| The Fortress Of Louisbourg. The tour book said to | | | | buildings and more than 8,000 pages of documents |
| spend an entire day there. From Baddeck the Fortress | | | | kept by the French. These contained blueprints, |
| is only twenty miles across the Island as the crow flies. | | | | detailed inventory of the houses and gardens of the |
| The island, however is bisected, quartered and diced | | | | deceased after probate. The records were so |
| by Bras d’Or Sea, an inland salt water sea with | | | | meticulous that when the government of Canada |
| many bays extending from it. An hour later you arrive | | | | decided to reconstruct one fifth of the original |
| at the visitor’s center for the Fortress. From there | | | | Louisbourg, they were able to do it with impeccable |
| you board a shuttle bus for the two plus kilometer ride | | | | accuracy. The interior of the buildings, which they could |
| to the fortress itself, which sits on a spit of land jutting | | | | not reproduce, they made into exhibition spaces. There |
| into the Atlantic Ocean. Be warned to bring somthing | | | | are three restaurants: one for the wealthy, one for the |
| warm with you, because the temperature at the | | | | commoners, and a pub for the sailors. The soldiers at |
| Fortress is about ten to fifteen degrees cooler than at | | | | the fort could not afford eating out. |
| the visitor center. | | | | Reenacters give demonstrations of musket shooting |
| You are stopped at the gates by armed guards in 18th | | | | and cannon firing. Throughout the various buildings |
| Century uniforms demanding that you provide some | | | | people in period costumes explain the contents of the |
| rum for them while visiting the fortress. They also | | | | building and the lives of the people who lived in them. |
| explained the rules and regulations about visiting the | | | | There were captains of the military, merchants, |
| fortress. The fortress was founded in 1713 by the | | | | engineers, ship captains, accountants, and the Sisters |
| French to provide protection for the cod fishermen | | | | of Notre Dame’s school for girls. The Bastian, the |
| and trappers in the area. By 1744 the civilian population | | | | barracks, is the second largest building built by the |
| grew to over 2,500 permanent settlers and a garrison | | | | French in North America (the largest is in Artillery Park |
| numbering about 700. At this time it rivaled both Boston | | | | in Quebec). There the governor lived in splendor and |
| and Philadelphia in size. Commerce between these | | | | the soldiers were garrisoned in squaller. The chapel |
| cities was quite expansive; Louisbourg exported salted | | | | there was used as the church for the community with |
| cod, while importing goods for living day to day. The | | | | four Masses said on Sundays. |
| government even tried to entice some of the | | | | Two special treats we had, while we were there, was |
| Acadians to move there to farm the land around the | | | | the bread, which could be bought at the bakery. Baked |
| area. A few did with great hardship. The French knew | | | | daily, you had the choice of soldier’s bread made |
| how to build a magnificent fortress, but chose a | | | | of rye and wheat, the wealthy person’s white |
| miserable place to build it. We were there on perhaps | | | | bread, or a combination of both. We chose the |
| one of the best days of the year. Even with the sun | | | | soldier’s bread: $2.75 for more than two pounds |
| shining, there was a stiff breeze. Generally the area is | | | | worth. We nibbled on that the entire day. One of the |
| ten to fifteen degrees cooler than inland and is | | | | reenactors was extremely remarkable. He has |
| frequently shrouded in fog or is very windy. During the | | | | portrayed a soldier for over twenty-five years. He |
| winter it is pure hell. | | | | looks and has the mannerisms of Mel Gibson. Not only |
| What makes the place so remarkable is that there | | | | is he very knowledgeable, but loves his work and has |
| was nothing there before the French built the fortress | | | | a great time talking with the people. If you "tweak" him |
| in 1713 and after the English destroyed it in 1760. The | | | | the right way, he might have a present for you. He is |
| only thing which remained were the foundations for the | | | | worth the trip all by himself. |