Travels in Nova Scotia in the Year 1913

In Short

Charles Gilbert Hine’s travelogue records a two-week walking and coaching excursion taken in October 1913 along the Atlantic coastline of western Nova Scotia, stretching from Yarmouth to Halifax and ending in the Evangeline country. Blending personal encounters with local townspeople, historical anecdotes of privateers and early explorers, and observations of resilient coastal communities, the book captures a quieter, vanished era of travel. It has endured through its charmingly candid tone, precise local color, and affectionate preservation of maritime folklore.

The Story

The journey begins in mid-October 1913 as the traveler departs Boston aboard the steamship Governor Cobb, heading straight into persistent autumn rain. Arriving in Yarmouth and taking the train to Argyle, the expedition sets off entirely on foot through damp, atmospheric highways toward Pubnico. Along the early route, the narrative explores the heritage of the French Shore, noting how distinct nationalities like the French, Germans, and Scotch preserve their separate identities across generations.

Continuing eastward, the traveler passes through Barrington, pausing to examine an authentic 1765 meeting house saved from destruction by local pride. The trail then leads into Shelburne, tracing its dramatic rise from a massive influx of loyalist refugees in 1783 to its subsequent contraction into a sleepy, weathered port town defined by wooden shipyards.

Moving further along the rocky coast, the route winds through East Jordan, where oxen serve as the primary heavy haulers, and onward to Lockport. Here, the narrative dwells on the local cod flakes used for drying fish and recounts the spirited historical tale of local women and children who successfully scared off a hostile ship during the War of 1812 using broomsticks and red coats.

As the traveler reaches Liverpool and Port Medway, the historical focus shifts to the exploits of eighteenth-century privateers, smuggling escapades, and the colorful local characters who offer hearty hospitality at modest village inns. Wandering through Petite Riviere and Lunenburg, the journey incorporates local ghost lore, tales of treasure hunting, and encounters with boatmen on Mahone Bay, where the tragic history of the privateer Young Teaser is remembered.

The final leg of the trip transitions by rail into the Evangeline country around Wolfville and Grand-Pré. Guided by local historians and descendants, the narrative explores the poignant remnants of early Acadian settlements, surviving dikes on the salt marshes, ancient willow trees, and the memorial grounds that preserve the tragic expulsion of 1755, before the excursion concludes its deliberate circuit.

How It Unfolds

• The voyage begins — Setting out from Boston on a rainy October afternoon, the traveler crosses the gulf on the Governor Cobb to reach the starting point of Yarmouth.
• Walking the French Shore — Alighting at Argyle in heavy mist, the trek proceeds on foot toward Pubnico, observing the enduring cultural traditions of early Acadian descendants.
• Relics of Shelburne — Passing through Barrington and Shelburne, the narrative contrasts the grand arrival of thousands of loyalists in 1783 with the quiet, picturesque shipyards of the present day.
• The cod-drying coast — Exploring the fishing headquarters of Lockport and the scenic shores of Jordan Bay, the route reveals an unmercenary community rooted in maritime labor and local legends.
• Privateers of Liverpool — Pausing in Port Medway and Liverpool, the traveler uncovers tales of bold privateering ventures, smuggling crackdowns, and spirited local defense against invaders.
• Islands of Mahone Bay — Drifting across calm waters with talkative boatmen, the journey visits Lunenburg's steep hillside wharves and the haunting waters associated with the destroyed privateer Young Teaser.
• The Evangeline country — A morning train carries the traveler into Wolfville and Grand-Pré, where historic dikes, ancient willow trees, and the poignant history of the Acadian expulsion bring the journey to a close.

The People

• Charles Gilbert Hine — The traveler and narrator, who seeks an escape from brick and stone by placing one foot before the other. He wants an authentic, unhurried immersion in coastal life, letting stubborn rain and friendly strangers redirect his path until he finishes his circuit with quiet satisfaction.
• Mrs. Munroe — The busy mistress of an East Jordan home who manages thirteen dependents while cooking provisions for men cutting pulpwood in the woods. She represents the hardworking domestic backbone of the coast.
• Norma — The eldest daughter of the Munroe family, who broke away from limited local opportunities to train as a nurse in Boston, earning twenty-five dollars a week through sheer determination.
• S. E. Mack — A friendly local official in Lunenburg who unhesitatingly abandons his personal plans to help the traveler understand local history, stepping in to manage customs duties while guiding the visitor through the steep, harbor-view streets.
• James Manuel — A garrulous ferryman on the western shore who rows visitors across calm waters while cheerfully sharing local gossip, handling everything from pig slaughtering to deep-sea fishing.
• John Frederick Herbin — The sole remaining Acadian descendant living in the Grand-Pré locality, who has dedicated himself to studying the expulsion and maintaining the historical accuracy of the region's tragic past.

In Its Own Voice

A wind’s in the heart of me, a fire’s in my heels, I am tired of brick and stone and rumbling wagon wheels; I hunger for the sea’s edge, the limits of the land, Where the wild old Atlantic is shouting on the sand.

The book opens with these verses by Masefield, capturing the author's initial hunger for the open sea and untamed coastlines.

The various nationalities do not mix and disappear in this land as with us. While all speak the English language the French are still French; the Germans, German and the Scotch, Scotch.

Observing the social fabric of Pubnico, the traveler notes how distinct ancestral groups preserve their cultural identities across multiple generations.

My heart went smash immediately, torn between the two, even if one was married.

The traveler expresses lighthearted admiration for the warm, welcoming hospitality of two bright young women running a local kitchen in Port Medway.

What It's Really About

The book explores the tension between modern industrial life and the enduring, unhurried rhythm of maritime settlements. It examines how geography shapes character, suggesting that isolated coastal environments foster a friendly, unmercenary spirit among people who live close to the water. Beneath the physical details of the walk lie broader questions of historical memory: how communities inherit the legacy of past conflicts, expulsions, and migrations, and how oral traditions, legends, and old churches keep the spirit of early pioneers alive in a rapidly changing world.

Why Read It Today

Readers who love unhurried travel writing, local history, and maritime atmospheres will find immense charm in these pages. Reading it feels like taking a slow, reflective walk down damp coastal roads in the company of an observant, witty companion who notices everything from the tilt of an old willow tree to the quiet dignity of an ox cart. Hine is refreshingly honest about the realities of his trip—uncooperative weather that turns raincoats into sieves, occasional periods of subpar hotel service, and the heavy isolation of rural living. Yet these very difficulties ground the narrative in authenticity. Shelburne's decline, the quiet persistence of fishing villages, and the deep echoes of Acadian history stay with the reader long after the book is closed. What is it about remote coastal regions that makes modern visitors so eager to leave behind the rumbling wagon wheels of the city?