Acadia | Page 2

first flight of stairs. Not an inch would these shy creatures budge
beyond. At last, the wife of the operator induced them to rise to the
high flight that led to the Halifax skylight, and there they were painted
by the sun, as we see them now.
Nothing more! Ring the bell, prompter, and draw the curtain.

CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.

Vague Rumors of Nova Scotia--A Fortnight upon Salt
Water--Interesting Sketch of the Atlantic--Halifax!--Determine to stay
in the Province--Province Building and Pictures--Coast
Scenery--Liberty in Language, and Aspirations of the
People--Evangeline and Relics of Acadia--Market-Place--The
Encampment at Point Pleasant--Kissing Bridge--The "Himalaya"--A
Sabbath in a Garrison Town--Grand Celebration of the Peace, and
Natal Day of Halifax--And a Hint of a Visit to Chezzetcook 13
CHAPTER II.
Fog clears up--The One Idea not comprehended by the American
Mind--A June Morning in the Province--The Beginning of the
Evangeliad--Intuitive Perception of Genius--The Forest
Primeval--Acadian Peasants--A Negro Settlement--Deer's Castle--The
Road to Chezzetcook--Acadian Scenery--A Glance at the Early History
of Acadia--First Encroachments of the English--The Harbor and
Village of Chezzetcook, etc., etc. 34
CHAPTER III.
A Romp at Three Fathom Harbor--The Moral Condition of the
Acadians--The Wild Flowers of Nova Scotia--Mrs. Deer's Wit--No
Fish--Picton--The Balaklava Schooner--And a Voyage to Louisburgh
58
CHAPTER IV.
The Voyage of the "Balaklava"--Something of a Fog--A Novel
Sensation--Picton bursts out--"Nothing to do"--Breakfast under
Way--A Phantom Boat--Mackerel--Gone, Hook and Line--The
Colonists--Sectionalism and Prejudices--Cod-fishing and an
Unexpected Banquet--Past the old French Town--A Pretty Respectable
Breeze--We get past the Rocks--Louisburgh 77
CHAPTER V.

Louisburgh--The Great French Fortress--Incidents of the Old French
War--Relics of the Siege--Description of the Town--The two
Expeditions--A Yankee ruse de guerre--The Rev. Samuel Moody's
Grace--Wolfe's Landing--The Fisherman's Hutch--The Lost
Coaster--The Fisheries--Picton tries his hand at a Fish-pugh 102
CHAPTER VI.
A most acceptable Invitation--An Evening in the Hutch--Old
Songs--Picton in High Feather--Wolfe and Montcalm--Reminiscences
of the Siege--Anecdotes of Wolfe--A Touch of Rhetoric and its
Consequences 121
CHAPTER VII.
The other side of the Harbor--A Foraging
Party--Disappointment--Twilight at Louisburgh--Long Days and Early
Mornings--A Visit and View of an Interior--A Shark Story--Picton
inquires about a Measure--Hospitality and the Two Brave
Boys--Proposals for a Trip Overland to Sydney 133
CHAPTER VIII.
A Blue-Nosed Pair of the most Cerulean Hue--Prospects of a Hard
Bargain--Case of Necessity--Romantic Lake with an Unromantic
Name--The Discussion concerning Oatmeal--Danger of the
Gasterophili--McGibbet makes a Proposition--Farewell to the
"Balaklava"--A Midnight Journey--Sydney--Boat Excursion to the
Micmacs--Picton takes off his Mackintosh 154
CHAPTER IX.
The Micmac Camp--Indian Church-warden and Broker--Interior of a
Wigwam--A Madonna--A Digression--Malcolm Discharged--An
Indian Bargain--The Inn Parlor, and a Comfortable Night's Rest 176
CHAPTER X.

Over the Bay--A Gigantic Dumb Waiter--Erebus--Reflections--White
and Black Squares of the Chess-Board--Leave-taking--An
Interruption--The Aibstract Preencipels of Feenance 185
CHAPTER XI.
The Bras d'Or Road--Farewell to Picton--Home, Sweet Home--The
Rob Roys of Cape Breton--Note and Query--Chapel Island--St.
Peter's--Enterprise--The Strait of Canseau--West River--The Last
Out-post of the Scottish Chiefs 196
CHAPTER XII.
The Ride from West River--A Fellow Passenger--Parallels of
History--One Hundred Romances--Baron de Castine--His
Character--Made Chief of the Abenaquis--Duke of York's
Charter--Encroachments of the Puritans--Church's Indian Wars--False
Reports--Reflections 212
CHAPTER XIII.
Truro--On the Road to Halifax--Drive to the Left--A Member of the
Foreign Legion--Irish Wit at Government Expense--The first Battle of
the Legion--Ten Pounds Reward--Sir John Gaspard's Revenge--The
Shubenacadie Lakes--Dartmouth Ferry, and the Hotel Waverley 224
CHAPTER XIV.
Halifax again--Hotel Waverley--"Gone the Old Familiar Faces"--The
Story of Marie de la Tour 237
CHAPTER XV.
Bedford Basin--Legend of the two French Admirals--An Invitation to
the Queen--Visit to the Prince's Lodge--A Touch of Old England--The
Ruins 251

CHAPTER XVI.
The Last Night--Farewell, Hotel Waverley--Friends Old and
New--What followed the Marriage of La Tour le Borgne--Invasion of
Col. Church 258
CHAPTER XVII.
A few more Threads of History--Acadia again lost--The Oath of
Allegiance--Settlement of Halifax--The brave Three
Hundred--Massacre at Norridgewoack--Le Père Ralle 269
CHAPTER XVIII.
On the road to Windsor--The great Nova Scotia Railway--A Fellow
Passenger--Cape Sable Shipwrecks--Seals--Ponies--Windsor--Sam
Slick--A lively Example 279
CHAPTER XIX.
Windsor-upon-Avon--Ride to the Gasperau--The Basin of
Minas--Blomidon--This is the Acadian Land--Basil, the Blacksmith--A
Yankee Settlement--Useless Reflections 293
CHAPTER XX.
The Valley of Acadia--A Morning Ride to the Dykes--An unexpected
Wild-duck Chase--High Tides--The Gasperau--Sunset--The Lamp of
History--Conclusion 302
APPENDIX 317

ACADIA.
CHAPTER I.

Vague Rumors of Nova Scotia--A Fortnight upon Salt
Water--Interesting Sketch of the Atlantic--Halifax!--Determine to stay
in the Province--Province Building and Pictures--Coast
Scenery--Liberty in Language, and Aspirations of the
People--Evangeline and Relics of Acadia--Market-Place--The
Encampment at Point Pleasant--Kissing Bridge--The "Himalaya"--A
Sabbath in a Garrison Town--Grand Celebration of the Peace, and
Natal Day of Halifax--And a Hint of a Visit to Chezzetcook.
It is pleasant to visit Nova Scotia in the month of June. Pack up your
flannels and your fishing tackle, leave behind you your prejudices and
your summer clothing, take your trout-pole in one hand and a copy of
Haliburton in the other, and step on board a Cunarder at Boston. In
thirty-six hours you are in the