Page 58 - The Great Famine in Cape Breton, 1845-51

ISSUE : Issue 58

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1991/8/1

Leod saw the blight as a holy retribution for his neighbours' "unthrifti- ness, and offensive indolence; who can well feed and flutter, dress and dandle, and carelessly chafe away with toddy and tobacco." This disparaging view of the Scots in Cape Breton was contradicted Dave's Cycle Sales PHAZER The #1 selling snow Ijnobile in the worldj 455 GRAND LAKE RD., SYDNEY 562-4343 - . Yamaha YAMAHA is your #1 choice Wemakethedjfference. for 4-wheel drive. by numerous descriptions, but none more simply eloquent than the plea for assistance, from a group at Mira who wrote: "Your petitioners in the Country which gave many of them birth [Scotland] were taught to prefer industry with Poverty rather than idleness with luxury at the cost of others." Only extreme want brought them to the "humiliating circumstances" of asking for assistance. Petitioners were commonly willing to repay for help, as the sixty families at East Lake Ainslie, who were willing to go on bond to settle for any seed or provisions, or the settlers in the Loch Lomond- Red Islands region, who promised to perform their own la? bour, if money were forthcoming for a bridge, so that they could bring oats to a mill across the otherwise impassable Grand River. At Mira too, they asked for aid in erecting an oat mill, rather than requesting handouts. The immediate dissemination of food was essential in such an emergency. Early in 1846, the House of Assembly passed a resolution allowing the lieutenant-governor to allocate ??3667, largely from road money, toward the purchase of food for all of Nova Scotia. It was decided that commissioners would be appointed in each county to take charge of the dis- Come for the summer, stay for the fall colours • you are welcome to VICTORIA COUNTY Make Victoria County the centre of your stay in Cape Breton. Hiking, swimming and golfing, motels or camping, music and dance, museums and craftspeople • Victoria County is a world to explore. And it's an excellent base from which to reach all other parts of the Island. SUMMER OF 1991 Field of Dreams Festival Valley of Big Baddeck JULY 27 & 28 Highland Village Day lona AUGUST 4 Nova Scotia Gaelic Mod Gaelic College, St. Ann's AUGUST 5 to 11 Regatta Week Bras d'Or Yacht Club, Baddeck AUGUST 4 to 10 Centre Bras d'Or Festival of the Arts Baddeck JULY 13 to AUGUST 17 "CIAD MILE FAILTE" One Hundred Thousand Welcomes VICTORIA COUNTY The Warden, Councillors, and Residents Take time to meet the people of Victoria County. Victoria County Is a Year 'Round Joy! Whether it's a Summer sailing regatta, Winter Alpine and cross-country skiing, or driving and hiking through the Autumn • we invite you to join us, and ... Enjoy Victoria County • We Do!

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