The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-08-10

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are the native cone-shaped white aud
spruce pines, larches and eedars, such as
we buy from the nurseries for ornamental
trees. Across the harbor and connected
with Halifax by steam ferry, is the town
of Dartmouth, above which, on the ,idc
of a high hill commanding an extended
view of the city, the harbOr with its ship
ping and the ocean, are many handsome
houses and grounds. Near here, in an
elevated place, there is large tract Of
government land adjacent to the city,
thickly wooded, which has been converted
into a park. The public gardens here
would do credit to any city and are simply
beautiful. The people all seem to be fond
of flowers. l noticed them in all the win
dows and on Sunday every man | saw had
a button-hole bouquet.
The country surrounding Halifax is of
the most rugged character, and has not
yet been cleared of its original growth Of
gnarled and stunted cedar and pine trees.
1t is almost uninhabited and abounds in
deer. The winters are evidently exceed
ingly cold. I was told that the snow is
five or six feet deep and no wheel vehicles
are used in the winter months. The
month of July here seems to correspond
with the latter part of May and the first Of
June with US. In our long drive l saw
but three attempts at cultivation, that is
besides little patches of potatoes, two little
lots of oats and one of wheat. One field
of oats had not begun to head and the
other had just headed. The wheat, which
was very puny, was just in head aud had
not bloomed. On Sunday we had straw
berries for supper. Potatoes seem to be
the only vegetable grown here We have
only two or three kinds on the hotel table,
but this deficiency is amply made up by
the delicious beef, venison and fresh
salmon. The latter is one of the finest
fish I ever tasted. The fisheries are the
great resource of this place. Great guam
titles of cod and mackerel are caught along
the coast and brought here to be prepared
for market. 1 saw large piles of Goldfish
lying on the wharves, which l suppose we're
to be barreled before shipping. Isaw men
engaged on the wharf in salting and
packing mackerel. Lobsters are caught
here in great quantities and the vessel we
came here in took six thousand boxes Of
them on board, to carry to England.
Fish of all kinds seem to abound, and at
the wharf / could see good-sized black
perch swimming about in the water in
great numbers. The water is so clear
that they can be seen five or six feet down.
There were some little boys fishing for
them. They lowered the hook down be-
fore fish and I could see the fish instant
ly swallow the bait. After catching them
the boys threw them back into the water
and those that were dead were seized by
the other fish and eaten. Some Of these
boys said that the fish were not fit to be
eaten and others contended that they were.
The people appear to be most Hospitality
disposed. The women are, upon the whole,
the ugliest ever saw, and have doubtless
the largest feet of any nation on earth
outside of Africa. The accent and pro-
nunciation of many words by the people
here is very different from our pronunci-
alton; much more correct in some instan-
ces l have no doubt. For instance the
letter is invariably pronounced as we
pronounce it in the word ''father." The
expression, "Beg pardon" is used when
one is desired to repeat remark. / think
/ have heard it two or three thousand
times q day since we embarked with
Britishers last Wednesday. It's now be-
ginning to become monotonous.
American money is estimated here ac-
cording to the whim of the person, and is
taken at all kinds or rates; but the prevail
ing rate now is for greeenbacks 9S cents
on the dollar and for silver 80 cents.
Gold is worth its nominal value.
Although large portion of the houses
10 Halifax are wood, have shingled sides
and are sadly in need of paint, think it
is one of the prettiest towns l ever saw,
It is so totally different from American
towns that the novelty is very attractive
to us.
Halifax is about twelve hundred miles
from Hagerstown, and as the difference in
Longitude is about IL degrees, we found
our watches about three,auarters Of an
hour too slowly Halifax time. The wealth.
er is so very cool and living so cheap that il
is getting to be very popular resort fol
Baltimoreans. We spent two days hero
very pleasantly, and leaving on Tuesday
morning, July %, we proceeded home by
different route.
ORIGIN OF THE NEwsPAPRR.-As is
well-known the Italians gave us the idea
of newspapers. They were called gazettasi
from the coin at which they we're usually
sold. The first paper was a monthly pub
Iishad In Veniee The first Enolish news.