RIVER LIFE. 247 



people, remarkable for the simplicity of their manners and their 

 fidelity to their employers. Although they are said to be ' sharp 

 at a bargain,' they are remarkably honest, industrious, and re- 

 spectful, and are polite and hospitable to each other and to stran- 

 gers. It is curious to observe how perfectly they have retained 

 all their French peculiarities. The forms of their houses, the 

 decorations of their apartments, dress, mode of cookery, &c., are 

 exactly such as they originally were in the land of their ances- 

 tors. They speak a kind oi j^^'fois, or corrupted French, but per- 

 fectly understand the modern language as spoken in Paris. But 

 few persons can be found who can understand or speak English, 

 and these are such as, from the necessities of trade, have learned 

 a few words of the language. None of the women or children 

 either understand or speak English. 



" The Acadians are a cheerful, contented, and happy people, so- 

 cial in their intercourse, and never pass each other without a 

 - kind salutation. While they thus retain all the marked charac- 

 teristics of the French peasantry, it is a curious fact that they 

 appear to know but little respecting the country from which they 

 originated, and but few of them have the least idea of its geo- 

 graphical situation. Thus we were asked, when we spoke of 

 France, if it were not separated from England by a river, or if it 

 were near the coast of Nova Scotia; and one inquired if Bethle- 

 hem, where Christ was born, were not a town in France ! ! Since 

 they have no schools, and their knowledge is but traditional, it 

 is not surprising that they should remain thus ignorant of geogra- 

 phy and history. I can account for their understanding the pure 

 French language from the circumstance that they are supplied 

 with Catholic priests from the mother coimtry, who of course 

 speak to them in that tongue. Those who visit Madawaska 

 must remember that no money passes current there but silver, for 

 the people do not know how to read, and will not take bank-notes, 

 as they have often been imposed upon, since they are unable to 



