North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1839-04-26

and without sustenance. In this state of
utter destitution and wre,chedncss thou.
sands persisted and only in some few in
stances could their friends find four planks
to enclose their last remains. When the
dead were disposed Of by the British bar
barians, it was not unfrequent that the
limbs were severed from full grown body
in order TO enclose il in coffin made for
child.
Those who survived, lived only 10 mourn
the loss Of friends either dead or transport
ed TO places unknown. An Acadian gen.
tleman who had been transported 10 Que
bee, announced in the public papers that
he had arrived at that place, and wished TO
have tidings Of his wife and children. II
was not until some years afterwards that
he found his wife, and she was then a ser
want in the City Of Philadelphia. One Of
his children had been transported to New
York, another to Baltimore, and third
had remained in Nova Scotia.
Another Acadian gentleman after trav-
cling through most of the English colonies
in search Of his wife, at last found her
servant in public hotel, in Philadelphia.
After alighting, and while warming him
self near the fire, rejecting on his sorrow-
full lot, his wife suddenly presented herself
near the chimney, with kettle in her
hand. Meeting as they did in this unex-
pected manner, their Joy was equal to their
surprise.
Those who came to Canada settled most
ly Mt ST. Gregoire, opposite Three Rivers;
at st. Jacques, behind L'Assomption and
Lacadie near ST. Johns. Every where
they have retained their old habits OF life,
and are even to this day distinguished for
their honesty and their simplicity Of man
ners.
Their suferings in the Sou.hara cSsdlni.;sss
were more severe. They were treated
not like innocent and prosecuted men, who
had been chased from their native land.
but as criminal convicts.
Their wicked prosecutors not yet satis.
Gel with the spoIiation and i'll treatmcn,
already melted out TO this inofensive
people, RECOMMENDED the work of cxter-
mination under some specific but Unbound
ed pretext, in 1862, selling in the midst
of their peaceful agricultural pursuits, tho
remaing few who had at first escaped their
notice, they led them under military es-
cort to Halifax, whence they were sent
in transports to Boston.
| To give the reader correct picture OF
the political, moral and social condition Of
the once happy Acadans, we introduce
a few passages from Liable Raynal:
"Such was the attachment which the
French then had for the honor of their
country, that the Acadians who, submit.
ting to a new yoke, had sworn never to
bear arms against their former standard,
were called French neutrals."
No magistrate was ever appointed to
rule over them, and they were never ac-
quainted with the laws of England. No
rent or taxes were ever exacted from them.
Their new Sovereign seemed to have for
gotten them, and they were equally stran-
gers to him."
"Hunting, which had formerly been tho
, delight of the colony, and might still have
supplied them with subsistence, had no
! further attraction for simple and quiet
people, and gave way 10 agriculture. 1t
r had been begun in the marshes and low
lands, by repelling the sea and those rivers
which covered these planes, with dykes.
These grounds at first yielded fifty times
I as much, at least wheat and oats succeed
! ed best in them, but they likewise produced
rye, barley and maize. There were also
potatoes in great plenty, the use Of which
was become common"
e cat the same time they have immense
e meadows with numerous focks. Sixty
thousand head Of horned cattle were COM
: puted there, and most of the families bad
several horses, though the tillage was car
+, ried on by oxen"
/ "The habitations chiefly built Of wood,
q were extremely convenient, and furnished
as neatly as farmers house in Europe.
The people had great deal Of poultry Of
all kinds, which made variety in their
food, and which was in general wholesome
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