Forest, stream and seashore

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FOREST, STREAM
AND SEASHORE

Issued by The Intercolonial Railway

and Prince Edward Island Railway of Canada,

August 1901

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^*

DEC 3 0 1955

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1035466

Forest, Stream and Seashore

T is the mild statement
of a fact to say that
the Intercolonial
Railwaj' of Canada
and its connections
traverse a greater
variety of tourist
country than does
any railway system
in the world. There
are other lines
' which give access

to glorious summer
lands and to places which it has been and
will be the ambition of thousands to see.
There are lines which lead to localities
where history has been made and the
map of a continent changed. There are a
few which include some of the world's
great wonders. Others, again, penetrate
famous hunting grounds, or carry one to
noted fishing resorts. By other routes are
reached the sea-bathing shores and yacht-
ing havens. Then there are lines which
have the fashionable summer resorts for
their attraction, and some which hold out
the promise of a country where there is
absolute rest and quiet. Every import-
ant railway relies on some one or more
of these features to attract tourist travel,
but no ordinary road professes to have
them all. Railways, like individuals,
have their limitations, and as a universal
genius is rare among men, so it is hard to
find a tourist route which can cater suc-
cessfully to the wants of all sorts and
conditions of health and pleasure seekers.
Now and then, it is true, there is found
a man who can do many things inconsist-
ent with each other and do them all well.
So there may be a railway system em-
bracing in its territory such an infinite
variety of attractions that the require-
ments of every class of pleasure seekers

may be met. Such a system is that of the
Intercolonial Railway. Its 1600 miles of
track traverse the richest and most varied
tourist groimds of this continent, and
there is nothing to equal those grounds
on any other continent. The world may
l)e searched in vain for a stretch of terri-
tory' containing within the same area
such a diversit)' of features to attract all
classes of summer visitors. The Inter-
colonial and the Prince Edward Island
lines constitute " The People's Railway "
in more than a limited or even national
sense. At the western terminus of these
lines is the metropolis of Canada, the
great and ever growing cit}' of Montreal.
To the eastward of this, down to the
shores of the open Atlantic and through
Prince Edward Island, is a wonderful
summer country. So vast is this tourist
territory and so many and diverse are its
features, that no one can hope to enjoy
them all in the course of a single season.
There must be a choice of good things,
and this choice is a wide one. The man
who wants the luxury of modern hotels
while sojourning in historic cities need
limit his pleasures only by the length of
his purse. Equally great is the oppor-
tunity of him whose means are small and
with whom economy is an object. All
classes may adapt their excursions to their
circumstances, and in no country of the
world may so much enjoyment be had for
so small an outlay of money. As com-
pared with the hackneyed tourist resorts
of other lands, the cost of living is so
small as to excite the wonder of those
who have had the experience of extended
travel.

There is so much to be had at such
trifling expense that the question of cost
is less of a consideration than that of how
to best improve the opportunities in the

limiled period of a suninier outing. This
depends on what is sought. T'or the
sportsman there are unrivalled forests and
streams, lakes and shores. For hundreds
of miles the eye of the artist may revel in
the sight of the grandest of scenery upon
the mountains, in the valleys and by the
sea. The student ma}^ tread where some
of the great pages of history have been
written in blood. The lover of the quaint
and curious ma}-' search out places and
people which are in the nineteenth cen-
tury but are not of it, while all who seek
rest, recreation and health, may find it in
a land and a climate without a rival.

On the map of Canada ma}' be traced a
line which reaches from Montreal, the
commercial capital, to the city of Quebec,
the ancient capital. Thence it stretches
along the Lower St. Lawrence and on
through the picturesque Metapedia Val-
ley. Beyond this it skirts the shore of
the famed Baie de Chaleur and goes on
through New Brunswick and Nova Scotia
to the historic city of Halifax. Arms
reach out here and there, having an
aggregate length equal to that of the
main line, and extending to the most
important points in the Maritime Provin-
ces. These lead to the city of St. John and
the Bay of Fundy and to the Sydneys, in
that summer paradise. Cape Breton. Still
another branch traverses Prince Edward
Island, the Garden of the Gulf. This is
The Intercolonial Railway System. Begun
as a national highway and from a com-
mercial point of view, the wonderful
opportunities the country ofTered the
health and pleasure seeker were scarcely
dreamed of in the early days of its
history, and are even now but in part
understood by the increasing numbers
who yearly seek rest and recreation in
this glorious summer land.

The word "numbers," in this connec-
tion, is not a noun of nmltitude which
implies a crowd and a crush. In the great
area of territory covered by these rail-
ways there are so many attractive places
that there is no overcrowding at one point
more than at another, and the lover of
quiet can always find his peaceful haven.

If he so desire, he can enjoy the solitude
of nature "far from the madding crowd"
and 3-et have all the privileges of the
daih- mails and the telegraph. Whatever
be the taste of the tourist, he can be
suited ; and in no part of the world can
so much be had for so small an outlay.

To the world-wear}^ tourist, who has
been used to the confusion of the conven-
tional siunmer resort, there may come a
vision of this country, — a country which
lies by the sea and is fanned by cooling
breezes from the ocean. In this land are,
green hills, shady groves and fertile
valleys. From the distant mountains the
crystal brooks come leaping with the
music of gladness, and join with noble
rivers in whose clear waters dwell lordly
salmon and scarce less lordh* trout. Near
at hand are forests, as yet so little dis-
turbed that the moose, caribou and bear,
noW' and again visit the farmyards of the
adjacent settlements, and gaze in bewil-
dered surprise at the man whose hand is
raised to slay them. Along the shore,
for hundreds of miles, lie land-locked
harbors, where even the frail bark canoe
may float in safety, yet be upon the waters
of the ocean, and upon the smooth sand
beaches of which a child may venture
into the buoyant salt water and fear not.
In this country is scenery at times of
sweet pastoral simplicity ; at times of sub-
lime grandeur. It is a land where civiliza-
tion has made its way, and yet not marred
the beauty of nature. It is a country
where the traveller will find much that is
novel, much that will charm, and much
that will ever remain to him as a sweet
remembrance of a pleasant clime.

The Growth of a Great Railway

In the year 1857 the total mileage of all
the railways in British North America
was about 200 miles less than that of the
Intercolonial alone to-day. Canada itself
then included only what are now the
provinces of Ontario and Quebec ; for
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince
Edward Island, were separate colonies,
each of which had its own government,

after the manner of the island of New-
foundland at the present time. There
was no political or commercial union,
while the vast country to the west was
undeveloped and but little known.

Each of what were later the four
original provinces of the Dominion,
Canada West, Canada East, New Bruns-
wick and Nova Scotia, had undertaken to
solve the problem of railway facilities for
itself As early as 1S36, a few }'ears after
the opening of the first line in England,
a passenger railway fifteen miles long was
in operation in what is now the province
of Quebec, and a few years later New
Brunswick and Nova Scotia started rail-
way enterprises which, under the circum-
stances, were wonderful instances of pluck
and ambition. In New Brunswick, in-
deed, even prior to the date mentioned,
some daring residents had organized a
company to build a line from the Bay of
Fundy, at St. Andrews, through the woods
to the cit}' of Quebec. L,ater they began
this great undertaking, but never saw it
completed.

For many years the railway question
was the topic of paramount importance
in the Maritime Provinces. The problem
to be solved was the construction of a line
from Halifax to Quebec. Each province
was in earnest, but without substantial
aid the task was beyond its resources.
Each, however, built according to its
ability. The way to better things was
made clear when, in 1867, the provinces
were united and the construction of the
Intercolonial Railway became one of the
terms of Confederation.

The story of the various epochs in the
history of this great highway cannot be
told here. In 1S76 the last gap was closed
and Halifax and Quebec were united.
The vision of Lord Durham in 1S39 be-
came a reality. The first organized effort
to build an inter-provincial railway had
ended in fulfilment. It seemed that the
goal was reached. It was not.

In these days, when the resources and
possibilities of this great country are bet-
ter understood than they were by the
people of a generation ago, projects which

then seemed vast are now seen to be lim-
ited and incomplete. F'or more than a
score of j'ears previous to Confederation
the great ambition of the people was for
a railway to connect Halifax and Quebec.
vSuch a line appeared sufficient for all
practical purposes, and vmder the con-
ditions of those times it was so. There
was then no Great West as we know it
now, and there was no railway to the
Pacific coast throwing open the gates to
the lands beyond the seas. The condi-
tions of commerce were different from
those of to-day. Even in the last twentj'
years there have been radical changes in
the requirements of places and of people.
There have been still more radical
changes in the methods of doing business,
and in the nature of business itself.
There has been a constant and rapid com"
mercial growth. The railway facilities
that would have been more than sufficient
for our fathers are wholly insufficient for
us. Quebec was their goal, and a grand
one in their day, but time has changed
the conditions. For years it has been
recognized that the railway operated by
the government in the interests of the
people should follow the current of busi-
ness and reach the great centre of trade.

A few hours to the westward of Quebec
is the city of Montreal, the commercial
capital of Canada. Always an important
centre, its importance has vastly increased
with the wonderful development of the
countrj' to the westward. It is now the
great emporium of the Dominion, the
trade centre in touch with the Atlantic
and the Pacific and with all parts of the
territory that lies between Halifax and
Vancouver. The necessity that the In-
tercolonial Railway should extend to
Montreal has l)een as urgent of recent
vears as was the need of such a railway to
Quebec a generation ago.

The extension of the line from Quebec
to Montreal has marked a new era in the
history of the Intercolonial and of the
country. The earlier part of the year
1897 found a fast passenger service in op-
eration between the metropolis and the
cities by the sea in the INIaritime Pro-

vinces, and the people's line was serving
the people more fully than at any period
in its history. With one of the best built
roads on the continent, with a rapid
through service by trains equipped with
all that can make modern travel a luxury,
the Intercolonial is alike the route for
business and for pleasure. That it is the
great tourist route will be realized lo some
extent by those who read these pages, but
they can only understand it fully b}' see-
ing for themselves. In dealing with so

long a route there are limits to which de-
scription must be confined, and there are
places upon places to which no mere de-
scription can do even partial justice.

While the Intercolonial may be reached
by various connections at different points
along the line, it may be well in this in-
stance to assume that the journey is
begun at the western terminus and con-
tinued to the distant points of the pro-
vinces by the sea. Let Montreal be the
starting point.

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MONTREAL FRO.U MOUAT ROYAL

Intel colonial Route

Montreal, the Metropolis

O apply 1 he
term ' ' mag-
nificent " to
this great
city of Can-
ada is not a
] misuse of
language.
From every
point of view
— i n situa-
tion, environment and commercial
importance, it is admirable in its details
and magnificent as a whole. The largest
city in Canada, it stands above all others
in the extent and variety of its com-
mercial relations with other parts of
the Dominion. At the head of ocean
navigation on the greatest of Canada's
rivers, Montreal is the great market place,
the ever busy commercial exchange of the
country between ocean and ocean. Here
the railways centre from all points of the
east, the west and the south. Hither
come the steamships from across the seas
and the sailing craft from places near
and far. From this centre are distributed
the products of many lands and from it
are sent out to all the country the fruits
of its own many and mighty industries.
It is not a city of one race but of several,
and in each the best national characteris-
tics are shown to the fullest advantage in
the social and commercial relations of
one with the other. It is a city of
great enterprises where mighty results
are achieved, with a record for stability
second to that of no city in America, and
it is rapidly advancing year by year in its
progress to a still greater future.

As the ages of cities are reckoned in this
new world, Montreal is ancient indeed.
The story of its settlement goes back so
far that it is lost in the mists of antiquity.
It was a city beyond the time of which
the traditions are preserved, and it may
have flourished as one when the Basque
fishermen began to sail to the shores of
the continent they did not explore.
Centuries later, when Columbus, Cabot
and Cortez astonished the world b}' their
discoveries there was still this patriarch
of cities in the north, of which the}- knew
nothing. It remained unknown until the
year 1535, when Jacques Cartier found it
an ancient walled city of the Indians,
with a future which even the ardent
imagination of the discoverer would have
failed to picture.

Three quarters of a century after Cartier
came that great and singularly good man,
Samuel de Champlain, to found a city in
the name of his king and under the flag
of his countr}', but more that thirty
years passed before the building of that
city began with the mission of Ville
Marie de Montreal. Two centuries and
a half have gone by, and now upon the
site of ancient Hochelaga stands the fair
and flourishing metropolis of Britain's
possessions in America.

Not without struggle and strife ha^
been a portion of that period. In the
contest for supremacy between England
and France in the New World, the story
of Montreal standsoutboldly on the pages
of history. The spots made memorable
in that struggle are found on every hand.
The student of history may tread where
great men and their followers have trod.

and may stand where were witnessed
some of the brightest and darkest scenes
in the evohition of a nation's destiny.
Since 1760 the flag of England has waved
undisturbed over the city, and the once
ri/al races contend to-day only for
supremacy in the arts of peace.

To describe Montreal is a work for a
volume by itself. In the limits of a rail-
way guide book nothing like an attempt
at description is possible. Whatever the
subject be — the vast trade and commerce,

of a population. During the last year
for which returns are available, goods
to the value of over |53,oco,ooo were im-
ported, while the exports in the same
period were nearly $63, 000, coo. Though
the distance of Montreal from the sea is as
great as the total length of Great Britain,
it is yet a busy port with an annual
arrival of between 800 and 900 sea-going
vessels, representing more than a million
and a half of tonnag.;, in addition to
7,000 inland vessels. Nearly fifty million

nOMlA'IOX SQUARE

Intercolonial Route

the people, the churches, the institutions
or the beauties of the city and its environs
—no one of these can be adequately
dealt with in the compass of a few pages,
nor is there an opportunity for even a
comprehensive summary of all that merits
attention.

Briefly stated, ^Montreal is the largest
city of Canada and of an importance
commensurate with its size. With its
suburbs, which are in reality a part of the
metropolis, it has now about 330,000

bushels of grain, flour and meal are re-
ceived from the West and shipped an-
nualh', while on an average over 100,000
head of cattle and vast numbers of
sheep are sent to ports in Europe during
each season of navigation. The money
turned over in the cattle trade alone may
be roughh- approximated at from eight to
ten millions of dollars annually. The
value of animals and their products
shipped in a year is over 525,000,000, while
that of the agricultural products amounts

to about twenty-three luillion dollars. So
it is, proportionately, with other branches
of trade.

These are some of the fissures shown by
the custom house entries, but they give
no idea of the enormous and increasing
trade of Montreal with all p.u'ts of Canada.
The amoimt of the business done in dry
goods, clothing, boots and shoes, grocer-
ies and the like, can be but partly realiz-
ed by the fact that in cilv and village
alike o \" e r
the length
and breadth
of the Dom-
inion, wher-
ever business
of any kind
is carried on,
the repre-
sentatives of
the gr eat
commercial
houses of the
metropolis
will be found
p u s h i n g
their trade.
There is no
settlement so
remote that
Montreal
goods have
not found
their way to
its people.

The city
tells at a
glance the
story of its

commercial greatness. Four miles long
by two miles wide, there are no sleepy
thoroughfares in the whole of this area.
There are quiet streets in the select resi-
dential sections, where the homes of the
more prosperous citizens are found, but
these in their very nature are the evidence
of a progressive people who by their
energy and enterprise have made life
worth living for its social pleasures. In
the business districts, however, the rush
and bustle of a metropolis are seen and

I.XCLI.XE A'.-i //, // ■,-( } •

heard from earh' morn till evening late.
There are miles of busy streets with block
after block of massive buildings, each of
which is a veritable hive of inaustry. The
great business houses are recognized as
great throughout the continent, for with
all the enterprise characteristic of the
west, they have the practical method
which distinguishes the east. The busi-
ness growth of Montreal has been a solid
and sure one, based on legitimate founda-
tions. It has
been due to
no specu-
lative era,
no sudden
boom. There
has been no
inflation, and
hence no de-
p r e s s i o n .
Sound prin-
ciples have
always pre-
vailed, and
as a conse-
(juence capi-
tal from a-
broad has
sought in-
vestment
here. The
great wealth
of the com-
mercial com-
nuuiity has
thus enabled
the city to
increase its
trade, even
when the general conditions elsewhere
have been adverse. Thus, in some years,
while the business of Canada as a whole
has been below the expectation, the
trade of Montreal has shown a notable
expansion. In the nature of things it
must continue to expand, however the
world may wag.

Montreal is therefore a great city, com-
mercially and in other w-ays. There is
greatness, too, in many of the objects of
interest. The church of Notre Dame,

Intel iolinual Route

which will hold 15,000 people, is the
largest on the continent north of the city
of Mexico, while its great bell is the
largest in America and one of the largest
in the world. Montreal College is
believed to be the most extensive series
of connect-id buildings in Canada or the
United States, while McGill College ranks
with the great Universities beyond the
seas. Here, too, is the Bank of Mont-
real, the greatest "financial institution in
America, and the Seminary of St. Sulpice,
the most wealthy educational establish-
ment on the continent. Then, among a
choice of good hotels, is the Windsor,
with its stately edifice in which a regi-

of all creeds, would of themselves demand
pages, and after all but an imperfect idea
would be conveyed of what there was to
see in connection with them. In like
manner nothing can be said of the public
buildings, the religious and benevolent
institutions, the harbor and the public
works, including the Lachine Canal.
Least of all, can any idea be given of the
beautj' of the residential sections, the
magnificent parks or the suburbs with
their picturesque scenery and historic
associations. Much might be said of
Mount Royal, of itself, with its walks, its
drives and its panorama of glorious views
of the surrounding country. All these

1 ^^j^nlK^^lSmmMKBki' ^S^^^KI^^^ULbJ^ -^

VICTOR/A JUBILEE BRIDGE, MONTREAL

Intercolonial Route

ment could be lodged, and with a spacious
main corridor and dining hall which
are the admiration of visitors from all
quarters of the world. Much more is to
be seen which partakes of greatness
in the details that go to make up the
harmonious whole in Canada's great city.
These details are so numerous that it
would be in vain to attempt to mention a
tithe of them here. The notable churches,

things, and many more, must be seen by
those who would get an idea of Montreal
and its attractions. The metropolis would
have glory enough for any one city if it
had nothing to boast of beyond its com-
mercial supremacy, but from a purely
tourist point of view it is a place which,
every traveller in Canada inust visit. In.
this respect, and in others, it can speak
for itself better than its story can be told.

Montreal to Quebec

HE journey between Mont-
real and Quebec is now so
easily made as to be a pleasure.
There was a time when it was
otherwise, and many who are liv-
ing can remember when the most
rapid mode of communication was
by water. In that respect, how-
ever, Canadian enterprise was early
to the front. The pioneer steamboat
of the world was put on the Hudson
in 1807, and in 1809 a steamer for the
route to Quebec was put on the St.
Lawrence by John Molson, a citizen of
Montreal. The people of half a century
later had the luxury of a railway, but
there are evolutions in railways as in
other things, and it remained for the
yeai 1897 to see a line suited to the more
pressing requirements of the present age.
The route taken by the Intercolonial
Railway is the most easy and direct
method of communication between the
two cities. From the Bonaventure depot
in Montreal to the station at Levis, op-
posite Quebec, is 163 miles, or ten miles
less than the shortest route before the new
line was opened. Topographicalh^, it is
as near an air line as the physical con-
ditions of the country wnll permit, as may
he judged from the fact that in the 115
miles, composing what was once known
as the Drummond County Railway, there
are 106 miles of tangents. As to grades,
there are none in excess of 52 feet to the
mile, and most of them are very much
below that. On this portion of the Inter-
colonial, as on others, as fast time can be
made as on any road in America.

In going out of Montreal a portion of
the Lachine Canal is seen. This canal,
hegun in 1821 when such enterprises were
in their infancy, is eight and one-half
miles long and is interesting from the
fact that it is one of the early improve-
ments in what is now the largest and
most important system of inland naviga-
tion in the world. Bv this svstem, which

extends from the Straits of Belle Isle to
Port Arthur at the head of Lake Superior
and thence to Duluth, Wisconsin, a clear
waterway is found between Liverpool,
England, and the Western States, a dis-
tance of 4,618 miles. More than half of
this distance is included in the inland
navigation. The St. Lawrence system
alone reaches through the countr}- for
2,260 miles and includes about 72 miles of
canals. The Lachine canal extends from
Montreal to the town of Lachine, over-
coming the Lachine Rapids, the first en-
countered in the ascent of the River St.
Lawrence.

Leaving Montreal on a train of the In-
tercolonial, the Jubilee Bridge, opened in
1897, gives passage over the St Lawrence.
This splendid structure was built to take
the place of the famous Victoria tubular
bridge, around and outside of which it
was constructed on the same piers, so
that railway traffic was not interrupted.
The work was under the direction of
Joseph Hobson. chief engineer of the
Grand Trunk Railway, and the new
bridge is as great an example of modern
engineering as was the former one an
instance of the skill of engineers of a
former generation. The old bridge, de-
signed by Robert Stevenson, was a tubu-
lar structure of iron, having a width of 16
feet and a single railway track. It had a
weight of more than 9,000 tons and cost
nearly seven million dollars. The whole
structure, from the foundation.^ of the
piers to the rivets of the roof, was a solid
and substantial piece of work, built to
stand many times more than the greatest
possible strain from the tide, the ice, the
weather and the railway traffic. The
bridge was formally opened for use by
the Prince of Wales, during his visit to
Canada in i860. The present bridge is a
graceful and most substantial structure.
It has a length of 6,592 feet and consists
of 25 spans, with 24 piers. The spans
have each a length of 242 feet, except the
central span which is 330 feet. The
bridge has a width of 65 feet, with double
tracks, electric railway tracks and road-
wav. The truss work has a height of 28

13

feet. The weight of the steel structure
is 22,000 tons, and the cost was two
niilHon dollars.

FoUowhig the line l)uilt by the Grand
Trunk Railway, St. Hyacinthe is reached,
36 miles from Montreal. It is a flourish-
ing and beautiful place with about S,ooo
inhabitants, and is the seat of a number
of important industries. It has many
handsome buildings, including religious
and educational institutions, and the well
ordered streets have an abundance of
shade trees which add much to the at-
tractive appearance of the city. vSt.
Hyacinthe is in favor with many of the
residents of ^Montreal as a place of so-
journ during the summer months.

Two miles from St. Hyacinthe is St.
Rosalie Junction, the point of departure
from the Grand Trunk Railwaj- for the
Intercolonial short line to Quebec. In
the next 27 miles the railway passes the
prosperous villages of St. Edward, Ste.
Helene, St. Eugene, Duncan and St.
Germain, until Drummondville is reached,
65 miles from Montreal. Excellent farm-
ing land is found all along the route.

Drummondville, on the St. Francis
river, is a town of 2,200 people, a large
proportion of whom are French Cana-
dians. On the river at this point is one
of the finest water powers in the pro-
vince of Quebec. Here are situated
Lord's Falls, with 31 feet of descent, and
a substantial dam controls what is now
10,000 horse power and can be increased
as the requirements ma}- demand. The
available manufacturing sites are admir-
ably situated for the convenience of ship-
ment b}' rail. The river furnishes the
town with an abundant water supply.

One of the chief industries of Drum-
mondville is afoundryand a blastfurnace,
the charcoal for which is made from
wood cut in the vicinity. From 8,000 to
10,000 cords are annually used for this
purpose. A large business is also done
in pulp wood and other descriptions of
lumber.

Drummondville was settled in 1S15, by
Colonel Heriot and a body of his associ-
ates who named the place in honor of

Sir George Drummond, the hero of
Lundy's Lane. It is not, therefore, an old
settlement, as age is computed in the
province of Quebec, but it claims the
distinction of having had the first church
in the Eastern Townships. At the present
time it has two churches, Anglican and
Catholic, a convent and a school for 1)oys.
There are attractive drives in the vicinity
of the town.

The St. Francis ri\-er is spanned at
Drummondville by a steel railwa}- bridge
410 feet long, and by a steel highway
bridge with a length of 420 feet. The
river has two sources, and while the main
stream is called 85 miles long, the total is
a length of about T50 miles. One of these
sources is at Lake Memphremagog, which
extends over the boundary line into the
state of Vermont, and the other is at Lake
St. Francis, in the county of Beauce.
The river empties into Lake St. Peter, on
the St. Lawrence, about 24 miles below
Drunmiondville. All along its course is
fine fishing, but especially at the rapids
in the vicinity of the town and at the
Cascades, three miles above, as well as
the Basin, nine miles below. The fish
which are found are black bass of three
and four pounds weight ; maskinonge,
running all the way from eight to
eighteen pounds, and pickerel which
range from one to ten pounds in weight.
These are usually caught with minnows,
either real or artificial. It is not neces-
sary to tell the angler that the St. Francis
is not a trout river, for the presence of
pickerel is evidence of that fact. When
trout and pickerel meet they carry their
argument to extremes, and the pickerel
always gets the better of it. No self-
respecting trout will remain anj- length
of time in a stream where pickerel are
abundant. Sturgeon are also found in
the St. Francis, and fished for with
worms.

There is, however, plenty of good trout
fishing along the line of railway east of
Drummondville, and this is especially
true of the rivers Br.is d'Edmond and
Duchene, which lie within three-quarters
of a mile of each other on the route.

14

while another good trout stream is the
River Henri, four miles further east. At
Bras d'Edmond, last season, one man
who had half an hour to spare caught 28
trout in that time, and was dissatisfied
because he had not two more, so as to
make an average of a trout a minute.
The trout were from eight to sixteen
inches in length. Good fishing is also
found at other points to which reference
will be made later.

The Abenakis Springs, near the mouth
of the St. Francis river, have a wide and
increasing reputation for the salutary-
effects of their waters. At Pierreville, in
the same vicinity, is an Indian village,
and in this part of the country are manu-
factured two-thirds of the Indian wares
produced in the province of Quebec.

Drummondville lies between two rich
farming districts, St. Germain on the
west and vSt. Cyrille on the east, but they
are only part of what has long been re-
cognized as a rich agricultural region.
Dairy farming, in particular, is carried
on with great success, and a partial evi-
dence of this is found in the fact that
boxes of cheese, by the hundred thous-
and, are handled by the railway in the
course of a year.

The railway passes St. Cyrille, Carmel
and Mitchell, until St. Leonard Junction
is reached, 19 miles from Drummond-
ville. Active lumber operations are car-
ried on in this vicinity, and the saw mills
are a prominent industry at Mitchell. At
St. Leonard the Nicolet river is crossed b}-
a steel railway bridge 720 feet in length.

From St. Leonard Junction a branch of
the railway runs to Nicolet, a distance of
16 miles, passing the flourishing village
of Ste. Monique midway between the two
places.

The Nicolet river is another stream
which has two sources, and the separate
branches, after running a distance of
about 80 miles, unite at a point a few
miles from the outlet, which is at Lake
St. Peter, on the St. Lawrence. Half a
mile or so below this junction of the
waters is the town of Nicolet, a typical
French-Canadian place of about 3,500

inhabitants, among whom are but a few
English-speaking families. While ihis
part of the country is a splendid fanning
region, it is als3 engaged to a consider-
able extent in the lumber industrj'. The
four saw mills at the town produce from
eight to ten million feet of sawn lumber
a year. There are also four large mills
in the two miles between Nicolet and
Lake St. Peter, and no less than 35 in the
county. In the county, too, are about 30
grist mills and an equal number of cheese
and butter factories, the number increas-
ing ever}' year.

This is a great country for dairy pro-
ducts. Some of the farmers keep as
many as thirty cows each, and at the
World's Fair in Chicago no less than
thirteen prizes for cheese and butter came
to Nicolet and the adjoining county of
Yamaska. All the exhibits were above
96 per cent, and some of them were as
high as 98 per cent., which may be con-
sidered a close approach to perfection.
All this district ma}', indeed, be well
called a land flowing with milk and
honey. In the counties of Bagot, Drum-
mond and Arthabaska, Nicolet and
Lotbiniere alone the last census showed
about 52,000 milch cows to a population
of less than 21,000 families. The pro-
duction of home made butter amounted
to about two and a quarter million pounds,
with cheese in proportion. As for honey,
not including the county of Lotbiniere,
the yield was in excess of 100,000 pounds,
while the forests yielded more than a
million and a quarter pounds of maple
sugar.

The town of Nicolet has much to attract
the summer visitor who seeks rest and
quiet amid beautiful surroundings. One
attractive feature is the abundance of
shade trees of all kinds, including birch,
maple, oak and pine, some of which are
of a girth rarely seen in these days of the
demolition of forests.

The history of Nicolet goes back to
1660, and the place takes its name from
Jean Nicolet, the well known voyageur
and courrier du bois. In 16S0 the settle-
ment had onlv five families, but it has

15

grown steadily and preserved its French
characteristics down to the present day.
It is one of the places where the tourist
who wanes to have a chance to practice
conversation in the French language can
spend a few weeks without having his
purpose frustrated by people insisting on
talking in English.

Nicolet is the titular see of a bishop.
It has a fine cath.edral and several educa-
tional and religious institutions, including
a long established academy, two convents
and the schools of the Christian Brothers.
In the cathedral are a number of note-
worthy paintings, chiefly copies of
Raphael and other masters, which are
claimed to be well nigh equal to the
originals. Some of the works, indeed,
are originals, but the authors cannot be
identified. There are ten paintings, and
for one of them it is said thousands of
dollars have been offered and refused.
Three especially fine ones are a copy of
the Holy Family (Raphael), Ste. Teresa
and the Crucifixion. The latter is a most
striking work and will bear careful
study.

These pictures have a history. A cen-
tury ago, in the fierce days of the French
revolution, when a vandal mob trampled
under foot all that savored of culture and
refinement, great havoc was wrought in
the world of art. They sacked the
palaces and destroA'cd works which
centuries of labor would not suffice to
replace. Paintings which had been the
triumphs of world famous artists were
thrown into the streets to be trodden
under foot. Others were torn from the
walls and rolled up in bundles to be sold
for enough money to buy drink. A
drunken sans culotte would stand at a
street corner and auction a roll of paint-
ings as if it were so much old carpeting.
Some of the clergy, not without difficulty
and danger to themselves, managed to
secure a number of these rare works and
had them sent to Quebec, where most of
them remain to this day. Nicolet,
through some favor, was able to secure
a few of them for its parish church, and
thus it is that in this town are paintings

which were once among the glories of the
most cultured city in the world.

At Nicolet easy communication is had
by water with Three Rivers, Sorel and all
points around Lake St. Peter.

Returning to St. Leonard, and proceed-
ing east, the railway passes St. Wenceslas,
and at Aston Junction it crosses the
Arthabaska line of the Grand Trunk
railway to St. Gregoire. Thence it con-
tinues to Haddington Falls, Forestdale
and Moose Park, and by Laurier and
St. Apollinaire to Chaudiere Junction,
near Levis. Evidence of the lumber in-
dustry is seen in the mills at Forestdale
and Moose Park.

At Kingsburg Junction, six miles
beyond Moose Park, the line is crossed
by the Lotbiniere and Megantic railway.

From Forestdale tmtil Laurier is
reached, 19 miles west of Chaudiere, the
railway runs through some 28 miles of
forest, much of it untouched by the axe
and in its primitive glory. This is a great
hunting ground, abounding with deer
and caribou. Moose are not unknown
but are less common. This is not a moose
country, but the possibilities of it as such
are shown in the circumstance of a moose
having been run over and killed b}^ a
train, at Aston Junction, not many months
ago. Deer, however, are very plentiful in
the Lotbiniere forests and in particular at
River Duchene. They have frequently
been shot by the train hands within a
short distance of the railway track, and
it has been considered no remarkable feat
for the workmen along the line to capture
them alive.

Partridge are found in large numbers in
these forests, and all along the line of
railway where there are woods. Wood-
cock are found in the clearings at a num-
ber of places, and ma}- be easily secured
in the immediate vicinity of Drummond-
ville.

The best duck shooting is at Lake St.
Peter, especially among the islands be-
tween the mouth of. the St. Francis and
Sorel. When one is at Nicolet a sail of a
few miles will take him to localities
where there is an abundance of this sport.

16

Lake St. Peter, that beautiful expan-
sion of the River St. Ivawrence, is about
twenty miles long, not including the
islands at its head, and is some nine
miles across at the widest part. Around
its shores are many places of a nature to
attract the summer visitor. Further
down the St. Lawrence are Gentilly and
Becancour, reached from Forestdale
station ; Lotbiniere, ten miles from
Laurier station, and St. Croix village, five
miles from the station. Good fishing is
found in the vicinity of Gentilly and
Becancour, the latter being situated near
the mouth of the river of the same
name.

That part of the country along the line
which includes St. Croix, St. Apollinaire
and St. Nicholas, has a fame for the
quantity and quality of its cheese and
potatoes. In respect to the latter com-
modity, St. Nicholas takes a very high
place. Its annual yield, according to the
last census, was 133,143 bushels, or con-
siderably mote than half of the total
raised in all the thirteen districts of the
county of Levis, of which it is a part.
This record is not approached within
40,000 bushels by any district in the
province of Quebec east of Montreal, and
is exceeded by only one place in the pro-
vince— the great potato district of St.
Laurent. A farmer at St. Nicholas is only

helping to keep up the average among his
neighbors when he raises five or six
thousand bushels of potatoes in a season.

Passing Laurier, the railway, which
is about 24 miles from the St. Lawrence
at Drummondville, draws closer to the
south shore. Beyond Laurier it is only
five miles distant, at Chaudiere the dis-
tance is less than three miles, while at
Levis, opposite Quebec, the rails run to
the wharf and the grandest river of
Canada is seen at what is, to many, the
grandest part of its shores.

Chaudiere Junction, where there is a
connection of the Intercolonial Railway
system with the Grand Trunk, is of inter-
est chiefly because of the beautiful falls
of Chaudiere, a glimpse of which may be
had from the train, but which require a
special visit in order that their beauties
may be seen and understood. It is from
these falls that the name "Chaudiere"
(cauldron) is derived, and the fitness of
such a title can be realized by those who
see the turmoil of the waters after they
have accomplished their descent. The
Chaudiere river, though more than a
hundred miles in length, is less than 400
feet wide at the falls, and as the body of
water is forced over the rocks three
divisions are made in the face of the
cataract, which unite as they approach
the bottom, 130 feet below.

QUEBEC FROM LEVIS

Inlercolonial Route

In the Ancient Capital

e^5=w

ROM Chaiuliere
Junction to Levis
is about nine
miles, and for
the latter part of
the distance the
"" River St. Law-
rence is in full
\- i e w where it
1 ' >rnis the harbor
of Quebec. Apr
proacbing Levis, the harbor and river
are seen to be dotted with every kind
of craft, from the ocean steamer to the
canoe. The e^-e beholds the historic
heights at Siller_v, the Plains of Abraham
and the grand old city itself. There is
Quebec as the stranger has seen it
pictured, but he now realizes that no
picture can do it justice. The cliffs, the
citadel, the spires, the tin roofs glistening
in the sunlight — all are very real to him,
and he longs to enter the city which is so
majestic in its past and present. Promin-
ent on the heights, and in such thorough
architectural harmony with the surround-
ings that one would think it had always
"been there, is the Chateau Frontenac, a
palace hotel with a site unrivalled in
Europe or America. Built in the style of
£L sixteenth century chateau, faithful to
the design in its details, it is yet in the
liighest sense a modern hotel where the
luxury of travel is exemplified as at few
-places, even on this continent where
^eat hotels are far from being rare. The
Chateau is, of itself, one of the sights of
the Quebec of to-day.

Quebec is beyond description. It is
amique among the cities of the continent.
Could one forget his past and live only in
the thought of his surroundings, he might
imagine himself dropped down in some

corner of Europe. To him who has come
from the busy cities to the south and
west, everything is strange and new.
Other places anticipate the future ;
Quebec clings fondly to the past. It is
well that it should be so, for, in this
practical and prosaic age, but few places
retain the halo of romance that surrounded
them in their early years. Here, despite
of the marked commercial progress of the
citv, the past and present are insepar-
ablv interwoven. As in the case of the ^
modern post office and the ancient Chien
d'Or, the structures of later years often
derive much of their interest from the
history of their sites and their surroimd-
ings. It is in vain that old buildings
give place to new ones, and that the needs
of men have brought into use the latest
discoveries of an inventive age. None of
these give their character to the city. Its
old-time charm will not depart. The
Quebec of to-day reminds one at every
turn of the Ancient Capital as it was in
the centuries that are dead and gone.

A wonderful old city it is. One does
not realize its grandeur until he stands on
this or that spot — it matters little where
it may be — and looks around him.
Everywhere are monuments of a strange
and eventful history. On every hand are
the survivals of the seventeenth century.
There are buildings and places of which
volumes would be needed to tell the his-
tory. Books upon books have been
written, and still the recorded story of
Quebec is incomplete. The task of tell-
ing all that could be told of the churches
and religious institutions would of itself
be a prodigious one. Yonder is the Basi-
lica, begun in 1647 when Louis XIV was
king and the star of France shed a bright
light over the eastern and western worlds.

18

With the exception of that at St. Auy,iis-
tine, Florida, this church is the oldest on
the continent. It has treasures within
its walls, some of which have been the
gifts of kings. Here are the most costly
vestments in America, and here are paint-
ings dating back far into the centuries,
representing the work of the great schools
of Kurope. Notable among these is that
Avonderful picture of Our Saviour on the
Cross, painted by VanDyck in 1630, and
it is only one of a treasury of the masters
to be found in the Basilica, Laval,
the Ursuline Convent and other reposi-
tories of art in Quebec. How these
pictures came from the old world to
the new has been mentioned in con-
nection with the cathedral at Nicolet,
In the days of the French Revolution,
when neither art nor religion were held
sacred and when churches and palaces
were despoiled, it was only by the efforts
of such men as the Abbe Desjardins that
these pictures were rescued from vandal

hands and l)rouglit to the churches and
institutions of Quebec. Their value
to-day can scarcely be estimated, and it
need not be, for they cannot be purchased.
Dr. George Stewart is authority for the
statement that when Prince Napoleon
visited Quebec, some years ago, he offered
anv price that might be named for one
picture in the Ursuline Chapel, but was
told that no offer could be entertained.
The pictures of Quebec are a theme of
themselves. An irreparable loss was
sustained when some of them were de-
stroyed by the burning of the Seminary
Chapel a number of years ago, but enough
remain to make Quebec the new world's
treasure house of the old world masters.
There is place after place in Quebec
where one may step from the bvistle of
to-day back into the seventeenth century
before he realizes that he is doing so.
He may stand where the greatest of their
time have stood, and where their ashes
are mingled with the earth. Onlv a

rjsg~ ■

THE CITADEL, QCEBEC CITY

Intt'tcolonial Route

19

readily entered doorway separates the
tangible reality of to-day from the gener-
ations who have departed. All around
are odd corners where the din of the
present does not disturb the silence of the
past — from which is shut out the sound of
the steam whistle, the rumble of electric
cars and the ring of the telephone.
To-day is side by side with 3-esterday.
In the Lower Town, for instance, is an
open market place where the farmers,
their wives and the throng of customers,
make an animated picture of the present.
It is a very busy place on cei'tain days
of the week. Close at hand is the Church
of Notre Dame des Victoires, bearing on
its front the date of 16S8. In the same
wa}" the tide of traffic in the Upper Town
surges around seven acres in the heart
of the city where the cloistered Ursulines
abide in a convent founded half a century
before the old church in the Lower Town
was begun. In the Chapel of the Ursu-
lines stands an altar erected by Bishop St.
Valier, as it has stood for more than
two hundred jears, and it is only one of
many objects that remain as they were
in the centuries that have vanished. The
halo of antiquity is everywhere around
the Ancient Capital. We see and touch
what has been seen and toviched by the
people of one generation after another
from the early days of the old regime.
We realize our individual littleness in the
contemplation of so jnuch that history
has made famous — that has itself been the
material for history that is imperishable.

The tenacity with which all that is old
in Quebec clings to existence was shown
when the demolition of the Jesuits' Col-
lege was undertaken, in 1871. This
queer rambling pile, the former seat of a
college which existed before Old Harvard
was founded, resisted the despoilers to the
last. So well had the' builders wrought
that years were required to efface their
work, and then only by the use of
dynamite — pi^k, crow and sledge having
proven useless as weapons of destruction.

Look where one will, the search^ for
what is of interest is not in vain; •• A day
might be spent around Laval with its

pictures, its library of 120,000 volumes
and its rare manuscripts, though weeks
would be too short for some lovers of
such treasures. Street after street in the
city has a history worth hearing, and
house after house its traditions. At such
places as the Citadel, Wolfe's Cove and
the Plains of Abraham, the steps of the
victors and vanquished in the great con-
test may be traced. Wherever one goes
he treads historic ground. Wherever he
may have been among the famous places
of the earth, he recognizes Quebec as
unique, and in its peculiar features as
supreiiie among the cities of the continent.
There is but one Quebec — old, quaint and
romantic— the theatre that has witnessed
some of the grandest scenes in the
dramas played by nations.

The stor}- of Quebec is recorded in
histor\-, but no historian can do justice
to the theme. From the day when
the fleet of Cartier cast anchor on
these shores down to the hour when
the last gun was fired in anger from yon
batteries, the story is a romance which
fiction cannot surpass. What scenes
of hope and fear, of deep patience, un-
daunted courage, and unflagging zeal,
have these old rocks witnessed. What
dreams of ambition, what bold projects
for the glory of God and the honor
of France, have here been cherished.
Hither, from across the sea came heroes.
Some sought fame, and found nameless
graves ; some grasped for wealth, and
miserablj' perished; while some, animated
solely by a zeal for the Cross, won martyrs'
crowns in the distant wilderness. For a
century and a half the banner of France
waved on the rocky heights. Priest,
soldier and citizen had followed the
"star of empire" to the western world
and found themselves in another France,
of which Quebec was to be the Paris, and
within the vast territories of which should
arise a mighty nation. Here was the seat
of the power of France in America ; with-
in the walls were held the councils of
state ; and fi-oni the rocks went forth
the edicts for the temporal and spiritual
guidance of the people.

\ ■ \

LITTLE CHAMPLAIN STREET QUEBEC

Five generations of men have seen and
honored the English flag on the Citadel,
but in a very great degree the religion,
language and customs* of old France
remain. Modern improvements have come
here, as elsewhere, but not to overshadow
or diminish. The past speaks as does the
present. We may roam through queer,
crooked streets, and enter quaint old
houses, in the dark corners of which we
almost look for ghosts to come to us from
the by-gone centuries.

Of all the French settlements in Canada
Quebec best retains its ancient form.
The hand of time has swept away the
ruins of Port Royal, and the grass grows
over what was once the well-nigh impreg-
nable Ivouisbourg : but Quebec remains,
and will remain, the Niobe of the cities
of France in the western world. Here
lives Rurope in America ; here the past
and the present meet together ; here the
seventeenth and twentieth centuries jostle
each other in the narrow streets.

Intercolonial Route

Yet, out of these narrow streets, rises
the cit}^ set on a hill, on the rock founda-
tion that such a city should have. From
the heights are seen glorious panoramas
across the mighty river and far down the
face of its waters. Not less attractive as
a point of view is that grand parade,
the Dufferin Terrace, crowning the cliff
for fifteen hundred feet. It is the ideal
place for a morning walk, but he who
has poetry in his nature may rather linger
there in the long twilight of a summer
evening. The garish light of day has
passed. A gentle breeze comes from the
river. The last rays of the setting sun
have gilded the hills on the shores
beyond, while the line of the distant
mountains is blending with the sk}-. For
miles and miles the eye follows the river
as it flows in silent grandeur to the sea.
Distant sails seem like the white wings of
sea birds, while " day in melting purple
dying," lulls the mind into a dreamy
calmness. The shadows deepen. The

lij^hts of Levis begin to cluster ; the
houses in the Lower Town are becoming
more ghostly in the gathering darkness ;
a sound of soft music comes from an open
casement. We are amid scenes fraught
with strange memories. Here stood the
stately Castle of St. Louis, where, for two
hundred years, the French and English
rulers held their court. Its glory de-
parted amid a whirlwind of fire. Far be-
low we can trace the outline of a street.
It is Chaniplain Street. How black it
looks ; it reminds lis of the darkness of
that winter morning long ago, when
Richard Montgomery and his men rushed
through it to their death. Everywhere

around us have the horrors of war been
felt ; and to-night all is so peaceful that
the thought of war seems out of harmony
with the scene. The bells from the ship-
ping in the harbor sound musically
through the quiet air ; the plaintive notes
of the bugle are borne to us from the
Citadel ; and the flash and roar of the
evening gun tells of night fallen upon the
Ancient Capital.

Poets have sung of Quebec, but it is a
poem of itself which no language can ex-
press ; its memories linger in the mind
like the sweet remembrance of har-
monious music heard in the years long
passed away.

DUFFERIX TERRACE- QUEBEC

Intercolonial Roitle

Canada's Famous Shrine

SCORE of miles from
the city of Quebec is
a mere countr}- vil-
]'d'^e of a few hundred
inhabitants, which is,
in one sense, a still
more remarkable
place than the An-
cient Capital itself.
Every year there flock
to this village thou-
sands to whom Ouebec, with all its wealth
of historic associations, is but of passing
interest, who come from widely distant
points animated by a wonderful faith, and
who are seeking through that faith the
boon of health which all humanity
craves. This place is Canada's famous
Shrine of Ste. Anne de Beaupre.

The name and fame of this little village
and its wonders have gone abroad over
the face of the earth. It is known on
both sides of the ocean. It is the ob-
jective point of pilgrims from all (piarters
of the globe. As many as 130,000 have
visited it in the course of a year, number-
ing people of all ages and of all ranks of
life. The whole parish of Ste. Anne has
a resident population of considerablj' less
than 2,000, but there are days in summer
when from 5,000 to 7,000 strangers
visit the shrine and crowd the roads.
In addition to these multitudes through-
out the season, there are undoubtedly
many individual visitors who do not
register their names, and of whom
no record is kept. There are pilgrims by
the hundred even in the dreary months
of winter, for no season is too severe for
the sufferer who hopes that his faith may
be rewarded by the cure of his bodily ills.
To the matter-of-fact man of the world
to-day, the existence of the Shrine of Ste.
Anne and its miracles may appear an
anachronism in the twentieth century.

The age of miracles is past, says the
dou])ter ; in reply, Ste. Anne de Beaujire
points to its thousands of crutches and
other tokens of the lame, the halt and
even the blind, who have come to the
shrine and have walked away cured.
Whatever be the creed of the visitor,
however he may stiive to account for
what takes place, the substantial evidence
that it does take place is before him. He
may even chance to see one who has been
known for years as a cripple rise up and
walk in the presence of thousands, and
he may collect the testimon}- of eye wit-
nesses in hundreds of other cases. The
marvels which are chronicled are not of
to-da}' alone, but date back for more than
two hundred years. They have been
testified to by the people of each gener-
ation back to a date a centur}- before
England conquered Quebec, and the
opening of the twentieth century finds
increasing multitudes seeking this shrine
in as the proportion advance of science
abridges time and space by improved
facilities for travel.

Ste. Anne de Beaupre is situated close
to the water on the north shore of the
St. Lawrence, about twenty-one n:iles
below Quebec, from which city it is very
easily reached either by rail or steamer.
Both the station and the wharf are close
to the church groimds and the group of
hotels. The Quebec railw^ay follows the
shore, and for the whole distance it runs
through what is practically a continuous
village on one side, with the broad St.
Lawrence on the other side. There are
stations everj^ few' miles, and no less than
eleven in the course of the journey. Along
the route are seen many of the farms
which, from the amazing disproportion of
their length to their width, are a puzzle to
the stranger in various sections of the
countrv along the Lower St. Lawrence.

23

The explanation of their pecuHar
form is simple enough when it is
understood that these farms, origin-
ally of fair width, have from time
to time lieeu divided among heirs by
the simple process of running the lines
from front to rear so as to give each a
share of frontage on the highway. In
some instances this has made the strips
very narrow. In the twenty-one miles
covered by the Quebec railway 360 deeds
were required to secure the right of w^ay
from the various proprietors. Among the
deeds were two from two brothers, living
side by side, each of whom owned a farm
nine feet wide and a French league of
three and three-quarter miles long.

Montmorency Falls, a little more than
six miles from Quebec, are seen on the
route to Ste. Anne, the railway passing so
close to them that, in the spring and
autumn when there is a heavy run of
water, the spraj- keeps the track wet.
These falls have a height of 250 feet, or
nearh- a hundred feet more than Niagara,
and they merit a special visit on their
own account, as well as on account of the
objects of interest in the vicinity, includ-
ing the natural steps and the Hall man-
sion, once the residence of the Duke of
Kent. The falls may be reached by a
delightful carriage drive from Quebec,
and by the electric railwa}', which now
extends to Ste. Anne.

Beyond Montmorency, on the line of
railwa}', are the historicvillages of L' Ange
Gardien and Chateau Richer. The oldest
working grist mill in Canada is that be-
longing to the latter seigniory, operated
by the water power of the Petit Pre stream.

Ste. Anne de Beaupre would be a
village of no importance if it were not
for its relation to the shrine. The whole
parish, indeed, has less than three
hundred dwelling houses, the greater pro-
portion of which are one-storey buildings.
In the immediate vicinity of the church,
however, are nearly twenty hotels and
boarding houses, several of them being
large structures. There are many days in
the year when these are crowded to excess
by the vast tide of humanity, while

hundreds get their meals at the convent
or beneath sheds in the open air.

The church is in charge of the Redemp-
torist Fathers. It is a large and hand-
some edifice, and the front is surmounted
by a colossal statue of Ste. Anne, richly
gilded. The interior of the church has
nmcli that is beautiful to the eye, in the
main building itself and in the foirrteen
side chapels. Everything is of the best
material and workmanship, as may be
judged from the fact that the high altar
and baldachin, both of elaborately carved
white marble, are valued at about $12,000.
Behind this is a painting bj' the famous
Le Brun, donated by the Marquis de
Tracey, vicero}' of Canada, as far back as
1666. In the treasury are gifts in solid
gold and silver, many of them of great
value, and here is the costly vestment
given by Queen Anne of Austria, mother
of Louis XIV. of France, and worked by
her own hands. This royal gift was sent
as long ago as 1667, but time and use have
not yet marred its beauty. There are
many things to be seen, indeed, but it is
within the church proper that the interest
must centre. Here are the relics of Ste.
Anne, of which the church has four,
portions of bone from her body, and each
day a relic is exposed for veneration. In
the main aisle is a pillar upon which is a
crowned statue of Ste. Anne with the
Blessed Virgin in her arms, and on feast
da^-s the crowns they wear are of solid
gold. In the railed enclosure around this
pillar are some of the canes and crutches
left by those who have gone awaj' healed.
These memorials are but few, however,
comparedwith the great collection of them
to be seen in the form of high pyramids
near the entrance doors and on the stair-
way leading to the choir. There are
crutches, canes, shoes with all kinds of
thick soles, shoes with supporting irons,
surgical appliances, harnesses for short
legs and crooked legs, bottles half filled
with discarded medicines, bandages, pads
— in short, such an array of all kinds of
the belongings of disease and deformity
that one might stippose an army of
cripples had suddenly vanished, leaving

24

its equipments behiiul. All ranks of life
are represented. There are the rough,
home-made sticks of the very poor and
the finely finished work of the scientific
instrument maker. There are hundreds
of them, and yet the pyramids are but
the accumulation of a recent period, for
if all had been preserved that have been-
deposited since pilgrims began to come,
another building would be required to
contain them. Each has lieen left bv its

rings and many trifles of little intrinsic
value, but once prized by their owners.
In one of the frames is a revolver, the
ofTering, doubtless, of some j-outh who
valued it above all his possessions. It
was the best material gift he could make
in token of his gratitude to La Bonne
Ste. Anne. The offerings thus made are
of every class. The solid gold and silver
in the treasury have already been referred
to, and there are besides costly watches.

IN THE CHURCH A T STE. ANNE DE BE A UPRE

Intercolonial Route

former owner as a token of the benefits
derived from a visit to the shrine, and the
story of some of the individual crutches
is of deep interest. Hung upon the w-all
in another part of the church is seen a
frame in which are arranged scores of
spectacles, left by those whose .sight has
been restored. Of touching interest are
several other frames containing a curious
assortment of all kinds of jewellery and
trinkets. There are watches, chains.

some richly adorned with jewels, and so
the offerings represent all classes, down to
the humble habitant who gave from the
depths of his heart when he left his cheap
ring or even his favorite tobacco pipe.

In the vicinity of the church are a
number of objects of interest. There is
the fountain, to the waters of which mar-
vellous virtues are ascribed, and there is
the grotto by the roadside. In the old
chapel are many things which were in the

25

church of 1666, on this site, and there are
curious paintin<^s, each of which has its
history. The Scala Santa, on another
part of the hill, is a copy of the stairs on
which the Saviour walked on the way to
and from judgment. These stairs are
intended to be ascended kneeling, with a
prayer at each of the twenty-eight steps,
and strangers who wish to reach the
upper floor will find ordinary stairways
by going around to the rear on the first
floor. Then there is the convent of the
Franciscan nuns, where meals mav be

had, and to many visitors a very curious-
place is the burial ground with its-
peculiar monuments. On the hill above
this is the Calvary with the open air Sta-
tions of the Cross, each cross having in it
a piece of stone from the Holy Land.
There is, indeed, so much to be seen in
the neighborhood that the visitor who
merely stops to take the return train gets
a very imperfect idea of how umch there
is that demands attention. In all
America there is no place that in any way
resembles Ste. Anne de Beaupre.

lyTERIOR OF CHURCH A T STE. ANNE DE BEA UPRE

Intercolonial Route

26

The Lower St. Lawrence

HAVING Quebec,
the journey is re-
sumed b}' way of
the Intercolonial
at Levis, on the
opposite shore.
Levis itself, while
a place of much
historic interest,
is not a point
where the tourist
is wont to linger. It is, however, well
worth a visit in connection with a sojourn
in Quebec. Millions of dollars have been
expended b}- the British Government in
the construction and improvement of the
system of fortifications that crown the
heights, but the chances are that ocean
steamers, rather than cannon, will con-
tinue to send forth the smoke which casts
the shadows on the broad and beautiful
St. Lawrence.

For the next two hundred miles or
so after the departure from Levis, the
traveller passes through a purely French-
Canadian country. One after another
the typical villages come into view, with
their long, narrow farms, their low-lying
buildings and quaint cottages, built to be
delightfully air}' in the summer and yet
to withstand the keen cold of winter. In
every village is seen the parish church,
usually a substantial edilice of stone,
while here and there a large cross, on
some distant hill, stands out in bold relief
against the sky. A peaceful people are
these habitants of the Lower vSt. Law-
rence, simple in their tastes, primitive in
many of their ways, and having an abid-
ing devotion to their mother tongue and
mother church. In the tenacity with
which they adhere to their language,
their customs and their faith, they are as
conservative as any people on the earth.

Where innovations come with the ad-
vance of the country from year to year,
they adapt themselves to the new con-
ditions, but change little of themselves.
When left to be as they have been their
wants are few and easily supplied. They
live tranquil and moral lives ; and they
are filled with an abiding love for their
language and a profound veneration for
their religion. By nature light-hearted
and vivacious, they are optimists with-
out knowing it. Innured to the climate,
they find enjoyment in its most rigorous
seasons. l''rench in all their thoughts,
words and deeds, they are yet loyal to the
British crown and content under British
rule. The ancient laws are secured to
them by solemn compact ; and their
language and religion are landmarks
which will never be moved. In places
where the English have established them-
selves, some of the habitants understand
the language of the intruders, but none
of them adopt it as their own. The
mingling of races has a contrary' effect,
and the English tongue yields to the
French.

How thoroughly French some portions
of this country remain is shown by
the census returns. In the counties of
L'Islet and Kamoi;raska, through which
the Intercolonial runs for more than sixty
miles, the population was given at 34,277.
Of these only 61 were not French Cana-
dians, and in the matter of religious
belief onl}' five were other than Catholics.
It is needless to remark that this part of
Canada is not disturbed by factions due
to rival races or creeds.

Eighty miles from Levis is Riviere
Ouelle, which takes its name from a
tragedy in which Madame Houel was the
heroine, in the days of the Iroquois, as told
in L'Abbe Casgrain's " La Jongleuse."

It is said that the tracks of snowshoes and
the imprints of hnnian hands and feet
were to be seen in the soHd rock at this
place in former years. The hotel at
the wharf is about six miles from the
station and will accommodate upwards
of seventy-five people. A number of
summer cotta,^es have been built in the
vicinity.

St. Paschal station is eighty-nine miles
from Levis, and a drive of five miles from
it brings one to Kamouraska, a village
beautifully situated on the shore of the
St. Lawrence. It is located on a point
which reaches seaward, and has a fine,
well sheltered sand beach about half a mile
in length. The visitors here are largely
those who own or hire cottages by the
season, and who seek for more quiet and
rest than can be found at the larger
watering places. Of recent years many
strangers have found out the beauties of
the place, and it is becoming more popular
every season. It has great natural ad-
vantages, and the bathing is especially
good. A number of picturesque islands
in the vicinity afford additional pleasures
to boating parties. Kamouragka has much
to commend it to the tourist.

At many places along this shore only a
narrow strip of land separates the St.
Lawrence from the head waters of the
River St. John and its tributaries, in New
Brunswick. These places, affording as
they do read)' means of communication,
are called portages. Twenty miles below
St. Paschal this distance between the
waters is twenty-six miles, and hence the
name of the village of Notre Dame du
Portage. It is a quiet, retired spot, but
its fine beach and excellent facilities for
bathing make it a very enjoyable resort
for the families who spend their summers
there.

Riviere du Loup

The appearance of Riviere du Loup,
when one arrives there by train, is
suggestive of a railway centre, but the
place is a summer resort as well, and one
of long established reputation. Beyond
the environment of the station is Fraser-
ville, so called from the Fraser family, in

whom the seigniorial rights were vested.
Bej-ond this again is the St. Lawrence,
with all its splendid possibilities for bath-
ing, boating, fishing and shooting, in the
proper seasons. Many of the men pro-
minent in Canadian public life have spent
portions of their summers here, and it
has also been the holiday resort for some
of the governors-general. Apart from its
own attractions, it is a convenient centre
from which one may go to various points
either on the river or into the forests
where fish and game abound. While a
visitor remains in Riviere du Loup, how-
ever, there is much to interest him. The
scener}' is charming, the walks and drives
are varied, the bathing facilities excellent,
while the shooting and fishing in the im-
mediate vicinity afford ample recreation.
Fine views may be had from many points.
Situated near the confluence of the Riviere
dvt Loup and the St. Lawrence, and being
on the shore of the latter, the place
abounds in picturesque scener}' of all
kinds. Near the railway, the smaller
river has a descent of more than 200 feet
by a succession of falls, which make their
way through a gorge over which high
and precipitous rocks stand sentinel. In
the vicinity, " hills peep o'er hills,"
clothed all in the varying hues of green,
while towards the St. Lawrence the open
country, sprinkled with well finished
hoitses, makes a pleasing contrast to the
rugged aspect of the land which
lies in the rear. Upon the shore a
glorious prospect is open to view. Here
the estuary widens in its journey to the
sea, and the mountains on the northern
shore, a score of miles distant, stand out
in bold relief against the clear blue sky.
Upon the waters, just far enough away to
lend enchantment to the view, are the
white-winged argosies of commerce, bear-
ing the flags of every maritime nation.
At times a long, low shape on the waves
and a dark, slender cloud floating lazil}'
awa}' mark the path of the ocean steam-
ship. Nearer the shore are smaller craft
of all sizes and shapes — manned by
fishers, traders, and seekers after pleasure.
If one longs to join them, a boat is at

2S

liaiul and soon is danciii.ij; on the gentle
billows, while the .sea Ijirds skim the
waters in their circling flights, and the
&olemn-e3'ed loup-niarin rises near at
hand, vanishes and rises again as if sent
by Neptune to demand the stranger's
errand. It was from these creatures, say
some, that the river derived its name,
rather than from the ill-visaged wolf of
the forest.

The waters abound in all kind of crea-
tures, great and small. The chief of these
is the white whale, the Beluga Borealis,
which is usualh% but erroneously, termed
the white porpoise. Its length is from
fourteen to twenty-two feet, and each
carcass yields something over a hundred
gallons of oil. The lialibut and sturgeon
come next in order of size, after them
the salmon, and then all the small fish
common to this latitude.

The beaches along this shore offer ex-
cellent facilities for bathing, and the
water is of an agreeable temperature. As

for the temperature of the air, it may be
saitl of all the Lower St. . Lawrence that
the summer climate is everything a tourist
could desire. The breeze is of it.self a
most invigorating tonic.

Temiscouata Lake, reached from
Riviere du Loup by a run of fifty miles
over the Temiscouata railway, is a fine
place for taking tuladi and lake trout by
trolling during June and July. This lake
is about twenty-eight miles long, varying
from a mile and a half to three miles in
width. Good brook trout fishing is also
to be found along this line of railway.

Across the Broad River

Steamers calling at Riviere du Loup
furnish opportunities for visiting the
notable watering places on the northern
shore. Mention may be made of Murray
Bay and Tadousac, but by far the most
wonderful sight for the tourist is the
famed Saguenay River. It is one of the
most remarkable of nature's works in a

TAJJOiSAC

29

continent where natural wonders abound.
Bayard Taylor has described it as "a
natural chasm, like that of the Jordan
Valley and the Dead Sea, cleft for sixty
tniles through the heart of a mountain
wilderness." This terse description is a
word picture, but he who would grasp
the details of that picture must see the
Saguenay for himself. Its waters, black
and silent, have vast depths. The river is
said to be deeper, by 600 feet, than the
mighty St. Lawrence into which it
empties. There are people of the country
who believe its depths cannot be
fathomed, and they tell of thousands of
feet of line which have been paid out in
the vain attempt to find bottom in certain
places. Let one imagine such a river
flowing between walls of rock, which
tower in places to a height of nigh 2,000
feet, and he will realize the significance
of such names as Cape Trinity, Cape
Eternity and Eternity Bay. In the
majesty and gloom of such surroundings,
the reflective mind must ever feel the
most profound reverence and awe.

At the mouth of the Saguenay is
Tadousac, a wonderful old settlement,
with enough eventful history of its own
to supply material for a volume, were the
records but available. It is undoubtedly
the oldest European settlement in
Canada, and perhaps in America. Before
Champlain began to build Quebec, it
existed. Nay, before Jacques Cartier left
St. Malo to find out Canada, Tadousac
was the resort of the Basque fishermen,
whose fathers had resorted thither before
them. One writer, W. H. H. Murray,
has evolved the theory that not only were
the Basques here before Columbus was
born, but that their ancestors, the sea-
roving Iberians, visited this harbor even
hefore Christ was sent to man or Rome
was founded.

So it is with profound reverence that one
looks upon this spot, which is historically
older than the country of which it is
a part. It was the ancient metropolis
of Canada, the chief trading station
before one of the cities of to-day had
sprung into existence. Here was erected

the first stone house, and here, too, was
the first church. The present structure,
a modern affair dating back a little more
than 150 years, is built upon the site of
the first place of worship, and it is said
that the Angelus is rung out to-day with
the bell by which it was sounded more
than three hundred years ago.

It is of this bell that a strange stofy is
told — a story not made mythical by its
antiquity, but coming so near our own
times as to be told by those now living
who heard it from those who were living
then. It has appeared in various forms,
but so far as is known not in such a way
as to be accessible to the ordinar}-
traveller. For this reason, and because
it is worthy of preservation, an outline is
given here.

In all that pertains to the history of
Canada from the advent of Cartier imtil
the cession to P^ngland, religion is every-
where interwoven. The courage, zeal and
self-devotion of the Jesuit missionaries
will be remembered while the world
endures. They never wearied or looked
back, and long after the confiscation of
their property and the suppression of
their order they continued their labors
among the savages. Among the last of
the Jesuit missionaries in Canada was
Pere Coquart, whose gra<re is in Chicou-
timi, nearly a hundred miles up the
Saguenay. With him in his labor of
preaching the Gospel was Pere Jean
Baptiste Labrosse, a good — nay, from all
that is told, a saintly man, whose tomb is
at Tadousac. For nearly thirty years
the gentle Pere Labrosse wrought to bring
the Indians to a knowledge of the Cross,
and in 1782 he had reached the allotted
age of three score and ten, yet, as with
Moses, "his eye was not dim nor his
natural force abated." On the loth of
April in that year he spent the evening
with his friends at Tadousac, but at nine
o'clock he arose from their midst, with a
look of strange peace on his face, and
bade all farewell until eternity. He
would die at midnight, he said, and when
his spirit left the flesh the church bell
would toll to tell his people that he was

i^oiie from .'iinoii;^ lliem. lie- drparlcil.
At iiiidnij^lit the bell tolled, the people
hastened to the church, and there before
the altar, as if in a peaceful sleep, Pere
I^abrosse lay dead. At the same hour
that night, in every settlement where the
departed missionary had preached, from
the head waters of the Saguenay to the
Eaie de Chaleur, the bells of the churches,
tolled by invisible hands, bore to his con-
verts the tidings of his entering into rest.
When morning came a dense darkness
overhung the Saguenay. On the St.
Lawrence a fearful storm was rriging, and
the huge masses of drifting ice threatened
destruction to any craft, even within the
well sheltered harbor. Yet Pere Labrosse
Tiad directed that a boat be sent to He aux
Coudres, sixty miles distant, that Pere
Compain might come to Tadousac and
inter his remains with the forms of the
church. Four men, firm of faith,
launched a canoe, and as it advanced the
ice floes parted, leaving smooth water for
its passage. So it was until He aux
Coudres was reached, and there, on the
^hore, stood Pere Compain, who told them
of their errand before they could
announce it. The bell of his church had
tolled at midnight, a voice had spoken,
lelling of the death of Pere Labros.se and
-of the mission of the four men who would
come to the island. Such is the story of
Ihe good Jean Baptiste Labrosse and the
"bell which rings to-day in the little
•church which stands near the shore in the
harbor of Tadousac.

The trip between Riviere du Loup and
ihe Saguenay is one to delight the eye,
for in the clear atmosphere of this climate
-the scenery of both shores is seen to great
-advantage. On the north side are the
Laurentian mountains, which reach from
Labrador to the remote regions of Lake
■Superior, and along these shores attain
Iheir greatest height, rising to 2,000 feet
.at Cape Tourmente. With certain condi-
tions of the atmosphere singular mirages
are sometimes seen as the south shore is
approached, and one in particular,
among the islands of the Riviere du
X,oup and Kamouraska, is worthy of

special note. .All the Lower St. Lawrence
is full of beauty, as w:ell as rich in
historical reminiscences and traditions.

Forests and Streams

Taking Riviere du Loup as a centre,
the sportsman has a field only limited by
his time and inclination to shoot and fish.
Nature has been prodigal in her gifts, and
though Indians and their white brothers
have made sore havoc among the creatures
of the woods in the past enough remains
to employ the hunter for generations to
come. The moose, king of the North
American forests, was once to be foimd in
every part of the countr}-. It retreated
gradually before the advance of civiliza-
tion, but for a long time vast herds of
these creatures were to be found in the
Metapedia valley, where they were an
easy prey to the pelt hunters. They were
still abundant when the British troops
came to Canada at the time of the
" Trent affair, " in the latter part of the
winter of 1862. Moccasins were needed
for the soldiers, and to procure them the
Indians sought the Metapedia and entered
on their work of .slaughter. Hundreds of
the noble animals were slain, stripped of
their hides and left to rot in the woods.
For months afterwards the air was tainted
with the odor. It is not strange that the
moose forsook the valley for years. They
are still to be found in various parts of
this country, and under the game laws of
recent years they can no longer be openly
and needlessly slaughtered as of yore.

The caribou, game fit for any sports-
man, are still to be found in large num-
bers almost anywhere between St. Alex-
andre and Campbellton, within a short
distance of the railway track. In some
places the distance would be two, and in
others ten miles. Skill, experience and
good guides are necessary to find them,
but a sportsman who luiderstaiuls his
business, and who goes to the right
localit}', need not be surprised if he bring
down as many as the law jiermits in a very
short time. To accomplish this he must
be prei)ared for his work and be ready to
stand some fatigue, if necessarv. There

is a choice of good grounds, when one is
at Riviere du Loup. In the direction of
Teniiscouata Lake, for instance, to which
reference has already been made, the
forests abound in game, v/hile the lakes
and rivers teem with fish. Indeed, there
is good shooting to be had in all the
forests, and the hunter may make his
cruise as long or as short as he pleases.
The back country of Maine can be easily
reached from Si. Alexandre, or one may
go twenty miles from Riviere du Loup
and find the St. Francis River, and follow
it to the St. John. From Elgin road or
L' Islet, the head waters of the Resti-
gouche and Miramichi may be reached.
All these are in the midst of happy
hunting grounds.

Some of the best caribou hunting is to
be had among the Shickshocks Moun-
tains, in Gaspe. This is the land of the
caribou. In the depths of the wilder-
ness, amid mountains nearl)^ 4,000 feet
high, and surrounded by scenery of the
most wild and rugged character, is an
abundance of rare sport . It was in this
part of the country that Lord Dunraven
started forty-one caribou in three days.

As for other kinds of game, there are
few parts of the country where it
cannot be had for the seeking. Bears
can be found almost anywhere outside of
the settlements at certain times of the
year, and are especially plentj- around the
barrens in the autunm, when blueberries
are in season. Partridge are so common
that anybody who can handle a gun may
secure all he wants, when the law permits
them to be shot.

Around the shores geese, brant and
duck of all kinds are found in immense
flocks, the soft fresh water grass, so
plentiful along the rivers, furnishing an
abundance of food in which they delight.
The black and grey duck, the curlew,
the golden plover, and the English snipe,
are very abundant during the months of
September and October. Isle Verte and
Kamouraska are favorite resorts for these
birds, but there are many otter places
along these shores where hundreds maj'
be shot with ease.

Much that has been said in regard to
the hunting in this vicinity will apply to
the country along the next two or three
hundred miles, or until long after the
boundary of New Brunswick has been
passed. The sport at Riviere du Loup is
only a sample of that all along the
line.

So it is in regard to the fishing, which
is of more immediate interest to the
summer tourist. The enthusiastic hunter
regards not the weather, and is willing to
endure cold and wet in his quest for game,
but fish are to be had when nature is at
her loveliest in this glorious summer land.
This is a country of fish, and such fish !
One who is not a fisherman may eat them
at every meal on his journey. He may
have halibut, salmon, herring, and smelt,
from the St. Lawrence, and salmon,
tuladi, sea, brook, and lake trout, from
the waters that are tributary to it.
Salmon are found in nearly all the rivers,
and the majority of the streams are
leased by the government to individiials.
It is not diificult, however, for a stranger
to obtain permission to fish. Trout are
found in all the rivers and lakes, and are
free to all comers. A not unusual size of
those in the lakes is from five to six
pounds ; in the rivers they run from
three to four pounds. All the trout of
this region are very ' ' gamey,' ' and afford
abundant sport. In the lakes is also
found the tuladi, which seems identical
with the togue of Northern Maine and
New Brunswick. Specimens have been
caught weighing as much as forty pounds
each, or as large as a good sized salmon.
The average weight of them in Teniiscou-
ata Lake is 27 pounds. The tuladi has
been confounded with the lake salmon of
Switzerland, and with others of the
salmon family of Europe, but it does
not appear to be identical with any of
them. It is usually very fat and very
reserved — not to sa}' lazy. It lurks and
lies in the deep waters of the large lakes,
as is given to contemplation rather than
to gratification of appetite. For all
that, it is a voracious creature and has a
sly way of approaching" the surface in the

cool hours of llu' moruiut,' and t'V(.-iiin,t^.
It does not rise to the fly, as a rule, but
may be taken by trolling. It is j^'ood
eating, though less delicate than either
the trout or the salmon.

Nearly all the lakes are free to fi.shers,
for all kinds of fish.

Canoe and Paddle

The Intercolonial has one feature which
few, if any, railways possess to the same
extent. For a distance of several hun-
dred miles it is intersected bv rivers
easily navigable for small boats or canoes.
By these natural highways one mav
pursue his journey far into the interior,
make a short portage from the head-
waters of one to those of another and
descend the latter to the lines of railwav
in New Brunswick. A glance at the map
will show what ample opportunities there
are for this kind of recreation. Leaving
the railway and ascending one river, com-
ing down another and uj) another, spend-
ing days among the lakes, fishing, shoot-
ing, enjoying life to the utmost, one is as
much in the wilderness as if thousands of
miles away. Yet all this time he knows
that, if necessary, a few hours will bring
him to the railway, the mail and the
telegraph — to communicate with the busy
world. He may leave the railwav on the
shores of the St. Lawrence and make a
canoe voyage to the Baie de Chaleur or
Bay of Fundy. When he arrives at his
destination he will find his luggage and
his letters awaiting him. The route mav
be varied and the voyage prolonged as
may suit the voyager's taste. Notably
good fishing may be had at Lakes St.
Francis and Temiscouata and on the
Touladi River ; but on such a trip one
may fish and hunt every where as he goes.
In the Temiscouata region alone one mav
make a canoe voyage for at least eightv
miles, and if he choses can, by portaging,
descend the great Miramichi to the ocean.
Portages can be made so as to reach any of
the three great rivers of New Brunswick,
the Miramichi, the Restigouche, or St.
John. The whole country is open to anv
man who can sit in a canoe and ply a paddle.

Cacouna

Six miles below Riviere du Loup is
Cacouna station, and by an easy drive of
three miles over a smooth highway,
Cacouna Beach, the famed watering place
of the Lower St. Lawrence, is reached.
Here is St. Lawrence Hall, a completely
equipped seaside hotel, with ample accom-
modation for 400 people and a capacity
for half as many more should occasion
require. It is conducted in line with the
most modern ideas of hotel life and
enjoys the favor of the best class of
tourists. It is situated close to the shore
and overlooks a beautiful stretch of sand
beach a mile long. Here may be enjoyed
the fullest luxury of sea bathing, and the
beach presents an animated scene during
the season. In addition to the large
number who make the St. Lawrence Hall
their home for the time, there are many
who find accommodation at the smaller
hotels, of which there are several, and
others again who are found in their own
summer cottages. Some of these cottages
have been built by wealthy residents of
Montreal and Quebec at a large cost, and
are models of their class. Their number
is increa,sing every year, for the advant-
ages of Cacouna as a health resort have
long been beyond dispute. A month or
so at Cacouna is a common prescription
of some of the leading physicians in the
larger Canadian cities, and it is one that
is very pleasant for a patient to take.
The doctors often take it themselves.

The Church of England clergv also
make Cacouna, in a way, an official sum-
mer resort. A few years ago what is
known as the Clergy House of Rest was
established here, chiefly through the
efforts of Bishop Williams, of Quebec,
assisted by ])rivate subscriptions. The
idea was to have a place where clergv-
niLii could s])end their holidays to ad-
vantage, securing excellent accommoda-
tion at a limited cost. It is, in fact, a
ministerial hotel with the charges fixed
at a rate intended to defray the running
expenses. It is pleasantly located near
the Anglican church, is fitted in modern

33

style and will accommodate upwards of
twenty people. Among other con-
veniences it has a library as part of its
equipment. The management is in the
hands of a committee under the super-
vision of the Anglican Bishop of Quebec,
and the patrons of the house include
clergymen from many parts of Canada.

At Cacouna, as at some of the other
summer resorts on the St. Lawrence,
there are opportunities for families to
rent cottages for the summer months.
Some farmers own two houses, one of
which they occup}- while the other is

for them with nothing more than a boat
and pair of oars.

In all of this part of Canada, while
winter comes earh- and lingers late,
nature maintains a balance by the quick-
ening power of the summer. Everything
that is planted has a rapid and vigorous
growth. This is noticeable at Cacouna,
in instances where ornamental trees have
been set out. English willows have been
known to grow at the rate of two, and
even three feet a year, and that in spite
of the rocks among which they were
planted.

BEACH A T CACOLWA. QUEBEC

Intercolonial Route

leased for the season. In this way some
of them derive an income sufficient to
support them in the lonely winter,
when the stranger has gone, and the
natives sit alongside of two-storey stoves
and dream of the coming summer.

With the mountains on one side and an
arm of the sea on the other the air is very
pure. It is so clear that one can scarcely
believe the opposite shore is twenty-one
miles away, but it is fully that in a
straight line to the mouth of the
Saguenay. So near do the distant hills
seem that one might feel tempted to start

The name Cacouna has a soimd sugges-
tive of the waves and the shore, but it
has no such meaning. It signifies " the
place where many Indians are buried."'
One would think that there should be a
legend connected with this, but no one
appears to have any idea of the origin of
the name. No ancient Indian graves
have ever been found here. The only
place of burial which has any story
attached to it is on Cacouna Island, where
the wild flowers grow undisturbed on the
graves of fifteen shipwrecked sailors.

Good trout fishing is found in this

34

vicinity. Trout Brook is tlie nearest
point, three miles distant, hut still better
results can be obtained by a drive to the
lakes, fifteen miles away, and which are
reached by a good road.

Two miles from Cacouna is St. Arsene,
the most convenient point from which to
reach Lake St. Hubert, twelve miles
distant. In this lake are plenty of
speckled trout, with an average weight of
from half a ])ound to one and a half
pounds, and which have a high reputa-
tion on account of their excellent flavor.

Trois Pistoles village is prettily situated,
and there is good lake and river fishing
in the vicinity. Lake St. Simon, eighteen
miles from here, is a beautiful sheet of
water, and merits special mention. The
origin of the name of Trois Pistoles is
more obscure than even that of Cacouna.
It may have been derived from the cir-
cumstance that the first settler gave three
pistoles for a piece of land, from some-
body losing or finding that sum, or from
a trade with the Indians in which that
amount changed hands. The antiquarian
can choose the tradition that seems most
reasonable. There is no good authority
for any of them.

Bic! Beautiful Bic!

A village on the low land by the shore,
with mountains separating it from the
country beyond, confronted the en-
gineers when the}" sought to locate the
line of the Intercolonial at a point fifty-
five miles below Riviere du Loup. It
was Bic, then as now well termed the
Beautiful. To-day the railway winds
arovmd the mountain, one hundred and
fifty feet above the post road, passing
places where the rock was blasted to a
depth of eighty feet that a bed might be
made for the track. On the one side the
steep acclivity rises to a height of two
hundred and fifty feet above the passing
train ; on the other is a panorama of bav,
river and islets, which seem as the
environment of an enchanted sunmier
land. From this height is seen the St.
Lawrence, twenty-five miles from shore
to shore, and rapidly widening in its

journey until it merges into the world of
waters.

It was from these heights, on a fair day
in June, long years ago, that anxious
eyes watched a fleet of w^ar-ships making
its way up the St. Lawrence. Nearer it
came until the watchers could discern
that it carried the flag of France. There
was joy in every heart. The long
expected succor had arrived from beyond
the .sea, and swift messengers made ready
to carry the glad tidings to Quebec.
Suddenly, as they looked, the ensign of
the leading vessel was run down and the
red cross of England fluttered in the
breeze. Having come thus far, stratagem
w-as no longer needed. The vessel was
the Richmond frigate, carrying General
James Wolfe, and with him was an army
equipped for the conquest of Canada.
The fleet cast anchor within sight of Bic
Island. Among the watchers on the
heights was a priest, whose nerves had
been strung to the utmost tension with
joy at the sight of his country's flag.
When the dread truth was so suddenly
revealed to him, nature could bear no
more, and he fell to the earth — dead.

Bic is one of the finest natural watering
places on the Lower St. Lawrence. The
mountains are around it, and it nestles at
their feet amid a wealth of beautiful
scenery. There is more than a mere
stretch of shore. There is a harbor in
which an ocean steamer may ride, a
haven wherein vessels may hide from the
wrath of the storm-king. Romantic isles
lie amid the waters, and crags of rugged
beauty rear their heads around the bay.
Pleasant beaches tempt the bather ;
placid waters invite the boatman ; and
beauty everywhere summons the idler
from his resting-place to drive or ramble
in its midst.

Had it not been for the fleet that lay at
anchor beyond the island on that mid-
suninu-r da\- in 1759, Bic might have bec'U
a fortified town and its harboi' a naval
station. Such Was one of the projects of
France, and there would have been a safe
and convenient rendezvous for the fleets
in these waters, for Bic is accessible at

35

seasons when the ice bars the passage to
Quebec. It was here, in thi; bitterly cold
winter weather of 1S62, that England
landed men and munitions of war for the
defence of Canada. It does not seem,
however, that Bic should have anything
to do with war. Everything is suggestive
of pleasure and peace. Strangers are not
numerous, but lovers of beauty and seek-
ers after rest haye located summer resi-
dences in the village, and \ear bv vear

told it to Jacques Cartier, and it has ap-
peared in a great variety of forms ever
since. Briefly stated, the tradition is that
a band of Micmacs, consisting of about
two hundred men, women and children,
heard of the approach of a large party of
hostile Iroquois, and fled for concealment
to the large cave which is to be seen on
this island. The Iroquois discovered the
place of retreat, and finding themselves
unable to dislodge their hidden foes by

'V ISLET A I MASSA^kl.. J.

Intercolonial Route

enjoy the cooling breezes. Fishing is in
abundance ; and if there were no fish,
the streams winding their waj- among
the hills, through all kinds of picturesque
dells, would well repay full many a toil-
some tramp.

One of the islands near at hand is
known as L' Islet au Massacre, and associ-
ated with it is a tragic story of Indian
war. The tale is an old one. Donnacona

ordinary' means, resorted to a thoroughl}'
savage expedient. Heaping dry wood in
and around the mouth of the cave, they
advanced behind shields of boughs, carry-
ing torches of bark, and ignited the jiile.
The INIicmacs were forced to leap through
the flames, and as fast as they appeared
were slaughtered. All who were in the
cave were killed, and their bones lay
bleachiiifj on the island for manv a vear

thereafter. They were swiftly and ter-
ribl_v aveiii^ed. I\Ir. Taclie, in his "Trois
Le,<fendes de Moii Pays," says that five of
the Micinacs were sent from the island at
the first ahirni, a part to demand assist-
ance from the friendly Malicites at Mada-
waska, and the others to act as scouts.
Twenty-five Malicite warriors responded
to the summons, but too late to prevent
the massacre. They then, aided by their
five allies, secretly followed the track of
the Iroquois, and unseen themselves,
dealt death among the party as it pro-
ceeded. The scouts had previouslv re-
moved the canoes and provisions which
the Iroquois had left in the woods, and
so they marched, dyinj^- by the hand of
an unseen foe and threatened with famine
ere they could gain their own countrv.
At length they reached the open woods
near Trois Pistoles River, feeble and dis-
couraged. The band had shrunk to
twenty-seven men. Finding traces of
moose they began to hunt, and were led
into an ambush by the foe, who burst up-
on them and killed all but six. These
were m-ide prisoners ; one was tortured
by the allies in the presence of the other
five. The latter were then divided, and
the Malicites carried their three to Mada-
waska. The Micmacs returned to Bic
with their two, and tying them with their
faces to the island, put them to death
with their most ingenious torments.
They then quitted Bic forever. Tradition
has peopled the neighborhood with the
ghosts of the slaughtered Micmacs, now-
dancing on the waters, now moaning
among the crevices of the rocks, shriek-
ing at times as with the agony of souls in
pain.

Hattee Bay is another delightful spot,
not far from Bic. The scenery, though
not so impressive as that of the latter
place, is very attractive. One of the
features is a natural terrace, and the
facilities for all kinds of exercise and
recreation are abundant. A numl)er of
English families reside at this place, and
it has many admiring visitors during the
summer season.

R mciiski end (he Hermit

Many ]K'0])le know of Rimouski chiefly
as a ])lace where the ocean steamers re-
ceive and land mails and passengers on
the voyage to and from England in the
summer. Anxious to depart or get home,
they see little of the place beyond noting
that it is a thriving town, and that the
])ier running out to deep water is of a
most surprising length. It extends for
nearly a mile, and is a most agreeable
promenade in summer days, when a con-
stant cool breeze is borne over the water.
The village of St. Germain de Rimouski,
which is its full title, is the shiretown of the
county and the seat of the l)ishop of the
diocese. The cathedral, bishop's palace,
seminary, convents and other buildings
devoted to religious uses, are imposing
structures of stone, erected at a large
cost. The clergy are seen at every turn,
and the French language is heard in
every house. Save at the hotels and some
public offices, the thousands of English
who have passed through Rimouski have
done very little to leave the sound of
their tongue or the impress of their
journey.

The Rimouski River is the first import-
ant salmon river below Quebec, and it is
under lease. Strangers who are sports-
men and gentlemen have, however, often
been permitted to fish in its waters, which
extend to a lake close to the boundary of
New Brunswick, and from which only a
short portage is necessary to reach the
rivers Quatavvamkedgwick (commonly
known as the Tomkedgvvick) and the
Restigouchc, b\' means of which a canoe
can reach the Bale de Chaleur. The
salmon of the Rimouski are not of the
largest size, averaging less than twenty
pounds, l)ut there arc plenty of them, as
well as an abundance of trout. The
latter fish are easily to be had by those
who go after them, for there are about
fiftv lakes, large and small, within the
county. At Seven Lakes, 25 miles from
the village, there have been some re-
markable catches of trout. As for shoot-

37

ing, the woods are full of all kinds of game.
The situation of Rimouski is such as to
offer attractions to families who seek a
quiet summer with the enjoyments of the
sea side. There are excellent facilities
for salt-water fishing, boating and bath-
ing, the shore being protected from
roughness of water by the island of St.
Barnabe, which lies a short distance off.
This island, which has borne its name
since early in the seventeenth centur}-, is
about two miles long, contains a small
lake, is well wooded and is a favorite
resort for picnics. It has its story, and a
ver}^ touching one. There are several
versions of it, but that given by
Monseigneur Guay in his Chronique de
Rimouski is probably the most authentic.
So far as can be gleaned from all sources,
this is the stor}' of the hermit :

The fair land of Old France held no
hearts more in unison than were those of
Toussaint Cartier and his betrothed
Louise when the new year of 1723
dawned. Just turned of manhood, hand-
some in person, versed in knowledge of
books and agreeable in manners, he was
the envy of the lads of his native village.
He had long known the beautiful Louise,
and they had learned to love each other
with a love surpassing the power of
words to tell. She was the daughter of
a rich man of high degree, who had
pledged her at an earh- age to the profli-
gate son of his wealthy neighbor.
Toussaint was poor, and his povertv be-
came a crime in the sight of the lucre-
loving father, but, as is ever the case,
opposition served only to cement the
stronger the affections of the devoted
pair. They were secreth- married and
embarked for Quebec, to seek a home in
the land of which so much had been
told. The voyage was a prosperous one.
The ship reached the St. Lawrence and
lay becalmed off Rimouski. The da}'
was fine and young Cartier took a boat to
visit He St. Barnabe. While he was
ashore a fearful tempest arose, and the
vessel and all on board were engulfed
before his e3'es. The l)ody of Louise was
soon after washed ashore on the island ,

where Toussaint buried it and made a
solemn vow to dwell there in solitude for
the remainder of his days. This vow he
faithfully observed, living a life of deep
religious devotion ^-ear after year, until
his locks were silvered with age. All
who knew him revered him, even the
birds loved him and came to feed out of
his hand ; but his heart was broken, and
he watched year by 3'ear pass by, count-
ing each as a step nearer to his reunion
with the one of whose smile through life
he had been so sadlj- deprived. Forty
odd seasons passed, and at length one
January morning he was found lying
dead on the floor of his humble abode.
The lovers were united at last. His re-
mains were buried within the old church
of Rimouski, and to this day his name is
honored as that of a holy man.

Six miles below Rimouski is Father
Point, so well known as a telegraph and
signal station in connection with ocean
steamers, and to it there is a charming
drive along the shore. Four miles above
the town is the village of Sacre Coeur,
where there is a beautiful and well
sheltered beach and admirable opportuni-
ties for boating and sea bathing.

Soon after leaving Rimouski the St.
Lawrence is lost sight of, and the road
makes its way towards the ]\Ietapedia
Valley. Ste. Flavie, eighteen miles from
Rimouski, is a place of some importance,
and is the terminus of the well-known
highway, the Kempt Road, built at a
heavv expense and so long used for a
mail route between the upper and lower
provinces.

Little Metis station, 90 miles from
Riviere du Loup, is the stopping place
from which to reach the well known
watering place of Little Metis, situated
on the shore about six miles from the
railway. It is a resort that has been
greatly developed of recent years, and its
popularity is increasing each season.
There are several large hotels, and a num-
ber of wealth}- Canadians have made it
their summer home. For people of
moderate means who do not wish to in-
vest in property and build for themselves.

38

this is a part of the country where houses
are easily to he had for the whole or a part
of the season. The farmers are very ac-
commodating in this respect, and in some
instances the}' will go so far as to give up
their own homes for the summer, shifting
for themselves as best they can, while
strangers occupy their homesteads. Thus,
at a reasonable rent, a ]:)arty may live
quite at their ease, having a house fur-
nished with all the essentials for house-
keeping, and may either do their own
cooking or take their meals at an hotel,
as ma}' suit their fancy.

Little IVIetis is situated on the shore of
the St Lawrence, at a point where the
estuary begins to widen out so that the
opposite shore is a faint line in the dis-
tance and much of the horizon is as level
as upon the ocean. This gives the place
more of the air of a sea-side resort than
many less favored watering places, and
the salt waves rolling in upon the sandy
beach confirm the impression. The beach
is about four miles long, hard, smooth,
and safe for bathers. On some parts of
it the surf beats with a sullen roar ; yet
numerous coves, sheltered from the swell,
afford every security, as well as absolute
privacy, to the bather. Boats, of all sizes,
from a skiff to a schooner, are available
to the visitor, and if one desires to run
across to the other shore he will find
safe and swift vessels crofsing every day.
If a party desire to have a good time and
feel free and independent, they can
charter a small schooner for a few
dollars a dav, secure a good sailing
master, lay in a supply of provisions
and go where they please. The St.
Lawrence is between thirty and forty
miles wide in this part, so there is
plenty of room for excursionists at all
times.

The Grand and Little Metis rivers are
favorite haunts of the salmon, and trout
are found wherever there is a lake or
brook. The best places to secure the
latter fish are at Metis Lakes, the nearest
of which is about three miles from the
centre of the village, h'urther back is a
chain of lakes, all containing plent}' of

large trout, and all conij)aratively esay
of access.

The country in the rear of Metis is a
resort for herds of caribou, (ieese, duck
and sea-fowl are found all along the
shore, while partridge are met with in
every part of the woods.

The scenery is varied and attractive.
One may drive for miles along the shore
and enjoy the panorama and sea breeze
until weary. Inland are beautiful vales
and nooks and brooks and charming bits
of landscape. All the farmers have wag-
gons to hire, and drives may be had at a
small expense. One of these is to the
falls, seven miles away. Here a heavy
body of water pours over the rocks with a
grandeur which must be seen to be appre-
ciated. Both Grand and Little Metis
rivers have waterfalls, situated amid most
enchanting scenes of the forest. Grand
Metis falls are most easily reached from
the railway by driving from St. Octave
station, from which they are about three
miles distant. When one is sojourning at
Little Metis, however, the falls may be
included in a carriage drive that has many
other attractions.

Grand ]\Ietis river and the seigniorial
rights were purchased by Lord Mount-
Stephen, a number of years ago. A large
sum was paid for the property, and fully
four times as much was afterwards ex-
pended in the improvement of it. A part
of the improvement was the building of
what is modestly termed a fishing lodge.
It cost about |45,ooo and is the finest
house of its kind in Canada . It is located
on a height overlooking the St. Law-
rence, close to the shore at Grand Metis.
The building is designed with every
regard for comfort and convenience, and
a feature of the interior is the finish of
polished woods brought from the Pacific
coast.

The Grand Metis falls are approached
bv a road which winds along the bank of
the river, high above the water, where
the stream makes its way through a deep
gorge. The ascent of the road is very
steep in places, but even were one to
make the journey on foot the view of the

39

falls and their surroundings would well
reward him for his exertion. The height
of the fall is about one hundred feet, and
the sight of the river pouring over the
rocks into the gorge below is one not to
be forgotten.

Further along the shore is the Matane.
a small river, but with an abundance of

FALLS OF GRAND MFTLS

salmon and trout. It was by this river,
so long ago as the time of Champlain,
that the Indians of the Baie de Chaleur
reached the St. Lawrence, by way of the
Restigouche and Metapedia rivers, mak-
ing a portage from Metapedia Lake.

There was fishing at Matane before
the tourist came with his rod and flies,

but it was purely commercial in its aspect.
As long ago as i6i'-S Sieur Riverin es-
tablished a fishery, and thrived until his
wicked partner defrauded him. He found
all the shore, for a distance of sixty miles,
very abundant in codfish, while whales
were common everywhere from Matane to
Cape des Rosiers, a distance of nearly 250
miles. So plentiful were
they near Matane that
at one period, for the
space of three months,
as man}- as fift}- would
be seen on the surface
at one time, within less
than two miles from the
shore. So tame were
they that men could ap-
proach near enough to
hit them with oars.
Sieur Riverin, filled with
visions of wealth, form-
ed a company to prose-
cute whaling — and suc-
ceeded in getting swin-
dled.

Leaving the St. Law-
rence, the course of the
traveller is south to the
Metapedia Valley. Pass-
ing Tartague, the rail-
way, which has kept
clear of the mountain
ranges by following the
shore for two hundred
miles, makes a bold push
and crosses the hills at
Malfait Lake. Here the
traveller is nearly 750
feet above the sea, high-
er than he has been since
he left Quebec, and
higher than he can be
on any other part of the
line. Down the grade the cars go, until
again on the level in the midst of a beauti-
ful vallev, where the hills rise on each side
six and eighthundred feetfora distance of
many miles. The French villages are no
longer seen ; the French names are no
longer heard. In the place of the latter
come the titles bestowed by the Indians

IntncoloiiiaJ Roiitr

40

who once peopled llie land. Some of
these words are musical, after you ;^ei
used to them. No doubt they were mu-
sical to .Mt^onquin ears when uttered by
Algonquin tongues ; but the true pronun-
ciation of many of them is lost, and as
the Indians had no written language
there is no rule as to how they should be
spelled. Some of them are believed to
have had poetical meanings, but there is
a good deal more fanc}- than fact in many
of the interpretations. It is just as well,
however, to attach some poetry to them,
for thus they are in harmony with the
surroundings. The Metajx-dia \'alley
should be the poet's paradise.

Metapcdia Lake
and Valley

Beyond Sayabec lies
Lake Metapedia. It
is the noblest sheet
of inland water seen
along the rotite. All
lakes have a beaitty
which appeals to the
imaginative mind,
but this, enshrined
among the mountains
must impress the most
prosaic nature. About
sixteen miles in
length, and stretching
out in parts to the
width of five miles,
its ample area gives it
a dignity with which
to wear its beauty.

Embosomed on its tranquil waters lie isles
rich in verdure, among which the canoe
may glide amid scenes that wake the
artist's soul to ecstacy. The shores are a
fitting frame to so fair a picture. Here,
too, will the sportsman never ply his craft
in vain. These clear waters are the
home of the salmon, and kings among the
fishes await the angler's pleasure.

The outlet of the lake is the famed
Metapedia river. It is sometimes spelled
with a final "c," and some use an " a "
instead of the first "e." It is a mat-
ter of taste, but it is highly probable

no one of the three is like the true Indian
wonl. Cascapediac, for instance, is
alleged to be a corruption of Kigicapigiac,
though another authority says it is from
Keskebak, a wide paddle, and probably
the original of Metapedia is something
even worse. It is well not to be too
particular, for this corruption of the
native dialect is generally an improve-
ment, so far as relates to the ease of
pronunciation by the tongues of white
men. The name is commonly said to
denote Musical Waters, and the title
would be well deserved, but according to
the late Dr. Rand, an authority, the real
word is Madabegeak, " roughlv flowing,"

CArSAPSCAL, METAPEDIA RIIER

olonial Route

which is literally correct. Through the
green valley it winds in graceful curves,
singing the music of the waters as it runs.
In thirty miles of its course it has 222
rapids, great and small, now swift and
deep, now gently rippling over beds of
shining gravel and golden sand. Here
aiul there are the deeper pools in which
lurk salmon of astounding size, for this is
one of the salmon streams of which every
fisherman has heard. l-'or mile after
mile the traveller watches the coiu'se of
the river, so strangely pent in by the
mountains on either hand, rising in everv

41

shape which inountaiiis can assume.
Some are ahnost perfect cones ; others
rise swiftly into precipices ; and others
have such gentle slopes that one feels that
he would like to stroll leisurely upward
to the summit, but the height, as a rule,
is from six hundred to eight hundred
feet. In some places in the Metapedia
the river, the highway, and the railway
crowd each other for a passage, so narrow
is the valley. All kinds of foliage, and
all shades of Nature's colors are upon the
hillsides ; and in the autumn, when the
grand transformation of hues takes place,
the effect is magnificent beyond descrip-
tion . Grass}' banks make eas}^ the path
of the angler, as the lordly fish dart from
the pools to seize his hook. Beauty is
everywhere ; here all the charms of
retirement can be found in a Northern
paradise. Switzerland lives in miniature
amid the mountains, while England and
Scotland are around the lakes, streams
and springy heather.

Gun and Rod in the Metapedia

Some moose are still to be traced in the
vicinity of the Metapedia valley, but if
one seeks for them he will do better by
penetrating the wilds of the Gaspe
Peninsula or on the Restigouche. Cari-
bou, however, are still to be found in
abundance in all parts of the country,
and the trapper will be at no loss to find
the haunts of the beaver and many other
fur-bearing animals. Partridge are to be
had everywhere, close to the line of rail-
way, and very often can be shot without
leaving the track.

The Metapedia owes its chief fame to
the salmon fishing, which is found every-
where for at least forty miles along the
course of the stream, to say nothing of
the other rivers by which it is joined.
One of these is the Causapscal, and some
rare fishing is enjoyed at the forks,
where the Princess Louise once landed a
forty-pound salmon. Further up, the
Causapscal is rather rough along its
banks, and merits its name, which
means, in the English tongue, the Rocky
River.

The best fishing in this vicinity is from
the middle of June to the middle of July.
Trout may be caught with ease all
through the season, not only in the riv-
ers, but at such places as Am qui and
Trout lakes. The INIetapedia trout are
as large as some fish which pass for sal-
mon in other countries. Where forty and
fifty pound salmon exist, seven pound
trout are only in proportion, as they
should be. At Assametquaghan (a place
more beautiful than its name), at Mc-
Kinnon Brook, and at Millstream, will
be found particularly good fishing. A
party of two men has gone out of an
afternoon and remained until noon the
next day, securing nearly 250 pounds of .
trout, each one averaging four pounds in
weight, but many running as high as
seven pounds.

At the junction of the INIetapedia river
with the Restigouche is Metapedia sta-
tion and village. Close at hand is the
house of the Restigouche Salmon Club,
the members of which are men to whom
money is no object in the carrying out of
their ideas. The club is composed to a
large extent of wealthy resident^ of New
York and other cities of the United
States, who are willing to pay well for
the royal sport which this part of the
countr}' affords. A calculation of the ex-
penses some years ago showed that in
one season 1^25 was expended for every
salmon caiight, while in another season
the figure was as high as $t,j. This was
not because salmon were scarce, for in
the first named season the number se-
cured was 1,130, and they averaged 22 J^
pounds each, but it was because the club
paid out nearl}- ^^30,000, not including
such incidentals as servants' wages, rail-
way fares and express charges. In the
following season 1,480 salmon were
killed, but the expenses that year were
over 154,000. Taking all the fishing
rivers of this part of Quebec and of the
north shore of New Brunswick, the
amount expended b}- clubs and individ-
ual lessees, season after season, is some-
thing enormous.

It is a rijle of the Restigouche Salmon

42

Clul) that no inciuhcr or his ^iiesl sliall
kill more than eight sahuou in one da\'s
fishin_<^ on waters controlled by the club.
The line has to 1)e drawn somewhere,
and eight is considered a reasonable
number.

This part of the Metapedia is a place of
singular beauty, and the charm of the
scenery of mountain, valley and winding
river, appeals to all that is artistic in the
soul of the traveller.

From Metapedia station the Atlantic
and Lake Superior railway goes down
into the Gaspe Peninsula a distance
of loo miles to New Carlisle, and it
is intended to go as far as Gaspe
Basin. This is one of the ways by which
this land of the fisher may be visited, the
traveller connecting with the steamer at
some of the points at which it calls on its
regular trip between Dalhgusie and
Gaspe Basin. The other way is to take
the steamer direct from Dalhousie. In
connection with the latter route a more
extended reference will be made to the

peninsula and its attractions for the
tourist.

Leaving ]Meta])edia. the Restigouche
river is seen, and he who looks uj)on it
sees one of the most famous of the great
salmon streams. The Restigouche is
crossed by the Intercolonial Railway on a
most substantial bridge, over one thous-
and feet in length. A few miles beyond
this the railway passes through its only
overhead tunnel, at Morrissey Rock, on
the side of Prospect Mountain. When
one is at Campbellton, a trip to the top of
this rock will be well repaid by the mag-
nificent view which may be had of the
beautiful country for miles around.

At the Head of the Tide a bright
picture meets the eye. The river is
thickly dotted with low-lying islands,
rich with meadow lands, their hues of
green contrasting finely with the silver
surface of the river. In truth this ])art
of the road is a succession of bright pic-
tures— a panorama, wherein are shown
some of Nature's fairest scenes.

IN THE METAPEOrA ]' ALLEY

Intcicolonia/ Routi'

43

In Northern New Brunswick

AMPRRLLTON,
on the south side
of the boimdarv
river Resti-
s^ouche, is the first
place in New
Brunswick seen
by the traveller
from Quebec. It
is a town of some
4,000 people and
is rapidly growin^r. It is a very con-
venient centre of operations for the
fisherman and hunter of game, and
though it has not catered to tourist
travel by the erection of a summer resort
hotel, it is realh* an attractive place in
itself and its surroundings. Thvis it has
great possibilities. It is conveniently
situated, because it is a central point on
the line of the Intercolonial, neither too
far south for the people who are above
nor too far north for those who are below.
It is 466 miles from INIontreal, 303
miles from Quebec, 371 from Halifax,
and 274 from ,St. John, and it lies
amidst one of the finest regions for
sport on the continent. The Restigouche
and Metapedia, with their tributaries.
aflFord only a part of the splendid fishing
to be had, while the land to the west and
north contains all manner of game to en-
tice the sportsman to its forests. Besides,
Campbellton is on the estuary of the
Restigouche emptying in tlie famous Baie
de Chaleur, which is of itself worth
coming from afar to sail upon ; and it is
convenient as a cool, but not cold,
summer resort, with every facility for
salt-water bathing, salt-water fishing and
a good time generally. The situation is
beautiful, because Campbellton lies at a
point on a broad and beautiful river
which unites with the waters of a bav

that has no rival in Canada. Beautiful,
becau.se the mountains rise near and far,
their cones pointing heavenward with a
grandeur not to be descril)eil, while
the varying shades are blended with a
harmony which all may admire, but
which can be appreciated only by the
artist.

There is fine scenerv in whatever
direction one may go in this vicinitv,
and the principal roads are easy for either
carriage or bicycle. Mention has already
been made of the view from the top of
Morrisse}^ Rock, but a still broader and
grander outlook may be had b}" climbing
the Sugar Loaf, a mountain some 950 feet
high, close to the town. The view embraces
mountain, valley, river and sea for manv
miles and is well worth the somewhat
steep climb.

On the north side of the river, opposite
the town, is Cross Point, the old Oigin-
agich, or Coiled Snake Point, of the
Micmacs, where Woodanki, or Indian
Town, dates its beginning far back among
the centuries. There is now an Indian
reserve of 840 acres, inhabited by 120
families, with a population of about 500
natives. They have a neat village, a
school taught by a native teacher and are
aver)^ orderh' people. The mission is in
charge of the Capuchin Fathers, who
have had a monastery here since 1894.
There had been a mission here, however,
for more than two centuries before they
took charge, the beginning of the work
dating back to the early days of the
Recollets in Canada.

Both boating and bathing may be en-
joyed to any desired extent in the waters
around Campbellton, and the fame of the
Restigouche salmon and trout speaks as
to the fishing. It was a Restigouche sal-
mon that tipped the scale at fifty-four

45

pounds, and nunil)ers have been caught
which were of the respectable weight of
forty pounds each. Sahnon fishing be-
gins about the middle of May, and all the
rivers abound with these great and glori-
ous fish.

After the river is clear, in the early part
of Ma}-, plenty of five and seven pound
trout can be caught in the tide with bait.
From the middle of May until July they
will take either fly or bait, but for good
fly-fishing take the month of July. Here

gards the lakes in the immediate vicinity
at Campbellton, the man who seeks for
trout will never be disappointed. The
favorite resorts are Parker Lake and In-
ner Parker Lake, the former of which
has a wide fame. It is not a large body
of water, as lakes go in this country, but
in its length of half a mile or so every
square yard would appear to contain a
trout weighing from half a pound to two
pounds. It is of no avail, however, to
go there with fancv tackle and a book

MORRrSSHV ROCK\ XEAR CAMPBELLTON, N.B.

Intel ojloitial Ron I,:

are some of the favorite haunts : Escu-
minac, 9 miles distant ; Little Nouvelle,
22 ; Little Cascapedia, about 45 or 50 by
steamer ; Parker Lake, 3 ; Head of Tide,
5 ; and Mission Lake, 3 miles from Cross
Point, on the opposite side of the river.
Giiides are easily obtained and are reli-
able men.

The rivers in question are on the north
side of the Bale de Chaleur, in the prov-
ince of Quebec, and further reference is
made to them on another page. As re-

of assorted files, for save at occasional
times in the month of June the fish will
not be tempted to rise to the surface.
The favorite bait is the agile grasshop-
per, and it never fails to do its w-ork.
One of the many instances of successful
fishing here, within the writer's knowl-
edge, is that of three men who in three
hours filled a huge wooden bread tray
and two large fishing baskets, and were
then obliged to leave a quantity of trout
because they had no way of carrying

46

IIk-iu home, even Ui(ui,l;1i the road to
Cainpbellton was all down hill. Parker
J^ake is situated on the hack of Su,L;ar
Loaf Mountain, and the aseent to it is a
trifle toilsome, hut an hour or two
aroimd it will repa}- even a climb on
foot. Ciood canipino ground is found
here, as indeed is almost invariably the
case with the lakes in this part of Ameri-
ca. The lake is on private property, but
a gentleman will not find it difficult to
obtain a permit to satisfy himself as
to its resources. The station agent

the\' are ])rone lo linger long. The Baie
de Chaleur and the rivers that empty
into it have been their favorite havuits
since a " time whereof the memory of
man runneth not to the contrary." A
few years ago a man killed fourteen
black duck at one shot, on the Little
]Muni river.

As a matter of course, jiartridge are
plent}', and so are snipe, in their season.
Plover are found at times, but not in
large numbers.

Caribou are very abundant on both

THE DYIXG ?iIOXARCH

or any of the hotel-keepers, can give
him all the information he desires as
to the fishing in any part of this coun-
try.

In the autumn and spring the wild
geese hover around the shores of the
Restigouche in immense flocks, while all
the many species of duck known to this
latitude are on the wing by thousands.
Nor do the wild fowl look upon the
mouth of the Restigouche as a mere way
station in their journey. They linger
there, and where there is open water

Iiilt'i colonial Roiile

sides of the river. They occasionally
show themselves around the barnyards of
farmers in the smaller settlements. Even
the boys go hunting big gaine in this
part of the country, and a fine caribou
was shot by the twelve-year-old son of
Mr. liarbarie, the station agent, a short
distance from Cam])bellton, during a re-
cent winter.

]\Ioose and deer are the reward of those
who look for them around the Resti-
gouche, and the restrictive laws of a few
years aaro have increased the numbers.

47

Bear and loup-cervier are also easy game
to find.

On the l^csti^ouchc l^ivcr

The Restii^ouche is part of the northern
boiindary of New Brunswick, and if its
length of two hundred miles were in a
straight line it would reach quite across
the province. The line is only not
straight, but makes some extraordinary
bends between- its source near Lake
Metis and its mouth at Baie de Chaleur.
The distance between ^reta]iedia and

straight distances between them. The
occasional rapids are not dangerous, and
a canoe voyage over the broad and beau-
tiful stream is an experience which nuist
be long and pleasantly remembered. The
high and thickly wooded hills form steep
banks in many places, and their rich
verdure is reflected in the calm waters as
in a mirror. Looking further into the
clear depths the salmon may be seen
moving lazily on the pebbled bottom,
waiting only for the tempting fly to lure
them to the 'surface. Tliis i>^ ii<") un-

A MOR.\IXG CATCH OF RESTIGOCCHE SALMO.X

Intercolonial Route

Patapediac, for instance, is 37 miles by
the river, but onl}' 21 miles in a direct
line. It is but six and a half miles from
Upsalquitch to Brandy Brook by land,
but it is not le.ss than thirteen miles by
the river. Even more remarkable is the
bend at Cross Point, a few miles further
up, where a walk of a few hundred feet
across a strip of land will save a journey
of about a mile b}' water. Yet the river
is not really crooked ; it simph- has
abrupt bends, with long stretches of

common sight on any part of the Resti-
gouche. Even at the railway bridge as
many as a hundred salmon have been
seen swimming slowly around at one
time, and it is probable that more or less
of them could be seen almost any day in
the season were the train to stop so that
the passengers could have a look at the
water. It is no idle boast to say that the
Restigouche is the finest salmon river in
the world.

Some mav wontler at the Indians with

48

their matter-of-fact habits of iioinencki-
ture did not bestow the title of River of
Fish on this noble stream. That they
failed to do so may be accounted for on
two grounds : First, that salmon were
then even more abundant in all the rivers
than they are to-day ; and next, because
they had another and more significant
title. The word "Restigouche,'' which is
a corruption of "I^ust-a-gooch," has had
various interpretations given it. Many
have believed that it signifies "river that
divides like a hand, ' ' but the late Sam
Suke was of the opinion that those words
were the translation of "Upsalquitch."
Others have asserted, upon some un-
named authority, that Restigouche is
"Broad River," but the old missionarv
chronicles give the meaning as "River of
the Long War." This war is said to
have had its origin in a quarrel between
two boys over the possession of a white
squirrel. The misunderstanding lasted
forty years, by which time, presumably,
the squirrel had ceased to be of commer-
cial value to either of the claimants.

The aboriginal designation of all this
region was Papechigunach, the place of
spring amusements, which doubtless had
reference to some great annual pow-wow
in the times of peace. It is the place of
the white man's summer sport to-day.

The head waters of the river lie near
Lake Metis in one direction and the trib-
utaries of the St. John in another, and
for nuich of its length it flows through a
dense wilderness as yet undesecrated by
man. The country drained by it and its
tributaries includes more than two thous-
and sciuare miles in Quebec and New
Brunswick, and is a land of mountains
and valleys — the former rising grandly
two thousand feet towards the clouds ;
the latter having forests in which soli-
tude and silence reign. In these regions
there are lakes where the beaver has no
one to molest nor make it afraid ; there
are gorges whose rocks have never echoed
the report of a gun ; there are miles upon
miles which have never been explored,
and where the creatures of the forest
roam as freely as they did a hundred

years ago. One can retire into the heart
of New Brunswick and reach rivers
which lead to all points, such as Tobique
and St. John, Nepisiguit, Miramichi and
others of lesser note, as well as the rivers
which run to the St. Lawrence.

The estuary of the Restigouche is a
beautiful sheet of water, more like a lake
than the outlet of a river. It extends
from Dalhousie to where the tide and the
fresh water meet, eight miles below
Metapedia, and in some places is three
miles wide. Ascending the river the first
place of interest is the site of Petit
Rochelle, three miles above Point Bourdo,
destroyed by the British, under Captain
Byron, in July, 1760. Byron, with a fleet
of five vessels, attacked four French
vessels which had run up the stream to
this point. After five hours of fierce
combat, two of the French frigates were
sunk. The remaining two sought shelter
under the stone battery at Indian
Village, but in doing so one of them, Le
Marquis de Marloize, went ashore, leav-
ing Le Bienfaisant at fearful odds against
the five vessels of the English. The
captain was ordered to haul down his
flag, but instead of obeying he went
below, applied a light to the magazine
and blew his vessel to atoms. Byron
then went ashore with his men and
burned the villages at Bourdo and Petit
Rochelle, and onU' the ruins of what was
then a place with a population of 300
families are to be seen at the present day.

Passing the mouth of the Metapedia,
a distance of seven miles brings the voy-
ageur to the mouth of the Upsalquitch,
the "river that divides like a hand."
Here is seen Squaditch, or the Squaw
Cap, a mountain 2,000 feet in height,
and if one cares to ascend to L^psalquitch
Lake he will find another conical cap
which rises to the height of 2,186 feet.
Should he continue his journey beyond
the lake, he will reach the head waters
of the Nepisiguit, by which he can reach
Baie de Chaleur at Bathurst, or the head
waters of the Tobique, by which he can
descend the St. John to the Bay of
I'undv.

49

About tweuty-nme miles above the
Upsalquitch is the Patapediac, by which
the Metis and other rivers emptying into
the Lower St. Lawrence may be reached.
Then comes the Ouatawamkedgwick,
and a trip of about six miles up its
waters will bring the angler to a spot
famous for seven and eight pounds sea
trout. This river leads to the head waters
of the Rimouski.

By following the Restigouche into the
Wagansis, a portage of about three miles
will bring one to the Grand River, a
tributary of the St. John. The Temis-
couata and Squatook Lakes may also be
reached — indeed, the by-paths in the
wilderness are innumerable, for streams
run in all directions. All of any size are
safe for canoe navigation, even with
ladies in the party, and all abound with
the finest of fish.

Dalhousic

One of the fairest spots on the line of
the Intercolonial is found at the town of
Dalhousie. Even when this place was
not connected with the railway it at-
tracted large numbers of visitors, and
now that it is so easy of access it is one
of the most popular of summer resorts.
Its location at the mouth of the Resti-
gouche, where the glorious Baie de Cha-
leur begins, would in any event make
the site one of unusual beauty; but nature
has done much for Dalhousie in giving
it hills and heights which command a
prospect of sea and land as far as the
eye can reach. All varieties of scenery
may here be found, from the gently mur-
muring groves to the rugged rocks of
most fantastic form which in places skirt
the shore. The harbor, with a depth of
more than ten fathoms, and in places
from fifteen to twenty fathoms, is an ex-
cellent one for all purposes. Protected
by a natural breakwater of islands, it is
perfectly safe for all kinds of boating,
and is large enough to afford an abun-
dance of room for recreation. Beyond it
are the broad river Restigouche and the
Baie de Chaleur. Fine beaches and

water of moderate temperature tempt the
bather. The sheltered position of the
place gives it a freedom from raw winds,
and fog, that terror of so many tourists,
is never known around this shore. It is
not only a spot where the strong and
healthy may enjoy themselves, but it is
one where the weak may become strong,
and the invalid take a new lease of life.

The views in the vicinity are such as to
charm every lover of the beautiful. To
the north the bay at the mouth of the
Restigouche is only about six miles wide
so that Point Maguasha and the hills on
the Gaspe side are seen to advantage.
Nearer at hand, the varying shades of
the summer foliage are seen in striking
contrast with the bright red rock which
here and tliere stands out in bold relief
upon the hillside. To the southward and
westward La Baie de Chaleur widens to
the magnificent proportions which entitle
it to the name of a sea, while as far as
the eye can reach along its southern
shore are seen the white houses and the
tapering spires of the distant villages.

The visitor to Dalhousie need never
lack for recreation, apart from the sail-
ing, bathing and fishing. There is a fine
beach for long walks, and there are good
roads for carriage or cycle. They lead to
man}' pleasant places, and one of these
is Mount Dalhousie. From this moun-
tain there is a fine view of the country,
but notably attractive is that which em-
braces Campbellton and the Restigouche
river.

Boats and boatmen can be had at the
beach at all times, and excursions may
be made to various parts of the ba}' at a
moderate cost. The favorite trips are to
Carleton and INIaguasha, on the Gaspe
side, and Eel River and Charlo, on the
New Brunswick shore.

Dalhousie has several hotels which are
in favor with the travelling public. It is
the shiretown of Restigouche county, has
a population of about 2,700 and does a
large business in the shipment of lumber
by water to ports on the other side of the
ocean.

50

Along the Gaspe Shore

ASPE Pen-
insula has
been d e -
scribed as
a huge
finger,
reaching
out from
the con-
tinent

into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The
proportions of length and breadth, how-
ever, are rather those of a thumb,
and a thumb that has been hit by a
hammer. In straight-away measure-
ment, it has a length of about 1 20 miles
and a breadth of some 90 miles in the
widest part. This means an area of more
than 10,000 sqiiare miles, all of which is
included in the two counties of Bonaven-
ture and Gaspe. If this large territory
were equally' divided among the 45,000
inhabitants, or rather, among the 7,000
families, each would have a farm of very
respectable size. As it is, farming is only
a secondary consideration with the peo-
ple. This is not for the want of good
laud. Apart from the thousands of miles
of untillable mountain and forest, there
is an abundance of rich soil which needs
but cultivation to prove its fertility, and
which may be had on easy conditions.
The government of Quebec has nearly a
million of acres which await the settler
on this peninsula, much of it at the price
of twenty cents an acre, while the best is
only fifty cents an acre.

That the land does not attract the peo-
ple is due to the surpassing wealth of the
waters. The Gaspe fisheries are the rich-
est in the world. This part of America is
pre-eminenth' the region of fish, and was
famed as such even before Columbus dis-
covered what he believed to be a new

continent. It was the fishing ground of
the Norseman at least eight hundred
years ago, and probal)ly of the Basques
centuries before that. This is a reason-
able belief, even though the fishery sta-
tistics for that period are not available.

The land of Gaspe is out of the route
of general travel, and emphatically out
of the rut. To the tourist who is not in-
formed on the subject, the country has
not a promising look on the face of the
map. The greater part of it seems to
consist of mountains, the settlements
look to be merely a fringe around the
shore, and the interior is unmarked by
any evidence of human habitation. In
this interior, over an area of hundreds of
miles, there are neither towns or vil-
lages ; there are no railways ; there are
not even highwaj-s. It is this vmoccupied
territory that is the land of the hunter.
The attraction for the summer toiirist is
around the shores.

There are several ways of making the
tour of the shores of Gaspe. Mention has
been made of the Atlantic and Lake
Superior railway from Metapedia. If
one is not pressed for time, a delightful
carriage journey may be made on the
highway, starting from Cross Point, op-
posite Campbellton, and continuing as
far as may be desired. The excursion
may be continued all around Gaspe
county to Cape Chatte, on the St. Law-
rence, over a highway which is close to
the sea for the greater part of the dis-
tance of 280 miles. For most of this dis-
tance the road is level and the journey is
made with ease. From Cape Chatte one
can push forward to Metis and connect
with the Intercolonial Railway.

The usual way of visiting the penin-
sula is to take the steamer which leaves
Dalhousie twice a week dviring the sea-

52

soil of navig^ation. This steamer calls
regularly at the more important points
along the coast, and at any others when
there are passengers or freight to be
taken aboard or put ashore. The trip is
a delightful one, and the numerous ports
of call permit of the traveller going
ashore at this or that place, continuing
the journey by land as far as he pleases,
and resuming the steamer route when it
mav suit his convenience. There are

In all but a few districts, and these are
found in the first part of the journey,
fishing is the great industry of the
people.

Truly, a pleasant journey it is along
this main street of the big peninsula. On
the one hand is the sea, as calm at this
season as it can be turbulent when lashed
by the gales of spring and autumn. On
its smooth surface, far and near, is an
ever-changing panorama, in which all

THE WEALTH OF THE WA TERS OF GASPE

Intercolonial Route

parts of the shore where it is a pleasiu'e,
if not a luxury, for the worn and wear}'
pilgrim from the busy world to travel for
mile after mile in sight of the summer
sea. From Cross Point to Port Daniel,
for instance, the highway is like one long
village street. The settlement is practi-
cally continuous, a church every ten miles
or so telling of the different parishes.
The population is chiefly Roman Catholic
and the prevailing language is French.

kinds of craft, from the tiny boat to the
stately ship and ocean steamer, have
their place. The waters are a source of
delight to the eye, while cool breezes
temper the heat of the midsummer sun.
On the other hand rise the eternal hills,
mountains overtopping mountains, some
of thciu, far in the interior, rising to a
height of 4,000 feet, clad in the darker
hues of ancient forest growth. There are
places where the mountains leave but a

53

narrow strip between their base and the
sea, while again they are so far off that
the sunshine on their foliage blends it in
harmony with the rocky cliffs that here
and there stand out against the sky.

Following the shore from Cross Point,
the first place of note is Nouvelle, at the
head of the Bate de Chaleur and just out-
side of Restigouche Bay, with a river
famed for the size and abundance of its
trout. The Nouvelle Basin opens into
Tracadigache Bay. " Tracadigache " is
understood to mean Little Tracadie, and
"Tracadie" denotes a camping ground.
The latter name will be met with again
in each of the maritime provinces.

Carleton, reached by rail, steamer or
highwaj', is a village which is crowded
between the mountains and the sea for a
distance of several miles, var3-ing in
width from considerably less than a mile
up to a mile and a half. From the rear
of the farms rises a chain of hills more
than 1, 800 feet in altitude, and when one
has scaled these heights he will find hills
beyond hills and mountains beyond
mountains, f^r away into the interior.
The people here are not fishermen, but
farmers, and it is in connection with
farming that most of the fishing is done
in this part of the country. Herring are
used by the ton to fertilize the potato
fields, thousands of barrels of them being
scattered over the land and ploughed
in, season after season. The last re-
turns put the potato crop of Carleton
at about 50,000 bushels, which makes
an average of a third of a thousand
bushels to each of the 150 families in the
parish.

Carleton was settled b}- the French,
who sought a refuge here after the dis-
persion of their race in Acadia. They
came to stay, and the fact that in a pop-
ulation of ] ,078 the census gives only
four who are not French-Canadians
would imply that there is little danger of
the Acadian being crowded out in the
immediate future.

During the summer months, however,
there is an increase in the English popu-
lation, and one of a verv desirable kind.

A number of residents of Ottawa, Mont-
real and Quebec, spend their vacations
here, and tasteful cottages have been
built along the shore. A prominent Ot-
tawa physician sends patients here to get
the benefit of air which is not so strong
as that further down the coast, while the
bathing is all that can be desired. The
beach is excellent and the water warmer
than where there is a wider stretch of
sea. Along these shores are occasional
finds of "Gaspe pebbles," in the form of
jaspers and agates.

Adjoining the township of Carleton is
Maria, a quiet place where farming is the
chief occupation A few miles beyond
the village is the mouth of the Grand
Cascapedia, where there is an Indian
settlement. Further on and emptying
into the same ba}- is the Little Casca-
pedia. These are famous salmon
streams, and the former especially has a
truly royal reputation. Being the river
of the Governor-General of Canada, roy-
alty itself has delighted to lure the
kingly fish from the cool, clear pools
that are found along its banks.

New Richmond, at the head of Casca-
pedia Bay, is midwaj' between Carleton
and New Carlisle. It has a population of
about 2,000, and is a port of call for the
Gaspe steamers. There is also a daily
train service of the Atlantic and Lake
Superior railway. There is much of
quiet beauty to attract the tourist here,
and an abundance of drives on good roads
amid fine scenery. The bathing is excel-
lent, and it is needless to say that there is
good boating here, as there is in all parts
of the country. Here one is in the heart
of the great salmon fishing district, and,
while the rivers as a rule are leased, yet
visitors may easily obtain permission to
fish for trout in the latter part of the
season. Sea trout are also foiind at the
mouths of the rivers, and fishing for them
is free. The various kinds of salt water
fish that abound in this part of Canada
may be caught in the bay and harbor.
Good shooting for wild fowl may be had
in the spring and autumn . Partridge
abound in the woods, and this is a con-

54

venient base of operations for juoose aiid
caribou shooting. No less than five of the
Governors-General of Canada have made
New Richmond their summer home in-
cluding the Marcjuis of Lome, and his
consort the Princess Louise, Lord Lans-
downe and Lord Stanley, the two latter
building for themselves summer cottages.
Even since the Grand Cascapedia has
ceased to be the reserved river of the
Governors-General, Lord Aberdeen has
spent two summers at New Richmond,
and the Earl of Minto has also spent a
portion of one summer there. It will be
found a very pleasing summer resort for
those in search of rest and quiet.

Some Salmon Streams

The Grand Cascapedia leads all the
rivers of this part of Canada in the mat-
ter of fly-fishing for salmon. The re-
cords run to fish of over fift}- pounds in
weight. The wiiole of the Cascapedia
was formerly reserved for the Governor-
General, but portions of it are now under
lease.

.\mong the salmon rivers of note be-
tween the Restigouche and Gaspe Basin
are the Little Cascapedia, Bonaventure,
Grand and Little Pabos, Grand River,
St. John, York and Dartmouth, but these
by no means exhaust the list. The Grand
Rivermay be taken as a sample .stream,
having a dozen pools within sixteen
miles of the mouth. It is not a big river,
as might be inferred from the name, but
it is a fine one, abounding in striking
scenerv, and with crystal waters fed by
springs which make the stream of almost
icy coolness, even in the hottest days of
summer.

Before the Intercolonial Railway made
these rivers easily accessible to the
lovers of sport, fishing leases could
be secured at figures that would now
seem ridiculous. Twenty dollars was
then considered a fair price for a stream
that now costs |;2,ooo or more, and a river
to lease at the latter figure need not be
an extraordinary one. The Bonaventure
is an instance of such an advance in val-
ue, but it is a fine stream for sport. The

salmon taken on it have an average
weight of eighteen or twenty pounds. As
many as sixty-three such fish have been
counted lying and lurking in a pool and
refusing to give a satisfactory account of
themselves. This happened in August,
when the water was low and warm, and
when the fish not only declined to rise to
the Ry but scarcely deigned to move
when stirred up with the end of a rod.

New Carlisle

The upper part of the Baie de Chaleur
has a width often miles or so atCarleton,
but widens out to nearly double that dis-
tance at Cascapedia Bay and has a rapid
widening near Point Bonaventure, due to
the capacious Nepisiguit Bay, on the New
Brunswick side. For the first hundred
miles of the trip by water, until after the
steamer gets out of the bay and into the
Gulf, the shores of New Brunswick are in
sight to the southward, and so, too, are
they in view when one is at the villages
along the Gaspe coast. The prospect of
the broad and beautiful bay, with the
land in the distance, is most entrancing,
and at no time is it more so than when,
at earl}- morning or just before sunset,
one has climbed the mountain height and
has revealed to him all the glories of the
broad vista before him. Of the Baie de
Chaleur itself, more is told elsewhere in
these pages, and reference is made to the
mysterious phantom light. The people
along this shore have seen the light, as
have their New Brunswick neighbors,
both in summer and winter, and are
equally at a loss to explain what it is or
why it should be.

New Carlisle is the shiretown of Bona-
venture county and has a population of
about 800. Here the English and Scotch
are in the majority, for the place was
settled by Li^nited Empire Loyalists at the
close of the American Revolution, liberal
grants being made to them. At that
time Gaspe was a province of itself and
had its own lieutenant-governor, who re-
sided a part of the time at New Carlisle
and the remainder at Perce and Gaspe
Basin.

55

There is much that is attractive about
New Carlisle. The town is situated about
half way between the Grand Bonaventure
and Nouvelle rivers, and either of these
fishing streams is reached by a drive of
Jten miles. For a short drive, the road to
Paspebiac, three miles distant, is all that
could be desired. Black Lake, a mile
and a half back of the town, is an admir-
able picnic ground.

The beach at New Carlisle is admirably
adapted to the requirements of bathers.
It is smooth, free from obstructions, and
its attractiveness is added to by a fine
growth of woods which skirts the shore

one of more than common importance in
this part of the country. As the steamer
draws near, the most conspicuous objects
are two immense storehouses, painted
white with red trimmings, and a numl^er
of smaller buildings showing the like
colors. On the fronts of the large build-
ings, respectively, are merely the initials
"B. B." and " C. R. C." Brief as are
these inscriptions, they mean a great deal
in the past and present of the history of
Gaspe Peninsula. The " C. R. C." has
been a power in the country for more
than a hundred years. Its beginning,
indeed, dates back to the time when the

av THE BO.\A\'E.\Trki: RIl'ER

Inlet colonial Route

and affords a grateful shade from the
summer sun.

Good board can be obtained in this
vicinity at very reasonable rates, and
teams are always to be had for excursions
into the surrounding countr}-.

New Carlisle, as before mentioned, is
the present eastern terminus of the
Atlantic and Lake Superior railway. A
part of the company's plan is a steamer
between this point and Gaspe Basin.

Where Codfish is Kin^

Just below New Carlisle, three miles
distant, is Paspebiac, a busy place and

English-speaking people on this contin-
ent, from the Gulf of Mexico to Hudson
Bay, were loyal subjects of King George
the Third, in the earlier and happier
years of his reign. It was in 1766 that
Charles Robin, the founder of the house,
left his native island of Jersey in the brig
" Sea Flower," crossed the Atlantic and
explored the Gulf of St. Lawrence to
find a suitable place for the pursuit of
the fishing trade. He found the finest
codfishing waters on the face of the
globe, and he saw before him a magni-
ficent future. Casting anchor at Paspe-
biac, he began a most important era in

56

the history of the country. I'ortune
attended his ventures and for twelve
years he prospered even beyond his early
dreams. Then came disaster. Ens^land
and her colonies were at war with each
other, and though it is doubtful if the
fishers of Gaspe took much interest in
the struggle, they were ere long brought
to a painful realization of the fact that
there was a war. Two privateers, manned
by New England sailors, sailed into the
Baie de Chaleur, made their way to Pas-
pebiac and plundered the stores of all
that could be conveniently taken awaj'.
They also made prizes of Mr. Robin's
two fishing vessels and sailed away to the
Restigouche in quest of new laurels. It
was but a small satisfaction to the des-
poiled Jerseyman that both privateers
and prizes were soon after taken by
British war vessels, for the salvage he
was required to pa}- so crippled his opera-
tions that he returned to his native
island. After the peace, in 1783, he re-
turned to the fishing grounds, and since
then the name of Charles Robin & Co. ,
or " C. R. C," as it is usually called, has
been to Gaspe much as the name of the
Hudson Bay Compan}- was, in its da}-, to
the far north land. The house of
LeBoutillier Brothers, " B.B.," came at a
later date, and these two concerns have
practicall}- ruled the fishing trade of the
entire coast. There are, indeed, other
fishing establishments, here and there,
but they are not man}- in number, and
the operations are on a very much smaller
scale

The " C. R. C. " has owed its success,
first, to the wonderful fisheries of these
waters, and next, to its strict and unvary-
ing business methods. Its agents and
clerks are from over the sea, and in
almost every instance from the small but
closely peopled island of Jersey. Until a
few years ago, it was an imperative rule
that not one of these emjjloyes could
have a wife in this part of the world.
When this rule was broken, as was some-
times the case, " C. R. C." had no fur-
ther need of the ofTender's services. There
were married men among the agents and

clerks, it is true, but their wives and
families were in Jersey, to be visited at
intervals of about every two years. The
time for such vacation was in the winter,
the dull season, the ships leaving early in
December, flying swiftly before the north-
ward and westerly winds, and reaching
Jersey in time for Christmas greetings.

While "C. R. C." and " B. B." are
found all along the coast, and notably at
Perce, their chief stores are at Paspebiac,
on a curious bar which is part of a tri-
angle, enclosing a barrachois and reach-
ing out from the mainland, a mile in
length and several hundred feet in
breadth. The exteriors of the great
structures give token of the immense
business done, but when one views the
interiors the astonishment at the extent
and completeness of the operations is in-
creased tenfold. From here go fish to
many a foreign land, over the sea to the
south and to the east. Great, too, is the
export of that valuable product of the
cod, the oil. Much, also, in the way of
merchandise, comes from over the sea to
Gaspe. The stores of these big concerns
seem to have everj-thing that can be de-
sired, not only in such necessaries as
food and raiment, but in what are luxuries
in the lives of the fisher folk. There
was a time when everything was imported
from across the ocean, but in these days
the concerns buy Canadian products when
they can do so to advantage, though
much still comes from the British markets.
The original Charles Robin returned to
Jersey, a millionaire, in 1802, leaving the
control of the business to his nephews, to
be conducted on a strict, unvarying code
of laws. In this way the operations have
been carried on year after year, even
though those who are really " C. R. C "
to-day have their habitation thousands of
miles beyond the sea. Everything is
done by rigid system, and the most
minute details, if within the rules, are as
faithfully adhered to as are the most
essential regulations.

Now and again one reads of destitution,
and even famine, among the fishermen of
Newfoundland or the people of Labrador.

57

No such calamity ever comes to Gaspe,
There are poor people here, as there are
everywhere, and some of them are very
poor, but the fisherman who brings his
catch to the great concerns during the
summer and autumn has no fear of hunger
and want in the long, cold winter. He
will be provided for, and though he may
find himself in debt in the spring, he
knows that there are more fish in the sea
for him, if he lives ; if he die, what

cerns. While ever\-thing around Paspe-
biac tells of l)usiness, there is also, apart
from the business, much that appeals to
the eye by its beauty.

Reference has been made to the fisheries
of Gaspe as being the finest in the w'orld.
This is no mere boast. Much has been
heard of Newfoundland, but Gaspe places
itself ahead of even that world-renowned
home of the cod. As to quality, the fish
caught in this portion of the Gulf have

SPLITTIXG COD IN GASPE

')louial Route

matter ? He will have had a living, as
his father and grandfather had before
him. In this way the toilers of the sea
are apt to become fatalists.

Paspebiac has more than the great
stores, warehouses and packing establish-
ments. Back from the shore, surrounded
by well kept grounds, are dwellings
characterized by taste, and even elegance,
in their appearance, where reside those
who are employes of the gigantic con-

probably no equals. Here is their great
feeding place. Here they find the smelt,
the capelin and the young fry of the vast
schools of herring which make the Gulf
and its bays their spawning ground. The
cod taken in these waters in the summer
and autumn are, therefore, in the best
condition, the fatness of their livers
giving abundant evidence of their vigor.
The value of the fisheries of Gaspe may
be put at about a million dollars a year.

58

Ill some years it is much more, and in the
■county of Gaspe alone, inchulin}^ the
Magdalen Islands, there are seasons when
the value is considerably over three-
quarters of a million. In the two counties
about a score of vessels and 4,500 boats
are employed in the work and they are
manned by some 8,000 men, exclusive of
those emplo3'ed on the shore. The nets
and seines used, if fastened one to the
other in a single line, would reach around
the coast of the Gaspe Peninsula so as to
leave no opening between the mouth of
Restigouche Bay and Cape Chatte, at the
boundary of Gaspe county on the vSt.
Lawrence, a distance of about 250 miles.
"Vet Gaspe and Bonaventure are onh' a
part of the " Gulf Division " of the fish-
eries of Canada.

The cod is not the only source of
wealth afforded by these waters. About
one hundred and fifty tons of salmon,
taken from the sea off the coast, are ex-
ported in ice each season, to say nothing
of the salted salmon. Of herring there
are vast quantities, and when there are
off seasons in which they are less abun-
dant than usual the effect is marked in
the decrease of the great staple of cod.
In some recent years 40,000 barrels of
herring have been secured for bait, and
there have been years when twice that
quantity has been used for manure. In
an ordinary year about 25,000 barrels of
herring are sent away salted, while large
quantities are shipped fresh, frozen or
smoked. More than a million pounds of
canned lobsters are sent away in an
average season, while tons of thetn are
shipped fresh from the sea. Then there
are mackerel, hake, haddock and halibut,
as well as sea trout and smelt. Tliis is,
in truth, a great country for fish.

In this part of the world codfish is
king. The harvest of the dried fish
amounts to about fifteen million pounds
in some years, while such products of the
cod as oil, tongues and soimds, are put up
and shipped in like proportion.

The summer codfishing usually begins
early in May and continues until the
middle of August, after which the fish

are not in good condition until Se])tember
or October, when the fall fishing begins
and is continued initil the early winter.
When there is an abundance of small
herring, the catches of cod are sometimes
enormous. In the autunm of a recent
good year there was a period when some
of the boats at Paspebiac landed as many
as thirty drafts each in a week. There
are times in the summer when the fisher-
men cease to take cod, simply because
the fish cannot be split and salted as
rapidly as they are l)rought ashore.
Continuing to take them would be a
wilful waste. This, however, is not an
annual occurrence. There are off years
in fishing, as in farming, when herring
are scarce and the catch of cod below the
average. If every year were a good one,
the Gaspe fisher wouia have little to
trouble his mind.

From Paspebiac onward, in the proper
seasons, all phases of the fishing opera-
tions may be seen, from the bringing
ashore of the shining catch to the final
turning of the split and dried fish on the
flakes. These flakes are rough frames of
poles and boughs, at a convenient height
from the ground, on which are laid the
salted fish to be cured by the sun and the
breeze. During this process they are
tended with great care, and turned and
turned again, day by day, until they are
the dried cod of commerce, ready to be
shipped to Europe, South America, the
West Indies, or any other part of the
world where codfish may be in demand.
Acres of these drying fish may be seen
spread out in the fields, and there are
huge circular piles of thoroughly cured
fish, which look, at a distance, like
gigantic grindstones or the foundation
tiers of martello towers.

Scenes of Sad Stories

Below Paspebiac the lobster fishery be-
gins to assume larger proportions, at such
places as Nouvelle, Port Daniel, Shiga-
wake and L'Anse aux Gascons. The can-
ning factories form an important industry
on this part of the coast.

It was at Port Daniel that Jacques

59

■y

'. I'l.V

Cartier cast anchor when scckint^ a haven
in the " Baie of Heat." The coast in
this vicinity is rough, and suggestive of
shipwrecks in stormy weather. There is
a grim suggestion, too, in the title of
Cap d'Enfer, ahas Cap au Diable, which
is to the eastward of the harbor. The
heights are rugged enough to make the
gloomy designation seem not altogether
inappropriate. A still more awesome
place, no less by its formidable rocks than
b}' its record of disaster, is Point au
Maquereau, or Mackerel Point, famous
for the wreck of the " Colborne " in the
midnight darkness of the night and
morning of the 15th and i6th of October,
1838.

Point au Maquereau marks the end of
the Baie de Chaleur, as does Miscon
Island on the New Brunswick side, some
eighteen miles distant. The Point is also
the beginning of the boundary line be-
tween the counties of Bonaventure and
Gaspe. Bej'ond it lie Newport, Pabos
and Grand River townships. The rivers
of the two latter places have already been
referred to in connection with fly-fishing
for salmon. All along these shores of
the Gulf is the best of codfishing, while
the lobster trade assumes still larger pro-
portions than along the coast already
passed.

The next important headland, some
twenty-five miles to the eastward, is Cap
d'Espoir, or Cape Despair, as many pre-
fer to call it. It looks forbidding enough
to warrant the latter title, especially in
rough weather. At this point, two and a
quarter centuries ago, Denys found, or
thought he found, two winds blowing in
contrary directions. Here, too, in 1711.
one of Admiral Walker's ill-fated
squadron, which came to grief later in the
St. Lawrence, met its fate. This vessel
is believed to have been the "Feversham,"
carrying 36 gims and manned by 196
uien, all of whom were lost. The story
is told that the fishermen in this vicinity
found the hull of this ship lying on the
top of a cliff, twenty feet above high
water, where it had been landed by a
mighty wave. There is a tradition that.

after this disaster, tliere were nights
when, all being calm, a storm would sud-
denly rage, and in the midst of it a phan-
tom frigate would be driven on the rocks,
the cries of those on board rising above
the tempest. Then there would be a
crash, the frigate would disappear, the
storm would cease, and quiet would again
prevail upon the waters.

Perce and the Rock

Not until one sees Perce can he have
an adequate conception of the beauty of
the scenery of the eastern end of the
Gaspe Peninsula, and having once seen
it, he realizes the difficulty of doing it
even scanty justice by any attempt at
verbal description. It is one of the places
in regard to which language fails to con-
vey to those at a distance a correct idea
of what is revealed to the eye. Especi-
ally is the impression strong when one
has been landed from the steamer after
dark and awakes in the morning to get
his first look at the place in the clear
light of day. The term "clear" is not
idly used in this connection. In the
wonderful atmosphere of this part of the
gulf, the distinctness with which objects
are presented to the view is surprising.
In the case of Perce Rock it is almost
startling. Seen from the shore, this
singular natural monument stands out
against the sea and sky, as sharply de-
fined as if cut by the chisel of some
Titanic sculptor. It looms in solemn
grandeur as a revelation exceeding all
that the fancy had been led to anticipate.
In the early morning the sharp, bold out-
line of this huge mass of solid rock rises
in vivid contrast with the softened hues
of the cloudless heavens and the unruffled
r.ea, while the bright green turf which
mantles the promontory near at hand is
in no less contrast with the reddish tints
of the rugged cliffs which rise abruptly
from the waters at their base. He must
1)6 of a stolid nature who, at such a time,
is not impressed with a feeling of admira-
tion which is akin to reverence for the
handiwork of the Creator.

It is from this rock that Perc^ derives

61

its name. Imagine an island in the form
of a block of reddish conglomerate and
sandstone, springing with perpendicular
cliffs from the sea to a height of nearly
three hundred feet, with a length of about
fifteen hundred feet and a width of some
three hundred feet, each extremity seem-
ing as straight up and down as if cut to a
plumb line, and there is the first inipres-
sion of what the rock is like. Near the
outer end of this mass, and rising as
abruptly, is another rock, sugarloaf in
form, a clear channel separating the two.
This is the outer pillar of what was once
a natural arch, one of three mentioned in
the narratives of early explorers. Of
these three one has utterly disappeared.
The single arch remaining is near the
shoreward end of the great rock, and the
passing through it maj- be made at high
water by a good sized boat with full sail
set.

The top of the pierced rock is a green
plateau, the highest part being near the
mainland with an incline to the seaward,
and on this territory are gulls and cor-
morants, apparently numbering thou-
sands. A singular fact is that the colony
of the gulls and that of the cormorants
each has its well defined boundary, so
that Ihe intrusion of anj- of either species
on the possessions of the latter is the
cause of a terrible commotion, which
ceases onh' with a restoration of the
status in quo ante bellum. These con-
flicts occur very many times in the course
of a day. When hostilities are thus de-
clared, the contending forces rise in
clouds, filling the air with the noise of
their screaming and keeping up a terrific
din. The noise of these birds has its
uses to man at times. For many genera-
tions it has been of no small service to
the mariner on occasions when, in the
darkness and the storm, his course has
been guided by these signals which told
him of his bearings.

The top of the rock is not accessible to
the sightseer. The practicability of an
ascent by anybody was considered to be
out of the question for more than two
hundred rears after these shores were

settled, and when two adventurous
fellows accomplished the feat, early in
the past centur\-, great was the wonder
at their achievement. At only one point
was the ascent possible, and then it was
accomplished only at great hazard.
Others found the way there later, but as
the}' made havoc with the birds and their
nests, the authorities passed a by-law
which tabooed such incursions for the
future.

It could not be otherwise than that the
rock should have its phantoms. The
Indians, with their keen sense of the sub-
lime, peopled all this land with good and
evil spirits, while still more weird stories
have been handed down from the early
days of the French regime. " Le genie
de rile Perce" is said to be the misty
form of a female on the summit of the
rock, with arms outstretched as if in ap-
peal. This spirit has been visible only in
dark and tempestuous nights, and those
to whom it has appeared have sailed away
as rapidl}' as possible, without stopping
to investigate. These facts may give
some color to the materialistic belief that
imagination has conjured a phantom
from the mists of the sea and the clouds
of restless sea birds hovering above the
cliffs.

" Le Rocher de Perce " is believed to
be all that remains to be seen of an
isthmus that once reached from the main-
land to what is now the Island of Bona-
venture. Mount Joli, a promontory with
frowning cliffs, marks the point of junc-
tion with the land. On the green slope
of this headland the most conspicuous
object to-day is the aesthetic summer resi-
dence of a well known New York artist,
whose choice of a site does no discredit
to his taste.

Guarding the Perce shore against the
winds and waves of the Gulf is Bonaven-
ture Island, some two and a half miles
distant. Seen from the village, its land-
ward slope gives little token of the forma-
tion of this island. Seen from the sea-
ward, it has another aspect. Save on the
surface, it is a mighty rock, with a line
of cliff reaching from 250 to 500 feet

62

above the sea and fonnin,s^ a precipitous
front. The formation is of red sandstone
intermixed vvitli conglomerate. The
island is a little over two miles long and
three-quarters of a mile broad. It is a
fishing station of considerable importance.
This rocky isle was formerly the property
of one Captain Duval, of whose prowess
as a privateer, in the wars of the First
Empire, some stirring stories are
chronicled. In the time of Denvs de

nearly 1,300 feet above the sea. Here is
a handsome monument in honor of Ste.
Anne, and here are the cannon which, on
great occasions, send out their voices over
many leagues of land and .sea. So steep
is this mountain at the summit that, pass-
ing on the highway, one would be in-
clined to consider it next to inaccessible,
but the ascent is made without difficulty
when the right direction is taken. Once
the top is gained, a surpassing view meets

^

^^B^ \ ____

PERCE ]'ILLAGE AND SHOKi

Intercolonial Route

Fronsac, who had a grant of Perce, the
island was famed for an abundance of
rabbits and wild pigeons.

The walks and drives in the vicinitv of
Perce are delightful. The chief of them
is that to the mountain, which gives a
good idea of the possibilities of this part
of the world in respect to scenery. Up,
up the hills one travels, until at last " La
Table-a-Rolland," the sununit of Mont
Ste. Anne, is reached, at a height of

the eye. The visitor is standing on a
height which is visible to vessels at least
sixty miles away, and some say to a third
more than that distance. The Gulf is
dotted with near and distant sails, and
for many leagues to the north and south
is the outline of the shore, with its bays
and headlands, the white hou.ses marking
the line of the highway along the coast.
Only to the rear, where the rugged moun-
tains rise, seems there a limit to the view,

63

and even there the majesty of the forest-
clad hills must impress the lover of the
sublime in nature.

Perce was visited by Jacques Cartier in
1534, and has been famed as a fishing
station for more than three hundred
years. It was a place of note long before
Quebec was founded, and is thus an old
part of the new world in the story of the
advent of the European. While not an
historic battle gfound, it had its experi-
ence of war in 1690, when the French
settlement was destroyed by a force from
two English frigates. The township has
a population of about 1,800. The fishing
district is one of the richest on the Gaspe
coast.

Gaspc Basin and Village

The most convenient way to get from
Perce to Gaspe is by water, but if one is
fond of rugged scenery, he can have it to
his heart's content by taking the high-
way for a part of the distance, catching
the steamer further along the coast.
Though much of the journe}' will be out
of sight of the water, the road will be
around Mai Baie, as it is called in these
days, though Morue Bay is the true title,
derived from the abundance of codfish
found there. Across this bay, from
Perce Rock to Point St. Peter, is only
some seven or eight miles, but to follow
the road requires a journey of about
double that distance. The first half of
the trip is up and down long and pro-
digiously steep mountains, around which
the narrow road curves in the most fan-
tastic and, to a stranger, alarming man-
ner. Here and there along the route are
small hamlets, or there are lonely houses,
so far away on the sides of mountains, or
at the bottom of valleys, that a stranger
is bound to wonder how people ever got
there, in the first place, and why they
ever settled there to live and die, when
there was plenty of room for them in so
many more accessible parts of the
world.

Point St. Peter, with its low lying rocks
of dark freestone, relieved by the white
houses of the fisher folk, marks the en-

trance to the Bay of Gaspe. It is an im-
portant fishing station, and one of the
points on the coast where the fury of a
storm is likely to be felt. In fair weather,
however, the Point and its surroundings
have many attractions. To the north of
this, within the bay, is Le Chien Blanc, a
place which has a record for shipwrecks
in former years, and it has an equally
dangerous vis-a-vis in La Grand Greve,
on the north shore, near Cape Gaspe.

The Bay of Gaspe, with the latter cape
and Point St. Peter as its guardians, is
some sixteen miles in length and about
six miles in width for the first ten or
twelve miles after entering it. Then,
narrowing between two points, it leads to
a commodious and land-locked harbor
where is the beautiful Gaspe basin, one
of the safest and fairest havens in all
America. On the south shore of the bay,
before reaching Cape Haldimand, are
several settlements of note. One of these
is Seal Cove, where the native Irish
tongue may be heard in everyday conver-
sation, and Douglastown, a place which
shared with New Carlisle the liberal
grants to the United Empire loyalists
who sought homes on the peninsula. Off
Douglastown is a safe and ample anchor-
age for even a fleet of ships. That fine
salmon river, the St. John, empties into
the bay at this point, and there is here,
as at Mai Baie, a barrachois, with the high-
way on the narrow strip of bar which en-
closes the lagoon. The entrance to Gaspe
harbor is between Cape Haldimand and
Sandy Beach. Beyond are the north-west
and south-west arms, the latter of which
is the basin, with an entrance a little
more than a thousand feet wide. These
arms are the outlets of the Dartmouth
and York rivers, famous for their fly
fishing.

Gaspe Basin at morning, at evening — at
all times — is a place of wonderful beauty,
and dull must be the nature that is not in-
spired by the charm of the calm waters
and the glorious landscape which appeals
to one wherever the eye is turned. The
stately hills rise in graceful dignity as a
setting for this peaceful haven, and the

64

pure, l)raciiig air is a tonic beyoml the
physician's art. Here, too, is historic
ground, for on the sandy point at the en-
trance is the spot where Jacques Cartier
took formal possession of the land in the
name of his king, Francis the First. On
the 24th day of July, 1534, in the presence
of his enthusiastic comrades, and to the
wonder and perturbation of "many
savages," he caused to be erected a cross
thirty feet high, with an escutcheon bear-
ing three fleurs-de-lys, over which was
carved in the wood the inscription,
"Vive le Roi de France." Thus was
Gaspe the first place in Canada on which
the French explorers planted the symbol
of the Christian faith, even as tradition
says it was planted there, ages before, by
a white missionary from the unknown
country beyond the great sea.

The convenience of Gaspe Basin as a
place of shelter, and the facilities it
afforded for traffic with the Indians, as
well as for the fishing business, caused it
to be a place much frequented from the
first. The Basin was at a later date, in
171 1, the scene of the only triumph of
Sir Hovenden Walker, who started with
a fleet to capture Quebec and never got
further than Egg Island. Calling at
Gaspe. he destro3'ed a few houses and
fishing boats, and captured a French mer-
chant ship, which he afterwards burned
because he could not take it out of the
harbor. Still later a call here was made
by some of the ships of Wolfe's fleet,
on their way to lay siege to Quebec,
in 1759. Royalty visited the Basin,
in the person of the Prince of Wales,
in i860, and from first to last there
have been many famous callers at these
shores.

Hills meet the eye throughout the pas-
sage of the Bay of Gaspe, and on the
north shore is a succession of cliffs so
magnified by the clear atmosphere that
they seem to rise to a distance far beyond
their actual height. These hills so
securely shelter the harbor that it seems
the ideal of a place of shelter whatever
storms may rage. Gaspe village is finely
situated on the heights overlooking the

Basin, and is a place from which one may
make a variety of pleasure excursions by
land or water. It has good hotel accom-
modation, and is in many ways a desirable
place of sojourn for those in search of
health or pleasure. Trips by carriage or
boat may be made to many points, and
everywhere will Vje found something
worth seeing.

Vast quantities of coal oil are believed
to underlie this part of the country, and
considerable capital has been expended
in sinking wells. Some of the results
have been very encouraging, and the
time may come when this part of the
peninsula will be known as one of the
great oil regions of America.

In the meantime, fishing is the great
industry. In and around the Bay of
Gaspe each season a thousand men go
out upon the waters and return day by
day, until the results of their toil are
seen in the millions of pounds of cod
credited to this portion of the shores.
The cod taken between Perce and Cap
des Rosiers in an average year will make
over three million pounds of dried fish,
while the annual value of all the fisheries
in that limit is over $200,000. In these
may be included some 100,000 pounds of
fresh salmon in ice and a like quantity of
canned lobsters. These figures, it must
be remembered, apply only to the small
stretch of shore around this part of the
peninsula. They represent onl\- about
one-third of the results of the Gaspe
fisheries in these particular lines, not
including the returns of the outlying
district of the Magdalen Islands, which
belong to Gaspe county.

No one who has the time can afford to
leave Gaspe without a closer examination
of the surroundings than a steamer
voyage can give. A visit to the Cape and
to Ship Head will reveal a magnificent
panorama of land and marine scenery.

Within the Bay, as the Cape is
approached, are miles of shore dotted
with the depots of the great fishing con-
cerns and the white houses of the fisher-
men. The Cape itself, a regular headland
of limestone, is a notable place, and on

65

the north side is a range of grand cHflfs
rising some 700 feet above the sea. vShip
Head was once noted for a pecuHar rock,
detached from the shore, known as "The
Old Woman," which finally yielded to
the force of tempest and tide. From this
rock, say some, the designation of
"Gaspe" was derived, the word being a
corruption of the Indian term "Katse-
piou," or "separate." There seems more
probability, and certainly more signifi-
cance, in the more generally accepted
belief that "Gaspe" means"Land"s End."
If this term conveys to anybody the
idea of a jumping-off place, only to be
seen for the lack of some better attraction,
let it be understood that there is most cer-
tainly nothing in a name in this instance.
The visitor to Gaspe will find himself w^ell
rewarded for his journey, and if he is of
an enquiring mind he will learn more
about fish and the fisheries than is dreamed
of in the philosophy of the cities.

La Bale dc Chalcur

The journey over the Intercolonial
Railway is resumed at Dalhousie. In
reaching this place from Gaspe the
voyage has been made on La Bale de
Chaleur, one of the most beautiful
havens in America. Ninety miles long,
and from fifteen to twenty-five wide,
there cannot be found in its waters either
rock or other hindrance to the safe passage
of the largest of ships. Jacques Cartier
gave the bay its present name to com-
memorate the grateful warmth which he
there felt after coming from the cold
shores of Newfoundland. What the
Indians had called it is a matter on which
there has been a difference of opinion .
A good authority (Rand) says their name
for it was Mowebahktabayayk, meaning
the biggest bay. Others have claimed
that the original name was Ecketaam
Nemaachi, or Sea of Fish, a name far
more appropriate, though less musical,
than that which it now bears, for in this
genial climate, with its breezes from the
sea, the weather is never hot, as heat is
understood by the summer tourist.
Cartier, however, may be pardoned for

his enthusiasm, for it was a warm day in
July when he arrived, and he had been
displeased with the appearance of the
north coast of Newfoundland. In contrast
with the latter, the mainland and the
beautiful bay seemed like a vision of
Paradise. "The country is hotter than
the countr}- of Spain, and the fairest that
can possibly be found," was his verdict,
and he named the peaceful haven ' ' The
Bay of Heat." It is sometimes described
in the plural form as Bale des Chaleurs,
but without any authority. Locally, it
is known as Bay Chaleur.

For many miles the Intercolonial
railway runs close to the shore, and few
fairer sights are to be seen than the broad
and beautiful expanse of water, with its
numerous little inlets on the New
Brunswick side and the lofty and
imposing mountains rising grandly on the
shore of QueVjec. For miles, too, the
land is settled, and the green fields of
well-tilled farms add another charm to the
scene. Of a summer day, with a gentle
breeze rippling the smooth surface of the
water, the yachtsman feels that he has at
last found the object of his dream. There
is no finer yachting bay on the North
Atlantic coast.

The waters of the bay abound with net
fish, and there is also a fine chance for
line fishing. Catching mackerel is a
favorite recreation, the season lasting
from early in July until the last of Sep-
tember or later. The mackerel of the
Gulf of St. Lawrence are of large size,
but here as elsewhere the mackerel are
capricious in their movements. In some
seasons they are very abundant. Horse
mackerel, or tunny, can also be caught in
the bay by those who have a taste for that
kind of sport.

The shore fisheries on the New Bruns-
wick side of the bay are a great source of
revenue to the people. The value of the
fish of all kinds taken around the coast
of Restigouche and Gloucester counties
each year is about one and three-quarter
million dollars. Between three and four
thousand men are engaged in fishing, and
a large amount of capital is invested.

66

Herring are a cheap fish, but the value of
those caught here in an average year is
upward of half a million dollars. Smelt
are another cheap fish, and it takes a
number of them to make a pound. Some
1,600,000 pounds, which means many
more million individual fish, are the
yield of the sea around Restigouche and
Gloiicester in a year. The cod make a
showing of between six and seven million
pounds.

With such wonderful salmon rivers as
the Restigouche and Nepisiguit emptying

into this l)ay, it is not surprising that the
toilers of the sea secure. their share of this
much sought fish. In the two counties
named, in some years, nearly a million
and a half pounds of salmon are sent
away fresh in ice, while large quantities are
shipped as canned goods. There is noth-
ing remarkable in talking about salmon
by the million pounds in this part of the
world, where they can sometimes be seen
b}- the ton. As many as two hundred
salmon, with an average weight of twenty
pounds each, have been seen lying on the

FORT DANIEL, BAIE DE CIIALEVR

Intcrcotontal Route

67

floor of a freezing-house, just as they had
come from the nets -without ])icking or
sorting.

As for lobsters, about a million pounds
of them are sent from Restigouche and
Gloucester in cans each season, and a
much larger quantity are sent away fresh.
There are many other products of the sea
whicli go to make up the great aggregate
and establish the fame of this part of the
country for the v>-ealth of its waters.

All the rivers which flow into the bay
are good fishing streams. Sea trout are
found in the estuaries, and brook trout
in the streams above. While not so large
as those found in the streams further
north, they are of good size and excellent
flavor. The sea trout will average four
and five pounds ; the others run all the
way from half a pound to four pounds.

The Charlo is a fine river for this kind
of angling, and it is at its best after the
middle of August, though there is good
fishing at any time from the first of July
to the middle of September. The best
brook trout are found on the South
Branch, above the falls, the latter being
three miles from the railway, and the
fishing is good from there for a distance
of fifteen or twent}- miles back. A
basketful, containing from 150 to 200,
averaging" about two to the pound, is not
an unusual record of a day's fishing by
one man. Sea trout are caught anywhere
in the three miles between Henderson's
bridge and the bay, and some famous
catches have been made. Good sport
may also be found at the lakes, a few
miles from the village.

Another well known stream, both for
salmon and trout, is Jacquet river, about
fifteen miles below Charlo. The scenery
on it is wild and striking, the waters
running between precipitous rocks roar-
ing in cascades and foaming amid the
boulders in the rapids. Guides are to be
had at the village. If one wishes to be
unattended, he can go up by a good
portage road, and will find excellent
fishing as he travels. He is sure to have
it at Sunnyside, eight miles from the
station, or at the Pot Hole and Kettle

Hole, four miles higher up. The best
plan is to fish along between the two
places, and one is sure to have good luck.
Another choice lot is at the first falls,
twenty miles from the station. Belledune
Lake, six miles from the station, in
another direction, also has a good name
for gamey trout, running from a half
pound to two pounds in weight.

The shooting along the bay and in the
woods further inland is of the same fine
character as that mentioned in connection
with the Restigouche — ducks and geese
near the water, and bear, caribou, moose,
etc., in the forest.

A view of the Bale de Chaleur, from
the New Brunswick shore, is at all times
pleasing, but never does it impress the
mind more than in the silence of a calm,
clear night in summer or autumn, when
the moon gives a silv^ery softness to
everything on land and sea. At Charlo,
for instance, where the opposite shore is
not so far away as to be obscure, the
sight is one to inspire the most prosaic
soul. Not the least striking object in the
scope of vision is Tracadieguash Moun-
tain, nearly 200 feet high, which,
though ten miles distant across the
water, seems in the clear air of this
climate as if it were but a league away.

The bay has its legends, and there are
tales that the old people are loath to tell,
lest they be assailed with the ridicule of
this scoffing and materialistic age. There
is yet one uncanny thing which relies
not on legend for its fame, but asserts
itself by appearing from time to time to
mortal eyes. It is the phantom light of
La Baie de Chaleur.

For the last one hundred years at
least, or as far as the English residents
have had the story orally transmitted
from their grandfathers, this light has
been seen in various parts of the bay
from above Jacquet River as far down as
Caraquet, and its advent has been accepted
as the paarege of storm and tempest.
Nobody knows what it is, for it has never
approached within less than a mile or
two from shore, and it has disappeared
from the view of the few bold sceptics

68

who have sought to reach it by the aid of
boats. Sometimes it has the semblance
of a burning vessel many miles away.
More frequently it looks like a ball of
fire, apparently close at hand. Now and
then it darts like a meteor, and again
glides along with a slow and dignified
motion. Occasionally it mounts rapidly
in the air, sails away and descends on a
distant part of the ba}-. It is altogether
mysterious and eccentric. One may
watch for months and fail to get a glimpse

lost (luring a storm and immediately after
the event the light began its vagrant
existence. It is one of the strange things
that come in with the tide.

Bathurst and the Ncpisi^uit

The earl}- settlement of what is now
Bathurst dates back to the first half of
the seventeenth century, when the French
were masters of the land. As early as
1645 the Jesuits had a station at the mouth
of the Nepisiguit, and two years later thev

COMING IX TO CAMP

of it, but many reliable persons have
seen it time after time. It is usually
followed by a storm, and the most
singular part of the story is that it has
appeared above the ice in the depth of
winter. There is, of course, a tradition,
arrd it is to the effect that just before the
light appeared for the first time a part of
the crew of a wrecked vessel were mur-
dered by their companions, who appro-
priated all the plunder they could get.
The piratical sailors were subsequently

I )itt'i colonial A'outr

built a chapel near the site of the present
town. The first Englishman to make the
]ilace his hoine was Hugh Sutherland,
who came in 17.S9, and the Sutherland
name as well as the manor may be found
there to this day. The settlement was
originally known as Indian Point, and
the harbor as St. Peter's Bay, but when
Governor Sir Howard Douglas designed
the plot of the town he gave it the name
of Bathurst. It is well laid out, and wis
dulv founded in 1S28, when Sir Howard

69

\ isited it for that purpose, and drank all
the wine in the place. In those days
there was no Intercolonial, and no chance
to procure supplies at short notice. The
announcement of the proposed official
visit filled the public with dismay — there
was but one bottle of that which niaketh
oflad the heart to be had for love or monev.

TETAGOUCHE EALLS, XEAR BA THURST Intncolonial Rout,

The reception committee were equal to
the occasion. When the banquet was
spread, the wine was placed before Sir
Howard, while the natives drank the
toasts in water so ingeniously colorea
that His Excellency never suspected the
innocent deception.

There is a comfortable, old-fashioned
look about many of the houses of Bath-
urst ; the streets are wide and shade trees
are plenty, while the situation of the
town is in all ways attractive. The roads
in this vicinity are very good, and the
opportunities for boating in the harl^or
and around the bay are unlimited. In
connection with the
latter there can be
successful line fishing
for mackerel, smelt,
cod and bass.

At what is known as
The Point, three :niles
from the station, is a
fine sand beach, which
attracts manj' visitors
in the bathing season.
The Point, indeed, is
of itself in favor as a
summer resort, and
there is no lack of
accommodation for
visitors who wish to
remain there for a
time. Good board can
be secured at the
houses of well-to-do
farmers, and houses
ma 5^ be rented by
those who want to do
their own housekeep-
ing. These are rented
furnished and a cook
supplied, so that
parties mav have all
the comforts of home
without the drudgery
of domestic affairs.

What is known as
I'.athurst village, to
distinguish it from
Balhurst, the shire-
town, is just across
the bridge from the latter, over a shallow
estuary. It is also known as St. Peter's,
the original name of this settlement.

Bathurst is beautifully situated on a
hill which commands a fine prospect to
the seaward and is a ver^- healthful place.
There are delightful drives in the

70

viciiiily. One of lliese is to the Tete-a-
gaiiclie, the falls of which are iu a rocky
gorge about seven miles from the town-
The word " Tete-a-gauche " is one of the
instances in which an attempt has l)een
made to give a French form to a purely
Indian word. The Micmac name was Too-
doo-goosk, according to Prof. Ganong,
who has made a study of the place
nomenclature of New Brunswick, but it
has been spelled in all sorts of wa^-s by
various writers. There has been a
cherished belief that the meaning is
" Fairy River," but Ganong thinks that
this is probably not correct, though it
may mean a small river. Fairy River is
a good enough name for it, however,
whatever the Micmacs may have meant.
Another of a number of drives worth
taking is up the Nepisiguit river to the
I'abineau Falls, a distance of eight miles,
taking in the Rough Waters on the return.
At the latter place the river has a very
rapid run for about a mile, amid huge
granite boulders, fragments of the pre-
historic rock over which the sea flowed in
four centuries of the unrecorded ages.

The Nepisiguit derives its name from
its turl)ulent nature, the word being a
corruption of, and possibly an improve-
ment on Win-peg-ij-a-wik, the meaning
of which is rough or troubled water.
The river is about eight3^-four miles long
to the head of Upper L,ake and is a famous
stream for salmon and trout. There are
salmon pools all along the river as far as
Grand Falls, twenty miles from Bathurst,
and the choice spots are at the Rough
Waters, three miles ; Pabineau Falls,
eight miles ; Middle Landing, sixteen
miles, and at the Grand Falls. The
latter are in two pitches and have a
descent of one hundred and five feet.
The Pabineau Falls are more in the
nature of a series of rapids.

The Nepisiguit salmon are not large,
as salmon go in this part of the world,
but they are what are known and valued
as gamey fish. They run to eighteen or
twenty pounds or over, but the average is
ten or twelve pounds. The river is com-
posed of rapids, and one may place a fish

for every foot of it. The river is under
lease, of course, and has some fine camj)s
on it, but a visitor may arrange for fishing
on it 1)y applying to the postmaster at
Bathurst. Fi.shing guides may be had
for jfi.25 a day.

It is an equally good trout river, and
while these fish are found at all points,
they are especially plenty above Grand
Falls. Man}- of them weigh four pounds
each. At Devil's Elbow, about half way
up the river, is a famous trout pool, and
there are numerous other places where
the fisherman will be well rewarded.

At the head waters of the Nipisiguit are
five lakes, around which may be found,
in their season, an abundance of duck
and geese. From these lakes one can
portage to the Upsalquitch. and thence to
the Restigouche, to the Tobique, and
down to the St. John, and to the North-
west Miramichi, and thence to Newcastle-
The country is wild enough in the inte-
rior, and abounds in lakes and streams
not laid down on an}- of the maps. These
forests are peopled with all kinds of game.
It is not necessary to go far from
Bathurst for game, however, even for big
game. During a recent season a gentle-
man from Halifax, so limited for time
that he could spend only seven days in
the woods, secured two caribou, a moose
and a bear, at Gordon Brook, between
Pabineau and Grand Falls, ,'^ome sports-
men from Chicago were three weeks
around the river and got three bear,
three moose and three deer. Taking the
Nepisiguit as a whole, the region is one
of the finest in New Brunswick for moose,
caribou, deer and bear. This is the
opinion of William Crra}-, jr., a guide of
twenty years' experience in the hunting
grounds of the province. One of the best
moose and caribou districts is at the P>ald
Mountains, about fifty miles from Bath-
urst. During the autumn of 1S97 no less
than 147 caribou were counted in this vic-
inity in three days, and on the same cruise
thirteen moose were seen in one day.
vSportsmen in pursuit of moose and caribou
can be locaied on suital)le grountl iu
from two hours to three or four daws after

arriving at Batluirst, and with a certainty
of success. This will give some idea of
what the country is like. Guides who
thoroughly know the woods can be
engaged at $1.50 and |2.oo a day.

Trout fishing with bait begins about
the loth of May, and large quantities of
sea trout, weighing from half a pound to
six pounds, are taken in the harbor.
About the last of June, or first of July,
the rivers begin io get good and continue
so until the middle of September. During
the summer a red, or brown, or small
grey fly brings good success, and in the
fall when the fish take bait readily one
who prefers a fly would do well to take a
w'hite one with a good deal of tinsel. All
the rivers and lakes have trout. A man
can cast a line anywhere and something
will rise to it.

A large extent of countrj-, noted for its
fishing, its shooting and its opportunities
for health and recreation, is opened to the
traveller by the Caraquet railway, which
starts from Bathurst daily, connecting
with the Intercolonial raihvay at
Gloucester Junction, and runs along the
south shore of the Baie de Chaleur,
connecting with the Gulf Shore railwaj-.
This makes such places as Shippegan,
65 miles, and Tracadie, 71 miles, easily
reached by the tourist, and there are
many places along the route which are
well worth}- of attention. At such points
as Salmon Beach, Clifton, New Bandon,
Pokeshaw, Grande Anse and Caraquet,
will be fovind all kinds of salt water
fishing, such as cod, bass, mackerel and
smelt. Lob-sters are very plentiful.

There is good trout fishing in the
rivers of this part of Gloucester, the
Pokemouche, Caraquet and Tracadie
rivalling the famed Tabusintac for sea
trout. Duck, geese and brant are very
abundant all around these shores.

Sea bathing may be enjoyed anywhere
on these shores, but the best places are at
Shippegan and Tracadie. At Big Tracadie
river a new hotel has been opened, to be
run in modern style for the accommoda-
tion of tourists. In addition to the fish
already named, the energetic eel is to the

front in the harbors and lagoons along
this shore, and the spearing of eels by
torchlight is a novelty which will interest
the amateur. The inner bay at Tracadie
is a favorite place for this kind of fishing.
It is some nine miles long and three wide,
and there are evenings when the lights
from the boats illuminate it from one end
to the other. The goose, brant and duck
shooting at Pokemouche and Tracadie is
unexcelled anywhere in the world.

Tracadie has a gloomy fame as the place
where the Lazaretto for lepers is located.
These unfortunates are cared for by the
Dominion Government and have every
care and attention.

At Miscou Island, beyond Shippegan,
is some of the best sea fowl shooting in
America, and Point Miscou has a special
reputation in this respect.

A fine country for sport lies between
Bathurst and Newcastle. The Tabusintac
river, about half-way, is one of the best
sea trout rivers in America. The fish
stories told of it are perfectl}' astounding
to a stranger. The trout are said to be as
large as mackerel and so plentiful that
the fishing of them is like being among a
mackerel "school." This may be taken
with a little allowance, but there is no
doubt that the river is an unusualh' fine
one for sport. A horse and canoe are
useful on the journe3^ There are several
other trout streams in the district, but
this one is most worthy of mention.

The moose, caribou and deer region
extends from the Northwest Miramichi
to the sea coast, and is especially good at
the Tabusintac and Eskedelloc rivers.
As to bears, the Bartibogue region points
proudly to the record of bounties paid on
the l)ruins slain in its midst. Partridges
are plentiful in every part of this country,
and fly across the path of the traveller on
ever}" highway.

Miramichi

When Monseigneur Jean de St. Valier,
the second Bishop of Quebec, made a
missionary tour of certain parts of Acadia,
in 1686, he found the Restigouche and
Richibucto called bv the names thev bear

72

to-dav, but what is now the ^Miraiiiichi
was then known to the Indians as the
River of the Cross. They had a tradition
of their deHverance from trouble by the
symbol of the Cross, hundreds of years
before, and they had long venerated it
ere the Gospel was preached to them.
Before that date, however, various names
more or less like " Miraniichi " had been
put on the maps of the early explorers,
but the origin and meaning of the word
may now be said to be hopelessly obscure.
It was not Miramiolii in the first instance,
but it has become famous b}- that name
in modern times, and there is no proba-
bility that it will ever be called by any

1690 he would have had to make an
assignment for the benefit of his creditors.
Since then the value of real estate has
increased, and men have made fortunes
on bits of land that Denis would have
given to have his fia.sk filled when he ran
out of supplies on a fishing triji. In these
later days the name and the fame of
Miraniichi have extended over the civil-
ized world. Ships of every nation carry
its lumber and its fish to distant lands,
and before the days when Chicago,
Boston and St. John astonished mankind
with their pyrotechnics it stood pre-
eminent as the scene of the biggest fire on
record.

AVA' TH U -ES T MIRA J UCHI

other title, whatever the philologists may
bring to light about it. The name is said
to mean " happy retreat," but it does not
mean an5-thing of the kind. This much
is definite, and the rest can be left to
imagination.

There was a time when one man, Denis
de Fronsac, owned the whole of this part
of the countr\% and yet felt himself less
important than does man}' a bank clerk
to-day. Land in those times was of value
to a proprietor only when it was already
cleared and convenient to the shore. If
Denis had been obliged to pay taxes on
the 2,000 square Tiiiles granted to him in

Intercolonial Rouli'

^Miraniichi means more than a river, for
it comprehends a district where the land
and the waters have alike been a source
of wealth for generations past and will be
so in the generations to come. The first
place of note reached by the Intercolonial
railway in this part of the country is
Newcastle, the shiretown of Northumber-
land county. It has a population of
about 2,000, and is beautifully situated
on the north shore of the river, which
here is practically an arm of the sea,
though thirty miles from the open Gulf.
Above Newcastle, tlie northwest and
southwest branches unite, forming a

mighty, stream, which is nearly a mile
wide at this point, broadening as it flows
until it is seven miles wide at the mouth.
Vessels from all quarters of the seas may
be seen loading lumber at the wharves of
the saw mills along the shores in this
vicinity and for miles below. From the
railway bridges, indeed, as far as Loggie-
ville, five miles below Chatham, are no
less than half a dozen lumber centres, so
that the total population of this district is
at least six times as large as that of
Newcastle town itself. In some years
IMiramichi sends more than one hundred

bass in a 3'ear, or two-thirds of the product
of the whole county. The yield of smelts
in the county is nearly ten times as
much as the yield of bass, and of this
Chatham is credited with about a million
pounds. Large quantities of other kinds
of fish are shipped each season.

Chatham, about six miles below New-
castle by water, and considerably further
by rail, is a bus}' port from which large
shipments of lumber, fish and other pro-
ducts of the country are made. Refer-
ence has been ni-ide to the quantity of
smelts sent from this port, but it comes to

UF R/fER FROM PONDS, CM A THAM

Ititrrcoloin'a! Route

million superficial feet of sawn lumber
across the ocean, to say nothing of the
1 irge quantities of small lumber disposed
of in the markets on this side of the water.
The value of the lumber produced in the
whole county annualh' is about ^i, 145,000,
or nearly a fourth of that of all New
Brunswick. It is not equalled by any
county in the JNIaritime Provinces, except
the county of St. John.-

The fish business is another live indus-
try in this county. The Northwest river
alone produces about 200,000 pounds of

the front in other lines as well. Among
these may be quoted considerably more
than a third of a million cans of sardines
and nearly a million and a half pounds of
toin-cod or frost fish. In the lumber
business one shipper sends away about
26,000,000 superficial feet in a season. It
was at Chatham that the first steam saw-
mill in Canada was built. Here also
is a very extensive pulp mill. Chatham
ranks next to St. John as a ship owning
port of New Brunswick, and is in other
ways a place of commercial importance.

74

It is the seat of tlie Catholic Hishoj) of
Chatham and has iiuiiiltous f\nv l)uil(l-
ings.

Chatham is connected In' rail with the
Intercolonial system bv what was origin-
ally the Chatham Branch railway, and
later a portion of the Canada Eastern,
extending from Fredericton to Loggie-
ville, five miles below Chatham, a total
distance of 125 miles. The connection
with the iTiain line of the Intercolonial is
at Chatham Jnnction, ten miles south of
Newcastle.

The river trip between Newcastle and
Chatham is a delightful one, and there is
a good steamer service at regular hours.
During the shipping season the river is a
bus}- place, and the flags of all nations
may be seen on the shipping in the stream
and at the mills along the shores on both
sides. Numerous excursions may be
made to points below Chatham and out-
side into the bay. A very enjoyable one
is that to Baie du Vin, twenty-five miles
from Chatham, for which regular steamer
trips are made. Yachting is a favorite
recreation around Miramichi, and each
season sees keen contests between boat.^
which are models of their class.

The sportsman in search of wild fowl
will find one of the best localities in the
countr}- at Point Escuminac, which rivals
even the famed Point Miscou as a resort
of ducks and geese. Then, too, those
who are not sportsmen may find much to
interest them at various points along the
river. If they have read Canadian histor}^
they will remember that the ship which
carried General Wolfe's body from
Quebec to P<ngland put in at Miramichi
for fresh water. Six men were sent
ashore at Henderson's Cove, where Gil-
mour and Rankin's mill was afterwards
built, and were murdered by Indians.
The captain, supposing that the French
had conniiitted the deed, proceeded to
silence the battery at F^rench F'ort Cove,
then went to Canadian Point, de.stroyed
it and killed most of the people, and on
his way down river stopped long enough
to burn the church at what has ever since
been known as Burnt Church Point. He

a])])ears to ha\e been a man of consider-
able energy, but it was a .bad mistake and
rather hard on the Acadians.

The ]\tiramichi river is 225 miles long,
its head waters lying in Carleton and
Victoria counties, within easy reach of
the St. John and its tributaries. The
Northvve-st P.rancli begins near the head
waters of the Nepisiguit, and the two
branches unite at Beaubair Island, a short
distance above Newcastle. Both are fed
])}■ numerous large streams, and the river
drains over 6,000 square miles of country,
an area equal to about a quarter of the
province. It is navigable for large vessels
to the bridges above Newcastle, and for
canoes for many hundred miles. The
vast countr}- which it drains has never
been thoroughl}- explored ; even the
ubiquitous lumberman has but a partial
knowledge of it ; and it will readily be
seen that its resources for the hunter are
practically without limit. Moose, caribou,
deer, bears, wolves, foxes, racoons, loup-
cerviers and all the smaller animals range
these forests, while fish leap from every
lake and stream. By this great natural
highway and its connections one may
reach every section of the province where
the hunter wishes to go.

One whose time is limited does not need
to wander far from Chatham or Newcastle
in order to find abundant sport. As for
fishing, he is in a fish country from which
the annual exports of salmon, smelts,
bass, etc., are something incredible. Rod
fishing ma}- be had in every direction,
and some of the lakes have never been
fully explored. Wherever there is a high
bank on one side and a low beach on the
other will be found a pool to which
salmon are sure to resort. The Ox Bow,
on the Little Southwest, a mile above
Red liank, is a favorite .spot for fishers.
The main Northwest is an especially
good river ; one of the noted places on it
is the Big Hole, five or six miles above
the Head of the Tide. There salmon or
grilse can be cauglit at almost all times,
but are particularly al)undant imme-
diately after a rain. The Big and Little
Sevogles, which empty into the river just

75

named, have a good reputation. The
former is a ver}- pretty river with a fine
waterfall, in the basin beneath which is
excellent fishing at certain seasons. Im-
mediately below is the Square Forks,
where the north and south branches meet,
a place with scenery of rather striking
nature. The Miramichi salmon is not
large, ten pounds being a fair average,
but its flavor is very fine. Grilse average
about five or six pounds. They are very
gamey, and afford splendid sport.

Trout fishing is had in all the rivers,
brooks and lakes. The Tabusintac has
alread}' been mentioned. The sea trout
in it and in the Tracadie are very large.
On both rivers there is good fishing for
many miles from the mouth. Early in
June, when the water of the Miramichi is
low, fine sea trout are caught as far up as
Indiantown. As for flies, the "Jock
Scott " is considered good for all pur-
poses. The " Silver Doctor " is another
favorite, while for spring fishing a red
body with white wings is found to have
" a very taking way."

During the summer, mackerel and cod-
fish are taken with the hook in the Mira-
michi Bay, and in the summer there is
also good bass fishing inside the Horse
Shoe Bar, at the mouth of the river. The
winter fishing for bass, with bow nets, is
followed on the Northwest river, and
fish as large as twent}- pounds are taken.
The w'inter smelt fishing has also grown
to a great industry. Smelt take the hook
as well, and are fished for in the fall and
winter with jiggers, four hooks l:)eing
used.

Partridge are very plenty Plover and
snipe are also found in the fall, and a
few, but not manj^ English w^oodcock.
The great fall and spring sport is the
shooting of geese, brant and ducks of all
kinds. They are found at Tabusintac
Gully, mouth of Tabusintac, Neguac
Gully, Black L,ands Point and Grand
Anse, on the north of the river, and Bale
du Vin, Fox Island, Point Escuminac,
Tracadie and Pokemouche, all of which
are reached b}' the Caraquet and Gulf
Shore railwa}- from Bathurst.

As for large game, it has already been
intimated that the county of Northum-
berland has an abundance of moose, cari-
bou and deer, as well as of bear in their
season . The best hunting grounds, l3'ing
northwest and west from Chatham
and Newcastle, are easil}- reached by
good roads, and in some instances part of
the journey may be made by rail from
the towns mentioned. The Canada East-
ern will be found convenient for getting
at some of the country to the westward .
In other cases teams are required from
Newcastle.

The provincial government of New
Brunswick has of recent ^-ears given in-
creased attention to the wonderfiil re-
sources the country possesses in the way
of game, and to the presei-vation of such
game for the benefit of legitimate hunt-
ers. At the instance of the Surveyor-
General, nuich valuable information has
been collected as to localities and facili-
ties for reaching them. According to
reports furnished the chief game com-
missioner, St. John, Northumberland,
Gloucester and Restigouche have a
number of choice localities for the
hunter. Besides the district of the west
and northwest, already mentioned, the
country to the north and east, as well as
that to the southeast and south, along
the Kent county line, is excellent for
moose and caribou. Here are some of
the localities in various parts of the
county :

Guaggis lake, on the Little Southwest
river, is fift}- miles from Newcastle by
road. It has ample room for a number
of hunting parties.

On the North west Miramichi and
branches a good and but little hunted
moose and caribou country is at the Por-
tage and Tomoganops rivers, twenty-five
miles from Newcastle by a good road.
Little River and Mountain Brook lakes
are forty miles from Newcastle, of which
thirty-eight ma}' be made by team and
the remaining two miles is over a good
trail. This is not only a good moose and
caribou country, but the lakes abound
with trout. Bald Mountain, which has

76

l)een refL-rre-d to in rt)iiiieclioii with
Bathurst, may be reached from New-
castle by going thirtj'-eight miles to Camp
Adams, on the Northwest Miramichi,
and twenty-two miles by canoe or road.
Bartibogue, reached either liy road or
by going to Bartibogiie station, twenty-
one miles from Newcastle and twent-
three from Bathurst, has extensive cari-
bou barrens, while moose are also found
there. The district has a wide reputation
for bear hunting.

is reached l)v going to Rogersville sta-
tion, from whicli it is a journey of nine
miles.

Information as to these localities,
guides, etc., may be had from William
Wyse, game warden, Chatham ; R. H.
Armstrong, Newcastle, or II. P>ishop,
Bathurst.

The Great Fire

" All it recpiired to complete a picture
of the General Judgment was the blast of

MILL COVE, NEAR NEWCASTLE

Mil 1st ream, reached from Newca.stle by
going nine miles by rail to Beaver Brook
station, or the same distance by team, is
a fine caribou country. There are also
some moose, and deer are on the in-
crease.

Mention has already been made of the
good district at the Tabusintac and Ks-
kedelloc rivers, twenty-five miles from
Newcastle and about the same distance
from Bathurst.

What some have called the home of
the moose, at Sabbies and Cain's rivers.

Inleico/oiiia! Route

a trumpet, the voice of the archangel and
the resurrection of the dead." In these
words the local historian, Cooney, gives
his impression of the fire which swept
over Miramichi, in the yeari825. In the
vears which have passed since then
nearly all the traces of that great calamity
have been effaced, and probably all of
those who were of an age to realize the
terrible grandeur of the scene have ]iassed
away beyond recall.

It was the good fortune of the writer,
several years ago, to hear from the lips

of some of the aged survivors the story of
that dreadful day, and to write the facts
as they told them. The pictures which
their minds retained were thrilling in the
extreme ; the reality must have been
appalling in its horrors.

They remembered the Miramichi of
their youth as a country rich in resources,
with a large and rapidly increasing timber
trade. Newcastle had then a population
of about i,ooo, "while probabh' a third of
that number were settled at Douglastown,
a few miles below. The vast region
through which the river and its tributaries
flowed contained a wealth of magnificent
timber, of such a character that it w^ould
be difficult for one to calculate its value
if it were available at the present day.
An idea of its size has been gained from
the remains of the immense stumps of
charred pine unearthed from time to
time during the building of the railway,
the like of which cannot be found in what
is even now a wonderful lumber country.

The summer of 1S25 was a prosperous
one, and hundreds of men in the woods
and settlements looked forward to still
more extended operations in the winter.
The autumn came with even more than
the usual splendor which attends it
in this northern land. The sk}' was
unclouded for weeks. Not a drop of
rain fell over the vast range of country,
and the forest cracked with unwonted
dryness, while the grass withered and
the flowers faded. The little rivulets '
ceased to flow, and the great river shrank
far from its accustomed bounds. The
ground was parched as in midsummer
drouth, while the air was close and a
sultry heat oppressed the senses. October
came, and as the days of its first week
passed the air grew more stifling and the
heat more oppressive, though the sun
was less bright than it had been and
shone like a disc of copper through a
faint smoke which seemed to come from
a distant region. Some said that the
woods were afire far to the north and
west, but for this the dwellers on the
Miramichi cared little. The axe rang
in the depths of the forest, the harvest

was gathered in the settlements, and trade
flourished in the growing town of
Newcastle.

On Friday, the 7th of October, the
townspeople observed a dark cloud above
the W'Oods on the Northwest Branch,
but no apprehension was felt. So little
thought was given to any danger by fire
that some believed that which was smoke
to be a rain cloud, and they rejoiced at
the prospect of the refreshing showers by
which it would be followed. The twi-
light of that day was followed by a
darkness so deep that those who were
abroad in the town had to grope their
way along the roads. A colored man,
named Preston, was preaching in one of
the houses, and a nmnber of people had
gathered to hear him. During the
service they were disturbed by the loud
beating of a drum outside. They sup-
posed it was in derision of the preacher,
and gave it little thought. The drum
was beaten by William Wright, who had
come from the lumber woods, and know-
ing that a great fire was sweeping over
the country thus sought to warn the
people of its approach Few heeded the
warning.

The sermon was finished, and those
who had comprised the congregation
started for their homes. The night was
still very dark, for as yet no light from
the tire was visible in Newcastle, save the
outline of a lurid and seemingly distant
zone, which gave the people no intimation
of present danger. The air was full of
smoke, the wind had increased to a gale,
and borne upon it was a hoarse roar, like
distant thunder. Suddenly a bright light
pierced the darkness, and a moment
later a sheet of flame flashed from the
woods at the top of the hill. Near this
place Avas the new Presbyterian church,
the corner stone of which had been laid
by Sir Howard Douglas, a few months
before. It was the first building to take
fire, and it vanished almost in an instant.
The wind had increased to a hurricane,
and the burning brnnds were carried
over the town, spreading destruction in
their path. There was no longer dark-

78

ness, and in llic awful li,L;'ht the U-rrified
people were seen hurrying for their lives
and knowing not where to look for safety.
It is not strange that many of them
believed the Day of Judgment was at
hand, and panic-stricken, ceased their
struggles, to implore mercy from Heaven.
On what is now the public square stood
the court house and jail. The court had
that day finished its assize, and several
prisoners had been sentenced. Two or
three had been condemned to death, and
one of them was a negro woman who had
murdered her child. When the fire burst
upon Newcastle the prisoners saw their
danger, and a fearful shout, a wail of
supplication mingled with the agony of
despair, came from the windows of the
prison. Some men who w'ere on the
street paused long enough in their flight
to burst open the outer door, but by the
time the prisoners were at liberty a sea of
flame and smoke surrounded them. The
woman ran out, but scarcely had she
cleared the portal when she fell to the
earth and yielded up her life to the flames
by which she was surrounded. The scene
at this awful hour defies description.
Half naked men and women, shouting
and shrieking, were fleeing for their lives,
some seeking only their own safety and
others striving to rescue those who were
helpless by reason of childhood, age or
infirmity. The greater portion fled to a
marsh west of the town, and among them
were several suffering from typhoid fever
and small-pox. Few of the fugitives
attempted to save any of their worldly
goods. Even the money in the tills was
left untouched, and one man fled from
his house without stopping to take one of
a thousand silver dollars which it had
required years for him to accumulate.
One man has told the writer that he
would have left a peck of doubloons un-
disturbed, so certain was he that the end
of the world had come. Others, less
excited, threw their money and valuables
in the river, and then sought safety for
themselves. Some tried to escape by
cro.ssing the ]\Iiramichi on sticks of tim-
ber, but as the river was like an angry

sea many met a drath in its waters. An
entire family, consisting of husband,
wife and several children were among
th().se drowned. In another instance, at
Bartibogue, one girl was the survivor of
a family of nine who peri.shed in the
flames.

The fur}- of the fire made its duration
brief after its further progress was checked
by the broad river. In three hours New-
castle and the settlements in the vicinity
were in ashes. Only one or two buildings
in the town escaped. At Douglastown
the only house spared was that in which
lay a corpse awaiting burial.

Those who were in the woods have told
how they owed their escape to their taking
refuge in the river and plunging their
heads beneath the water from minute to
minute during that terrible night. All
around them, in some instances, were
alike, the fiercest and most timid beasts of
the forests, harmless and trembling in
their terror of a common danger. Even
the water was but a partial refuge, for so
hot was it in the shallow places that
myriads of fish were literally cooked to
death.

Briefly stated, the INIiramichi fire was
one of the greatest of which the world
has any record. It swept over the
country, from the head waters of the
river, in a sheet of flame one hundred
miles broad, and burned all before it in
an area of more than four thousand
square miles, four hundred miles of which
was settled country. It will never be
known how man)- lives were lost. Cooney
says there were one hundred and sixtv,
but as many who perished in the woods
were strangers without kindred to trace
their disappearance the estimate is un-
doubtedly a low- one. Whole families
were destroyed, and hundreds made
homeless and destitute, though abundant
relief came to them later, not only from
the British possessions but the United
States. Apart from the incalculable loss
in the forests, the fire destroyed about a
million dollars' worth of property, in-
cluding six hundred houses and nearly
nine hundred head of cattle. The light

79

of it was seen as far as the Magdalen
Islands, and its cinders were scattered
over the streets of Halifax. In the
fury of the hurricane huge tree tops
and burning roofs were whirled high
in the air, and as they descended were

believed by those at a distance to be
balls of fire rained from the heavens
in token of the Almighty's wrath.
No element of horror which the mind
could conceive was wanting in that
fearful scene.

.IL0.\G THE LISE

Intercolonial Route

So

Miramichi to Moncton

E A V I N G

New castle
for ]) o ill Is
south, the
M i r ainichi
bridges are
crossed.
They are fine
structures,
each having
a length of
1,200 feet,
and span the Nortlnvest and Southwest
branches a little above the union of the
two streams.

From Chatham Junction to Fredericton
by the Canada Eastern railway is 108
miles. Along this route, and in the
countr}' on each side of it, are some fine
fishing rivers and great hunting grounds.
Boiestown, for instance, may be said to
be in the centre of a sportsman's country.
Further reference to the resources of this
part of the province will be found in
connection with what is said of Frederic-
ton and the Canada Eastern line.

Between Miramichi and Moncton the
Intercolonial railway passes through a
country that does not show its merits
when simply seen from the car windows.
The line is so far from the shore that
none of the flourishing settlements are
seen, and the traveller gets a wrong im-
pression of what is a really fine part of
New Brunswick. There is a rich farming
and fishing district all along the coa.st, and
there are some good rivers, of which onh-
the head waters are crossed Vjy the rail-
way. The Richibucto is one of these,
and the village of the same name, twenty-
seven miles from Kent Junction, is reached,
by the Kent Northern railway. It has
much to commend it as a summer resort.
The bathing and boating privileges are un-

limited, and the scenery is never marred
by the presence of fog. The village of
St. lyouis, seven miles di.stant, is noted as
a resort for the sick and infirm, who .seek
the healing waters of a grotto in the
nature of the famed one of Our Lady of
Lourdes, and return to their homes with
their afflictions banished. The vicinity of
Richibucto affords many other w'alks and
drives of interest, while all kinds of game
invite the sportsman, and fine fishing is
found on the river and in the harbor.

The hunting grounds of Kent county
lie to the westward of the Intercolonial
railway, and the most convenient point
from which to reach them is Kent Junc-
tion. On the grounds between the head
waters of the Kouchibouguac and Richi-
bucto rivers and the heads of the branches
of Salmon river as many as forty -seven
caribou have been seen in one drove.
Moose are also abundant in this region
and to the westward in Queen's county.

In the fifty miles or so for which the
Intercolonial runs through Kent county-
no traveller would suspect that over half
a million pounds of mackerel and con-
siderable more than that amount of
lobsters were sent away from the places
along the shore during the course of a
season. The last returns of the smelt
fishery give the quantity sent from Kent
as 2,793,000 pounds, which is the best
showing of any of the counties. All the
fisheries of Kent are valuable, and a very
large business is done in canned goods.

Moncton and the Bore

Twenty-five years ago IMoncton had a
population of less than 2,000, but it has
been making very rapid strides in every
year since that time. It is now a cit}' of
some 1 1 ,000 or 1 2,000 people, and probably
of more than this if there were included

8[

ill the enumeration a large ninn1)(.-r who
really belong to Moncton but reside
outside of the corporate limits. This is
merely an estimate. The census of 1891
gave the city population as 8,762, but this
was as against 5,032 in 1881, showing an
increase of more than 74 per cent, in ten
years. This was a greater ratio of
increase than was shown during the same
period in any place in the Maritime Prov-
inces, with the exceptions of Springhill
Mines and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.
Allowing the same steady increase since
1891, the population to-day would be
really in excess of the estimate given.
In the period named the amount of capital
invested in industries was more than
doubled. It is a place of great possibilities
and it appears to be living up to them.

The fact that the general offices and
workshops of the Intercolonial railway
are at Moncton has had an important
bearing on the prosperity of the city, but
apart from this Moncton has taken
advantage of its opportunities and has
done a great deal for itself. The people
have shown an enterprise based on their
faith in the future of the place. Some of
the industrial undertakings are on a large
scale, and there are few places where
building operations are carried on year
by year in the same proportion. Manj-
of the structures, public and private, are
of noticeably fine appearance.

The buildings of the Intercolonial
railwav are a conspicuous feature of the
place. The large structure used for the
general offices is one of the first to meet
the eye of a stranger on arriving. The
new passenger station is an exceedingh-
handsome building of buff brick with
red freestone trimmings, and is thoroughly
modern in its appointments within and
without. The interior is beautifully
finished, and the whole structure is not
only ornate but artistic.

Moncton has a special attraction for
tourists who are fond of seeing the curious
in nature. It is "the bore" of the
Petitcodiac, a phenomenon that is to be
seen every time the tide comes in, though
sometimes it is seen to much better

advantage than at otliers. In order to
understand what "the bore" is, one
must have an idea of the relation of the
river to the Bay of' I-'undy, and of the Kay
of P'undy to the Atlantic ocean. All three
are necessary to constitute the bore as it
is seen twice in every twenty-four hours
at Moncton.

The Micmacs called this river the Pet-
koat-kwee-ak, meaning a river that bends
in a bow, and Moncton itself was originally
called "The Bend." In course of time
the name of the river assumed a French
form, and as a matter of easier spelling
and pronunciation the modernized form
is probably more acceptable to the general
public than the original would be. It is
one of the rivers that depend very much
on the tide for their importance. In fact,
when there is no tide the river goes out of
business for all practical purposes, and
only shows what a chance there would be
for a river if there were enough water to
fill the yawning hollow between the two
banks. There is some water, it is true,
but the quantity looks to be so small as
it flows along the channel, with the
hundreds of feet of sloping banks of red
mud on each side, that it is scarcely
worth considering. There are miles of
this smooth, slippery mud, inclined at an
angle of repose, and for several hours of
each da}^ the vessels at the wharves are
as clear of the water as if they were in a
hay field. This is the way the Petitcodiac
appears when the stranger goes to see the
bore.

In the meantime, however, the tidal
wave of the Atlantic has struck the coast
of North America, and pouring into the
Bay of Fundy has risen higher and
higher as its volume has become com-
pressed by the narrowing shores. Reach-
ing the head of the bay, it is forced into
the estuaries, and at high water has risen
a distance of from twenty-five to fifty
feet, the height varying with the spring
and neap tides at various seasons. In
the Shubenacadie river, Nova Scotia,
there are sometimes sixty feet tides. The
fact that there are such tides, and that
they enter some of the rivers with a bore,

«3

gave rise to some extraordinan- state-
ments in the old time geographies, and,
indeed, in works which were standard
atithorities. It was the belief of many
people in other lands that the tides of the
Bay of Fi:ndy rose to a height of 120 feet,
because the Encyclopedia Britannica said
the}^ did, and one of the geographers
declared that this prodigious flood could
be seen when thirty miles distant, ap-
proaching the shore in one tremendous
wave and with a might}' noise.

The stranger who looks for an3'thing
like this will be disappointed. The tide
takes its time to rise, but after it enters
the wide mouth of the Petitcodiac it
meets with a check to its regular flow by
the narrowing of the river about eight
miles below Moncton. The flood does
not pause, but comes through the narrow
space in a hurry, rolling itself up the
river in a wave which looks like a rapidly
advancing wall of water. This is the
bore. The height of it varies according
to the conditions b}- which the outside
tidal wave is governed. There are
occasions when it is a bore of only one
or two feet, but at spring tides, at the
full moon, there may be a wave of from
seven to ten feet high, or possible-
higher. It is seen with peculiar effect
by moonlight. On a still summer night
those who are waiting on the wharves
high above the bed of the river hear in
the distance a low rvmibling which
becomes a roaring as the seconds pass.
When the bore comes in sight the
contrast between the advancing flood and
the bare bed of the river suggests, for a
moment, the old Bible pictures of the
Red Sea divided for the jjassage of the
Children of Israel, or rather the closing
of that sea after the chosen people had
passed over. In another moment the
foaming, rushing volume of water has
covered the channel and risen high up
on the bauks. Another wave follows,
and ere long what was but a little while
before a muddy hollow is a broad and
beautiful river, glistening like molten
silver in the moonlight.

* " Place-Nomenclature of New Brunswick,
Canada, 1896.

There are times when the bore is disap-
pointing to those who have been led to
expect too nmch, but luider anything
like favorable conditions it is a sight well
deserving of a stranger's time and trouble.
In months when the spring tides are full
it is worth going a long distance to see.

Buctouche, thirt^'-two miles from
Moncton by the Buctouche and Moncton
railway, and twenty miles from Richi-
bucto, has a long established fame for
the excellence of its oysters. It has a
fine harbor, and with a good farming
coiintry behind it has many natural
advantages as a summer resort. It attracts
many visitors ever}' season.

Seven miles beyond Moncton, on the
line of the Intercolonial, is Painsec Junc-
tion, from which a branch of the railway
runs to Shediac, nine miles, and Point du
Chene, eleven miles. At this junction
the traveller changes cars to take the
steamer which runs between Point du
Chene and Summerside, Prince Edward
Island, during the season of navigation.

The stranger who knows something of
the French language naturally falls into
the popular error of supposing that the
name of Painsec has some reference to
"dry bread." It is, however, a corrup-
tion of Pin sec, or "dry pine," and the
place was formerly known as Pine Hill.*

Shediac and Point du Chcnc

The Shediac oysters have a long estab-
lished reputation on account of their
excellent quality, for there are oysters
and oA'sters, and while all are good some
of them are better than others, according
to the localitj- in which they are found.
Shediac has more than its oysters to
recommend it, however, for it is one of
the most pleasant of the summer resorts
on this shore. The village is prettily
situated, while the harbor is a beautiful
sheet of water, about a mile and a half
wide, and from three to five miles long.
All around it is a smooth and gentlv
sloping sand beach, affording every facil-
ity for bathing in the pleasantly warm
water. Bath houses have been erected

bv Dr. W. F. Ganong, in Trans. Royal Society of

84

for those who desire them, and thout^h
the water is the salt sea from the Gulf
there are no iinder-tows to play tricks
upon the weak and unwary. There are
neither squalls nor rough seas in the
harbor, and it is a splendid cruisinj^
ground for pleasure boats. Shediac
Island, a short distance away, is much in
favor for pleasure parties. A visit to the
Cape, one of the prettiest places in the
vicinity, will well repay one for the
trouble.

Point du Chene, two miles below
Shediac, is the deep water terminus and
port of shipment. Here, in the summer,
may be seen large numbers of square-
rigged vessels, loading with lumber for
places across the ocean. Daily communi-
cation is had with Prince Edward Island
by steamer. All that has been said of
Shediac applies with, equal force to the
Point, and the latter has for the tourist
additional advantages. The view from
the shore on a calm summer day is one
which cannot fail to charm. Add to this
the fresh, invigorating breezes from the
water, with excellentbathingandboating,
and Point du Chene is one of the places
to be sought as a quiet, healthful and
restful retreat.

A great deal of quiet enjoyment may
be had from the trout fishing in this
vicinity. The streams most sought by
the angler are the Shediac and the
Scadouc. On the former, good places
are found at Bateman's mill, four miles
from the village, and at Gilbert's mill,
two miles beyond. Between these places
and Point du Chene sea trout may be
caught, weighing three and four pounds
each. Fishing begins in the latter part of
May, and the fly preferred is the red
hackle. Down the shore good fishing is
had at Dickey's mill, three miles, and at
Aboushagan, eight miles distant. Good
bass and mackerel fishing is had in the
harbor and off the island, in the fall. In
September and October three and four
pound bass can be caught from the wharf
at Point du Chene.

Oysters, of course, are abundant, while
sea-clams, mud-clams and lobsters are

found everywhere along the shore.

Plover shooting begins on the ist of
September, and good success is had on
the shore from Point du Chene to
Barrachois. a range of about four miles.
The shore is also a good place for geese,
brant and ducks, in the spring and fall,
and another good shooting ground is at
Grand Digue, about eight miles distant
by road.

Board is very reasonable at and in the
vicinity of Shediac, and indeed in all this
part of the province.

The tour of Prince Edward Island will
be described further on in these pages.
For the present it will be assumed that the
tourist has returned from Point du Chene
to Painsec Junction and resumed his
journey to Nova Scotia. After leaving
the Junction he enters upon a fine farming
country, which becomes more settled and
much better cultivated along the line of
railway as he proceeds.

Dorchester and Sackville

Memramcook, nineteen miles from
Moncton, is a prosperous district, chiefly
peopled by the Acadian French. At
College Bridge, two miles beyond ]\Iem-
ramcook station, is St. Joseph's University,
with other institutions, under the charge
of the Fathers of the Congregation of the
Holy Cross, which has been a powerful
factor in the education of the Acadian
people. The gentle slope of the valley
gives an admirable location for the
grounds and buildings.

Dorchester, twenty-seven miles from
Moncton and twenty-one from Amherst,
is the shiretown of Westmorland county
and a place to which the province is
indebted for some of its distinguished
sons, on the bench, at the bar, and in
political life. It has also given New
Brunswick one of its governors. The
village is pleasantly situated on the high
ground above the valley through which
the railway runs, and has a large hotel,
modern in its appointments and designed
to meet the wants of summer tourists.

The convenience of Dorchester to the
tidal waters allows of excellent ojipor-

tunities for bathing along the shore of
the harbor, and a number of the leading
residents have erected bath houses there.
The beach is a good one and the water of
a very agreeable temperature.

In approaching Dorchester the Mari-

ROCAS A T HOPEWELL CAPJ.

time Penitentiar}- buildings are seen on
the hill near the village. This institution
is for convicts from the ^Maritime Prov-
inces, Dorchester being a central point
in relation to New Brunswick, Nova
Scolia and Prince Edward Island.

Eleven miles beyond Dorchester is
Sackville, a very thriving village which
extends along the main highway for a
distance of several miles. The population
of the parish is over five thousand, about
half of which may be credited to the
village, which is
rapidly advancing.
The natural advan-
tages of this part
of the country for
agricultural pur-
poses is very great,
and farming is
carried on with
great success.
Some of the finest
cattle in the eastern
part of America are
raised here, for
nature has made
the lands at the
head of the Bay of
Fundy adapted to
the needs of vast
herds of live stock.
Here and there,
on the way from
Moncton, the tra-
veller has caught
glimpses of broad
stretches of ver-
dant marsh mead-
ows. W hen he
leaves Sackville he
begins to realize
the extent of them
in this part of the
world. The thous-
ands of acres which
he sees are but a
small portion of the
ever fertile areas
which are foimd
around the head of
the Bay of Fundy,
and which have been a rich heritage to
its people from the earliest days. Some
idea of their extent and value will
be given a little later, in connection
with the country between Sackville and
Amherst.

86

The Methodist educational institutions,
for both sexes, are important features of
Sackville. They are splendidly equipped
for their work, and their graduates are
found to the front among the professional
and head men of the provinces. The
University of
Mount Allison Col-
lege, the Academy
and Commercial
College, the Ladies'
College, Owens
Institute and Art
Conservatory of
Music, all have a
liberal patronage
and are doing a
large amount o f
work.

The New Bruns-
wick and Prince
Edward Island
railway runs from
Sackville to Cape
Tormentine. Before
a suitable steamer
ran from Pictou to
the Island the only
method of convey-
ing mails and pas-
sengers in winter
was by means of
ice boats between
the Capes,a journe}'
always attended
with excitenient
and often with
danger. The dis-
tance across is nine
miles, and between
the two shores, in
cold weather, lies a
formidable barrier
of broken and ir-
regular ice fields,
through which no

vessel can pass, and over which no land
vehicle can travel. Drift ice from the (kilf
of vSt. Lawrence adds to the accumulation,
and piles it up in hummocks like those
encountered in the Arctic regions. In
some places there will be open water.

while again there will be stretches of
lolly — a mixture of broken ice and water
— through which some expert knowledge
and applied muscular energy are required
in order to force a passage. The ice boat
which is in n.se is a verv different kind of

KOL A'.V .; /■ HOI'F.ll'F./J. CAJ'J-:

J iilri iiilmiia! Roiiie

a craft from the ice boat as understood on
the great rivers and lakes. The latter is
really not a boat but a platform on run-
ners, equipped with a sail and capable of
flying over the frozen surface at a high
rate of speed. The ice boat of the Strait

is actually a l)oat, constructed with special
reference to the work it has to do. It is
about eighteen feet long, five feet beam
and a little over tvs^o feet deep. The
design is to combine strength with light-
ness, and so the stout frame has a covering
of cedar boards sheathed with sheet tin.
The two keels, shod with iron, act as
runners on the ice. On each side of the
boat are straps, and by the aid of these
the boat is dragged over the frozen surface.
In this work all able bodied passengers
have to do duty with the regular crew or
pay for the exemption. Ladies and
invalids are allowed to remain in the boat.
When the open water is reached, all
climb aboard and the oars are used.
When the conditions of the ice and water
are favorable the journey between the
Capes is made in less than four hours,
but there are occasions when a much
longer time is required. The experienced
men in charge of the boats know when it
is safe or not safe to attempt the passage,
and thus it is that while there have been
some perilous journeys, due to sudden
snow storms and the like, and occasions
when a boat has lieen reported as lost,
there have been no fatalities since the
year 1855. At that time a boat got astray
and was missing for some days. One of
the passengers died from exposure. At
the present time the journey is a safe one,
and to one who does not mind a little
work it is an interesting experience.

The government steamers Stanley' and
Minto, constructed especialh* for forcing
a passage through fields of ice, run
between Pictou and Georgetown during
the winter. There are occasions when they
cannot make the passage, however, and
then the mails and passengers are sent by
the primitive ice boats between the Capes.
The ice boat service is maintained by
the Canadian Government.

Cape Tormentine is a more inviting
place in the summer for those who want
to enjoy the sea breezes than it is for
those who journey there in the winter.

Local sportsmen find fair goose and
duck shooting around the lakes in the
vicinity of Sackville, while the}' tell of

some good bags of snipe and plover in the
proper season.

Leaving Sackville, the road takes its
way over the rich salt water meadow
known as Tintamarre Marsh for several
miles, close to the head of the Bay of
Fundy. Aulac station was the point at
which the Baie Verte canal would have
started had it been built. The Isthmus
of Chignecto at this point is a little over
eleven miles wide from water to water,
and it is not twenty miles from one
anchorage to the other. The country is
well settled between the two shores, and
its people include progressive farmers
who have learned to regard agriculture
as a science.

A word of caution as to proper names
may not be out of place here. If the
stranger wants to talk to the people about
the marsh he will save himself from
correction by calling it "Tantramar, "
though there is no reason why the French
" Tintamarre " should ever have been so
corrupted. In the same way Buot's
Bridge — "Pont a Buat," — is knowm only
as Point de Bute, while Jolicceur will be
Jolicure to the end of time. The early
English settlers here had little patience
with the French or their nomenclature,
and the French themselves have long
since departed from the land.

They did not go without a struggle.
Just beyond Aulac is the ruined monu-
ment of the last days of their occupancy.
It is all that is left of the solidly built
Fort Beausejour, erected nearly a century
and a half ago, when the thriving settle-
ment of Beaubassin had 2,500 communi-
cants and was the largest in Acadia. One
may still stand within its solid casemates,
or trace the bastions which have thus far
resisted the hand of time, and he may
ponder on the last struggle of the French
regime to hold its own against the invad-
ing forces of E^ngland. The importance
of the Isthmtis between the provinces
was recognized only when it was out of
the power of its holders to retain it.
This fort had accommodation for eight
hundred men, and had what was, in those
days, an elaborate system of outworks.

88

It was taken by Col. Moiictoii, in Jnne,
1775, and with its fall the strnj^^gle in
Acadia was at an end. The Entrlish <^ave
the place the name of Fort Cumberland.
As the years rolled by it was suffered to
fall into deca}', and now only the ruins
remain.

Within a cannon shot to the south is
the site of Fort Lawrence, which was
built and occupied by the English. It is
only the site, for the ground is now a well
tilled farm, and not a trace of the original
works is left to remind one of its story.

Near Fort Lawrence may be seen the
western end of what was intended to be
the Chignecto ship railwa}-. The work
was begim and carried on for several
years, but it was finally abandoned. The
design was to carry vessels of any size over
the seventeen miles of isthmus between
the Bay of Fundy and the Gulf of St.
Lawrence. The vessels were to be raised
from the docks by hydraulic lifts, con-
veyed on trucks over the railway and
placed in the waters by a reversal of the
process by which they were lifted in the
first instance.

"At Chinictou there are many large
and beautiful meadows, extending farther
than the eye can reach," wrote Father
Pierre Biard, the Jesuit missionary, when
he made a visit to the head of the Bay of
Fundy, in the 3'ear 161 2. It is as true of
this part of the country to-day, and the
vast areas of natural salt marsh have been
greatly increased during the present
century. Even at the present day the
work of adding to these marshes has been
continued, and in 1897 a canal was dug
near Point de Bute with the design of
adding about 2,000 acres by making fer-
tile fields of the mossy and unproductive
land.

The meadows, locally known as
marshes, at the head of the Bay of I'undy
have no equal on the continent. Before
the traveller crosses the boundary river
IMissiguash, separating the two provinces,
he has passed by 100,000 acres of them in
the last forty miles of his journey through
New Brunswick, and, when he reaches
Amherst, he is in the vicinity of 70,000

more, of which 40,000 are close at hand.
Many thousands of these have been
reclaimed from the sea in recent times,
but the greater proportion has been
steadily mown for the last two hundred
years. A marsh, once established, is
always fertile. It needs no manure save
that supplied by nature in the deposit of
rich alluvium which is left when the
turbid tides are allowed to overflow the
land. It is said that four inches of this
mudd}^ sediment, supplied in layers of
perhaps a tenth of an inch at any one
tide, will insure abundant crops for a
century. One of the Cumberland marshes
is known as the Elysian Fields, but all
of it may be termed a bovine paradise.
The famous Westmorland and Cumber-
land cattle here revel in rich grasses in
which their hoofs are hidden from sight,
and here are supplied the bone and sinew
of the horses in which the farmers
delight. Marsh land is worth from |ioo
to $200 an acre, according to the care that
has been given it, and three tons of hay
to the acre is a common yield. If need
were, much more than hay might be
produced from these fertile fields, but,
under existing conditions, the old-time
staple is the most profitable to the farmer.
His marsh is a bank which insures him
more than compound interest, and can
never fail.

All along the shores of the territory
traversed by the Intercolonial railway
from the Restigouche to the head of the
Bav of Fundy, within the limits of the
province of New Brunswick, are splendid
fisheries. Some references have already
been made to these in the counties along
the Bale de Chaleur, but a summary of
some of the leading fisheries in the area
named may be of interest.

The value of the fisheries in this district
in a recent year was more than fc, 175,000.
Of herring alone the value was upwards
of 1:890,000, while nearly two million
pounds of salmon, fresh, canned and
smoked, had a value of about 1:383,000.
Nearly eight million pounds of smelts
were caught, with a value of over
1381,000, while the catch of cod was

89

8,290,000 pounds with a value of more
than 1373,000. Of lobsters the harvest
was nearly three million pounds, the
greater portion of which were canned by
the 180 canneries along the coast. The
lobster fishery employed over 4,000 hands.
There were more than iS.ooo barrels of
oysters, valued at upwards of 172,000.
Besides those already named there were
large quantities of all the other fish found
on these coasts. Over |i, 000, 000 is
invested in boats, buildings and equip-
ment for carrying on these fisheries, and
the value is increasing every year.

Amherst and Vicinity

When the Nova Scotia census was taken
in 1S61 the population of the whole parish
of Amherst was 2,767. In 1871 it was

vicinity is miich in favor for building
purposes in various parts of Canada, and
orders for it come from as far west as
Ottawa. The quarries are within a short
distance of the town.

Amherst is a busy manufacturing place,
and among the important establishments
are car works, engine and machine works,
an extensive boot and shoe factory, a
casket factory, foundries, planing mills,
saw mills and many other flourishing
industries. These increase year by year.
In the two years preceding 1891 the
number of establishments was nearly
doubled. More than twice as many
persons were employed in that year than
there had been in 1881, while the capital
invested jumped from 18 1,000 to 1457,000.
The business portion of the town is com-

.... -UJ.-

AMHERST, N.S.

but a little over 3,000, but after the com-
pletion of the Intercolonial railway
between St. John and Halifax, in 1872,
the town began to grow at a faster rate,
and of recent years the growth has been
a steady and very rapid one. The
increase in population between 1881 and
1 891 was at the rate of more than 66 per
cent. At the present time Amherst town
alone has a population of about 5,000,
and is a place which shows evidence of
its progress on every hand. The stranger
w'ho visits it at intervals of a year or two
finds fresh indications of the growth and
prosperity of the town every time he
comes. New and substantial buildings
are to be seen each year, and some of
these are noticeably handsome structures
of stone. The freestone found in the

Intercolonial Route

pactly built and contains some handsome
blocks. The whole appearance of the
town is business like, yet Amherst is a
very desirable place from a residential
point of view. The location is a pleasant
one on gently rising ground, and the
centre of the town is sufficienth' near the
railway to save trouble and yet not
enough to have discomfort from the noise
and bustle of the station yard. The
private residences show good taste as well
as a regard for comfort, and every street
has its flower gardens, which show care-
ful attention on the part of their pos-
sessors. The adjacent countr}- abounds
with flourishing settlements which make
Amherst a centre, and even the villages
across the border of New Brunswick favor
it lar<j:elv with their custom.

90

The opportiiiiities for pleasant drivL-s
around Amherst and vicinity are numer-
ous. One of these which must interest
the student of Canadian history is that
to the ruins of Fort Cumberland, the
Beausejour of the days of the French occu-
pation. From this point there is a fine
view of the bay and of the surrounding
country for miles. A trip to Baie Verte
and vicinity will also prove of interest,
and, indeed, as the country is well settled,
and good farms meet the eye in every
part, it is hard for one to take a drive
which will not afford pleasure.

Tidnish, on the shore of Northumber-
land Strait, seventeen, miles from Amherst
by the highway, is much in favor localh'
as a seaside resort, and is a delightful
place during the summer months. There
is good bathing, boating and fishing, and
a number of the residents of Amherst
have summer cottages there. The beach
is of sand and permits the bather to go
out a half or three-quarters of a mile from
the shore. The fishing is chiefly for black
bass, ling and trout. Pugwash, another
summer resort, will be referred to later.

The shore to the eastward abounds
with duck and geese at the proper seasons.
This part of the country is well settled
and has some fine harbors. Moose are
found among the mountains to the south
of Amherst, and in other places not far
away. The east branch of River Philip,
in one direction, and vShulee and Sand
rivers, in another, are both moose
grounds.

The best fishing to be had is at West-
chester Lake, which is reached by going
to Westchester station, from which a
drive of five miles brings one to Purdy's
hotel. Here there is capital accommoda-
tion. The lake is about six miles beyond
this, a pretty sheet of water, which
contains very gamey salmon trout.

The government experimental farm is
situated at Nappan, a few miles beyond
Amherst, and the next station is Maccan,
where the Nova Scotia coal fields begin
to show themselves. A branch railway
connects the Intercolonial with the Jog-
gins Mines, which have a heavy annual

out-put, and beyond llieni is Minudie,
famous for its grindstones. Beyond
Maccan is Alhol, from which one may
take the stage for Parrsboro and have a
drive through a very beautiful country.
If he prefer to go to the latter place by
rail, he can leave the Intercolonial at
Springhill Junction and make a journey
of thirty-two miles on the Cumberland
railway. On the way he may stop at
the Springhill Mines, where he will get
an idea of what a Nova Scotia coal mine
can yield.

The coal fields of the county of Cum-
berland have an annual output of approx-
imatel}' half a million tons, by far the
greater portion of which is from the
mines at Springhill. The quantity raised
at these mines in 1896 was 411,320 tons,
and more than a thousand persons were
employed in the work. Yet it is only
within the last quarter of a century that
these mines have been worked on a large
scale, and there are man}- now living
who can remember when only a few
small houses and a country store stood
on the ground where there is now a busy
town. The census of 1891 gave the
figures of the population as 4,813. This
was an advance from the figures of 900 in
1881, an increase of orer 434 per cent, in
ten years, which was not only the best
showing of any town in the Maritime
Provinces, but of any place in the
Dominion of Canada.

The most terrible mine explosion ever
known in this part of Canada occurred
here on the 21st of P'ebruary, 1891,
causing the loss of 125 lives, and sending
sorrow into many hundreds of homes.
Had it not been for the prompt relief
sent from cities and towns far and near
blank destitution would have been the
fate of the most of the stricken widows
and orphans. The town has also been a
heavy sufferer by fire, but it emerges
from its troubles only to take a fresh
start and continue in its rapid develop-
ment.

Parrsboro, reached by rail from vSpring-
hill Junction, is on the shore of the Basin
of IMinas, and has many attractions for

91

the tourist who wants quiet enjoyment.
Partridge Island is an imposing headland
in the vicinity of the village, from which
there are fine views of the Basin and the
surrounding country. An attractive
point for excursions is Five Islands.

Thirteen miles to the north and west of
Parrsboro around Sand and Shulee rivers
is found some of the best caribou and
moose hunting in Nova Scotia. Here
there is a large ^rea in which, from the
middle of September to the last of
January, an abundance of shooting may
be had, both of this game and of bears.
Nearer to Parrsboro are large numbers of
partridge, so plenty, indeed, that as

Junction, a branch of the Intercolonial
runs to Pictou by way of Brown's Point, a
distance of sixty-nine miles. From
Brown's Point, also, the railway goes to
Stellarton, twelve miles, on the Truro and
Mulgrave division. From this point the
traveller can continue on to Cape Breton,
connecting with the express from Truro.

Fifteen miles from Oxford Junction, on
the Oxford branch, is Pugwash Junction,
from which place a branch five miles long
runs to Pugwash harbor and village.
The distance from Amherst is fifty miles.

Pugwash is already highly appreciated
as a summer resort, and probably has a
much greater future. The name is said

PARTRIDGE ISLAND, PARRSBORO

many as thirty-two have been shot in one
afternoon. Geese, brant, ducks and
other sea-shore game are abundant
around the shores. This part of the
country always had a good reputation
for sport. Two hundred and fifty years
ago, it is written, game was so plenty
that the Indians of this part of Acadia
had so little exertion to make in hunting
that they were considered sedentary in
their habits. They have also disappeared,
but the game is still to be found.

Pugwash and Tatamagouchc

At Oxford Junction, thirty miles from
Amherst and thirteen from Springhill

I)ile> colonial Route

to mean " deep water," and is no doubt
derived from the deep navigable harbor
by which the village is divided, and
which is commodious enough for vessels
of any size. Pugwash is a shipping port
of importance with special reference to
the lumber trade, and in the days of
wooden ships had a reputation for its
shipbuilding. The harbor proper, which
opens into Northumberland Strait, is a
mile in length, but as a matter of fact the
harbor runs inland for seven miles under
the title of the Pugwash River. In this
distance are a number of small islands,
and the scenery everywhere in the vicinity
is of a picturesque and inviting character.

92

The bathing here is all that can be
desired, while the opportunities for
boating can hardly be excelled. The
trout fishing is very good in the vicinity,
np the Pngwash River, at Wallace River
and at Carr's Brook. There is plenty of
bass fishing in August, and mackerel,
from two to seven pounds in weight, can
be caught at the bridge wdthin a short
distance of the railway station. As for
shooting, partridge are abundant and sea
fowl even more so in their season,
l^'aulke's Harbor, in particular, has a
reputation for ducks, geese and brant.

There are several hotels in Pugwash, at
which there is very satisfactory accommo-
dation at reasonable rates. In addition
to these are a number of private houses
in the village and at Pugwash Point
where excellent board can be secured.
Houses can also be had to lease by those
who wish to have homes of their own for
the season.

Further along the shore, at Wallace,
are the quarries from which the famous
Wallace freestone, one of the finest of
building stones, is obtained in large
quantities and shipped to many points of
the compass. There is a fine harbor at
Wallace.

The railway runs so close to the shore
at Tatamagouche that the traveller may
see from the train the physical feature
from which it is possible the place got
its name. The word Tatamagouche is
said to mean " like a dam," and a ridge
which rises from the water may have
suggested the idea to the practical mind
of the red man. This disposes of any
theory that the term was used in a profane
sense. The Indians, neither having to
team oxen nor put up stove pipes, had no
use for swear words. It is highly improb-
able that they ever said " tatamagouche "
in the way of ironical comment. There
is, however, another theory that "Tata-
magouche " means a place where three
rivers meet. The traveller can take his
choice of the versions.

Much that has been said of Wallace
will apply to Tatamagouche. The village
lies between the Waugh and I'rench

rivers, and there are excellent facilities
for boating and bathing both on the
river aiul harbor shores. Some of the
most desirable bathing on this part of the
shore is at Sand Point, Chambers' Point
and the Narrows, a land-locked harbor
a mile from the village. At Block-
house Point are the ruins of a block-
house built during the I'rench occupa-
tion.

Tatamagouche Bay has a reputation for
its oyster beds, while clams and lobsters
are equally easy to find in this part of the
country. Of lobsters, indeed, nearly half
a million pounds are canned along this
part of the Gulf shore in the course of a
season. Large sized trout are found in
all of the numerous lakes on the Cobequid
Mountains, within a few miles of the
village, and in these mountains some
good shooting can be had in the fall of
the 3'ear, partridge being very abundant.
The roads in the neighborhood are good
and lead to some beautiful bits of scenery.
Urquhart's Falls, on the Waugh river,
are reached by a pleasant drive, and there
are picnic grounds at Drysdale's F'alls, on
the west branch of the same stream.
Board may be had in the village, at the
hotel or in private houses at very moder-
ate rates.

River John, twenty-two miles west of
Pictou, is another pleasant place for quiet
recreation and rest. Such places as Cape
John, with its long beaches of white sand,
McDonald's Cove and Brule are within a
radius of five miles from the village. On
the way to Brule, on a September morn-
ing, hundreds of seals may be seen
sporting in the water close to the shore.
Then, too, there is fair fi.shing in River
John, while trout are found in great
abundance in all the lakes.

Apart from the attractions to be found
along the shore, this brancii of the
railway runs through a settled countrj-
where the land has long been tilled with
])rofit and the people are of the sul)stan-
tial farming class. It needs but a brief
glance by a stranger to note the abundant
evidence of the energy and thrift of the
owners of the soil.

93

Pictou

The town of Piclou, on the harbor of
that name, is a place with about 3,500
inhabitants, and is an important shipping
port. It is reached either by the railway
from Oxford Junction or from Stellarton,
on the line between Truro and the Strait
of Canseau. It is an old and substantial
town, with the best harbor to be found
in this part of Nova Scotia. Rising on a
hill as it does, it makes a fine appearance
when viewed from the water, or from the
train as one approaches the station. A
closer inspection shows some handsome

Charlottetown, while in the winter the
government steamers Stanley and Ivlinto
make the passage between Pictou and
Georgetown.

Pictou has been mentioned as an old
place, and nobody knows how long it is
since the aborigines had a knowledge of
it as a locality. What is known is that
wood, fashioned by savage implements,
has been found in the earth over which
grew trees that bore the ring marks of
nearly three centuries. The Indians had
been there long before that tree began
to grow, for at a remote period their
ancestors had feared the place, because of

PICTOU, FROM THE HARBOR

Intercolonial Rente

public and private buildings. Vessels of
all sizes and rigs are in the harbor and at
the wharv-es, and the scene is altogether
an inspiriting one. The town does a
large shipping business, and vast quan-
tities of coal are sent from here to places
near and far. Trade of other kinds is
brisk, and large numbers of travellers
visit the place at all seasons. It is one
of the points of departure for Prince
Edward Island, both in summer and
winter. During the summer a steamer
of the Charlottetown Steam Navigation
Company makes daily trips to and from

an ever burning fire. Therefore, they
called it ' ' Booktaoo " or " Bucto, ' ' though
there are other theories as to the name.
The untutored mind did not understand
that a camp fire, a stroke of lightning, or
spontaneous combustion, had started a
flame in a coal seam, which burned from
one generation to another. It may sound
like an anecdote of Glooscap, the cham-
pion liar of the Indians, but it is really
the statement of Prof. H. C. Hovey that
when he visited the Albion Mines, a
number of years ago, an ancient bed of
ashes, with an area of two acres, still

94

retained the heat of the lire which must
have ceased to burn nearly three centuries
before. It is probable that some of the
heat lurks there to this day.

Some good scenery may be foiuid in the
vicinity. An admirable view of the sur-
rounding country and the waters to the
north and east may be enjoj^ed from the
roof of the Academy. Drives in the
vicinity of East, West and Middle rivers
will also repay one. Fitzpatrick's Moun-
tain and Green Hill may be mentioned,
Mount and another good view is from
Thom. Another drive is down the
shore to Caribou Point and between
Caribou river and River John. For
bathing, a good place is at Caribou Cove,
less than two miles from the town, where
there is a fine sandy beach. Other good
bathing places may also be found with
little trouble. The countr}-, with its low
land along the shores and hills and
valleys in the interior, its lakes and its
rivers, has many scenes of real beauty.

The fishing in the vicinit}- is chiefl}'
confined to trout. Salmon enter the
streams only in the spawning season,
about the first of September, and go out
before the ice begins to form.

Barney's, French and Sutherland
rivers and River John have good sea
trout during the summer. Middle and
West rivers have small riins of trout,
but, taken as a whole, the rivers in the
vicinit}' have been pretty well ' ' fished
out. ' ' Fine trout are, however, taken at
times in Maple and McOuarrie's Lakes.
Some good sport may be found in fishing
for mackerel, cod, etc., on the coast.

The country to the southward of Pictou
has an abundance of moose. With good
guides, a trip from West river, through
(jlengarry, Stewiacke, Nelson's and
Sunny Brae, and over to Caledonia or
Guysboro, should be attended with good
luck to the hunter. Caribou may also be
found. Bears are plenty, and so are
partridge. Along the shore, snipe, plover,
curlew, geese and all kinds of ducks are
found in large numbers.

Those who wish to visit the Magdalen
Islands will find a subsidized steamer

leaving Pictou once a week for that little
known ])art of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
An account of the IMagdalens will be
found later on in these pages.

The famous Pictou coal fields will be
dealt with in connection with the account
of the country along the line between
Truro and New Glasgow.

Over the Hills to Truro

Resuming the journey on the main
line, at Oxford Junction, the traveller is
carried over the Cobequid Mountains,
and when he reaches h'olleigh Lake he is
607 feet above the sea, if he stands on the
track, and somewhat higher if he is in
the upper berth of a sleeping car. This
is the highest point on the Intercolonial,
with the exception of a summit beyond
the Metapedia, and the air is very
bracing. Before the days of steam,
electricity and lawn tennis the people in
this part of Nova Scotia used to live to
an abnormally old age, and fine specimens
of the old inhabitant are to be found in
every settlement to this day. The
scenery among the mountains is more
than picturesque. The traveller can
supply his own adjectives, according to
the mood he is in and the state of the
weather. Sometimes the eye will catch
a pastoral picture of a winding valley,
dotted with cottages in the midst of
fertile fields, while far below him a
glistening of water tells where the river
flows through the bright green intervales,
or leaps in fairy-like cascades in its
journey down the hillside.

At other times the train passes through
long and deep cuttings, where the masses
of rock bear witness to the labor required
to break down the barriers of nature.
Then again the road takes a short cut
from hill to hill, as at I'olleigh Valley,
which is spanned by a viaduct six hun-
dred feet long and eighty-two feet above
the little stream which trickles below.

At Londonderry a branch railway runs
to the Acadia Iron Works, three miles
distant, the operations of which will be
of much interest to tho.se not familiar
with the manufacture of iron from the

95

ore. Stages also run to the mines, and
to Great Village, Econoni}- and Five
Islands.

The Londonderry iron is said to be
second in value only to the Swedish for
the manufacture of steel, and its well-
known strength causes the occurrence of
its name in the stipulations of many an
important contract.

The beginnings of Truro as a settlement
were humble enough. It was settled in
1 76 1 b\- a colon}' of natives of the North
of Ireland who had been living in New
Hampshire and were induced by the
British government to come to this part
of Nova Scotia to help to build up the
country. They consisted of fifty -three
families, numbering one hundred and
twent}- persons. At that period there was
little to be seen in this part of the countrj-
but woods, water and mud. The agents
of Governor Lawrence had been so
zealous in their work of exterminating
the French that even the score or two of
houses which had been scattered over this
part of the country had lighted the
fugitives with their blazing thatches.
The new comers found no cottages to
shelter them, and as they laid the ground-
work of their settlement it is probable
not one of them would have credited a
prophecy that in the course of seven
score years there would be a flourishing
town of some 7,000 inhabitants there,
increasing in population at the rate of
between four and five per cent, every
year.

Truro is in truth an attractive and
enterprising place. It is admirably sit-
uated on gently rising ground, with the
railway running along the valley at its
base, near enough to be convenient to the
business centre and yet not near enough
to interfere with the attractions in which
good taste has been combined with what
nature has done to make the place beauti-
ful. The long, wide streets are adorned
with shade trees ; the houses, great and
small, have well kept lawns and tasteful
flower gardens, and visitors are alwaj's
well pleased with the town. Yet the
town is more than good looking ; it is

active and enterprising. A number of
important industrial establishments are
in operation, including a condensed milk
factory, hat and shoe factories, foundries,
wood-working factories and others, em-
ploying a large number of hands. Be-
tween 1 88 1 and 1891, Truro's industrial
establishments increased from fifty-five
to one hundred and thirty-one, the
invested capital from 1:156,000 to 1368,000,
with proportionate increase in the num-
ber of hands employed and the amount
of wages paid. The town is the business
centre for a large lumbering and farming
district, and in this respect is every year
becoming of greater commercial import-
ance. The stores are many and are well
stocked, and some of the merchants are
direct importers to a large extent. Many
of the buildings, and notably some of
the more recent ones, are handsome and
imposing structures. Truro is in every
sense a live town, and one evidence of
this is found in the excellence of the
leading hotels. The normal school and
the agricultural school are among the
institutions worthy of special note.

While at Parrsboro the visitor had a
chance of looking up to Cobequid Bay.
From Truro he can reverse the picture
and look down. By ascending Penny's
Mountain, three miles from the Court
House, a splendid view is had, taking in
the range of the North Mountains,
terminating at Blomidon, while the river
meanders gracefully through the valle}'
on its way to the troubled waters of
Fundy. From Wollaston Heights, a
mile from the Court House, is found
another fine view of the surrounding
country, while the best views of the town,
down to the bay, are had from Winburn
and Fundy Hills. A drive to Old Barns,
otherwise known as Clifton, will be found
of interest. The Shubenacadie has a
bore, similar to that of the Petitcodiac,
which may be seen rushing past the
island as a part of the highest tide on the
continent.

Close to the town, yet wholly apart
from the surroundings of every day life,
is Victoria Park, a place which nature

96

has admirably adapted to the purposes of
a pleasure-ground. One portion of it is a
picturesque gorge through which tumbles
a murmuring brook. T'oUowing its
windings and travelling the paths which
lead around the well-wooded hillsides
the visitor finds a cascade of singular
beauty, pouring over a barrier of rock
that rises to a height of fifty feet or more
above the pool which the waters form at
its base. This is the place of which the
gifted Joseph Howe wrote, three score

Falls. Further up the stream is another
waterfall amid romantic surroundings,
while the park, as a whole, is so charm-
ingly rustic that the best of judgment
has been required to guard against too
much of alleged improvement by man.

If one has not seen the Acadia Mines, a
drive to them from Truro, a distance of
twent}- miles over a good road, is well
worth the trouble. Another drive of
twenty miles over Tatamagouche Moun-
tains to Farm Lake takes one through a

JOE HO HE EALLS, Th'ihU

I titei colonial Route

years ago, that " never was there a more
appropriate spot for our old men to see
visions and our young men to dream
dreams." It is the ideal of a lover's
trysting place, where to-day, as in the
olden time, " many an expression of pure
and sinless regard has burst from lips
that, after long refusal, at length played
the unconscious interpreters to the
heart." After such a tribute it is but
just that the memor}- of its author should
be honored in the name of the Joe Howe

rich variety of mountain scener}-. All
the trees of the forest are to be seen on
the lofty hills and in the pleasant vales.
In many places the branches over-arch
the road, and amid these umbrageous
ways the voices of the birds and the
music of the brooks fall sweetly on the
ear. At the lake, elevated over a
thousand feet above the sea, the fisherman
may enjoy a calm content amid nature's
beauties, and have a further reward in an
abundance of excellent trout. Trout of

97

the best quality are found in all of the
numerous lakes in this vicinity.

Some good fishing, especially of trout
and grayling, is found in the rivers in the
vicinity of Truro and in Folleigh Lake.
The latter is a pretty sheet of water with
clusters of islands, and boats are kept
for the use of visitors,

A thick forest covers all the range of
mountains from Truro to Tatamagouche
Bay, and affords good sport. The best
moose ground, however, is among the
Stewiacke Mountains, beginning, say,
fourteen miles from the town. Johnson's
Crossing, five miles, and Riversdale,
twelve miles, have also good reputations.
Caribou are migratory, and not to be
depended on, but a likely place for them
is at Pembroke, twenty-three miles dis-
tant. Indian guides can be hired in
Truro for about a dollar a day. They will
do all the cooking and camp work, and
are to be relied on in matters of woodcraft.

Partridge are plenty, and, after the
latter part of July, snipe, plover and
curlew may be bagged on the marshes
within a hundred yards of the Court
House. Ducks, geese and brant frequent
the lakes in the spring and fall.

Apart from the town of Pictou, the
places to which reference has been made
since leaving the boundary of New
lirunswick are in the counties of Cum-
berland and Colchester, Amherst Ijeing
the shiretown of the one and Truro of
the other. These are counties rich in
resources, to some of which passing refer-
ence has been made. In the lumber
industry Cumberland leads all Nova
Scotia, producing over a million dollars'
worth in a year, while Colchester also
makes a fine showing in the same line.
Both counties are rich in agricultural
products, and the farmers are thrift}- and
prosperous. Poor farmers are not to be
found, and in a country where wheat has
been raised at the rate of forty -six bushels
to the acre there is no reason why farm-
ing should not be a profitable business in
good years and bad years.

From Truro to Halifax is a distance of
sixt}'-two miles, but before enjoying the

pleasures of the capital it may be well to
make Truro the starting point for Cape
Breton, leaving both Halifax and St.
John to be dealt with later. From Truro
to Mulgrave, on the Strait of Canseau, is
one hundred and twenty-three miles, and
across the Strait is Cape Breton. On the
way thither, however, is much that is
worthy of more than a passing glance.

Amon^ the Coal Fields

Stellartou, forty-one miles from Truro,
is one of the notable places in the Pictou
coal field, and is the oldest in respect to
mining, for the Albion mines were first
operated more than seventy years ago.
There are other mines in this part of the
countr}-, however, such as the Drummond
and Acadia collieries at Westville, three
miles from Stellarton, on the branch line
leading to Pictou, and the Vale colliery
at Thorburn, six miles from New Glas-
gow.

This is a coal country. Nobody knows
how much of a deposit there is in Nova
Scotia. Geologists have made estimates
in regard to the areas of which they have
knowledge, and not even the argus-eyed
"Old Subscriber," who keeps a scrap-
book for the purpose of correcting the
newspapers, has ever attempted to dis-
prove their statements. Enough is known
to show that the eastern part of the
province, including Cape Breton, was not
big enough to hold the immense deposit,
and that if the seams were followed out
under the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the
Atlantic Ocean fuel would be found in
sufficient quantity to convert every ice-
berg of the Polar Sea into boiling water.

While one of the mines in Cape Breton
actually extends under the sea the day
is far distant when resort must be had to
submarine mines because of the failure
of those on the mainland. The pick has
been plied since the P'rench began the
work at the Joggins and in Cape Breton,
more than two centuries ago, and the
mines could be worked to a much greater
extent than they are without any fear of
scarcity for centuries to come. The
quantity raised in 1896 was 2,503,728

98

tons, and nobody doubts that very many
more niillious of tons remain for the
workers of the future. According to the
Statistical Year Book, the quantity is at
least seven thousand millions of tons,
and it may be much more.

The countiiis of Cumberland and Pictou
are good neighbors for the count}' of
Colchester, with its inexhaustible supply
of iron. In the Pictou field, according
to Sir William Logan, there are 5,567 feet
of strata, containing one hundred and
forty-one feet of coal, in sixteen beds,
which vary in thickness from three to
forty feet. The coal area of the province
covers about six hundred and thirty-five
square miles.

Nova Scotia is, accordingly, a very
carboniferous sort of country, and coal
seams are foimd in a great many places.
The strata seen at the Joggins mines,
where the sea washes the clifTs, is said to
be the best display of the kind in the
woild. Pictou shows a continuation of
the same field — the great Nova Scotia
coal field, with its seventy-six seams of
coal and a thickness of no less than
14,750 feet of deposits. It took a long
time for all this to form. It was so long
ago that every kind of animal which
roamed in the forests of the period has
been extinct for thousands of years. Yes,
the coal fields are prettj- old ; it took
ages to form each one of the seams ; and
yet when the fisherman barks his shins
on the granite rocks of the Nepisiguit, on
Baie de Chaleur, he feels something
that is a good deal older. It may
mitigate his wrath and repress his pro-
fanity to know that he is bruised by what
was part of the bottom of an ocean
"before a single plant had been called
into existence of the myriads entombed
in the coal deposits." So it will be seen
that coal is quite a parvenu, as compared
with some of the geological families ; but
it is old enough for all practical purposes
where man is concerned.

Rich as the Pictou coal field is, its area
is only about thirtj'-five square miles. It
is in the form of a basin, ten miles in its
greatest diameter, and its coal deposit is

enormous because of the thickness of the
seams. The main seam at the Albion
colliery is the thickest in the world.

The four collieries to which reference
has been made employ nearly 1,400 men.
In the Drummond. the average nmnber
of persons employed in the summer season
is 500, and the daily output is 900 tons.
The main slope is 4,200 feet deep. This
mine was the scene of a fearful explosion
in 1S73, by which sixty-nine lives were
lost. Another memorable disaster was
that of the explosion at the " Ford " pit,
Albion colliery, in 1880, when forty-two
lives were lost. The waters of the East
river were turned into the mine to
extinguish the fire, and though much
pumping has since been done onlv' a
portion of this part of the mine has been
reclaimed. The bodies of those who
were killed by the explosion rest where
death overtook them a thousand feet
below the surface of the earth. Other
parts of the Albion are now being worked,
and yield large returns.

One of the pioneer railways of America
was that built from the Albion mine to
Pictou landing, a distance of six miles.
The work was begun in 1836 and the line
opened in 1839. One of the most remark-
able facts in this connection was that the
road was built on what it required a
generation of experience to learn was the
standard gauge for all railways. The
engine first used on this road was Iniilt
by Hack worth, a competitor with
Stephenson, and was in use at the mines
up to 18S5. It is now owned in the
United States, where it was sold after
being on exhibition at the World's F'air
in Chicago.

Pictou, of which an account has already
been given, is fourteen miles from
Stellarton by rail. Two miles beyond
Stellarton, on the line going to INIulgrave,
is New Glasgow, the commercial centre
of this part of the country.

New Glasgow

The town of New Cilasguw made a gain
of over forty-five per cent, in its popula-
tion in the ten years preceding 1891. and

99

at anything like the same rate it must
now be a place of nearly or quite 5,000
inhabitants. In the same period it in-
creased its industrial establishments from
forty to one hundred and twenty-three,
multiplied the invested capital by six
until it amounted to more than a million
dollars, emplo3-ed 1,100 men where there
had been less than 400, and increased the
value of its products from less than a
third of a million dollars to more than
one and a half million. It has continued

350 feet high, is two miles from the post
office, and from this height one may have
a grand and comprehensive view of the
country for a long distance. This view
takes in a portion of Prince Edward
Island, Pictou and Pictou Island, and
shows the Strait of Canseau as far as Cape
St. George, beyond which rise the
mountains of Inverness, Cape Breton.
Looking to the soiith, a beautiful farming
country is seen, the prospect extending
some thirty miles to the Antigonish

NEW GLASGOIV, N.S.

Intercolonial Route

to grow in the number and extent of its
industries, and besides all that it has of
itself it is the chief town in a manufactur-
ing district which includes such important
works as the blast furnaces at Ferrona,
the steel works and steam forge at Tren-
ton, to say nothing of the extensive
collieries, of which mention has been
made. There is no doubt New Glasgow-
is a very live place.

Some fine scenery- is to be found in the
vicinity of the town. Fraser's Mountain,

mountains. The view in all directions
embraces hills, vallej's and level country,
dotted with the houses and churches of
the outlj-ing settlements. New Glasgow
is close at hand, and among the other
sights which attract the eye are Weaver's
Mountain, McLellan's Mountain, the
Vale Colliery, Trenton, Stellarton, West-
ville, Hopewell, Ferrona and Pictou.
The river, with its serpentine windings,
is a picturesque feature of the landscape.
One of the drives which will be found

of interest is that to Stellartoii, tlirouiLih
the collieries, calling;" also at ]\Ii(ldle
river and winding up at Fit/.patrick's
Monntain, Green Hill. From the latter
place the country can be seen in all
directions for a distance of something like
forty miles. A drive to Little Harbor,
six or seven miles, and a bath in the
salt water, will also have attractions for
the pleasure seeker. At Sutherland's
river, six miles distant, is a fine
waterfall with picturesque surroundings.
A pleasant excursion may also be had by
taking a sail to Pictou and returning by
the railway through Westville and
Stellarton. Those who are fond of fishing
may spend a part of a day at McLellan's
Brook, four miles from the town, where
some very good catches have been made.

Anno Murium

Though one may no longer find anj' of
the old inhabitants who remember the
year of the mice, there are yet many who
have heard their fathers tell of the
remarkable events in that memorable
period of the histor)- of this part of Nova
Scotia. The year in question was 1S15,
when an arni)^ of mice marched over
Colchester, Pictou and Antigonish coun-
ties, eating everything before it as it
advanced. It was a veritable plague, as
serious for a time as that of the frogs
sent upon the land of Egypt, and which
has had nothing to compare with it in the
provinces in more recent times, with the
exception of the invasion of the army
worm. The incursion of the mice, how-
ever, seems to have been purely local in
its character, though Prince Edward
Island also had its experience, and had,
indeed, known such visitations at an
earlier period of its history. As long ago
as 1699, Dierville wrote that the Island
had a plague, either of mice or locusts,
every seven years. This was evidently a
traveller's tale, but in respect to the mice
it seems to have had some foundation in
fact.

The farmers of Pictou and Antigonish,
never having heard of such a plague,
were taken very nuich by surprise when

the mice made their appearance. Accord-
ing to Dr. Patterson's History of Pictou
County, the first evidence of the invasion
was in the spring of the year, when the
sugar makers were annoyed by finding
numbers of drowned mice in the sap
troughs in the maple woods. An occa-
sional mouse meeting with such a fate
would have made no trouble, and might
even have improved the syrup and the
sugar by giving it more of a body, but
when so many rushed to their death as to
crowd the troughs the sugar makers were
alike amazed and alarmed.

The intruders were field mice of the
largest kind, like half-grown rats, and
they had a boldness more than propor-
tioned to their size. They came from the
woods, but how they got into the woods
nobody has attempted to explain ; and it
is in just such cases as this that the pre-
sent century misses the ingenious liars
who invented the legends of the Greeks,
Romans and North American Indians.
Nobody knows where the mice started
from, but their numl)er increased day by
day as the season advanced. By planting
time they had taken possession of the fields
and bade fair to put an end to farming
operations for the season. With added
numbers the}' increased in boldness.
They ate everything that mice can eat,
and nearly ate up the people, for when
molested they sat on their haunches and
squealed defiance with their glistening
teeth laid bare.

It took a brave dog to face a mob of
them, and ordinary cats proved that good
generalship is often shown by a timely
and skilful retreat. Dr. Patterson is
authority for the statement that a farmer
attempted to sow four bushels of oats at
Piedmont, and was disgusted to find that
the mice ate them as fast as he sowed.
Finding that his labor simply amounted
to feeding part of a hungry horde, he
finally got out of patience, threw all his
oats at them and went home in intense
disgust.

Spreading over the country as the
season advanced, the mice devoured all
before them. Acres were stripped of

growing crops, and when food failed
above the ground the diHgent destroyers
burrowed into the earth and consumed
the seed potatoes and grain. Cats and
dogs fought the invaders nobly, and even
the martens came out of the woods to aid
in the conflict, but with little apparent
effect. Trenches were dug and filled
with water, but the diggers had their
labor for their pains. It became a ques-
tion whether the niice or the people were
to possess the country, and for a time the
odds seemed in favor of the mice. The
plague ceased when the cool w'eather

For many years after this remarkable
visitation it was the custom of many of
the people to reckon births, marriages,
deaths, etc., as being such and such a
time after the year of the mice. As
succeeding generations grew up this
system of chronology became obsolete,
and it has long since ceased to be known,
save to the very oldest inhabitants.

Antigonish

Three score and ten j-ears ago Judge
Haliburton recorded his opinion that
Antigonish was one of the prettiest villages

ANTIGONISH

came in the autumn. The army of
occupation became demoralized, the fierce
invaders grew languid and died by the
thousand. " They could be gathered in
heaps, and their putrefying carcases
might be found in some places in such
numbers as to taint the air. At Cape
George they went to the water and there
died, forming a ridge like seaweed along
the edge of the sea, and codfish were
caught off the coast with carcases in their
maws." So says the historian already
quoted, and his words are confirmed by
those who have heard the stor}- from
their fathers.

Intercolonial Route

in the eastern section of Nova Scotia, and
his judgment on this point requires no
revision at the present day. It is beyond
doubt an attractive place. Its tidy dwell-
ings stand amid beautiful shade trees on
low ground, while the hills rise in grace-
ful cones near at hand. Among these
hills are sweet and pleasant vallej-s and
the brooks are as clear as crystal. The
village is the capital of the county, and
is also the seat of the Bishop of Antigon-
ish. St. Ninian's Cathedral is a fine
edifice, built of stone and erected at a
large expense. It wdll seat 1,200 persons.
St. Francois Xavier College is located

near it and has a large number of students
from all ])arts of the provinces. The
college and i-hnrch grounds are beauti-
fully situated, and nian_\' of the private
residences are remarkably tasteful in
their appearance and their surroundings.

The community is largely composed of
Highland Scotch, and cert.-nn historic
family names are so well represented
that many of the prominent residents are
known b)^ their Christian names coupled
with some distin.guishing title, frequently
one showing the line of descent. In this
part of the country, as through Cape
Breton, the Gaelic language is extensively
spoken, and for the benefit of many of
the older people sermons in that tongue
are preached from time to time in the
cathedral.

The mouth of the harbor is eight miles
from the village, and a number of the
residents have summer cottages there.
The beach is of smooth sand and permits
the bather to go out a long distance from
the shore.

It is believed that the word ' ' Anti-
gonish " is a corruption of the Indian
" Nalkitgoniash," which means either
Forked River or Big Fish River. An
other theory is that the original word was
Nalegitkooneech, a place where branches
are torn off by the bears gathering
beechnuts. The scenery is good in all
parts of this district. The "Lord's Day
Gale '" and other storms have done a
large amount of injury to the forests, but
enough beauty remains to satisfy the
sightseer. By all odds the most attrac-
tive spot is at lyochaber Lake, on the
road to Sherbrooke, thirteen miles from
the village. This lake is about five miles
long, and varies in width from a few
hundred feet to nearly half a mile. The
road runs along its bank for the entire
distance, amid foliage of the most attrac-
tive character. The water is very deep
and remarkably clear and pure, while
the banks rise abruptly from it and have
a very beautiful effect.

There are excellent roads in this part of
the country, and abundant opportunities
for driving or making a bicycle journey.

A favorite drive, in addition to that to
Lochaber, is to St. George's Bay, a little
over six miles from the village, from the
shore of which there is a grand view
extending far out to the waters of the
open sea.

Antigonish is in touch with some of the
famous gold mining districts of Nova
vScotia, such as the Sherbrooke, Forest
Hill and Isaac's Harbor mines. These
are reached b}' a journey of forty miles or
so over good highways. The Sherbrooke
road is a convenient way by which to
reach some of the fishing and bunting
grounds of Guysboro. By going about
twenty miles, St. Mary's river is reached
at the Forks. Here there is good fishing
all along the river, and good accommoda-
tion may be had at Melrose. From here
to the Stillwater Salmon Pools is seven
miles, and some fine salmon may be
caught. Sherbrooke, a few miles lower
down, is a very pretty place, and here one
may catch not only fine sea trout, but
salmon ranging from fifteen to forty
pounds in weight. The fly best suited to
this river is one with light yellow bodv
and dark yellow wings. In the other
salmon rivers the " Admiral " is a favorite,
as well as another with turkey wing, grey
body and golden pheasant tail. Guysboro
lakes have fine trout in them. The
mountains of this country, too, are the
haunts of moose.

In approaching Antigonish by the rail-
way, after leaving Barney's river, the
road runs through a canj-on, extending
for a number of miles, and which is part
of the beautiful Piedmont valley. I'ar
away and near at hand rise tree-clad hills,
on which the sunshine gives a glory to
the varying hues of summer foliage, to
show in vivid contrast with the shadows
cast in the vales beneath.

Near Antigonish is Sugar Loaf ^loim-
tain with a height of 750 feet — from
which is a view of sea and land that
includes even the shore of Cape Breton.
Only a few miles from Antigonish is
Gaspereau Lake, which is 500 feet above
the v.'ater in the harbor, so it will lie seen
that there is no lack of hills, with all

kinds of scenery, in this part of the
world.

There is some fair tront fishing in the
rivers of this vicinit_v, good partridge
shooting and amazing opportunities for
bagging wild geese in their season.
Three men have secured twenty-five in
three days on the shore of St. George's
Baj-, near at hand, and only recently
an Indian shot twenty geese at Town
Point, six miles from the village, and
walked into Antigonish staggering under
the weight of his acquisitions. The man
had more than he could dispose of, and
it is understood that he made a vow never
to shoot as many at one time again unless
the prospects of a market were better.

Leaving Antigonish, South river is the
first place to claim attention, with its
picturesque islands and green hills, while
here and there the white plaster rock
brings out the colors of the forest and
jtield in brighter relief. If the journey be
made in the autumn it is almost a
certainty that wild geese and ducks will
be seen at South river. It is no uncom-
mon thing for an approaching train to
cause several flocks to rise from the river
close at hand, while at a distance niaj' be
seen the heads of thousands of others, as
they float tranquilly on the water.

The Trappists of Tracadic

It has already been explained that the
word " Tracadie " means a camping
ground, and that it designates a locality
in each of the Maritime Provinces. The
Tracadie of New Brunswick is best known
to the world from the fact that the
Lazaretto for lepers is located in its
vicinity, and the Tracadie of Nova Scotia
has a claim to distinction in having had
the only Trappist Monastery in Canada
south of the St. Lawrence, and one of the
few on the continent.

Tracadie station is twenty-one miles
from Antigonish, and there is a good
harbor near at hand, opening into St.
George's Bay. There is an Indian reserve
in the neighborhood.

The Monastery of Our Lady of Petit
Clairvaux, which was its proper title, was

founded in 1820. The members of the
comnuinity were Cistercian Monks,
though commonly called Trappists from
their obedience to the rule of La Trappe,
the founder of the order. They had
between five and six hundred acres
of land connected with the monastery,
much of which was in a high state of
cultivation. Within the last few 3'ears,
however, the community suffered heavily
from fire, losing the monastery, grist
mill, carding mill and barns, on two
different occasions. A new monastery
was erected, but the work of replacing
all that was destroyed was of necessity
slow and attended with difficulty, and
the community, numbering only about
a score of monks, who were chiefly
Belgians, became discouraged at the
outlook and emigrated quite recently
in a body to a new home. Another com-
munity of Trappists in France, numbering
sixty persons, it is however now an-
nounced, have secured the vacated pro-
perty and will shortly arrive to take up
the work of their predecessors.

The life of a Trappist is devoted to
prayer, manual labor and silence. The
ordinar}- hour of rising is two o'clock
in the morning, except on Sundays and
feast da^'S, when the hour is half-past
one. The remainder of what most people
would call the night is spent in chanting
the offices of the church, in meditation
and other religious duties. The fast is
broken by a light meal at 7.30 in the
summer and 11.30 in the winter, the
latter season being kept as a Lent. The
monks never eat meat, fish or eggs, and
it is only of recent years that butter has
been allowed in the preparation of the
vegetable food. The discipline is strict
in all other respects, for the Trappist life
is the most rigorous of all the monastic
orders. Conversation, when necessary,
is carried on by signs, except in address-
ing the abbot.

The monks, in addition to their own
manual labor, furnish considerable em-
ployment to others who assist them in
their work, and they are excellent
farmers. In their religious duties they

104

seek to make reparation for the sins of
the outside world. Desjiite of what
seems a severe life they enjoy excellent
health and live to a great age, as a rule.
All their life, however, is a preparation
for death. The burial place is close to
the monastery, where it is continually in
sight. When a monk dies he is buried
in his habit, inicoffined ; and when the
grave is filled in another grave is
opened to remind the survivors that one
of them must be its tenant in his ap-
pointed time.

On an Ocean Bye-Way

If the Atlantic be a highway for the
commerce of na-
tions, what but a
bye-way, or con-
venient short cut,
is the Strait of
Canseau. It is the
great canal which
nature has placed
between the ocean
and the Gulf of
St. Lawrence, by
which not only is
distance shortened,
but the perils of the
sea are, in man}-
cases, reduced to a
minimum. Four-
teen miles or so in
length, and about
a mile in width, its
strong currents as-
sert its claim to be
part of the great sea beyond, while the
thousands of sail passing and repassing
year after year tell of its iuiportance to
the trade of the whole Atlantic Coast.

The Intercolonial railway reaches the
Strait of Canseau at Mulgrave. Here the
high land on the western shore affords
some glorious views, both of the long
stretch of water, dotted with all kinds of
craft, and of the sloping hills of the
island beyond. The most prominent of
the heights on the mainland is Cape
Porcupine, from the summit of which the
telegraph wires once crossed, high over

the waters, to I'laister Cove. In the early
days of ocean cables those slender
threads in mid air were a part of the tie
which imited Europe and America. When
breaks occurred — and in such an exposed
situation they were bound to occur — the
link between two worlds was broken.
The adoption of sul)marine cables solved
the problem for all time.

IMulgrave has not only an hotel but a
number of private houses where excellent
accommodation can be had by those who
wish to remain for a time or make this
the centre from which to visit some of the
places along the Strait. The roads are
ofood and there is fair fishing in the

PORT MULGRA VE, A'.S.

I iili'i colonial Roil It'

vicinity. INIorrison's Lake, which lies un-
der the shadow of Cape Porcupine, is two
miles from the wharf, and is reached by
an easvroad. BigTracadie Lake is three
and a-half miles distant, and Chisholm's
Lake lies between the one last mentioned
and the highway. The road is a good
one and through a settled country. To
the southward of the wharf are the Goose
Harbor lakes, a chain which extends
from three miles beyond Pirate Harbor
to the southern coast of Guysboro.

As for salt water fishing, it may be had
all along the Strait. Indeed, one lad has

105

a record oi seventy bass caught by him
fishing from the wharf at Mulgrave in one
morning. They averaged from four to
six pounds each.

Port Hawkesbury and Port Hastings,
on the other side of the Strait, are also
good places for those who are in search
of rest and quiet, with plenty of sea
breeze, a good view of the waters east
and west and every chance for boating,
driving or wheeling. Good accommoda-
tion is to be found at both places.

Steamers leave Mulgrave on certain
days of each week for Guysboro and
Canseau, on the Nova Scotia shore to the
southward, and for Arichat on the Cape
Breton side A steamer also runs up the
north shore of Cape Breton to Port Hood,
Mabou and Margaree Harbor. In both
directions are places to delight those who
want to get thoroughly out of the ordin-
ary course of the tourist, and 3'et find
much that is novel and of interest.

Guysboro

The distance from Mulgrave to Guys-
boro by water is about twenty-five miles,
and it is an exceedingly pleasant trip on
a summer day. Guysboro is situated at
the head of Chedabucto Bay, and when it
was settled by some military men, in the
last century, they seem to have had an
idea that it was likely to be quite a city.
The streets were laid out at right angles,
with a width of a hundred feet, and they
are that width to-day, save where they
have been encroached upon. The place
is delightfully quiet and restful, and the
surroundings are full of beauty. The
harbor is one to excite admiration, while
there are unlimited opportunities for
boating, bathing and fishing. The river,
for about ten miles up from the village,
has high hills on each side and abounds
with picturesque scener}\

No one need lack for fishing in this
part of the world, and there is a great
variety of it. In the salt water are
mackerel, cod, haddock, perch and smelt.
Sea trout are plenty in the rivers which
empty into the bay, and brook trout may
be caught in all the rivers and lakes in

this part of the province. The favorite
places for them are Salmon river, Goose
Harbor and Guysboro rivers, Cole Harbor,
New Harbor, Donahoe's Lake and Trout
Lake. Salmon are found in Salmon
river, and the rivers at Guysboro Inter-
vale, Cole and New Harbors. Tor Bay,
on the Atlantic coast, has a high reprita-
tion for its sea trout.

Geese and ducks are found everywhere
along these shores, partridge abound in
the woods, and the country to the rear of
Guysboro is famed as a resort of moose.

Chedabucto Bay is about twenty-five
miles long and varies from four to ten
miles in its width. It is famed for the
abundance of mackerel caught in its
waters, and in the more prosperous
mackerel fishing days it was the resort of
great numbers of Gloucester fishermen.
It is said that at one time there were
three thousand fishermen's huts on the
beach at Fox Island, between Oueensport
and Canseau.

Canseau and Its Fisheries

Canseau is an ideal place for those who
want to enjoy the sea and learn how the
fisheries are carried on in this part of
the world. It is and always has been the
central point for fishermen on a coast
famed for its fisheries. The French
resorted here in the early days, and the
New Englanders had their station here
more than half a century before the
United States came into existence. That
their business w-as no small one may be
inferred from the fact that in a raid by
the Indians, in 1720, the loss was esti-
mated at about |ioo,ooo. In 1725 Canseau
was looked upon as the proper place for
the seat of government of the province,
because there were more English here
than at any other settlement. Here, a
score of years later, Pepperell's fleet made
its rendezvous while on the waj- to attack
Louisbourg, and time out of mind it has
been a harbor of refuge and a place where
fishermen have put in for supplies at all
seasons.

The name of Canseau has been spelled
in various wavs, and there are an eciual

106

number of theories as to its origin
and meaning. Some allege that it is
derived from the Spanish "ganso," a
goose, others that it is from the Indian
\vord " cansoke " or " canisoke, " a
frowning cliff, while the old fashioned
and proper way of spelling it is " Can-
seau."

Baron de L,ery brought some cattle to
Canseau, from France, in 1518, and an
ancient mariner by the name of Scavolet
made a fishing voyage hither in 1565
and kept up his excursions ever}- j-ear
until 1607. The actual foundation of
Canseau as it is to-day, however, dates
back to 1S12, When Abraham Whitman
came here from Annapolis to settle down
and grow with the countr}-. He suc-

Isaac's Harbor and Salmon river nearly
1,400 boats are engaged, and some of the
individual fishermen are said to be men
of wealth. In the year named some
2,000 tons of fish were sent up the Strait
to Mulgrave, to be forwarded to Montreal
and other points. These were chiefly
fresh fish, for in these days of refrigerator
cars and warehouses and rapid transit
over the government railways the old
style of salting fish is not as common as
it was years ago. The shipments of fresh
fish meant about |8o,ooo to the Canseau
fishermen. There were some dried fish
produced, however, and the quantity was
ten million pounds, worth ^300, 000. It
took thirty million pounds of fresh fish
to make this quantity, and if sold fresh

!; I.

.4,..

"TT-rTZl

STRAIT OF CANSEAU, FISHING FLEET

ceeded despite such occasional interrup-
tions as that caused by the swooping down
of the redoubtable Paul Jones, in 1813,
and the great fishing establishment of the
Whitmans to-day bears evidence to the
wisdom of its founder in the choice of
a location.

In the 3'ear 1S96 the fishermen along
this part of the coast, from Isaac's Harbor
to Canseau, took about twenty-two million
])ounds of marketable fish, not including
lobsters, and of these considerably more
than one half were taken between White
Head, on the Atlantic coast, and Queens-
port. In the same year Canseau shipped
about a million pounds of lobsters, and
including the coast for fifteen miles on
each side, three million pounds. Between

Intercolonial Route

the amount realized would have been just
twice as much. Of the six million pounds
of fish handled in Guysboro county, two-
thirds came from the thirty miles of coast
east of Isaac's Harbor, of which Canseau
is the chief place.

So much for the fish question, which is
a very important one in this part of Nova
Scotia. Apart from it, Can.seauhas many
attractions for those who love the sea.
The situation of the village is charming,
and there is no lack of facilities for boat-
ing, bathing and all kinds of fishing.
The sea is the farm of the people, and
boats are their chief means of conveyance,
though teams are easily procured bj- those
who wish to drive around the country.
Some of the fishing boats are very neat

107

craft, and in the annual regatta, which is
a great event, fine records are made. One
of the sights on any fine morning or
evening during the fishing season is to
see a fleet of some one hundred and fift}' of
these boats going to the fishing grounds
or returning laden with the spoils of the
deep. There are times when some of
these boats earn as much as forty or fifty
dollars each in a day. The fishing
grounds are ahywhere bej'ond a mile
from the shore, but the best are from ten
to fifteen miles distant. The coast along
this part of Nova Scotia, and the corre-
sponding portion of the Cape Breton
shore, nine miles away, are said to j-ield
a larger quantity of fish to the mile than
any other part of this country of deep sea
fisheries. One is impressed with this fact
when he goes to the wharf at Canseau,
after the boats have come in, and sees
the quantities of halibut, cod, haddock,
hake, mackerel and the like, which are
the result of a daj^'s work.

A sail around the waters in the vicinity
of Canseau is full of delightful surprises
in the way of scener}-. In and about the
passages between the islands are not only
all kinds of landscape and water views,
but one maj' go upon the open ocean,
with Ireland as the nearest land to the
eastward. Cape Canseau is the most
easterly point on the mainland of the
Dominion of Canada, the last point seen
by ships and steamers when leaving the
coast of Nova Scotia to cross the Atlantic.
It is one hundred and twenty miles east
of Halifax. In this vicinity have been
some notable wrecks, and thrilling tales
of the sea ma}- be heard. On a summer
day, however, a sail around the shore is
suggestive only of pleasure, while even
the numerous seals and the sea birds
appear to be taking life easily and in
peace. There are about thirty islands in
the vicinity of Canseau of varying sizes
and every variety of form.

Canseau is in close touch with every
part of the world, through being the
cable station for both the Western Union
and Commercial Cable companies. The
former is in the village and the latter is

at Hazel Hill, two miles distant, w-hich is
practically a town of itself controlled by
the company. It has a population of
about 300, chiefly the employees of the
company, and everj^thing has been done
to make the staff comfortable. The
cable buildings are finely furnished and
equipped', and the houses and grounds
of the staff are models. Hazel Hill has
its own electric light and water supph', a
fire department and other features of a
city. A club house for the young men is
a feature of the place.

Canseau has good accommodation, both
in the way of hotels and private houses.

Arichat and Isle Madame

In the earl}' part of the centurj'
Arichat was the chief commercial port of
Cape Breton, but it is a quiet enough
place now, though it has many natural
advantages which in due time must bring
it more favorabl}' to the notice of the
summer tourist. It is a restful place,
with good bathing, boating, salt and fresh
water fishing and good roads for driving
or wheeling. It is the chief port of Isle
Madame, which is separated from the
main island of Cape Breton by Lennox
Passage. Isle Madame, which includes
some smaller islands, is about sixteen
miles from east to west, and a little more
than half that distance from north to
south. In addition to its boundar}- of
Lennox Passage, it is bounded on the
east by St. Peter's Bay, on the south and
westby the Atlantic Ocean and Chedabucto
Bay, and on the extreme west by the
waters at the southern entrance of the
Strait of Canseau. Arichat is a place
with a population of about seven hundred,
and was formerly the seat of the Bishop
of Arichat, until the see was removed to
Antigonish.

Arichat is prettily situated on high
ground and has a fine harbor. There is
another good harbor at West Arichat.
The situation of the island makes the
climate delightful!}' cool in the warmest
of weather.

This place was one of the important
stations of the Jersey fishing houses, and

loS

the Robins still have an establishment
here. In the township are many Acadian
French, some of the families having
come here from Grand Pre at the time of
the dispersion.

Houses are easily procured at Arichat
by those who wish to board themselves
during the summer, and some visitors
from Massachusetts have come here
regularly for several years, boarding
themselves and making bicycle journeys
around the country. There are some
attractive bits of scener}' around the
island, and the marine views are ex-
cellent.

St. Peter's and the Canal

In going from Mulgrave to the Bras
d'Or by steamer the route taken is
along the Strait of Canseau and through
Lennox Passage to St. Peter's, where
the canal gives access to the famed
inland sea. This is one of the places
where Cape Breton gets the addition of
an island by the presence of a narrow
water passage between two sections of
land, though in this instance it is the
work of man and not of nature. INIan
was a long while about it, too, after he
decided that it oi:ght to be done. As
man found Cape Breton, the whole four
hundred and fifty square miles of water
in the Bras d'Or had communication with
the sea outside only by way of what is
known as the Great and the Little Bras
d'Or, on the northeast coast. In other
words, if one wanted to sail from the
Strait of Canseau to Sydney, or to any
point within the great lake, it was neces-
sary to go around the coast of Cape
Breton to do so. At St. Peter's Bay,
however, only a neck of land, less than
half a mile wide, prev-ented a southwest
passage into and out of the Bras d'Or,
with the avoidance of all the risks of
navigation aiound the coast and the
advantage of a great saving of time and
distance. From very early times there
had been a portage across the land for
small boats at this place, and finally it
was decided there ought to be a canal.
The survey was made in the year 1825, and

estimates were given for a canal to cost
^68,600. Thirty years later the canal was
begun by the provincial government, and
at the time of Confederation, in 1867,
1:156,500 had been expended, but the
canal was not open for traffic. It was
completed by the Canadian government
a year or so later, and since then has had
a large amount expended on it. The
canal is about 2,400 feet in length, has a
breadth of fifty-five feet on the water
line and a depth of nineteen feet. At its
northern end is St. Peter's Inlet, which
opens into the Bras d'Or at its widest
part. From this point the journey may
be continued to S3-dney by steamer, or
the Cape Breton division of the Intercol-
onial railway taken at Grand Narrows
for Sydney, Mulgrave or any intermediate
places.

St. Peter's was settled by the French
before they went to Arichat, and was one
of the places reported upon for a strong-
hold before Louisbourg was chosen. At
what is called Brickery Point, in the ba}-,
the clay was procured for the brick used
in the construction of Louisbourg. The
sites of both English and French forts
are easily to be traced at the present
time. The latter, indeed, is close to the
canal and the house of the lockmaster is
upon it. The old earthworks are plainly
to be seen, and occasional finds of bay-
onets and other evidences of warfare are
made. A few years ago a hooped cannon
was unearthed, undoubtedly belonging
to a period long prior to the building of
the "Port Toulouse" fort here in 1749.
It had probabh- been the property of
Denys de Fronsac, who had a settlement
here as long ago as 1636. Fort Granville,
used after the English occupation of
Cape Breton, was on the hill to the east
of the canal lock.

There is good bathing at St. Peter's,
and as a matter of course there is every
facility for boating, both in the bay and
the inlet at the other end of the canal.
Excellent trout fishing may be had by
going a short distance. Some of the best
streams are River Tiere and its branches,
two miles; Scott's river, seven miles;

109

Thoin's brook, fifteen miles and Grand
river, a like distance. There are salmon
in the last named river.

It is claimed that the roads in this part
of the country are the best in Nova
Scotia. They are well made and from
the nature of the soil they do not become
muddv. Among the attractive drives are
those to River Bourgeois, five miles, and
to Grand River along the shore through
L'Ardoise. A favorite water excursion,
on the Bras d'Or side, is to the quarries at
Marble Mountain, a distance of fifteen
miles. On the way thither is Point
Michaux, or Cape Hinlopen, or Hinchin-
broke. It has all three names, but is
iisually known by the first one. Here
there is a beautiful driving beach, two
miles long and an eighth of a mile wide.
It is very level and of such hard, smooth
sand that the hoofs of the horses do
little more than make a slight impres-
sion on it.

St. Peter's Inlet is studded with islands
clad in verdure, and there are times when
the scene is unusually beautiful, even for
a land of which beaut}- is everywhere.
On a calm summer morning, for instance,
the peaceful sea is a mirror which reflects
in rare beauty the red, purple and golden
hues which the sunlight gives the hills.
On the land the colors are strangely
bright, while the waters soften and blend
the whole into a picture which must ever
linger in the memory.

The Bras d'Or will be dealt with more
fully in connection with the railway
journey through Cape Breton. In the
meantime another excursion may be made
from Mulgrave along the Strait of
Canseau, going through St. George's Bay
and alqng the northwest shore of Cape
Breton to where the open Gulf of St.
Lawrence lies to the northward.

St. George's Bay and Port Hood

The tides run through the Strait of
Canseau at the rate of from four to six
miles an hour, and they defy the tide
tables by rising superior to all rules by
which men look for tides to be governed.
Their course is determined to a large

extent by the force and direction of the
winds outside, and they may flow in one
direction for days at a time. The tourist
can tell whether the steamer is going
with or against the tide by watching the
spar buoys and noting the direction in
which they point. It makes some differ-
ence in the length of the voyage whether
the steamer is being carried along with
the current or is putting on more steam to
overcome it.

The section of Cape Breton from
Hastings to Port Hood, Mabou and Ihoad
Cove, a distance of fifty-seven miles, has
recently been made more convenient of
access by the opening of the Inverness
and Richmond railway. This railway
opens up a fine piece of farming country
and at the same time provides a winter
outlet for the large quantities of coal
being produced at Port Hood and Broad
Cove. The road follows the coast line for
the entire distance from Port Hastings to
Port Hood, and an exceedingly fine
panorama of land and sea is disclosed to
the view. A daily passenger service has
been inaugurated, connection with the
Intercolonial at present being made by
ferry from Mulgrave. Work is, however,
under wa}' to connect the two roads at
Point Tupper and is expected to be com-
pleted shorth'.

A steamer also runs from Mulgrave to
Port Hood, a distance of twenty-six miles,
on regular days of each week. Port Hood
is near the entrance to the bay, and from
tliere the journey may be continued to
INIabou, Broad Cove, Margaree Harbor
and Cheticamp, bej-ond which there is
little on the north coast to interest the
tourist, unless he is anxious to have a
bracing cruise around Cape Lawrence and
Cape North to see the grandest scenery in
Cape Breton. Of this further mention
will be made later in the journey.

Port Hood is a place of about 1,500
people, and is the shiretown of Inverness
county. It is the commercial centre of a
good farming and fishing district, and
considerable general business is done. It
is a place not nuich known to tourists,
but a stay here may be made very enjoy-

able to those who want rest and quiet,
with every chance for boating, bathing
and fishing. The hotels are good, and
private board can be secured when
desired. Port Hood has of late expe-
rienced some of the " boom " which
other parts of Cape Breton has en-
joyed, and it is largely due to the
opening up of the Port Hood Coal Com-
pany's mine and the active operation
thereof. This companj-'s propert}' is
sixteen square miles in extent, under
land and water, and there are two prin-
cipal seams, one seven feet and the other
eight feet in thickness. The two seams
are variously estimated to contain from
sevent}- to one hundred and sixty-eight
million tons of coal. The mine is at
present capable of producing five hundred
tons per day. The coal is said to be of a
superior quality for steam producing and
domestic purposes. A natural result of
this development is that building has
become active and real estate has attracted
many investments.

There are good boats and skilful
boatmen here, and excursions ma}' be
made around the shores and to the
islands. The latter consist of Outer
Island and vSmith's Island, the latter
being a most fitting name from the fact
that of the fifteen families resident upon
it no less than thirteen are Smiths. They
are a very prosperous communit}-, and
the five hundred acres of the island are
divided into flourishing farms which
raise four and five tons of hay to the acre
and other crops in proportion. Each
family has a score or more of sheep and
four or five cows, and after providing for
these there is considerable hay left for
export.

Fish, however, rather than agriculture
is the great industry of the island, and it
is due to the fish offal that such fine crops
are raised. About half a million pounds
of dried cod, haddock and hake are sent
from here to Halifax in a season, and
nearly fifty thousand pounds of canned
lobsters are sent from the factory. In
the days when mackerel were more
plentiful than of recent years these

waters were the best mackerel grounds in
Canada, and there were enormous catches
of herring. A few years ago a whale,
sixty-five feet long, followed a school of
herring so closely that it ran ashore at
the island and was secured, but it is right
to add that whale catching is not looked
upon as a regular industry.

The shipment of fresh fish is now being
actively prosecuted, the facilities pro-
vided by government bait freezers, re-
frigerator cars, etc., making it much
more profitable than to ship dried fish.

All the country along the north shore
is known as a good sheep district. One
steamer alone took some 3,400 head from
Port Hood and Mabou recently, as many
as five hundred going in a single lot.
They were sent chiefly to Halifax, by
way of Pictou. There is good pasturage,
and under the pastures are deposits of
coal. There is a coal field all along the
shore from Port Hood to Margaree, from
two to six feet thick, but of course it is
much better at some points than at others.
Around Port Hood a man can go down to
the shore and dig his winter's coal as
easily as he digs his potatoes. If he is
not disposed to do all the work at once,
he can go from day to day with a shovel
and a bag or bucket, just as he would go
to his coal bin. He ma}' have to go down
four or five feet before he strikes the
seam, if he is trying in a new place, but
coal is sometimes struck in digging the
holes for fence posts.

A proposition to build a breakwater,
closing up the northern entrance of Port
Hood harbor — which formerly had a
natural breakwater, but which has been
gradually carried away by the action of
the water — will likely be put into effect
shortly, and will have the effect of
making this harbor one of the safest
along the coast.

Mabou and Vicinity

Mabou is very beautifully located, on
the riverside a few miles from the harbor.
The rivers which empty into the harbor
are called the Southwest and Southeast
branches, and there is excellent trout

lishin,L; in both of them. A luunber of
other rivers within easy distance also
furnish fine sport. One of these is Hay
river, Lake Ainslie.

The scenery in this vicinity is ever}--
where attractive, and there is no limit to
the excursions which uia}^ be taken by
carriage or boat. One of the drives is to
the coal mines, and to Cape Mabou, a
mountain 800 feet high, level on the top,
and commanding a grand view of the
Gulf, as well as of the interior of Cape
Breton for many miles. This view shows
a very beautiful part of the country,
including the rich agricultural district of
Strathlorn.

Mabou has good bathing places, and
the accommodations for visitors are very
satisfactory both at the hotels and at
private houses. It is an easy drive of
twent}' miles or so across the country to
Orangedale vStation on the Intercolonial.
In going up the coast, cliffs 300 feet or
more in height are seen along the shore
between Mabou and Broad Cove, and the
water is correspondingly deep. On the
tops of some of these cliffs the highway
can be seen winding around what would
appear to be places fraught with danger
to the traveller who did not heed well
his path. This is not the main highway,
but a shore road. The country is well
settled all the way between Port Hood
and Margaree, and there are some very
thrifty farmers.

Broad Cove is an indentation of the
coast, about twelve miles long and two
miles deep. Here there are coal mines
which are now being vigorously worked
by Messrs. Mackenzie & Mann, who
are also proprietors of the railroad which
has its northern terminus at Broad Cove
and runs to Port Hastings. Up-to-date
machinery has been installed in these
mines and the output will be largely
increased. It is the intention to establish
a coal carrying trade to the St. Lawrence
and to American points. A large amount
of money has been expended in making
a harbor, or rather in making a channel
to a basin which has needed only an
entrance in order to be as good a harbor

as could be wished. This basin, or lake,
has been cut off from the sea by a strip
of land a few hundred feet in width, and
to open and dredge a deep water channel
through this has been a work requiring
no small amount of labor and capital.

Mar^arce and Chcticamp

The old inhabitant rises to remark that
it used to be called Marguerite, but that
Margaree is the name by which it has
been known in modern times, and by
which it must be spoken of if there is a
desire to have people know what locality
is meant. The Indian name of the river
was Weeukuch, red ochre, and the mouth
of the river was Owchaadooch, meaning
"where they get it" (red ochre).
Approaching Margaree harbor by water,
Margaree Island, which has also been
known as Wolf Island and Seal Island, is
seen standing out in bold relief, rising
high above the sea. It is a dreary looking
place, and in addition to the lighthouse
and a lobster factory has only the houses
of some fishermen upon it.

jNIargaree harbor is rather shoal, and
the landing from the steamer is effected
by means of boats. The village is a
quiet place, with good farms in the
neighborhood and good sea fisheries
along the shores. The great fame of the
Margaree district, however, arises from
the wonderful trout fishing found on the
river and in the other waters of the
interior. The fishing grounds are usually
reached by taking the Intercolonial
railway to Orangedale station, twenty-
nine miles from Point Tupper, and going
to the interior by way of Whycocomagh.
In this way fishing may be had at various
points along the route, but the best pools
are thirty-seven miles from Orangedale
and eight miles from Margaree harbor.
While dealing with the latter place,
however, it may be well to speak of the
fine opportunities the fisherman has in
this part of the world.

Leaving the village and travelling four
miles along the INIargaree river, the
stranger enters on one of the most beau-
tiful meadows in all Nova Scotia. It is a

dead level, one mile in width, with
picturesque hills on each side, and has a
length of four miles. In that distance
are some of the famous pools. At the
end of this meadow is the junction of the
Northeast and Southwest branches.
This is the Forks. The Northeast
branch has its source twenty-five miles
back in the forests of the interior, and
coming down from the hills makes its
winding way through wood and meadow,
the scenery being fairly enchanting at
times. The salmon go up this branch to
the pools near its source. Both salmon
and trout are abundant in their season.
From the Forks along for fifteen miles is
the Northeast Margaree settlement, one
of the most thriving and attractive in
eastern Nova Scotia. Here the visitor
can get excellent accommodation in the
houses of well-to-do farmers. The pools
of this branch are considered the best in
the province.

The Southwest branch flows to the
Forks in an opposite direction to the
other branch. It is the outlet of Lake
Ainslie, the largest body of fresh water
in Cape Breton. This lake is triangular
in shape, twelve miles long and about
seven miles in extreme width. It has a
wide reputation for the size and number
of its trout. The lake is about fourteen
miles from the Forks. The Southwest
branch ajfords trout and alewive fishing,
and salmon in the fall of the }-ear. From
the head of L,ake Ainslie to Whycocomagh
is only five miles. Good fishing is also
to be had at Trout river, Lake Ainslie.
Further points about this part of the
country will be mentioned in connection
with Whycocomagh, in describing the
Bras d'Or.

To the south of Margaree the settlers
are chiefl}- Scotch, together with the
descendants of the U. E. Loyalists. All
over this part of the country the Gaelic
language is in common use, some of the

older people speaking it exclusively,
while the younger generation learn to
talk it as they grow up. It is a very
necessary language for a clergyman or a
doctor. North of Margaree the settlers
are Acadian French, and at Cheticamp is
the largest of their settlements in the
province of Nova Scotia. There are
about 3,000 French here and less than 200
of all others.

Eastern harbor, Cheticamp, five miles
long, with an average width of half a
mile, is one of the safest harbors along
the coast. It is well suited for boating
and bathing. There is a gradually
sloping sand beach, three miles long,
with not a rock along its entire length.
Good accommodation can be secured at
Cheticamp, and vacant houses can be
rented for the whole or a portion of the
season. A conspicuous object, seen for
many miles away in approaching Cheti-
camp by water, is the Catholic church, a
new and handsome structure which will
hold about 4,000 people.

There is good trout and salmon fishing
in Little river, which empties into Eastern
harbor, but not to the same extent as on
the Margaree. Of salt water fishing there
is a great variety, for this is one of the
great sea fishing districts of the Gulf, and
is a station of the famous Jersey firm of
Charles Robin & Co. During the season
the farmers move from their farms to
temporary homes on the shore, and the
anni:al catch of cod, herring, mackerel
and other fish, as well as of lobsters, is
very large. The catch of codfish alone
at Eastern harbor and Cheticamp is aboiit
three million pounds a 3'ear, producing
one million pounds of the drj- fish.
The annual value of the fisheries in
this district is upwards of |75,ooo.
Along this coast, from Port Hood up
to Pleasant Bay, the value of the
fisheries in the last year reported was
over 1316,000.

114

Alon^ the Beautiful Bras d'Or

RETURNING
to Mulgrave,
the tourist
crosses the
Straitof Can-
seaii, to take
the railway
■*' along the
Bras d'Or. If
he wishes to
go by steam-
er by way of
Lennox Passage and St. Peter's canal, to
which reference has already been made,
he can arrange to return b^- rail.

Cape Breton is usually spoken of as an
island, but it actually consists of a num-
ber of islands, while there are numbers
of peninsulas out of which even more
islands could be made, were there any
occasion for the work. Water, fresh and
salt, has been distributed very liberally
in this part of the world, and it is to this
that Cape Breton owes much of its charm
as the paradise of the summer tourist.

The land does its share as a part of the
beaiitiful picture. There is enough of it
and some to spare, for of the more than
two and a half million acres only about
a moiety is fit for cultivation. The rest
of it is good for other things. The pro-
ductive coal measures, for instance, cover
about two hundred and fifty square miles,
and there are other sources of wealth in
the earth, some of which are known and
some of which have 3'et to be developed.
Whether the land is good or not is of
little moment to the pleasure seeker, for
it is enough for him that it is one of the
finest places in America for a summer
outing. It has been so far removed from
the bustle of the world in the past that

there is a freshness about it that may be
sought for in vain along the beaten high-
ways of travel. The primitive simplicity
which amused Charles Dudley Warner
and other humorous writers is still to be
found in many districts, but it is no
longer a troublesome journey to reach
even the mysterious Baddeck from any
part of the continent. The Intercolonial
has opened up the land, and the Cape
Breton railway, which is a part of the
Intercolonial, reaches from the Strait of
Canseau to the harbor of Sydney, on the
eastern shore. For much of the distance
it runs along the borders of that wonder-
fully beautiful inland sea, the Bras d'Or,
or of the rivers and bays that are tribu-
tary to it. The scenery is never tame,
because it is ever varied, and there are
places where the speed of the slowest
train will seem but too fast to the lover of
nature's beauty.

The railway begins at Point Tupper,
just across from Mulgrave, and has a
length of ninety-one miles. At the out-
set, in aiming to provide a route as direct
as possible, it necessarily passes through
a part of the country a little removed
from such settlements as those which
cluster around River Inhabitants and
other places of note. For the same
reason, it bridges some big gaps which
the valleys have made. The trestle over
McDonald's Gulch, with a length of 940
feet, and a height of ninety feet above
the bed of the stream, is the second
longest in Canada.

vSo it is that in the first half of the
journej- but little is seen of the people of
the country. The countr}- itself, how-
ever, begins to give glimpses of its beauty
at such places as Seal and Orange Coves,

115

ivIcKinnon's harbor, and the various
inlets of Denys river. Then conies the
famed Bras d"Or.

Who can describe the beauties of this
strange ocean lake, this imprisoned sea
which divides an island in twain ? For
about fift}- miles its waters are sheltered
from the ocean of which it forms a part
and in this length it expands into bays,
inlets and romantic havens, with islands,
peninsulas and broken lines of coast — all
combining to form a scene of rare Ijeauty,

The Bras d'Or waters have a surface
area of 450 square miles, and while the
width from shore to shore is as much as
eighteen miles in one place, there are
times when less than a mile separates
shore from shore. So, too, the depth
varies in somewhat the same ratio as rise
the surrounding hills. In one part of
Little Bras d'Or there is a depth of nearly
700 feet, the depression equalling the
height of the surrounding land. Every
variety of landscape meets the eye of the

ENTRANCE TO BRAS D'OR LAKES, CAPE BRETON

Intercolonial Route

surpassing the power of pen to describe.
At ever}- turn new features claim wonder
and admiration. Here a cluster of fairy
isles, here some meandering stream, and
here some narrow strait leading into a
broad and peaceful bay. High above
tower the mountains with their ancient
forests, while at times bold cliflfs crowned
with verdure rise majestically toward the
clouds. Nothing is common, nothing
tame ; all is fitted to fill the mind with
emotions of keenest pleasure.

delighted stranger, and it is because of
this variety that the eye never wearies and
the senses are never palled.

It would be useless, and doubtless im-
politic, to attempt to convince the
traveller that "Bras d'Or" is only the
corruption of a word that is not French
and has a wholly different meaning. As
one sees the calm surface made glorious
by the rising or setting sun, with an
ambient light like that which shone in
the subtle distillations of the alchemists

116

of old, there comes the tliou^hl thai no
other title than the " Arm of (iold " so
well befits this Mediterranean of the
Acadian Land. Yet there are not wanting
those who argue that this summer land
had its name in common with that of
"the cold and pitiless Labrador,"' anti
that both are from the Spanish Terra dc
Laborador—\a.nA that nuw be cultivated.
This would apply to the surrounding
country, but there is another theory
which has been used in reference to the
recognized Labrador, and will applj' with
equal force here. It is that of M. Jules
Marcou, in a paper " Sur I'Origine du
Nom d'Amerique," to be found in the
Transactions of the Quebec Geographical
Society for 1888. He avers that the name
" Brador," or "Bradaur, " is an Indian
word w-hich means " deep and narrow
bay," pushing forward through the land
and corresponding to the Norw'egian
fiord. It ma}' also be remarked that
Denys' map, dated 1672, shows " Le Lac
de Labrador," in what is now Cape
Breton .

Between the claims of the Indians,
Spaniards, French and English, includ-
ing the abominably bad spellers who
undertook to write books and make
maps, there is a good deal of haziness
about some of the names in this part of
the country. It is rareh- that the people
who are residents can throw any light on
the subject, and an appeal to the aged
Indians sometimes makes confusion worse
confounded. It is only an occasional
Indian who is ready to swear that
Skudakumoochwakaddy — the name of a
high island on the Bras d'Or, once used
as a burial ground — means merely "Spirit
Land." It may be that the average
inquirer does not give just the right
accent to these names, and hence is mis-
understood. The words are not always
easy to pronounce according to their
spelling and even the judicial mind of
Judge Haliburton considered " INIalaga-
waatchkt " to be what he termed a
crabbed name.

In following the railway the stranger
will occasionallv see what looks like a

shallow ])ond, a hundred feet or so in
diameter. It may surprise him to learn
that the bottom is sixty or a hundred feet
from the surface. This is a country of
heights and depths, where at times the
train runs through long cuttings where
the white plaster rock looms up on each
side, to travel for hundreds of yards on
high embankments in which the excav-
ated material has been made to bridge a
valley. There is nothing flat about the
scener}', unless it may be the water, and
even that is so only in a purely literal
sense.

Nor is that always as flat as some
would like it to be when they have to
cross the Bras d'Or after a heavy gale.
The inland sea is but a part of the
Atlantic, and an outside sea may sweep
its waters into fury. The direction of
the wind makes all the diff'erence in the
world.

Whycocoma^h

It is a question whether " k " rather
than "c" should not be used in the
spelling of this word, but it is not an
essential matter. The main point is how
to get there and what to see.

Orangedale, twenty-nine miles from
Point Tupper, is the point on the railway
from which Wh}xocomagh is reached by
a drive of seven miles, and teams are in
waiting on the arrival of express trains.
Orangedale is at the head of one of the
numerous little arms of the Bras d'Or
which are foimd in this part of the
journej', and near at hand are Denys river
basin and Great and Little Malaga-
waatchkt. The latter are two inlets of
the great lake at the head of West Bay,
on the northern shore. The uncouth
name is said to mean "First Barrel,"
and there is a tradition to explain it.
It is pronounced " INIalagawatch."

Whvcocomagh is situated on the basin
which is the termination of St. Patrick's
Channel, which has its mouth more than
twenty miles to the eastward, beyond
Baddeck. To go from this part of the
railway to Whycocomagh wholly by
water would mean a journey of about
forty miles, but a few miles east of

117

Orangedale is an inlet which extends so
as to leave only half a mile of land to
cross in order to reach Whycocomagh
Basin. This was the canoe portage of
the Indians, and it niaj^ have been in this
connection that they called the place
Whj'cocoinagh, meaning "ending of this
mode of travel."

The drive from Orangedale is an attrac-
tive one, the latter portion of it being
around the shore of the basin. Whj'-
cocomagh village is in a location which
leaves little to be desired by tourists, and
the surroundings both on land and water
are full of beaut}'. The summer climate
here, as indeed in all this part of Cape
Breton, is well nigh perfect. It is an
exceedingly healthful place. Consump-
tion and kindred complaints are unknown,
and no disease ever becomes epidemic.
It is one of the few parts of the world
where children rarely die from any cause,
and a lady relates that when she went to
school the case of a child struck by light-
ning was the only instance of the death
of anybody of school-going age.

The bathing around the shores, which
are well shaded by trees in many places,
is very inviting. Boating in the basin is
equally alluring and is absolutely safe.
There has never been a drowning acci-
dent. Indian Island, a little distance
away, is owned by the Indians, who
number aboiit twenty-five families and
have a reservation of i,8oo acres near the
village. Some of the farms make a good
appearance.

A mineral spring, which is claimed to
possess many virttxes, is easy of access in
the village. Good board can be secured
both at the hotel and in private houses
owned by leading residents.

A number of good fishing rivers may
be reached from Whycocomagh. The
most distant are the famous pools at
Margaree, elsewhere mentioned. To go
to these a drive of five miles is taken
through Ainslie Glen to the head of Lake
Ainslie. Following the eastern side of
this lake, which is twelve miles long, the
Southwest Margaree is reached and its
course followed to Margaree Forks, where

the first of the series of pools is found.
The distance is thirty miles, and to
Margaree harbor the distance is thirty-
eight miles. There is good fishing at a
shorter distance, however, at L,ake Ains-
lie itself and at Trout river, only five
miles from the village. Fair fishing is
also to be had at times in the Whycoco-
magh and Sk}' rivers.

From Whj'cocomagh across the country
to Mabou is about fifteen miles. The
River Denys, another fishing .stream, is
reached from the railway, eight miles
from Orangedale As for pleasure drives
around Whycocomagh there is a wide
range included in the surrounding
country. A drive around Salt Mountain,
to the eastward, gives some fine views of
the Bras d'Or. Salt Mountain is 850 feet
high. Sky Mountain, reached by a drive
of six or seven miles, has a height of 950
feet. A double team can be drivim to the
top of it, where there is a good bit of
farming country. From this height
there is a great view over a large area of
land and water, including a large portion
of the Bras d'Or, Cape Porcupine on the
Strait of Canseau, and even Prince
Edward Island, when the air is clear.
There is a fine chance for drives all
around the vicinity of Lake Ainslie.

Grand Narrows

The half-way point between the Strait
of Canseau and Sydney is Grand Narrows,
forty-five miles from Point Tupper b}'
the railway. It is a central point as
regards travel to some choice spots on the
Bras d'Or, and has a well equipped hotel.
At Grand Narrows the hitherto wide
expanse of water, with a width twelve,
fifteen and eighteen miles from shore to
shore, is left behind as the journey is
continued to the eastward, and the Bras
d'Or changes from a broad basin to make
its way through a passage less than a
mile in width, the name of which is
Barra vStrait. Grand Narrows is a pretty
place, with manj' opportunities for the
tourist to find summer recreation. The
climate in all this part of the country is
delig-htful. With all the benefits of salt

118

water breezes there is very little iog, and
what there is of it is neither frequent,
thick nor of long duration. A prominent
resident of Grand Narrows is authority
for the statement that he has known five
consecutive summers to pass without a
trace of this moist visitant.

Grand Narrows is centrally situated as
regards some of the most inviting spots
in Cape Breton. Baddeck is only twelve
miles distant by water, and a trip of
twenty miles from it takes one to the
beautiful Whycocomagh. It is hardly
necessar}- to say that opportunities for
good bathing and safe boating are found
everj-where in this diversified region of
land and water, while there is an abun-
dance of fishing. Trout are caught with
the fly from the Bras d'Or as close to the
hotel as the railway bridge, and what is
more singular, fine fat codfish also rise
to the fly in the autumn and are easily
taken. Good sized trout are also found
at Benacadie, a few miles away, and at
Eskasonie, a little further removed. The
River Denj'S has also a fine reputation
among anglers.

Fresh codfish may be had here every
day in the year, if the trouble is taken to
catch it. Salmon are netted in front
of the wharf, and smelts are also abund-
ant. The mackerel in the Bras d'Or are
very large and fat. Here, too, are extra
large lobsters, and oysters are so natural
to the country that they actually grow
on trees.

This may seem to be a remarkable
statement, but it is literally true. Along
some parts of the shore where the soil
yields easily white birch and other trees
occasionally topple and fall so that their
tops become submerged. The young
oysters, seeking a lodging place, attach
themselves to the branches.'and remaining
there, continue to grow on trees in the
literal sense of the term. In past years
from three thousand to four thousand
barrels of oysters have been taken arouiul
these waters in the course of the season,
and some of them have been shipped as
far west as Port Arthur.

The view from the top of Grand Nar-

rows mountain, about i,ooo feet above
the water, is a very extensive one. It
takes in the great lake up to vSt. Peter's,
West Bay, Malagawaatchkt, Baddeck,
the Little Bras d'Or for thirty miles and
a portion of Kast Bay. In it are included
the Whycocomagh mountains. River
Denys mountains and the higher moun-
tains to the north and west. One of the
most attractive of the drives is that
around Narrows Head and Piper Cove,
taking the highway leading east from
Grand Narrows and making an almost
circular drive of seven or eight miles.

Then, as for game, the sportsman may
find all the partridge he seeks in the
woods, and thousands of plover, black
duck, curlew and other sea fowl, at all
the inlets along the shore for many a
mile along the line of railway. Grand
Narrows has not a monopoly of the good
things, but it is convenient because of its
central situation.

The railway bridge which crosses Barra
Strait at Grand Narrows is a handsome
as well as substantial structure, with a
length of 1,697 feet. It is the link which
connects the eastern and western divi-
sions of the road. It was formally opened
in October, 1S90, by Lord Stanley of
Preston, Governor-General of Canada.
His Excellency stood in the cab of the
engine and acted as driver during the
passage across.

Baddeck

Daily week day steamer trips are made,
during the season of navigation, between
Grand Narrows and Baddeck, a distance
of twelve miles, and calls are made at
both places by the steamers on the route
between Miilgrave and Sydney.

Baddeck is a place of which much has
been heard in recent years, and its repu-
tation has been increased by the fact that
several wealthy citizens of the United
States have made their summer homes
here, living in their own houses. jNIany
strangers, doubtless, have an idea that
there is nothing to equal Baddeck in
Cape Breton, and that when they have
seen it and made a hasty trip through

119

the Bras d'Or they have got a sight of all
that is worth seeing. The truth is that,
while Baddeck is a place with many
advantages and much natural beauty, it
is only one of a number of points which
ought to be visited in order to get an
intelligent comprehension of the attrac-
tions of this summer land.

Nobody should miss seeing Baddeck,
however. Going by water from Grand
Narrows, lona is passed on the north-
ern shore, and further along lies

called from its fancied resemblance to a
pair of glasses.

Baddeck, which is the same word as
" Bedeque " with a different spelling,
and was EV)adete — a sultry place— to the
Indians, has a population in the village
and district of about 1,500 It is the
most central place in Cape Breton, and
when one is here he can easily get to any
other part of the island. In a business
sense the village is a centre for a large
area of the surrounding country. It is a

BADDECK, CAPE BRETOI\

Moolasaalchkt, or Big Harbor. About
three miles beyond this is the headland
known as Watchabukctckt on the left,
and Beinn-Bhreagh on the right. These
guard the harbor of Baddeck and the
entrance of St. Patrick's channel, which
leads to Whycocomagh basin. On the
side of Beinn-Bhreagh, otherwise known
as Red Head, is the beautiful summer
cottage of Dr. A. Graham Bell, of Wash-
ington, the inventor of the telephone.
In the harbor is Spectacle Island, so

Intercolonial Route

place of call for several steamers, includ-
ing the French mail steamer for St.
Pierre.

The situation of the village, on the
gentle slope which rises from the land-
locked harbor, gives it a fine appearance,
and those who seek an outing here are
not disappointed in the many natural
advantages which Baddeck affords for the
health and pleasure seeker. The facilities
for bathing and boating are especially
good, and the water is delightfullv warm.

The scenery everywhere in this vicinity is
of a beautiful description, and the
chances for excursions both by land and
water are practically without a limit.
They can be made to embrace the north
shore of Cape Breton, the Bras d'Or
lakes, and even the open Atlantic, by
way of St. Anne's Harbor and Bay, to say
nothing of the many attractions in the
limited area of a few miles around the
village. One of the latter is found at
Uisge-Ban (pronounced Uish-ka-Ban)
Falls, which are in the forest nine and
one-half miles from the village. These
falls first came into public notice about
fifteen years ago. They are in the
Baddeck mountains and are three in
number. From the bottom of the first to
the top of the third there is a rise of 800
feet in a mile. The highest cataract is
seventy-five or eighty feet. These falls
are reached by a good road. There are
still larger, but less picturesque, falls on
Middle river, some twelve or fifteen miles
from Baddeck.

Baddeck is a point from which the best
trout and salmon fishing in Cape Breton
can be reached. A drive of twenty-eight
miles takes one to the famed Margaree
river, where both salmon and trout are
found. Middle river, within a few miles
of the village, has probably the finest
sea trout on the island. Sea trout are
also found in Baddeck river and in North
river, St. Anne's, the latter being a
favorite stream. The trout taken in it
average from a pound to a pound and a
half in weight. Another fishing water
reached from Baddeck is Lake Ainslie,
which has already been mentioned in
connection with Whycocomagh. The
best trout fishing is from about the 20th
of June to 20th of July. There is good
shooting, according to the season, in the
woods and along the shore in this
vicinity.

There are two hotels at Baddeck, and
excellent board can also be secured in a
number of private houses. Among those
who have found Baddeck attractive
enough to make it their sunmier home
and build cottages here are George

Kennan, of Siberian fame; Mr. Canuth,
of Boston ; Charles J. Bell and Alexander
Graham Bell. The latter owns the head-
land called Beinn-Bhreagh, or Beautifid
Moimtain, where he has land to the
extent of something over eight hundred
acres. On a gentle slope on the side of
this mountain, surrovmded by well kept
grounds and connnanding a grand view
of land and water, is his hou.se. It is an
ideal summer cottage, finely finished and
designed with every regard for comfort
and convenience. Here the great inventor
and his family spend a large part of each
year, sometimes remaining until late in
November.

The experience of Dr. Bell is interest-
ing, and has a moral for those who have
had no experience of the benefits of the
climate of this part of the world. Some
years ago, having specially in view the
health and comfort of his children. Dr.
Bell sought to find the right kind of a
place to make his summer home. He
tried the Atlantic coast around Cape May,
Cape Cod and at other points, but in
every instance there was something which
appeared to be a defect. He wanted the
advantages of the salt water without the
cold winds, fogs and other drawbacks of
some of the otherwise attractive seaside
resorts. When he came to Cape Breton,
he found that of which he was in search
exemplified at such places as Baddeck
and Whycocomagh. Here he found a
country rich in scenery and with a
glorious summer climate. While the air
was refreshingly cool, the water in the
Bras d'Or, though coming from the
ocean, was so tempered in its passage
as to be of a most agreeable warmth
in the harbors and bays. In connection
with this he observed the fact that the
water in the sheltered haven at
Baddeck retained this heat until late in
the autumn, so that the leaves remained
on the trees in this vicinity long after the
time when they are supposed to fall in
this latitude, and as a matter of fact long
after the forests on the mainland were
bare. The situation was sufficiently
retired, and j'et easy of access. He there-

fore purchased the mountain peninsula,
and year by ^-ear has gone to a large
expense in beautifjang and improving it.
Much of the land near the shore is under
cultivation, and nine miles of roads have
been constructed. Winding roads lead
to the top of the mountain, which is 600
feet high, and the ascent affords a succes-
sion of views extending over the country
on all sides. A sheep ranch, where im-
proved merinoes are kept, is one of the
features of what is in manj- respects a
model farm.

Dr. Bell does not come here to rest, so
far as he is personally concerned. He is
a very busy man, and in his well equipped
laborator}' and its annex he is able to
carry on his scientific investigations free
from interruptions. He has a staff of
trained assistants, and all find plenty to
occupy their time and engage their
attention.

Grand Narrows to Sydney

Leaving Grand Narrows the railway
follows the south shore of the Bras d'Or
for about thirty miles until George's
river is reached, when it diverges to the
south to reach S3dney. About twelve
miles from Grand Narrows the Little
Bras d'Or is seen. This is the minor
outlet of the lake, separated from the
main outlet, the Great Bras d'Or, b}-
Boulardarie Island. This island, which
is about twentv-six miles lono and from

two to three miles wide for the greater
portion of its length, has its eastern end
on the Atlantic. The Little Bras d'Or is
from two to three miles wide for twentj^
miles or so, and is very deep in places.
The greatest depth of water in the whole
Bras d'Or, indeed, about 700 feet, is
found opposite Boisdale, eighteen miles
bej'ond Grand Narrows. In the last six
or seven miles of its course the Little
Bras d'Or is very narrow, and is navigable
onl}- for vessels of light draught. This
part of it is not seen from the railway.

The railway journey permits of some
extended and beautiful views along the
Little Bras d'Or. Especially is this the
case in the vicinity of Long Island,
where some fine stretches of water and
picturesque bits of landscape are seen.

In the forty-five miles between Grand
Narrows and Sydney the country is not
only more settled but more fertile as the
traveller proceeds, and in the vicinity of
the S3'dneys the evidences of thrift and
prosperity are seen on every hand. One
can hardly believe that two centuries ago
the Indians and one or two missionaries
were the onh^ occupants of all this part
of America. The practical settlement of
Cape Breton by the English dates back to
but little more than a hundred years ago.

In going to Sydney by steamer, the
passage of the Great Bras d'Or is made,
and the trip is continued around the
coast until Svdnev harbor is reached.

A SEQUESTERED NOOK

Intercolonial Route

The Sydneys and the Boom

N 1) E R
I he term
r.f The
Sydneys
are in-
cluded
the towns of
Sj'dney and
North Sydney.
Apart from
tlieir names
the one has
little relation to the other, for they are
five miles apart bj^ water and seventeen
miles from each other by land. The
Sydney Mines lie be3'ond North Sydney,
and thus the whole district has come
under a general title with specific desig-
nations.

To understand the location of the
Sydneys one must know something about
the harbor. This is one of the best in
America, — safe, capacious, easy of access
and navigable at all seasons. It opens
into the Atlantic Ocean and is nearly two
miles wide at the entrance. Of great
depth and so sheltered as to protect it
from the force of storms, no haven on the
North American coast is more easily
entered by ocean going craft, and none
is more secure. It is absohitely clear of
obstructions, and it is commodious
enough for the fleet of a nation to ride
at anchor and leave plenty of room for the
demands of the commercial marine. At
a distance of four miles from the mouth
it divides into the Northwest and South
Arms. On the north side of the harbor,
before the division is reached, is the town
of North Sydney, with a population of
about six thousand people. Close to it
is the settlement of Sydney Mines, which
had about three thousand of a population

when the last census was taken. vSydney
is situated on the vSouth Arm. It had a
population slightly less than that of
North Sydney by the last census. In
July, 1899, the same relative proportions
were preserved, but a few months later
Sydney had a population of some seven
thousand, while it now has probably
twelve thousand. It is all uue to the
boom, which began in August, 1899, and
appears to have come to stay.

This boom is due to the fact that the
Dominion Iron and Steel Company
has chosen Sydney as the scene of its
operations. Since the company has
decided to locate at Sydney the town
has experienced such a boom as is a
novelty in eastern America. Real estate
has advanced beyond the dreams of its
former owners, new buildings, some of
them of the most substantial character,
have been erected, and more are contin-
ually under construction. The influx of
strangers has included mechanics, trades-
men and men of all classes of occupation,
each impressed with the idea that Sydney
was the coming place in the Maritime
Provinces, if not in Canada. The popu-
lation is still increasing, and it is likely
to do so for years to come, for not only
do the present works mean much of
themselves, but there is little doubt that
tliev will be followed by other important
industries. The boom is a solid one.

Whatever maj' be the commercial out-
look of Sydney, it nuist continue to be
the objective point for tourists by the
Intercolonial railway. Apart from all
that is implied hy a journey through the
glorious summer country of Cape Breton,
Svdnev it.self is beautifully situated on
the rising ground of the Southwest Arm,
a most attractive sheet of water which

becomes part of the main haruor a short
distance below. There is every ojij^ior-
tunity for the best of boatinc(, yachtiiii,'
and bathing in these waters, while the
drives to beautiful parts of the country in
the vicinity are limited in variet}' only by
the time at the disposal of the visitor.
One of these, around the head of the
harbor to Barn Ivake, is through a very
fine part of the S3'dney district, and still
more enjoyable is that to Mira river, a
distance of twelve miles. Lingan, Glace
Bay, Port Morienne, Louisbourg and
Gabarus, most of which may be reached
by rail, offer many attractions for excur-
sions by the highway. The coal mines
may be reached both by highway and
rail.

Mention has been made of the extent
to which the Gaelic language is heard in
some parts of Cape Breton. At Sydney
is published the only purely Gaelic news-
paper in the world. It is called the
"MacTalla," or the Echo. It is issued
weekly and circulates on both sides of the
ocean. Gaelic sermons are still heard at
times in one of the Presbyterian churches
of Sydney.

North Sydney, in its geographical rela-
tion to Sydney, is seventeen miles
distant when the course of the railwa}- is
followed around the head of the harbor,
but it is only five miles distant by the
ferry steamers, which make regular trips
between the two places. North Sydney,
on the shore of the main harbor, is the
shipping and commercial port, and in a
little over a quarter of a century it has
developed from a village along the shore
to a seaport town where a very large
amount of business is done. Sailing craft
of every description and of all maritime
nations, ocean steamers, liners and
tramps, cruisers of the British, United
States or French navies all cast their
anchors in these waters in the course of a
season. They may come in the depth of
winter if they choose, for the harbor is
open then as in the summer, and from
this port the steamer Bruce makes its
regular trips to Newfoundland through-
out the year. Other lines of steamers

make this their terminus, and an exten-
sive trade is carried on both with New-
foundland and the French islands. Here,
too, is the Western Union cable station,
of which frequent use is made both by
the navy and merchant marine calling at
this port, and there is a marine railway
where vessels are put under repairs when
required. There are a number of indus-
trial establishments, and the town is
generall}' in a flourishing condition. The
important settlement of vSydney Mines, a
mile or two distant, has also its influence
on the prosperity of the town.

North Sydnej' has shared to a consider-
al)le extent in .Sydney's advance, and in
anticipation of the establishment of an-
other extensive steel works and kindred
industries is preparing for a boom on its
own account. North Sydney has pro-
bably the finest water system of any
town in the province, being supplied from
a lake of three miles in length with an
average width of a mile and a half
immediately behind the town, and the
town is no^v engaged in the installing of
a sewerage system costing in the vicinity
of |;ioo,ooo. For residential purposes
North Sydney offers inducements second
to none in the province.

The Nova Scotia Steel Company, of
Ferrona, has secured the old Sydney
mines, where there is an eight foot seam
of coal free from sulphur, and it has also
purchased limestone quarries at a large
cost. This compau}' owns two-thirds of
Bell Island, to which reference has
already been made in connection with
the works at Sydnev, and has therefore
an inexhaustible supply of all the
essentials for carrying on the manufac-
ture of iron and steel, which is said to be
their intention. For a water supply it
has Pottle's Lake, which is good for a
supply of seven and one-lialf million
gallons a day in the dry season. So far
as facilities for carrying on the operations
go, nothing is to be desired.

With these works once in operation it
will be seen that both the Sydneys are
included in what is known as " the
boom."

125

Sydney Mines, three miles from North
Sydney, and with almost the same popu-
lation when the last census was taken, is
a famous place in the history of the coal
development of Cape Breton. Here is
the oldest mine in this part of the
country. It has a perpendicular shaft
more than seven hundred feet deep, and
the mine itself extends about a mile under
the sea.

Coal is an important factor in the pros-
perity of the Sj'dneys, and there is a
never failing supply of it. The quantity
available in the fields of Cape Breton is
estimated at a thousand million tons.
This does not include the numberless
seams less than four feet in thickness, nor
the vast body of coal which lies under
the ocean between Cape Breton and New-
foundland, one area of which is believed
to contain two thou. -sand five hundred
acres, with an estimated yield of thirty-
five million tons.

A number of notable mines are found
to the eastward of Sydney harbor and
along the coast as far as Port Morien.
Among these are: Caledonia, at Caledonia;
Reserve at Reserve Mines ; International
and Dominion No. i at Bridgeport ;
Dominion No. 3 and Dominion No. 4 at
Caledonia. These mines are the scene
of exceedingl}^ active operations. From
5,000 to 6,000 men are emplo5'ed in them,
and from Sydney harbor alone upwards
of 800,000 tons were shipped in the course
of a season, while large quantities are
shipped from the two piers at lyoui'^bourg.
The completion of another mine. Domin-
ion No. 2, between Bridgeport and Glace
Bay, will add to the district one of the
largest in America, and will require for
its operation alone over 2,000 men. The
output of the mines of Cape Breton
county far exceeds that of any other coal
district of Nova Scotia, and is between a
millon and a half and two million tons
a year. Some of these mines are as com-
pletely equipped as an}- in the world, and
the Caledonia, lighted with electric light
and furnished with improved cutting
machines, is worthy of special note. The
shipments of coal during the present

season are enormous, aggregating over
50,000 tons a week, and on one day
recently 15,000 tons were sent away.
With the opening of Dominion No. 2
these will, of course, be largely increased.

The coal trade gives the Sydneys a large
shipping business, and many steamers
put in here for a supply the year roiind,
in addition to the regular coal carrying
lines. The French navy has a coaling
station here, and hence the frequent
visits of its cruisers, to which reference
has already been made. The harbor at
both Sydney and North Sydney presents
a most animated appearance throughout
the summer. With the attractions on the
land and on the water the tourist usually
finds the time he has limited for his stay
at the Sydneys all too short for what he
wants to see and enjoy.

Some fine sea trout fishing is had dur-
ing the month of August at North river
and Indian brook, on the north shore of
St. Anne's Bay, reached by a steamer
which makes the trip from Sydney and
North Sydney twice a week, the voyage
taking about three hours. The trout are
from four to seven pounds in weight, and
occasionally still larger. This part of
the country may also be conveniently
reached from Baddeck. Continuing the
journev further up the coast to Ingonish,
the most rugged and sublime scenery in
Cape Breton is found. Here are hills
towering high above the sea, and in some
instances the}' are sheer precipices. At
South Bay, Ingonish, is the highest pre-
cipice in Cape Breton, commonly known
as Old Smoky, which is a far from elegant
translation of the Cap Enfumd of other
days. The village at South Bay is on the
beach, and above it the mountains rise
to a height of from 500 to 1,100 feet. In
a fearful storm in 1894 twenty-two
houses, practically the whole village,
were swept away. The occupants man-
aged to save their lives, but little else.
One saved a barrel of flour and a leg of
mutton out of property valued at |;6,ooo.
There is always a roar of the sea on the
beaches of this part of the coast, and all
the surroundings are sublime.

126

Alont;- the shores of this coast iind in
the forests of Ingonish are great chances
for shooting. Caribou, geese, duck,
curlew, plover, snipe and partridge
abound, and of late moose have also been
found in the woods. Tourists can get
good accommodation at South Bay.

Sydney's Steel Works

The operations of the Dominion Iron
and Steel Company at Sydney are on
a very large scale and have had a most

fouudland, where it is estimated that tlie
ground owned bj- this company contains
twentN-nine million tons of ore, and a
much larger body existing under the sea.
The supply of iron is therefore practically
inexhaustible, and it can l)e landed at
Sydne}- on the most advantageous terms.
As for coal. Cape Breton is one vast coal
field, and it is ready at hand, as is the
limestone and delomite required in the
manufacture of steel.

There are four large blast furnaces at

COAL MI.YES XI^AK XOK'ril SIDNEY, C. B.

lulnciil.onal Konlr

important effect on the history of the
progress of that part of Canada. The
progress of the work has been very rapid,
having started in August, 1899, and a
portion of the works being now in
operation, with the remainder nearly
completed. Sydne}' is peculiarlj- situated
for the manufacture of iron and steel at
rates which put it beyond competition
with any place in America. The best
quality of iron is obtained from an
inexhaustible supply at Piell Island, New-

Sj'dney, each eighty-five feet high, and
eighteen feet in diameter at the widest
part. Each of these will produce from
three hundred to three hundred and fifty
tons of pig iron in a working day. There
are five great blowing engines of two
thousand five hundred horse power each,
and each engine will supply fifty thousand
cubic feet of air per nnnute. These
engines are the largest ever ])uilt in the
world, each weighs six hundred tons,
and they have a total power equal to the

127

power that can be exerted by twelve
thousand five hundred horses. The cost
of these five engines was half a million
dollars. The boilers consist of sixteen
l>atteries of two boilers each of sixteen
thousand total horse power, and capable
of pumping six million gallons of water
per day of twenty-four hours. The area
of ground covered by the works of the
company is four hundred and eighty
acres, and is one of the busiest spots on
the continent. The four blast furnaces
have an estimated capacity of one
thousand two hundred tons of pig iron
daily, and in addition to these are ten
fifty-ton open hearth steel furnaces, and
four hundred by-product coke ovens. It
is estimated that the production will be
some three hundred thousand tons of pig
iron and sixty thousand tons of steel
blooms annually, and in the present year
the production of pig iron will be about
four hundred thousand tons.

The works are most advantageously
situated in every respect, being close by
the waterside, connected with the Inter-
colonial railway, and with an abundant
supply of water for manufacturing pur-
poses. The latter is procured from the
Sydney river, where a dam has been
constructed which is capable of supply-
ing three million gallons of fresh water
daily. The length of the water mains is
eight miles. The grounds and works are
lighted by electricity, and in all the
operations machiner)- of the most modern
description has been employed. On the
construction works alone between two
and three thousand men have been
emploA^ed, at a total daily paj- roll of
between three and four thousand dollars.
When the works are in full operation at
least 2,500 men will be employed, and
the pay roll will amount to about |5, 000
daih-, or fi, 825, 000 per year. The limits
to which the works may be extended
cannot be defined, but the possibilities
are something enormous.

The whole works form practically a
town within themselves, where, with the
blast furnaces, the stock yard, offices,
open hearth ovens, blooming mill, rail

mill, plate mill, machine shop, foundry,
shacks, hospitals, store rooms, etc., a
thorough system of a busy city is found.
The machine shop and foundr}- of them-
selves cover more than 60,000 square feet
of ground. The company has a capital
of over ;|;2o,ooo,ooo. It is believed that
in a few years Sydney, which three years
ago had a population of about 2,500, will
have at least 30,000 inhabitants, all due
to its great industry. Thus Sydney rep-
resents a typical boom town, but one
with such a solid foundation that the
bottom can never drop out.

The wonderful advantages of Sydney for
producing iron and steel at the lowest prices
can best be shown by a comparison of it
with Pittsburg. At Sydney the coal is close
at hand and the coke ovens save all the
volatile constituents of the coal. At Pitts-
burg the coal is brought from a distance of
about eighty miles by rail, and the lime-
stone, which at Sydney' is close at hand,
has to be brought a distance of one
hundred and thirtj- miles to Pittsburg.
Apart from this, Sydne}' is one of the
most convenient seaports on the Atlantic
coast, whereas the nearest seaport to
Pittsburg is over 350 miles by rail, and
that seaport, Philadelphia, is 878 miles
further from Europe than Sj'dney is. It
will thus be seen what enormous
advantages lie with the iron gateway of
Canada, as it is called.

The effect of the boom on Sj^dney has
been to enormously increase the value of
real estate, the price in many instances
having been multiplied many times
beyond their original value. A most sub-
stantial class of buildings has been
erected and, as a whole, Sydney perhaps
furnishes the most remarkable example
in modern times of a cit}' of rapid
progress.

Sydney to Louisbourg

The Sydney and L,ouisbourg railway
affords an ea'sy way of reaching the famous
fortifications, or what is left of them, and
of seeing some places of interest between
the two points. The distance to Louis-
bourg is forty-two miles b}' rail, as the

128

railway j^oes amund the shcire Rv the
hij^hway from Sydney, s^oiiiLj across the
country, the distance is twenty-four
miles.

Alonij this line, at Dominion, I'.ridj^e-
port, Glace Hay and Morien, are seen
the evidences of the j,Meat coal mines of
this part of Cape Breton. At \M'^ Glace
Bay is a fine surf beach where the best of
sea bathing niav be e!ijo\-ed. Cow Bay,
or Morien, is another place naturally
beautiful du 1 well adapted to be a water-
ing place. It has an excellent beach.

The choice place for a summer resort,
however, is Mire, with its splendid beach
and yet more beautiful river. The beach
is a mile in length, and slopes so grad-

Sihnon are nutted in large (juantities
around INIire Bay, and are sometimes
brought to vSydney by the cartload. An-
other good place for trout at IMire is at
^McLean's marsh.

IVIire ferry, by which tjue reaches the
fishing grounds, is twelve miles from
Sydney by a good road. There has been
a proposition to have a summer hotel at
Mire, but so far it has not been carried
into effect.

Scatari Island, which lies off the coast
south of jMire Bay, is the extreme "Down
East" of the Dominion of Canada.
vSoutli of it is Cape Ih-et:)n, from which
the whole island has derived its name.
It is the most easterly point of the land ,

S OF FORTIFICA TIONS AT LOl

i ii/t'irolo>iial Route

iially that the bather may w.-ilk out for
two hundred feet from the shore. Mire
river, or Mire Gut, as it is called b. some,
is a peculiar body of water more resem-
bling a long an;l narrow lake. It has a
length of about thirty miles, and in some
parts it is more than a mile wide, thotigh
much more narrow foi- the greater part of
its course. It receives the w. iters of
S dtnon river, and is navigable for boats
of five feet draft for a distance of twenty-
five miles. The scenery is of a beautiful
description, and the fishing includes both
s d-.non and trout. The river has also
been stocked with wbitefiMh. The sea
trout is found both in the ]\Iire ;ind
at Trout brook, in the same district.

and he who visits it may be impressed by
the fact that for more than 2,300 miles to
the eastward and over 1,600 miles to the
southward lies the imbrokeii Atlantic
Ocean.

Louisbourg
The railway from Sydney has its
terminus at the village of Louisbourg, on
the northern side of the harbor. The
fortifications, on the southern side, are
reached by a drive of four miles or so, but
when a boat can be obtained a better way
is to go by water. The village itself has
little to interest the stranger, but the
harbor is a notably good one. The chief
interest of visitors, howe\'er, is in the
ruins

129

Desolate enough are the fortifications
of Louisbonrg to-day, and only to be
traced by the aid of a plan and a
description of the place as it was. The
order for the demolition of the fortress,
in 1760, was all too faithfully carried out,
and the very stones have from time to
time been carried off to enter into the
foundations and chimneys of buildings
all along the coast of New England and
the provinces. Thus it is that Louis-
bonrg, once one of the strongest fortified
cities in the world, is now a grass-grown
ruin where not one stone is left upon
another. Once it was a cit\' with walls
of stone which made a circuit of two and
a half miles, were thirty-six feet high,
and of the thickness of forty feet at the
base. For twenty- five j'ears the French
labored upon it, and had expended up-
wards of thirty millions of livres or nearly
six millions of dollars in completing its
defences. It was- called the Dunkirk of
America. Garrisoned by veterans of
France, and with powerful batteries
commanding every point, it bristled with
most potent pride of war. It had em-
brasures for one hundred and forty-eight
cannon and the fosse was eighty feet
broad. In the garrison were six hundred
regulars and eight hundred armed
inhabitants, at a time when there were
not more than one hundred soldiers in
garrison elsewhere from the Lower St.
Lawrence to the eastern shore of Lake
Erie. To-da}- it is difficult to trace its
site among the turf which marks the
ruins. Seldom has demolition been more
complete. It seemed built for all time ;
it has vanished from the face of the earth.

The achievement of the capture of
Louisbourg b}^ the New England forces
under Pepperell, aided by Warren, has
been commemorated b}' the erection of a
tnonument bj^ the Society of Colonial
Wars on a commanding position amid the
ruins. The monument was formallv
dedicated on the 151 'th anniversar}- of the
capture, in 1895.

The capture by Pepperell in 1745 was
the first, . but not the final conquest.
Restored to France by the peace of Aix

la Chapelle, Louisbourg was again the
stronghold of France on the Atlantic
coast, and French veterans held Cape
Breton, the key to the Gulf of St.
Lawrence. The brief truce was soon
broken, and then came the armies of
England, and Wolfe sought and won his
first laurels in the new world. Louisbourg
fell once more and the knell of its glory
was rung. The conquest of Canada
achieved, the edict went forth that
Louisbourg should be destroyed. The
work of demolition was begun. The solid
buildings, formed of stone brought from
France, were torn to pieces ; the walls
were pulled down, and the batteries
rendered useless for all time. It took
two years to complete the destruction,
and then the once protid city was a
shapeless ruin. Years passed by ; the
stones were carried away by the dwellers
along the coast, and the hand of time
was left to finish the work of obliteration.
Time has been more merciful than man ;
it has covered the gloomy ruin with a
mantle of green and has healed the
gaping wounds which once rendered
ghastly the land that nature made so fair.
The surges of the Atlantic sound mourn-
fully upon the shore — the requiem of
Louisbourg, the city made desolate.

Having seen the Bras d'Or and paid a
visit to Louisbourg, many tourists, pressed
for time, do not seek out the many beau-
ties of Cape Breton to which reference
has been made in the foregoing pages.
In this they miss more than they realize.
Weeks may be profitably spent in this
fair summer land, and those who come
season after season find new attractions
at ever}- visit. The charms of Cape
Breton are many, and time is required to
see and appreciate them.

Truro to Halifax

From Truro to Halifax the railway
runs through a fine country, the most
flourishing portion of which is not seen
by the traveller. Large tracts of rich
intervale and excellent upland combine
to make one of the finest farming districts
in Nova vScotia. Through this flows the

Stewiacke river, which takes its rise
among the hills of Pictou and flows for
forty miles or so until it empties into the
Shubenacadie at Fort Ellis. The Shu-
benacadie is a large and swift stream,
and was at one time looked upon as the
future highway of commerce across the
province. Nature had placed a chain of
lakes at the source of the river, and it
would seem that art would have little
trouble in constructing a canal to Halifax.
Meetings were held, surveys and speeches
were made, money was subscribed, and the
work was begun. It was never finished,
as originally designed, and it probably
never will be. The enthusiasm subsided,
the supplies ceased, and the great vShu-
benacadie canal was abandoned. The
ruins still exist, but the railway has taken
the place of a canal for all time to come.
Both the Stewiacke and the Shuben-
acadie have good fishing, and so have the
lakes beyond the latter as Windsor
Junction is approached. Grand Lake
has fine fishing in June, Juh', September
and October. Some years ago 120,000
whitefish were put into this lake and are
doing well. All the lakes of Halifax
county afford good fishing, but the rivers,
with few exceptions, are short and rapid
streams which become very low during
the summer season.

Game is abundant in the country
between Shubenacadie and Canseau, and
some of the finest moose in Nova Scotia
have been found in that district. Moose,
indeed, are occasionally captured close to
the railway, ?nd it is only a few years
since three of them were run down and
killed by an express train near Welling-
ton, twenty-one miles from Halifax.

Windsor Junction, fourteen miles from
Halifax, is important from a railwa)' point
of view. Here a ])ranch of the Intercol-
onial, under lease to the Dominion
Atlantic railway, runs to Windsor and
connects with that line for the Annapolis
Valley and the western part of Nova
Scotia. From Windsor Junction, also,
a branch of the Intercolonial runs to
Dartmouth, opposite Halifax, a distance
of thirteen miles, taking in the Waverley
gold mine.

Passing Windsor Junction the next
station is Bedford, nine miles from
Halifax, and here is seen the upper end
of that beautiful sheet of water — Bedford
Basin. Along its shores the train passes
and, as the city becomes nearer, the
beauty of the scene increases. At length
the city is reached, and the traveller
alights in one of the finest of the Inter-
colonial structures, the North Street
depot.

PR/.\C/:'S LODGE. yP.AR HAIL

hilricnloHial Route

The City of Halifax

__-^y^-^

H ETHER
y o u 11 ,<^ or
old, every-
hody has
heard of Hali-
fax, the cit}'
by the sea,
and of its fair
and famous
harbor. This
harbor, they
have been
told, is one of the finest in the world — a
haven in which a thousand ships may
rest secure, and yet but a little way
removed from the broad ocean highway
which unites the eastern and the western
worlds. They have been told, also, that
this harbor is always accessible and
always safe ; and all of this, though true
enough, does the harbor of Halifax but
scant justice. All harbors have more or
less of merit, but few are like this one.
Here there is something more than
mereh' a roomy and safe haven — some-
thing to claim more than a passing
glance. To understand this we must
know something of the topograph}- of the
city.

Halifax is located on a peninsula and
formded on a rock. East and west of it
the sea comes in, robbed of its terrors
and appearing only as a thing of beauty.
The water on the west is the Northwest
Arm, a stretch of about three miles in
length and a quarter of a mile in width.
To the south and east is the harbor,
which narrows as it reaches the upper
end of the city and expands again into
Bedford Basin, with its ten square miles
of safe anchorage. The^Basin terminates

at a distance of nine miles from the city,
and is navigable for the whole distance.
The city proper is on the eastern slope of
the isthmus and rises from the water to a
height of two hundred and fifty-six feet
at the Citadel. On the eastern side of the
harbor is the town of Dartmouth. In the
harbor, and commanding all parts of it,
is the strongly fortified George's Island,
while at the entrance, three iniles below%
is McNab's Island, which effectually
guards the passage from the sea. This is
a brief and dr}' description of the city. It
would be just as easy to make a longer
and more gushing one, but when people
are going to see a place for themselves
the}' don't take the bother to wade
throiigh a long account of metes, bounds
and salient angles. Halifax must be
seen to be appreciated.

Halifax is a strong cit}- in every way.
It has great strength in a military point
of view ; it has so many solid men that it
is a tower of strength financially ; it is
strongly British in its manners, customs
and sympathies ; and it has strong
attractions for visitors.

The military spirit dates from the begin-
ning, as far back as 1749. One of the
first acts of the settlers was to fire a salute
in honor of their arrival, and as soon as
Governor Cornwallis had a roof to shelter
his head they placed a couple of cannon
to defend it and mounted a guard. They
had need for defensive measures. The
Indians of those days were hostile and
made their presence felt whenever the
opportunity offered. It was, therefore,
essential that the men of Halifax should
be of a military turn of mind, and every
bov and man. from sixteen to sixtv vears

132

of age, did duty in the ranks of the militia.
Later, the town became an important
military and naval station ; ships of the
line made their rendez.vous in the harbor
and some of England's bravest veterans
were quartered in its barracks. Princes,
dukes, lords, admirals, generals, colonels
and captains walked the streets from
time to time ; guns boomed, flags waved,
drums beat and bugles sounded, so that
the pride and panoply of war were ever
before the people. And so they are to-
day. The uniform is seen on every street,
and fortifications meet the eye at every
prominent point.

additions are continually being made to
these works, which are very complete and
strong beyond doubt, but there is much
about them that is of necessity a matter
of knowledge for the military authorities
rather than for the public.

Halifax has a special interest for the
stranger from the fact that it is now the
only city in Canada garrisoned by the
Imperial troops, and that it is also a British
naval station. One may see here some
of the finest troops of the line and some
of the most famous of modern cruisers.
The sham fights which take place now
and then during the summer are of

HALIFAX. FROM CITADEL

Citadel hill, 256 feet above the level of
the harbor, is the crowning height of
Halifax as seen from the water. On it
are fortifications begun by the Duke of
Kent, altered and improved for a time to
keep pace with the advances in the
science of warfare, but now regarded as
obsolete. There is a thoroughly modern
system of fortifications -in and around
Halifax, however, the islands and prom-
inent points of the shores being fully
equipped for purposes of defence with
the latest armament of quick-firing and
disappearing guns. Improvements and

Intercolonial Route

themselves no small attraction for those
who would learn something of the art of
war without its horrors.

The seeker after a good view of the
citv and its surroundings may have the
very best from the Citadel. It comnninds
land and water for many miles. The
Arm, the Basin, the harbor with its
islands, the sea with its ships, the distant
hills and forests, the city with its busy
streets— all are present to the eye in a
beautiful and varied panorama. Dart-
mouth, across the harbor, is seen to fine
advantage, while on the waters around

133

POINT PLEASAjyT PARK, HALIFAX

the city are ships of all the nations of the
earth. No amount of elaborate word-
painting would do justice to the view on
a fine summer day. It must be seen, and
once seen it will not be forgotten.

The fortifications on McNab's and
George's Islands, as well as the various
forts around the shore, are all worth}- of
a visit. After thej- have been seen the
visitor will have no doubts as to the
exceeding strength of Halifax above all
the cities of America. The dockyard,
with splendid examples of England's
naval power, is also an
exceedinglj' interest-
ing place, and always
presents a picture of
busy life in which the
"oak-hearted tars" are
a prominent feature.
The financial strength
of Halifax is apparent
at a glance. It is a
verj' wealthy city, and
as its people have
never had a mania for
speculation the pro-
gress to wealth has
been a sure one. The
business men have
always had a splendid
reputation for relia-

bility and honorable
dealing. The banks
are safe, though the
people did business
until comparatively
recent times without
feeling that such insti-
tutions were necessary.
A cash business and
specie payments suit-
ed their wants. At
length several leading
men started a bank.
They had no charter
and were surrounded
by no legislative enact-
ments. No one knew
how much capital they
had, or what amount
of notes they had in
circulation. No one cared. They were
" solid men," and that was enough ; and
so they went on for years — always having
the confidence of the public, and always
being as safe as any bank in America.
The chartered banks of Halifax now do
the work, but the solid men of Halifax
are still to be found in business and
out of it.

Halifax is a British city in a very pro-
nounced degree — the most British on the
continent, nor is this strange when it is
considered that it has alwavs been a

[ntercolo>iial Route

POINT PLEASANT PARK\ HALIFAX

Intercolonial Route

134

garrison town and naval port that its
commercial relations with the mother
country have been very extensive, and
that the family ties between the people of
Halifax and those of England are very
numerous. So it is that the people have
all that is admirable in English business
circles and polite society. That is to say,
they preserve their mercantile good names
by integrit}^ and their homes are the
scenes of good old-fashioned English
hospitality. A stranger who has the
entree into the best societv will be sure to

attractive ])lace, especially when the drive
is continued past Melville Island and as
far as the Dingle. From the .\r\\\ one
may drive out on the Prospect road and
around Herring Cove. The view of the
ocean had from the hills is of an enchant-
ing nature. Another drive is around
Bedford Basin, coming home b}^ way
of Dartmouth ; or one may extend the
ji)urnc-y to Waverley and Portobello be-
fore starling for home, the drive being in
all twenty -seven miles. To the drives
around Dartmouth reference will be made

REGATTA ON NORTHWEST ARM. HALIFAX

Intercolonial Route

carry away the most kindly recollections
of his visit. In no place will more
studious efforts be made to minister to
the enjoyment of the guest — it matters
not what his nationality may be.

The attractions for visitors are so man\-,
in and around Halifax, that one nuist
look to the local guides for more com-
plete information. There -nre many
choices in respect to drives, which can be
varied according to the time at one's
disposal. A favorite one is down the
Point Pleasant road and up the North-
west Arm. The Arm is a peculiarly

later. Excursions are also made to
]\IcNab's Island and others of the islands.
Indeed, speaking generally, it may be
said that all around Halifax are bays,
coves, islands and lakes, any one of
which is worthy of a visit, so that the
tourist may see as much or as little as he
pleases.

In the city itself there is much to
interest a stranger. Apart from all that
pertains to the army and navy, there are
many public buildings and institutions
which are worthy of attention. Among
these are the historic Province Building,

135

PUBLIC GARDENS, HALIFAX

with its legislative hall and the pro-
vincial librar}', the beautiful Domin-
ion Building, several historic churches,
handsome modern churches, asvlnms
and all kinds of public iu'-titutions —
some of which bear glowing tribute
16 the charity and philanthro]n- of
the people. Halifax has a large
number of charities in proportion to
its size, and the results cannot fail to
be good. The Public Gardens belonging
to the city will be
found a most pleasant
retreat, with their
trees and flowers, foun-
tains, lakes, and cool
and shady walks.
Here one may enjoy
the fragrance of na-
ture in all its glory,
while the eye is
feasted with nature's
beauties. These gar-
dens, in proportion to
their size, have no
superior in the cities
of America. Their area
is about fourteen acres,
and ever}' 3-ard of the
cultivated ground

bears evidence of the
best of taste in design
and execution. Point
Pleasant Park is
another exceedingly
beautiful place, with
its drives and path-
ways and the sea close
at hand.

One should have a
sail on Bedford Basin,
that fair expanse of
water, broad, deep,
blue and beautiful.
Here it is that yachts
and boats of all kinds
are to be found taking
advantage of so fair a
cruising ground,
spreading their sails
before the breezes
which come in from
the Atlantic. It was on the shore of this
Basin that the Duke of Kent had his
residence, and the remains of the music
pavilion still stand on a height which
overlooks the water. The "Prince's
Lodge," as it is called, may be visited
during the land drive to Bedford, but the
place is sadly shorn of its former glory,
and the railway, that destroyer of all
sentiment, runs directly through the
grounds. It was a famous place in its

Iiifi'rcolojiial Route

ENTRANCE TO CITADEL, HALIFAX

Intercolonial Route

136

<lay, however, and the ineniory of the
the Queen's father will lon<^ continue to
be held in honor by the Halifax people.

The facilities for seeing Halifax easily
and at a small cost have been improved
by the formation of a Tourist Association,
with an office at 134 Hollis street, where
strangers can get all desired infonnation,
both as to accommodation in the way of
board and as to routes around the city
and through the province. By the efforts
of this association a harbor steamboat
service has been arranged, making two
trips a day around Bedford Basin, the
Bastern Passage and the Northwest
Arm, at a very moderate charge to
passengers, and open air band concerts
are given two nights each week at Green-
bank during the tourist season. It has
also secured a vote b)^ the city council of
a sum sufficient to provide a number of
bathing houses, and is in other ways
seeking to aid the stranger in his agree-
able task of seeing the city and its sur-
roundings to the best advantage.

The population of Halifax, which does
not include the town of Dartmouth on the
other side of the harbor, is over 40,000.
The city is the seat of many important
industries, and its business houses have a
bigh standing in the commercial world.
Conservative as have been the business
methods, the city is abreast of the times
in its commarcial enterprise, and some of
the business blocks are models of their
kind. There is a fine electric railway
service, and in other respects, including
the hotels, the city, with all its ancient
associations, is in line with the wideawake
cities of the age.

The marine railway and dry dock are
among the objects of interest, and w'hen
one begins to go around the harbor he
finds more than enough to engage his
attention. Halifax is a very live seaport.
It has communication with all parts of
the world by steamer and sailing vessel.
Hither come the ocean steamers with
mails and passengers, and numbers of
others which make this a port of call on
their way to and from other places. A
large trade is carried on with Europe, the

United States and the West Indies, and
from here also one may visit the fair
Bermudas. Steamers arrive and depart
at all hours, and the harbor is never dull.
One can go to PUirope or any of the
leading places of America without delay.
The harbor of Halifax is well termed
one of the finest in the world. The com-
mercial interests of the city have always
been most extensive, and shipping is
always around its waters in craft of all
kinds and of every nation that has a
foreign trade. This harbor is six miles
long with the average width of a mile,
and is not only a capacious sheet of water
but a yery beautiful one.

Dartmouth and Vicinity

The town of Dartmouth, with a popu-
lation of about 7,000, is situated across
the harbor from Halifax and is easily
reached by a finely equipped steam ferry.
As already mentioned, it may also be
reached from the Intercolonial railway
by taking the Dartmouth branch at
Windsor Junction. The town is a very
thriving place, having the marine rail-
way, a sugar refinery and a large number
of factories. An attractive part of the
town is the park, which comprises about
sixty acres and has a beautiful location on
high ground. The views from this part
of Dartmouth are extensive and varied,
that from Mount Edward being an espe-
cially fine one.

It is by way of Dartmouth that Cow
Bay is reached by a drive of nine miles,
for six of which the salt water is in view.
Cow Bay is a beautiful place which fur-
nishes one of the instances of the horribly
literal nomenclature of the early settlers.
It has a fine beach, where the sea rolls
in with a magnificent sweep, and where
the bather can safely go a long distance
from the shore. The beach is about half
a mile long, and close at hand is a fresh
water lake. On the road to Cow Bay,
three miles from Dartmouth, is Fort
Clarence. The Cow Bay gold mines may
also be visited on this trip.

A most interesting drive from Dart-
mouth is that which takes the road to

137

Waverley and follows the course of the
old Shubenacadie canal, begun in 1826
but never completed, though used to a
limited extent for local purposes. At the
outset the estimated cost of the canal
through the chain of lakes to the Shu-
benacadie river was $300,000, towards
which |;6o,ooow^as granted by the provin-
cial government. The distance was about
fifty-four miles. Over |;4oo,coo was spent
when the work was abandoned. Portions
of the canal are still in a good state of
preservation, and may be seen to advant-
age at First Dartmouth Lake, Porto
Bello and other points along the route.
Several gold mines
are found in the coun-
try between Dart-
mouth and Waverley,
there being two or
three at the latter
place. Nearer Dart-
mouth are the INIon-
tague Mines, a place
where some rich finds
have been made. In
the summer of 1897
one blast disclosed
12,500 worth of gold,
and one nugget w^orth
1300 was found. These
mines are seven miles
from Dartmouth.

Other places of
interest in this part
of the country are
Seaforth, twenty miles

from Dartmouth ; West Chezzetcook,
twenty miles, and Lawrencetown, four-
teen miles. Here will be found good
scenery and bathing, while all kinds of
sea birds are abundant.

At Cole Harbor, where there is an
Indian settlement, snipe, plover, yello^^•
legs and curlew, are also plent}'.

Blue wing duck and teal are found
along the lakes between Dartmouth and
Waverle)' from September to March, while
woodcock, snipe and partridge are found
in various parts of this district.

Good trout fishing may be had in
Spider Lake, six miles from Dartmouth,

and in Soldier Lake, twelve miles from
the town. Grayling are caught in Waver-
ley Lake, seven miles from Dartmouth,
and the fishing stand is close to the
highway. May is the time to fish for
them

East and West of Halifax

The county of Halifax extends along
the Atlantic coast nearly a hundred
miles, and has a number of fine
harbors. Its shore fisheries are exten-
sive and are an important source of
revenue to the people. The Halifax
fish market is, indeed, one of the sitrhts

^

A:-l

aw***'-

fe.^-.

ui^

VA CHT RA CING, HA LI FAX

Intercolonial Route

of the city, and nowhere can there be
seen a greater variety of the finest fish
of the sea.

The traveller may go east or west along
the shore according as his taste may be
for sport or for a mere pleasure trip. To
the eastward is a somewhat wild country,
on the shores of which fishing is exten-
sively carried on, and which has numerous
arms of the sea which admirabh' suit the
occupation of its people. Back from the
shore the country aboinids in heavy
forests, and is abundantly watered with
lakes. This is the great country for
moose and caribou. They are found in

138

all the eastern jxirt of the country, and
within eas}- distance of the settlements.
Here is the place for sportsmen — a
hnnter's paradise It was down in this
country, at Tangier, that the first
discovery of gold was made in Nova
Scotia The finder was a moose hunter,
a captain in the army. Gold mining is
still followed, and some of the leads have
given splendid results.

To the west of Halifax the great attrac-
tion is to take the Lunenburg stage line
and go to Malione Bay. The drive is one
of the most beautiful to be found. For
much of the way the road skirts a
romantic sea shore, with long smooth
beaches of white sand, on which roll the
clear waters of the ocean. The ocean,
grand in its immensity, lies before the
traveller. Along the shore are green
forests, wherein are all the flora of the
country, while at times lofty cliffs rear
their heads in majesty, crowned with
verdure and glorious to behold. One of
these is Aspotagoen, with its perpendi-
cular height of five hundred feet, the
first land sighted by the mariner as he
approaches the coast. All these beauties
prepare the stranger for Chester, a most
alluring place for all who seek enjov-
ment. It is only forty-five miles from
Halifax and may be reached either by
steamer or stage coach. The road
to it is excellent, and the stages are
models of speed and comfort. The
village has two hotels, and private
board is also to be had, with all
the comforts one desires. The scen-
ery of Chester is not to be described.
It is magnificent. Whether one as-
cends Webber's Hill and drinks in the
glorious views for mile upon mile, or
roams on the pure, silvery beach, or
sails among the hundreds of fairy islets
in the baj- — all is of superb beautv. No
fairer spot can be chosen for boating,
bathing and healthful pleasure of all
kinds than Malione Bay and its beautiful
surroundings.

The fishing of this part of Nova vScotia
is, to a great extent, for sea trout, which
are found in the estuaries of all the rivers.

Salmon is found where the river is of
good volume and the passage is not
barred. Gold river, at the head of
Mahone Bay, has good salmon fishing in
May and June. In the other rivers to
the westward the best time is in March
and April. The sea trout are found in
the estuaries at all times during the
summer. To the east of Halifax, fine
sea trout are caught in Little Salmon
river, seven miles from Dartmouth, in the
month of September, while further down
both salmon and sea trout are caught
from June to September in such streams
as the Musquodoboit, Tangier, Sheet
Harbor, Middle and Big Salmon rivers.
Besides this, it will be remembered that
trout are found in all of the many
lakes.

Returning to Hahfax, to bid it adieu,
the visitor will have leisure to examine
the Intercolonial depot, before the
departure of the train. The building is a
fine specimen of architecture, — handsome
in appearance, roomy, comfortable, and
in every way adapted to the wants of the
travelling public.

The Land of Evangeline

At Halifax trains may be taken by the
Dominion Atlantic route for Windsor
and points in the Annapolis Valley, the
Land of Evangeline. Beyond Windsor
lies Grand Pre, the great marsh meadow
of former days. The Acadians had about
2, ICO acres of it when they had their
home here, and there is more than that
to-day. In the distance is seen Bloniidon,
rising abruptly from the water, the end
of the North Mountain range. The
Basin of Minas, which runs inland
for sixty miles, shines like a sheet
of burnished silver in the summer sun-
shine.

Few traces of the French village are to
be found. It has vanished from the earth,
but the road taken b^' the exiles as they
sadly made their way to the King's ships
may still be traced by the sentimental
tourist.

Wolfville and Kentville are attractive
places. Beyond them the Annapolis

139

Valley is traversed until Annapolis Royal
is reached, at a distance of one hundred
and thirty miles from Halifax. Annapolis
Roj-al, the ancient capital of Acadia, is
the oldest European settlement in Amer-
ica, north of the Gulf of Mexico. Hither
came Champlain in 1604, four years
before he founded Quebec ; and soon
after, the French colony was established
on this well chosen spot. It was then
Port Royal, and it remained for the
English, a centur_v later, to change the
name to Annapolis, in honor of their
Queen. Deeply interesting as its history
is it cannot be outlined here. It is

PURCELL-S COVE. HALIFAX

enough to say it has shared the fate of
other Acadian strongholds and its fort
has become a ruin.

The Annapolis Valley is famed for its
fertility. It lies between the North
and South Mountain ranges ; and thus
sheltered, with a soil unusually rich, it
has well earned the name of the Garden
of Nova Scotia. The whole coast, from
Briar Island to Blomidon, a distance of
130 miles, is protected by the rocky
barriers. The range rises at times to the
height of 600 feet, and effectually guards
this part of Nova Scotia from the cold
north winds.

Moncton to St, John

In many instances St. John is the
starting point of the tourist who comes
from the United States to visit the Mari-
time Provinces, while with others it is
the last place seen before returning home-
ward. A notice of the city may be appro-
priately made here, Halifax having just
been visited, though it yet remains for
the traveller to see the beauties of
Prince Edward Island, and to go, if
he chooses, to the quaint and little
visited part of Canada's possessions,
the Magdalen Islands.

The journey from
Moncton to St. John,
a distance of eighty-
nine miles, is very
speedily and easily
made. The road runs
through a well settled
country, much of it
good farming land,
while in each village
is seen the evidence
of general prosperity.
At Salisbury, thir-
teen miles from Monc-
ton, connection may
be made with the
Salisbiiry and Harvey
raihva}-, which runs to
the village of Albert,
forty-five miles, and
has a branch" to Har-
vey, three miles from
The railway is continued six-
the Albert Southern

Intercolonial Route

Albert,
teen miles
to Alma, on the Bay of Fundy. After
leaving Salisbury the first place of
importance is Hillsboro, where one begins
to see the beauties of the country as the
Petitcodiac river flows by the broad and
fertile marsh meadows. The celebrated
Albert mines were near this place, but
the}' are now abandoned, and no other
large deposit of the peculiar " Albertite
Coal " has yet been found. The quarry-
ing and manufacturing of plaster is,
however, still an important industry.
As the road nears Hopewell the countrj'^

140

is a fine one, with its mountains in the
distance and vast tnarsh meadows reach-
ing to the shores of Shepody Bay. There
are few places where a short time can be
better enjoyed in a quiet way than in the
vicinity of Albert. It is a rich farming
country, and fair to look upon. Large
crops are raised and some of the finest
beef cattle to be found come from Hope-
well and Harve}'.

Continuing on the main line the next
station reached is Petitcodiac, a stirring
village from which a branch railway
runs to Elgin and Havelock. From
Petitcodiac until Sussex is reached the
various villages make
a fine a])pearance and
give one an excellent
impression of New
Brunswick as a farm-
ing country.

Sussex and Vicinity

Sussex, with a pop-
ulation of about 3,500,
is one of the places
outside of the cities
which is rapidly in-
creasing in size and
importance. It has
the promise of as fair
a future as any villaj^e
in the Maritime Pro-
vinces. Situated in the
beautiful Kennebeca-

sis Vallev, it is the _

SffO T A T SA IJSli i 'A' )
centre of a great agri-
cultural district, and some of the best
of New Brunswick farms are in the
vicinity. Nature has made all this
part of the country surpassingly fair
to look upon, and it is just as good
as it looks. The earth yields abundantly
of all kinds of crops, and the dairy pro-
ducts have a most enviable fame. Besides
this the people have push and enterprise,
and are making rapid strides in all
branches of industry. The village of
Sussex has a number of factories and
other industrial enterprises, and is fully
abreast of the times in many other
respects.

Some fair trout fishing is to be found
in this part of the country. To the east
and south are Walton, Grassy, Theobald,
Bear, White Pine, Echo, Chisholm and
other lakes, all within eighteen miles of
the village. Eight pound trout have
been caught in Chisholm Lake, though
fish of that size are the exception. In
Theobald I^ake one man has taken ninety
trout, averaging a pound each, in two
days.

Geologists tell vis that the hills and
bold heights seen in the vicinity of Sussex
are the effects of a terrific current which
once flowed throngh the valley, when all

/ >i/i'tco!onial Route

the country was submerged by a mighty
flood. It is thought that this was once
part of the valley of the St. John river,
but when that " once " was is something
as uncertain as the authorship of Ossian's
poems.

I'roni Sussex to St. John, forty-four
miles, the country along the line is well
settled and has a number of thriving vil-
lages. At Norton connection may be
nia<le with trains of the Central railway
for the interior of Queen's county, one of
the finest moose hunting regions in the
provinces. Of this a furtlier mention
will be found in connection with St. John.

141

Hampton, the shiretown of King's
county, is in great repute as a summer
resort for the people of St. John, a
number of whom have fine private resi-
dences here. From this point the Central
railway runs across the country to the
flourishing village of St. Martins on the
Bay Shore. Hampton is a very pleasant
place, and, like Sussex, is making rapid
advances year by year.

Rothesay, nine miles from St. John,
has for many years been growing in favor
as a place of residence for St. John busi-
ness men and others, who find all the
pleasures of rural life within a few
minutes' journey from their offices and
counting rooms. Many who are not per-
manent residents spend their summers
here with their families, and the large
hotel is well filled throughout the season.
Many of the residents have gone to a
large expense in the erection of hand-
some villas, and the tastefully arranged
grounds with their ornamental trees and
shrubbery make a fine appearance. The
Kennebecasis river flows close b)- the
track for a distance of several miles, the
hills rising on the distant shore in pic-
turesque beaut)-. As Riverside is reached
one of the the finest water race-courses
on the continent is to be seen. Here is
the scene of some famous aquatic con-
tests b}' such oarsmen as Hanlan, Ross
and others of lesser note. It was here on
a -beautiful autumn morning, years ago,
that the renowned Paris and Tyne crews
struggled for victory in the race which
cost the life of James Renforth, the
champion of England.

The Indian names of a number of the

stations between Moncton and St. John
are likely to excite the curiosit}' of the
stranger, and to cause him to wonder
why they have been so carefully preserved
in this part of the country. Thereby
hangs a tale.

This portion of the Intercolonial was
built as the European and North Ameri-
can railway, from St. John to Point du
Chene, and was completed in i860. In
locating the stations along the line
several existing Indian names were
adopted, such as Apohaquai and Petit-
codiac, somewhat changed from the
original sounds. At several points, how-
ever, there were no Indian names and
the local designations did not seem suit-
able for the title of stations. In this
emergency the railway commissioners
came to the front with a brilliant idea. It
was simply to take the local titles and
translate them into the Indian language.
With the aid of an intelligent native
they carried this plan into execution.

Thus it was that when a new name was
wanted for Stone's Brook they took the
word " penobsq," a stone, and " sips," a
brook, and the word Penobsquis entered
into the railway nomenclature of the
continent. In the same way they trans-
lated Salmon river into Pluinweseep, and
at one place where there was no P^nglish
name the existence of a little lake
suggested " quispem," a lake, and "sis,"
the diminutive term. Thus it is we have
Quispamsis.* The other Indian names
along the line, however, are usually
modifications of those which the
aborigines bestowed on the respective
localities.

* Ganong's Place-Nomenclature.

The City of St. John

HK city of St.
John has
a history
which ex-
tends back
to the (lays
w hen the
land was
Acadia and
the banner of
France wav-
ed from the
forts of the harbor and river. The story
of La Tour and his heroic wife is one of
the most interesting in the annals of
what was an age of romance. It is
familiar to all who have read even the
outlines of the early histor)' of the pro-
vinces, and those who have not j'et read
it should do so.

The story of the fall of Fort La Tour
dates back to 1645. Nearly 120 years
later, in 1764, a few English settlers made
their home at what is now St. John, but
the founding of the city dates frotn the
landing of the Loyalists in 1783. The
latter, and those who took their places,
labored faithfully and well to build a
city, and thus they continued to labor
for nearly a century, when the fire of
1S77 came and the greater portion of the
city was swept out of existence in a few
hours. The fire burned over two hundred
acres of the business district, destroyed
more than 1,600 houses, occupj-ing nine
miles of street, and caused a loss which
has been estimated at figures all the
way from twenty to thirty million
dollars. The destruction was swift
and complete. With a surprising en-
ergy, however, considering the far-
reaching effects of the calamity, the
people began their work anew, and the

city of to-day is far more substantial and
beautiful than the city of former years.
Few cities of the .same size, indeed, make
a better appearance in respect to the
general character of the buildings, public
and private, and some of these, such as the
Intercolonial depot, custom house, post
oflice, banks and churches are specially
fine specimens of architecture. The
streets in the greater portion of the
city are laid out at right angles, are of
good width and are kept in excellent
condition. The electric car service is a
very efficient one.

There is no lack of attractive drives
around St. John. One of these is out the
Marsh road, a smooth and level highwav
which is a favorite place for the wheel"
men as well as the owners of speedy
horses. The drive may be continued to
Rothesay, or beyond it. On this road,
near the city, is the rural cemetery,
located on a naturally beautiful site and
made more beautiful by the care shown
in recent years iji the development of the
park idea.

Another drive, diverging from the
Marsh road, is to Loch Lomond, a favor-
ite place for pleasure parties, where there
is good fishing and boat sailing.

Driving through the North Knd,
formerly the city of Portland, the stranger
may ascend Fort Howe, have a view of
the harbor and city, and then proceed to
the banks of the broad and beautiful
Kennebecasis. Or he may continue along
h'ort Howe to Mount Pleasant and thence
to Rockwood Park. This pleasure ground,
which comprises some 178 acres, has been
established only a few years, but in that
time much work has been <lone to
improve what is naturally an admirable
park ground. Lily Lake is included in

143

the grounds and the drive around it is a
pleasing part of the route.

All strangers who undertake to see St.
John make a visit to the Reversing Falls.
To see these at their best they should
take care to go at or about the time of
low water, for at half tide the falls dis-
appear. The phenomenon is easih' under-
stood when the nature of the river in
reference to its outlet is considered. The
river St. John takes its rise in the State of
Maine and flows over 450 miles until it is
emptied in the harbor on the Bay of
Fundy. It, with its tributaries, drains
two million acres in Quebec, six millions
in Maine, and nine millions in New
Brunswick. Yet this great body of water
is all emptied into the sea through a
rocky chasm a little over 500 feet wide.
Here a fall is formed. It is a peculiar
fall. At high tide the sea has a descent
of fifteen feet into the river, and at low
tide the river has a like fall into the sea.
It is only at half-tide, or slack water, that
this part of the river may be navigated
in safety. At other times a wild tumult
of the waters meets the eye. Across this
chasm is stretched the Suspension Bridge,
seventy feet above the highest tide, and
with a span of 640 feet. This structure
was projected and built b\- the energy of
one man, the late William K. Reynolds.
Few besides the projector had any faith
in the undertaking, and he, therefore,
assumed the whole financial and other
responsibility, not a dollar being paid by
the shareholders until the bridge was
opened to the public. In 1S75 the bridge
was purchased from the shareholders bv
the Provincial government and is now a
free highway.

A short distance above the Suspension
Bridge is the splendid Cantilever Bridge
which gives the Intercolonial connection
with the Canadian Pacific railway and
the vast systems of the Dominion and the
United States. Until 1885 travellers to
and from Western New Brunswick and
the New England States were obliged to
cross the harbor by ferry and be driven
across the cit}^ in order to make connec-
tion. In October of that year the bridge

was opened for traffic, and the former
gap of two miles between the two rail-
ways was forever closed. The bridge is
a beautiful and most substantial struc-
ture. High above the rushing waters its
graceful outlines, seen from a distance,
conve}' no idea of its wonderful solidity
and strength. Solid and strong it is,
however. All the resources of modern
engineering have been utilized in its
construction, and its foundations are
upon the solid rock. The main span is
447 feet in length.

Near the bridges, on the west side of
the river, is the Provincial Lunatic
Asylum. Beyond this is the bus}- village
of Fairville, after passing through which
one reaches a splendid highway known
as the " Mahogany " road. That is sim-
ph- a convenient way of pronouncing the
name. It is usually spelled " Manawag-
onish,"butif one wants to be still more
accurate he will spell it " Manawag-
onessek," which is understood to be the
Maliseet term for " the place for clams "
Along this road is a fine view of the Bay
of Fundy, with the line of the Nova
Scotia coast visible forty miles away.
Returning, a visit may be made to the
Ba}- Shore, where there is a fine beach
with excellent facilities for sea bathing.

Carleton, that part of St. John which
lies on the western side of the harbor, is
in a municipal sense the West End, and
has an importance in the commercial
affairs of St. John from the fact that
extensive harbor improvements have been
made at Sand Point. Here is situated
the grain elevator, with a capacity' of
300,000 bushels, and in the construction
of wharves, warehouses and docks the
city has expended over |58oo,ooo within
the last few years. During the winter
season several lines of transatlantic
steamers make this their Canadian port
for loading cargoes sent by rail from the
west, and this part of Carleton is a very
bus}- place throughout the season.

The tides in the harbor of St. John have
an average rise and fall of twent3'-six feet,
and ice is unknown during the most
severe winters. The harbor is a good

144

one in other respects, with plenty- of room
and a good depth of water. Ships of any
size can lie safel}' at the wharves or at
anchor in the stream, well sheltered from
the storms which rage without. At the
entrance is Partridge Island, a light,
signal and quarantine station ; with this
once properh- fortified, and guns placed
on the opposite shore of the mainland, no
hostile fleet could hope to gain the harbor
without a desperate struggle. The harbor
proper bounds the city on the west and
south ; to the east is Courtenay Bay,
which becomes a plain of mud when the
tide is out. Some fine vessels have been
built on this bay, and it has excellent
weir fisheries. The fisheries of this and
other parts of the harbor are prosecuted
with good success and give employment
to a large number of men. It is from
these fishermen that such oarsmen as the
Paris crew, Ross, Brayley and others have
risen to be famous.

Partridge Island, like Grosse He, below
Quebec, has a melancholy interest from
the fact that it is the resting place of the
bodies of more than six hundred Irish
immigrants, who died there of the ship
fever (typhus) in the year 1847. Over
looking this on the Carleton heights is a
martello tower, dating back only to 181 2^
but which strangers often imagine is an
old French fort. The site of the famous
Fort La Tour is further up the harbor on
the Carleton side, opposite Navy Island.
The place has been built upon, but a por-
tion of one of the bastions, built either in
the time of the French or during the
English occupation of Fort Frederick,
may still be traced. While the surround-
ings of to-day are not suggestive of the
sublime, this is really a notable spot to
those who have read the early history of
the country. This is the place where
lived and died Madame La Tour, " the
first and greatest of Acadian heroines — a
woman whose name is as proudly
enshrined in the history of this land as
that of any sceptred queen in European
story."*

The N. B. Tourist Association, which
has an office at the Board of Trade rooms.

85 Prince William Street, is seeking to
make the attractions of St. John and the
province better known abroad, and will
be glad to furnish to strangers informa-
tion on points of interest, as well as to
hotels and houses where private board
can be secured.

St. John has a population of about
50,000. It is an essentially maritime
city, and vast quantities of lumber and
other products are annually shipped to
other countries. In the days of wooden
ships, ship-building was a prominent
industry, but with its decline other more
varied and more permanent industries
have taken the place of the ship-yards,
and the number of industrial establish-
ments is steadily on the increase. The
city is a terminus of the Intercolonial,
Canadian Pacific and Shore Line rail-
ways, and is thus in touch with all parts
of Canada and the United States. It has
communication by steamer with Boston,
Digby and Annapolis, Fredericton and
points in the Bay of Fundy, and is easily
reached from any point of the continent.
The climate, like that of all parts of the
Maritime Provinces, is a bracing one, a
delightful feature being the cool nights
during the summer. The leading hotels
have a deservedly high reputation.

Man}^ sportsmen are not aware that St.
John is the most convenient point from
which to reach one of the best moose
hunting grounds in the province. These
are in Queens county, and are reached
in the short space of five or six hours,
without the usual fatigue entailed by a
long and tiresome journe)' over rough
roads. Arriving in St. John the hunter
can procure everything required in the
way of supplies, and taking a train on
the Intercolonial can connect with the
Central rail'way at Hampton or Norton.
The latter road will take him to Cody's,
at Washademoak Lake, and from there
he can drive up the Canaan river, twelve
or fourteen miles, to the Forked Streams.
He will be in the moose country from
the time he leaves Cole's Island, and he
will find moose to the north, south, east
and west of him. Guides can be found

* Hannay's History of Acadia.

146

at Cole's Island, where there is also an
hotel. The road follows the Canaan
river to Havelock, and only a few miles
of walkin,^ will be necessary. Two- thirds
of Queens county is a moose region, and
it has been but little hunted by sports-
men.

To Fredericton by the River

There seems no good reason why the
much hackneyed term of "the Rhine of
America ' ' should be applied to the River
St. John. Apart from the notable differ-
ences in the characteristics of the two
rivers and the countries through which
they flow, the St. John has sufficient
individuality to be able to stand on its
own merits, and its admirers should have
faith enough in its attractions to speak of
it as it is, without seeking to give it a
title which was a misfit in the first
instance. Who ever heard of the St.
Lawrence, or the Saguenay, or the
Hudson being called the this or that of
America? True, these are peculiar rivers,
and beyond comparison. So, in its way,
is the St. John.

Some of the peculiarities of the river
have already been mentioned in connec-
tion with the falls at the outlet. The
ascent of the river by the traveller usually
begins at that part of the city known as
Indiantown, a short distance above the
falls, easily reached either by coach or
the electric cars. Steamers run daily
between St. John and Fredericton, a
distance of eighty-four miles by water,
and recent arrangements have been made
by which a fast service, with improved
boats, is furnished to the travelling public.
Steamers also run to other points on the
St. John and the adjacent waters,
including the Washademoak Lake and
the Kennebecasis.

Leaving St. John the lower portion of
the river reveals some bold and striking
scenery, with high hills on each side.
At Grand Bay tbe river widens, and on
the right is seen Kennebecasis Ray, where
the river of that name unites with the St.
John While the whole river is of a
character to delight the yachlsniaii.

special mention may be made of ICirnne-
becasis Bay, a beautiful stretch of water
on wiiich a yacht niay sail for twenty
miles without starting a sheet. This bay
is claimed to be as deep as Behring Straits
and deeper than the Straits of Dover.

Westfield, ten miles from St. John, is
much in favor as a summer resort for the
city people. ,\bove this is the Long
Beach, with a length of sixteen miles and
a width of from one to three miU'S.
Before entering this the mouth of the
Nerepis, another tributary of the main
river, is passed. As there are about forty
places between St. John and Fredericton
where landings are made it would be too
long a task to refer to them. At the
Jeniseg (Ahjimsek) is what was a historic
place during the French occupation of
Acadia. Gagetown, Sheffield, Maugerville
and Oromocto are among the many
attractive places along the river, and they
are in a glorious farming country. The
country is level and miles upon miles of
rich agricultural district charm the eye.
The extremely fertile alluvial soil is
found in immense tracts along the route.
A sail up or down the river is, indeed,
one continued panorama of beautiful
scenery.

Fredericton, the fair capital of New
Brunswick, has a population of about
7,000, and is a very delightful place for a
summer sojourn. Beautifully situated
on the riverside, it is one of those places
W'hich are suggestive of rest and comfort.
Not that the city is dull in a business
sense, but that the people, in their homes
and surroundings, give one the idea that
they appreciate and enjoy the country in
which thev live. The residential portions
of Fredericton are very attractive, shade
trees being abundant and excellent taste
being shown in respect to houses and
grounds.

Fredericton is not only the seat of
government, but it is the cathedral city
of the Church of England in New Bruns-
wick. The cathedral itself is a beautiful
edifice. The city is also the seat of the
University of New Brunswick, an oM and
notable institution. The univir>ilv has

147

a coinmaiiding location on the hill in the
rear nf the city. The provincial govern-
ment buildings are fine strnctures, and
there are many other buildings worthy
of attention, including the former quar-
ters of the Imperial troops, now occupied
by the Canadian infantry, usually known
as the military school, and the very com"
plete Victoria hospital.

The opportunities for driving and boat-
ing in the vicinity are so numerous that
it would be out of the question to attempt
to enumerate them here. They embrace
excursions in all directions, and all will
be foimd worth the time and trouble.

The Fredericton park is well laid out,
and every season sees an increase in its
attractions as a pleasure ground for the
people.

The Canada Eastern railwav runs from

Fredericton to Chatham, a distance of 119
miles, connecting with the Intercolonial
at Chatham Junction, 108 miles from
Fredericton. Crossing the River St. John
by a steel bridge the flourishing towns of
Gibson and Marysville are the first places
worthy of note. They are the scene of a
number of large industries, and are monu-
ments of the enterprise of Alexander
Gibson, known as the lumber king.

The Canada Eastern follows the
Nashwaak river for about twenty-two
miles, and after reaching Boiestown,
forty-eight miles, it continues along the
course of the Southwest Miramichi until
it reaches the Intercolonial at Chatham
Junction. Both north and south of it are
good moose and caribou grounds, reached
from any point on the Intercolonial by
way of Chatham Junction.

A'DCA' irOLin I'ARK. ST.JOH.\

150

Prince Edward Island

HE celebrated
William Cob-
be tt appears
to have been
in a particu-
larly bad hu-
mor when he
design at ed
what is now
known as the
Garden of the
Gulf as "a
rascally heap of sand, rock and swamp,
called Prince Edward Island, in the
horrible Gulf of St. Lawrence." That
was in 1830, but the world to-daj' knows
more about this country than was known
then, and the Island now needs no
defender of its soil and climate. Each
season it grows more in favor with the
summer tourist as one of the most
attractive places on the whole coast of
America.

The only part of the indictment which
is now recognized as truth is that which
asserts there is sand on the island. So
there is, but it is not the dry, barren
sand of Nantucket and such islands, but a
ver^' fertile quality' of fine soil from which
simply marvellous crops are produced.
There is no swamp worth mentioning,
and as for rock there is so little that
most of the stone for building purposes is
imported. Prince Edward Island is,
indeed, one of the most fair and fertile
areas in America. It has a history unique
in the annals of the English colonies in
the new world. The Indians called it
Epayguit — anchored on the waves — and
when Champlain came he gave it the
title of rile St. Jean. Itkeptthis name,
in the French or P^nglish form, for nearly
two hundred j'ears, but in 1800 it received

its present designation in honor of
Edward, Duke of Kent, father of Queen
Victoria.

When the island was ceded to Eugland,
in 1764, the government sent a surveyor
to find out what kind of a place it was.
If he had taken the view that Cobbett
took later, a great deal of trouble would
have been saved, for the settlement would
have been made in due time, in a natural
way. As it was, he gave such a good
account of the soil and climate that the
paternal government decided to colonize
it with the least possible delay. The
Earl of Egmont had a proposition by
which he was to be monarch of all he
surveyed. His happy thought was to
establish a genuine feudal system, in
which he was to be Lord Paramount of
the island. The land was to be divided
into baronies, held under him. Every
baron was to have his castle, with men-
at-arms, lords of manors, and all the
paraphernalia of the middle ages, adapted
to the climate of America in the
eighteenth century. The government
did not accept this extraordinary proposi-
tion, but it did what was nearly as bad,
and which led to all sorts of wrangling
and trouble for the next hundred years.
It divided the island into blocks, which
it apportioned among some of the gentle-
men who had real or supposed claims on
the favor of the Crown. There were
certain conditions annexed, as to placing
a certain number of settlers on each
lot, but with an honorable exception,
that was the end of the matter so
far as the absentee landlords were
disposed to exert themselves. Thus it
was that the land question was the plague
of the country until the island became a
part of the Dominion, and laws were

151

passed for the appraisement and purchase
of properties by tenants who were tired
of the old style of tenure.

From tip to tip of Prince Edward
Island is about 130 miles, while the width
varies from two to more than thirty
miles. In the two thousand and odd
square miles of country embraced in
these varying widths the island has more
good land, in proportion to its size, than
any part of the Maritime Provinces. It
grows amazingly large potatoes and sur-
prisingly heavy oats, while the farmers
raise hundreds of the best of horses and
thousands of the fattest of sheep, every
year of their lives. The eggs shipped
away each season are counted by the
million. The people raise enough food
to supply all their own wants and have
as much more to sell to outsiders. It is
altogether a flourishing country, and
withal, fair to look upon, pleasant to
dwell in, and as cheap a place as one can
find in a j^ear's journej'.

The island is reached in summer either
from Point du Chene, N.B., or Pictou,
N.S., on the fast and finely equipped
steamers of the Charlottetown Steam
Navigation Company. Going by the
first named route the landing is made
at Summerside, and Charlottetown is
reached by a journey of forty-nine miles
on the Prince Edward Island railway, a
part of the Canadian government railway
system. Leaving Pictou the trip is direct
to Charlottetown. There is a daily service
on each route.

In the winter the government steamers
Stanley and Minto run between Pictou
and Georgetown. When they are unable
to make the passage mails and passengers
are conveyed by the ice boats between
the Capes, of which mention has already
been made.

The run across the Strait of Northum-
berland on a fine day in summer is a
most enjoyable trip. There are times
when the water is as calni as that of a
placid lake. When going by the way of
Point du Chene, to the south is seen the
New Brunswick shore, gradually growing
fainter as the shore of the island comes

in view. As distant Cape Tormentine
dwindles to a faint line, with the smoke
of a far off steamer marking the passage
between it and Cape Traverse, the bold
outline of Cape Egmont becomes clearer
and clearer to the north. As the island
shore is approached the red of the earth
and the bright green of the verdure show
with most picturesque effect as a back-
ground to the smooth stretch of water, in
which is mirrored the glory of the sun-
light from the western sky. Under such
conditions the first impressions of Prince
Edward Island must always be such as
will long be remembered, wherever one
may go.

Siimmerside is the landing place by
this route, and is prettily situated, with
much to commend it to the tourist. A
beautiful little island, seen to the right
on entering the harbor, has been deemed
a good site for a summerhotel, while just
beyond it is the mouth of the Dunk river,
one of the best of the trout streams and
also a salmon river. The town overlooks
the waters of Bedeque Bay, and the dis-
tance overland to Richmond Bay, on the
north shore, is but a few miles, for this is
one of the several places where but a
narrow slip of soil separates the waters
of the Strait from those of the Gulf of St.
Lawrence. It would not be difficult to
separate the various peninsulas and make
four islands where nature has placed only
one, and thus rival Cape Breton as a
much cut up country.

From a hill in the rear of Summerside
is a glorious prospect of the country and
of the waters to the north and south.
Looking one way, Bedeque Bay is seen,
with all its attractive surroundings, while
beyond it lies Northumberland Strait,
with the coast line of New Brunswick in
the distance. In the other direction is
Richmond Bay with its seven islands, and
beyond it the Atlantic, while the irregular
line of shore and the islands that dot the
water make a fitting foreground for a
truly entrancing picture.

Charlottetown, the capital and the com-
mercial centre of the island, has a popula-
tion of about 1 1 ,000. It has a fine harbor.

152

opeiiint^inlo Hillsborout;h Bay, and when
seen from the water the city makes an
especially fine appearance, built as it is on
land which has a height of about fifty
feet above the tide near the shore and
rises to three times that height at the rear
of the city. A closer acquaintance with
the city confirms the good impression
formed of it. Charlottetown is an exceed-
ingly attractive place. It is well laid out,
and the streets are of a generous width.
There are a number of handsome public
buildings, and much taste is shown in the
private residences and their surroundings.
Several of the churches are fine specimens
of architecture, and the new Catholic
Cathedral is one of the finest structures
south of the city of Quebec. Queen
Square, while in the business part of the
city, is a place with man}' attractions,
being practically a public garden which
is tastefully designed and is kept in
excellent order. Some substantial busi-
ness blocks are found in this vicinity, and
here are the post office, court house, old
province building and the market house,
the latter being a place well worth a visit
on the regular market days. Among the
institutions of learning in and around the
city are Prince of Wales College and St.
Dunstan's College.

Victoria Park, the natural beauties of
which have been preserved, is convenient
to the city, and is reached by a beautiful
driveway which skirts a portion of the
harbor, passing Government House and
old Fort Edward. At this end of the
city are some excellent bathing places,
and the water is of an agreeable temper-
ature throughout the summer.

Charlottetown has a good water system,
the electric light and other modern
improvements. It has not an electric
railway, nor does it need one, for the
highways are excellent and the oppor-
tunities for driving or wheeling are most
inviting. Beautiful scenery is found in
every direction, and with Charlottetown
as a centre one can spend the sunnner in
different parts of the island, finding a
great variety of attractions. The general
offices of the Prince Edward Island rail-

way are situated here, and by means of
this road all the princijjal points on the
island may be easily and speedily reached.
For points which lie along the shore,
away from the railway, good teams are
always obtainable, and several of the
summer hotels send their own teams
daily during the season to the railway
station most convenient to their houses,
or to any other place when notified in
advance by the travellers who are on the
way. The island is a country famed for
its good horses.

There is much that is of interest in
the innnediate vicinity of Charlottetowm.
The harbor, with its various arms, and
Hillsborough Bay with its inlets, give
good opportunities for boating and bath-
ing. Boat excursions may be made to
Governor's and St. Peter islands, while
such drives as those to Tea Hill, Pownal,
Squaw Point, and to Cherry Valley, Pen-
narth, East, West and South rivers, are
onl}' a few of many that could be named.
Keppoch, a few miles from the city,
across the harbor, is a beautiful spot b}^
the bay, on the high land of which are
a number of summer cottages. The ma-
rine view is a grand one, and there is a
beach which makes bathing a delight.
Steamer excursions along the rivers also
supply a good means of seeing some of
the beauties of this part of the island.
The rivers have good trout, and fine sea-
trout fishing is also be to had off the
mouth of the harbor. All kinds of wild
fowl are found along the shores, and
woodcock and plover are abundant in
their season.

No one can approach Prince Edward
Island in daylight without being im-
pressed by the wonderful beauty of
the shores. The rich color of the red
sandstone rising from the sea, crowned
with the vivid green of the fields
and the darker green of the woods,
gives a picture in which earth, sea
and sky combine their glorious hues
with what seems like magical effect. In
no part of Canada can more striking
combinations of color be found than are
met with in a trip to the island. In

153

THE SQUARE, CHARLOTTETOVVN, P.E.I.

Intel colonial Route

the clear atmosphere of the Gulf their
brightness appears to be intensified.

Several well known summer resorts are
to be found on the north shore of the
island, within easy distance of Charlotte-
town. These are found at such places as
Hampton, Stanhope, Brackley Beach,
Rustico, Malpeque and Tracadia Beach.

Bracklej' Beach is reached by a carriage
drive of fifteen miles from Charlottetown
and is well situated for surf bathing, salt
water fishing and trout fishing. The
hotel is well filled throughout the season
with boarders from the United States.
Close to the hotel is the well appointed
summer cottage of Mr. G. A. Crane, of
New York. Good trout fishing is had in
Black, Whitley and Glasgow rivers, the
trout being of good size. As for salt
water fishing, one amateur has caught
thirty cod in a day. Wild geese and
duck are very abundant, and geese are
frequently caught alive when they get
mixed up with the domestic geese around
the shores.

Rustico Beach is reached either by a
regular coach from Charlottetown, or by
taking a train to Hunter river, where
passengers for the hotel are met by a
team. There is good surf bathing at
Rustico, and the hotel is pleasantly situ-
ated near the shore. The harbor is one
of the best on the north side of the
island. The trout fishing at Mill Vale,
seven miles away, is especially good, and
there is also good fishing at Wheatley
River Bridge, Oyster Bed Bridge and
New Glasgow Bridge, all about four
miles from the hotel.

Tracadie Beach is reached either by
driving from Charlottetown, about four-
teen miles, or taking the train to Bed-
ford, where a carriage meets passengers
for the hotel, four miles distant. There
is a fine sand beach, and one ma}- have
either surf bathing or bathing in calm
water further inshore. There are ample
facilities for boating and fishing, as well
as for shooting geese, duck, plover, etc.,
in the proper season. Trout are found

^54

at Winter river and at Campbell's Pond,
the latter being an especially good place.
Deep water fishing for cod and mackerel
may be enjoyed here, as at all points
along this shore.

At Stanhope, a few miles along the
shore from Tracadie, is found another
splendid summer resort. There is an
excellent hotel, and every facilit}' for
boating and bathing, the beach being
particularly fine. Here also is to be found
the handsome summer cottage of Mr.
Alexander Macdonald, of the Standard
Oil Company, Cincinatti.

Hampton, a beautifully situated resort,
is reached by driving from Charlottetown.

Taking the railway to Kensington a
drive of nine miles takes one to the shore
at Malpeque, though it is only seven
miles to the hotel. Malpeque, in addition
to its other attractions, has a fame for
the plover and sea fowl shooting in the
vicinity. Good brook and sea trout
fishing are also to be had near at hand.
Here is Richmond Bay, a large and

beautiful sheet of water ten miles long,
which, like Bedeque Bay, on the south
side of the island, but less than three
miles distant from here, has a great fame
for its oysters. The island oysters are
much in demand on acconnt of their size
and flavor, but especially for the latter
quality. The large oysters are not
esteemed as much as those of a medium
size, but if large ones are desired they
can be fovmd measuring a foot in length
in the vicinity of New London. The
best flavored oysters are those found up
the rivers.

Richmond Bay has not only oysters,
clams and lobsters, but many other kinds
of fish. In old times oysters were dug
here and in other bays to be burned in
heaps in order to make lime, but it is a
long while since that expensive process
has been permitted. Oyster shells, how-
ever, are still used in vast quantities as
fertilizing material, but they are the
shells of oysters which have been a long
time dead. They are dug in the form of

RUSTICO BJ.

. .i:.i.

Intercolonial Route

155

what is known as mussel mud, from the
fact that there is a deposit of mussel
shells on the top. Beneath, however, are
laj-ers upon layers of dead oyster shells,
sometimes to a depth of twenty feet, the
accumulations of a long period, and so
brittle that they readily become pul-
verized when spread on the land. At a
cost of about |io a farmer can build him-
self a machine to raise this mud, the work
being done through the ice during the
winter. For this trifling expense he can
get as much of this great fertilizer as he
chooses to expend his labour upon. The
mud is free to all comers. It is largely
by aid of this natural manure that the
island raises such crops of potatoes, oats
and other crops. The oats, in particular,
are as fine as can be raised on this side of
the Atlantic.

In going from place to place over the
island the stranger cannot fail to be im-
pressed by the neatness which marks the
farms and the generally prosperous look
of the farmers and their surroundings.
There are no poor districts, and there is
no poverty in the country places. The
farmers own their farms, and some of
these farms are models, supplied with
everything required in the line of
improved machiner3^ Nearly every man
who raises oats has a threshing machine
of his own and is fully fitted out in other
ways. The farmers are all of a well-to-
do class, and many of them are wealthy.
In the fields are seen hundreds of acres
rich with growing crops, while the
abundant pastures furnish the food of the
horses and sheep which have a fame
wherever the name of Prince Edward
Island is known. The scenery is always
attractive and often beautiful. The
absence of rocks and mountains is not
felt in the pleasure derived from the con-
templation of more pastoral scenes, while
the gently undulating surface of land
permits most enjoyable journej^s over
well made, drj- and level roads.

Alberton, in the western part of the
island, has some fine fishing within a
radius of a few miles from the village.
Sea trout are found at Kildare, Conroy,

Miminegash river and at Beaton's, while
there are brook trout in several mill
ponds in the neighborhood. There is
good cod and mackerel fishing in the bay,
with an abundance of geese, brant and
other fowl in the season. There is a
continuance of the opportunities for sport
in the vicinity of Tignish.

At Emerald Junction, thirty-one miles
from Charlottetown, a branch of the
railway runs to Cape Traverse, on the
Strait of Northumberland, where the fine
scenery and other attractions make a
summer sojourn very pleasant.

Souris is sixty miles east of Charlotte-
town, by rail. At Mount Stewart Junc-
tion a branch runs to Georgetown, to
which place reference will be made later.
On the way to Souris is the Morell river,
which is called the best fishing stream on
the island and which abounds with the
most picturesque scenery. The Morell,
with the Marie, Winter and Dunk rivers,
is a reserved stream, but fishing permits
are easily obtained. The Morell is also a
salmon river.

Souris has a great fishing and shooting
country around it, and this part of the
island is most inviting to the tourist in
all other respects. The whole shore may
be called a pleasure ground and the
opportunities for enjoyment are limited
only by the time at the disposal of the
visitor.

Sea trout are not only abundant in the
lakes along the shore and in the bays,
but they are of large size and particularly
good quality. Some of the favorite loca-
lities are East and North lakes, in the
direction of East Point, twelve miles
from Souris, Black Pond, two miles, and
Big Pond, eight miles. The finest sea
trout on the island are caught in the
small estuaries at Rollo Bay, five miles,
and Fortune Ba}-, eight miles distant in
the direction of Georgetown. They run
as high as five pounds in weight, and are
in such fine condition that the fat can be
skimmed from the top of the water in
the pot in which they are boiled.

Morson's mill pond, at Dundas, thir-
teen miles from Souris and about the

156

same distance from Georgetown, is an-
other notable fishing water. The pond
abounds in boiling springs, and hence the
excellent quality of the fish. While not
sea trout, they have every appearance of
being such, and are fully their equal in
size, color, firmness and other desirable
qualities. Some great, but true, stories
are told of the catches at this pond.
One man and a boy caught sixty-
five between two o'clock in the afternoon
and sunset. Another man caught 150 in

ridge, are all abundant. The shooting
of black duck at the ponds and rivers
begins on the loth of August and con-
tinues until November. Golden plover
and curlew shooting begins on the 2t)th
of August and continues until the 15th of
September. Geese are very plentiful at
East Point early in the spring. Partridge
shooting begins on the ist of October,
and these birds are abundant everywhere
in the woods in this part of the island.
All the places which have inducements

SOUR/S, P.E.I.

a day. A good day's catch by the same
man was of forty, ranging from half a
pound to two and a half pounds in
weight. This gentleman is an American
who spends several months of each year
at Souris, for the sake of fishing and
shooting. In the summer of 1S96 his
record was 1,750 trout in two and a half
months. And there are others.

The shooting is equal to the fishing,
and there is a great variety of it. Geese,
duck, golden plover, curlew and part-

Intficoloiiial Route

for the fisherman and sportsman are
easil}' reached from Souris by a drive of
from five to twelve miles over level roads,
which are kept in excellent condition
and have man)* attractions in the way of
scenery. Good board can be had at the
farm houses, when desired, for about a
dollar a day, at such places as East Lake
and West River.

There is excellent surf balliing and
deep sea fishing in the vicinity of Souris.
The harbor is a good one, and the town

157

is a busy one in a conimerciar sense. It
is a port of call for the steamer between
Pictou and the Magdalen Islands, and a
convenient point of departure for those
who wish to go direct from the island to
the latter place.

All along the coast between Souris and
Georgetown are found the baj's and rivers
where trout and sea fowl abound. Unless
on such a mission, however, the tourist
will go to Georgetown on the railway, by
way of Mount Stewart Junction. While

and like Charlottetown, has very wide
streets laid off at right angles. Much of
the town plot, however, still lacks the
buildings, and the place has an air of
peculiar peace and quietness. There is
good accommodation, nevertheless, for
those who wish to spend a portion of
their time here.

Georgetown harbor is one of the best
in this part of Canada, and as it has the
advantage of being free from ice for the
greater portion of the winter, it is the

POIVNAL BA J-, P.E.I.

Intercolonial Route

at Mount Stewart Junction he can see a
line part of the country, with some
attractive scenery, and he can also get
some good fishing, by driving to Murray
harbor, to which place a line of railway
is being constructed.

Georgetown is beautifully situated in
what is known as the district of Three
Rivers, at Cardigan Bay, and is an ideal
place for those who seek rest and quiet
with agreeable surroundings on land and
sea. It is the capital of King's county.

'winter port" of the island. The
steamers Stanley and Minto run between
here and Pictou after the close of naviga-
tion at Charlottetown and Summerside.
This is also a port of call for the steamer
between Pictou and Magdalen Islands.
The harljor receives the waters of the
Cardigan, Montague and Brudenell rivers,
from which the name " Three Rivers "
is derived.

Much that has been said of the fishing
around Souris will apply to Georgetown,

158

Morson's pond being midway between
the two places and the bays along the
coast being easily reached. There are
also fine sea trout at Seal river, three
miles from Georgetown, and at Morrison's
Beach, a mile and a half distant. To the
south Murray Harbor and McClure's
Mills, both have fine fishing.

Around the rivers already mentioned is
found very pleasing scenery. A drive,
by way of the ferry, to Montague river
shows a flourishing farming country, in
which the air of general prosperity is
very evident. There are no poor looking
farms, while many of them are worthy of
special attention by those who are
interested in agriculture.

It is needless to say that there is every
chance for bathing, boating and salt
water fishing around Georgetown.

Cardigan Bridge, six miles from George-
town by rail, has attractive surroundings
and there is good fishing in the river. A

lad has caught fifty trout here in an
evening. From here to the Morell river
is five miles, and Morson's pond is eight
miles distant. Good accommodation can
be had in the village.

The fisheries of the island are worth
about a million dollars a year More
than a third of this is derived from the
lobsters, taken in the 329,000 traps around
the shores and put up in the canneries,
nearly 200 in number. The oyster trade
amounts to considerably over 1 100,000,
and the herring taken off shore amounts
in value to nearly double that sum.

Much more than has been told of
Prince Edward Island in this short sketch
will be found by the visitor who explores
the land for himself. It is a fair and
flourishing country, with pure air and a
most healthful climate, where people of
varied tastes can find recreation and rest.
It is a delightful part of Canada that no
tourist can aff'ord to miss.

// r.\ / /■: A' Av ; /: a\ r. /•;. /.

////,;, , :,.,!:.:: I<

'59

The Magdalen Island Group

I HE Magdalen
Islands, situ-
ated in the
centre of the
Gulf of St.
Lawrence,
are little
known 1o the
tourist or
even to the
average Can-
adian. There
is a hazy idea that they are a long way
from the beaten path, that the}- are
desolate rocks, remarkable chiefly for
shipwrecks in the past and for famines
among fishermen in the present. One
great reason why so little is known of
them appears to be that, with a few
notable exceptions, much that has been
told of them has been the work of writers
who have either got their information at
second-hand or have merely touched at
the islands in the steamer and come back
on the return trip. Hence it is that the
travelling public, man}- of whom have
not read such reliable accounts as those
of Sir James LeMoine, S. G. W. Benjamin
and Rev. Dr. George Patterson, miss a
curious part of Canada when they fail to
go to the IMagdalens.

The Magdalens are very easily reached
by steamer from Pictou, N.S. , calling at
Georgetown and Souris, P.E.I. From
East Point, the most easterly point of
Prince Edward Island, to Amherst Island,
the nearest of the inhabited Magdalens,
the. distance is only fifty miles. As the
steamer leaves Pictou early in the after-
noon the latter part of the voyage is
necessarily made at night, the islands
being reached very early in the morning.
The port first made varies on different

trips, but the steamer spends the day
among the islands, going from one to
another, landing passengers, freight and
mails at the principal places and call-
ing again to receive them. As there is a
mail only once a week, at least two hours
must intervene between landing the mails
and calling for them at such places as
Amherst and Grindstone, in order to give
the people time to answer their letters.
At siich points the tourist can go ashore
and have a look around if they propose
to go back to the mainland on the return
trip. A better way, however, is to stay
by the steamer and make the tour of the
waters among the principal islands. There
are many days in summer when the sea
is as calm as the proverbial mill pond
and the water is like a mirror. On such
a day, cruising among the islands is a
rare pleasure, and though there is much
the trip will not reveal of the land and its
people, a most pleasant impression of the
journey will be retained.

To see the Magdalens one should make
this day's trip, and go ashore at the last
stopping place with the intention of
remaining until the steamer makes its
next trip, in the following week. In
doing this he must be prepared to take
the Magdalens for what they are. This
has not been the land of the tourist and
there are no summer resort hotels,
though excellent board may be had at
Amherst and Grindstone, at the houses of
the Misses Shea and of Mr. Nelson
Arsenault respectively. Life will be found
to be quiet, and to some temperaments it
w-ould be monotonous, but those who are
pleased with the salt water, who want to
breathe absolutely pure air from the
ocean, who are fond of fish and are
interested in stories of the perils and

1 60

dangers of the sea, should find it easy to
make their week on the islands one of
enjoyment.

The Magdalen group is usually de-
scribed as consisting of thirteen islands,
but in this computation are included
some rocks which never have been and
never will be inhabited. One of them,
indeed, the Little Bird, is fast disappear-
ing and there are many who believe that
even the Great Bird is destined in time to
a like fate. Then, again, several islands
which are so joined by sand beaches as
to be actual]}' one are counted separately,
as at Grosse lie, though indeed, a num-
ber of the larger islands are thus united
after a fashion. The chief islands of the
group are Amherst. Entr}-, Grindstone,
Alright, Grosse He (with Coffin Island,
East Island and Xorth Cape), Bryon
Island, Bird Rock and Deadman's Island.
The latter is a barren and uninhabitedrock,
nine miles west of Amherst. The general
direction of the group is northeast and
southwest, the extreme length being
about fifty-three nautical miles, while the
width where the islands are united at the
southern end is about fourteen miles. In
relation to the other parts of the Gulf of
St. Lawrence, Grindstone Island, on the
west, is about 150 miles from the entrance
of IMiramichi Bay, New Brunswick ;
Amherst, at the south, is fifty miles north
of East Point, P. E. Island, and about
sixty from Cape St. Lawrence, Cape
Breton ; from East Point, in the Mag-
dalens, to Cape Aguille, Newfoundland,
is about ninety miles ; from Bird Rock,
at the north, to East Cape, Anticosti, is
about eighty-five miles, while from the
same point to the Bay of Gaspe is about
150 miles. Thus it will be seen that the
islands are pretty well in the centre of
the Gulf, and that the people are not
bothered l>y their neighbors on the shores
of the mainland. In the winter, how-
ever, as will be seen later, this seclusion
has its disadvantages, and there are times
when they are very serious ones.

It is po.ssible that many people in other
lands have an idea that the Magdalens
are in the immediate vicinity of Labra-

dor, and that Deadman's Island is the
most important of the group. Nearly a
hundred years ago Tom Moore wrote his
" Lines on Passing Deadman's Island,"
and it would seem that every man who has
written of the Magdalens since that time
has felt it a solemn duty to quote these
verses. There is even a PVench version
of them, and there may be a Gaelic one.
As a result, the spirited lines have
become a trifle hackneyed by this time,
but a more serious objection is that the}'
are misleading. Moore thought the name
a striking one for a poem, and pictured a
ghost ship starting for the island from
"the dismal shore of cold and pitiless
Labrador," which is a good 200 miles to
the north. The average reader does not
stoji to consult a chart, and thus the
Magdalens and Labrador are confounded
in the popular mind. Besides, Deadman's
Island does not take its name from any
disaster, but from its shape. Seen at a
distance, it resembles a giant body,
shrouded and laid out ready for burial.
It is a huge rock without vegetation, is a
mile long and rises sharply to a height
of 170 feet. It has probably been the
cause of wrecks in the past, but so
far as is known it has been much
less of an offender in this respect
than Bird Rocks, Bryon Island or the
dreaded North Beach. The fishermen
resort to it at certain seasons, but they do
not regard it with any special awe. It
may here be said that the people of the
islands are very free from superstition, and
that one may look in vain for the weird
legends such as are heard around Baie de
Chaleur and the Lower St. Lawrence.
The fishermen have to face such stem
realities in struggling for a living that
they have no disposition to be imagina-
tive as to their surroundings.

The Magdalens are a part of the countv
of Gaspe, Quebec, but send a member of
their own to the provincial legislature.
Discovered by Cartier in 1534, the first
extensive settlement of them was by
Acadian families in 1763. The popula-
tion of all the islands is now between
5,000 and 6,000, of whom only about 500

161

are of the English race. A Church of
England clergyman ministers to the
latter, while three priests are stationed
among the French, under the Bishop of
Charlottetown .

A hundred years ago, in 1798, Admiral
Sir Isaac Coffin, in cruising the Gulf,
took a notion that he would like to own
the Magdalen Islands, and as he deserved
well of the British government he easilj'
obtained a grant of them and was legalh-
designated as "Sir Isaac Coffin, Baronet,
Admiral of the Red in His Majesty's
Fleet, Proprietor of the Magdalen Is-
lands." One seventh was reserved for
the support of the Church of England
clergy. With the exception of one or
two of the outside islands, such as Bryon
and Deadman, the Magdalens are still
owned b}- the Coffin family, the present
representative of which resides in France.
The estate has always had an agent on
the islands, and the occupants of land
pay a rental of twenty cents an acre
annually. Under recent legislation the
Coffin estate is now obliged to sell when
a tenant makes a cash tender of a sum
based upon the capitalization of the
rental, but most of the tenants are not in
a position to purchase. While the whole
area of the islands is about 100,000 acres,
much of that still owned by the Coffin
estate yields no rental, and the total sum
collected is realh- quite small. In a
financial sense the Magdalens are not a
paying investment for the estate, but
apart from that it is something to be the
owner of a Canadian archipelago.

Amherst, Grindstone and Coffin Islands,
while separate and distinct from each
other, are so joined by sand bars that in
another sense there is practically only
one island from Sandy Hook, at Amherst
to East Point, a distance of about forty-
five miles. The ordinary way of going
from Amherst to Grindstone, ten miles,
is along the connecting sands, at low
water. There are two distinct bars, more
than two miles apart, at the Amherst
end. One must know how to ford the
intervening inlets, however, in order to
be safe. Between Grindstone and North

Cape is a stretch of sand twenty-two miles
long, known as the North Beach. Half
way between the two places is Wolf
Island, a grim enough name, but not
more grim than the place merits.
On this sandy barrier have been
more shipwrecks than in anj' part of the
Gulf. Before the establishment of lights
and other safeguards by the Canadian
government, wrecks were all too common
around the Magdalens, lying as the
islands did directly in the path of com-
merce. Many a missing ship, of which
the fate has never been known, has
crashed in the darkness upon the Bird
Rocks, Bryon or the North Beach, and
none of those on board have been left to
tell the tale. Even the list of known
disasters in the memory of men now
living is a large one. Some thirty wrecks
with loss of life can easily be counted for
the North Beach and East Cape alone.
It was at tin; latter point, half a century
ago, that the emigrant ship Miracle was
wrecked, with a loss of 350 lives out of
the 678 on board. The priest and Mr.
Fontana, agent of the Coffin estate, with
a few others, buried more than 200 bodies
in the sand.

A weird coming ashore was that
of the English brig Joseph, many
years ago. In broad daylight, with all
sail set, the vessel came steadil}* on until
it struck at North Cape. Not a sign
of life was to be seen on the decks. Mr.
Fontana went on board, entered the cabin
and there found five men lying dead with
their throats cut. The brig's papers
were missing and the name had been
scraped off wherever it had occurred.
B}' a slight clue, the identit}' of the vessel
was afterwards disclosed through corre-
spondence with Ivloyd's, and it was
learned also that some sailors had landed
from a boat on the coast of Newfound-
land and had disappeared. They were
undoubtedly the nuitineers, who having
murdered the others had made for the
land,* leaving the corpse-laden vessel to
its fate.

The weather observer and telegraph
operator at Grindstone is Augustine

162

Le Bourdais, a tiian who lives to tell of a
terrible experience on the North Beach.
He was mate of the brig Wasp, of
Quebec, which went to pieces five miles
west of Wall Island in a blinding snow-
storm in November, 1S71. He was the
only survivor of a crew of eleven, and
having gained the shore he wandered
around the beach from Tuesday
until Saturday, eating snow and
finally taking shelter in an old hut,
where he fell into a deep sleep until he

and grey sandstone. In some places this
rises in perpendicular cliffs sheer from
the sea, or at times overhanging where
the force of the waves is wearing away
the base. Some of these cliffs are more
than 50U feet high. At other places the
hills slope gradually to the water. At
Grindstone and Amherst ■'there is a
succession of hills and vallej's, and the
Summit, at Grindstone, has a height of
602 feet. Five of the other hills on the
same island are over 500 feet each in

BIRD ROCK

Tn/fvcoloiiia! Rnu/f

was discovered. Both feet were so frozen
that they subsequently came off at the
ankles. There was then no doctor on the
islands, but LeBourdais had a strong
constitution and lived to get to Quebec
in the spring, where both legs were
amputated below the knees. Securing
his present position from the government,
he returned to the Magdalens, married
and settled down within a few miles of
the scene of his remarkable experience.
The foundation of the islands is a red

height. The highest hill at Amherst is
550 feet. The soil is of fine and fertile
earth, but as fishing is the business of
the people little attention is given to
agriculture beyond raising hay and
potatoes.

Entry Island, which is at the entrance
of Pleasant Bay, to the eastward of
Amherst, is one of the most ^picturesque
of the Magdalens, with its hills rising to
a height of nearly six hundred feet and
its cliffs ranging from three hundred to

163

four hundred feet above the water. It is
about two miles long and is inhabited by
only a small number of families.

Amherst, or Havre Aubert, is in Pleas-
ant Bay and is the capital of the
Magdalens. It has a court house, a
portion of the lower storey of which is
intended to be used as a jail in case of
necessity. So rare are prisoners, how-
ever, the cells are seldom in use. There
are never any grave crimes committed,
and even the petty offenders have
usually been visiting sailors or other
strangers. One of the latter was a man
who attempted to peddle liquor, and
who got a sentence of three months in
jail. Before the expiation of his sentence
the time drew near for the last trip of the
steamer for the season. Should he serve
out his term he would have to remain on
the islands for four or five months after
his release, and he might insist that the
authorities should defray his expenses.
Confronted with this problem, application
was made to the Minister of Justice, and
the ■ sentence was remitted in time to
enable the stranger to get back to his
home b}- the last boat of the season.

At Amherst, Grindstone and other
places of call by the steamer, the stranger
will notice the absence of wharves, except
small structures at which boats lie. The
freight and passengers are received and
discharged by boats, except at Grand
Entry and at Ktang du Nord. At the
latter place is a breakwater. The islands
are without wharves of any size, and
there is a belief that no wharf extending
to deep water could be built strong
enough to stand the tremendous force
of the sea at certain seasons. The islands
are without harbors, or rather, what
may be a harbor with the wind in one
direction is exposed to the full fury of
the blast when the w^nd is in a different
direction. Thus it was that in the
memorable August gale of 1873, while
the Gloucester fishing vessels lay in
Pleasant Ba}-, snugly sheltered from the
northeast gale, the wind came round to
due east and forty-two of them were
driven ashore at Amherst like so manv

chips. So close did they lie on the shore
that a man walked over the decks of
twelve of them, stepping from one to the
other without the need of a plank to serve
as a gangway. One vessel was landed
high and dry in a field.

When the wind blows over the
Magdalens in the stormy season it blows
in earnest, especially when it sweeps down
the Gulf from the northwest. Weather
observer Le Bourdais says the greatest
velocity it attains is seventy-four miles an
hour, but at much less than that rate it
can make matters lively. It hangs against
the houses as though it would carr}- them
along with it, but it never does so. It
would carr}' a man away, however, if he
were rash enough to stand on the top of one
of the cliffs in a gale. As for the sea, it
comes at the islands with a force that
makes the rocks tremble, and mas.ses of
overhanging sandstone tumble into the
ocean. It does not require anything like
a gale to send the spray fl.ving over the
lantern of L'Etang du Nord lighthouse.
I ID feet above the water. All this, how-
ever, is in the stormy season, and is not a
part of the experience of the tourist who
visits the Magdalens during the peaceful
days of summer.

Amherst Island has a population of
about 300 families. To the west of the
landing is Demoiselle Hill, so called be-
cause some vivid imagination saw in its
outline the figure of a recumbent woman.
The cliffs here rise 550 feet from the sea,
and are the highest on the islands. Ten
miles to the north, across Pleasant Bay,
is Grindstone Island, the largest and
most important of the group. Cape
Meule, at the entrance of the harbor, has
a height of 280 feet, but the remarkable
feature of it as seen from the water is a
singularl}' clear cut profile formed by the
rough masses of rock. Some have seen in
it a resemblance to the face of Gladstone.
Grindstone has a population of about 350
families, and is a place of considerable
commercial importance in respect to the
fishing industry. The island is some five
miles long and of nearly the same width.
At the western side is the settlement of

164

Etang (lu Xord, where there is a large
shallow lagoon in which fine sea trout
are caught.

Between Grindstone and Alright islands
is a boat harbor known as Havre au
Maisnn, or House Harbor. Alright is
about four miles long and half as wide,
and has about 250 families. At House
Harbor is a convent of the Congregation
de Notre Dame, where the young women
of the islands are educated and from
\\hich the school teachers on all ])arts()f

lias been mentioneil as lying between the
sand dunes which extend to .Vlright.
The Great Lagoon is in all twenty-five
miles long, and from half a fathom to
five and six fathoms deej). At Grand
Entry it is over five miles wide and its
greatest width in any other part is three
miles. In many parts it is very narrow.
The western entrance is at House Harbor.
Nine nautical miles from Grosse He,
and wholly separate from the group to
which reference has so far been made, is

THE LANDING A T BIRD ROCK

Jiiletculonial Route

the Magdalen s have been graduated.
Between Alright and Grosse He are the
long stretches of sand of which the North
Beach is one, with a shallow and narrow
passage between them. Wolf Island is
a small elevation about half way along
the North Beach. Cape Alright, on the
island of that name, has a height of 500
feet.

Between Grosse He and Coffin islands
is what is known as Grand Entry harbor,
the entrance to the Great Lagoon which

Brvon Island, nearly five miles long and
varying in width from the distance of a
pistol shot to something less than a mile
at the widest part. It is the property of
Mr. William Dingwell and has only some
five families resident upon it. The island
is a splendid fishing station, however,
and at certain seasons the population is
much larger. Bryon has no harbor and
is not an easy j^lace to land in rough
weather. Some of the cliffs have a
heiyht of over 200 feet. On the north

i6.^

side of this island there is a record of ten
wrecks.

Eleven miles east of Bryon and about
twenty northeast of Grosse He is the
most remote and inaccessible part of the
Magdalens, the Bird Rocks. The smaller
of the two islands has been broken up by
the action of the sea. The Great Bird is
simply a rock, about two acres in area,
rising from the sea to a height of 140 feet.
So perpendicular are the sides of this
rock that the visitor and supplies are
alike landed by means of a box lowered
to the water and hoisted by means of a
windlass. There is a series of ladders up
the face of the rock, to be used in case of
an accident to the hoisting gear. Boats
can approach the rock only in calm
weather, for the fury of the sea is so
terrific here in times of storm that the
rock itself can be felt to shake. The
island takes its name from the immense
numbers of gannets, gulls and other sea
birds which have made it their home from
time immemorial, and which continue to
inhabit it despite the presence of the
lighthouse and the fog gun. The flocks
of birds are at times like huge clouds. On
the rocks their nests are found in every
direction, and in other ways the habitat
of the birds is e?i evidence to more than
one of the senses. The island is not
' ' with spicy odors laden from Araby the
blest." In former years a regular business
was done by parties going to this island
and securing large quantities of eggs,
which were shipped to Halifax.

The Bird Rocks are about a mile apart,
with a sunken reef between them and
continuing for another mile beyond the
lyittle or North Bird. On these rocks,
before the days of lighthouses and
signals, have been uncounted wrecks of
which no one has lived to tell the tale.
The lighthouse and explosive fog signal
are of comparativeh^ recent date. The
keeper, with his family and two assist-
ants, constitute the population of the
island, and though the light is burned
only during the season of navigation the
lighthouse crew remains there through-
out the vear.

The Magdalen Islands depend wholly
upon the fisheries for their prosperity,
and in seasons when the fish fail the
inevitable result is not only adversity,
but distress which may amount to a
famine. In the winter of 1897-9S it was
necessary for the Quebec government to
send supplies to the islands early in the
season to aid in the relief of the destitute
inhabitants. When the writer was there,
in theprevious autumn, itwasknown there
was a hard winter ahead. The season's
catch had amounted to little, for the men
had waited and watched for the schools
of mackerel that never came. They could
have fitted out for cod, but they did not,
because cod were low in price and a short
season of mackerel would be far more
profitable than manj' weeks of codding.
So, in something of a win or lose spirit
they prepared for the mackerel only! to
find that mackerel were a failure. The
lobsters helped them some, for the M{ig-
dalens produce three-quarters of all t^ie
lobsters in the county of Gaspe, but owing
to the conditions of the climate even the
lobster season was short, and so hard
times came, as they had come before.

The steamer from the mainland usually
stops running about the 15th or 20th of
December, when the ice forms around
the shore of the mainland. It is much
later before the great fields of ice come
down from the north and blockade the
Magdalens, and they remain later in the
spring. The steamer may be able to
make a trip in April, or it may be nmch
later. In one memorable year, a year of
scarcity, it did not come iintil the first
week in June. There are thus four or
five months in which the people of the
^Magdalens are shut off from the rest of
the continent, in which they get neither
letters nor newspapers. There is a cable,
it is true, but it is not used for news
purposes, and it may be out of order for
the season. When the steamer arrives in
the spring the man who wants to know
what has happened in the world for the
preceding four or five months has a heavy
contract ahead of him in getting himself
read up to date.

166

The people of the ishuuls are used to
these winters, and are content enouj^h
when times are not too hard. A field of
solid ice surrounds the main group of
islands, extending for two or three miles
from the shore. Beyond this are miles
and miles of ice which are not fixed, and
any part of which may be shifted by the
winds and currents. The solid ice be-
tween the islands makes a fine highway
for sleighing parties and there is a
co'.istant exchange of visits between

to get to House Plarbor. l-'ive men
started from Amherst with a sealing
float, reached the schooner and succeeded
in getting a barrel of flour. They divided
it into five parts and each put his share
in a bag. On their way home the neigh-
bors besought them so eagerly that little
was left of their stock. One of them told
the writer that he had only two or three
pounds of flour in the bottom of his sack
when he reached his own house.

There is an impression that sealing is a

A CORXER OF BIRD ROCK

Intercolonial Route

the people of the different districts.
When the seasons are bad the
people get along the best they can.
When flour fails, they resort to potatoes,
and when these are exhausted in one
house, resort is had to more fortunate
neighbors. In that year when the
steamer did not come imtil June all
classes were on short allowance and
potatoes were doled out a half dozen at a
time. Early in May a schooner v/as seen
outside of the ice at Pleasant Bay, trying

great industry at the Magdalens. It was
so years ago, when 26,000 seals would be
secured in a season. At that time a seal
skin was worth a dollar, and the oil
brought a dollar a gallon. INIen could
make twenty dollars or thirty dollars in
a day. Of late years, however, seals have
diminished in number and in value. In
the season of 1896-97, only 2,000 were
taken around the islands, and the skins
and oil brought only a quarter of the old
prices. Parties go sealing on the ice all

167

the way from Etaiig du Nord to Bird
Rocks, hauling their floats over the ice
and rowing in them across the open
water. It is hard and perilous work, and
many lives have been lost when the ice
has begun to move, carrying the sealers
out to sea to perish. On one occasion
forty-two men were thus carried off, and
seven died from exposure before a rescue
was effected. A more recent case was
that of Damien Cormier, Charles Turbide
and Arsene Turbide in the month of
March, 1897.

Cormier, an elderh- man, was in tem-
porary' charge of Bird Rock light at the
time, and the Turbides, who were young
men, were on a visit there. About three
o'clock on the afternoon of Saturda}-,
March 6th. they saw some seals on the ice
and started after them, leaving" Cormier's
wife alone at the light. They secured a
few seals and started to return, when the
ice began to move. The current made it
impossible to launch the float, and soon
after the wind arose and a storm of snow
and sleet followed. The ice continued to
move, while the unfortunate men walked
in the vain hope of finding a chance of
escape.

Between twelve and two o'clock on
Sundaj- Charles Turbide, aged nineteen,
the youngest of the party, became
exhausted and died. The others had fed
him with the warm blood of a seal, but to
no avail. They remained by the body,
and the next day the old man Cormier
became exhausted. He urged Arsene
Turbide to leave him and try to save him-
self, and when death was apparent
Turbide covered the two bodies with the
upturned boat and began to walk to the
south. He kept on until he reached Cape
North, Cape Breton, where he arrived at
eight o'clock Monday night, after fifty-
three hours of exposure. His feet, hands
and face were frozen, and he was in a
dying condition when a doctor reached
him. He lived a few days, long enough
to tell the story of one of the most
remarkable adventures in the history of
the islands.

There were formerlv forests on the

Magdalen s, but the}' have been cut away,
and in a few j-ears there will not be
enough wood for fencing and fuel. Foxes
and rabbits are found, but no larger
game. The islands, however, are the
kingdom of birds, of which there are over
120 varieties. As for geese, ducks, brant
and other sea fowl, there are vast num-
bers. The best shooting is from the
fifteenth of September to the tenth of
October, and the best shooting grounds
are at the ponds at East Point and West
Point, where there are geese, black duck,
teal, golden plover, small plover and
yellowlegs. There are also plover along
the North Beach. Two men have shot
forty geese in a daj- at West Point. Non-
residents must take out a license.

Sea trout are found at several inlets
and especially at Etang du Nord. Three
men have caught thirteen dozen of them
in two days and a half.

The average temperature at the Mag-
dalens is 55° in summer, and from 15° to
25° above zero in the winter. The winter
is not severe except for the winds. The
warmest weather is during the last of
August and the first of September.

The people of the Magdalens are simple
in their habits and lead good lives. Their
lot is often a hard one, but the}- accept it
patiently, thankful for the good and sub-
missive to the ills. The stranger who
visits these islands will find much to
interest him both in the place and in the
people.

The Lord's Day Gale.

The waters which lie between Cape
Breton, the Magdalens and Prince Edward
Island witnessed a heavy loss of shipping
and of life in the great gale of the twenty-
third and twentj'-fourth of August, 1S73.
As the stranger is likeh* to hear more or
less of this gale when he is round any of
the shores named some reference to it
may be useful. The gale began on
Saturday, August twenty-third, and
reached its height on Sunday, bringing
destruction to the province fishermen and
the Gloucester fleet, both in the Gulf of
St. L/awrence and on George's Banks.
The loss of property among the Gloucester

168

vessels alone was about $100,000, and 13S
lives were lost. The figures of the losses
among the province fishermen are not at
hand, but they were very large. The
disaster has been commemorated in E. C.
Steadman's verses, " The Lord's Day
Gale," of which only an extract can here
be given :

The East Wind gathered all unknown, —
A thick sea-cloud his course before ;

He left by night the frozen zone
And smote the cliffs of Labrador ;

He lashed the coast on either hand,

And betwixt the Cape and Newfoundland
Into the Bay his armies pour.

He caught our helpless cruisers there
As a grey wolf harries the hviddling fold ;

A sleet— a darkness — filled the air,
A shuddering wave before it rolled :

That Lord's Day morn, it was a breeze, —

At noon, a blast that shook the seas, —
At night — a wind of death took hold !

From vSaint Paul's light to Edward Isle
A thousand craft it smote again ;

And some against it strove the while,
And more to make a port were fain :

The mackerel gulls flew screaming past,

And the stick that bent to the noonday
blast
Was split b)' the sundown hurricane.

There were twenty andmore of Breton sail.
Fast anchored on one mooring ground ;
Each lay within his neighbor's hail.
When the thick of the tempest closed
them round :
All sank at once in the gaping sea, —
Somewhere on the shoals their corses be.
The foundered hulks, and the seamen
drowned.

On reef and bar our schooners drove
Before the wind, before the swell ;
By the steep sand cliff their ribs were
stove, —
Long, long their crews the tale shall
tell!

Of the Gloucester fleet are wrecks three

score ;
Of the Province .sail two hundred more
Were stranded in that tempest fell.

^Ia\' of the stranded vessels were subse-
quently got off and saved. The loss
around the Magdalen Islands, singular
to say, was small. Over 300 vessels were
in Pleasant Bay for shelter when the
wind changed from east to south-east,
but most of them rode out the gale. Of
the forty-two that were driven ashore at
Amherst, as already narrated, the greater
portion were subsequently got off the
sandy shore l)y a wrecking company.
One which went on Demoiselle Hill was
knocked to pieces with the loss of three
lives. All along the coast, however, at
Whitehead, Canseau, Mulgrave, Port
Hood, Cape North and other places were
wrecks, besides a large number that
foundered in the open sea. An Arichat
schooner drifted ashore at Port Hood
with the whole crew of six men drowned
in the cabin. Two Canseau schooners
were lost with all on lioard.

The gale was felt with great force on
the land. At Canseau the Catholic
church was lifted bodily and moved about
ten feet. At Guysboro, according to an
unpublished history, every wharf was
dashed to pieces, scarcely a stone near
the water w-as left standing, and the
tidal wave left a mark twelve feel aljove
the highest previous waterline. A nuinl)er
of boards, the remains of a fallen barn,
were lifted by the wind and driven
through the side of the Methodist church,
some distance away. With such force
were thev propelled that some of them
were carried through one wall into the
interior of the church and driven through
the laths and plaster high up on the
opposite wall. Those that still protruded
through the outside of the building were
so firmly embedded that they had to be
sawn away. INIuch damage was done to
propertv all along the coast.

169

Conclusion

nHE foregoing pages have taken
the reader over the entire
system of the Intercolonial
railway (including the Prince
Edward Island railway) and the ter-
ritory served by that system. An effort
has been made — it is hoped successfully
— to point out the many attractions to
be found in that territory, and much
detail regarding summer resorts, fishing
and hunting grounds, and how to reach
them, has been given. In journeying
over the Intercolonial railway from
Montreal to Halifax and return, the
traveller finds the pleasure of the grand
scenery not a little enhanced by the
luxury of the noted Maritime Express.
This is a complete vestibule train, and is
not only a most handsome affair, within
and without, but it is exceedingly com-
fortable and convenient, and modern in
ever}' respect. A special feature of the
service on this train is that of the dining
car. The cuisine has been developed to
a high state of efficiency and every effort
is made to meet the wishes of the most
fastidious tastes. Frequent comment on
this branch of the service has been most
favorable, and in some respects at least it
is the best in the country.

The express, baggage and postal cars,
also, are models of their kind, while the
colonist cars are superior to the first-class
coaches of many smaller lines. They
might fairly pass muster in the latter
grade, were it not that the first-class
coaches of the Intercolonial are again far
superior to the ordinary cars of their
class. Each of them has a length of
eighty feet and a weight of fifty-one tons.
The finish, within and without, is of
polished South American mahogany, and
everything pertaining to the cars is of an

equally elegant character. The ceilings
are beautifully finished, the aisles are
carpeted and the seats are designed with
a special view to comfort. Panel mirrors
are placed between the window spaces,
and the whole appearance is rather of a
parlor car than an ordinary day coach.
A special feature is the smoking room, a
compartment on the same principle as
the smoker in a sleeping car, but so large
that, in addition to the fixed seats at the
ends, four movable wicker arm chairs
are on the floor to be placed as the occu"
pants may desire.

The sleeping cars ms rich in design,
but with plain moulding which permits
no lodging place for dust. The finish is
of polished mahogany beautifully inlaid
with lighter woods. The ceilings are of
green and gold, in the Empire style, and
the upholstering is of a rich green plush.
Wilton rugs adorn the floor and yield
softly beneath the feet. The drawing
rooms are two in number, and may be
used singly or tv/ sniff. They are rich
with heav}' plate glass mirrors, and each
room has its separate toilet conveniences.
Each of the sleepers is eighty-two feet in
length and weighs fifty-six tons. The
lighting is by the Pintsch gas, the lamps
throwing the light down instead of
obscuring it, as in the older systems of
car lighting. The lavatory is large and
allows plenty of room for performing the
toilet, and, indeed, in all respects, the
sleepers have the latest and most
approved ideas in their details of con-
struction and arrangement.

The dining cars, like the sleepers, have
each a length of eighty-two feet, and the
finish of the woodwork and ceilings is in
the same style. Each car will seat thirty
persons at the tables, and these tables are

arranged both for four and for two eacli.
Movable chairs and plenty of floor space
add greatly to the comfort of the
occupants. A handsome mahogany side-
board is a conspicuous feature of each car.
The service is of solid silver, and all the
table appointments are of the best quality
to be obtained. The kitchens are so
situated that the culinary operations are

not visible to those passing through that
end of the car, and they. are supplied with
the most approved appliances for their
work. In a word, they are as complete
as modern ingenuity can devise. The
meals served on these diners are equal to
those at any farst-class hotel, and the
rates charged are very moderate for the
excellent service given.

If special information is required in respect to a particular locality,
routes, fares, etc., address either E. Tiffin, Traffic Manager ; or Jno.
M. I,YONS, Gen. Pass, and Ticket Agent, Moncton, N.B.; H. A. Pricis,
Asst. Geu. Pass. Agent, 143 St. James Street, Montreal ; J. B. Lamukin,
Asst. Gen. Pass. Agent, Halifax, N.S.

171

/

BINDING SECT. JAN 2 7 1982

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UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LIBRARY

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157

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