NOVA-SCOTIA

Le capitaine W. Moorsom a publié à Londres, en 1830, des Lettres fort intéressantes sur la Nouvelle- Ecosse (Acadie).

Il parle des Acadiens à peu près dans les nièmes termes que Diéreville, Raynal, Garn.au, R° eau, Guizot, etc.

A la page 256 de son ouvrage, il dit :

‘The settlement of Clare, of which the Roman Catholic chapel is the nucleus, extends for about thirty miles along the shores of Saint Mary’s Bay. The population is almost entirely Acadian-French, and deserves particular mention not only from its origin, but for the district and peculiarly interesting features it displays. The number of families comprising the pastor’s immediate flock is about three hundred and thirty, giving a total of nearly two thousand five hundred souls ; about thirty families also reside in the township of Digby ; and at Tusket below the town of Yarmouth, are nearly two hundred families more ; the whole being included in the

cure of L’Abbé Segoigne. Perhapsitis to sojourn in the out-quarters of Ireland that I owe, in common with many others, the uncharitable feeling which leads us to associate a Roman Catholic priest with imaginary phantoms of dark-sconling mortals wrapt in bigotry and black garments, or intent on the means of retaining in slavish ignorance, and moulding into a handle of political anarchy, the quick perceptions and high-wrought passions of a warmhearted peasantry. How pure, how redeeming an architype in the reverse of this image is the worthy Curé of Montaignan! Born and educated in France, M. Segoigne emigrated from that country, when revolutionary suspicion threatened the lives of all whose virtues were inimical to the views of the ruling democrats, and for the last thirty years has devoted his attention exclusively to the welfare of these children of Acadia. Buried in this retreat from all the thoughts and habits of the polish world, he yet retains the urbanity of the old french school ; or rather, I apprehend, posesses that excellence of disposition, which gives to urbanity its intrinsic value. He is at once the priest, the lawyer, and the judge of his people, he has seen most of them rise up to manhood around him, or accompany his own decline in the vale of years : the unvarying steadiness of his conduct has gained equally their affection and respect : to him, therefore, it is that the apply in their mutual difficulties from him they look for

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judgment to decide their little matters of dispute. Eleven years ago, a case between two Acadians belonging to this settlement, came off for trial before the Supreme Court. From some informality, the cause was nonsuited : it was not again brought forward; and since that time there is no instance of a law-suit from Montaigan appearing onthe records of the judicial circuit... és

Their onouite is in some respects like that of a large family. Should one of their members be left a widow, without any immediate protector or means of support, her neighbours unite their labours in tilling her land, securing the crops, and cutting her winter-fuel. Instances of a second marriage are rare among them. Children who may become orphans, are always taken into the families of their relations or friends, who make no distinetion between them and their own offspring.”