, “win

#4? ___n_...7__mwm—_mm

TOURING QUEBEC 'AND THE MARITIMES 63

about 8,000 pe0ple. It is the railway and geographical centre of Nova Scotia, which means that from here you can quickly reach all parts of the province. No cleaner or handsomer town exists in Eastern Canada, and the hospi- tality of its people is proverbial. Its streets are wide, flanked with shade trees, while well kept lawns and taste- ful flower beds are common to houses both large and small.

Once again the motor cars of citizens and churchmen were at our disposal, and there was much to see that was very fine. We drove across the Salmon River, which emp- ties into Cobequid Bay, an arm of the Bay of Fundy.

This district is rich in historical associations. Following the expulsion from Nova Scotia of the French Acadians in 1755, steps were taken to induce English-speaking colonists to occupy the rich alluvial lands, which had thus become vacant. Some of these lands were in the neighbour- hood of Truro. About the year 1760, colonists came to the Truro district from New Hampshire. They had previously arrived in that state from the north of Ireland, and were attracted here by reports of rich farm lands about the headwaters of the Bay of Fundy. One of the first acts of the newcomers was'to build a stockaded fort against the Micmac Indians and the French; and for the first year or two, the colonists secured themselves every night in this place of safety.

In the country about Truro, are many evidences of early French occupation. Remains of old dykes may be seen on the marshlands. Ten miles from Truro is Masstown, one of the places, where the Acadians were gathered together for expulsion. .

We visited the agricultural college with its 500 acres of land. Leading to the college is an avenue of fine trees with attractive grounds beyond. We drove through the village of Bible Hill, an old Scotch settlement, and saw