the chignecto isthmus and its first settlers-第16章

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been　poorly；　but　are　much　better。　We　received　a　letter　from　you　last　November；　which　gave　a　great　deal　of　satisfaction　of　mind　on　your　account；　because　we　had　been　informed　that　you　had　nowhere　to　settle　in；　but　as　you　have　given　us　a　particular　account　concerning　your　situation　and　how　you　were　settled　and　that　you　liked　Nova　Scotia　and　was　all　in　good　health　of　body　it　was　much　to　our　satisfaction；　and　I　hope　you　will　let　us　hear　more　particularly　from　you　how　your　chattle　and　corn　answers　thee；　and　how　and　what　product　your　ground　doth　bring　forth；　and　what　sort　of　grains　your　ground　answers　best　for；　and　what　chattle　you　keep；　and　what　you　can　make　of　your　chattle　and　how　much　milk　your　cows　give　and　what　is　the　most　profitable　things　you　have。　〃Now；　dear　brother；　let　me　know　the　truth　and　nothing　but　the　truth　when　you　write。　〃I　desire　that　you　would　let　me　hear　from　you　at　any　opportunity　whenever　it　suits　your　convenience　for　I　think　we　shall　never　have　the　opportunity　to　see　each　other's　face　any　more　here　below；　but　I　desire　to　hear　from　thee　and　I　hope　thee　will　do　the　same　by　me　as　long　as　our　lives　shall　be　on　this　side　eternity。　〃Farewell；　I　conclude　with　my　love。　Sarah　Bently　and　John　Bakers　are　in　good　health　and　send　love　to　you　all。〃

The　following　extract　from　another　letter　received　at　Prospect　about　the　same　time；　will　be　interesting　to　some：

〃SNILLSWORTH；　Feb。　19th；　1776。　〃DEAR　BROTHER　AND　SISTER　AND　NEVY；　〃These　are　salutations　of　love　to　you　all；　expecting　they　may　find　you　in　good　health　as　they　leave　us　at　present。　〃We　received　your　letter　November　last　and　was　glad　to　hear　from　you；　but　more　especially　that　you　were　all　in　good　health　of　body　and　that　you　like　'Nove'　（Nova　Scotia）　very　well　because　we　have　had　many　slight　accounts　that　you　were　in　a　very　poor　situation；　but　heard　nothing　to　our　satisfaction；　and　that　you　would　have　returned　back　to　Old　England　but　had　nothing　to　pay　your　passage　with；　which　gave　us　both　me　and　my　wife　a　great　deal　of　distraction　of　mind。　So　we　consulted　with　sister　Sarah　Bently　and　more　of　our　friends　that　we　would　raise　money　to　pay　your　passage　to　Old　England；　but　dear　brother　and　sister；　as　we　have　had　a　few　lines　from　your　own　hand　that　you　like　the　country　well；　so　it　has　put　and　end　to　that　consultation。〃

It　would　be　difficult　to　answer　at　once　some　of　the　questions　asked　in　these　letters。　They　had　only　arrived　in　America　the　previous　summer；　and　unless　thy　purchased　cows　on　their　arrival；　they　could　not　at　this　date　have　had　much　experience　in　dairying；　and　it　would　be　the　same　with　grain。　There　is　a　tradition　that　the　stock；　ten　cows　and　a　number　of　other　cattle；　were　purchased　with　the　Scurr　farm；　but　this　farm　was　not　bought　until　some　years　after。　The　Truemans　probably　followed　the　course　taken　by　many　of　the　first　settlers　at　that　time；　which　was　to　lease　a　farm　for　a　term　of　years；　in　that　way　gaining　experience　in　the　country　before　finally　purchasing　land　themselves。　After　the　family　had　been　two　years　in　the　country；　William　Trueman；　jun。；　married　Elizabeth　Keillor；　a　daughter　of　Thomas　Keillor；　of　Cumberland　Point；　or　No。　1；　now　called　Fowler's　Hill。　The　Keillors　came　from　Skelton；　Yorkshire；　to　Nova　Scotia　in　1774；　and　settled　on　the　farm　at　present　occupied　by　a　great…great…grandson；　Charles　Fowler。

It　was　near　the　date　of　this　marriage　that　the　Eddy　rebels　were　terrorizing　the　settlers　around　Fort　Cumberland；　and　shortly　after　the　event　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Trueman　went　to　Mr。　Keillor's　to　spend　the　Sabbath。　During　the　day　the　house　was　surrounded　by　the　rebels；　and　the　inmates　kept　prisoners　until　the　next　day；　when　the　rebels　dispersed；　and　the　young　couple　made　their　way　home　as　quickly　as　possible；　to　relieve　the　anxiety　at　Prospect。

The　Keillors　and　Truemans　had　been　friends　in　England；　and　were　related　in　some　degree。　Elizabeth　Keillor　was　but　nineteen　when　she　consented　to　take　charge　of　a　home　of　her　own；　and；　as　subsequent　years　proved；　well　did　she　discharge　the　duties　that　devolved　upon　her　in　that　relationship。　Though　below　medium　size；　she　had　a　nervous　force　and　will…power　that　enabled　her　to　accomplish　more　than　many　of　stronger　build。　It　is　told　of　her　that　on　a　Sabbath；　when　the　family　were　all　at　church；　she　noticed　something　wrong　with　the　cattle；　and　on　going　to　see　what　caused　the　trouble；　she　found　a　cow　so　badly　injured　by　some　of　the　larger　animals；　that　to　make　the　carcass　of　any　value　it　would　have　to　be　slaughtered　at　once。　Mrs。　Trueman　went　to　the　house；　got　the　butcher…knife；　and　bled　the　cow　to　death。

Nervous　force；　like　any　other　force　in　man　or　woman；　has　its　limit；　and　if　used　too　fast　it　will　not　be　there　when　wanted　in　old　age。　Mrs。　Trueman　did　not　live　to　be　very　old；　and　her　last　years　were　full　of　suffering。　Overtaxed　nature　had　given　way；　and　the　penalty　had　to　be　paid。

The　family　never　separated；　but　all　moved　into　the　house　on　the　Scurr　farm；　and　began　in　earnest　to　face　the　battle　of　life　in　the　New　World。

Halifax　was　at　that　time　the　market　for　butter　and　beef；　so　after　the　wants　of　the　settlers　and　the　commissariat　at　Fort　Cumberland　had　been　supplied；　such　produce　as　could　be　sent　by　schooners　to　Halifax　was　forwarded　in　that　way；　and　the　cattle；　for　beef；　were　driven　overland　a　long　and　tedious　journey。

Mills　for　sawing　lumber　or　making　flour　were　scarce。　The　stones　are　yet　to　be　seen　in　Sackville　with　which　grain　was　ground　by　hand…power。

The　Truemans　soon　began　to　experiment　in　mill　building。　Their　first　venture　was　a　mill　driven　by　horse…power。　A　windmill　followed；　and　was　located　on　the　high　ground　at　the　corner　where　the　Point　de　Bute　road　turns　at　right　angles；　leading　to　Jolicure。　This　must　have　been　an　ideal　spot　for　such　a　structure。　There　is　no　record　of　how　long　this　mill　stood；　but　it　could　not　have　been　long。

There　was　a　good　stream　on　the　farm　for　a　water…mill；　but　it　was　not　utilized　for　this　purpose　for　some　years；　probably　for　the　want　of　means。　Their　first　work　in　this　line　was　the　building　of　a　small　mill　on　the　brook　that　formed　the　ravine　at　the　south…west　side　of　the　farm。　A　dam　was　thrown　across　the　stream　at　the　head　of　the　ravine；　and　the　water　carried　in　a　flume　some　distance　farther　down　the　brook；　the　great　fall　of　water　enabling　them　to　use　a　large　over…shot　water…wheel。　It　is　only　quite　recently　that　the　main　shaft　of　the　wheel　has　disappeared。

A　long　dam　was　built　across　the　stream　that　leads　to　what　is　now　called　the　Upper　Mill；　for　the　purpose　of　turning　the　water　to　the　new　mill；　and　also　forming　a　reserve　pond。　This　dam　can　be　plainly　seen　at　the　present　time；　although　covered　with　quite　a　growth　of　timber。　The　mill　in　the　ravine　did　not　stand　long　either；　and　the　next　move　was　to　dam　the　water　on　the　main　brook；　now　called　the　Trueman　Mill　Stream；　and　put　up　a　large　and　substantial　grist…mill；　that　proved　a　great　convenience　to　the　whole　country　for　many　years。

Beside　this　large　expenditure　in　mills；　most　of　which　was　made　in　the　lifetime　of　the　senior　William；　there　was　a　large　outlay　made　for　dyking　and　aboideau　building。　Piece　by　piece　the　marsh　was　being　reclaimed　from　the　tide　and　made　to　yield　its　wealth　of　hay　and　pasture　for　the　support　of　flocks　and　herds。

I　find　a　record　showing　there　were　seventeen　cows　on　the　farm　in　1790；　and　for　the　benefit　of　some　of　the　members　of　the　younger　generation　who　live　on　farms；　here　are　their　names：　Cerloo；　Red…heifer；　Spotty；　Debro；　Beauty；　Madge；　Lucy；　Daisy；　White…face；　Mousie；　Dun；　Rose；　Lady　Cherry；　Black…eye；　Spunk　and　Roan。

The　following　letter；　received　at　Prospect　in　1789；　tells　of　a　more　cheerful　spirit　in　business　in　England；　but　shows　that　they　had　floods　and　troubles　of　that　kind　then　as　now：

〃HELM　HOUSE　BILSDALE；　Augt。　ye　15th；　1789。　〃DEAR　COUSINS；　〃I　received　two　letters　from　you　in　the　course　of　the　last　year；　and　am　exceeding　glad　to　hear　from　you　and　that　you　do　well　and　are　well；　and　tho　I　have　long　delayed　writing　yet　it　is　not　want　of　respect；　but　it　was　long　before　I　could　have　any　certain　inteligence　from　Mr。　Swinburn；　So　I　now　take　the　oppertunity　to　let　you　know　how　I　and　my　Sisters　are　situate。　I　married　Helling　the　daughter　of　Richard　Barr；　by　whom　I　have　had　3　boys　a