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The Island Government acted quickly to appoint an Officer of Health. In 1833, Dr. John Mackieson was appointed to prevent the spread of Asiatic cholera.24 This action came none too soon. In July, 1834 during the voyage of the schooner John Wallace, from Quebec to Nova Scotia with 200 barrels of flour, one of two passengers, a young black boy, sickened and died. Three of the crew of six also died enroute. Their bodies and bedding were thrown overboard. The ship became stranded on the north shore of the Island, 14 miles west of East Point with the master, mate, another sailor and Matthew Watson, 3 passenger still on board.

Dr. Mackieson declared the disease spasmodic pestilential cholera and had the men quarantined and the ship guarded. However, James Mac- Donald and some of his children had visited the wreck when it first came ashore. Shortly after, four of his family became ill and were treated by a Dr. William Craig of Bear River. Two of the children recovered but an infant took sick and died within a day. To quote from the Doctor’s detailed account of his treatment, which he sent to the Royal Gazette in September: “Mrs. MacDonald recovered somewhat but went to the spring to wash clothes, took a relapse and died, being sick 6 days...the disease was not pneumonia but some contagious disease.” The implication was that the MacDonalds died of cholera and that his quarantine of the house was justified.25

As a sequel to the tragedy, we find in Report of Legislative Assembly, February 28, 1835, that a Mr. MacCallum of St. Peter’s Bay had a man off the cholera ship, John Wallace, arrive at his house begging. The man suddenly sickened and died in the stable. He asks to be reimbursed for cost of burial and replacement of his stable which had to be burned.

Religion: (By Olga Leard) St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church

In the early years of the nineteenth century a number of Catholic people had settled along the shores of Colville Bay and Little Harbour.26

It was a time of hardship for these folk who were beginning a new life in the area, but they were courageous and confident that the future would bring them happiness and prosperity. They trusted in God and their faith sustained them.

These pioneers looked for their spiritual care to the pastors appointed by the church leaders. They attended Mass at St. Columba’s (East Point), St. Margaret’s or Rollo Bay—whichever was more convenient.27 The dwellers in Souris Village usually made their way to the little log church at Rollo Bay. That church was dedicated to Saint Alexis by Bishop Plessis of Quebec during his visit in July, 1812.23 Occasionally stations were held at the houses of Mr. Angus Campbell, Mr. Neil MacLellan of Little Harbour, Mr. Angus MacDonald (Hector) of Chepstow, and Mr. Peter Cheverie of Souris.

In 1838 Father John MacDonald (Glenaladale) was in charge of the Missions in the eastern part of Kings’s County, and lived at St. Margaret’s. He believed the time had come to form a separate Mission and build a church in this settlement on Colville Bay.29 The people soon collected suffi- cient funds. Land was purchased from Francois Cheverie and cleared by the parishioners. The church was erected by Messrs. Thomas Stone and Michael Bayley. The dimensions were sixty feet by thirty-five feet. Father MacDonald offered the first Mass in this church in January, 1839. In this way the parish of St. Mary’s at Souris sprang into being.30