A TOUR TO PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
by Jonathan MacKinnon Translated by Norman Macdonatd
Jonathan Gillis MacKinnon (1869- many areas of the Island at the end of the the Niagara Falls. When this man re- 1944) has, of all Canadians, made the 19th century. Many Islanders read his turned home to England, he published a most important contribution in the field paper, and his report shows that Gaelic book telling about the extent and the of Celtic Studies in North America. As was very much alive although bilingual- natural beauty of Canada, and, there- newspaper editor, historian, genealogist, ism had set in. Those intrigued by Mac- after, a further small book reviewing the bard, and translator, his work represents Kinnon's comments on the changing of governmental process in the country many themes in Canadian minority- old (and especially Gaelic) place-names which he had barely seen. The poor language literature. are referred to the list of such in Alan Englishman gained neither credit nor The following description of his first Rayburn's Geographical Names of wealth for his writings about Canada, visit to Prince Edward Island appeared in Prince Edward Island (Ottawa, 1973), and I fear that I may fare likewise regard- Gaelic in MacTalla, from 3 October 1896 p. 6. ing Prince Edward Island. But even an to 16 January 1897. (MacKinnon edited One of those Island Gaelic place- unworthy man can do only his best. and published MacTalla in Sydney, names since superceded by English was I left Sydney on the train at 1 p.m. on Cape Breton, from 1892 to 1904 - Strathalbyn (now known as Rose Valley, Monday, the last day of August (1896). I which makes it, astonishingly, the Stanchel and Springton). From its was acquainted with several of my fellow longest-running Gaelic newspaper in the Presbyterian manse, the Reverend Mal- passengers of whom some were going to world to date.) While he travelled fre- colm Campbell had contributed prolifi- Halifax, some to Boston, some to the quently in the Maritimes in his role as cally to MacTalla - including his impres- West Coast, and two or three were going regional journalist, this Island visit also sions of Cape Breton. These had all the way to Charlottetown. At Grand seems to have been stimulated by Mac- appeared in the paper in seven install- Narrows, the train stopped for 20 min- Kinnon's strong family ties here. His ments from 11 July to 29 August 1896, utes while those who were hungry went great-grandfather, Lauchlan MacKinnon just before editor MacKinnon's visit to to the hotel for dinner. The Bras d'Or (1775-1885), had emigrated from the Prince Edward Island. waters are divided almost in half here, Isle of Skye to the Island before moving with two headlands formed facing each to Cape Breton in 1840. Lauchlan's other. The Strait is known as Grand Nar- three brothers (Alexander, Malcolm and rows, as is the headland on the East Side, Charles) settled in the Valley- while the headland on the West is called field/Heatherdale area bordering l \ story is told of a bold English- lona. The Strait is only three-quarters of Queens and Kings Counties; Malcolm man who on one occasion crossed the a mile wide, and a large railway bridge was the grandfather of Lieutenant- Atlantic to spend 10 days on this side. The now spans it. I heard someone say that Governor D.A. MacKinnon (1863- greater part of his time was spent in the the people of Grand Narrows and the 1928). big cities in the States, but he did find people of lona were not at all acquainted Jonathan MacKinnon's chronicle well time to cross the border into Canada, with one another, before the coming of reflects the Scottish Gaelic character of and he spent about two hours admiring the railroad; although only a short dis- tance separated them, they were stran- be found. The few that are to be found this street that most of these beautiful gers to one another because of the heavy are round, soft and of the same colour as buildings are, and it is here also that most swell which made the crossing very diffi- the soil, very near to being red. They are of the town's business is conducted. cult by boat While the train waited, I but earth, bound together and hard- There are good sidewalks of stone and of talked with my good friend, the Engine- ened, in a fashion somewhat similar to "asphalt" along this street, and along- Driver Duncan MacLellan, who showed clay. I heard one of those who was on side one or two others; the rest have only me how he operated the train. board the ship say, as we neared the wooden sidewalks. The town is flat, with About six o'clock we reached Point land, that it must have been here that barely any inclines or declines. It is, Tupper, where we had to leave the train man was created; "because," he said, therefore, easy to walk around in and it is and be ferried by a waiting steam-boat "we are told (in the Scriptures) that man comfortable for people and for animals. across the Strait of Canso. When we was made of the dust of red earth, and Prince Edward Island has one thing reached the village of Mulgrave the train the earth of this island is so red, that I that Cape Breton lacks, and that is self- was waiting for us, and we set off on the cannot believe that this is not the very rule. Governments were established in way to Antigonish where the rail was in place." But whether his opinion is right both islands about one hundred years much poorer condition than in Cape or wrong, the redness of the soil on this ago, but in 1820 this was taken away Breton. There were several places, be- island will amaze anybody born and from Cape Breton which was annexed to fore reaching New Glasgow, where I raised on Cape Breton or in Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia. Prince Edward Island was would very much have liked to visit had left as it was; consequently it progressed time permitted. One of those was South Mppg^P^jgpg i in many ways in which Cape Breton did River, where Alasdair "the Ridge" (Mac- not, and it is managing its own affairs to Donald) lives, who, although I have nev- the present day, and with every expecta- er met him, is known to me through his tion of so doing for many a day and year writings for MacTalla. Another place in in the future. The Island did not join which I would like to spend a little time is Canadian Confederation along with the Antigonish, and I would also like to see other provinces. It certainly did not, but Barney's River where the Bard MacLean remained independent until it drove a spent many years of his life and where he hard, tight bargain with the Ottawa gov- composed the plaintive, melancholy ernment, and persuaded them to deal song A'Choille Ghruamach (The with it more favourably than with any of Gloomy Forest). A little after nine o'clock the other provinces. It is undoubtedly we reached New Glasgow where we had this that earned for it the name, "an supper before proceeding to Stellarton t-eilean beag crion'' (' 'tight little island''). where we changed trains for the journey Canada took over all the Island's debts, to Pictou. Reaching Pictou about half and also the railway, which the Island past 10, and being somewhat tired, we itself had built, in spite of the fact that settled down for the night. The next day, Canada now loses several million dollars about two o'clock in the afternoon we on it each year. As in every other Prov- went on board the St Lawrence, the ince in Canada, the Federal Govern- steam-boat which was to take us to ment is responsible for all things except Prince Edward Island. Education, Mines, Farms, and a few We arrived in Charlottetown about 7 Courtesy Norman Macdonald other things which are the responsibility o'clock on Tuesday, the 1st day of Jonathan MacKinnon, about 1890 of the Island. As there are no mines of September. Although the time spent at any kind on the Island, and the farms are sea was not too long, we felt it long getting fewer each year, it will not be long enough, in spite of the beautiful day. A Charlottetown is situated on a beauti- before the Island's parliament has no- few years ago this would have been re- ful harbour, and according to my in- thing to do but ensure that the youth of garded as a short journey, but today one formation, a good harbour; I heard some the Island receive a good education, as hears nothing but complaints from all people in the town say that it is as good a they presently do. sides about how slow the vessel is. I was harbour as exists anywhere in the world. There are 30 members in the parlia- told, however, that a new vessel is ex- This did not surprise me; before leaving ment and if the time comes when their pected to come into service soon be- home I was accustomed to hearing the sole responsibility is to design education- tween Sydney and Charlottetown - a same praises sung about the harbours of al programs for the people, I fear it may vessel which will enable one to travel Sydney and Louisbourg; in Pictou, I be said of them, as was said of a sage of between the two towns in one-and-a- heard that said about Pictou harbour, old, "over-education is putting them in a half days. and we have surely heard it from our frenzy." The parliament meets each win- However, we reached our destination. youth about Halifax harbour; if we have ter in a beautiful stone building in the On our approach into the harbour, one not heard, that is not the fault of the heart of the town. This building was could not but observe the difference be- people of Halifax. Charlottetown is a erected about 20 years ago and two tween this island and the lands around it. fair-sized town; about eleven hundred other large buildings have been built Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, and New people live there, and they all seem to be since then, the Post Office and the Cus- Brunswick, are hilly, mountainous, and, well satisfied. There are several imposing toms House, one on either side. They in places, rocky and stoney; Prince Ed- buildings which give the town beauty. are three attractive buildings, made ward Island is, on the other hand, low One street - Queen Street - is one hun- more beautiful by the flowers and foun- and flat with hardly a rock or a stone to dred feet wide and it is on both sides of tains which adorn them. 8 Belfast/Little Sands/Heatherdale After spending a few hours in Charlottetown, I took a boat to Belfast. The boat was busy and some of the pas- sengers were quite merry. The law does not permit the sale of liquor in Charlotte- town, but it is done nevertheless, and one of my fellow passengers on this jour- ney carried a black bag which contained, VOL V. 8II>NLC, B., Di-SATiSAIKNK, OCTOBER :*, IMH in my opinion, more liquor than would be good for the bearer. Although our | mi rmih* tha mr mi iaahh iin til ch:i AM i \
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