: EISTORICAL AND DES< l.'l I Tl \ K \MHI M (II Mil ISLAND OK CAPE BRETON AND OF ITS MEMORIALS OF THE FRENCH REGIME: WITH BIBLIOGRAPHU HISTORICAL, \NI» CRITICAL NOTES By J. C MOUUINOT, C.M.G., LL.D., D.C.L., PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL 80C1ETJ OF CANADA, MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL OF THE AMERICAN HISTOl ASSOCIATION, ETC.; AUTHOB OF " PARLIAMENTARY PBOCEDDRE in CANADA," " MANUAL OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL HIBTOR1 OF CANADA," "FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN CANADA," (JOHNS HOPKINS UNrVBRSITi si 8), ETC MONTEEAL W. FOSTEE BROWX & CO., ST. JAMES STEEET 1892 3 CAPE BRETON AND ITS MEiMORfAL PREFATORY NOTE. Since the beginning of the present centnry Cape Breton, once known as He Royale, h been to the world ai large very little more than a mere raphical expression, and the importance which it possessed in the times when England and Prance were struggling for the supremacy in North America has been long since forgotten ox. :ep1 by the Btndei of history. In the present work it is the object of the writer, a native of I Breton, to record briefly the main facts in its history from the days of its discovery by European voyagers in the remote past down to the present time, when a stream of travel is already beginning to find its way to an island abounding with so many features of natural and historic interest. In the narrative of the days of the French regime, especially from 17 1" to IT'S, stress has been naturally laid on the important position lie Koyale once held with relation to New Prance and the old Thirteen Colonies. Maps and illustrations have been added to give completeness and clearness to the narrative. Many pages of critical and bibliographical notes are appended, with a view of relieving the main text of much historical matter chiefly interesting to the students of the past. In these notes there are references to all the literature which I have been able to find relating to the history, resources and industries of this valuable and interesting section of the Dominion of Canada. CONTENTS. Section. Page. I. History of Cape Breton from its discovery until the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 7 II. Capo Breton as He Royale, and the foundation of Louisbourg 20 III. Government and state of Cape Breton during the French regime IV. Origin and history of t lie Xew England expedition against Louisbourg 34 V. Siege and taking of Louisbourg in 1745 : 42 VI. Beview of events from the restoration of Cape Breton to France in 1748 until the second si ege and taking of Louisbourg VII. Siege and taking of Louisbourg in 1758 by Amherst and Boscawen 66 VIII. Cession of Cape Breton to England by the Treaty of Paris in 1763, and its subsequent history as an English possession 78 IX. Some picturesque features of Cape Breton, and its memorials of the French regime 89 X. The French Acadians—their condition and prospects r. 101 XI. A short description of the port and the ruins of Louisbourg at the present time 109 6 i ONTBNTS. bibliographical, historical and critical notes. Appendix. Pagb. I. The voyages of the Northmen 123 II. The Caliot voyages 127 III. Tho Portuguese voyages 130 IV. Norembeguc 130 V. Baccalaos on the old maps 131 VI. Cartography of Capo Breton, 1527-1632 132 VII. Jacques Cartier oft Capo Breton 133 VIII. Extracts from narratives of early voyages to Cape Breton 137 IX. French sources of information on Capo Breton and Louisbourg 141 X. English works, memoirs, and general sources of information respecting Louisbourg, and the sieges of 1745 and 1758 IK; XI. Maps and illustrations of Cape Breton and Louisbourg, portraits of Wolfe, etc 154 XII. Louisbourg medals 157 XIII. The Micmae Indians and their language 159 XIV. Tho Acadian French in Cape Breton 1G0 XV. General bibliographical notes 162 XVI. Extracts from treaties and other official proclamations, etc., affecting Cape Breton 165 XVII. Official statement of the military establishment at Louisbourg in 1753 169 XVIII. Statistical statements of the fisheries and commerce of Cape Breton, 1745-1758 171 Maps and Illustrations. Part of Cabot's Mappemonde, 1544 9 Facsimile of Nicolas Denys's map, 1672, (Plate 5) — to face page 20 French medal struck on foundation of fortress of Louisbourg in 1720 25 Map of British colonies and northern New France, including Capo Breton, and indicating dates of the founding of principal forts in the French possessions, (Plate 1) — to face page 60 English medal struck on taking of Louisbourg in 1758 75 Admiral Sir Hovenden Walker's cross in Sydney harbour, 1711 110 Cross taken from the French parish church in 1745 and now over the entrance to Gore Hall, Harvard University 115 Old cannon, probably of sixteenth century, found at Louisbourg 116 Old sketch of entrance of Louisbourg harbour and of the French town in the distance 155 View of new village of Louisbourg. App. (Fig. 1 —Plate 2.) Sketch of ruins of old casemates at Louisbourg. App. (Fig. 2—Plate 2.) Plan of the city and harbour of Louisbourg, indicating the position of New England forces in 1745. App. (Plate 3.) Plan of the city and fortifications of Louisbourg by E. Gridley. App. (Plate 4.) Errata. Page 19, line 8—Omit [Race]. " 43, " 5—In note 2, for 1761 read 1751. " 63, " 4—Insert New before "England." " 66, " 4—From foot of text for Abercrombie, read Abercromby. " 68, " 2— " " " insert after the word carried, "upwards of 12,000 men besides." " 77, " 9—For nine read eleven. " 80, " 3—From foot for Wallis DesBarres, read Wallet DesBarres. " 98, note 2 —For the Ulloas, road DeUlloa's Voyage. I / I I Thb Histori 01 Oapb Breton from it discovers until tub i <>i '. I I 1,1,' III I.N 17 1 \\ e ha\ o no title deed i<> bouse <>i land t »w tiers and occupants "i earlier da Prom graves forgotton Btretcb their du ty bai And hold in mortmain still their old estat< The words here quoted from the poei Longfellow have more than a poetic meaning to one who Btndies the nomenclature of the island of Cape Breton in the lighl of the b toric past. Not only the name of the island itself, bul its bold headlands, it< >ui bays, its broad estuaries and harbours, conned us in the presenl with those adventurotu fishermen and mariners who explored its coasts and waters centuries ago Basqn Bretons, Normans, Portuguese and Spaniards have made an impress on its geography which its continuous English occupation for a hundred and thirty years has failed to remove. Traditions of Norse voyagers hover around its shores, and we are carried inl realm of mist and shadow when we endeavour to solve the secrets of its pas! It i> quite probable that Biarne Eeriulfsson, a son of one of the Icelandic settlers of Gre< nland, found himself oil* the coast of Cape Breton during- his voyage of 986, when, attempting to join his lather iu his new home, he lost his course and was tossed by adverse winds into unknown waters where he saw a land, which appeared from the sea Hat and covered with trees, and may have been some part of the southern coast of Cape Breton which presents features very different from those of the northeastern and northwestern coasts, so remarkable for their lofty headlands and mountains. Fourteen years later Leif Ericsson, a son of Erie the Red, an Icelandic jail, who was the lirst coloniser of Greenland, made a voyage to find the lands of which Biarne had brought home vague report- Learned writers have devoted themselves with much enthusiasm to the study of the sagas which are now generallv admitted to show internal evidence that the brave adventurers of the north of Europe have a strong claim to the honour of having first visited the continent of America. But while these writers have given us ground for believing in the anti- quity and authenticity of the sagas, they have not yet succeeded in satisfactorily solving the mysteries of these old manuscripts of the north and identifying beyond dispute the countries and places to which the Northmen gave a name. Labrador answers iu a measure to the description of the dreary land which all the way from the sea as far as snowy mountains in the distance appeared one field of snow, and which the voyagers called Hellu- land on account of the "flat stones which they saw7 in that country of no advantages." The vague description given of Markland, or forest-clad land, to which Leif came next, — a relatively level country, covered with trees, and having white sandy beaches— applies to 8 CAPE BEBTON AND ITS MBMOEIAIA many parts of the .southern coast of Gape Breton and Nova Scotia, from the low island of Scatari, to Halifax harbour and even as far weal as Oape Sable, when sighted by sailors 1 in a passing ship. One Learned searcher into American antiquities, while exercising his ingenuity to trace tin; route oi' the Norse voyagers, ventures to go so far as to express the opinion — a dreadful heresy no doubt to some American scholars—that Cape Breton was the northern part oi' that Vinland to which Leif came at last, and where he and his companions made a temporary settlement. So far it must he admitted that the most thorough investigation made into this subject hardly hears out such a conclusion, hut rather points to Cape Breton having been comprised in the indefinite description given of Markland,2 and to some part of New England having been the land of vines and of sweet honey-dew, of which the travellers told such pleasant tales on their return to Green hind.