New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-21
ISLE MIDlME AND CAPE BRETON
GIIMPsES OF FAR NORTHERN FISHING VII
Lagos.


rrRoM An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUNEI
ARICIAT, Isle Madame. Oct lO.-Beaten by
wnvc. and svcpt by wines this little town OF Archat
trpps along it's rocky habor and on the bill church
Ilfts It's cro-stippcd spire high above sea and land
stuuted frs are the only trees that grow on this Isle
Madame, and even these are scarce There are no
shade.trecs In the streets OF Aicha nor AROUND tue
dwellings The weather-beaten houses stand bare ana
unsightly along the edge OF the water, surrounded DJ
bleak fields and barren rocks Lonely ana grahd cape
uogan guard the entrance to the harbor The seaward
aide OF this cape immense perpendicular cn ana
no pummct has sounded the depth OF water at Its FOOT
when A person sees Archat the first im-
nresson ID one wonder that people who can possibly
live anywhere else should live there But they dO-aud
ike IL too And more than that-thcy make HE on TINS
b,rren island 20 pleasant mat believe chance Visitor
ever lett the place without desire some Gay 10 return
70 H. For the people a remnant Of the Old Acadlan
~ Here Ia Blame. and Bellefoutanes continue in the
vyholrsome customs OF their ancestors French Is the
language generally used, many OF tho people knowing
no other hardy noble race they are, VINO do not lock
their doors at night and neither think nor practise Sue
Murders, rObOerles brawl5 drunkenness anu io'"'t1
lie unknown among them.
Tpc United States sloop-of-war Alliance, which was
In be barbor nero this summer, Is tho third American
vessel that ever visited the place The first one WAC
commanded by Joan Paul Jones. A hshcurlng estao'
ent was then in operation on tue little island which
hurDDr. When JOHN Paul Jones gos
r,ug with IL there was nothing left OF the establish
,rcnt TO speak or The business was started again on
thr mainland however aud exists to this day the only
i.dusry OF Archat carried by the Robin Brothers,
Of tho Isle OF Jersey, descendants OF the man who
founded It $50 years The second American man'ot
war came here in 1912, and carried on lot OF cattle
The alliance was warmly greeted by the inhabitants,
for they are all intensely dioya and desire more than
ANYTHING else become part OF the American Union
They are intensely American and intensely tafholic.
They swear by the President and the Pope, resefVng
the Royal Fumly 20 be sworn at. They think that II
the Isle Madame belonged 10 the Republic. Yankee
enterprise and capital would como here and make
Arichat the great fishing station OF the North IL Is
only hours the Grand Banks, and bait
can be had here IN abundance The men and youth OF
the island are a race Of hardy and skIlful fisher
men, and are an important class in the fishing
fleets that sail from tho United States whittier they
in large numbers to ship, every spring During the
fishing season only old men, women aud children to
be found at Archa and while their mea are away the
women gather the scanty crops. In the &l when the
shps come In with their sailors all agOw,"l ia merry
times In this storm-Deaten village, and dancing
to the music of the violin or accOrdeOn and other mid
forms reYelry INDUCED In by the young men and
The priest of the village be any day going
about from house TO house. wearing his black robe and
shovel hat with Its wide rim rolled up t Inc sides, com.
forng the sOrrOwfu and mnisteIlns TO the sick. For
the storms of tue great deep bring sorrow to many
homo In Arcnat and. even among this robust people
disease will claim its Victims. Every here loves the
memory OF Longellow and Is familiar with the story OF
Eyangelne 1 have heard them repeat 1t By their dre'
sides evenings with the sound OF the waves and the
winds for accompaniment They have never for~
given the English for the desperation Of the Acadians