Brunswick, as well as in Nova Scotia, etc., are well worth a visit; and
all who wish to understand the life and ways of those who have so well
been named “Children of the Forest,” should give some time to a pleasing
form of recreation that is sure to bring many hours of happiness in its
train.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: Kennebecasis River]
_St. John to Moncton and Point du Chene_
[Illustration]
The trip by steamboat from St. John up the Kennebecasis will have given
many a view, distant and near, of the beautiful valley and the garden
country surrounding it. The course of the river steamboat is to the west
of Long Island, and hence of such pretty suburbs as Renforth and
Rothesay only distant glimpses may be had. Hampton is the head of steam
navigation; but the river runs up to Norton, Apohaqui, Sussex and
beyond, in all of which places pretty views may be seen. These places,
therefore, are best seen from the Intercolonial Railway, which passes
through the heart of the several districts; and, in addition, the road
runs up to Petitcodiac village and along by the river of that name as
far as Moncton.
Renforth, Rothesay, Hampton and the various summer resort in the
vicinity of St. John lying on or near the Kennebecasis are all pleasant
vacation spots, justly prized by the inhabitants of the prosperous city
for which they provide such convenient and delightfully situated country
places.
[Illustration]
At Renforth there is a choice little cove or bay where summer cottages
face riverwards along a breezy ridge that follows the course of the
stream at this point; while at Rothesay the bungalows are very prettily
disposed in the woods by the shore, and on the pleasant slopes above. At
both of these places good boating, sailing, and canoeing may be had, as
well as motor boating. River bathing is enjoyed by nearly all who summer
in these charming spots. While not so cool as seaside places, they are
appreciably cooler than town or city, and on that account they have
become favorite resorts for St. John people, as well as for others from
more distant points.
[Illustration]
Above Rothesay the railroad strikes inland a mile or two from the river,
but at Jubilee and Nauwigewauk it resumes its river course and holds it
until near Hampton, where it is about a mile from the part of the
village that fronts on the water. Hampton, however, may be said to run
almost from the station to the river, and with the pleasant inn or
summer hotel close by the station, the pretty village, the Court-House
green, and the splendid view from the hills, together with the many
shady walks, this part of the village has many attractions.
Hampton is the head of Kennebecasis River navigation for steamboats; and
as all the pleasant resorts just named are either on the river or near
it, those who summer in this neighborhood will soon become familiar with
the enjoyable scenery of the Kennebecasis. At Hampton-by-the-River, it
should be added, there is a comfortable homelike hotel or
stopping-place. The surroundings of the whole village are all
picturesque, and such as conduce to pleasure in walks, drives and
rambles.
An enjoyable water outing may be taken on the river by boarding the
steamboat at Hampton and going downstream to St. John. At first a way is
threaded through the meadows by a varied channel that makes it necessary
to “double” and often head in an opposite direction, to pass some island
or follow the devious windings of a stream that makes bends and turns
and double-bends in its course. At last the meadows are passed, however,
and a typical river course with regular channel is entered. Here high
hills and steep ridges line the way. The view at Clifton is very fine,
and at Moss Glen and Chapel Grove it is almost equally good. As St. John
is neared the steamboat passes into the waters of the larger river and
takes its way past the Boar’s Head, and round south to the Indiantown
Wharves.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: ST. JOHN TO MONCTON]
From Hampton a short railroad runs to St. Martin’s and Quaco on the Bay
of Fundy shore. St. Martin’s is a favorite excursion point that is
readily reached by a short sea journey from St. John. Quaco, almost
immediately joining on the south, has a very pretty harbor. Bold cliffs
and little stony beaches are prominent features in its attractive
scenery.
[Illustration]
Journeying north-east from Hampton along the line of the Intercolonial
Railway the course of the upper Kennebecasis River is approximately
followed by way of Norton, Apohaqui and Sussex through a very pleasant
pastoral country. These are all excellent summer places, and from nearly
all of them fishing is within easy reach. From Norton a short railroad
runs through choice country to Grand Lake, Chipman and the Salmon and
Gaspereau Rivers. Apohaqui has a favorable situation at the mouth of the
branching Millstream, while the smart little town of Sussex has a
delightful site with its own pretty little waterway stretching off
through the Sussex Vale to the southeast.
After leaving Penobsquis the railroad soon crosses North River, and the
upper waters of the Petitcodiac; then following a course first west and
then north of the Petitcodiac River, it reaches Moncton. Petitcodiac is
not only a pretty village itself, but it has much romantic scenery
surrounding it. The Pollet River Falls to the south-east are well worth
seeing, and the river itself invites to many a ramble.
At Salisbury a short railroad runs east to Hillsboro on the Petitcodiac
River, and from thence in a southerly direction along the west shore of
Chignecto Bay to Albert, Harvey and Alma. The country round about Albert
is very picturesque, and Alma on the Bay Shore is an attractive village.
The peculiar Hopewell Cape Rocks are generally reached by driving from
Hillsboro. Ample recreation is found through this district in fishing,
walking, and driving; and there is boating on Chignecto Bay, etc.
Few would recognize the progressive and prosperous city of Moncton as
the place that originally came into being under the modest name of “The
Bend.” The name applied to the river, Petitcodiac, which seems a
blending of French and Indian, means a “bend.” Soon after the middle of
the eighteenth century the place was named after General Monckton, once
Lieutenant-General of Nova Scotia, who had served at Louisbourg, served
also as second in command under General Wolfe at the taking of Quebec,
and who later was British Governor of New York.
[Illustration: On the Kennebecasis River]
Some of the early settlers of “The Bend,” as Moncton was then known,
came from Philadelphia and the Delaware River in pre-revolutionary days.
One of these early settlers built a log house on the spot where now
stands the railway round-house. Some United Empire Loyalists assisted in
the settlement later on. The place had a gradual growth until 1872, when
it commenced a new life by becoming an Intercolonial Railway centre,
with workshops, etc., and to-day, as a consequence, it is an important
town, full of life and vitality.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: Rothesay Park Bridge]
[Illustration: Moncton—General Offices of the Intercolonial Railway
through the Trees]
The management and administration of the Intercolonial Railway, as well
as the clerical, constructive and auxiliary staffs, all centre in
Moncton. As a consequence, about 2500 of the town’s population are in
Intercolonial employ.
The General Offices of the Railway occupy a prominent position adjoining
the station grounds. The building has recently been extended to give
much needed room, and with its pleasant surroundings gives comfortable
quarters for the working staff of the system.
The city bears on its face every evidence of prosperity, and it has many
excellent stores and pleasant residential streets.
The Moncton and Buctouche Railway has its headquarters here; and Moncton
is also the eastern terminus of one of Canada’s trans-continental
railway systems, the Grand Trunk Pacific.
The phenomenon of the Bay of Fundy “Tidal Bore” is best seen on the
Petitcodiac River at Moncton. The rise and fall of the tide here shows a
difference of thirty feet between extreme high and extreme low. At
favorable times the height of the incoming wall of water, or “bore,” is
between four and five feet. At such times it is a very wonderful and
interesting sight.
There are a number of pleasant walks and drives in and around the city,
with drives of a more extended character to Shediac and Hopewell Cape
and Rocks. By rail, too, it is easy to reach many pleasant spots in a
very short time.
Many will be surprised to learn that there are splendid oil and gas
fields in the neighborhood of Moncton. A number of wells have been
drilled, and some are exceedingly productive.
The importance of this development will be understood from the mere
statement of the present capacity of the gas wells, which is fifty
millions of cubic feet daily; nor does this represent a maximum
capacity, for the industry is just in its infancy; the first public
consumption of gas in Moncton dating only from the year 1912.
The Intercolonial Railway uses nearly two million feet of gas daily in
its workshops, and manufacturing plants generally are hastening to adopt
gas as a substitute for coal. As is well known, gas is much more
efficient and economical than coal as a fuel; and the product of the
local gas wells is of excellent quality, its thermal value being high. A
striking modern example of the use of gas fuel is demonstrated in
Moncton, for here the electric power for street railway purposes, for
the pumping station at the waterworks and for street and domestic
lighting is all generated economically through the use of gas as a fuel.
Although natural gas is used so generally by manufacturers and residents
of Moncton, and is also piped into the village of Hillsboro, in Albert
County, its use is less than ten per cent. of the yielding capacity of
the present gas wells. It is also believed that other wells will be
discovered, and many experts are of the opinion that the gas field has
merely been tapped on the fringe.
The early expansion of Moncton as a manufacturing and residential centre
will be apparent to those who study economic conditions, for in addition
to the low cost of gas as a fuel for manufacturing and general power
purposes, the use of it as a substitute for coal in the important detail
of house heating in winter shows a saving of over eighty-five per cent.
It will be remembered that from Newcastle and Chatham Junction a course
by the Miramichi River was traced, followed by another along the
Nashwaak to Fredericton. From that point a further course was traced
down the lower St. John River to the city of St. John, and thence to
Rothesay, Hampton, Sussex and Petitcodiac to Moncton.
[Illustration]
Starting now from the Miramichi River and Chatham Junction and
proceeding along the main line to Moncton, a section of country is
traversed that is inland from the Northumberland Straits Coast a varying
distance of twenty to twenty-five miles. The railway line in its
progress crosses the main Barnaby River as well as its upper waters,
bridges the Kouchibouguac, the Kouchibouguacis and the Richibucto
Rivers, and passes over the headwaters of the Canaan, Buctouche, Cocagne
and North streams. At Kent Junction railroad connection is made for
Richibucto and St. Louis; and from Moncton a line runs to Buctouche.
Richibucto and St. Louis are Acadian settlements, the former a
prosperous place from which timber is shipped. There is bathing not far
from Richibucto, with boating and other shore recreation.
Some of the small streams between the Barnaby River and Moncton are used
for logging in the spring, the headwaters of some of them being not over
twelve feet wide. In places where the river has not risen high enough,
the logs may be seen packed side-by-side, like matches, or piled high in
a confused heap with projecting timbers, presenting the appearance of a
_chevaux-de-frise_. With a heavy rainfall, however, these streams swell
to considerable proportions; and the logs are easily borne down to the
mills, and to the coast, with some attention here and there to free the
timber when it jams.
Buctouche, at the mouth of the river of that name, is a little Acadian
watering place about two hours’ run from Moncton over the Moncton and
Buctouche Railway.
In a north-easterly direction from Moncton the line of the Intercolonial
Railway reaches Painsec Junction. The main line here passes to the east,
after throwing off a short branch that leads to Shediac and Point du
Chêne.
Shediac is a pleasant town situated on a broad harbor, sheltered by
Shediac Island. It has a good sand beach, and is celebrated for its fine
oysters. There is excellent fishing here, both in fresh and salt water.
The place was once strongly garrisoned by French troops.
North of Shediac is a large Acadian settlement, the Cocagnes, reached by
coast road, or by boat around Cocagne Cape and into the mouth of the
Cocagne River. East of Shediac are other interesting Acadian villages;
these also are accessible by coast road and boat.
Point du Chêne is well placed as a pleasant little Summer place for
boating, etc., but it is chiefly known as the place of departure for the
passenger steamships crossing the Northumberland Straits to Summerside,
Prince Edward Island. Steamships for other parts of the same island
leave from Pictou, some 140 miles east; but the Point du Chêne route is
preferable for all but those who come from Cape Breton, Halifax, etc.,
and the comfortable and smart-looking steamships of the Prince Edward
Island Navigation Co. that cross from Point du Chêne to Summerside leave
nothing to be desired in the way of equipment and speed.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
_Prince Edward Island_
[Illustration]
Evening cloud effects of a beautiful character are frequently seen when
crossing the Straits of Northumberland from Point du Chêne to Summerside
on Prince Edward Island. On one occasion it had threatened rain on
leaving the mainland, but when the steamer was well over and nearing
Summerside the clouds began to disperse. The sun was about to dip below
the horizon, and its upward slanting beams gave marvellous coloring to
the dispersing cloud drifts. These assumed the deepest and richest tints
of pink and terra cotta, with an infinite variety of fantastic forms;
and this lovely Prince Edward Island sunset, with all its gorgeous
display of form and color, was the topic of conversation then and
afterwards amongst those on the steamer, and who met by chance on the
Island later on.
In approaching the Island the first feature of the land that attracts
attention is the red sandstone. Red may be termed the Island’s color,
for everywhere the red sandstone and the light hue of the soil—almost as
vivid as the well-known Pompeian clay—is to be seen. It affords a
beautiful contrast with the vivid green of the fields and the darker
green of the fir and spruce trees that freshen the landscape.
“Where’er you walk, cool gales shall fan the glade;
Trees where you sit shall crowd into a shade;
Where’er you tread the blushing flowers shall rise,
And all things flourish where you turn your eyes.”
Prince Edward Island has been well christened. It is doubtful if Cabot
ever called there. Jacques Cartier is said to have done so, however, and
it was he who called it the “Low and Beautiful Island.” The Indians
called it Abegweit, or “Resting on the Wave.” Champlain named it L’Isle
St. Jean; the English rechristened it after Edward, Duke of Kent, as
“Prince Edward Island,” and it has since been termed the “Garden of the
Gulf,” and the “Million Acre Farm.”
[Illustration]
Together with the Magdalen Islands it was tentatively settled by the
French in 1663, and was always included as part of Acadia; but its real
settlement dates from the time when the Acadians came hither after being
expelled from Nova Scotia. Peasants from Bretagne, Picardy and Normandy
participated in the settlement; and later, English and Scotch settlers
followed. Many hoards of arms, furniture, cooking utensils, etc., have
been found hidden in the woods, placed there by the early Acadians.
Some ten thousand descendants of this hunted people are living on the
Island, and as they do not readily mix with others, and thus preserve
their old manner of living, they are a very interesting part of the
population. To some extent they live by themselves in their own
villages, speaking the original tongue, wearing the simple dress and
keeping alive the old traditions. They are simple and kindly, and give
color and charm to the more populous communities that surround them.
In these places the maidens still weave, sew and lay by linen for the
expected marriage; and the simple social gatherings for weddings,
barn-raisings, etc., still attract their people of all ages. Many of
them still believe in “Loups-garous” and other fictions of ghost, and
haunting spirits, etc. The principal Acadian settlements are at Rustico,
Tignish, Abram’s Village, and Miscouche.
The quaint broken English of the old Acadian is shown in this extract
relating to our little friend the grosbeak:
[Illustration]
“An’ mebbe you hear de grosbec
Sittin’ above de nes’—
An’ you see by de way he’s goin’
De ole man’s doin’ his bes’
Makin’ de wife an’ baby
Happy as dey can be—
An’ proud he was come de fader
Such fine leetle familee.”
[Illustration]
There are a few hundred Micmac Indians living along the north shore.
They are good hunters, and an outing with them for trout and wild birds
is a pleasant experience.
The water surrounding the island is shallower than that of the mainland
coast, and on that account, and because the temperature is higher, the
bathing here is not too cool, and is much enjoyed. It is warmer than New
Brunswick or Nova Scotia—Atlantic Nova Scotia being the coolest place of
all. The summer temperature of the Island ranges from 65 to 80 degrees,
and higher on exceptional occasions.
It has been remarked that, “there will come to the world-weary tourist
visions of a beautiful land in the midst of the cool sea—a land fanned
by healthful breezes, a land of green hills, purling brooks and fertile
fields. The crowded fashionable watering places have lost their charm
for him, and he yearns for some place of rest and repose where quiet
summer days can be obtained”—and all this is true of Prince Edward
Island.
A recent census of the Island shows the largest population per thousand
of people over seventy years of age in any province of Canada. In most
countries a fourth generation is rare, but Prince Edward can boast of a
fifth. This is the Poirier family of Tignish, the men are fishermen who
all “pull together” in excellent health. The head of the family,
great-great-grandfather Poirier, has 202 living descendants, and at 97
years of age rises at daylight, turns his fish on the “flakes” to dry,
and chops and saws his wood.
[Illustration]
But we have entered Bedeque Bay, and are at Summerside, bound for
Alberton and Tignish at the western end of the Island. A very pleasant
harbor indeed is this, and the not too pretentious summer town is nicely
laid out with good stores and shady streets. There is good boating for
yachts, sail-boats, launches, row-boats and canoes, and the life is that
of the seaside resort, with pleasant excursions and an enjoyable social
life. The Wilmot and Dunk Rivers empty into the harbor. On the Dunk will
be found many pretty views; the fishing, too, is good—trout of large
size. It was a view of this river that inspired the couplet:
“Pause here—and look upon a sight as fair,
As ever painter limned of poet’s dreams.”
Everyone in Summerside walks down to the wharf to see the steamship come
in from Point du Chêne. The usual hour, 7.30 p.m., is convenient for
all. The two trains for east and west go down to meet the steamer and
then return to the station to start their runs. In summer both steamer
wharf and train platform are crowded with the youth and beauty of the
town. The scene is always a lively one.
But a start is made for the west, and the country is almost immediately
reached. Here plenty of evidence is seen of the great productiveness of
these eastern lands, for “stooks” of wheat are standing on end in great
quantities. At Wellington the small upper waters of a stream flow
northward. It is tributary to the Ellis River, into which other streams
flow. This stream soon widens out considerably and runs into Richmond or
Malpeque Bay on the north shore. The river and the lakes nearby are all
fished, and lobsters and clams are plentifully found. At Port Hill and
adjoining places, fine-looking sheep are seen in large numbers, grazing
in good pastures, and there are herds of the cleanest cattle in the
fresh-appearing meadows. The land hereabouts is like an almost level
prairie, and everywhere the harvest of wheat and oats meet the eye in
pleasant array; newly gathered and dotting the whole of the surrounding
fields with innumerable sheaves, stacked up on end, and ready to gather
into the barns that will surely be overtaxed—so rich and plentiful are
the crops of this verdant isle.
In the neighborhood of Portage there are extensive tracts of young
woods, and in places, for miles around, the country resembles cultivated
park lands. In some parts there is plenty of evidence that heavy timber
has formerly been cut down, for, the harvest work about done, fierce and
glowing fires are seen consuming great tree-stumps to make a perfect
clearing.
Mixed trains, usually avoided by all who are not compelled to use them,
are really the best for seeing all the pleasant little by-places of the
Garden Province; for while freight is being handled at each station, it
is possible to alight and ramble a little in nearby luxurious paths that
fringe the railroad along its whole extent. This applies not only to the
route from Summerside to Tignish, but also to the whole railway system
of the Island. As is perhaps generally known, the Prince Edward Island
Railway is part of the extensive system known as the Canadian Government
Railways.
[Illustration: Hunter River, P.E.I.]
Little barefoot boys with freckled faces—health showing in every
movement of their active limbs—watch the passenger cars as the shunting
is being done. They stand on the station platform and gaze wonderingly
at the stranger from the outer world. Little girls, too, emboldened by
the presence of their older brothers, pluck up courage to pass the car
windows and take shy glances at the people from the great cities. To see
their fresh young faces and artless simplicity of manner is alone well
worth the railway fare from some far-off metropolis.
[Illustration]
Extensive dairying farms are seen as Elmsdale is neared. Pleasant knolls
of land spread out in every direction, and the belts of trees of various
tints, as well as the trim orchards, give an attractive appearance to
the whole countryside.
And now Alberton is reached, near to Holland or Cascumpeque Bay:
“The echoes of the surges roar
About the bar by Alberton.”