Interview with Jack Collins, By Darrell MacDougall

Q. What was the history of the early Scottish settlers in the area?

A. In the 1800's, when the settlers came to the area they got tracks of land which bordered on the rivers, that is the Margaree River and Lake Ainslie.

Q. How did they survive?

A. They started to clear land.. They'd burn the trees and the stumps. They would plant potatoes on the land that was burnt… it would turn out to be a bountiful crop of potatoes. Later on, they sowed oats and buck wheat. Some had brought their own land operated mills in which they ground the oats they grew. First, they would dry them in a open pan over the fire. After it was thoroughly dried it was ground to make into oat. There wasn't any wheat grown here because the climate wasn't suitable for it. They depended largely on oats and buck wheat for their bread and porridge.

Q. Did these settlers have any social life?

A.Well they had a social life of sorts. They would go visiting, one with the other. Maybe brought a violin or a bagpipe with them and they would have music. They would also tell stories, all kinds of stories.. Some true, some based on tradition and fable. Of course, there were stories about ghosts and fairies. Fairies and second sight was very prevalent in the old country and it carries the belief over to this country. There was all kinds of stories about people seeing things that they thought were forerunners that is, things to come. This was the way they had their entertainment.. their own music, their own songs, their own stories.

Q. Did they have their own religions? Culture?

A. Well there was two distinct religions. Those that first came were the catholics and the Presbyterians (Protestants).

Q. Were they rivals?

A. Well, they weren't rivals, but there was quite a division. Catholics wouldn't go into a protestant church and Protestants wouldn't go to the Catholic Church.

Q. Were there any household customs brought over from the old country?

A. Yes, they brought many customs over with them from the old country. For example there were no stones to cook on, so they had fireplaces to cook on and keep warm. The means of making bread was to mix up the dough and they had vessels which resembles a Dutch oven. They were cast iron. They dug into the embers of the fire and put this vessel in there covered it over with hot ashes and embers. They could tell pretty well just how long it would take for the bread to be baked. All the other food that was prepared would have to be prepared over the fire.

Q. Was there a great influx of settlers to this area?

A. Oh yes. After 1800 there were a great number of people that came to the area. They came from all the islands of the Hebrides, some came from the highlands itself. They settled all along the Margaree River, at the harbour and all along Lake Ainslie. There was no industry of any kind at first. After they settled into the area there were some small industries set up. Saw mills were erected; gist mills were set up along streams. That was the only power they had. The people provided for themselves. Luxuries were unknown. They'd have to get their fish from the river, salt them away for the winter times. They'd do the same with the meat… beef, pork and lamb had to be salted and put away for the winter. Everyone had cellars. They would grow potatoes and store them in the cellars. They would grow turnips, carrots, and cabbage.. Those were the hardy vegetables.