Hill, Samuel Smith (1839) A Short Account of Prince Edward Island. Madden & Co., London. 90 pp.

Samuel Smith Hill was one of three sons of John Hill (b. 7 754, d. 784 7), the proprietor of Lots 2, 4, 5, 6, and half of Lot 7, who for much of his life carried on a ship—building, timber exporting and mercantile business based at Cascumpec. Samuel was involved in the business from at least 7827 when the enterprise founded by his father began official/y operating under the name of Hill Brothers. He was thus very familiar with the Cascumpec area — he may well have been born and raised there, which partially accounts for the prominence given to this part of the island in his book. However, there is also an element of self-interest in the writing of the Account and the directing of it to British readers: the special virtues of the Cascumpec area are extolled with the aim of encouraging settlement on his own lands. (His father had been actively advertising for settlers as recently as 7830.) His comments on the native forest emphasize only its attractive features: its natural beauty, and its luxuriant growth as an indication of its fertile soil. It has the usual tree species list common to many accounts, but apart from its comments on the Cascumpec area, there is little else that is not duplicated in other accounts.

REFERENCES: Bumsted, J. M. (1988). Hill, John. Dictionary of Canadian Biography, VII: 406—09. Greenhill, B. & Giffard, A. (1967) Westcountrymen in Prince Edward’s Isle. University of Toronto Press.

CHAPTER I.

The vicinity of the capital, is rarely exceeded in the richness and varied beauty of its The forests

scenery. in every direction around the basin, the eye rests upon gently rising around . . . . Charlottetown. grounds, covered to the very brink of the cliffs With the most luxuriant natural forest, interrupted only by the occasional intervention of cultivated plots, [p. 4) Ship—building Three Rivers possess the advantage of having long established ship yards, in which many fine vessels have been built [p. 10]

Many of [the inhabitants of the vicinity of Murray Harbour] were attracted here by the shipbuilding establishment and the trade of the port. [p. 111

Timber trade of

Bedeque is over. The timber trade of Bedeque was once consuderable; but happily for the Interests of

a better pursuit, little, or no more, of the staple of that branch of commerce remains.

Cascumpec, Cascumpec includes all the settlements upon Holland or Cascumpec Bay. This fine bay is defended from the sea by a range of picturesque sand hillocks. . . . Having past the sand islands, as you enter, you sail up the inner harbour, which is about a mile and a half in breadth, surrounded by the richest natural forest, but not without the indications of the existence of civilized man. Upon the left hand, lies a beautiful island called Savage Island, bordered with red cliffs and grassy banks, and entirely covered with a graceful mixture of the most luxuriant forest trees, among which, the beech and maple predominate.

Dock River, The land which makes the west side of the harbour, is a peninsula formed by llchester River [i.e. Dock River]. Upon this peninsula, establishments have for many years existed; and a large farm, with all its appurtenances of barns and out—houses, and the tall forest around, present to the eye, a scene not surpassed in beauty, or in its indications of the capability of maintaining a thickly settled population,

Hi// River. Hill River, penetrates about seven miles into the country in a westerly direction. It is a winding and beautiful stream, sometimes appearing like a lake, and always presenting the most luxuriant foliage to the very water’s edge or the brink of the cliffs, but often without any indication of its vicinity to any fixed human habitation.

[pp. 16—17] fwd/373 Instead of adding fishing to their better occupation of farming, the Cascumpec umbenw at Acadians, have been engaged in what is called lumbering; that is, the felling and Cascumpec.

manufacturing of timber; and they have experienced the worst effects of that 134