province of Nova Scotia is divided into eighteen counties, the names of which are : Halifax, Lunenburg, Queen's, Shelburne, Yarmouth, Digby, Annapolis, King's, Hants, Cumberland, Colchester, Pictou, Sydney, Guys- boro, Inverness, Victoria, Cape Breton, and Rich- mond. The lands of Nova Scotia, independent of the alluvial tracts, do not offer in general many tempting facilities for agricultural purposes. Along the whole line of the Atlantic coast, the country is rocky and sterile, and incapable of being profitably cultivated : here the pursuit of agriculture is but little prosecuted. This is called the Granitic Metamorphic District. It consists of altered rocks composed of slate, quartzite and gneiss, associated with dykes and masses of granite, rising in many places to a great height, and presenting the coast with a bold and formidable appearance. At Cape Canso, its northeastern extremity, its width is about eight miles, and as it extends west j-d, it gradually increases in breadth during its whole length of two hundred and fifty miles. It is difl&cult to ascertain with accuracy the geological age of this for- mation, no fossils being found in it ; but it is considered by Prof. Dawson to be older than the Carboniferous and Devonian, and may very probably belong to the Lower Silurian. In this district only have the gold discoveries of Nova Scotia been made. The surface of this extended tract is therefore very irregular and uneven, diversified by numerous small lakes and streams, and ridges of rock covered with scroggy fir ; and on the whole contains a great part of the barren lands of the province. The Carboniferous district is north of the Metamorphic. '."' •♦t '' !:| •:|f m .1 1 l\ ''sit •II 138 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES* ^: « ■ i# ' - ■ " :*: ;i»'"S It occupied a part of the counties of King's and Hants, the lowlands of Colchester, Cumberland, Pictou, and Sydney. These comprise the coal measures. The Silurian and Devonian include the Cobequid range of hills, also the hills on the south side of the valley of Cornwallis and Annapolis, and all the high country extending through Pictou, Sydney, and northern Guys- boro. The soils of this district in their natural state produce a fine growth of hardwood timber, and when properly cultivated, are somewhat favorable to the growth of hay and grain crops. But the best soil in Nova Scotia is the alluvial. The western and northwestern part of the Province present some excellent and extensive tracts of . alluvial soils. All the fertile and extended districts of dyked marsh, and intervals along the rivers have been made from modern alluvial deposits. They have been formed chiefly by the high tides of the Bay of Fundy extending up the rivers, and along the intervals. The inland tide carries away a portion of fine material from the shores, and deposits it in layers upon the flats, which grad- ually rise until they are only reached by the spring tides. At length they are covered by wild grasses and bushes. In tbis manner, the process of land-making is carried on by nature — but it is brought to a higher state of perfection by the ingenuity of man. By dyking, or building a dense wall across the front of these marshes when the tide is out, so as to exclude the sea-water from overflowing the land, a soil is thus reclaimed, capable of producing crops for an indefinite •period without manure. There are also fresh-water alluvia, or river intervals, beyond the reach of the tide, formed from the deposits carried down from the uplands by the freshets and smaller streams. Nearly the whole of RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 139 the alluvial tracts are settled ; and, with the contiguous uplands, include the wealthiest and most thriving agricul- tural settlements in the province. The soils and subsoils of any country, as far as they consist of mineral matter, are derived from the waste of rocks which lie beneath, by the action of air, water, and frost, &c., hence we find the soil overlying sandstone rocks to be sandy ; that over shales and slate to consist, in great part, of clay ; while that overlying limestone to be calcareous. The drift surfaces or diluvium extends over a considerable portion of the province. It consists of clay, with stones and boulders, or of beds and mounds of sand and gravel. These deposits designate the last change which the surface has undergone by the agency of water. Many of the large stones in the drift are of different kinds — some of them belonging to the same species of rocks in their vicinity; others are found derived from distant localities, and all the materials confusedly intermixed. The area of Nova Scotia, including Cape Breton, is com- puted to contain 11,767,173, acres, of which, 5,748,893 have been granted. The returns of 1861, estimate the num- ber of acres of land improved, to be 1,027,792. The price charged for crown lands is forty-five cents per acre : culti- vated farms of 100 acres vary in price from $400 to $2000. The agriculture of Nova Scotia is in a transition state. It is to be found in all the stages of advancement — from the rude attempts of the half lumberci' half farmer, to the productive results of more formal and scientific husbandry. The deficiency then in agricultural products may be ascrib- ed, in a great measure, to the want of a more advanced and intellectual system of culture, and the injudicious impov- erishment of the soil : another great evil is, that as a gen- "A • '.I v ■..■•'" '^i ii •■■ <^ •?rti v'-ri M 140 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. p- '■m ^r\y^ 0:1 .■I .1 l-'r' ^ l^ eral thing, too much land is brought under half tillage. Were the labor which is spread over so wide a surface con- fined to fewer acres with more systematic and thorough cultivation, the operations of farming would be carried on with incalculably greater profit. Such will apply also to both New Brunswick and Canada. Nova Scotia is not a wheat-growing country. According to her own statistics she does not raise bread enough to support herself; yet, I find in Professor Johnson's report that she exceeds the Canadas by 100 per cent in the growth of wheat. If so, why is she so largely dependent upon Canada for grain and flour, I would ask ? If her soils are so productive, why does she not cultivate them better, and to more profit ? The productions of Nova Scotian industry, from the singular diversity of her natural resources, constitute as great a variety as may be found in any of the British colonies. They comprise the products of the forest, the mine, the ocean, the river, and the soil. Her geographical position renders her eminently fitted for the pursuits of commerce ; her harbors aflford every facility to the building of ships, and her fisheries are a nursery for the supply of able-bodied and hardy mariners. Her natural resources taken as a whole afford an ample and abundant field : she needs only energy, population, and a liberal capital, to develop her resources and fulfil her destiny. One of the chief resources of the Province are her forests, but in this she is greatly sur- passed both by N.Brunswick and Canada, from their posses- sion of a greater extent of superior forests. Notwithstand- ing this, the products of the forests form an important item in the exports. The whole value of the returns of every kind of lumber exported from the province in 1861, is estimated at $1,098,888. The great abundance of timber RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 141 in proximity to the coast, as well as the number of con- venient harbors and rivers, render N. Scotia peculiarly suited for ship-building. The average number of ships built annually in the province during the last nine years is 200, of 32,132 tons, valued at $1,540,017. The greater number of vessels constructed are of the smaller class, adapted to the coasting trade of the province, the sister colonies, and the neighboring states. In addition to these, ships of a larger class and superior description are built expressly for exportation. The manufactures of the province are only in their infancy. In this department, Nova Scotia occupies a lower place than do New Brunswick and Canada; However, they appear to have increased considerably since the London exhibition of 1851 ; but they chiefly belong to that class called domestic manufactures. Nova Scotia is dependent to a great degree on the neighboring states for articles of manu- facture. The Nova Scotians sell the raw material to the Yankees at a comparatively low price, and then purchase it again in a variety of forms at a high rate after it has passed through the ingenious workmanship of Brother Jonathan. The abundance of wood and water so generally distributed, the inexhaustible deposits of coal, and the variety and value of minerals, are sufficient means, in the hands of ingenious and liberal capitalists, to make N. Scotia one of the greatest manufacturing countries in North America. She is endowed by nature with mineral wealth in a very extraordinary degree. Her mineral resources possess additional importance since the recent gold discoveries in the metamorphic district. Coal is, as yet, the most valuable mineral deposit in the province. But it is not improbable, that even the coal might have remained in its native beds had not British capital been employed in the coal fields. . "It ■ i ■y I «». 142 RAMBLES AMONO THE CLUE-NOSES. i' ■'i 'SH '■■■ .^i!-i i. «r hi i \ »• F- p. ' ,< In fish the resources of Nova Scotia are abundant. They throng her coasts, and swarm in every lake and river. The mackerel frequent the coast in immense masses termed schules. Great captures are sometimes made by means of seines, not unlrequently securing 500 barrels at a single haul. Herring, also, frequent the Atlantic coast in abun- dance ; but in quality they are inferior to those of the Labrador coast. Shad are taken in vast numbers in Cum- berland Basin, Minas Basin, and the estuaries of the rivers which empty into them. Cod and haddock in great numbers frequent the shores and hanks which lie oiF the coast. Salmon are found in the larger rivers, and are also taken on the coast in spring. The number of the male popula- tion prosecuting this arduous employment, is estimated at 15,000. Besides these a larger portion of the farming population are also engaged in this branch of industry. About 1000 vessels and 6000 boats are employed, together with 43,965 nets and seines, valued at $1,780,450. The annual value of fish caught and cured, and fish oil, amounts at an average to $2,300,000. Prior to the " Reciprocity Treaty" with the U. States, in 1854, it was found necessary to employ British armed cruisers to protect the colonial fisheries from unlawful encroachment. Since the treaty referred to, this protection has not been required, as the American fisheries are entitled to equal privileges. The effect of that treaty, though sup- posed to be productive of benefit to the interests of the whole province, has not been of advantage to the fishing interest as a section. Foreign fishermen prosecute to an increasing extent what is called the " trawl" or, set line fishing, not only in the banks, but in the bays and a!^?^ the shores. It is said, that if this mode of taking fish is persisted in, that in a few years the banks will be rendered iindant. id river, termed eans of I single 1 abun- I of the a Cum- « X 1. T y^A to umbers I coast. 3 taken popula- ated at [arming dustry. iployed, 80,450. Ssh oil, States, armed nlawful )tection entitled Lgh sup- 5 of the fishing le to an let line d ?!...:^^ fish is jndered RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-N0SE8. 143 unproductive. It appears, that these lines, having hooks suspended from them about three feet apart, are made to reach nearly to the bottom of the sea where the mother fish repose before depositing their spawn. These baited hooks are seized by these fish, which are generally of the largest size, and they are thus destroyed in the very act of reproduction. It is said, that when the country was first discovered it abounded with a great variety of native animals. The chase and the fishery were the chief objects of attraction to the early emigrants, and with such eager- ness was the former pursued that in less than a century, it appears, several species became extinct. However, a variety is still found in the province. The moose deer is yet extant ; and some hundreds of them are killed every winter in the province. It is the largest of the deer species, and when full grown reaches to the height of from sixteen to eighteen h.jnds. Th«ir horns, which are palmated, frequently measure four feet and over, from point to point, and generally weigh from thirty to forty pounds. Only the male deer have horns, which are shed annually ; but it is somewhat singu- lar that they are seldom found. It is said, that as soon as the horns fall oflF they bur v them deeply among the soft material in the marshes. It may appear strange to some how the deer with such extended antlers can force a passage through the thickets of the forest when pursued. This dijficulty is, however, very ingeniously evaded by the man- ner in which the deer keeps its head erected, inclining it backwards so that the horns are suspended above its back, and out of the reach of such barriers as womd otherwise have impeded its progress. The geographical position of the province is eminently favorable to commercial pursuits ; and as the resources become developed the general commerce will increase to a much greater extent. The total exports of 'i'':>:*^. * \ 1 i • >\ « r I M J ' ' '^ n KM '•I .1. " ■ *' '4*i' 144 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 1860 amounted to 86,787,804. The West Indies is the principal market of the province for the disposal of fish, and in return for which, the produce of those islands are imported. The trade with the U. States it appears has grown more rapidly since the " Reciprocity Treaty" came into operation; but owing to the present American war, a universal depressior. la commerce is felt over the province. The number of vessels entered at the ports of Nova Scotia in 1861 amoun^/cd to 6,323, — tonnage 696,763, seamen 41,804. Vessels cleared 6,089 — tonnage 695,582, — seamen 41,520. Railways are of but limited extent, notwithstand- ing the natural position of Halifax from being the nearest to Europe of the Atlantic ports open to navigation at all seasons, always marked it as the destined terminus of British railway communication on this continent. Several projects of inter-colonial railways have been mooted, but without success. However, during the cession of 1854 it was decided to build certain lines of railway within the limits of the province. It was intended to construct a main trunk with branches to Pictou, — and to Annapolis on the Bay of Fundy ; but these lines have been only partly completed. The railways now constructed and in full operation consist of a trunkline extending from Halifax to Truro — a distance of 60 miles, — and a branch to Windsor of about 34 miles, making the total length of railway in N. Scotia 94 miles, the cost of which has amounted to $4,236,109, which amount, for the most part, is represented by debentures bearing interest at 6 per cent payable half-yearly by the province. Of these debentures $3,500,000 are held in G. Britain, and $500,000 in Nova Scotia. Two trains leave Halifax each day for both Windsor and Truro, stopping at intermediate stations ; from which KAMBLES AMONG THE RLUE-NOSES. 145 places two trains arrive each day. The rate of passonjjjer fare is three cents per mile 1st Class, and two cents jxjr mile 2nd Class ; — speed, about 20 miles per liour, including stoppages. The character ot* these railroads is much supe- rior to the Grand Trunk Railway of Canada, and e(|ual, if not better, to the superior portions of the Great Western of Upper Canada. But there is an obvious inferiority in the station-houses; with the exception of those at Truro and Windsor, they are generally of a very inferior descrip- tion. The roads of the province are very numerous and gene- rally good. The cost of opening new roads is defrayed in part by legislative grants, and in part by sums granted out of the Treasury of the county in or through which the road is made. To these sources may be added the labour contributed by the people in each county. The legislative grant to this object in 1860 was $103,855. In respect to telegraphs, Nova Scotia has gone extensively into the use of this modern auxiliary to commerce, every county being connected with the metropolis, and with the interior of the continent. The wire extends over a dis- tance of 1,151 miles. There are also three submarine cables : one across Pugwash harbour, one across the strait of Canso, and one at Lennox Passage. The charge for messages is twelve cents for ten words, for a distance not exceeding eighty miles, beyond that distance, and under 160 miles twenty-four cents. The Post Office Department is subject to the control of the legislature. Besides the mails conveyed over the post roads of the province, overland mails are conveyed betwee n N. Scotia and the provinces of N. Brunswick and Canada In all there are about eighty central offices and 350 branch offices. There is a uniform established rate of postage a ••If n. . i ». I" .^f! 1 ' r\ ; 1 V( . ■,;i< .' ;■' if' & , .1 i.: > 0^ 1^; ) : i' 4'^|i-i-; 146 EAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. throughout the province, being five cents for letters weighing half an ounce. The average of the Annual Revenue exceeds $7,000,000, the Expenditure, independent of the debt incurred by the construction of the railways, has slightly exceeded this amount. The currency of the province has undergone important changes in relation to the sterling of Great Britain. The first rule was to count the one pound note equal to eighteen shillings sterling — by which rule currency was converted into sterling by the deduction of a tenth, £100 currency being equal to £90 sterling. By the same rule sterling was converted into currency by the addition of a ninth. The next change made the English shilling equal to Is. 3d. currency, or sixteen shillings sterling equal to the note of one pound currency. The latest change which is one of denomination only is the decimal mode of com- putation, similar to that of New Brunswick and Canada. The banks are not permitted to issue notes of a less sum than one pound ; but besides this they issue, under their charters, $5 and £5 notes. The English shilling passes current in Nova Scotia for 25 cents, in New Brunswick for 24 cents, and in Prince Edward's Island for 30 cents. Prior to 1719, at which time Annapolis was the seat of government, the management of the civil affairs of the pro- vince was vested solely in the governor ; and, in his ab- sence in the Lieutenant-Governor or the Commander-in- chief. In 1719, however, a council of twelve members was formed ; and the Governor and this council, from the necessity of circumstances, combined both the legislative and judicial authority. In 1749 the seat of government was transferred to Halifax, where a council was formed some- W'hat similar in its functions to the one ut Annapolis. iUMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 147 ghing ),000, )y the i this ortant The aal to ;y was ,£100 ae rule on of a g equal qual to 3 which 3f com- janada» jss sum er their y passes iinswick ) cents, seat of the pro- his ab' inder-in- nembers rom the gislativc ernment ed some- [inapolis. This method of administration continued until the year 1758, when writs were issued for the election of represen- tatives, and a House of Assembly was subsequently formed. This civil constitution continued without any fundamental change until the concession, by the Crown, of the modern form of administration called " Responsible Government," which was received by Nova Scotia in 1841. The public educational institutions appear in general to be behind those of Canada, or even New Brunswick, in their efl&ciency. The higher institutions of learning seem to be fully adequate to the wants of the province. The depart- ment apparently most inefficient is that of the common schools, which, in general, are not of that character that is earnestly desired by those interested in the progress of edu- cation. The common schools are supported by legislative grants of money and the voluntary payments of the people. Each county has its Board of School Commissioners, whose duty it is to regulate the management of the schools and school buildings, apportion the legislative grant, examine and license school-teachers, furnish statistics, and superintend the interests of education generally within the county. This system of management is, however, superior to the expensive and superfluous machinery of scholastic adminis- tration in Canada, which is nothing more than a legal im- position upon the people. There are also a number of grammar schools, one normal school, and several colleges in the province. The oldest established of the colleges is King's at Windsor, founded in 1789. The system of sup- porting schools by direct taxation, as adopted in Canada, has been agitated for several years, but nothing further has been done, and until such a system be adopted, Nova Scotia need not expect to keep pace with her sister colonies in the development of education. o w ■ ■ 'aU m " if.)' « i .■ - ! 'J ■:$^ . ^'^•■^ .■'■'I -"1'.'*' »••■} Si'' ■■' 148 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. K a^ ."'.•■n H§ ■ Mi I m,' \ • tip By a law of the province, passed in the year 1758, it was enacted : — " That the sacred rites and ceremonies of Divine toorship^ according to the Liturgy of the Church established hy the laws of England^ shall he deemed the fixed form of worship ^ But this law, which gave the supremacy to the religion of the Church of England as the authorized religion of the province, has been since repealed. The adherents of the Presbyterian Churches combined, number 89,519 ; clergy 89 : of the Church of Rome 86,281 ; clergy 42 : of the Baptist 55,336 ; clergy 83 : of the Episcopalian, which is the oldest Protestant body in Nova Scotia, 47,744; clergy 67: of the Methodist 34,055; clergy 54. Besides these there are numerous minor denominations scattered over the province. The places of worship number 831. CHAPTER IX. For gold, the murderous pirate thirsts ; For gold, the master turns a slave ; The vent'rous youth deserts his home, To dig for gold, perchance his grave ; T'is nature's gift, the rich man's friend, That often turns his foe and curse ; The miner's joy, the miser's god, The poor man's hope, a well-filled purse. " Eldorado :' Having briefly described the general characteristics of the province of Nova Scotia, I will now notice a few of its more local and particular features, &c., srch as came directly under my own notice ; and any historic information con- nected therewith has been collected from generally authentic sources. I /*i:i;1 i'-!;^ RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 149 Nova Scotia has witnessed many scenes of historic vicissitude ; and those early struggles might have furnished glowing descriptions for the pen of the novelist and the historian ; and even given to tradition a charm of romantic interest that might have lingered around the fancy of the poet and the novelist. But much of the romance that once floated over those enchanted regions has passed away for- ever, ;^iving place to the more sordid possessions of the present, far more appreciable by the prosaic judgment than the fictitious pleasures that hover around the fancy of the idealist and the historic adventurer. Nevertheless, tradi- tion has stamped a monetary romance upon the country. Scarcely a nook or corner along the coast but has had its dreamers and diggers of " hidden treasures ;" but beyond ve mere circumstance of the thing itself little else . '> ars to have been generally preserved. Scarcely a bay or river, but is noted by the fictitious dreamers of the '^ golden treasure," who can still point to some particular spot, where some pirate or navy vessel has been necessarily deserted and destroyed, and the specie carried off and deposited in the adjoining hanks. Again, and again have votaries of the golden god excavated and searched among the rocks for his secretious droppings ; but all appear to have vanished and evaporated into airy and fictitious day dreams. These golden tales of deposited treasures are too numerous to admit of a general description ; one or two instances, however, merit a passing notice. At Savage Point, at the entrance of the Mirogomish river, a vast quantity of gold is supposed to have been deposited by the crew of a pirate ship that had been chased thither and destroyed by a British war vessel. Every hill and hollow has been levelled and explored again and again, by the students of goldology j but no one appears Mm ]m HI • ■ ,'' m ;^ H f u 1 l-L Il * 'i'l 4'i 6 'f 150 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. ,11 *.■ ' 1 v \ ■ v ?1?l ■ Hi .ffi '- ■"*■ il ii;-''! I':. •• as yet to have discovered the talents that were hid in the earth at that time. On Grass Isle, adjacent to the Cape of Canso, another wondrous and worthless prodigy of exca- vation has been achieved by the golden slaves of Mammon. Also, on Admiral Island, in Bedford Basin at Halifax, no less than fifty-four millions of francs are said to have been deposited by the French at the time of the Acadian war. It appears that one of the French navy ships, which con- tained the admiral and specie, had been chased by those of the English, and pursued into Chebucto harbor, even to the very basin. The French, finding themselves in a bad fix, and foreseeing the fatal consequence, immediately scut- tled and fired their ship, removed the treasure, and abscon- ded into the woods. The English, thus seeing the disastrous condition of the enemy's ship, retreated with victorious honors. The French subsequently secreted their money chest upon the island ; in the hope of recovering it at no distant day. Finding it necessary, however, to remove to other quarters, in order to obtain both food and security, they started en masse through the untravelled wilderness, in prospect of reaching Annapolis, where they expected the rest of their fleet had gone. Having travelled for several days, almost wholly without food, and finding no outlet, they considered themselves as lost, expecting every moment to fall into the hands of the enemy. At length, through fatigue, hunger, and exposure, it being late in the Fall, one after another dropped off" by the way and died a solitary and miserable death in the forest. They also became lost to each other, and after a period of fifteen days, only seven out of two hundred and fifty were known to have survived. It appears th. t by keeping their course too much to the southwest they had entered upon the lower part of St. Mary's Bay, thence up the Bay of Fundy to the Annap- RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 161 olis river, at which place they discovered some English settlers, by whom they were hospitably treated. But they were also destined as victims to their unfortunate adven- ture. So sudden a transition from a wretched condition to one of superfluous abundance and comfort was too oppres- sive for their weak systems, and they lingered only a few days and died : but not without having divulged to their benefactors the secret of the hidden treasure. Many futile attempts have been made since to recover the money box ; but anything additionally connected therewith appears as yet to remain as a sealed mystery. But the most mysterious and interesting circumstances of all are those connected with the hidden treasures of Oak Isle, or rather Kidd Island, which is situated opposite Chester about forty miles west of Halifax, on the Atlantic coast. Every one, no doubt, has heard of Captain Kidd, the noted and universally dreaded sea pirate, « Who lived in Third King William's time, When many a pirate bold Committed on High Seas the crime Of shedding blood for gold." For many years he had held his undisputed sway over the realms of the ocean and perpetrated crimes through the lust of gold ; and of that character, that any mortal, inheriting one spark of either principle or sympathy would have blushed with horror ever to think of. " He bore a charmed life o'er earth, o'er sea, No fiend so fear'd, no spirit dread as he." At length, he and his accomplices of crime were captured near to the coast bordering on Massachusetts, taken to . "■,>',■ :.'■■■■ 4 'n '1 • » * I , ■* n "i, f\ .< .'■ 1 • !*' .Ill i ' ' m I If !l ,^^;l'*. 152 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. Liverpool in England, and executed; but not before they had gathered immense wealth, and written upon the pages of humanity, with the blood of men, a long catalogue of hideous crimes. Then, and not until then, did the con- demned spirit of that tyrant fiend revolve within itself, and despicably confess that he had sinned. " My name was Captain Kidd, When I sail'd, when I sail'd, And so wickedly I did— When I sail'd," &c. It appears that one of Kidd's associates had escaped at the time of capture by jumping overboard and swimming ashore. Having thus eluded the grasp of his assailants, he secreted himself in the woods, existing upon the scanty pick- ings of a barren coast. For nearly two weeks he continued living in this manner, having traversed the forest many a long mile. He, at length, came to a small Dutch settlement on the borders of Massachusetts Bay, and was compelled, through sheer necessity, at all hazards to seek refuge from one of the settlers, who, on seeing his famished appear- ance, readily extended to him the aid of sympathy. But the sufferings he had endured in his rugged adventure, together with the remorse of a searing conscience began to prey heavily upon his system, and in the course of a few weeks he passed from this world to meet his Judge at the grand tribunal of divine justice. A few days previous to his death, he made known to his benefactors the particulars connected with his past career. He also informed them that the pirate Kidd had deposited an immense treasure on a small secluded island on the southern coast of the peninsula of Acadia ; and, that as neither he nor any of his associates would ever likely live to enjoy its value, he considered that RAMBLES AMONa THE BLUE-NOSES. 153 the least he could do was to reveal the secret to them as a recompense for their hospitality. But his Dutch friends appeared to attribute but little weight to the golden tale. It may be they were of that class that are not easily moved to hazard an adventure on, perhaps, the fictitious ravings of a dying sinner ; or, perchance, they had too great a hatred to horror and blood to taste of the fruits of murder and rapine. A few years subsequent to this event, Nova Scotia having held forth inducements to intending settlers, many from the neighbouring States, owing to the revolutionary troubles, were attracted thither; and among those who removed were the Dutch benefactors of the pirate Lawrence. With others of their countrymen they settled in the vicinity of Chester, and even one of the party had formed his resi- dence on Oak Island ; all of whom had heard of the story of the " hidden treasure ;" but from the imbecility of their scrupulous faith in such matters, it had become as a for- gotten thing of the past, until it was revived by the islander having discovered certain traces of previous excavation upon the isle. Prompted by curiosity he began to dig, and evident signs were added daily which strengthened the reality of the " pirate's treasure." Having dug to the depth of a dozen of feet, his progress was impeded by a number of oak logs closely covering the whole breadth of this pit. Being unable to remove them, he applied to his neighbours for help to continue the work, offering to give them equal shares of the wealth. But so scrupulous and superstitious were their ideas of pirates' gold, that only one out of the whole number was induced to assist in the work. Having removed the timber and excavated a few addi- tional feet, another barrier of immovable boulders and oaj^ ■ ,■^^'t "'-« «». ■■ t . I: t ■1.;^!' 1l-A •ir. ' !>■ ■ - O' 154 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. logs completely arrested their progress. Again they ap- plied to their neighbours for aid, assuring them that the treasure was near ; but all their entreaties were in vain. Those who ventured to pay a visit to the mysterious pit beheld it with only reluctance and superstitious horror. Some of the elder grey-beards solemnly shook their heads, assuring them that the spirits of the murdered ones were hovering around the pit, and that blood would have to be shed for blood before the treasure could be obtained. These appalling remarks, together with the appearance of hair and scalps among the logs, became so startling and ter- rifying, as to cause the islander to desert his island home, and the work to be relinquished by them forever. Many j^ears afterwards, a person from Halifax travelling in the vicinity of Chester, was informed of the wondrous treasure; and, having visited the spot, he immediately pro- ceeded home, formed a company, and commenced the operation of excavating the pit, which by this time had been considerably filled up. The work was prosecuted with eagerness, the timbers were removed, and a series of difficulties overcome, when, from reasons unknown, the work was again relinquished. A few years afterwards, another company from Halifax recommenced operations ; and when having dug to the depth of thirty-five feet, and about to abandon the work? they, by sounding to the further depth of five feet, struck upon something — apparently the money box. A vibration of joy enervated every soul. Millions were at their feet, and they blessed their stars that fortune had been so peculiarly propitious ; but like poor Whang the miller, they were only doomed to disappointment, — for scarcely had they resumed the work when a tremendous gush of water from beneath their feet, forcing up clay and stones, compelled they ap- that the in vain, dous pit } horror, sir heads, )nes were ave to be obtained, arance of I and ter- nd home, travelling wondrous ately pro- nced the time had rosecuted L series of the own Halifax ig to the the work, et, struck vibration r feet, and peculiarly }hey were had they ater from compelled RAMBLES AMONG THE BLTJE-NOSES. 155 them hastily to retreat with no small risk to their lives. Pumping operations were then commenced, but all were of no effect to diminish the water, which appeared to enter as fast as when taken out ; and after a few weeks of inces- sant toil and experiment, the work was again abandoned. Nor was this the final attempt of the prodigious undertak- ing. Up to the present moment the work has been resumed and relinquished a dozen of times. Companies have been formed again and again, numerous experiments tried; and no less than fifteen diiferent pits have been dug, at a cost of many thousands of dollars ; and yet the mysterious box appears not to have been found. The most determined and untiring adventurers of tlie " treasure diggings," are those comprising the company at Truro, whose operations alone, during the last ten years, have incurred an expense of no less than twenty thousand dollars. During my stay at Halifax and afterwards, I repeatedly heard of the '^ mysterious treasure," but considered the whole affair as only a fictitious tale, or a chimerical infa- tuation, until I had met with Mr. McCulley, secretary- treasurer of the company, who narrated the whole events, and persuaded me at length to visit the island. The operations of this company have been immense. The great obstruction and difficulty have been the inex- haustible quantity of water in the pits. It appears to come from the sea, but no experiment as yet has been enabled to remove it, or stem the current. Deep pits have again and again been dug near to the old c le, and con- nected by subterraneous channels, formed for the purpose of diverting the current. One pit was even sunk to the depth of ninety feet. During the summer of 1859, the company had no less than thirty horses employed at the ^'•*'^i "^■'^f-' 'i^'if ■ >^ ■ .1 ■ •■/»■• I t^ ■ f.- ;,!.■ '■ i' . I 0" i ■ H ■:i i %yi ■ k • ii ■ .■'1 i ,■•■'" 1 kat! ill, ■' 'I i il''";^. , •' I' '.^'' -^:Mh my si . ;t-1' *i 156 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. pumps, but all have proved utterly abortive. In the fall of 1861, at great expense, pumps were erected to be driven by steam power; but scarcely had the work been com- menced when the boiler burst, causing operations to be suspended until another season. I visited the island in September last, at which time the engine was working well ; but strange to say, the water continued to retain its level without apparently any diminution. Discouraged and disappointed, the company at length yielded to prudence and common sense, and relinquished their claims forever; but not until necessity had compelled them to comply therewith. If they are liable to censure for their folly, they are also to be commended for their adventurous and indefatigable spirit; which if otherwise employed might have resulted with better effect to themselves and others. There is, however, something very mysteriously connected with the " hidden treasure." Every indication and cir- cumstance relative to the reality of such deposits, appear to render it very probable that there is more fact than fiction connected therewith. Oaken boxes have been bored through, apparently filled with gold. West Indian grass and other foreign substances, together with many other indications, have been from time to time discovered in the pit. But the question naturally arises, "What object had Kidd in depositing his treasure there?" To this there is but one feasible answer. It appears that for some time previous to the capture of Capt. Kidd, several English ves- sels had been eagerly watching his movements, and endeav- ouring to seize upon him. Being aware of his own dan- ger and that of his immense treasure, he considered pru- dence the best part of economy, and therewith buried his gold in some secluded place, so that if caught, the English would be deprived of the expected spoil; all of which iiiu RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 16t n the fall be driven een com- ns to be island in working retain its raged and prudence s forever ; comply leir folly, arous and ed might tid others, connected and cir- ts, appear fact than een bored lian grass any other red in the liat object this there some time iglish ves- id endeav- own dan- lered pru- buried his le English of which fippear in accordance with the Captain Kidd ballad, wiiich says : " He then would make the nearest isle, And go at night by stealth To hide within the earth awhile His last ill-gotten wealth." It appears, that in digging the pit in which ho deposited his gold, he connected with it a secret subterraneous pass- age, leading towards the shore, by which means he might be enabled to recover his gold, without having to excavate the pit, which he had filled up with such substances as would render it almost impenetrable to the enemy, if dis- covered. Further, from the continued presence of water, as well as from the existence of oak trees beyond the ex- tremities of the island, growing as it were out of the sea, it appears that the water-mark of a hundred years ago, has sunk far below the present one, hence may arise the cur- rent of water along the subterraneous channel to the pit, or perhaps it may also arise from some other source in connection with the sea. B*^ this as it may, it is very singular indeed that no means as yet have been able to exhaust the water, or counteract the irresistible force of the current which appears to rise vertically. But whether any remedy will yet be found to suppress or remove those barriers, or does the gold in reality still exist there, are mysteries that lie beyond conception to unfold. However, for my part, I feel inclined, like 'the Dutch settlers, to allow the pirate's gold to lie where it was placed by the barbarous and bloody hands of the murderous demons themselves. In no age of the world does the ardent longing after gold appear to show itself so powerfully and universally as in •V ' X. • ■I ^%-r <; , »• P' u ■ ,'ir IP *»i ■rf ''Hi, I.-"; »:• i'' l^;"' H-' '■•» 1 1 I, • y ,' i 1 : ' "i, 'II ':'Jl 1 ■:■- ' ' ;■ ^ *l * ■.Qt{l 168 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSEfil. this. The golden mineral in still a god to the worshipperH of mammon ; and even men sainted with the glory of reli- gion, " whose failings lean to virtue's side," seem to be fascinated to distraction by tlie golden glitter, '* that daz- zles only to allure;" and too frequently it is so, that the devil's whetstone is drawn broadside across the cutting edge of a scrupulous conscience to dull its keenness, and instead thereof to sharpen the barbarous razor of knavery, so that it might be enabled to cut keenly and cleanly in the shav- ery of business. But enough of this for the present. We now turn from the mysteries of ** hidden treasures " to a subject as interesting, and one that appears at present to be agitating the minds of a greater number of adventurers. I mean the golden deposits of nature discovered in Nova Scotia. Professor Dawson in his Acadian geology, enumerating the minerals of the Atlantic metamorphic district of Nova Scotia, stated the probability of the existence of gold in the quartz veins of the metamorphic rocks, from the latter bearing so close a resemblance to those of the auriferous districts in other parts of America. Notwithstanding this statement, which was made years ago, perhaps, not one inhabitant of the province ever thought of searching for the precious deposit. Nothing therefore could have excited greater wonder in the minds of the people than the start- ling announcement that gold had been discovered at Tan- gier, sixty miles eastward of Halifax, bordering on the Atlantic coast. Indeed had it not been for this cir- cumstance, Tangier might have enjoyed its obscure exis tence and forest seclusion, undisturbed for half a century to come. Like most of the modern discoveries of gold, its discovery in Nova Scotia was purely accidental. It occured ou the 21st of March 1861, and in the following manner: IIAMBLES AMONii THE BLlfE-NOSES. 150 y of rcli- sm to be that daz- tliat the ting edge d instead ^, so that the shav- ent. We :es " to a present to venturers, i in Nova amerating t of Nova )f gold in the latter auriferous nding this not one rching for ivc excited the start- ed at Tan- iig on the • this civ scure exib a century of gold, its It occured g manner : An Indian lumberman, stooping to drink at a brook, observed the appearance of something glittering among the pebbles over which the stream flowed, and, upon further search, he discovered more. This was about half a mile eastward of Tangier river ; a small stream taking its rise not far from the Musquodoboit, and flowing tlirough a chain of lakes whicli drain for many miles on either side a wilderness country. The discoverer, believing the min- eral to bo of value, took it directly to Halifax, to ascertain its identity and worth ; but imagine his feelings o;i being told that it was pure gold, and of the iineh t quality. The discovery was instantly announced : which intelli- gence excited the feelings of the people, as if a ihunderclap had scattered, in golden showers, a thousand treasures to the earth. The government, which has reserved *,o itself aright to all minerals discovered in the p w ' nee, imme- d atcly dispatched thither a superintendent and several per- sons of scientific ability, whose investigations proved satis- factory as to the place being of an auriferous nature. A surveyor was then instructed to lay off a r quare mile in lots of 20 feet by 30. By this time hundreds of people had collected together at the place, the most of whom were impatiently waiting to try their fortune at the novel em- ployment of digging for gold. I ots were soon taken up, some of them by persons who haxi orkcd in the mines of California and Australia. Though no very valuable nug- gets were found, confidence in the extent and richness of the mines steadily increabea, and the pioneers worked on cheerfully and industriously, others, as eager to try their fortune, being added daily to their numbers. The govern- ment, however, while giving every facility to those who Were disposed to " prospect," or take claims, acted with caution lest too great inducement might be held out to per- ■ '!■■; ■ ftv;*: 162 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES; and drank off her choicest pearls ; but the thrifty damsels of Lunenburg have for generations past, after scrubbing their house-floors to their wonted whiteness, strewn them broadcast with sand of gold. As soon as the auriferous character of the sands was known there was quite a rush from the up-land diggings, as well as from many parts of the province, all eager to par- ticipate in the allotment, and it was not without some diffi- culty that the government superintendent finally adjusted the respective lots. In the course of a few days all the shore claims were taken up. In some places the auriferous sand on the shore rests on the edges of the upturned slate, which has been worn into holes of various sizes, well adap- ted to retain the gold as it was washed into them. The particles thus found belonged originally to the quartz, but have accumulated with the sands, from the abrasion of the rocks by the sea. All the holders of shore lots have been more or less successful ; and it is currently believed that several have realized considerable fortunes. The Cunard and Campbell claim — one of the richest — was sold, after a large amount had been taken out, to a larger company for the sum of $4,800. The facilities for mining at the Ovens are even greater than at Tangier, every part being accessible by water. Notwith- standing that several parties have realized rich profits, there have been very mnny indeed, at the Ovens and other places, who have scarcely made sufficient to relieve the expense of working their claims ; whilst others, finding gold-mining to be rather an unprofitable business, have either sold their claims for a paltry sum, or deserted them, disappointed in feeling and less wealthy in purse. Not long after the dis- covery of gold at Lunenburg, specimens were found about ine miles north of Halifax, on the farms of Allen and RAMfiLfiS AMONG THE BLUE-NOSE«. 163 Laidlaw, contiguous to each other and bordering on Lake Thomas. These localities are now denominated the " Wa- verly diggir*;;^3. The announcement of this discovery, it being so near the city, created such intense excitement that in less than two days over 150 applications for claims were lodged with the Commissioner of Crown lands. Several very fine specimens were found in those diggings ; and the prospect appearing so promising, readily induced the agent of a London company to purchase the property of Mr. Laidlaw, at a very large advance upon its previous valua- tion. The strata of these mines have a similarity to those of Tangier and Lunenburg ; but some of the quartz has a marked difference in structure, being of a belted form, and hence denominated the " barrel quartz." The country in the vicinity of these mines is very rough and uneven, abounding with rocks and boulders ; the soil sterile and covered with fir that has been recently ravaged by fires. But the numerous shanties of the miners, and the close proximity of the mines to the railway, considerably relieve the land of that rugged and outlandish appearance which it is naturally possessed of. Two other discoveries occurred on the Atlantic coast ; at Indian Harbor and at Wine Harbor in the county of Guysboro. At the time I visited these " diggings " extensive mining operations were being carried on, particu- larly at Wine Harbor, where no less than five hundred persons were at work, and four excellent quartz crush- ers. Many other discoveries Jimmediately followed, such as at Sherbrooke, Isaac's Harbor, Elmsdale, Renfrew, &c., &c , all of which belonged to the Atlantic metamorphic district. Gold, however, has been discovered at the inner edge of this district where it joins with that of the carboniferous j ,' 'M i'r J- .I .» ■ i!l ■V '(■■s ■« * 'tn m 'CJ ■,**■:<■ 'i^ 164 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. Mi *i''. W-:i i fe / ^;,* but not of sufficient quantities to remunerate the toils of the miner. Up to the present time, no less than fifty places have been found bearing an auriferous character. Sufficient proof has, however, already been given of the fact, that the granite metamorphic district of the Atlantic coast is exceedingly rich in deposits of this precious metal. The most extensive mines in the gold fields of Nova Scotia, are those of Goldenville, near Sherbrooke, on the St. Mary's river, twelve miles inland from the Atlantic coast. They embrace a surveyed district of no less than nine square miles, the greater part of which nas been taken up ; but owing to numerous failures, and the attrac- tion of new discoveries, these mines have lost much of their former celebrity. They were discovered on the 16th of September, 1861. When the tidings were announced that gold had been found in the hills on the opposite side of the river from Sherbrooke village, not only were the quiet and sober-minded villagers excited with joyous wonder, but the novel intelligence having circulated with almobt electric velocity among the inhabitants of the country, hundreds of those also hurried to the hills, almost frantic with the golden fever. The morning succeeding the discovery, no fewer than five hundred persons of both sexes were assembled in the vicinity in which the gold had been found; each one having a hammer or pickaxe, eagerly, /' prospecting " among the rocks. Old gray- headed men and women who had seldom crossed the threshold of their doors for years, were seen hobbling upon crutches up the heights, or hammering with right good earnest upon the rocks. Gold was indeed the all-absorbing subject of every mind, and the only topic of conversation. Everything else seemed for the time being to remain tt': RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 165 m H' ■-■■ unheeded and forgotten. So general and so ardent indeed was the lust for this mineral, that Uie country for miles around was swarming with the zealous votaries of this golden god. Scarcely a rock remained untouched, and, Jerusalem-like, not a stone was left upon another. Previous to the lots being measured off, a considerable quantity was extracted from the surface boulders : the attraction of the mines, was however, chiefly limited to the neighborhood until the following spring, owing no doubt, to the numer- ous new discoveries occurring in almost every township on the Atlantic seaboard. The mines are situated at the head of navigation on the St. Mary's river. They comprise a district of rugged and uneven upland, covered by a thin growth of spruce and hemlock, which have been sadly destroyed by fires, and the whole landscape presents a barren and desolate aspect. The mining district is universally composed of solid rock, covered by a thin layer of earth, and in some parts perfectly bare, and abundantly interspersed with boulders. The strata in general contour bear a close resemblance to those of the other mines. In some places dislocated rock gives evident signs of terrible volcanic disturbance. The veins are numerous, and prin- cipally gold-bearing. Their general direction is about W. N.W., corresponding to the strike of the enclosing strata, which is hard and slaty in structure and considerably shattered. The quartz is highly impregnated with metallic minerals, as bisulphateof iron and copper, arsenical pyrites, and a mineral resembling silver. A singular dissimilarity occurs in these mines, by one of the quai'tz veins being of a blue-leaden color, and is denominated the " blue leade." The like characteristic has not appeared in any other of the mines. It has been traced for nearly five miles, and several valuable nuggets haie been obtained therefrom. The discovery of the " blue loade " last spring"gave quite ■i, . -fr. it f ^ 166 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. ■'Ji''- .' i^'v,'? ,v;;.;j ^# w JiV an impetus to the character of these mines, and hundreds of persons from every quarter hastened thither. Golden- ville appeared for some time to be the golden focus of attraction. So great was the rush to these *' diggings " during the months of June and July last that three small steamers were kept plying between Sherbrooke and Halifax, carrying men and material to the mines. It was estimated that no fewer than five thousand persons visited them during that time, the greater number of whom, after ''prospecting" awhile, and meeting with little success, left, to seek for better fortune in other parts. Previous to the beginning of May, last, there were only seven buildings erected at the mines ; but before the end of July following there were no fewer than two hundred and fifty, many of which . were good dwelling houses, and chiefly built near each other, forming quite a respectable village. There were also eight stores, five temperance hotels or boarding houses, a post office and four large crushing mills, each costing from 84,000 to $12,000. There were over one thousand five hundred miners, most of whom had formed themselves into working companies, the expenditures and profits being of equal shares. Each company or squad consisted of from five to ten persons, and occupying one house. Some large mining associations had also been formed at Halifax, and other places, who employed an agent and men to work their claims. A London company, however, were conducting mining operations on the most extensive scale. It comprised one thousand shares of $100 each, the deposited treasure amounting to $200,000. This company having purchased a large area in the mining district, erected a crushing mill at the cost of $12,000, and carried on their works at an enormous outlay j but, owing to conflicting circumstances, they have been rather unfortunate in their realisations. M RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 167 CHAPTER X. Too oft does man for sake of golden pelf Make miser, slave, and beggar of himself; Through wild adventures and hairbreadth escapes, His journey to some distant land he takes. At length half-clothed, half-famish'd, and half-fed His home a shanty and his rags his bed. Through depths of solid rock, and mounds of sand, He digs for gold, and undermines the land ; Day after day he toils with pain, with hope, and sorrow, But prospects come perhaps no nearer than to-morrow. Gold-Digger. Having furnished my readers with an outline of the principal gold mines of Nova Scotia, I will now describe a few additional characteristics connected with mining operations, &c., &c. As soon as the intelligence of a new gold-discovery is received at " head quarters," a deputy gold commissioner and surveyor are sent to inspect, or rather, ^^ prospect " the grounds, which, if bearing an auriferous character, are immediately laid off into lots, or areas. Area No. 1 is 150 feet along a " leade," by 250 feet across ; No. 2 is 200 feet by 300 ; No. 3 is 300 feet by 500 ; No. 4 is 450 feet by 500, &c. These areas are leased to any person or persons who become subject to the conditions of the act relating to the gold-fields. The rents per annum of these lots, are: for No.l,$40; No. 2, 180; No. 3, $160; and for No. 4, $240 : one quarter of the whole sum to be paid down, the remain- der in three equal instalments, each of which to be paid ■ :«!.: <^ ■• ^^ m I ihm<' H 168 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. H ' St* , 'A ,■ ■! -1 ./'■It:,' I ■ at the end of every four months. As one man is incapable of operating alone, working companies are generally formed, each person being an equal sharer in the expenditures and profits. The first thing that is generally done is to ''prospect.^* This simply means, to investigate the grounds for a good '" leade,^^ or the indications of a lot bearing an auriferous character, which privilege is allowed on any of the areas not taken up. Having procured a ^^cJaim,'' they erect a house, furnish it, and provide themselves with such other articles as are essentially indispensable, including a general assortment of mining and cooking utensils, &c. One of the party is appointed house-manager, and the others begin mining operations. A ditch is then cut across the lot through the surface soil, by which means the quartz veins are discov- ered. On the leade that assumes the most prolific appearance they commence sinking a shaft or pit. But perhaps it is necessary before going further, to explain a few particulars connected with this prodigious undertaking. There may be some of my readers who imagine that gold, digging is not such a laborious task after all, where the impulsive hope of perhaps finding a fortune in a few minutes is sufficient in itself to invigorate the wearied arm and stimulate the mind to ride triumphantly over every inconvenience on the high-road to wealth and happiness. But it is not merely in excavating the clay bowels of the earth that the glittering particles of the shining nuggets are to be obtained ; a more laborious and expensive operation has to be performed in that of shafting through solid rock which is now the general system of mining in Nova Scotia. Gold as I said before, is found only in two conditions, namely, impregnated in quartz, a hard crystal- lized stratum of rock, generally of a whitish color, and i *v» RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 169 ipable >rmed, es and is to •ounds ng an any of \irnish as are Qent of arty is mining igh the disco V- prolific . But ^lain a taking, it gold, jre the a few ed arm every )piness. weh of luggets 3ensive irough ling in in two urystal- and imbedded in slate or granite, or in small particles in the sands which have accumulated from the abrasion of the rocks by the action of the tides ; but this is not its kindred element. It is found in its natural state only in quartz rock ; hence some geologists have asserted that quartz is the mother of gold. The gold fields of Nova Scotia are in general a consoli- dated mass of granite or whinstone, to an indefinite depth, and but slightly covered with vegetable deposits. These rocks appear to have suffered a corrugation et a very remote period from a change of the earth's temperature, as their surface bears the marks of numerous interstices or fissures, that are now completely filled up, by subsequent formations of slate, quartz, &c., which constitute the vein or leade frequently termed by Australian and Californian miners the lode or reef. In some parts the whole vein appears to be purely com- posed of quartz, but more frequently thin layers of slate lie between it and the whinstone or granite. The quartz vein varies in width from four inches to one foot. The gold is found only in this small portion of the strata ; but all quartz is not auriferous ; and even when no particles are visible, it is often found to be permeated with gold. Quartz may be classified into four kinds : No. 1, being that in which gold is clearly visible, as " sights" or nuggets ; No. 2, where gold is only barely perceptible ; No. 3, where there are no apparent signs of gold, yet possessed of it ; No. 4, that which is destitute of gold. The general direction of the veins or leades is that of W. and W. N. W., in some places deviating a little to either the right or left, here and there alternately dipping and rising, and frequently traversed by small irregular veins, but on the whole, maintaining a true course to a given t,i > < \ I i I : X ' -V- f". ^■\. 170 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 'f: r-,. r:-.! point. In distance from each other the leades vary from a few rods to au eighth of a mile, &c. In the Sherbrooke diggings, there are upwards of a dozen of main leades. When gold was first discovered in Nova Scotia the inex- perienced began mining on the top of the leade at the sur- face of the ground, extracting the quartz in ditch-like form ; but at present the shafting and undermining system is universally established. A shaft or pit, averaging from ten to twelve feet square at the mouth, is sunk through the solid rock to the depth of from thirty to sixty feet, the quartz being carefully separated from the other material, — all of which are brought to the top by means of a windlass. During this dangerous and laborious process, mining opera- tions are frequently impeded by water dropping from the porous surface deposits, or filtering through the crevices of the rocks, &c. During the night, and the Sabbath also, when mining operations arc suspended, a considerable quantity of water accumulates in the pits. Subsequently an hour or two are frequently spent in pumping it out, either by hand or horse power. When the shaft has attained its intended depth, the process of tunnelling along the " leade" then couMuences. By this subterraneous system the miner is enabled to perform more with less labor and expense, as none of the refuse material requires to be taken out. He allows it to accumulate beneath his feet ; and it thus supplies the place of a scaffold in enabling him to prosecute his work upwards. For several weeks or perhaps months after a mine was discovered, extracting the gold was performed by beating the quartz to a powder with a hammer, then washing the material with water mixed with mercury so as to extract and amalgamate the gold. But now that three or four quartz mills are erected at each of the principal gold-fields, the miner is thus iry fVom erbrooke a leades. he inex- the 8ur- litch-like g system ing from ough the lie quartz ,— all of vvindlass. ig opera- froin the revices of Iso, when quantity 1 hour or by hand intended dJe" then miner is pense, as )ut. He s supplies ecute his mine was y beating shing the [tract and artz mills leristhus f. ■ RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 171 enabled without any inconvenience, to have his quartz crush- ed whenever he pleases. The quartz mill or " crusher" as it is frequently termed, is generally driven by a steam-engine of from ten to fifteen horse-power, and is placed within a large building erected for the purpose. The " crusher" is comprised of two or more stamp batteries, each of which consists of a large metal box, containing from three to six long iron stampers, weighing from six to eight hundred pounds each. By a revolving axle, having projecting pins and suspended at some height above the batteries, these stampers are lifted up alternately by these catch-pins, which, in the act of revolving, allow them to slip off, and they fall by their own weight upon the quartz, when it has entered through a hopper into the box, into which a continual stream of water is running from a pipe and thus carrying off all the pulverized ingredients from the battery, through a screened aperture in the opposite side of the box — thonoe passing, over galvanized plates, into large iron vessels con- taining from fifty to eighty pounds of quicksilver. These con- tain smaller vessels, which are kept in circular motion, and in these also are revolving cylinders. The whole apparatus is termed the " amalgamators" which have a resemblance to the prophet Ezekiel's vision of a wheel within a wheel. Each battery has a set of these amalgamators. By this process the gold is separated from the powdery liquid by the attractive affinity of the mercury. The amalgam is then putinto a retort, and the quicksilver is driven off, leaving the pure gold in a congealed mass. It not unfrequently happens that those amalgamators become insufficient to perform the work satisfactorily ; but this arises chiefly from the ingredients of other metals with which the quartz is impregnated, in counteracting the attraction of the gold and mercury. The amount of quartz crushed by one mill per day is from four t'. .,..: I- 1 W'l *r« M * li :) H 172 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSE!=s. \m ■'f r I if'. to twelve tons; the amount depending ohi '^y'TTon th*^ size and power of the cruahers. The average cost per ton paid for crushing is SO. Tlio amount of gold extracted from each ton depends upon the quality of the quartz : the average quantity may be estimated at four ounces ; eacli ounce having an equivalent in value of about $18J or 119. From what has been said respecting the gold fields of Nova Scotia, it may be that many of my readers have formed a very pellucid but exaggerated idea of the " golden treasures." That country may appear to their mind's eye as a new Eldorado, that is paved with stones of gold, and whose waters are sparkling with yellow pebbles. True, there is inexhaustible wealth in those very rocks that have been bleached by the storm and sunshine of a thousand ages, and upon which the hardy fisherman had reared his homely dwelling, contented in his humble sphere and never dreaming of unbounded treasures beneath his feet. J i 3 i ■A " The sea afforded him an ample store ; Its wealth was his, and he desired no more. The lumberman also happy in his shanty : though cir- cumscribed by a narrow circle, never for a moment did he imagine that the very life-sap of those trees into whose core he had plunged his axc, was fed and nurtured from the " golden veins" of those rocks upon which they stood. Nor did even the idea of gold nuggets ever flash across the fancy of the rude farmer as he labored from year to year in extracting a paltry pittance from the meagre soil. Beneath the yellow grain which rocks supply, No " yellow sights" ere caught his verdant eye. Now that it has been sufficiently shown that Nova Scotia is endowed by nature with gold in a very extraordinary llAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. m degree, it is alno iiccewHiiry to throw out a few Huggcstiotis respecting the present and future development of this mineral, and its bearing upon the individual and general condition of the inhabitants of the province. From the foregoing facts it must be conceded that henceforward gold mining will be added to the various industrial resources of Nova Scotia ; but to what extent it will be prosecuted, and the pecuniary advantages tiiat will accrue therefrom, are as yet only matters of mental speculation. Up to the present time, however, the province in general has received no benefit whatever, but is in a sense materially aflfected for the worse. In order to prove this assertion it is only necessary to advance one or two facts. As soon as it became generally known that gold had been discovered in the province, as also during the time that a series of new discoveries followed, every mind, as if by a magic lens, was attracted to one focus, and swallowed up, as it were, in the all-absorbing idea of gold. The wheels of business that had been running smoothly became in a sense paralyzed, and gold 1 — gold ! — was trumpeted throughout the length and breadth of the land by the mighty archangel of Mammon. Men of different grades and vocations rushed inconsiderately to the mines, many of whom had sold and mortgaged articles and property in order to raise funds to enable them to carry on mining operations, and with the anticipation of realizing therefrom one thousand-fold. Indeed, hundreds there were who exchanged a remunerative occupation for that of a poor and degraded miner ; many of whom had never before handled an implement of labor, or known what it was to be " of the earth earthy." Thus, the farmer neglected the tillage of his lands, the fisherman forsook his nets, the lumberman his axe, the mechanic his accustomed implements of toil, w '.-^ 51 i. !;•■■ } Vr'- 174 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES* &c. ; and tho consequence of so great a preponderance to th6 one side of provincial affairs, so prematurely affected the balance-wheel of business, that counteraction in the forces ultimately occurred, causing a sort of brake-stop in the uniform inertia of the general progress. But, had only the one-twentieth of the number of those who have tried min- ing operations succeeded, the credit side of the golden ledger would have considerably counterbalanced that enormous and generally worthless expenditure incurred. Thousands and tens of thousands of dollars of private, and perhaps hard-earned money, have been expended upon those barren rocks in the building of houses, provisions, furniture, mining and cooking utensils, quarrying, crushing, and a variety of minor appendages. Many a man has thus involved himself in pecuniary difficulty; having perhaps, sacrificed all his means, his home comforts, perchance his health and vocation ; and after months of laborious energy, has been necessarily compelled to relinquish his task, it may bo with only a paltry dividend or a mere cypher. Many too, previously unaccustomed to such drudgery and exposure, have been thrown upon beds of sickness with fever or pulmonary complaints. In general the people of the province are begining to cool down from their fevered phrenzy to sober and meditative reason ; for, go where you will and talk about the gold fields, hundreds will emphati- cally tell you that the mines have been an injury to them- selves and a curse to the country in general. Nor does it appear that the government has been greatly benefitted, if we consider the prodigious outlay in making and macada- mizing new roads in connection with the gold-fields so as to render them perfectly accessible; also, surveying, drawing of charts, salary to superintendents, deputy gold commis- sioners, clerks, &c., &c. At the gold fields of Sherbrooke RAMBLES AMONO THE BLUE-NOSES. i? o ICC to th6 icted the ;hc forces p in the I only the ried min- B golden 3cd that incurred, vate, and 3on those urniture, g, and a has thus perhaps, hancc his IS energy, s task, it 3 cypher, [gery and less with people of r fevered rhere you cmphati- to them- or does it lefitted, if I rnacada- elds so as ;, drawing I commis- herbrooke alone, the government has made and macadamized five miles of a new road, through an extremely rough part of the country, at an immense expense. Now the query is, <' what parties, if any, have been benefitted by the gold-fields of the province ?" In the first place be it remembered that at the mines, as in a lottery, there are many blanks. The gold is not equally distributed in the hades ; therefore, only a few out of the many are fortunate enough to obtain prizes, and others whose claims might ultimately pay well, either from hapless disappointment or exhausted funds leave before they have sufficiently tested them ; some however have done well, whilst only a few have realized a respect- able fortune. For instance, the " Hewitt Claim" on the " Blue Leade" has yielded an immense quantity of gold ; whilst others adjoining it have produced little or nothing. In September last, I saw a solid mass of pure gold, weigh- ing 117 ounces, the yield of 27 tons of quartz taken out of this "claim;" the value of which was about $2,200. A late Halifax paper states that 26 tons of quartz, recently taken out of this claim, had yielded 116 oz, besides nuggets estimated at $800, the whole amounting to over $3000 • which makes no less than $5,200 realized in the course of a few months.^ Another class likely to be benefitted by the mines, arc wealthy companies who arc enabled to purchase extensive areas and carry on mining operations on a large scale. Such I think, will ultimately and universally prevail in Nova Scotia. * Since writing the above I have been informed by letter that a f^'get valued at $600 ha* been lately discovered in the * Pt '.'itt claim ;" also another, worth $400, has been found in tho " jLcslie claim," adjoining it, '■;W,.f. .i5 ♦ " V h> * I'/ ti •f^. ? »■ ' ) 5 176 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. From the great demand for domestic articles and sawn timber at the mines, merchants and mill proprietors were enabled to realize immense profits during the heat and hurry of the new discoveries ; but the golden season to this class was only a short though profitable one. Independent of the failures and disadvantages in mining operationSjit must also be taken into consideration that Nova Scotia ofi'ers many facilities to steady and enterprising miners, even those of other countries; as she possesses de- cided advantages over both California and Australia. Each of those countries is situated at a great distance from Europe, or the British colonies, and can only be reached after a long and expensive voyage ; and as a natural consequence, provisions and other articles are proportion ably dearer. Nova Scotia, on the contrary, is within an easy distance from Europe, the Northern States, and Canada, and pos- sesses a considerably settled population of intelligent) industrious, and sober people. The whole of the gold-bearing portion of the province also lies within a convenient distance from the coast, which abounds with good harbors affording ample security to shipping, and where an abundant supply of wood and water are to be met with when required for mining purposes. If from the gold discoveries of Nova Scotia, the province increase in population in like ratio to that of California, it will soon be a well-populated country. Califor- nia is perhaps one of the most extraordinary instances of rapid growth ever known. Emigration commenced in 1848 immediately after the discovery of the gold ; at which time that country contained only 15,000 inhabitants; there are now upward of 1,000,000. Since the discovery of gold in Nova Scotia, the geology of the province has attracted more universally the attention of its scientific inen,occasioning considerable discussion particu- m RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 177 1 sawti rs were )at and I to this mining lat Nova trprising esses de- a. Each ice from hed after equence, r dearer. distance and pos- itelligent, d-bearing t distance affording supply of )r mining cotia, the that of Califor- stances of n in 1848 hich time there are geology of tention of >n particu- larly on the cause and formation of the quartz rock, the gold deposits, &c, &c. Quartz is well known to be a subse- quent formation to that of the granite. Some attribute its origin to igneous action ; others, to that of aqueous ; but I feel disposed to believe that it is the natural offspring of a mutual generative cohabitation of both heat and water. But in this advanced age of the world, when the chimeras of superstitious philosophy are subsid ng into solid facts? based upon the unerring laws which govern the universe, and the mysteries of nature are being rapidly developed by men of educated genius, it may be considered presumptuous in me to offer any new idea upon subjects which the savans of a learned age have successfully experimented upon. Be this as it may, it is encouraging to know that we live in a land in which every grade of men has an equal privilege to express their opinions upon matters of common sense; a land in which we are free from the knotty trammels of a barbarous bigotry, that condemned a gifted Galileo to a superstitious vassalage, and laid the scalping knife upon the head of science. But the day of philosophic terror has fled, and the man of obscurity has just as independent a right to express his opinions as the man of fame. Then why should a sparrow crouch beneath the outstretched wings of an eagle when there is space to fly. Nature may be said to be a book of mystic oracles, a volume in which the mysteries of the Deity are embodied, an inexhaustible mine of untold value, to which every rational being has free accesr. to draw therefrom. The sages of a thousand ages have labored to explore its laby- rinths "id decipher its mystic characters ; nevertheless, all the boasted wisdom that man has extracted only sinks into insignificance, when compared with that which will forever remain wrapped up in the massy folds of the h kt::.. r V' 178 RAMBLES AMONGt THE BLUE-NOSES. 4^ Divinity. The works of nature to the vulgar mind appear to be no mystery, and why? because such minds are never impressed with that sublimity of feeling which arises from the intellectual reflection of a genuine soul that is inspired with a divine radiance. They are only impressed with the external features of physical nature, and these by habit become too common to call reason or reflection into action. To minds of reflective genius are we then indeb- ted for those wonderful developments from the bosom of nature, — minds that have wandered amid the strata of the earth, or soared among the orbs of the celestial empire, and made the very elements subservient to universal being. Yet after all, nature is still a mystery to us ; an undefinable existence that slumbers in our day dreams ; a world of complicated obscurities, into which we wander only to be more deeply lost in the incomprehensible realities that cast their flitting shadowsover our pathway : and, in the language of the Psalmist, we are forced at length to exclaim — "How wonderful a.^ chy mighty works, Lord! in wisdom hast thou made them all^ In respect to general principles nature is uniform, yet ever variable. Her laws are immutable. Order and har- mony are her indispensable accompaniments. Every natu- ral object we behold is constituted to fulfil an important and essential office in the grand economy of nature. But the theoretical is to be observed, as well as the practical ; and this brings me to consider, in the first place, the origin and constitution of the earth. To do so we must wander back to the chaotic era of material nature, myriads of ages anterior to the embryo existence of our solar system, ere time itself was, or the hand of God had begun the process of creation within the limits of the solar region. At that period the ingredients which now constitute our sun and RAMBLES AMONa THE BLUE-NOSES. 179 appear ids are 1 arises that is pressed iese by on into 1 indeb- osom of a of the )ire, and tng. Yet iefinable world of ily to be that cast language jord! in form, yet and bar- bery natu- mportant re. But practical ; he origin jt wander Is of ages ^stem, ere e process At that sun and its planets may have been nothing more than a floating gaseous material, or nebula, universally disseminated throughout the regions of solar space. But when the creative power of Deity liad sown the seed of vitality upon this dead mass of matter, a vital impulse was given, the germs began to generate, certain nuclei were formed, and the creating process of embryo worlds went on, regulated by natural laws essential to their nature and constitution, and at length new orbs, fresh from the womb of creation, were ushered into being. But their natural organization was not yet matured. The raw material had assumed an existence, but u had to undergo a "fiery ordeal so as to purify and temper its constitutional principles, and give to it that vital and generative character ultimately essential to its future development of life and action. In treating further upon this subject, I will render my remarks as briefly a; possible, and confine them particularly to our own world, one of those planets that emanated at that time from the prolific womb of jreation, and was in a sense " without form and void, and darhiess was upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters,' Then God said " Let there he light, and the ' was light.'' ^^ lie spake and it loas done^ Immediately the inflammable gases of \\iQ earth, as they emanated from its interior, became ignited. Outstretch- ing flames of the furious element burst forth, and conse- quently the surface of tliat consolidated mass of terrestrial matter became one universal ocerai of liquid fire. Dense clouds of the blackest smoke enveloped adjoining space, for the earth, as yet, had no atmosphere of its own. At length when the earth had thrown forth its superfluous bitumin- ous evaporations, it began gradually to cool ; and when its surface had become suflic:ently low in temperature, and 180 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. ■ i V\ \-f V \^ 1 it- M its vertical forces of heat diminished, a new organiza- tion in the floating gases above tlie earth took place. The hydrogen and other gases found an affinity with the oxy- gen in certain proportions, forming a fluid which gradually lowered towards the earth, and ultimately fell upon its solid barren surface, forming the waters, which were subsequently " gathered into one place, and the drij land appeared^ The nitrogen and oxygen also formed a new combination which constitutrcd the earth's atmosphere. Thus, God •' divided the waters which were under the firmament from die waters (ov gases) that were above the firmament.^' And not until then, when the dark smoky covering of the earth had been removed, were the " Lights " of Leaven en- abled (at the fourth period of time) to transmit their cheer- ful life-giving beams to a nevv world, fresh from the hand of the Deity. By this creative and wonderful process in the economy of nature, a world, an ocean, and an atmosphere, were thus produced, arising, as it were, out of each other, which is sufficient of itself to demonstrate that God works wisely and mysteriously, but not without a design to a noble end in view. Now let ds consider the condition of the earth during its cooling process. Heated as it were, to a certain depth, not totally as some would have it, it would become first cool at the surface, thence gradually lower in temperature towards the interior; con.'.^qu'Titly it would become condensed, and the natural result of such woi M be that numerous cracks or fissures would be produced between the uncooled stratum and the exterior. A portion of the water that fell upon the earth would enter these interstices, causing serious dis- ruptions in some parts of the earth, and perchance hollow- ing out a bed and channel to " let the waters under the heaven he gathered together into one place, and let the dri^ I ^'' T I RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 181 ;.:? land appear?' How beautifully is the whole expressed by the Almighty when He answered Job out of the whirlwind, thus, '' Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth : when, I made the cloud the garment thereof] and thick darkness a svmddling hand for it : and brake up for the waters my decreed place, and set bars and door's and said, hitherto shalt thou come hut no farther, and here shall thy proud waves he stayed^ Through the course of time, by the action of both aqueous and igneous matter, these fissures became filled up with the crystalline strata of quartz, slate, &c., hence the formation of those " leades," in which the gold is found. As the quartz is generally imbedded in slate, it appears that both substances have been formed at the same time, as well as from intermingled ingredients, tlie quartz, whilst crystalliz- ing, in order to purify itself, throwing oif the slaty material to the outside, similar to the process in the formation of trees, which, whilst the texture of the wood is being formed exude that substance to the exterior which forms the bark. Indeed, the quartz and slate arc frequently so intermingled that it is difficult to determine which of the two has the better right to the name. From this blending of substances whilst in a liquid state, I believe, has originated that vein at the Goldenville mines, known as the *' Blue Leade." The next problem that I come to, and one that ha« elicited considerable discussion, is : " How was the gold deposited in the quartz ? " or, did the gold emanate from the quartz, or originate from other sources at the same time ? To render a faithful solution of this difficult point at issue, requires a more disciplined and geological judgment than mine ; nevertheless I consider it but a cowardly act to run away from a subject that 1 have advanced upon, without firing a shot at the least. ■.:V;;,^S^-.;* t,*;Jfi)".> 11 '^"■■•■■^ I' %■ ■■' ' 182 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. ■ ; )( t If the gold originated with the quartz, its particles, in a fused state, very probably arose from the melted stratum beneath the solidified surface of the earth into the siliceous formation during the process of crystallization ; permeating the quartz, and in some parts by mutual affinity, forming into larger deposits such as nuggets, " sights," «fec. In favor of this theory many arguments might be advanced, but I will follow it no further, as numerous objections could also be raised. The solution which I now advance may merit the peru- sal of the scientific critic, and the new-fangled geologist ; but I doubt very much indeed if the gray-headed savans of the antiquated school will doff their night-caps to listen to it with patriarchal reverence. Be this as it may, it is generally believed that the earth's poles are magnets. In fact every thing in nature, to a certain extent, has a mag- netical influence. We see it from its minor workings in the cohesion of individual particles, to the gravity of larger bodies of collected atoms. Then may be asked, " Whence does this power originate? " Not from the material itself, I should think, but from the attractive influence of electri- city when it assumes a certain latent power and position in bodies, and is thus known as magnetism. This powerful yet mysterious agent of universal nature has a repulsive as well as an attractive force, known as the positive and nega- tive, which, if grammatically genderized, may be termed, with sexual propriety, the masculine and feminine. To proceed with the subject at issue, it appears that, indepen- dent of the polar, there are also continental forces, which, perhaps, are produced by circumterraneous currents of electricity. The land on the surface of our globe consists chiefly of two continents, — the eastern and western, or, to speak grammatically, the masculine and feminine: t^v. Gambles among the blue-noses. 188 cles, in a stratum 1 siliceous rmeating , forming &c. In idvanced, objections the peru- geologist ; savans oi' ) listen to may, it is ;nets. In las a mag- orkings in y of larger *' Whence ^,rial itself, of electri- position in s powerful epulsive as 1 and nega- 3e termed, nine, i »• , indepen- ces, which, urrents of be consists teru, or, to inine : tht islands of course being thdr offspring. As the first pro- duction of all the varied classes or species of nature, is the masculine, we may infer therefrom that the eastern conti- nent belongs to that class, and possesses the positive force of magnetism; consequently the western will be of the feminine, having a negative or attractive power. Being possessed of this affinity, she, no doubt, exercises a consider- able influence over the elder continent. Her magnetic forces are attracting towards herself in invisible particles, a portion of the other's metals. Thus, innumerable atoms of the golden mineral are ever moving onward over the broad Atlantic to the eastern shores of America, where they are rendered visible in the attractive veins of the metamor- phic rocks, and thence conveyed along by thamagnetic cur- rent until they are deposited in the matrix of the Pacific shores. As a demonstrative evidence of this theory, I need only advance one or two positive facts. First : Gruided by an essential and invariable law, or magnetic impulse of nature, the natural tendency of mind and matter in both continents, as well as between them, appears to be that of westward. The tide of emigration has invariably been in that direction, or W.N. W. ; and even when it has reached the eastern shores of this ample conti- nent, its advance word is westward, westward ! nor will it cease in moving onward until the utmost bounds of the " Far West " have arrested its progress. Again : whilst making a general tour through Canada West during the winter of 1862, I was forcibly impressed with the idea of this " westward tendency" in discovering that most of the cities, towns, and villages had this one sided tendency. Few of them if any, where local circum- stances permitted, but have extended westward or north- west from their nucleus or place of origin. This will also apply w 184 K AMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NCtES. f J -s^- .^fe ■"■!* 1 i i!*:t ^; i- li^ii:- :< ;- : V vji, I ^:: 1 «*■ I ■•'■' «f »« to all the British American Provinces — the states of Nortk America, &c., &o. This westward tendency, like that of instinct, is an inherent impulse of the human mind, dictated by the attractive force or westward current of the earth's magnetism. From this building tendency whiHi I had observed, I received the first suggestion of my gold theory. Previous to luy arrival in Nova Scotia I had matured this theory in my own mind, and it depended upon only one thing to establish it in my own judgment as an authen- ticated fact — namely, — that the gold leades should run westward. If their direction were otherwise I had resolved to regard the whole as only a chimera. But I felt somewhat surprised when I had ascertained that generally the main leades had a westward tendency. The gold in them is only rendered visible By local attraction, being frequently coun- teracted in its current by non-conducting substances. As a further concurrent evidence, the small intersecting veins are frequently the most auriferous, as also, the east side of a dipping angle. Again '. ancient history informs us that the gold in many parts of the eastern continent was extremely abun- dant; and the wealth of the eastern provinces was so immense that the very earth appeared as if yielding forth a prolific increase of that invaluable mineral. Solomon's Temple as an instance aff'ords an important specimen of the golden world in the earlier :iges, and might well be called the golden temple,. No less ihan 3000 talents of gold were allowed for the overlaying of its walls ; and its roof, ceiling, beams, pillars, and doors were also overlaid with pure gold. And besides this 5,000 talents and 10,000 drachms of the precious metal were for the service of the holy house, in the making of the altar, tables, vessels, utensils, tic ; and the gold and silver at Jerusalem were as plenteous as the .1.. m ''¥, RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 186 of North J that of dictated le earth's h I had d theory. Dured this only one 1 authen- ould run d resolved somewhat the main 3m is only iitly coun- aces. Asa ing veins ist side of e gold in lely abun- es was so ding forth Solomon's nen of the be called gold were of, ceiling, pure gold, ims of the ^ house, in die ; and ous as the stones. Not onljr the Bible, but many other ancient his- torical writings concur in evidence of the fact that the eastern continent has been immensely rich in the deposits of the golden mineral. But the extensive and pri»Hfic gold fields of the early ages have undergone a change. Not only has the hand of man been there in extracting the rich deposits ; but the magnetical forces have also been at work ; and over the broad expanse of waters, countless millions of atoms of that precious dust have floated to this conti- nent, and deposited themselves along the fertile shores of the western Pacific. California ' unlocked her treasures, and the discoveries of the golaen realms have extended northward. Thither have thousands and tens of thousands of adventurers gone in search of that greatest of all minerals : and arc gathering, perhaps, to day, a portion of that identical material which once glittered upon Solomon's Temple, or formed a constituent element in Aaron's calf. CHAPTER XL Dread vaults of dark mysterious depths, Where grimly reigns perpetual night, Where nature stored in ages past Her stock of latent heat and light. Ere man was framed or woman form'd, Kind nature did their coal provide, Black though it be, how bright its fire, Which consecrates the home fireside. Carbon. Few countries afford to the geologist a more varied field for research than does Nova Scotia. But owing to the alteration and disturbance to which the rocks have been 'i .A.. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1:^128 |50 "^ S: lis lllllio 2.2 1.8 1.25 1.4 II 1.6 < 6" ► <^ % /a ^l ■c %:^3 -> > ^ O / /A Phofographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 .f his taken NTi up cable under gravi- > cable irately I boxes gh the indlass •egions ure by srewith le, and ' devils r, who t great purses t were earful lof the inning lamps, lof the cars, their :ering ?hich ^nting Hav- II was ushered into the presence of a number of black-looking fellows who were hard at work with pick, powder, and horse-power, excavating and hauling out the carboniferous deposits. A singular sensation began to steal over my fancy at that moment when I considered that in reality I was then no less than a quarter of a 'mile perpendicularly from the surface of the earth. With peculiar sensation I gazed upon those ebon masses around me, the mineral, yet vegetable creation of an ancient era, myriads of ages anterior to that of the animal, and when only the sylvan nymphs and fauna of vernal and perennial nature reigned upon the earth. How gloomy are those recesses to the mortal vision, but how full of radiance to the philosophic eye. The now deposited elements of those depths once flickered in the vernal breezes of a young world, and drank of the youthful vigor of that sun, now unknown to them. They are now but the dead deposits of a distant age; and those grim vaults look like the charnel-house of nature, Where but the wreck of a past world remains, And dark chaotic night forever reigns. Who can enumerate th: varied physical and political changes that have taken place since that] vernal period ! Nation after nation has arisen and fallen to the earth. Dynasties that once ruled the world with a rod of iron have sunk into nothingness, and their greatness perished as the floating bubble or the flying gossamer. The process of mankind is only fluctuating and perishable ; whilst that of nature has a perpetual and established uniformity, full of wisdom and mystery which proclaim in indelible cha- racters the imbecility and littleness of man's efforts, ap^ the power and supreme majesty of God. M i; 194 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 1 ^ 1 <* 1 1 • ) 'd . «* i( ■'. , ,: ' ^ ^ ' . I- ■ ■- ' "1 It i V At length, after a stay of about two hours in the benight- ed realms, we started upon our egress, and having placed ourselves in one of the cages, we were carried up the shaft- way with amazing rapidity, in a sort of balloon-like ascen- sion, and in the twinkling of a few moments we found ourselves upon the solar side of the world again. The average number of persons employed in connection with the Albion Mines is 600 ; and a community of over 2000 is supported from the labor arising from them. About sixty horses are kept under ground drawing the coal- cars to the dififerent stations on the main-track. The foremen or overseers are called caffars. Accidents occur occasionally in the mines from foul air, the railway, &o. Every morning before the workmen enter the pit the con- dition of the air therein is ascertained by a person appoint- ed for the purpose. Mining operations, &c., on the whole are conducted on a very regular and economical system. As each car reaches the top of the pit it is placed upon a wheel-cage, which very ingeniously empties it into other and larger cars under the side of the platform ; during the pro- cess of which, the larger and smaller coal are separated. The coal is then either taken to the immediate coal-yard, or to the " Loading Ground " at a distance of six miles, on the East River ; whence it is shipped to different ports. During the month of September last, it being the busy season, the amount of coal raised per day from the Albion Mines averaged 900 tons. The number of vessels coaled at the loading ground during that month was 250. In proximity to the mines is the " Collier- Village," which comprises three or four streets of cottages, over half a mile in length, each row bearing the appearance of one continued house. The buildings are of wooden structure, of one story and painted of a light bluish color. Notwith- RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 195 M half one f-ure, rith- standing the blacknoss with which they are connected they are generally of a clean and orderly appearance. One even- ing through curiosity I entered several of them ; in each of which the process of body cleansing was being carried on to its fullest extent ; nor did the parties engaged therein appear to shrink with modesty from the presence of a stranger. Habits by becoming common lose much of their original sensitiveness and delicacy. Every family appears to possess their own *' immersion tub," supplied with the elements of outward purification. In some houses, how- ever, the system of cleansing is conducted in a sort of Com- pany concern. Each of the parties thus connected, when having undergone a sort of preparatory process, in turn renders himself subject to the rub-brush mercy of his wash- mates during the soap-suddery ordeal. The colliers appear to be a social and happy people. During the pleasant summer evenings numerous groups of men, women and children, with their domestic quadrupeds, are seen lying and loitering upon the grass yards, or sitting around the door steps, apparently fostering their united existence with the simplest elements of enjoyment. It is, however, somewhat repulsive to the sensibilities, at first sight, to meet a few hundred colliers retiring from their labor. You fancy yourself upon the borders of a cane or cotton field ; or perhaps the idea of a more " torrid region," and its black community may flash across the mind. New Glasgow, two miles from the Albion Mines on the East River, is a pleasantly situated little town ; but from its position, and proximity to the mines, its population might have been greater, and its trade much more exten- sive. Its inhabitants are chiefly the descendants of high- land Scotch ; and a very moral and exemplary people they 196 RAMBLES AMON(i THE liLUE-NOSES. f 4: i .,1, I ■'I I appear tx) be. The surrounding country is well cultivated, and presents an undulating and romantic appearance. On the whole it has a greater resemblance to Canada West than any other part of Nova Scotia I have seen. Seven miles below, at the confluence of the East, West, and Middle rivers, is situated the town of Pictou, — being but three miles distant from the gulf of St. Lawrence. It pos- sesses a commanding position, and is surrounded by a fine country presenting a healthy and picturesque appearance. The town is possessed of physical advantages that ought to have increased its community and commerce to a tenfold degree. The energies of the people appear not to be much wasted upon random speculation, or manufacturing enter- prize. The old Scottish element prevails, even to the third and fourth generation, that still love to cherish the old adage — " a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." They appear to have retained a still nobler characteristic of their fatherland, and that is their devotedness to religion and morality. During the Sabbath day every thing offen- sive to the Christian's feelings is strictly prohibited. Such are indeed the only real elements of a nation's greatness, and are more precious in the sight of God than all the gar- nished furniture of Mammon. The first settlement of this neighborhood was formed in 1773, by emigrants from the Highlands of Scotland. Two vessels, named respectively the Hector and Argyle, laden with passengers, were destined for this port; b"t the latter ship with all on board was destroyed by the French when about to land. The other received considerable damage, but nearly all the passengers were saved. One of that number still survives, — a Mr. Koderick McKay, who resides near New Glasgow. He is now 98 years of age, hale and hearty, and in full possession of all his faculties, RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 197 I spent a very agreeable afternoon with the old gentleman, who entertained me kindly; and with peculiar interest related to me the almost incredible adventures and diffi- culties of the early pioneers of the forest, and the many stirring events that arose from the freciuent and treache- rous assaults of the Indians and Acadian-French. '' But," said he, *' though we were few in number at first, my brave countrymen were never afraid of meeting either of them, for when they saw the kilted highlanders approach they ran as cowardly villains to the woods." The last resource of the Indians to avenge themselves upon the Scotch were to kill all the moose they possibly could, and leave their carcases upon the ground, which proved to be the means of frightening from that vicinity the deer upon which the poor settlers depended chiefly for food and clothing. But I discontinue the subject at present, as the past history of Pictou and its people, although full of varied and startling events, is however, too local to be further interesting to the foreign reader. Throughout the eastern part of Nova Scotia, the inhab- itants have chiefly descended from highland Scotch. In the county of Pictou alone, there are over 300 signatures on the voters' list representing persons by the name of Fraser. McKenzies, McDonalds, Camerons, &c. are almost as numerous. But in order to distinguish individuals bearing the same name, fictititious cognomens are of frequent use, — a practice in universal usage among the French of Canada. The people inhabiting those parts are generally of a very robust structure. English is the prevailing lan- guage, but the Gaelic is universally spoken. The bag-pipe and the spinning-wheel are still heard discoursing sweet music within their dwellings. They are generally a very moral and religious people, indulging in few of the luxu- 198 RAMBLES AMONa THE BLUE-NOSES. l^' fill' • •^4 P ries and beverages of modern society. Liquor is an article that is seldom used, and a tavern in many parts is a thing unknown. There is, however, a sufficient number of public inns, aflfording every useful comfort and accomoda- tion to the traveller ; and if I may infer from the sobriety of the people I should think that the " Blue Noses" of these parts are seldom visited by the "Blue Devils." As an instance of their anti-baochanalian propensities I will only mention the following : As soon as the gold mines of Sherbrooke were discovered so great was the antipathy of the villagers to alcohol, and so apprehensive of an intemperate innoYition, that the town council, in accordance with a universal petition, unani- mously passed an enactment prohibiting the sale and use of intoxicating liquor within the limits of their jurisdiction, attaching a fearful penalty to be awarded to the trans- gressor. One or two defaulters were tried and punished ; the desired effect was obtained, and the village saved from the virus pollution of the monster Bacchus. It also pro- duced a good effect at the mines. The evening previous to my departure from them, a temperance society was organized, and upwards of fifty of the minors gave their signatures to the pledge. I trust they are still the support- ers of the cause. Not only in those parts, but throughout Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick also, the people, I do believe, are generally more temperate in their habits than in Canada. Very few of the better hotels, even in the towns and cities keep the inebriating beverage ; and order, quietness, and social happiness are the concomitants thereof. Nevertheless, there are drinking saloons and groggeries showing their crazy, dilapidated forms in too many places. Again, — the habit of using tobacco is not so extensivdy Rambles among i?he blue-noses. 199 indulged in as in Canada. The weed seems to be deprived of its celebrity and patronage in many places. Although I was myself a piping favorite of tobacco, I met with so many of the Bluenoses who censured its character with such contempt, that from a sense of honour to myself I also withdrew my favour from the nicotian vegetable. Another class of hearty, robust people are the fishermen on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia. In general they appear to be moderate in many of their habits, coarse but kind in their manners, — and exceedingly hospitable to strangers, at least, I ever found them to be so in all my journeyings among them. Most of the Women present excellent specimens of health and physical power ; and all appear to be well skilled in boat-rowing, sailing, &c ; and I have no doubt but that many of them are good " diving belles." Many of the young females are possessed of consid- erable rustic beauty ; and some of the full grown would eclipse with their shadows a half dozen of our medium sized Canadian ladies. It is indeed pleasant to see them gliding past in their little boats, and beating time with their oars to some solitary love song of the ocean, that their sweet voices are converting into pathetic melody, which floats upon the air of the eventide like the Duan harp-tones of Ossian upon the undulating waves of Lora. I spent a very agreeable time upon the coast ; and of my many little adventures and excursions that occurred there, I will only relate the following as a specimen : lOn my way from Tangier to the St. Mary's river, I called at Liscomb, — the residence of my old friend cap- tain Locke of the Amazon. Fortunately he was at home and our meeting was a happy one. I was induced to remain with him during his stay of a few days, which were pleasantly occupied. Having heard of the Liscomb nil 200 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. Falls, and several beautiful small lakes up the river, I ven- tured an excursion thither with two young men who had kindly oflfered to accompany me. Having provided our- selves with every necessary required, we took boat, and rowed up the river a few miles, thence on foot to the "falls" through the wild uninhabited forest. On our way thither the dogs started two very large moose, which bounded magnificently from us, and spurning as it were, the hounds and bullets that flew after them. The vertical height of the " falls " is about thirty feet. The water in its descent makes three beautiful leaps, and is partly inter- cepted by jutting rocks, causing the furious liquid to seethe and effervesce as in a heated cauldron. The chan< nel is through solid rock, which rises on either side in irre- gular masses to an enormous height. Beyond the falls we continued our course for some miles, visited oiie or two beautiful lakes, and other romantic sconery in the wilder- ness. The country throughout this part is indeed rocky and very uneven, difficult to travel through, — our course being either over rugged upland or sinking morasses. The trees are chiefly of the evergreen, a class that appears to be vernacular to the Lower Provinces. Those bordering on the coast are singularly decorated with fog-moss, which is of a fibrous texture, of a green and yellow or greyish colour, from five to ten inches in length, and suspended from the branches like goats' hair. Having returned to Liscomb, I left on the following afternoon in a small boat accompanied by two young Scotch- men, by the name of Sinclair, natives of Edinburgh. Our meeting and conversation of course were of the most agree- able kind. They were going to the gold mines at Sher- brooke, and thither I had resolved to accompany them. We expected to get there a little after dark, the distance t!' RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 201 lering being twenty-five miles. Our progress, however, was ren- dered slow from the immediate cessation of the wind, and having to depend only upon rowing. We continued our course, bordering upon the coast, but before we had gone half way we were suddenly enveloped in dense fog. We made several attempts to land, or to find the entrance of the St. Mary's river, but were unsuccessful, as the dark- ness of the air and the breakers that everywhere seemed to girt the shore caused every eflfort therewith to be ex- tremely dangerous. The shadows of evening having also fallen around us rendered our condition more bewildered and appalling. The hoarse roar of the rising surf upon the breakers on the one side, and the wide ocean on the other, had a tendency to heighten our apprehensions. However we endeavored to keep cool, hoping that the fog would soon be dispelled, and that we might discover a place to moor in safety. But instead thereof, the dark- ness increased as if heavy masses of vapor were gathering upon the atmosphere ; and, at length, flashes of lightning in the distance momentarily lighted up the ebon vaults of the sky ; but the air was still slumbering upon the couch of night. The waters were glittering with myriads of ignited atoms, and as our oars arose above the surface they appeared as if embroidered with strings of innumerable beads of fire. By this time we felt as if per- fectly lost, and knew not whither to go. No object upon the shore was visible, and we only knew our distance from it by the murmurs of the tide upon the reefs. Guided By the sound we endeavored to steer a return course, with the prospect of finding a cove upon the Little St. Lawrence Bay, that lay to the west of us. Having continued our course for some time we accidentally ran our boat ashore on the northern point of Tobacco Island, at the entrance ft? 1 ■— ■ 1. i • ■•flit • !■■ *■ ;-• ■ J' , • .' _ ^ ft V i 202 RAMBLDS AM(»7a THE BLUSI-NOSfiS. of the bay. This place had received its name about fifty years ago, occasioned by a ship laden with tobacco having been lost there. Indeed we felt delighted when we again rested our feet upon land. Having drawn our boat beyond water mark we kindled a fire, and began to feel comfortably happy. But before long the sky unlocked its cisterns, and the rain poured down in torrents^ drenching us completely and extinguishing our fire. Then we felt more miserable than ever, and for the time being were utterly destitute of every means of comfort. For two hours the rain continued to fall heavily, which ultimately dispelled the fog and relieved the air of its beclouded burden. At a distance we beheld a light apparently from that of a window. Thither we resolved to go, hoping to better our condition; and having sailed nearly a mile we landed safely at a fisherman's cottage, situated upon a beautiful cove on the mainland. The master of the house appeared, and having been made aware of our condition he gave us a hearty welcome into his dwelling. It was then one o'clock ; his family were all asleep; he himself having sat up to that hour sorting the fish he had caught during the day. He instantly awoke two of his daughters, who went immediately to work and prepared us an excellent supper. A comfortable bed was furnished us, and for the rest of the night we slept more soundly than ever did: Samson of old. Next morning we were welcomed to a hearty breakfast — ^the result of considerable ingenuity in the culinary art, and in which the most fastidious epicurean might have indulged to satiety. No sooner done than the fisherman took down an old worn bible, blackened by the smoke of years; read a portion therefrom, and then we all knelt, and he lifted up his voice and thanked his Maker for the blessings of the night, and our safety, and solicited a renewal of divine RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 203 mercy towards us all. What a blessed union of feeling we had; we felt happy, yes, inexpressibly happy, for where true religion is there must be true happiness also. We devoted two additional hours to the honored presence of our host and family, who urged us to prolong our stay. The fisherman entertained us by narrating several interesting adventures and shipwrecks that had occurred in that vicinity. Among the latter was that of the " Indian," one of the Canadian Line of steamers, that was lost a few years ago. She had struck upon a reef opposite " Mary- Joseph" — a place a little to the westward of us. " Ah 1" said he " those shipwrecks have been morally injurious to some of our community ; they have had a tendency to foster the pilfering and coveteous propensities of human nature." Among the numerous sufferers of the wreck at that time was an elderly gentleman from England, who had lost a box containing all his money, and also the likeness of a lost wife or daughter ; he had supposed it to have been stolen, and therefore announced that all the money might " be at the disposal of the person who took it, if the daguer- reotype would be restored to him ; but such affected not the sympathy of the heartless wretch. The likeness is still in the possession of a certain person thereabouts, and our host assured us that he had seen it. Fragments of the vessel are still preserved by the fishermen. I have seen a part of the " bow-piece" used as an ornament to a door. Seldom have I met with so 'genuine a specimen of humanity as Mr. Milman, the fisherman. He is one of nature's dcoomplished gentlemen. No exertion on our part could persuade either him or any of his family to accept of a remuneration ; but we left him our blessing, and I trust ihey will not be forgotten by us. 204 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. The day being calm and refulgent, our sail was rendered propitiously pleasant, and after a few hours we safely arrived at our destination. 'it' ;if V f 1 CHAPTER XII. Behold these nurslings of a barbarous age, Involved in mystery on tradition's page ; Their shadows vanish and their tribes give place To brighter prospects, and a nobler race, "Whose giant efforts everywhere proclaim Wealth, knowledge, power, position, virtue, fame. Canadian Bard. The *' May-flower" has been adopted as the floral emblem of Nova Scotia. The present " coat of arms" represents a golden wreath of May-flowers forming a beautiful frame-circle, in which is the figure of a man with a pickaxe uplifted, and a piece of quartz at his feet, accom- panied by the national motto — " We bloom amid the snow." The names of several places in Nova Scotia are of scrip- tural extraction, — such as, " The garden of Eden," " New Canaan,"&c. In the former of these I saw but little to remind me of the excellence of the Adamic Paradise ; and in the latter there were plenty of " milk and honey," but no vineyards laden with delicious grapes. The majority of the names are. however, identical with many of those in the British Isles — the result of a custom too common also in Canada and elsewhere. Nor Is the borrowed name generally the representative of one place ; but there are ri RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 205 frequently two or more bearing the same one, — which shows either a lack in nom-inventive ingenuity, or the prejucjiced imitation of nationality, — the result of which frequently renders postal communication a matter of diffi- culty. In New Brunswick and the state of Maine, and even in New Hampshire, many of the places retain their Indian name ; beautiful indeed in their signification, but by far too lengthy for the'pen, and too difficult for pronunciation. As a specimen I give the following, it being the Indian name of a small river in Hillsboro Co., New Hampshire. — namely Quohquinapassakessananagnog. The majority of the houses in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are built of wood. Those of the towns and villages are chiefly of clapboarded framework ; many of which are colored with white paint ; but from the appearance of the build- ings there seems to be generally a want of uniformity and taste. The village or town 'of Truro, Nova Scotia, is the most perfected model of rural architecture I met with. Its center is a beautiful park or square, consisting of several acres, and surrounded by superior buildings, in which the chief business is transacted. Nearly all of the dwelling houses are of beautiful cottage structure, ornamented with floral gardens, and overshadowed by the loveliest trees, the whole resembling that of an American village. Truro was settled originally by the French. Here they had one of their most extensive settlements. Several of the poplar and willow trees planted by them as ornaments to their dwellings are still to be seen, The present inhabitants are descendants of the British Isles. Parts of the country in that vicinity are level — the whole presenting a fine appearance. Travelling in the interior of the Lower Provinces is phiefly performed by stages,— the good old English style of 206 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. It. .1 «< driving with " coach and six ;" and for social friendship and conversation it is generally preferable to the noisy, shaky cars. Cooped up with a dozen of good jolly trav. elling companions, you feel as it were at home, and the time passes away pleasantly. One object upon the way- side elicits a remark or argument; another presents a ludicrous subject of mirth to the ready wag j atone time the conversation is confined to individual parties, again, it becomes general ; by turns, political, philosophical farcical, ludicrous, and sometimes disagreeable. Once during a jour- ney of fifty-five miles by stage, two persons opposite to me monopolized the whole time, talking about horses ; and I do not remember of ever hearing, either before or since, so extended and monotonous a colloquy of vaporous ideas upon horsology. Another time my travelling companions consisted of natives of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. Be it understood that there is a considerable national animosity and competition existing between the inhabitants of these separate provinces. The Nova Scotian boasts of his English ancestry, mineral resources, commerce and fisheries, &c.; the New Bruns- wicker, of his lumbering, ship-building enterprise, industry, wealth, &c. ; the Islander, of " our own little Island/* its soil, agriculture, schools, politics, province, buildings, &o. My companions of the coach soon recognized each other as provincial antagonists ; consequently the subject of con- versation became national, ac i, I may add, argumentative, patriotic, and personal, intermingled with bombastical puf- fery and prejudice. The people of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are strictly loyal to the British Crown, and show but little respect, in general, to the American constitution. They are univer- sally in favor pf the Southern confederacy, and desire to RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 207 see a distinct independent government established in " DiiiE's Land." But the tendency of their biased feelings does not appear to be the real spontaneous emanation of sympathy with the South ; it chiefly arises from a selfishness congenial to their own interests • for were the State Republic to be dissolved by the fire of Red Rebellion, and the Black Dyhasty of Jeff Davis to arise phoenix-like from the ruins of the Union War, they flatter themselves with the idea that such would ultimately prove conducive to their pros- perity as trading colonies. One would naturally suppose that a country so varied and romantic in scenery, and so full of historic interest as Nova Scotia, would be richly favorable to the production of poets and novelists. But not so : the flowers of literary genius do not seem to flourish there The Parnassian laurel, when seen, resembles only a rare exotic drooping in an ungenial clime, and unwatered by the nectarean fountains of Helicon, I once asked a Nova Scotian why his country was destitute of poets. ^^ Poets / " he exclaimed, laughingly, " don't talk of them here, they are exotics that our country does not produce ; the ' almighty dollar ' is our * immortal bard ; ' he is the Apollo of our mountains, lakes, and rivers, * the wandering minstrel with the golden harp.' " The colonies of ancient ages were the luxuriant gardens of the Muses ; but those of the modern era appear to be destitute of the germs of poesy. The prophetic mantle of the poetic minstrel has not fallen upon them ; the spirit of inspiration is dead within their souls; and money and matter of fact are the only essential elements of their genius. Look at Canada, for instance, noted for her agri- cultural resources and commercial enterprize. How feeble have been her efforts to patronize her native genius of literature ; comparatively nothing has been done. Where 208 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. r„i m-i ■T are now her " Literary Garlands," and Magazines? they have been literally starved to death ; whilst Brother Jonathan, in return for his genius of light literature, has fed luxuriantly upon her rich pastures, until at length, like a certain Scrip- tural celebrity, he has " ivaxed fat and kicked.** Look to her authors : where are they ? One after another they have darted forth upon the world, but like meteors the most \)f them have only flashed for a moment, lightened only their own short course, and then sunk again into obscurity ; but if encouragement had been given them they might have become " starry suns" of systems instead of " shooting stars." The poet Sangster is fretting over his pecuniary loss of literary labor, &c., and resolving to resign his pen. The Scottish spirit of McLauchlan, the Upper Canada bard, was determined not to yield to the vicissitudes of literary misfortune, and he became the travelling salesman of his own w6rk ; but at length he finds that lecturing to intend- ing emigrants is a more lucrative employment. The Yankees peddle the printed brain-work of other people, but Scotch- men generally peddle their own. The gigantic genius of Heavysege still exists in his champion ; but the Endoric spirit has passed away, and " Saul" is left unsupported. Croil has not been favored with the patronage that his " Sketch op Canadian History" has entitled him to particularly among the descendants of the Dundasian Loyalists, whose deeds he has endeavored to immortalize. And poor unfortunate Clement ! the gifted child of mis. fortune : he found but little comfort in his " Canadian Homes; " but he is noyrgone from the chilly storms of this world's adversity, and I trust is now basking in the eternal sunshine of the Celestial Home. RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 209 The gifted pen of a Mrs Moodie, whose whole life is characteristic of exemplary fortitude, has inscribed her genius upon the monument of fame in other lands ; whilst the envious critics of Canada have done little more than to chalk her name upon the blackboard of censure. Nor need we turn to her sister, Mrs. Trail, also a well known authoress to see the literary favors of a Canadian Public. Not only in these, but in all, and everywhere, arc shad- owed forth the lineaments of a relentless adversity among the sons and daughters of genius. Like the wandering Jews, they feel as if they were despised in the sight of men, having no permanent resting place of abode, and verifying in them- selves that an author, like a prophet, is '* without honor in his own country." What, may be asked, makes a nation intellectually great ? It is its authors ; they give embodiment to the spirit of the present ; an existence to the past ; a reality to the future ; and to the unborn millions of posterity a historical inimor, tality of their country, its civil, religious, literary and politi- cal progress ; its heroes, its institutions, and resources, &c.. until at length, their spirits become the animated essence of the past : and when millionaires and unmerited distinction shall have passed away into oblivion forever, they shall exist in the deathless remembrance of future ages. The authors of Nova Scotia are but few indeed. Judge Haliburton wrote a history of the Province some thirty- four years ago. Since that period he has done consider- able at spinning out long *' sea-yarns " under the fictitious title of " Sam Slick." Professor Dawson of McGill College, Montreal, (himself a Nova Scotian,) has written a work on the province entitled " Acadian Geology " ; but besides these the 210 RAMBLE3 AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. b< :< m L^;:\ few elTorts that have been made have been but trifling and transitory. Haliburton formerly resided at the town of Windsor, Nova Scotia. The mansion in which he lived has the appearance of an English cottage. It is closely Beoluded by a dense grove, which gives it an air of romantic loveliness, and renders it a fitter residence for the sylvan nymphs of Bluenosedom than the tarry naiads of the Atlantic. Windsor is pleasantly situated on the Avon estuary, one of the arms of the Minas Basin, and has steamboat communication with the city of St. John, New Brunswick. But vessels can only enter the harbor at certain times of the day ; for when the tide is out the channel is completely destitute of water. The town presents a fine appearance, and is surrounded by delightfulsc enery. It possesses extensive gypsum quarries, on the proceeds of which the inhabitants mainly depend ; but at present the people are suffering from a commercial depression occasioned by the War of the Union. Adjacent to the town is King's College, the oldest in the province. For many years its collegiate benefits were enjoyed exclusively by members of the Episcopalian Church. At present, all Protestant denominations have an equal freedom to its privileges. It contains a good library, also an excellent museum, which possesses some very superior specimens of animal and vegetable fossils. Notwithstanding the high position which Canada occupies among the British American Provinces, little id comparatively known of her by the Bluenosesin common; neither are the Canadians posted up in the general charac- teristics of those countries. Many of the Nova Scotiana {^nd New Brunswickers look upon Canada with a jealous ttAMBLGS AHONO THE BLUI^NOSES. 211 g and ^n of lived slosely Euir of ce for naiadfl jtuary, uuboat iswick. mes of pletely arance, )S8e88es Loh the pie are by the iest in ts were opalian shave a good s some fossilS) Canada little is Immon ; IcharaC- Icotians jealous eye, and fancy that slio has endeavored to monopolize the advantages of emigration and commcroe. They consider her uB the fondled favorite of the Parent Country, and look upon themselves as if their merits were not sufficiently appreciated, nor their identity and position as provincially distinguished. Notwithstanding their ideas of our provincial selfishne and their meagre knowledge of Canada, they entertain, in general, a very favorable opinion of a few of our Canadian celebrities. The first on the list is Mr. John LovELL, of Montreal, the most extensive printer and pub- lisher in the British North American Provinces. His school-books, &c., are universally patronized throughout Nova Scotia and New Brunswick; and he is generally recognized as a person of prodigious energy and enterprise. Nor are our friends of the Eastern Provinces mistaken in their ideas of Mr. Lovell. Canada is indeed largely indebted to him for his indefatigable spirit in aiding in the advancement of its general progress, and in giving to the world a graphic compendium of its varied and numerous characteristics.* He is the true patriot of his adopted country, the friend and patron of native talent and literature, the encouragerof home-manufactures, and the liberal supporter of every good cause in which the tem- poral and spiritual welfare of the people is involved. Another on the list of our Canadian celebrities, and one who has merited an honorable distinction in the niche of fame, is Sir. William E. Logan. During a period of twenty years, he has been engaged in developing the min- eral resources of this Province, and has ever proved faith- • His Canada Directory. 212 RAMBLUS AMONG TflE BLUE-STOSES. t ;•* :.«,.i m\ ' I ■, ful to his duties, and enterprizing in his geological researches; he is indeed a slave to his profession, and it will only be when he has passed away from all his toils, that his talents and indefatigable energies will become universally appre- ciated: — then will time itself engrave the hieroglyphics of his immortality upon every rock that rests upon the bosom of our extended Province. The deep meteorological researches of Charles Smallwood, M.D., LL.Di, during nearly a quarter of a century, have characterized him as a man of superior talents, and untiring energy; and, independent of this, he merits the commendation and gratitude of the Canadian Public for his unwearied exertions for the advancement of the Agriculture of this Province. Mrs. Moodie as an authoress is the only Canadian writer generally known there; her writings having been conveyed thither through the medium of the English Press. Every Nova Scotian and New Brunswicker, whether native born, or a citizen by adoption, contemplates with pride the progress that his own province has made in material wealth during the past seventy years. He points with a pardonable degree of patriotic enthusiasm to the rivers covered with sailing and steam-ships ; to the immense natural resources ; to the advancement of education, and the progress of religion. He can shew you that he enjoys many of the advantages of civilization which the people of older countries boast of; he is ready to repel any insinua- tion against the enlightenment of his fellow colonists ; and like the shivering Icelander, he thinks that he can convince any opponent that his own country is one of the most favored under the sun : and yet notwithstanding all this he appears to be dissatisfied. Great as has been the progress, and extensive as has been the work performed, RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 213 Lis expectations have not been realized, nor the resources of his country developed fast enough. Emigrants have not poured in as rapidly as he would wish; and the greatest sore in his mind is, that he believes that Canada occupies so much attention in the eye of the Parent Country as to completely overshadow his own and the sister provinces, and has an interest awakened in her favor to which she alone is not entitled ; and while she has been petted and praised, so to speak, like the child of an indulgent mother, the others of the family have been left to carve out their own greatness as best they could. But Mr. Bluenose is considerably mistaken in all this. Canada is not dependent for her nourishment upon the paternal paps, nor does she look down upon her sister provinces with a disdainful eye. She is indebted mainly to her own resources and energies; and not until the Great Exhibition of London in 1851, and that of Paris a few years afterwards, did she attain that honor and position to which she is duly entitled. She was materially benefitted at that time by the large contributions she sent. Every article of manufacture, of trade, of her mineral farming, and fishing resources were represented ; and these varied contributions exhibiting at a glance the great producing capabilities of the province attracted toward her an amount of attention she never before enjoyed : the eyes of all England were at once opened to the extent and value of her resources, and she has since felt the benefit of the exertions she made to be properly represented on those occasions. Canada, thus pursuing so prosperous a career, is looked upon by her sister colonies with an eye of jealousy : hence it is that schemes for the development of their resources are a fertile topic of discussion both in the Legislature and among the people. The subject of emigration, particularly 214 RAMBLES AMONa THE BLUE-NOSES. \ n !:»' ^■^ in New Brunswick, has also been a topic upon which politicians were wont to wax eloquent, and journalists to grow warm. There has been no end of schemes, sugges- tions, plans and proposals; of Crown Land regulations, and rules and orders of all kinds ; of eulogies of the country, of reports, and of collections of statistics, &c., &c., all of which were sufficient, if put into efficient operation, to have drawn to the shores of those provinces a hundred thousand emigrants, and attended with expense, enough to have provided every family of them with a comfortable and independent homestead in the backwoods. The great object of any emigration scheme should be not so much to attract immense crowds of emigrants into the provinces, as to increase the number of agriculturists, both among the floating population and the native-born inhabitants ; and there is no doubt, that by a well-directed and vigorous system, hundreds now living in comparative idleness both at home and abroad would be induced to take up the weapons of agriculture. It is quite likely that at the present moment there are as many mechanics and pro- fessional men as employment can be found for ; but there is certainly not a sufficient number of farmers. But I do not wish to be understood as opposing either the progress or emigration of those of the other classes : I wish simply to show the necessity of increasing the proper elements of emigration ; as shrewd and active minds, stout hearts, and pinewy hands, are the preliminaries to the greatness and prosperity of every new country. For instance, I do not believe if 300 tailors were to thread their way thither in one body they would be received with a warm and hearty welcome, for their needle services would not be required in the development of the country ; but let 300 men of any trade go and signify their intention of taking land an4 becoming fanners, aii4 they will be mot with opei? RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 215 arms, and every newspaper would publish throughout the land the universal delight thereat. In whatever scheme of emigration is proposed, it is therefore necessary to keep in mind the leading idea, that emigrants are wanted in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick who are likely to become the tillers of the soil ; with as many men of capital as can be induced to come. In respect to the wealthier classes, they are not likely to emigrate in any great force. Capital in Europe has so many outlets, and such various ways in which it can be employed to advantage, that it would be folly to expect any extraordinary amount to find its way into the provinces. Nevertheless, I am of opinion, that were more pains taken to spread accurate information respecting the valuable resources, the commercial and manu- facturing advantages, &c., clearly pointed out in the best and most explicit manner, a large share of English capital which now finds its way into Russia, Sweden, and other portions of Europe, would in course of time be invested in the provinces. In order then to induce persons to emigrate, every means of communicating with the people of the rural districts of Northern Europe should be sought and used. Informa- tion of the country and its capabilities should be conveyed through the public prints of the parent-land, by the distri- bution of pamphlets, circulars, maps, hand-bills, &c., and above all by itinerant lecturers, themselves the bearers and distributers of these provincial certificates. They should be men of indefatigable and patriotic spirit, who would use every exertion and energy in diflfusing correct information in regard to the character and capabilities of their own province, in order to induce persons of the right class to come and settle. They should themselves be emi- grants, having tested the country by their own experience^ 4< Ik" 216 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 1^1 r^ lii ■r i S T zealously and firmly attached to the land of their adoption and its institutions. They should be men who from small beginnings had, by the labour of their own hands and those of their family, obtained a competent portion of pro- perty. In favour of this scheme, I would further add, that those lecturers should conlGine their field of labour exclusively to their own native country ; each of which should be properly represented, for it is well known, that the element of national affinity has a powerful and mutual influence over mind ; therefore, the arguments and opinions of such men would make a more effectual impression upon their countrymen. But they should be men of extended views, unbiased by neither prejudice nor position, ever ready to condescend to familiarize with the people, and, both privately and publicly, in season and out of season, to make known the fullest and most accurate information — carrying as it were the very lands to the door-steps of th© peasantry, with the keys of possession, and inviting them to enter in. Independent of these, the government should have agents at some of the principal ports of Great Britain and other countries, to superintend the embarkation of intending settlers ; with others in the provinces, whose duty it would be to facilitate in every way their settlement. And further, in favour of emigration I would add, that free passages be given to all emigranta^who pledge them- selves to come and settle in the provinces. Now that the tide of emigration is setting towards Australia, New Zea- land, and other parts, it would be advisable for their own interests, that the governments of the Lower Provinces and even that of Canada, should adopt the system of free emigration, which most assuredly would be ultimately con. ducive to the development of the provinces, and the pros- perity of thousands of poor but industrious emi^ants, ^ 'i RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 217 con. There are many unemployed operatives and others through- out the British Isles, strong, hardy, hard-working men, who would gladly emigrate to these provinces if they had the means of doing so, and who would feel honorably satis- fied in being assisted by passage money, rather than remain at home and be the recipients of alms and charity to keep them from starving. There is no doubt whatever, that such a scheme properly devised, and put under the direc- tion of competent persons, would work conducively to the advantages and prosperity of the provinces in general. One of the best plans that the government of either pro- vince could adopt, in reference to public lands, is to locate the recipients of free emigration. Instead of having 5,000 emigrants coming into the country and all settling down in localities fifty miles apart, they should be compelled to take land in such positions that they would all be near to each other. Instead of the long road system of Upper Canada, a survey of the land in each new county should be made, a certain portion of it laid oflf in townships, each having a set number of farms, and intersected by roads at stated distances, running at right angles. The making of long roads through forest lands is not only an expensive undertaking, but large grants are required to keep them in repair, while they militate against a principle which should always be kept in view, namely, regularity and density in settlements. The plan to pursue, as offering the greatest facilities to settlers, would be to have tracts of bush-land laid off in blocks, and passable roads made thereto. Thus persons desirous of obtaining lots would have ready access to them, and this plan would encourage settlement in a regular and continous manner ; and besides this, it would prove conducive to the civil, social, and political interests of the people and the province. Thus the governmeat of rii' 218 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES, I- >« , tij :^^^: I r ■ ■ : rj ^ i ■ ■■ 1 !■ ^! \ 1 L either province should spare no pains to induce emigrants to locate themselves, exacting from them but a small amount for their lands, with sufficient time to pay them and not forgetting to exercise a judicious watch over their interests. And be it known that only the industrious settler, the man willing to " earn his bread by the sweat of his brow " will succeed, and even then, not without having encoun- tered many hardships and inconveniences. As most set- tlers from the old countries are unacquainted with the use of the axe and every other thing connected with forest life, it would therefore be considered unwise for the newly- arrived emigrant, with little or no means, to venture on settling upon wild lands. If industrious, both he and his family will find employment in various ways until they become familiarized with the country, and will thus be placed in a position to work with advantage. That an industrious population is wealth may be received as an axiom which admits of no dispute. The finest soil will forever remain unproductive unless cul- tivated, and this necessarily presupposes industry. Man was never intended to be idle, not even in his primeval state. The progenitors of our race in the happiness of their first estate were commanded to " Be fruitful and multiply y and replenish the earthy and subdue it^* — and dominion was given them over everything animate and inanimate. This command was not revoked even after the first act of disobedience ; but has continued in full force to the present time, and will ever continue to be a law of our nature. It therefore follows that not only individual efforts, but sound legislation, should be directed towards giving a vital impetus to the influx of a healthy emigra- tion, so as to further develope the resources of the prov- inces, and facilitate the progress and prosperit;^ of the RAMBLES AMONG THE BLTJE-NOSES. 219 M people. But the developing the resources of a country, is not a single fact or attainment : it is a successive and never-ending series of facts and achievements— reaching far into futurity — a constantly gathering and accumula- ting capacity, strengthening as it goes, in an increased ratio to its progress. Our sense of what may be done is improved and enlarged by our acquaintance with what has been done. The art triumphs of the last half century, instead of appearing to our minds as defining the reach of the human intellect, and the adaptation of the elements and materials of the earth to the purposes of human life — of social and moral progress — creates a belief in the illimitable application of natural laws, in the still greater triumphs of human reason, and the still higher destiny of the human family. Each successive attainment becomes in turn, a stepping stone from which the sons of genius may take a bolder flight into the regions of dis- covery. I think I am warranted in affirming that what- ever contributes to the social welfare of a country will also tend to develope its material wealth. Thus, education^ while it civilizes and refines, enables men to employ their time and talents to advantage. Morality and religion exhilarate and exalt the soul, diminishing the evil ingre- dients of society, and giving a healthy impetus to energy and industry. Freedom^ while it ennobles the mind, releases it from corroding cares, and affords it greater scope for the exercise of its gifts ; and whether its faculties are trained in the higher regions of philosophy, or in the humbler province of mechanical construction, it will do its work the better for being /ree. Great and extraordinary exertions are being made by other parts of this continent to attract trade and popula- tion, and to distance each other in the struggle for comr 220 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. "ft)'. Mt mercial distinction. Not content with their several natural advantages, they are constantly devising new plans for the extension of their trade and the augmentation of their influence, which cannot fail to have an effect upon the provinces ; — and hence the weaker are called upon to exert their best energies to keep on equal grounds with the others, and to prevent such operations becoming detrimen- tal to their own interests. Every advantage or addition to its means, its power, or population, that is acquired by a state or province, not only increases its own power absolutely — but deteriorates the condition of neighboring states or provinces ; so that — to use a nautical figure — the one that falls astern has not only the back water of its rival, but the natural resistance of the element to contend with. This is especially remarkable of the present age, in which the facilities for the interchange of information are so numerous, and for travel so extensive, and in which the right to go and come is so free and unfettered, as to place it in the power of almost all who choose to change their place of abode, if not to throw off their allegiance to the country that gave them birth. It is against influences such as these that the provinces have to guard. It is this that necessitates effort to im- prove, which must be done in self-defence. The world is ever moving — ever changing. Things, habits, ideas, expressions even, — that are adapted to one period of time, are out of place and incongruous to another. In fact, it seems as if there can be no such thing as perfect rest — that neither country nor individual can be stationary, — that they must be moving forward or else backward — that they part with a portion of their vitality the moment they cease to advance. Among the means which a country ishould employ to maintain its respective position, improve RAMBLES AMONO THE BLUE-NOSES. 2M by its condition, and increase its population, one of the foremost, in my opinion ''" railways. They have become necessities of the age — and are as indispensable to any country that desires to be " up with the times," as arteries are to the human body ; without them it must languish and decay. What has Boston done by means of her rail- roads ? Drawn to herself a large share of the trade of New York. What has Portland done ? Entered into success- ful competition with Boston, for the trade of the West. What is she likely to do ? Watch with a jealous eye every movement made by the Provinces to constitute an Inter- colonial Railway, and strain every nerve to prevent its accomplishment. Canada, as it now is, is as nothing to what it will become. It is the cradle of a race that will spread over the millions of square miles that now lie unoccupied between the con- verging frontiers of Anglican civilization — and which will soon be the seat of an empire, that will demand access by railroad to the ocean, through British territory. Insepa- rable from this, is the question of railway extension , — no plan or arrangement for the improvement of colonial interest can be complete without increased facilities of transport. An " intercolonial railway" is therefore an object of the first importance. It would become at once a rival to the Montreal and Portland route ; it would promote speedy communication with the Atlantic over British territory at all seasons of the year ; it would connect Nova Scotia and New Brunswick with Canada and the Far West, and become the Great Highway for traffic between Europe and her North American colonies : and in the event of a war with the neighboring states it would render British and colonial communication ^more speedy and available ; — it would open up for settlement vast tracts of wilderness, — »•** ■♦. ,. ite »'-^ RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSil^. and aid in developing the general resources and capabilities, particularly those of the Lower Provinces. Whatever advantages they may possess will then become known and appreciated ; population and capital will pour more rapidly in —their lands wiU be more readily disposed of — their forests will increase in value — their mineral wealth will become better known, and they shall rise higher in the scale of general development. And in addition to what I have already urged in its favor, I contend that there will be a time when the products of the upper parts of Canada, and of the western States will find their way over this Grand Trunk Line to the Atlantic seaboard ; — while to tourists and travellers, it will present attractions which will deprive the American line of no small share of its profits, forming as it will, a section of a grand circle, embracing within its area the greater part of seven States and three Provinces, and carrying the traveller through some of the most classic and interesting spots on the con- tinent between the sea-board and thfe Canadian Lakes — the war paths of the Iroquois, the Romans of the New world — over ground hallowed alike to the British and the American mind, as the battleground of rival races and claimants for supremacy in the western world, and where the brave youth of the older colonies strove side by side with British veterans against the chivalry of France. Notwithstanding the arguments I have advanced in favor of this Great International Highway, there are also many impedimenta and disadvantages connected therewith, which if all summoned forth in formidable array might throw a damper upon the heated fancy of its sterner advocates. Space, however, forbids me at present to enlarge upon the subject, — therefore I will merely touch upon only Qne or two points. In the first place, I think that under I RAMBLK^ iM^NG flfi BLUE-KO^l ii23 present circumstances the constructio >f this ( and T unk extension at present is by far too j ematur Owing to immense legislative grants towards iblic improvements of late years, the provinces are now involved iu considerable debt. To saddle upon them an additional sum of $12,000,000, of which, interest and principal have to be paid at stated seasons, looks something very much like extravagant folly — and that too, at a great hazard as to the immediate pecuniary advantages of the road. The district of country through which it would pass is in general extremely rugged — the greater part being in forest; innu- merable rivers, ravines, and rocky ridges would have to be bridged, levelled, and cut through ; all of which, with a thousand and one other things, not thoroughly estimated would very probably augment the expenditure to at least a half more than the sum anticipated. Now it is my candid opinion, that during the first ten years the traffic of the road, would not pay more than the interest and expense of management. Were the country through which it would pass well cultivated, and thickly settled with numerous towns and villages, the prospect would be more invi- ting, and less hazardous would be the undertaking. Again, during the heavy portion of winter when commu* nication is more essentially required, a through conveyance would likely be rendered very irregular and tedious — occasioned by the snow which falls in some places to an enormous depth ; but perhaps ingenuity may effect means to remedy this evil. If the prospect of remuneration depend chiefly upon the colonial trade it will most assuredly be frustrated, at least for a few years. Both in New Bruns- wick and Nova Scotia, vessels are numerous, and there are but few commercial men who are not in some way connected with such conveyances ; therefore, it would only be in 224 RAMBtES AMOSO THE BLtli-lIOSES. •«/ , ui i^ti I . i cases of extreme necessity, and in winter, that they would have recourse to the rail road. Even the fishermen, many of whom are owners and sharers of schooners, bring their fish in their own vessels to Quebec and Montreal during the season of autumn, and carry back in return, perhaps, an annual supply of provisions. Shall the idea of building the road be discarded then ? Assuredly not. The advantages that will ultimately accrue therefrom are numerous and invaluable. I would say, let the government of each province henceforth economize their management of public affairs, pay off their old debts — and then go heartily soul and body into the mutual blending of their interests in the execution of the Grand Intercolonial Railway. One of the most difficult problems which enter into the general question of this Railway, is that respecting the route to be selected for the road through New Brunswick. In the two other provinces there is no difficulty upon this branch of the subject ; but in the former it has assumed a prominence that invests it with an importance which it is impossible to overlook in any general review of the present aspect of the enterprise. It may therefore be interesting and not wholly useless to recapitulate the general features of the question in reference to the New Brunswick route. At the instance of the imperial Government a survey of the route was made in 1848 by Major Robinson. His report advocated strongly in favor of carrying the railroad along the shores of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, in preference to a more direct route through the center of the country, which would shorten the distance about fifty miles. But perhaps his desire for so remote and circuitous a line may be ascribed in part to his precaution as a military man, to keep as far as possible from the American frontier^ ni RAMBLE3 AMONO THE BLUE-NOSES. 225 I Tho practicability of what is known as the " Central Houte" remains to some extent an unsettled question, no official survey having yet been undertaken. The " lliver St. John Route" has attracted a consider- able share of attention, especially in the city of St. John, and tho counties bordering along the river. The advantages claimed by tho advocates of this routo arc, that it takes in the railways already in operation and completes tho proposed systems, evading some 41 miles less of new work than the Central Line, and 115 miles less than that by the Gulf On the other hand, there are disadvantages to be considered. Thus, in its total length, the St. John Line exceeds that of tho Central by 115 miles, and the line via the Gulf 63 miles, rather too serious a charge upon all through passengers and freight, apart from the increased cost for wear and tear of rolling stock and for maintenance of way. Another objection is, that this line passes 200 miles in the immediate neighborhood of the American boundary — a very important consideration taken in a defensive point of view for military purposes, which will certainly weigh seriously with the Imperial Government. To give my readers a clearer view of the three projected routes and their distances from Truro to lliver du Loup, I place them in tabular form, as given in a published report, presented to the Imperial Government by Mr. A. C. Light, an engineer well known in Canada, and for some years past occupying responsible professional positions in New Brunswick. No. 1. Robinson's Nobth-shobb Lima. Miles. Truro to Bay Verte 69 Bay Verte to Shediac 26 O t *i ■.■■,: <'• <■,< »!5 226 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. Shediac to Indian town, Miramichi river 74 Indiantown to Bathurst 56 Bathurst to Dalhousie 48 Dalliousie to mouth of Metapediac river 30 Metapediac to Naget Biver 86 Kaget Eiver to Biviere du Loup 81 Truro to Biviere du Lonp 4*70 No. 2. Central Route. Truro to Bay Verte 69 Bay Verte to intersection of European and North American Railway 24 Along European and N. American Railway 22 Thence to Boiestown 75 Boiestown to Miramichi Lake 30 Miramichi Lake to Wagon Portage 75 Wagon Portage to Edmonston 27 Edmonston to Riviere du Loup 96 148 Deduct road already made 22 Road to be made 396 No. 3. St. John Riveb Route. Truro to Bay Yerte 69 Bay Verte to intersection of European and North American Railway 24 Along said Railway to St. John 102 St. John to intersection of St. Andrew and Quebec Railway 62 Along St. Andrew's and Quebec Railway to Woodstock. . . 75 Woodstock to Grand Falls 65 Grand Falls to Edmonston 39 Edmonston to Riviere du Loup 96 532 Of this 75 and 102 miles are already made 177 Road to bo made 355 I--. 74 56 48 30 86 81 69 24 22 75 30 75 27 96 ■ • 69 an • • 24 • • 102 ay 62 • • 75 • • 65 • • 39 • • 96 532 1 • • 177 1 ■ • 355 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 227 In conclusion, allow mo to remark, that the British colonies in North America present a noble example of the greatness that may be achieved by an industrious and perse- vering people, when governed by wholesome laws, enjoying free institutions, and protected by a powerful and liberal parent state. Once a few scattered settlements, in some instances so poor as to require aid from the Home Govern- ment for their support, they have increased in number and expanded in size, gaining strength and vigor with advancing years, until now they are little short of a powerful nation, in many of the elements which constitute national greatness. What an inviting field for emigration they present. To the stranger of every rank and degree, the road to wealth and distinction is as free as to the native of the soil. There are no favored classes — no exclusive priv- ileges — no absurd and depressing monopolies — no checks or hindrances to laudable ambition — no station unattainable by patient industry and honest worth. But instead there- of, are numerous and varied advantages, so that the indus- trious emigrant, as well as the native of the country may reasonably look forward to comfort, if not wealth and posi- tion, as the result of a few years of well directed eflfort. The progress of Canada alone has been marvellous. If her history under France, commencing with her early set- tlement and ending with the capture of Quebec, has given to her a peculiar historic interest, it is entirely secondary to the interest she has awakened by her advancement as a British colony. She is in point of enterprise in wealth and industry, the second power in America ; while in the extent of her resources, — in the energies of her people, — and the freedom of her institutions, she stands almost with- out a peer. Her sister colonies, although not equal to her in point of greatness, occupy a laudable positition, attained 228 RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. t» 1 / t -.1 1 1 mn by the untiring energy of an industrions people. A com- munity of interests should exist between them and her, binding each to the other indissolubly. Their past history is highly instructive : it enforces a great truth — that an industrious enterprise is power, — and teaches the impor- tance of self-experience. They are now learning self-depend- dence and self-government — lessons that their future history, I trust, will prove they have not been acquiring in vain. Their united future can only be unravelled by time: it is now a mystery to themselves ; but if their past progress affords any index to their position hereafter, and human advancement continues in the ratio of progression it has exhibited during the last half century, it is not too much to say that in the colonies of Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Prince Edward Island, are the germs of a future empire that shall be second to none on the extensive continent of America. But time, the great umpire of terrestrial events, will decide. I do not believe as some do, in the immediate end of sublunary things. I believe that the world, as concerns her progress in wealth, science, and jurisprudence, is but now in her ado- lescence. T anticipate the period — and passing events seem to indicate its accelerated approach — when this continent shall exhibit the reproduction of the older continent of Europe, characterized by federations and empires, as diverse in their intelligence, in their industrial pursuits, and in their national character, as the highly cultivated kingdoms of Europe. There may be this difference however : the mighty progressive power of constitutional liberty may pre- vent the re-appearance of those despotic empires which are the bane of Europe, whether based on the decaying founda- tions of hereditary empires, the momentary power of the sword, or the crumbling system of r. religio-political hie- ' RAMBLES AMONG THE BLUE-NOSES. 229 rarchy. Finally, my ardent wishes are for the temporal, moral, and spiritual welfare of the colonies : and the high- est aspirations of my hopes are for the accomplishment of their union under One Grand Federal Government — whence they shall arise unitedly as one, to that exalted standard of true dignity, wealth, prosperity, and refinement, to which their geographical position, and their natural and industrial resources entitle them^ — and take that place in the rank of nations which Providence has fitted them to occupy. THE END.