69 



fought with desperate valor to retain and to win it ; tliat the deep silence 

 which prevails was ever broken by crowds of busy people ; that ships 

 laden with rich cargoes ever anchored in waters which even fishermen 

 of our day seldom enter, except for shelter ; that around them were 

 lofty and, as was thought, impregnable walls, and nunneries, palaces, 

 terraces, and gardens. 



The English histor}'' of Cape Breton, as connected with our subject, 

 is brief. 



Separated from Nova Scotia by a narrow strait only, it was annexed 

 to that colony, soon after its final cession, at the peace of 1763 ; but in 

 1784: was created a province, and allowed corresponding rights until 

 1820, when it was re-annexed to the government of Nova Scotia. The 

 popuhuion in 1839 was about 35,000, and in 1848 nearly 50,000. 



Great as were the expectations of the conquerors, its fisheries have 

 never been of acc-ount since the conquest. The statistics indicate no 

 increase, but, on the contrary, a considerable decline. The exports, at 

 the present time, are less than in 1828. In fact, Cape Breton is the 

 poorest part of British America. 



As late as 1840, a gentleman officially connected with its fisheries 

 gave a most lamentable description of the poverty of those who de- 

 pended upon them for subsistence. Having stated that, while in pos- 

 session of the I-Yench, the exports were of the immense value of 

 £927,577 sterling, that 564 ships and 27,000 men were employed, and 

 that the whole produce now was only 80,000 quintals, and 50 tuns of 

 oil, he proceeds as follows: "The fisherman is supplied at such ex- 

 tremely high prices, that, after his season's work is over, what he has 

 caught frequentty does not amount to the cost of his outfits: thus he 

 returns to his family with a poor prospect of providing for their winter's 

 supply." "I have seen families," he continues, "covered with scurvy, 

 appH'ing for medicine, and although they obtained it, were informed by 

 the doctor that it was fresh and wholesome provision they wanted most; 

 at which time one of the parties admitted that his stock was reduced 

 to some herrings and a few potatoes." "lu like manner," he adds, 

 "when the militia muster took place, I knew of some who came seven 

 miles, and who, without money to purchase food, returned home fast 



Had the cases related by this functionary been such as exist in every 

 community, they would not have been thus mentioned. It is not to be 

 presumed, however, that while so great destitution is prevalent, it is 

 general among the fishermen of Cape Breton. Yet tales of their 

 wretchedness and poverty are common. Masters of our fishing ves- 

 sels, who visit the coast, have told me rejjeatt'diy that in the sj)ring 

 th(y were beset by persons who ofU'rcd lo barter away almost their 

 last article of value, and evert begged for f(M)d. To make evTry allow- 

 ance, we may still fairly conclude that tli<(se who earn their bread in 

 fishing boats and shallops, as a body, enjoy few comforts, and often 

 fiuffer f<)r the absolute necessaries of life. 



The seafi of Cape Breton, neglected, shunned even, as if a curse 

 rested upon them, and as if the sj)irils of the slain of a b3'-gone genera- 

 tion hovered over tliem, are as rich as they ever were; and as safe, too, 

 for the cmploynient of capital, skill, and labor, as when the successful 



