[Notes from Editor: As page numbers in electronic editions do not correspond to those in original printed versions, they are omitted from any Tables of Contents or Illustration Lists in works that we transcribe. Spellings are left as they were in the original work. Sentence & punctuation anomalies are also (mostly) left intact. Footnotes follow the paragraph in which they are referenced, enclosed by square brackets. Richard MacNeil]

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for preparing this transcription, April 2005.

HISTORY

OF

Pictou During American Revolutionary War.
1776-1783

The breaking out of the American Revolutionary War at first subjected the settlers to serious inconvenience. They had hitherto received most of their supplies by trading vessels from the Old Colonies, which received in exchange the proceeds of their labour, especially fish, fur and lumber. This trade, however, was now stopped, and the want of it was at first severely felt. Even salt could not be obtained, and in summer the settlers might be seen for days boiling down sea water to obtain a supply of this necessary. But the war soon had an enlivening influence upon the trade of the Province. Halifax was chosen as the chief depot for the British Navy in this Hemisphere. Large sums of money were expended on the dockyard; vessels of all classes were there annualy refitted, and employment was given to artizans. A large military force was kept at Halifax, and there was, in consequence, a larger circulation of money, in the advantage of which the country districts shared.
The following is given as the price received by the settlers for their wood:--

The settlers in Pictou were for a time, however, still at a loss for British goods, but in the year 1779, John Patterson went to Scotland and brought a supply, and from that time continued to trade.

But the American war had another effect, in the division which it occasioned between the new and the old settlers. The Scotch were loyally attached to the British Government. But, with the exception of Squire Patterson, most of the American settlers strongly sympathized with the American cause. Murdoch, in his history of Nova Scotia, tries to make it appear that those who came to this Province from the Old Colonies, and settled various townships before the American Revolutionary War, were at this time loyal. From the facts that have come to our knowledge regarding these people in Colchester, and the few settlers in Pictou, we can assert most positively that they generally sympathized with the Americans, and that a number were ready to manifest their sympathy by taking arms, if there had appeared a favourable prospect of thereby serving the cause. And when this seemed hopeless, they manifested their spirit in more harmless ways, as in the refusal of tea, of which the good wives could sometimes only secretly brew a small quantity for private indulgance, and more permanently in the names, which their children have carried down to our own day-- the Adamses, the Burkes, and the George Washingtons, the latter of which, however, it was found more convenient to change into John Washington or George William .

In Pictou, it will surprise many of the present generation to hear, the feeling was quite violent. A circular was addressed to the magistrates throughout the Province, requiring them to be "watchful and attentive to the behaviour of the people in your county, and that you will apprehend any person or persons who shall be guilty of any opposition to the King's authority and Government, and send them properly guarded to Halifax." The inhabitants were ordered to take the oath of allegiance, and magistrates were required to furnish lists of those who complied and those who did not.

Patterson, who had been made a magistrate in 1774, was active and zealous, perhaps more so than wise, in carrying out these instructions. He started for Halifax, intending to get copies of the oath required, for the purpose of imposing it upon the inhabitants. When he reached Truro, his purpose becoming known, one of the Archibalds invited him to his house, and took him to a private room where, drawing out a pistol, by its persuasive influence, he induced him to return home.

The squire also attempted to arrest some of the old settlers, who had openly declared their determination to swear no oath of allegience, while the others endeavoured to conceal them. We have heard, for example. of Horton being obliged to hide under a haystack. On the other hand, their passions became so excited that they threatened to murder him. So serious did the danger become that his older sons were obliged several times to hide him in the woods, taking him over to Frasers Point for the purpose.* Matthew Harris, having had some dispute with Squire Patterson, regarding some business in which they had been engaged together in Maryland, started thither in the heat of the American war. While in Halifax the circumstance exciting suspicion, or perhaps, in consequence of his giving too free expression to his sympathy for the American cause, he was arrested as a spy, and placed in the care of a guard of soldiers, who went into an inner room of a tavern to drink, leaving him to move about on his parole. While he was calmly walking on the platform, a woman rushed in where they were, exclaiming, "Your prisoner is escaping." They rushed out, half intoxicated, and one of them struck him over the head with a weapon he had in his hands, cutting him very severely. He was detained in custody till evidence was obtained from Pictou that he was a peacful resident. The old man was Christian enough to say, in after life, that he could forgive everybody except that woman .
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[* We had heard of this, but regarded it as an exaggeration. The family of James, one of his sons referred to, asserts positively that their father frequently mentioned it to them as a fact.]

A few incidents connected with the war, as affecting the County of Pictou, may here be given. The first was the capture of a vessel at Merigomish by an American privateer, which took place near the beginning of the war, probably in the spring of 1776. She was not a large vessel, but was loaded with a valuable cargo of West India produce. The previous fall she had been on her way to Quebec, but being too late to get up the St. Lawrence, she made Merigomish harbour, where she remained in the ice all winter. The captain and crew landed, and from the scarcity of provisions, some of the latter went to Truro or Halifax. One of the settlers, named Earl, went off, it was supposed to the States, and with the design of giving information which might lead to her capture. At all events, early in spring, as soon as the gulf was clear of ice from the Strait of Canso, a vessel appeared off Merigomish. Those in charge of the vessel in the harbour, suspected her purpose, and commenced conveying to the shore and hiding in the woods articles of value that could easily be removed. Soon, however, parties from the strange vessel came on board and took possession of her. James and David Patterson had been making oak staves on the land near where she lay. The captors, to prevent the word from circulating, or any attempt to frustrate their purpose, sent a boat on shore ,with a crew, who seized them and carried them on board their vessel, where they were put in irons. The captors then set to work to get the vessel to sea. When they got her well out into the gulf they released the two brothers. There was some difficulty in unloosing the handcuffs on David's hands, when one of the men struck it with a marlin spike to break it, and in so doing smashed his thumb, which bore evidence of the fact till his death. They then put the two brothers into a small boat with a few biscuits and a small earthen jar, called a coggie, of sugar, to find their way back to port as best they might. In the meantime word had circulated of the capture, and as it was expected the privateers would come to the harbour, the inhabitants collected with every old musket and fowling- piece, prepared to offer a sturdy resistance to the enemy. They assembled at the Battery Hill and soon saw a small boat coming up the harbour, which they eagerly watched, and as it approached they saw in it two men, whom, as it drew near, they recognized as the Pattersons, who had thus made their way to port.

The next incident was the capture of Captain Lowden's vessel in the harbour in 1777. Haliburton speaks of it as effected by rebels from Machias, who came from Cumberland. The information I have gathered attributes the work to the American settlers in Pictou, and some friends in Truro. It is certain that they were in the plot. At all events, the circumstances of the capture are as follows;--
The vessel was loading with timber for the British market. A time was chosen when the crew were absent with the boat for part of the cargo. The captain was invited to the house of W. Waugh, where a number of them were gathered. Waugh was an old Scotch Covenanter, and from rigid adherence to the princilpes of that body, would not swear allegiance to the British Crown, and though afterward he was in the employment of the Government, yet at this time, seemingly from the common fact of their not taking these oaths, sympathized with the Americans. The Captain went without suspicion, leaving the ship in charge of the mate. During his visit, at a given signal, the company gathered round him, informed him that he was a prisoner, and commanded him to deliver up his arms. "Gentlemen," said he, "I am very sorry to say I have no arms." was his reply, in a tone of indignation at their treachery. In the meantime, a strong party, fully armed, proceeded to the vessel, and finding scarcely any person on board, easily took possession of her, and made the mate a prisoner, confining him in the cabin. They then placed sentries on deck. Some time after, the rest of the crew came on board, and as they did so,they were made prisoners and confined in the forecastle.

Some of the captors then took a boat belonging to the ship and proceeded up the East River. On their way they met Roderick McKay and his brother Donald coming down the river with a boat-load of staves. They gave no hint of their object, but encouraged the McKays to proceed to the vessel. They then continued on their way to Roderick's place. He had erected a blacksmith's forge and had it duly stocked. They plundered it of everything worth taking away, loading their boat with his tools, iron,&c. In the meantime, the McKays had proceeded to the vessel. As Roderick mounted the deck, he saw the sentries with their muskets on their shoulders, and before he could take in the situation, one of them tapped him on the shoulder, saying he was a prisoner. His reply was a tap on the face with the back of his hand. The sentry brought down his musket and told him he was serious. Roderick was obliged to yield, and both he and Donald were taken to the cabin as prisoners.

After some time the party who had gone up the East River returned, their boat laden with the plunder of Roderick's forge. They came on board, leaving the boat alongside, which afterward sank with its contents, and remains to this day beneath the waters of the harbour. They then proceeded to celebrate their success by a night of carousal. When they became pretty well under the influence of liquor, Roderick, with his usual determination, wished to take the ship and urged his brother Donald to join him in the attempt. His plan was that they should make a sudden rush up the cabin stairs to the deck; that he should seize the sentry and pitch him overboard, while Donald should with an axe stand over the companion and not allow any of them to come up. Donald, however, was a quiet, peaceable man and refused to join in a scheme involving the danger of bloodshed, and Roderick could not communicate with the mate. He was deeply dissapointed and used to say that if the mate had had two words of Gaelic, they would have retaken the ship that night.

The McKays were soon set at liberty, and the captors, anxious at once to secure their prize, sailed as soon as they could for Bay Verte, where the Americans for a time had possession, taking Dr. Harris, under a certain kind of compulsion, with the mate and part of the crew, to navigate the vessel. Information of these poceedings was immediately sent to Halifax, the late John Crockett and Colin Douglas being the messengers. They proceeded on foot to Shubenacadie, and finding the rivers very high and difficult to cross, they employed an Indian to proceed by the lakes and deliver the letter, which he did.

After the sailing of the vessel, Capt. Lowden was released and started for Charlottetown in a canoe. He found there a man-of-war, under the command of Lieut. Keppel, which immediately started in pursuit. In the meantime, the captors had reached Bay Verte, but finding that the American invaders had retired, they, on the approach of the man-of-war, abandoned the vessel and took to the woods, where it is supposed many of them perished. One reached the settlements in Colchester, after having eaten the upper leather of his boots, and died soon after, The mate took charge of the vessel and hailed the man-of war as she was about to fire, when Capt. Lowden, who was on board the latter, knew his voice. The vessel was taken charge of by the commander, who came into the harbour of Pictou, threatening vengeance on all who had had any share in the affair. All Waugh's goods were seized and sold,* and such was the feeling against him amongst the old settlers, that he left the place and afterward settled at Waugh's River, Tatamagouche, to which he gave his name. It may be mentioned here, however, that not only did he afterward act the part of a loyal subject, but the communication between Halifax and Prince Edward Island being through Tatamagouche, he was employed by Government as their courrier between that place and Truro.
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The affair of Capt. Lowden's vessel, I have no doubt, made the place too hot for the settlers, who sympathized with the American cause, and was one reason for their removal. Some whom I have been able to trace, moved eastward without selling their farms,and we may here mention an incident which occured at this time. Matthew Harris embarked with his family in a vessel intending to remove to Guysborough. But while on their passage thither, they fell in with an American privateer. Those on board were unwilling to lower the British flag, when the privateer fired a shot ahead and another astern of her. Upon this, one of the men hauled down their colors and the vessel was brought to. The captain of the privateer came on board in great wrath. An infant child of Harris was sick and laid upon the deck, wrapt in a blanket. The captain struck the bundle with his sword, not knowing what was in it. The mother sprang forward, saying, "You have killed my child." The captain immediately calmed down, asking what the child was doing there, and shortly after left, taking only a few tubs of butter that were on deck.

During the war American privateers were on the coast, but had very liittle effect on Pictou. One of the Hector passengers, who had moved to Halifax and there earned some money, married and came to Pictou by land, but put all his things into a vessel to come round by water. She was captured and lost his little all. One came into the harbour, and the alarm was given, and the settlers began to gather to repel the intruder, when one of the American settlers went out to her and urged that there were only in the place a few Scottish settlers commencing in the woods, not having anything worth taking away, and that all they could do was to burn Squire Patterson's house. In consequence of his representaions they sailed, taking only a boat belonging to Waugh.

What excited the greatest alarm, however, during the war was a large gathering of Indians, it is said, from Miramichi to Cape Breton, probably a grand council of the whole Micmac tribe, which took place at Frasers Point in 1779. In that year some Indians at the former place, in the American interest, having plundered the inhabitants, a British man-of-war seized sixteen of them, of whom twelve were carried to Quebec as hostages and afterward brought to Halifax. This led to a grand gathering of the Indians. For several days they were assembled to the number of several hundreds and the desigh of the meeting was believed to be, to consult on the question of joining in the war against the English. To this they were probably instigated by French agents. The settlers were much alarmed, but the Indians dispersed quietly.

Another incident which excited some attention in Pictou at this time was the wreck of the Malignant, which took place near the close of the war. She was a man-of-war, bound to Quebec, and was wrecked late in the fall, at a place ever since known as Malignant Cove. The crew came to Pictou and were provided for through the winter by the efforts of Squire Patterson, as far as circumstances would permit.

To finish what we have to say here regarding the settlers from the old colonies, we may here advert to another circumstance in connection with them. Some of those who came to Pictou, as well as other parts of the Province, had brought slaves with them, and as a curiosity of the time we shall insert here a copy of a document, which is on record in the office of the Registrar of Deeds in Truro;

Be it known to all men, that I, Matthew Harris, of Pictou, in his Majesties' Province of Nova Scotia, yeoman, have bargained and sold unto Matthew Archibald, of Truro, within said Province, tanner, and I do by these presents bargain, sell, alien, and forever make over to him, the said Matthew Archibald, his heirs and assigns, all the right, property, title or interest, I now have, or at any time hereafter can pretend to have, to one Negroe boy named Abram, now about twelve years of age, who was born of my Negro slave in my house in Maryland, for and in consideration of the sum of fifty pounds, currency, to me in hand paid by the said Matthew Archibald, or secured to be paid, and I do by these presence, for myself, my heirs, and assigns for ever, quit claim to my Negroe boy, now in possession of said Matthew Archibald. In testimony of which I have to this bill of sale set my hand and seal, this 29 day of July, Anno Dom., 1779, in the 19th year of his Majesties' reign.
Truro, County of Halifax .
Mattw. Harris
Signed, Sealed, and Delivered
in presence of
David Archibald, Js. Peace

The following, however, which we find in the records of Pictou, is still more curious:

Know all men by these presents that I, Archibald Allardice, of the Province of Nova Scotia, mariner, for and in consideration of the sum of forty pounds currency to me in hand paid by Dr. John Harris, of Truro, have made over, and sold, and bargained, and by these presents do bargain, make over, and sell to the aforesaid Dr. John Harris, one negro man named Sambo, aged twenty-five years or thereabouts, and also one brown mare, and her colt now sucking. To have and to hold the said negro man and mare with her colt, as his property, for and in security of the above sum of money until paid with lawful interest. And at the payment of the above mentioned sum with interest and expenses, the aforesaid Doctor John Harris is by these presents firmly bound to deliver up to the aforesaid Achibald Allardice, the said negro man, named Sambo, with the mare and colt [casualties excepted]. But if the said negro man, mare or colt should die before the said money should be paid, then in such proportion, I, the said Archibald Allardice, promise to make good the deficiency to the said Doctor John Harris. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal. this tenth day of August, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-six, and in the twenty-sixth of our Sovereign Lord, George the Third's Reign.
Archibald Allardice, L.S.
Signed, sealed, and delivered in presence of
James Phillips,
Robert Dunn
Truro, August 26th, 1786, Recorded on the oath of James Phillips.
John Harris, D.R.
Along the margin the following words were written; "Assignment to
Thomas Harris, 20th day of April, 1791."
per John Harris, D.R.

We have not heard of any cases of those in Pictou who owned slaves ill-treating them. On the contrary, a poor woman who belonged to Matthew Harris, and obtained her freedom, used to confess that her life had never been so free from anxiety as when living with him; but in other places tradition has preserved the rememberance of some cruel deeds, showing the character of the system. We have heard, for example of a negro slave in Truro, who was so treated by his master, that several times he ran away, usually making for Pictou. On one occasion his master having caught him, cut a hole through the lower lobe of his ear through which he passed the end of a whip lash, and knotting it, he mounted his horse and rode off, dragging after him in that way the poor man, who shortly after died, it was believed, in a large measure through the treatment he had received.

At this time the first settlement was made in Merigomish by Barnabas McGee. As we have already mentioned, he had first taken up land on Rogers Hill, but dissatisfied with its distance from shore, he removed to Barneys River, which took its name from him. Here he settled in the fall of 1776 or spring of 1777; his daughter Mary, afterward Mrs. Gillies, the first child of English descent born in Merigomish, being born in May of the latter year.* The harbour and coast them swarmed with fish, particularly the salmon. The islands were visited by great flocks of geese and other wild fowl, while moose were plenty in the woods, so that he had no difficulty in providing at least flesh for his family. The Indians were then numerous, their chief place of encampment being on the west side of his farm, and his children, from want of associates, made playmates of their little Micmac neighbours.
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He was soon after joined by George Morrison, who settled on the adjoining lot to the west. He had originally come in the Hector. He was a strong and determined man. On one occasion, being from home, a number of Indians came to his house, made his wife cook whatever they saw in the house that they desired, would not allow his children to the fire, and otherwise frightened the family. On his return, hearing of their behaviour, he immediately started in a rage for the Indian encampment, and meeting some of the offenders, he attacked them, in detail, with his fists, giving them a hearty drubbing as a hint for better behaviour in the future, The next day the whole band had decamped.

They were joined soon after by Walter Murray. He had been originally a soldier and had served in India, but had emigrated to Nova Scotia in the Hector. He first settled on the East River, but now removed to Merigomish, where he took up land on the east side of Barneys River, McGee taking him, with his family and household goods, in a boat round the coast. In commencing their labours, Murray and Morrison each carried a bushel of potatoes on their backs from Truro. They took the eyes out of them, for seed, with a knife or a quill, retaining the rest for food, so that, as they used to say ,each planted his bushel and ate it.

The Rev. Mr. Cock, on one of his visits to Pictou, extended his journey to Merigomish, and preached the first sermon in the settlement, in Morrison's house, either in 1783 or 1784, probably the latter, and at the same time baptized all the young children.

At the period at which we have now arrived, the following may be regarded as a view of Pictou: A few settlers were thinly scattered along the north side of the harbor, from below the town to the head of the harbor, and on both sides of the West River, as far up as the late Deacon McLean's place. There was one family on Rogers Hill, three or four on the Middle River, and some others on the intervale of the East River from Stellarton nearly up to Fish Pools, and there were three families in Merigomish. Altogether, the population might be from 200 to 250.

We append a return to Government of the men capable of bearing arms, made at this date. [Appendix E.]

[APPENDIX E.

E.

A ROLL OF THE INHABITANTS OF PICTOU OR TINMOUTH CAPABLE TO BEAR ARMS.

"James Grant, William Campbell, Robert Jones,* Wm. McCracken, George McConnell, John Patterson, sen., James Patterson, David Patterson, John Patterson, jr., John Rogers, sen., James Rogers, John Rogers, jr., David Rogers, James McCabe, John McCabe, Anthony McLellan, James McLellan, Ed. MacLean, Joseph Ritchie, William Clark, John McLean, Wm. Smith, David Stuart, John McKenzie, Hugh Fraser, Wm. McLellan, James McDonald, Charles Blaikie, John Blaikie, James Watson, Alex. Cameron, Colin Douglass, Don. McDonald, Robert Breading (Bryden), John Breading, Alex. Ross, sr., Alex Ross, jr., James McCullough, Robt. Marshall, John Marshall, John Crockett, John Crockett, jr., Alex Fraser, Alex Fraser, jr., Simon Fraser, Colin McKay, Rod. McKay, jr., James McKay, Donald McKay, Donald McKay, jr., Donald Cameron, Anthony Culton, John Culton, Colin McKenzie, Alex. McLean, John Sutherland, Thos. Turnbull, John McLellan, Wm. McLeod, Hugh Fraser, sr., James Fraser, Esaias Horton, Stoatly Horton, Morton (Walter) Murray; George Morrison, Barnabas McGee.

"The above is a true list, given under my hand at Halifax, 12 February, 1783. Robt. Patterson, Captain."

The above begins at Cariboo, and passes up the harbour, and round the three rivers to Merigomish.

We may here give some account of the social condition of the inhabitants at this time. "The society of Pictou," says Philo Antiquarius, " down to the moment of which we are now treating, might be viewed as one family, where the children were all under the immediate superintendence of a good parent. One venerable settler had heretofore presided over the others, advising them to discharge their various duties, and impressing upon them the necessity of honesty, unanimity and industry, while they, with confidence, looked to him as their best director, and yielded in most cases obedience to his counsels," Squire Patterson, referred to in this extract, is decribed as short and thick-set, one of those men sometimes said to be as broad as they are long, with a free and pleasant manner, and was highly esteemed. From his skill in business he was very influential, indeed, a sort of factotum for all the settlers, even celebrating their marriages, notices of the same being posted up for three weeks as a substitute for the proclamation of banns.

Along with him we must notice "John Patterson, commonly known as Deacon Patterson, and, after his death, as the old Deacon, from the cicumstance of his eldest son of the same name being an Elder in the Church. He has been called the Father of the Town of Pictou, from his having been the means of fixing the town on its present site. But the old Deacon merited the title of Father of Pictou on other accounts. For many years after he came, there was neither law nor lawyers. In those happy times men took the Scriptual mode of settling disputes. They were not afraid to leave the adjustments of " the things that pertain to this life" to their conscienctious neighbors. These two old patriarchs, the Squire and the Deacon, famed as they were for integrity and sound sense, became the general peace-makers. None dared or wished to gainsay their descisions. Generally when two men in any place are upon an equality, the disposition to be first, so universally distributed among men, creates fueds between them, and the public good is left in the back ground, and the public peace disturbed. The two good men of whom we are speaking formed an honorable exception from that common occurance. They lived together, not merely on good terms, but a pattern of warm and inflexible friendship."*
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[*Editor Colonial Patriot]

The most of the Highlanders were very ignorant. Very few of them could read, and books were unknown among them. The Dumfries settlers were much more intelligent in religion and everything else. They had brought with them a few religious books from Scotland, some of which were lost in Prince Edward Island, but the rest were carefully read. In the year 1779, John Patterson brought a supply of books from Scotland, Before leaving the old country, be had built a range of small houses for working people, on what was called a thirty-nine year tack, that is, a lease for that period, the buildings at the end of the term reverting to the proprietor. When he returned, his rents had accumulated to about £ 80 sterling, a good portion of which he laid out in books, among which was a plentiful supply of the New England primer, which was distributed among the young, and the contents of which they soon learned. Of teachers, I have not heard the names of any, after James Davidson left, about the year 1776.

The people, however, were all religiously educated and desirous of religious ordinances, and some of them decidedly pious. They met together on the Sabbath day, Robert Marshall, known afterward as Deacon Marshall, holding what was called a reading for the English, and Colin Douglass doing the same in Gaelic. The exercises at these meetings consisted of praise and prayer, and especially, as their name indicated, the reding of the Scriptures and religious books. Marshall was a man of strong powers of mind, well informed, especially in theology, and particularly distinguished by the boldness with which he rebuked sin. He is said some years later to have reproved the Governor for travelling on Sabbath.

They also received occasional ministerial service. The Rev. Daniel Cock, of Truro , and the Rev. David Smith, of Londonderry, visited them, Mr. Smith only once or twice, but Mr. Cock several times. We cannot tell the date of the first visit of either of them, but know that the latter visited them each summer for several years, spending a week or two among them preaching in private houses, or in the open air, and baptizing their children. The people considered themselves under his ministry, and went on foot to Truro to be present at his comminions, and some of them carrying their children through on their backs to be baptized by him there. This was done by a people who had so little English thet they could scarcely have understood any sermon in that language.

This may be judged from an incident that occured some years later. A Highlander, living in Truro, attended Mr. Cock's preaching. The latter one day took as his text the words "Fools make a mock of sin." The former bore the sermon patiently, but said afterward, "Mr. Cock needn't have talked so about moccasins; Mr. McGregor wore them many a time."

They were also visited by travelling preachers, the most important of whom was Henry Alline, so noted in the early religious history of the western part of the Province. In his journal he says, under date July 25th, 1782: "Got to a place called Picto, where I had no thought of making any stay, but finding the Spirit to attend my preaching, I staid there thirteen days and preached in all the different parts of the settlement. I found four Christians in this place, who were greatly revived and rejoiced that the Gospel was sent among them."

The Rev. James Bennet, itinerant missionary of the Church of England, also visited this place. We have never heard his name mentioned by the old settlers; but Mr, Aikin, in his sketch of the rise and progress of the Church of England in British North America, says that in 1775 he visited the eastern harbors of the Province, and at Tatamagouche administered the Lord's Supper to 28 communicants; that in 1780 he again visited Pictou and Tatamagouche, and on his return lost his way in the woods.

During the war the price of timber rose, and the trade in it from Pictou increased. During each year three or four cargoes were shipped to Great Britian. It was at this time that Capt. Lowden, afterward an active man in the county, first commenced trading to this port.