Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1871-08-17
Castine--Its Early History an Ancient
Manuscript.

ct. IL was first built IN 1850. 1t was
known during the Revolutionary wal
bv the name of Bagaduce, a corruption
of an Indian word. As several defini.
tions have been given to this wosd, We
will give, for the benefit Of our eastern
neighbors, the following analysis. Rale
in his dictionary of the Norridgewock
tribe, writes it Matsibiguadoussek
which being annaivzed by words from
his own pen, would stand thus: Matzi
bad, biguadous, shelter, Elk, place The
bad shelter place. This was probably
bad place originally for the Indians
to land vita their canoes, hence the
name To remedy this difficulty row
of oak piles was driven into the ground
rs thickly as they could stand on the
southwest side of the fort down to tide
water, making an enclosure into which
their canoes could run with safety.
Through the politeness Of Samuel f.
| Moves, Esq, we were shown an cie-
| giant chair of his own manufacture
/ from one Of the original oak piles.
For more than one hundred and fifty
years, this was the great trading port
of the Indians of the Penobscot river.
The history of Baron dc Castine, is
one of romantic interest. Through
the kindness Of Mr.. Noyes. who has
taken much pains to collect all the
facts pertaining to this interesting
spot, We have transcribed from q man
u~cript in his possession, an account
of the surrender of Fort Pentagoet in
Acadia, By Capt. Richard Walker to
/ Chevalier lie Grand Fontaine. on the
9Th of August, lh70-two hundred
| years ago. The fort was then forty
wears old. We believe the following
has not been published 80:
"NG1o) The fifth day oil August, 1870.
being in the fort of Pentagoet in the
countries ol Acadia, Whereof we took
4 possession for his most Christian Maj
e-tV. The seventeenth day OF last tiuonth,
I Capt. Richard Walker, heretofore Dep
MY Governor OF the said fort and OF the
/ said countries of Acadia, representing
the person OF Sir Thomas Temple, h hight
/ and Baronct, accompanied with Isaac
| Gardner, Gentleman, did Jointly require
OF us that we should give particular
account OF the condition of the said fort,
~ OF all things which were, and did re-
main III HE said fort when the pus.c,-
/ sion thereof was given unto us by the
above said Capt. Richard Walker, that
I they might have an instrument in writ
ing, iudented, to deliver % the said >ir
I Thomas Temple, Tor their discharges
whereunto We do accord; and for that
end and purpose, We, in the presence of
The abuyc-named. and of the Sieur Jean
/ Maillard, the Kings scrivcuer, in the
ship OF his Majesty, callcd,he ~t. >sba-
tiam, commanded by Monsieur In Clock
etGrle, ~ also oi anothe. Secretary
writing under Us, the said proceeding
III manner aud form following:-
1 First, at the entering in of said fort
upon the left land. we found a court ~
/ guard OF about fifteen PAGES long and ten
/ broad, having upon the right hand .
house the like length and breadth d
hcwn stone, and covered with .hin4ie
and above them a chapel ut about six pa
cc- long and four PAGES broad. covered
with shingles, aud built with terraces
upon winch there i small turret,
wherein there j. little bell weiguin.
about eighteen pounds
Moreover. upon the left hand a, ",
T entered into the court, there j. "A nngl
zine, having TWO store. built with stone
and covered with -hingle~ being il
length about thirty-six PAGES, and ten
in breadth, which magazine i, yer, Old
aud wanted mach reparation. uudri
which there i, little cellar, wherein
there is a little well.
And upon the other side of said court
being on the right hand, n We enter ia
To the said court, there Is house uf I'll,
same length and breadth as the muga
zine is, being halfcovered with shingles
aud the rest uncovered and wautr,
much reparation; these we have cXar
~ viewed aud taken notice OF.
| pou the rampant Of the SAID 10 !, an,
in the presence oi our cauuouicr, WHOM
we caused TO be present to take view
Of the several pieces OF cannon, are "A
1 tollOweth.
First. six IRON guns CARRYING bail %
six pounds, whereof two are furni~he,
with ney carriages, and the other foul
with old carriages and new wheels tw,
OF them weighing eighteen hundred an,
fifty pounds each Of them three -igh,
sLgeach OF them, fifteen hundred pound,
tLe other weighing two thousand tw,
sundred aud thir;ypounds.
""ss.Jer, two iron guns, carrying
"ou.as; hayit. old carriage
ball OF iou.. "a weigtirg on
and new wheels, -ue4 pounds
thousand three hundred an. Esa Nv
the other weighing one thous,. =
hundred and thirty-two. Two sn.
iron culverines carrying a ball OF three
pounds, having their carriages old, and
their wheels new, weighing. each Of
them, nine Aundrcd and twentv-nint
pounds.
Afterwards. we went out OF said tort
and came to II little platform near All
joining To the sea, upon which we sur
yeyed two iron guns, carryin. IA ball oi
eight pounds, furnished with new car.
riages and new wheels, the one weigh
ing three thousand two hundred pounds
the other three thousand one hundred
pounds, which are Gin allJ twelve iron
guns weighing twenty-one Thousand
one hundred and twenty-five
Moreover. we ITO find in said fort, >iN
mlrdsrers without chambers, weigh
ing twelve hundred pounds two nun
dred bullets from three to eight pounds
Las ", about thirty or forty pacei
from the said fort, there is small out
house, being about twenty PAGES il
|
pIanks and half covered with shingles
which dues not serve fora any other Us,
but to house cattle. About fifty pace,
from the said Clubhouse, there is squar,
garden, enclosed with rails, i'll whicl
gal deu there are fifty or sixty trees bear
ing fruit"
In the foregoing enunciation severa
points are worthy Of notice. First, tn.
name PpnfagOet This is a corruutin,
of the Indian, into the French language
. II evidently comes from three words
Pen, sloping, bending or turning
tegoua, tcdter, Uhen IL is affected D.
tides or sciad; ct, at or in; hence Pen
tagoet. AT the turning OF tidal waters
i. e., whereit turns off from the mai
: river OF Penobscot into the harber q
Z Castine.
r Another point worthy Of note is th
great weight of the gun with so small
: calibre. It shows what progress ha
: been made in cunning since that time
u The chapel has recently been indics