Source: Journal of Rev. John Mitchel, 1800-04, Public Archives
of Nova Scotia microfilm reel 10910.
Mitchel was a Presbyterian minister who made a tour of the Maritimes
and later settled in Nova Scotia. He rarely delineated sentences with puncuation
or capital letters, which makes the text difficult to read. Therefore,
I have taken the liberty of adding slashes, /, to separate apparent sentences,
and commas to separate clauses where deemed appropriate. However, the spelling,
capitalization, and use of superscript text has not been changed from the
original. As well, all of the dashes, - , and one of the commas (as marked)
appeared in the original and were not added by me. Boldfacing has been
added for convenience.
It should noted in particular that there are several occurrences of “Macaquada^vick” and “Macaquadv^ick”. In the original document, it was written “Macaquada(v)” in normal handwriting and then “(v)ick” was inserted above in smaller letters.
Words in square brackets with question marks, eg [godhings?], are my best guess at illegible words. A single question mark in brackets, [?], indicates a completely illegible word for which I couldn’t even make a guess. Words in square brackets, [ ], without questions marks are either words that obviously should be there but were omitted, or are comments that I have added. I have used “[sic]” sparingly.
Places Visted:
Craig Walsh, 4 February 2000
“ August 15 [1804] After traviling three Miles arrived at the City of St John’s where I spent most of the Day seeking a Vessel to carry me to Passamaquaddy / there are a great number of Inhabitants in this City but only two Ministers, a Church man and Methodist, and from short I could learn that vital [godhings?] is a great rarity in this place / there is little zeal for the propogation of the glorious gospel of the Redeemer to be discovered among rich or poor and the religion that is the cheapest is considered the best
August 16 Sailed in a Fishing boat for Campo - Bello - after Sailing about five hours the wind changed and we were oblidged to to [sic] put about and come back to the harbour / the next day the wind coming fair we sailed in the morning and on Saturday morning arrived at our port Campo-Bello, a British Island nigh the continent of America and about Eighty Miles from the City of St Johns / after breakfast I got two Boys to take me in a boat to Moose Island belonging to the Americans / here I spent about three hours looking for a boat to convey me to Letong, about 14 Miles from the Island, that I might get to Macaquadav^ick River where I purposed, God willing, to Preach, the next day being the Lords day
Lords Day August 19 Traviled eight Miles through the woods to Macaquada^vick River shore / I preached to about fifty hearers - all very attentive and some apparently greatly affected / in the evening sailed in a boat up the River about six Miles and called upon a Colonol Mackay, a Scotch Gentleman who appears to be a well-wisher to the cause and the good of immortal Souls
August 20th Preached to about forty people who all appeared to be much affected and spent the rest of the week with the Colonol visiting the Inhabitants on the River / they in general appeared to be conscerned [sic] about the one thing needful and I hope the Lord has begun a good work in the Souls of many of them which he will carry on his own time and way
Lords Day August 26th After Sailing down the River about 8 Miles Preached [?] had about three or four hundred hearers and more attentive auditory I never saw while tears were flowing in aboundance [sic] from the eyes of many / I hope this days work was productive of much good to the Souls of many / when I parted with them numbers of them could not speak for weeking [sic] / After preaching sailed with the Colonol eight miles in a boat to Masqureen [“Maskerene” is written above in different handwriting] where I preached on the Monday, [original comma] but as it rained hard and the people being scattred my auditory was smal [sic]
August 28th The Colonol and I left Masqureen on the evening and the next day traviled eight Miles through the woods to Digedeguash River, the next settlement to Macaquadv^ick, where we spent most of the week visiting the Inhabitants and on the Lords Day preached [?] had about 300 hearers who appeared to be as much affected under the word as the people at Macaquadav^ick / A minister settled in Macadavi would have upwards of 100 families within a few miles of him / the Inhabitants in general are scotch and Americans / they are able to support a Minister and are desirous of having one
Sept 2d Rode about eight Miles with a guide through the woods to Bukabek / the next day preached in the morning / had about 40 hearers / in the afternoon traviled nine Miles with a guide through the woods to the Upper settlement of St Andrews and on the next day preached / had about thirty hearers
Sept 5th Traviled 15 Miles through the woods to the Parish of St Davids / on the next day Preached / had about fifty hearers and on Saturday traviled back to the upper Settlement of St Andrews as I had promised to preach there on the Lords Day
Lords Day Sept 9th Preached [?] had I suppose about two or three hundred hearers / A number of them came from the Town which is about six Miles from this place and baptised nine Children / I had an invitation to preach in the Town but as there was a boat going from here to Passamaquoddy I intended to embrace the opportunity, as the little money I had was about spent, which oblidged me to decline going to the Town and return on my way to cumberland
Sept 10th As it was a heavy storm of wind and Rain our boat did not Sail / therefor [sic] I preached in the evening and baptised one Child / had about thirty hearers, all very attentive and apparently much affected
Sept 11th On account of the wind and rain our boat could not Sail and by the earnest schertation [This appears to be a corruption of “exhortation”] of the people I preached in the afternoon and baptised 5 Children and one young woman which gave me a peculiar opportunity of speeking [sic] to the young people that were hearing me / had about 50 hearers / after I pronounced the blessing both old and young sat down and wept under a deep concern about the Salvation of their Souls / after we had [been] sitting some considerable time two young women who were Sisters came to me with the Tears running down their Cheeks and told [me] they had a desire out of love to their dear Saviour to be baptised, and were willing this evening in a publick manner to dedicate themselves to the Lord / after conversation with them about a quarter of an hour I promised to Preach and baptise them in the evening, so the people dismissed and all returned after the Sun was Set and a more solemn night and Liberty in speaking I never before experienced, and a more serious and affected auditory I never saw / I hope the divine impressions made upon the hearts of many this evening will never be forgotting [sic] by them - If a Minister was settled in this place he would have a large field to labour in / the people have a great desire for a Minister and are able to support one / the greatest number of them are from Scotland / if a Minister was Settled here and another at Macaquada^vick River they would only be about 40 Miles distant, a short space in this country
Sept 12th Left this place in the morning and after rowing about 15 Miles landed upon Moose Island, belonging to the Americans and almost joining the continent / they have a new bapt Minister here but he was not at home when I was there / the people strongly pressed upon me to preach but as I was informed there was a Schooner at Campo-Bello waiting for a fair wind to go to Cumberland I immeadilly [sic] got a boat and went there where I waited part of four Days on account of the wind before we sailed, but here I had no opportunity to preach
Sept 17th Sailed from Campo-Bello for London derry in Nova Scotia a distance cross the Bay of Fundy about 100 Miles and arrived there the 19th / after traviling four Miles called upon the Rev Mr Brown, Presbeterian [sic] Minister, to see if any of the Ministers in there [sic] Presbetary could spare time this fall to visit the people at St Andrews / he told me there Presbetary would soon meet and he would make it knowing to them . . .”
[Nothing else is said about Charlotte County. The remainder of the journal records Mitchel’s further travels in Nova Scotia.]
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