144 OVER ON THE ISLAND

John’s” that people even sailed to foggy Newfound- land, thinking that they were coming to the fertile St. John’s Island. Then, the direction of the wind on the broad Atlantic decided the destinies of countless numbers.

There were still other deciding factors. Marryatt, the novelist, explains how some Irish settlers happened to land here. One particular ship at sea overtook an Irish boat loaded with seventeen families for settlement in the United States. This event gave the captain an idea. He had inherited from an ancestor twenty thousand acres in the Island of St. John, and had never received any rent from this district—simply because he had no settlers there. This cargo was exactly what he wanted—settlers! He proposed to the immigrants that, instead of settling in rebel territory, they should settle on his good British estate in Prince Edward Island. The proposal was accepted by the immigrants, as they saw no chance of reaching their predetermined destination anyway. The boat changed its course, and was soon sailing through the Strait of Canso en route to Prince Edward Island. And now Frank Mildmay, the sailor diarist, tells the story—a generally typical one of first arrivals.

We anchored in a small harbour near the estate, on which we found a man residing with his wife and family. This fellow called himself the steward, and from all I could see of him during our three weeks’ stay, he appeared to me to be rascal enough for the steward- ship of any nobleman’s estate in England. The Captain landed and took me as his aide-de—camp. A bed was prepared for his lordship in the steward’s house, but he preferred hearing others to talking himself; and whoever was his companion he must always be at the expense of the conversation.