Page:Tourist's Maritime Provinces.djvu/228

184 cases into thirty-seconds. If fortunate in their captains, investors may derive a good income from a few shares. Lunenburg catches only "salt fish," that is fish, or cod, that is sold salted down. Crews idle all winter about the stoves at the "lower stores" recounting yarns. They have no interest in "fresh fishing" though they could make a second living out of it if they chose. This would, however, contravene traditions established more than a century ago by the sturdy, strong-willed Germans whose great grandchildren maintain to-day the prosperity of Canada's Gloucester.

In 1630, Lunenburg County was part of the grant made to Claude La Tour by Sir William Alexander which was extended by Cromwell to Cape Sable and beyond, the rent thereof being twenty beaver and twenty moose skins. An Indian name of which the French transliteration was Merliguesche, milky surf, was applied to the present harbour of Lunenburg. Cornwallis called at this port on his way to Halifax in 1749, and said, in a letter written soon after, he had been told there was a French settlement here and had gone ashore "to see the houses and manner of living of the inhabitants." It may have been this visit which later determined him to despatch to so favourable a location the ship loads of emigrants who arrived a year or so afterwards from the domain of Hanover, whose King at that time was also King of England. Fifty acres were allotted free with tools and