Evangeline Part 7

159. THE SUMMER OF ALL-SAINTS corresponds to our Indian Summer. All-Saints day is Nov. 1st.

170. PLANE TREE, a species of sycamore. Xerxes, a Persian, admired one of them so much he put a mantle upon it and adorned it with jewels.

209. BURGUNDY is a section of eastern France famous for its fine wines.

238. THE GASPEREAU is a river that flows into the Basin of Minas, east of Grand Pre.

242. GLEBE, soil.

249. LOUISBURG, BEAUSEJOUR (b[=o] s[=e]' zh[=o][=o]r,) and PORT ROYAL were towns which had been taken from the French by the British.

259. THE CONTRACT was considered almost as binding as a marriage. Remember this.

260-2. As soon as a young man arrived at the proper age, the community built him a house, broke the land about it, and supplied him with all the necessaries of life for twelve months. Then he received the partner whom he had chosen, and who brought him her portion in flocks. ABBE REYNAL.

III.

280. LOUP GAROU ( l[=o][=o]-ga-r[=o][=o] ) means man-wolf. There was a tradition that a man had the power to change himself into a wolf to devour children.

282. LETICHE (l[=a]-t[=e]sh').

293. IN SOOTH, in truth.

307. A figure with scales in the left hand and a sword in the right is sometimes used to represent Justice.

354. THE CURFEW was a bell tolled in the evening as a signal to put out the fires and go to bed.

381. See Gen. XXI, 14.

IV.

413. The names of two French songs.

442. The summer solstice is on the 21st of June. The sun is then farthest north, being over the Tropic of Cancer. It seems to stand still for a short time.

466. The author contrasts the clamor of the throng and the quiet words of Father Felician by referring to rapid strokes of the alarm and the quiet, measured strokes of the hour.

476. See Luke XXIII, 34.

484. AVE MARIA (ah-v[=a]-mah-r[=e]'-a), a prayer to the Virgin Mary.

486. See 2 Kings II, 11.

507. See Exodus XXIV, 29-35.

V.

572-3. Parents were separated from children and husbands from wives, some of whom have not to this day met again; and we were so crowded in the transport vessels that we had not even room to lay down, and consequently were prevented from carrying with us proper necessaries, especially for the support and comfort of the aged and weak, many of whom quickly ended their lives. PEt.i.tION OF THE ACADIANS TO THE KING.

579. LEAGUER, an army camp.

589. See lines 49, 50.

597. See Acts XXVII-XXVIII.

604. BENEDICITE, bless you.

631. NEBRASKA, now known as the Platte River.

667. BELL OR BOOK, funeral bell, or book of funeral service.

PART TWO.

I.

674. SAVANNAHS, gra.s.sy plains.

678-9. We have already seen, in this province of Pennsylvania, two hundred and fifty of our people, which is more than half the number that were landed here, perish through misery and various diseases. PEt.i.tION OF THE ACADIANS TO THE KING.

705. COUREURS-DES-BOIS (k[=o][=o]-rur-d[=a]-bwa'), guides.

707. VOYAGEUR (vwa-ya-zh[=u]r,) river boatmen.

713. To braid St. Catherine's tresses means to remain unmarried.

733. MUSE, here the G.o.ddess of Song. There were nine Muses in all.

II.

741. THE BEAUTIFUL RIVER, the Ohio.

749. ACADIAN COAST, districts near the mouth of the Mississippi river where many Acadians had settled.

OPELOUSAS, a district in Louisana.

764. GOLDEN COAST, banks of the Mississippi above New Orleans.

766. PLAQUEMINE (pl[)a]k-m[=e]n.)