GollyGeeGosh: Nova Scotia

Wednesday, 15 August 2012

Nova Scotia - Port Royal

Port-Royal was the name given to the French colony founded in 1605, near Annapolis Royal in Nova Scotia, Canada. The male colonists traded furs with the Mi'kmaq peoples. It was inhabited until the British raided and burned it down when the colonists happened to be away. The colonists spent the winter with the Mi'kmaq until a French ship picked them up the next year. It was never reestablished in the same spot but relocated to where Annapolis Royal stands today. Click here for my post on Fort Anne, the British name for the French Fort in Annapolis Royal once they took it over. The picture of the fort was drawn by Samuel de Champlain in 1612.

This fort is not the original structure. It was built by local shipbuilders and is a fantastic structure that, though built 1939-1941, will last for generations more.

The front of the structure is simple, impressive and effective. Although, as mentioned before, not if you don't leave anyone behind. The only entrance is seen in the picture above.

These crests are in two places on the site. The top one is the crest of the King of France. I assume one of the other two represent the noble who founded this trading post, Pierre Du Gua de Mont. I don't know what the other one could be.

Another interesting person on the trip was Mathieu da Costa, the first registered black man in North America; although his presence in Port -Royal has been in dispute. He was a multi-lingual explorer much in demand by the French and Dutch.

Here is the trading area. Mi'kmaq would enter into the fort and come into this room, the first on the right hand side. They would exchange their furs for manufactured goods, many examples of which are behind the "till".

Here is an actual beaver pelt. It was incredibly soft.

This is the view once you enter the fort, looking to the left. The first room is the administration room.

This is the center area.

This view is straight ahead. Just to the right is an open fortified area with a raised area for looking or shooting over. The French colonists had an extremely friendly relations with the Mi'kmaq peoples because they respected their territory and independence. They helped the French in their many wars with the British.

This is the room beside the trading room, connected by a door, and used to store the furs, goods and contains a cellar to keep goods cold that need to be.

This would have been de Mont's room where the second example of the crests are. He would have conducted business and relaxed here and slept upstairs.

There are a series of rooms with double bunks, a fireplace, desk and dressers. They would have been for senior members of the port.

Here is the apothecary's bedroom and place of work.

Here is the chapel. Mi'kmaq Grand Chief Membertou converted to Catholicism in 1610. He also made an agreement with the Jesuit priests who baptized him that his peoples could choose Catholicism or Mi'kmaq traditions. This helped to cement relations between the French and Mi'kmaq peoples.

Here is a machine that makes shapes in wood with a leather strap moving back and forth over the wood at relatively high speed. Pretty cool. Would also help keep you busy during the long winters.

Here are the common barracks with lots of bunk beds.

It also provides a convenient hole to shoot through and give air circulation.

Here is the main dining area. It is also the place where the order of good cheer was founded to combat "land sickness" or what we now know as scurvy, by de Champlain. It was done from the Fall until March weekly and was a combination of theater and food...dinner theater! It has been reestablished and you must be invited by an existing member.