Header image - Winter Landscape, Laval by Cornelius Krieghoff (1862) François-Claude-Victor Grillot de Poilly (or Monsieur de Poilly for short) was an Engineer in the French army who served at Louisbourg from 1755 to 1758. In February 1757, when the rivers and lakes had finally frozen over and travel on foot was now possible, he … Continue reading Monsieur de Poilly’s 1757 Winter Tour of Cape Breton Island – Part 1
Year: 2022
The Wrong “Caledonia”: the Origins of a Traditional Cape Breton Song and How It Was Popularized in the U.K.
Header image - A view of the steamer SS Marion in Sydney, ca. 1900. Beaton Institute - reference number: 77-584-718. The first time I heard the song "When I First Went to Caledonia" (the traditional Cape Breton song alluded to in the title of this article), I was listening to the group Open The Door … Continue reading The Wrong “Caledonia”: the Origins of a Traditional Cape Breton Song and How It Was Popularized in the U.K.
Podcast Episode 04 – Explorers La Pérouse and Cook Converge on Cape Breton, 1758
In the age of Pacific exploration, two men spearheaded expeditions to parts of globe previously uncharted by Europeans - Jean François de La Pérouse and James Cook. Although La Pérouse and Cook would never meet, both men would converge on Cape Breton Island in the year 1758, near the beginning of their careers. This episode … Continue reading Podcast Episode 04 – Explorers La Pérouse and Cook Converge on Cape Breton, 1758
Updates to the Podcast
We're excited to announce that you will now be able to listen to the Lost World of Cape Breton Island Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast and Anchor. The Lost World of Cape Breton Island Podcast is a semi-regular production based on the articles published on this blog. From time to time we come … Continue reading Updates to the Podcast
The Lost Settlements of 19th Century Cape Breton – the Old French Road, Clarke’s Road and Pollett’s Cove
Figure 1.1 - Cape Breton Island in 1831. By this time, Scottish immigration has been ongoing for more than two decades, and the island's communities and the roads that link them begin to look familiar to the modern eye. For the full size image from Archives Nova Scotia, click here. Drawn by John L. Johnston. … Continue reading The Lost Settlements of 19th Century Cape Breton – the Old French Road, Clarke’s Road and Pollett’s Cove
D’où vient la Complainte de Louisbourg ? — Acadiensis
In the articles "Voices Long Gone: Chéticamp's "La Complainte de Louisbourg" - part 1 & 2" published here on The Lost World of Cape Breton Island, we analyzed the origins and historicity of a traditional Acadian ballad known as "La Complainte de Louisbourg," known particularly to the Acadian people of the region of Chéticamp, Nova … Continue reading D’où vient la Complainte de Louisbourg ? — Acadiensis
Express Delivery to Versailles – Four Plumed Partridges, a Moose and a Squirrel named ‘Bonne’
The Count de Raymond was the most eccentric governor that the colony of Île Royale, present-day Cape Breton Island, had ever known. Many people that served under him thought he was delusional, and not without reason. Says historian T.A. Crowley: "Raymond was the most flamboyant governor of a Canadian colony between Frontenac and Lord Durham. With … Continue reading Express Delivery to Versailles – Four Plumed Partridges, a Moose and a Squirrel named ‘Bonne’
The Lost Settlements of 18th Century Cape Breton – St. Esprit, Allemands, Rouillé and Espagnole
Figure 1.1 - Map of Isle Royale, 1749 by Robert de Vaugondy. This map of Cape Breton Island is recognizable to us today, but a closer look helps us to appreciate just how different Île Royale was from the Cape Breton Island that emerged during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Certain French place … Continue reading The Lost Settlements of 18th Century Cape Breton – St. Esprit, Allemands, Rouillé and Espagnole
“When First I Came to Caledonia”
A bit out of the ordinary for The Lost World of Cape Breton Island, but today we're sharing a traditional song popularized by English folk-singer Norma Waterson entitled "When First I Came to Caledonia". The "Caledonia" alluded to in the song's title is not Scotland but, believe it or not, the Caledonia neighbourhood in the … Continue reading “When First I Came to Caledonia”
Podcast Episode 02c – Helen Creighton and the Mystery of “Louisbourg’s Lament”
Note - Since the publishing of this podcast, historian Éva Guillorel from the University of Rennes in France has done significant research into the origins of “La Complainte de Louisbourg.” She has uncovered evidence that this Acadian folksong is based on an older French song written about one of the sieges of Philippsburg. Her findings … Continue reading Podcast Episode 02c – Helen Creighton and the Mystery of “Louisbourg’s Lament”
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