Page:The-new-brunswick-magazine-v3-n5-nov-1899.djvu/30

There are several places on the St. John river, where, in the period of French occupation, fortified posts were established for the protection of the Acadian inhabitants against the English, or other invaders. The site selected for one of these old time fortifications will usually be found at a point where some considerable tributary stream unites with the main river. This was the case with the fort at the mouth of the Jemseg built by the French about the year 1658, and a similar situation was chosen by Villebon for Fort St. Joseph, built at the mouth of the Nashwaak in 1692, and by Boishébert for his fort at the mouth of the Nerepis^[1] built about the year 1749.

The situation of Nid d'Aigle, or the Eagle's Nest, was however quite different. It was no doubt selected largely as a point of observation, commanding as it does a very extensive view of the river both up and down, and also for the additional fact that the narrowness of the river at this point would render it an exceedingly difficult matter for an enemy to creep past, either by day or night, without detection.

The following account of the present condition of the historic Nid d'Aigle was recently given to the writer of this article by Mr. W. H. Smith, who with his family spent an enjoyable week last summer camping in the vicinity. The party chose as the site of their camp, Worden's beach, on the east side of the river opposite "Evandale," the well known summer hotel owned and conducted by J. O. Vanwart. One of the