Acadia | Page 2

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 loyal little province, and above you floats the red flag and the cross of St. George. My word for it, you will not regret the trip. That the idea of visiting Nova Scotia ever struck any living person as something peculiarly pleasant and cheerful, is not within the bounds of probability. Very rude people are wont to speak of Halifax in connection with the name of a place never alluded to in polite society--except by clergymen. As for the rest of the Province, there are certain