the chignecto isthmus and its first settlers-第13章
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To those who live in the age of steam and electricity； when it is possible to be informed at night of the doings of the day on the other side of the planet； it is hard to realize how little interest was taken a century ago in anything outside of the community in which one lived。 This accounts in part； no doubt； for the scant references in this journal to public events。 Only very rarely is an election mentioned； even in the writer's own county。 Only once is there reference to war； although the war of 1812 and the battle of Waterloo took place during the years of the record； and must have had a marked effect upon the trade of the Provinces at that time。
Mr。 Trueman made several trips to Halifax each year； and met； while there； many of the leading Methodist men of the city。 The Blacks and the Bells were his friends。 His house was the home of the ministers of his church during all his life； and many of the public men who visited Cumberland were his guests at different times。
The first entry in the journal is dated May 5th； 1802； and reads： 〃wind N。W。； cold stormy day。 Planted some apple trees； frost not out of the ground。
〃May 6thWind N。W。； ground covered with snow two inches thick； disagreeable。
〃May 8thWind N。W。； cold； backward weather。 Mr。 Marsdon preached his farewell sermon at the Stone Church。〃
〃July 5thThis day was appointed by the Government as a day of thanksgiving for the blessings of peace。 Mr。 Bennet preached at Amherst Court House； from Psalm 12； 1st verse； to a crowded and very attentive audience。
〃July 12thStarted for Halifax with thirty oxen。 Returned on the 22nd； had a very good time。〃
（Ten days was the usual time taken on these trips。 The drovers would start some hours； or perhaps a day； in advance of Mr。 Trueman。 He would go on horse…back； in knee breeches； and with the old fashioned saddle… bags。）
〃Sept。 28thStarted to Halifax with twenty…four cattle。
〃Oct。 2ndArrived at Halifax Sunday night。 Wm。〃 （his son） 〃taken sick with measles。 Monday； and Tuesday； very sick。 Wednesday； some better。 Thursday； walked the streets。 Friday； started for home。
〃Oct。 13thHigh winds； very high tides； marshes much flooded。
〃Sept。 14th； 1803Stephen Millage died of shock of palsy。 Mr。 Oliphant； Methodist minister； arrived this month at our house。
〃Nov。 12th； 1803Election at Dorchester。 Mr。 Knapp goes in without opposition。〃
These extracts from the journal will show the character of the record。
In March； 1804； there was a three days' snowstorm〃fell nigh two feet。〃 An attempt was made this year to aboideau the Aulac River； where it runs through the farm now owned by R。 T。 McLeod。
The Aulac at that time was one of the largest of the rivers emptying into the Cumberland Basin。 It was a great undertaking to dam its waters with an aboideau； and to make matters worse； the place chosen proved to have a quicksand bottom； which made it almost impossible to build a firm foundation。 For nearly four years they worked at this aboideau； and finally had to abandon it。 Dated Dec。 27th； 1808； there is this entry in the journal： 〃Working at the aboideau。 Storming in the morning。 Snow six inches deep。
〃Dec。 28thWorking at byto； very fine day。 The hole nigh filled up。〃
On March 20th； he writes： 〃Concluded to give up the Byto。〃 There is a reckless disregard of rules in spelling the word 〃aboideau；〃 but doubtless the pronunciation was as varied then as now。 Being obliged to let this work go must have been a great disappointment and a great loss as well。 It was not till 1829； more than twenty years after； that the aboideau； now known as the 〃Trueman Byto；〃 was built。
A night's experience during the building of the first aboideau was long remembered by the family at Prospect。 The following is the only reference made to it in the journal： 〃June 7th； 1804The sluice went adrift； was up to Nappan。〃 On the 9th： 〃Got back as far as Cumberland； wind favorable in coming back。〃
The sluice referred to is a large wooden box or waterway； which is placed near the centre of the aboideau and as near as possible in the bed of the river。 The great height of the tides； and the rapid current that runs up and down the stream twice in twenty…four hours； make it a most difficult operation to get one of these sluices bedded。 The sluice would be about fifty feet long； fifteen feet wide； and five or six feet deep。
The men were hard at work after the sluice had been got into its place； trying to make it secure with the weight of mud； but the tide coming too quick for them lifted it out of its bed。 Four of the Trueman boys sprang on the sluice as it floated down the river； in the hope of saving it in some way。 It proved； however； to be a most unmanageable craft； and they could do little to stay their course down the river； and in spite of every effort were carried out into the Basin。 Night came on and their only chance of safety was； if possible； to stick to the plank box in the hope that the currents might carry them to some point where they could get safely to shore。 Next day their unwieldy craft grounded near Nappan； and they at once landed and were hospitably entertained at a farm…house near by。 After getting supplies and sending word to Prospect of their safety； they again boarded their strange vessel and succeeded that day in getting back to the mouth of the river； and finally back to their starting point。
Mrs。 Trueman never wholly recovered from the nervous shock of that night。 There was little hope in the minds of any that the men would ever get safely to land。
Thirty years had passed since the family had left England。 The letter given below shows how warm an interest the friends there still had in them：
〃DEAR COUSIN；We received yours dated Jan。 15； but not till late in September； 1804； and we are glad to hear that you and your family are all in good health and enjoying prosperity in your affairs of life。 We had heard by your last letter of the death of your mother。 My kind husband died something more than six years since。 Your Aunt Sarah Bently died some time before my husband。 Your Aunt Mary Flintoft is yet alive and enjoys as good health as can be expected； her age considered。 Your Aunt Ann Trueman is yet alive and well as can be expected。 Your Cousin Harmon married and is doing very well。 He lives at Kelshaw； in the west of Yorkshire； and has a large family and keeps a public house。 Alice is married and lives at Woodhouse Croft and has only one son。 Ann and Sarah both live at Hornby and enjoy good health。 I and my eight children live yet at the old habitation； namely at Helmhouse； and enjoy a sufficiency of the necessaries of life。 Jane Chapman and Ann are both alive and enjoy as good health as most people at almost 80 years of age； and desire their kind love to you and your wife。 James Hewgill and wife do the same。 They never had any children。 The last summer's crop of corn was poorly laden； so that wheat is now from ten to fifteen shillings per bushel； and is like to be more； as war being carried on makes taxes very high； but still； thanks to a kind Providence； industrious people may yet live above want。 And soon shall all worldly calamities be over； and then if we are prepared for death we shall know woes and calamities no more。 Pray write again when opportunity serves。 〃I remain your very loving cousin； 〃ELINOR TRUEMAN。 〃Helmhouse； Billsdale。 〃March 7th； 1805。〃
The first marriage in the family at Prospect was in July； 1805。 The entry in the journal is： 〃Thomas and Mary were married by Rev。 Mr。 Perkins。〃 Mr。 Perkins was a minister of the Episcopal Church。
In 1806 I find this entry： 〃Mr。 Bamford preached in the Stone Church； and Mr。 Perkins administered the sacrament。〃 This must have been before the Methodist minister was allowed to administer the sacrament。
Mr。 Trueman was evidently mistaken in the name of Thomas's wife。 He calls her Mary。 Her name was Policene Gore； but as she was always called Polly； the mistake no doubt occurred in that way。
From a letter received from Rev。 Wm。 Black at this time； the following extract is taken：
〃I give you joy on the marriage of your son Thomas； and as I hear John is on the point of being married； too； I also wish you the same blessing on him。 It would afford me much joy to hear that all your children were made acquainted with the saving benefits of religion。 For parents to see their children well settled in this world and seeking the world to come must； I apprehend； be an unspeakable satisfaction。 Oh； let us pray more and advise them to turn to the Lord with all their hearts。 〃Please to remember me kindly to all the family。 I do feel a sincere regard for you all and wish to meet you in the Land of God。 〃Farewell； 〃From your unworthy friend； 〃WM。 BLACK。〃
Policene Gore's mother had a more than ordinarily eventful life。 Her grandson Edward writes：
〃My grandmother was born in the United States； then the New England colonies。 Her first husband was Captain Ward； their home was near the garrison on Grattan Heights。 Captain Ward arrived home from sea with his vessel the day before Arnold made his attack on the garrison； and； joining in the defence； was fatally shot。 Mrs。 Ward's next husband was my grandfather Gore； who was also a sea…captain。 Some years after they were married Captain Gore took his wife to Fort Lawrence； Nova Scotia； where they had friends； and her husband returned with his vessel to make another voyage； but was never heard from after。 It was supposed the vessel was lost with all on board。〃
After living some years in widowhood； Mrs。 Gore married a Mr。 Foster； a school…teacher。 They lived for a time in a house on the school lands in Jolicure。 The schoolmaster did not live long to enjoy his married life。 His successor was a Mr。 Trites； of Salisbury。 He only lived a few months after marriage。 Mrs。 Trites' fifth and last husband was a Mr。 Siddall； of Westmoreland Point。 After his death Mrs。 Siddall lived with her daughter； Mrs。 Trueman； where； in the words of her grandson； 〃she lived eighteen years； a happy old woman and a blessing in the family。〃 She was in her eighty…fourth year at the time of her death。
Mrs。 Siddall's house was the only one in the village not burned during the battle of Grattan's Heights。 It is still kept in repair； and called the Gore House。 Harmon； a grandson； visited the Heights a few years ago； and was present at the one…hundredth anniversary of the battle。 Recently a letter came into the possession of Edward Trueman； written by his great…grandmother to his grandmother。 Among other things； she writes： 〃I hear that you are married again； and that Policene is also married。 I have not heard either of yours husbands' names； do write； and let me know them。〃
Policene Gore was born in 1788； and Thomas Trueman in 1786； which would make them seventeen and nineteen years old when the marriage knot was tieda young couple to start out in life。
John married Nancy Palmer； September 12th； 1805； William married Jane Ripley； January 22nd； 1806； and Harmon； the first…born； married Cynthia Bent； June 8th； 1807。 The four eldest sons were married within the year and a half； and on April 14th； 1808； Sallie； the eldest daughter； entered the matrimonial haven。 This was thinning out the old home pretty fast。 The sons； however； all settled near Pr
