Page:Tourist's Maritime Provinces.djvu/430

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364
THE TOURIST'S MARITIME PROVINCES

even to those which come from South America when they want to take in fresh water or provisions."

Castle Hill, on the "Jersey side," had natural advantages for defence by which the French were quick to profit. Under the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht the settlements and its forts reverted to the English. The ghost of a French officer still keeps watch on Castle Hill over the treasure his mates left at the surrender of Placentia. Imaginative villagers have seen his pacing form arrayed in full uniform and an old-style army cap. When the garrison evacuated the fortress it was decreed, according to a very old tale, that one should be shot so that a spirit might sentinel the buried gold until the owners should come again to possess it. Similar traditions are heard about the coves of Grand Manan in the Bay of Fundy and in out-of-the-way ports of northern Newfoundland. One of those to whom the Castle Hill ghost has appeared is the Irish night-guard of the freight vans at the Placentia dock. Though not often lonely in the still watches (the spirits of dead "townies" keep him company) yet it is a bit melancholy to be alone in the caboose when the voices of the ship-wrecked are wafted on an in-shore wind. . . .

Placentia is a dog-less town. Not so much as the flirt of a tail will give you greeting as you ramble the sea-washed streets. Anti-canine legislation was deemed necessary to rid the country-side of the sheep-killers. Some of the people protested