The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1922-03-15

NEI0p0TGO tn0 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC 90
ciety. Washington. d. CO.
Close to home, yet less known to
Americans than many parts Of Europe.
Cape Breton Island, part of Nova
Scotia. Is far from being the slew acres
Of snow" that VOltaire contemptuously
dubbed 1t in the days when France and
England were at each others threats
over 1t. 1t Is barely an island, and for
all practical purposes may be consid
cred the easternmost point Of Canada's
mainland.
Perhaps many who have not seen
this land think of 1t as Voltaire did,
but it has its fruitful apple orchards
and thriving general agriculture, and
growth is remarkably rapid, once vege-
tation is started. It has. too, all the
Ingredients for Industrial success in
this "Steel Age"-iron ore, coal and
limestone. And, unlike those Of the
competing iron-producing regions of
North America, Cape Breton's materi-
ais are at the waters edge, where the
finished product can be handled most
cheaply. (
The ports Of Cape Breton are closer
to Europe and Africa by hundreds Of
miles than any others on the North
American continent; and. surprisingly
to those who have not closely studied
their maps, the distance from Cape
Breton to Rio de JaneirO is less than
that from New Orleans to Rio.
A less material but important asset
Of Cape Breton is its scenery and eli
mate. Relatively few American tour
lists have discovered" the island yet,
charm. Its summers are pleasantly
cool and its winters, thanks to the
proximity of the Gulf stream, relative
ly mild. A principal pleasure feature
and beauty spot Is the islands inland
sea, the beautiful Bras dor lakes, a
paradise for yachtsmen.
Cape Bret0n's history Is old and full.
Undoubtedly her coasts were frequent
ed by Norwegian rOvers as early as the
Tenth century, and we even have 1t on
the authority Of the Flemish geogra-
piers that the island was discovered
and named by Basque fishermen, who
crossed the Atlantic in pursuit of
whales a hundred years before the voy.
ages Of Columbus.
John cabot's Landfali.
1t is from the voyages Of tie Cabots,
however, that Cape Breton dates her
history. The highland to the north of
the island Is now generally agreed to
have been the landfall of John Cabot
the first sighting Of North America
Of which we have record. Peter Mar
tyr's account of the voyage Of the
younger Cabot In 1893, when the is.
land was claimed In the name OF
"Kyng Henry" shows that landing
was made on these northern shores at
least a year before Columbus touched
upon the mainland Of the continent.
Standing far out In the Atlantic, the
most easteriy extremity of the Domin'
lon Of Canada. Cape Breton owes much
of her colorful history to her geograph'
ical position. She reaches out into the
ocean trade lanes, the landfall OF
west-bound shipping today as in the
time Of the CabOts.
Two centuries ago her commanding
position with reference to the trade OF
the st. Lawrence and the West Indies
made Cape Breton an issue in wOrlt
politics, all issue sometimes disturbing
the peace of Europe and upsetting the
treaties of the powers. The fortunes
of the little island, now under thu
nR nnda
the gold lilies Of France, IRE part o
the continents history-the greater
part of 1t war history.
The story. Of Louisburg, a fortress
Is years in the building, at cos
| of six millions Of dOllars-mOre thai
four times that sum In the value o
our money-its two sieges, and 1T
| final demolition, is the best-knOwn
chapter of Cape Breton's history.
The fortress became not only tn
base Of French naval power In Amer
lea, but, with outlying posts at 81
Peters, IngOnish, and st. AIMS, tn
resort Of privateers that infested tn
New England coast and the haven t
which they conveyed their spells.
Upon the outbreak Of war betwee
France and England, in 1744, to tn
colonists Of Massachusetts, and Ne'
Hampshire the reduction Of TIL
! stronghold was q highly attractiv
project.
Capture Of louisburg.
The first siege and capture Of Louis
burg by the little band Of New En-
land milit,amen under Pepperell, wit
! the British West India feet under Wa