The Melansons', Terriots', and Le Blancs' holdings all extended east or
west, south of the Cornwallis River. North of this stream, another
section was expanding, but more slowly, although conditions were
favorable there for colonization.
* * * * *
As the Canard region become populated, crossings were made to reach the
villages at low tide over the Cornwallis River. A road was made
connecting the up-river settlements with Grand-Pré to the Gaspereau,
where the principal centre of Minas developed, with its church, its
protected landing-place and port for vessels, its store-house, and the
office of the Deputy, where deeds and important documents were kept.
* * * * *
Thus Canard grew, and finally a beautiful church was built there. The
Cornwallis River divided the parishes of Canard and Grand-Pré, but the
whole region was rapidly growing in population and wealth, till it was
entering upon the period preceding the Deportation. A thousand Acadians
departed from Minas about 1750, so that in 1755 there were about three
thousand remaining in the two parishes.