Pollard, James B. (1898) Historical Sketch of Prince Edward Island: Military and Civil. John Coombs, Charlottetown. P. E. I.

Nostalgia, rather than reminiscence, underlies this description by one James B. Pollard of the forests that once occupied the site of Charlottetown before forest clearance. Using as his starting point the historical fact that the site of Charlottetown was cleared of its forest in 7768 — for which the actual surviving record is brief and prosaic {see Franck/in 1768), the description below, in a flowery literary style, is Pollard ’s attempt to evoke the primordial appearance of the site for a local readership. In terms of its forest description it is of no historical value, its description of the ’virgin forest’ being an imaginative reconstruction derived more from literary convention than even from observation of the surviving forests of the island. All that / know of James B. Pollard is what is on the title- page of his book: he was an ’ex-ma/or of volunteers and militia’ — presumably the Prince Edward Island militia.

REFERENCE: Anon. (1864) Hutchinson ’3 Prince Edward Island Directory 7864. Appendix: p. 3.

The clearance of Here through a dense forest, interspersed with tracts of swamp, thirteen miles of

Char/Ottemwn- broad streets had to be opened. Thus amidst the falling of the forest’s growth, hacking of timber, and cheerful shout of the woodman, the capital of the little Isle [i.e. Charlottetown] was founded [in 1768].

The ’virgin This virgin forest, as Indeed was the whole Island, comprised of evergreen fir trees,

fangs“ mingled with the verdant foliage of the oak, beech, birch, maple, ash and poplar, while the majestic pine and hemlock spread their branches over an undergrowth of The trees. hazel, elder, aspen, juniper, cedar and thick tangled brambles, and beneath their shady branches coveys of partridge, wild pidgeon, cranes, crows, hawks and owls Forest birds. and many other kind of the feathered creation found a cool retreat from the scorching

rays of the summer’s sun; whilst other animals common to this woodland, such as the fierce wild cat, savage bear, and cunning fox had place of refuge amongst the underwood and thicket, where prowling in savage freedom, disturbed by no rustling of leaves or cracking of boughs, stealthily approached some unsuspecting victim, when with a fatal bound would overcome and destroy whatever it might be. Here from tree to tree, gay little squirrels were leaping, and bonny rabbits browsing at their leasure, while minks and musk-rats swarmed the creeks and streams, burrowing deep in their banks for places of safe retreat. In various places the ground was richly clothed in sarsaparilla, mountain-shrub, maiden-hair, whortleberries, raspberries cranberries, blueberries and strawberries, whilst to the gentle breeze the rank thistle nodded its crimson head. Intervening were tracts of marsh and bog land, overgrown with plants, moss and wild flowers, the secret homes of creeping reptiles and leaping frogs. Here as evening drew her mantle over the uninhabited forest, followed by the delightful balmy nights laden with fragrant perfume, could be heard warbling, fairy—like notes, loud and shrill, while thousands of unseen songsters joined in the chorus sounding the joyous refrain "all is well." Here also the firevfly's red flash light in quick glancing splendor, sent dazzling rays in gush of light, to illuminate the scene.

Forest animals.

Ground plan ts.

Such was the state of this wilderness when first the wood-man’s axe hewed down the majestic pine and the graceful poplar from their towering heights, and no outstretched hand was there to save, nor plaintive voice to sing, ”Oh woodman spare that tree.” Again and again, while traversing the streets and squares of the city, I repeat this sentence to myself. Not a memorial remains to show where they spread their wide extended roots, or lifted their lofty heads.

The feathered songsters have long since found other groves wherein to build their little dwellings and sing their wood-note songs, and the wild animals having been driven to other sections and far off districts by the onward march of civilization;

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