Page:The history of Grand-Pre by Herbin, John Frederic.djvu/23

 CHAPTER II.

ACADIA—MINAS—THE MICMAC INDIANS.

1504-1911.

As early as the year 1504 the coast waters of Nova Scotia became known to French fishermen and traders of Bretagne and Normandy. During that century several attempts were made to colonize the country, but not for a hundred years was a permanent settlement established in Acadia.

The first mention of the word "Acadie" occurs in a document written in 1603; but it must be inferred that through a century of intercourse with the native Indians, the Micmacs, and because of the increasing importance of the fur trade and the fisheries, the peninsula of Nova Scotia must have had that name to designate it many years before this date. The frequent use of the word "Cadie" or Acadie, by the Indians led to the adoption of that name for the country inhabited by them. It forms the terminal of several geographical names still in use in the province. Thus we have Shubenacadie, Tracadie, Chicabenacadie, Chibbenacadie, Shunacadie, Ponomacadie, Benacadie, Sunacadie, Katacadie, Segoonumacadie, Moulacadie, Choulacadie, etc. The Malicites of New Brunswick pronounced the word "Quoddy," and it occurs in that form in some of the place-names of that province, Passamaquoddy, Noodiquoddy, etc.