The Portland daily press., 1882-01-12
TBR STORY OF LoUIsBURG.
Lecture Before the Mechanics Associa-
ton.

its burial ground crowded WIN BraVeSlonos-
Protestant and Catholic separated by paling,
upon one side of which perishable line devout
Catholic husband has caused himself and his
faithful Catholic serving man to be buried; that
in death he may sleep beside his Protestant wife
and children who rest upon the other side, as
closely to him as if no fence divided them; show
ing that neither love nor death obliterates the
antagonism of sects. The lecturer remarked
that this spectacle is an epitome of that grand
drama which has been enacted in the past in
this new world, the epilogue of which has not
yet been given TO the nations; and continues
after reaching Louisburg;
A pleasant ride of mile or SO, by old pas
lures and past tishermen's huts, will bring you
to the site of ancient Louisburg*, of which
naught remains but few partly buried arches
proud structures. 1t is as dreary and desoate
scene as one can find in this lonely region.
No living thing is to be seen save sea gull
lowering over sandy hillock, which conceals,
perhaps, the hearthstone of once happy
household, or a solitary sheep gazing furtlvey
which Dore SO happily depicts. Doubtless
many are unfamiliar with the history of this
place, and one standing on the spot, here, at
the extreme eastern end of this sparsely in
habitated island of Cape Breton can hardly
realize, as he looks out upon the broad ATTAIN
tic with scarcely sail in sight, and arou nd
upon the deserted hills and along the shores
dotted here and there with the poor huts of
fishermen, that here once stood city OF $4,000
inhabitants, instinct with the gay life of the
French empire, having its theatres, churches,
nunneries and busy marts of trade. Yet such
was the fact. But to get comprehensive idea
of the causes which led to the founding and
subsequent destruction Of the city, a brief
glance must be given to the early history OF
the country. While all Europe was convulsed
with strife between men who, assuming the
name of Christians, deluged the land with
each others blood because of slight difference
with which they viewed their heavenly Faith
er, say about 1913 A. D., Francis / being
king of France, the first voyage to North
America with view of settlement was made
by Baron LIE Leryetde Saint Inst This was but
twenty-six years after the discovery of America
by Columbus, and twenty-one years after John
Cabot is said to have seen Newfoundland and
given it. the name of Prima Vista. From this
time emigration from France continued, and
colonies were established in those countries
now known as Canada, New Brunswick, Nova
Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Cape Bre-
ton with part of Newfoundland, but which
were then known as New France. At the
same time England was establishing its col
onies on the Atlantic coast, and New England
and New France, whose people were of hostile
religions, and who bad been trained from
birth TO abhor each other, were growing side
by side in the stimulating soil OF the new
world, constant menace to each other. On
the one side the standard of Catholicism was
set up; ON the other the standard of Protestant
ism, and that irrepressible conflict which was
going on in the old world, prostrating thrones
and causing nations to wall, was transferred to
the new world, and Protestant England and
Catholic France, those old enemies, found on
new field new elements to WELD against each
of chI1r
Havre a. l'anglois, was known as early as 1898,
when vessel called the Marigold visited Cape
Breton. "Here," it is said, "divers of our
men went on land upon the very cape, where
at their arrival they found the spittes OF the
Saubages which had roasted meats little be-
fore. And as they viewed the country they
saw divers beastes and foules, as blacke foxes,
deeres, offers, great fouleS with red legges,
penguines and certaine Others" Sailing from
this place, they visited the site OF Louisburg,
and, landing to obtain water, were driven OH
by the Indians who swarmed there. No settle
ment worthy of mention was made here until
Newfoundland and Acadia, as the western por-
ton OF New France was called were Surren-
dered to Great Britain by the treaty OF Utrecht
in 1913 Then the inhabitants of NewfOund-
land, together with the French troops, aban-
doned their country and settled at Louisburg,
where, in 1920, Notifications were commenced.
Louis XIV had revealed in visions of a
glorious empire across the seas, and his
enthusiasm inspired his successors to carry out
the schemes which he had shaped, and it was
determined to rear a mighty city, a Catholic
stronghold in this wilderness To do this,
everything was to be created. If it were wise
to build city on this wild coast the situation
was wisely chosen; so it seems to me looking at
it to-day The harbor is an excellent one,
open throughout the long and severe winters,
while all other ports In the island are closed by
impossible barriers of ice. The harbor, which
is large and deep basin, is reached through
channel having depth of about ten fathoms
Once within this basin, and the ship which
has been buffeting the stormy seas without,
fir DIS quiet and safe shelter But. however
favorable the situation, to build city in a
wilderness was wild undertaking, and the
building of the city by the genii in the fairy
tale seems scarcely more marvellous than was
the building of this city of Louisburg.
The stone for its churches, nunneries, thea
tres and residences was quarried in France and
transported in ships to this far off port. Ar
chitectS and artisans OF every sort had to be
transported across the sea with tools provisions,
clothing, and, in fact, everything needful for
their support; for it was almost barren wilder
ness where this city was to be reared. The
work was pushed on with enthusiasm, and as 1t
progressed new sources OF supply were opened.
From Acadia cattle were drawn, while even
New England thrifts turned an honest penny,
and sold to its hated rivals, with whom there
was momentary peace, lumber and bricks.
For twenty years or more the French govern
ment bent its energies to the work, and the re-
suit was one of the strongest cities of the
world. 1t was called the "Gibraltar of
America" To accomplish this gigantic task
no expense was spared, and the French mon
arch is reported to have said that enough had
been expended to pave its streets with gold.
AS there was very little to lure men to these
bleak shores, no happy and inoffensiye people
like the natives of Peru to enslave and perse-
cute nor wealthy and populus cities to raw
o.a4 Anu v,ofl mn n va H.
ventures to accomplish, the people of la belle
France were not eager to brave the terrorS OF
the ocean in order to become citizens OF this
wondrous city; and, to increase its population,
captains of ships "were compelled to take a
certain number of men called engages" to re-
main there three years. The coasts of Nor
mandy were secured for this purpose, and men
were kidnapped and borne away from their
homes never to return, in order toswell the
number of its inhabitants Once there these
people were obliged to work to keep soul and
body together, and such as were not enrolled as
soldiers or kept at work on improvements by
the government were compelled, for the most
part to fly to the sea for subsistence; and in
174Q, 45 schooneIs and 1893 "chaloups" with a
force of 2,445 men found employment in
the cod-fsheries of Cape Breton. The abun-
dant supply of fish stimulated trade. Vessels
began to ply between the French colonies OF
St Domingo and Martinique, bringing rum
and tobacco, sugar and coffee, and returning
laden with cod.
If Louisburg became overstocked the s1r-
plus was taken to Canada and exchanged for
beaver, otter and other highly priced furs.
Even the New England colonies sent ventures
of vegetables, fruits, oats, shingles and other
motions" to their Papist brethren, who SEEM
ed quite willing to enjoy the good things they
SENT though many of the French, and among
them the Able Mallard, called them
devils and other hard names, and even melted
| the ignorant Indians to murder them, teaching
| them that it was no sin to kill such people
who were children of wrath and hated of God
| A city founded like this on the shifting sand:
of ignorance, bigotry and pride, coald not
stand. Though its walls were adamant, and
| its strong towers frowned over the wrathful
| seas, bidding defiance to the world, it had ele
ments within, which, in the day of trial, would
| be found wanting. But years passed, apC
| prosperity seemed to reign in Louisburg. Sc
| eiety began to assume Partisan air. A court
| so gorgeous as that of France at this period
| must be in some measure reflected, even in THU
remote land, and gay gallants with knee
| breeches aud jewelled shoe buckles and flow
| ing plumes; and sparkling demoiselles as gaudy
as butterflies, fitted about its streets or pranc
| ed along the pleasant roads which lay beyond
| the city walls; or met in the dim eight of the
| great church of Saint Jean de Dieu, with It'll
| hospital and nunnery, to repeat their pdter
| and dUeS
To the casual observer everything went "a
merry as marriage BELL" but trouble wa
| brewing. The New England colonies, formed
by men, who, spurning trammels of every