ries (rather a
chance crop); but they looked happy and comfortable, and went singing
merrily to the ringing of their horse bells. The French were the
pioneers of the province, and often had to do battle with the Indians,
the ancient possessors of the soil: of these last there now remains but
a fast-fading remnant--objects more of pity or laughter than of dread.
Of the other original settlers, or, as they are particularly termed,
"blue noses," they are composed of the refugees and their descendants,
being those persons who, at the separation of England from America,
prefering the British government, sought her protection and came,
another band of pilgrims, and swore fealty to that land from whence
their fathers had so indignantly fled--they are certainly a most
indescribable genus those blue noses--the traces of descent from the
Dutch and French blood of the United States, being mingled with the
independent spirit of the American and the staunch firmness of the
"Britisher," as they delight to call themselves, showing their claim to
it by the most determined hatred of the Yankees, whose language and
features they yet retain: yet these differing qualities blend to form a
shrewd, intelligent, active, and handsome people--intelligence and
strong sense, to a far greater amount than could be found in persons of
the same class in England. A trace, albeit a faint one of the Saxon
serf, still lingers with the English peasant; but the free breeze of
America soon sweeps the shadows from his brow, and his sons all, proudly
take their place as men, knowing that by their own conduct and talents
they may work their way to fortune, or, at least, "rough hew" it,
without dread that the might of custom's icy breath can blight their
fate for lack of birth or fortune. This gives a noble feeling to the
heart and a higher tone to the character, although a sense of the
ridiculous is often attached to this by a native of the old countries,
when it is shown forth by the "squire" yoking his oxen, a major selling
turkies, and the member for the county cradling buckwheat. Yet all this
is productive of good, and opens a path for intellect and genius, and
when a colonel and member of the Legislative Council eats _pancakes and
molasses_ in a friendly way with his poorer neighbours, is it not likely
(as the Persian fable tells us of the pebble lying near the rose, and
thereby imbibing some of its fragrance) that some of the graces and
politeness of the h