Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-15
tCopyrizhtedl
Special Correspondence Of The Evrxrxo star

IcopyrishtedI
Special Correspondence Of The Evrxrxo star
LoUIsBURG, C. b. l., Sept 8, 1888.
Ienyied good Capt Ballast and his man-of- all
Affairs, Tom, their sea trip from Annapolis Royal
around the splendid shores OF Nova Scotia TO Hal
flax. They saw everything romantic and beauti-
ful along the coast, and came upon the ancient
city from point OF vision where It's bay islands
ITS Out-reaching headlands and sunny capes, and
Its quaint old self, are all very fascinating and
winsome 10 the travellers eyes. But from the
vitehing shores OF the Basin OF Minas TO the
peninsulas capital city, one must possess
rare aud radiant fancy to conJure from
the dreary landscape even one sight or
scene which fingers as \ pleasant memory. Vast
reaches OF stunted henlock and spruce broken
only by some black lagoon, swampy lake or God
forsaken collection OF houses which stand for
railway station, appear and disappear Until one
STILES from the monotOnous sameneSs and dreari-
ness The very horizon Is Jagged and cruel from ron,
bleak and half-burned trees. Crows wheel and
swirl and cav above the blasted landscape Here
and there great fields OF broken rock MT tneir
sharp angles as n some OF Tttans had sudden
IL deserted a mighty task OF quarrying. know OF
no use 10 which the entire region may ever be put
unless 10 be ceded 10 Great Britain when we nnally
take possession OF Canada. venturing an incsu-
ttOus expression Of panied surprise AT the barren
scotia an alert native noIiy resented Il with,
"Ay God, mont Ets little ye know o. thes land
livery acre be a mine o goldr'
efOAoBSA~
NY rood friend giared at me like an apoplecuc
British lion for very long time. Beads u loyal
Indignation broke through the pores OF his red,
rel tace. Then he stared at oushy-faced COM
pani0n with appealing amazement- The COM
pznlOn stared back IN amazed appeal After sew
eral more glares and choky attempts at utterance
he beloved 10 his friend for my benefit:
"My God, mon! Everything be only In Hamer-
lea, venture!"
Ny heart said amen to this singing satire,
while my IDS Informed him that 20 far as my OBJ
inn cyl la0 : a III
ally accurate one. And with a few more enyen-
Ing inteTchanges OF International comfy We soon
the evening, intercOlOnial railway time. Fer you
should know that they have a crisp way here OF
time In the "a hours. Accordingly you rise at
O'Clock. You unch at H. You zine at IL or Is
O'Clock; and then retire anyway from p 10 "a
O'Clock
FIRsr IMPRESSIONS OF HALIFAX
Ones first Impressions OF Halifax are anything
but pleasant. despite Its picturesque situation,
splendid haroor and outlying shores. This is
mainly owing 20 the unkempt dinginess and
soLnber colOrings Of time ahd decay where no ar
resting hand OF enterprise seems ever 10 Gene But
Us you get better acquainted with the old city the
appearance OF snuSness and Quaintness have much
10 do with awakening peasanter contemplation.
In the rrst place Halifax Is Nery old, and has had
an eventful history. The Indians NAMED Its mag
nncent harbor ''CheOuctO," or the chief haven. 1t
was 10 Halifax the remnant Of the great French
Armada OF l746 came after The unparalleled
disasters by sea TO the expedition commissioned
toconquer British North America from New
foandIand To virginia; aud the shores OF
Bedford Basin are "a continuous sepulcher OF bones
OF those who nave persisted 6y war, wars
diseases. Its nrsI permanent settlement was by
Massachusetts, people under patronage Of the
British lords OF trade. The immense fleets or
Vol and LOudon concentrated here before ad-
yaneing on Louisourg and quebec. IL was the
soldiery and munitions OF the war OF the Revoiu-
ton and of 1sl2. At Halifax Was formulated the
Infamous decree which authorized the exile OF the
Acadlansl Here lived Sir William kars, the hero
OF kars and the victim OF English-Russian dipio-
macy. Prince Edward DUKE ot Kent, and father
OF Queen Victoria was for some time COMMANDER
OF the forces here. and the Citadel OF Hall
lax was planned anc partially construct
ring our late evil war Halifax swarned with Con-
Tolerate priyateers and English men-oi-war, and
untold millions were made ny Halifax merchants
through the profits Of misunderstanding. To-day,
- Tor more than u century past, TO be plain about
H. Halifax has bsen Simply England bristilng
with cannon. nlled with sOldlery, and her harbor
ut every pretext full OF British men-oI-war, In the
event Of war ready and able TO devastate our
American people Will some dry conclude that, In
tins sense, any harbOr on which "the nayies OF
near our owl great barOors Tor any other nag than
our own 10 nodt above.
BEAUTIFUL BARBoR.
But IL Is a beautiful harbor indeed. II lies be-
hind Cape sambro, which breaks the force OF the
sea completely. To the right and left as you enter
lighthouses and massive Notifications are every
where seem On the west shore Is Herring Cove,
In which region many picturesque fishers villages
=
passed. and you enter the harbor proper between
the Martello Tower on Meayhers Beach and the
YORK redouot. leaving McNao's Island (now
pleasure resort) U-hi I'D, pass under the frown-
Ing walls OF Fort Clarence and the great fortress
OF Georges Island, and the city and harbor, with
It's nne groupings OF shipping are before you. The
chief feature OF the hurUOr magnificent Bed
ford Basin. extending Tor nve miles 1nshore De-
tween Halifax proper and It's chief suburb, Dart
mouth. where are many delightful villas. This
basin Is nearly mile In width.o great depth, able
70 accommodate Thousand ships at anchor.
"a -yyh
elevations are about 400 Feet The city OF Halifax
lies along the west shore OF this basin, Its wharyes
where Northwest Arm. another important body OF
water, extends behind ana above the city, ana It's
terrace-like rise OF streets and brown Old slruc-
lures terminating almost In the clty's center in a
lofty height Above this rises the citadel upOn
whose somoer redouots are forever pacing the red
coated British sentinels. From the sea, advancing
upon the city; from Pleasant Point, looking I'D the
noble basin; from Dartmouth, gazing across the
city facades and upon the foItressed islands, or
from the CITADEL pesrng over the slate roofs a nd
grim chimneys Of Halifax 10 the shining sea and
the FAR horizon eycnd, Is q spectacle OF unusual
and reflective interest,"
QUAINT AND ANTrQuArEp.
To dhe accustomed TO the brightness and new
ness OF architecture, 10 the virility and glowing
In everyday activities and the snap and HASH OF
business life, In American cities, the grimness,
duliness and inaninity OF Halifax challenges an
Involuntary testy resentment Inc city is both
too rlch and TOO poor Tor even comparatively equ-
aole conditions. Her rich are the lordly Isolated
ricn- Her poor the squalid, sodden hopeles,
poor. The former nave no need 10 exercise enter
prise or disposition 10 bestow in countless possi-
Bile ways for their own ana their cltys lettering
wise oenevolence. But shutting your eyes 10 this,
anu only contemplating the Whole a concrete
series OF pictures Tor passing Inspection anu inter-
est, there Is something like charm In her grim
Old buildings her shaded, unkempt streets, and
even In her ramshackle, storm-rattled IeneinenIs
There II not on our coast, not excepting
old salem. such queer and antiquated struc-
lures. They seem a composite OF half-city,
hai-country architecture OF Normandy, Holland
and our own colonial time. Ponderous porcces,
Ittle windows, spacious porch-boxes as among
toe Old pennsylvania Dutch settlements, bunchy
wlndOw-roofs, cUmbrOus gables, dOriner windows
lnnuineraOle, 'nlpped' roofs shingled house-sldes
and The tremendous chitnneys OF Msrblehead sug-
gest day and time OF Old, projected with sturdy,
lasting qualities into the new. III this be true OF
The haoitations, a still qusinter flavor Is found
do~n on upper and lower Water streets, ON Bed
iord Row, and where the lanes and alleys converge
tni lntersect and straggle along the wharyes. All
ILLS region IS Ike the nuddled Waterfront group
lngs al our owa picturesque Gloucester; and more
clmlnutise. but as dainty, bits can here be found
LOT the artists pencil as AT ancient Nuremberg IT.
self.
No one can deny the restfulness OF the old city
Noocdy Is In a hurry. You seldom see people
ABOUT or al the windows OF the great mansions
beggars beg hstlessly as In Cuba. One sleeps In
somnoence OF the driver and the dreamful ting linz
., the iazily shaken bell In the shops there is a
hush and quiet as at church. The very birds
perch, adjust their feathers, and chirp as II after
some olden habit and not from impelllng life and
instinct OF song. Citizens promenade ~ SIR