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Canada A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT: AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE UPPER MERSEY RIVER AND ALLAINS RIVER IN SOUTHWEST NOVA SCOTIA By © Benjamin C. Pentz A thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Archaeology Unit, Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Arts Memorial University of Newfoundland October 2008 St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador ABSTRACT New archaeological evidence from the Mersey and Allains Rivers in southwest Nova Scotia has enabled historic use of this traditional Mi'kmaq canoe-route to be extended back into the pre-Contact Period. The 2006 Upper Mersey/Allains River Corridor Archaeological Survey has bridged a gap in the archaeological record by building on previous investigations from the southern half of the Mersey River, and limited work on the Allains River. A continuous line of pre-Contact sites now extends through the interior of southwest Nova Scotia, linking the Bay of Fundy and the Atlantic coast. The association of these sites with modern portage trails and the presence of imported Bay of Fundy lithics across the route confirm these waterways formed a travel corridor during the Middle-Late Woodland Period (ca 2,000-450 BP). Additional evidence also indicates most of the route has been used for at least 5,000 years. The results of this survey have provided the basis for more wide ranging discussions of land- use and seasonal settlement patterns of the Mi'kmaq and their ancestors in the region. n ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you." Matt. 7:7 It has been a privilege to take the time to thoroughly examine the sites of the upper Mersey and Allains Rivers, and to include historic, ethno-historic, and oral historic evidence. The additional insight gathered from the people I met and worked with during the course of this project, coupled with my own personal experience, has increased the richness of the archaeological discussions presented in this research. This project is the first to be able to examine and discuss the landscape of the Mersey and Allains Rivers as a whole, and represents one of the few opportunities where an archaeologist had the luxury of investigative freedom to test the areas of highest archaeological potential across a broad study area, which was defined not by the confines of modern jurisdictions, property boundaries, or impact zones, but simply and perhaps more appropriately by the natural landscape. Despite the many challenges and setbacks encountered throughout this research, it is with great pride and pleasure that I am able to present this manuscript. However, the success of this project is directly related to the many great people who supported my efforts - graciously opening doors when I knocked, generously granting me what I sought, and allowing me the opportunity to find what I was after. First, I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Michael Deal, from the Archaeology Unit, at Memorial University of Newfoundland's Department of Anthropology. His direction throughout this project, as well as providing access to his in comprehensive personal library on archaeology in the Maritimes, and his paleo-ethno- botanical expertise has been invaluable, helping me wade through the more challenging portions of this research where I found myself over my head. Additionally, I would sincerely like to thank Dr. Deal for providing financial support for the fieldwork portion of this project through the Minas Basin Archaeological Project, and his critical eye during the final compilation of this thesis. Additionally, I wish to thank the federal Social Science and Humanities Research Council, and Memorial University of Newfoundland for providing additional financial support through a scholarship, which has supported much of the post-fieldwork portions of this research. Special thanks also to Dr. Stephen Davis, from the Department of Anthropology at Saint Mary's University, for his support, and especially for generously providing through the SMU Summer Student Employment Program, a full-time field assistant, Devin Fraser, for six weeks during fieldwork in July and August 2006. I am most indebted to all those who participated in the 2006 fieldwork. Foremost, I wish to extend my thanks to Devin Fraser, who worked diligently and without complaint throughout the summer despite the challenges of the work, which no doubt included me. Without his daily-available assistance, this project would not have succeeded, and would have been forced to take a much different form. I would also like to acknowledge the valuable efforts and assistance of additional part-time crewmembers - Graham Lantz, Robby Marrotte, Chris McCarthy and Donna Morris (Kejimkujik National Park/National Historic Site), Chief Frank Meuse Jr. (Bear River First Nation), Don and Louise Pentz, and Stan Silbot. iv I would like to thank both the Nova Scotia Museum, especially David Christianson, Robert Ogilvie, and Stephen Powell, and Parks Canada, notably Robert Ferguson, Chris McCarthy, Alan Melanson, and Janet Stoddard, for their supportive voice and contributions to this project, including providing access to collections and reference materials. Also thanks to Paul Lalonde of KNP/NHS for use of a Parks' canoe during this investigation. Mi'kmaq archaeologist Roger Lewis was an important ally and advisor during the more challenging periods of this research, and opened doors into the Mi'kmaq community on my behalf for which I am forever grateful. Thanks to Cultural Resource Management Group in Halifax for their willingness to share resources and information related to the study area. And thank you to Amanda Lavers and fellow staff at the Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute for providing affordable research accommodations during my time in the field. I would like to thank Bowater Mersey Paper Company Ltd. and Nova Scotia Power Inc. for permission to investigate potential sites on their property, and to use their land and roads to access other portions of the study area. I would like to acknowledge that as a result of this study, the Bowater land on which the new archaeological sites (BeDi- 16, BdDi-05, BdDi-06, BdDi-07, BdDh-02, BdDh-03) were identified has recently been sold by Bowater to the Province of Nova Scotia, protecting them as conservation areas. Thanks also to the private landowners for permission to use their roads and properties to access test locations throughout the study area - Tim Atkins at Mersey River Chalets, Mary Bishop, Don Brown, Milford House Wilderness Resort, Jim and Coleen Rowter, the Whalen's of Fisher Lake, and the owners of the little yellow cottage on Grand Lake. v The most rewarding aspect of this project has come from the wonderful people I had the privilege to meet. This includes local collectors, landowners, residents, back- country enthusiasts, and museum staff, all of whom have been overly generous with their time and willingness to share their knowledge. They have greatly added to the richness of this research, particularly since several of these folks are themselves the descendants of the Mi'kmaq whose culture and history I am documenting. I would like to acknowledge and thank the following people for their contribution to this project - Mary Bishop, Gary Corbett, Noel Dexter, Shirley and the late Max Francis, Victor Francis, Gerald Gloade Sr. (Confederation of Mainland Mi'kmaq), Jim Harding, Charlie Hearn, Todd Labrador (Acadia First Nation), Richard Laurin, Denise Leblanc-Rostas (Fort Point Museum), Jim McGinis, Chief Frank Meuse Jr. (Bear River First Nation), Jack Murphy, Doug Potter, Linda Rafuse (Queens County Museum), Dan Rowter, Jim Rowter, Arran Smith (Rossignol Cultural Centre), Hal Theriault (Bear River Cultural Centre), and Jim Todd. The untimely passing of Mi'kmaq collector Max Francis was a sharp reminder of the importance and value of connecting archaeological investigations with the local community. The one evening we spent together discussing my project and Mi'kmaq history along the Mersey River was a true pleasure, and the information he shared about his collection represents a valuable addition to our understanding of the past.