Read Part One of The Prince's Chaotic Atlantic Canadian Tour Here
When the steamship named The Forest Queen departed Saint John bound for Fredericton on August 4th, 1860, carrying the 18-year-old Prince of Wales, eight thousand people gathered to wave it farewell.
The ferry, freshly painted and decked out in British red, white, and blue bunting was filled with members of the Executive Council, Legislative Council, and the House of Assembly.
Much to the politicians’ surprise, the teenage heir to the throne of the British Empire brought along a band he had met in Saint John. They had, in the words of the Fredericton Head Quarters newspaper, “been expressly detained by His Royal Highness’ desire, to accompany him.”
The steamship made its way past scenery New Brunswick reporters described as “wild and beautiful changing features.” American reporters, on the other hand, sneered that the farming communities were “little shanty towns.”
It was a full-day trip, and the Forest Queen only arrived at Fredericton’s new wharf, which was rather unimaginatively named “New Wharf,” at 6:30pm.
Many of the city’s 6000 residents gathered to see the Prince arrive. The Head Quarters reported: “A vast concourse of people were assembled to greet the Heir to the Throne with deafening cheers.”
The teenaged Prince Albert Edward, the future King Edward VII, was affectionately known to all as Bertie. He was on Canada’s first Royal Tour.
Bertie paraded along Queen Street, up Smythe Street, and then along King Street to Government House.
Fredericton was decked out in ornamental flags, storefronts were decorated, and three massive triumphal arches had been constructed. Curiously, houses deemed not sufficiently attractive were covered up with tree branches.
The nominal main reason for the tour was to conduct the grand opening of Montreal’s new Victoria Bridge which some – mainly Montrealers – hyperbolically called “the eighth wonder of the world.”
Fredericton’s officials decided Bertie would conduct a grand opening there too – the new fountain in Wilmot Park’s pond (where the splash pad is today). While nobody was calling it a wonder of the world, it wasn’t an insignificant project – 3/4 of a mile of pipes had been installed to build the water feature.
Hundreds of ordinary Frederictonians and dignitaries alike, all dressed up in their finest, joined by the international news media, gathered around Wilmot Pond in the swelteringly humid heat to watch the fountain’s grand opening.
Unfortunately, Fredericton’s officials had neglected to actually test if the fountain worked beforehand.
When Bertie turned the fountain on, instead of a grand water feature, only a small trickle came out. “The stream of water from the fountain didn’t amount to much,” sighed one Fredericton newspaper “and the Prince was much amused.”
The Prince hosted a lengthy special service at Christ Church Cathedral and stayed in Government House that night.
According to the New York Times, that night Fredericton partied hard: “they took to liquor insomuch that towards dusk the whole town was tipsy … in their gaudy habiliments.”
That famous American newspaper claimed Frederictonians were “seen in a condition anything but creditable to themselves, the province, or the nineteenth century.”
Even the London Times, which normally was protective of the colonies, took swipes at poor little Fredericton. It sneered the city was a mere “nominal capital” while “St. John is the real capital of New Brunswick,” and that it was “a pity that more was not attempted, and an even greater pity that what was attempted was not well carried out.”
Fredericton newspaper The Religious Intelligencer seemed to agree, writing: “We regret that we cannot speak as highly as we would wish for the arrangements, nor for the order kept. No person seemed to have charge of the matter … all seemed to be confusion. We think it was very unsatisfactory.”
The next day the Prince hosted a grand Levee at Government House. It featured all manner of local political leaders from small surrounding communities delivering lengthy speeches.
At some point, the Prince became distracted. He’d spotted something intriguing on the river.
It was a canoe, paddled by none other than Gabriel Acquin.
Gabe, as he was then known –the surname was added later– was a legendary Wolastoqiyik leader, today recognized as a Canadian National Historic Person.
An unusually charismatic and sociable individual, he was already known for having a remarkable ability to charm elites. The events that day, however, would change his life.
Carole Spray and Dr. Peter Paul recorded these events from oral histories, publishing them in the influential book of New Brunswick folklore titled Will O’ The Wisp.
Gabe was well aware of the Prince’s visit, and had been paddling around Government House for some time in his canoe trying to spot him.
Sure enough, a strangely dressed foreigner walked out of the house towards him. It was Bertie, who had never seen such a boat before.
“You there,” he called out to Gabe. “Come over here. Who are you anyway? And what kind of a boat is that?”
“I’m Gabe, and this here is a canoe. It is made from the bark of a birch tree. Get in, Prince. I will show you how to paddle.”
“Yes indeed,” replied the Prince. “That is precisely what I intend to do.”
As they set off, the Prince’s entourage of advisors, officials, and guards ran after them, shouting frantically for the Prince to come back.
The Prince turned to Gabe and told him to row as fast as he could.
They paddled down the river along the entire length of Fredericton, and up to the mouth of the Nashwaak for several hours that morning. Gabe told the Prince all about himself and the people living at St. Mary’s, and the Prince told Gabe what it was like to be the son of a Queen and live in England.
The Prince invited Gabe to come to London.
Gabe would make several trips there over the course of his life. He would canoe up the Thames, set up a wigwam near South Kensington, interact with top military officers and royalty, and would be described as “the greatest social lion of the day.”
Read Part One of The Prince's Chaotic Atlantic Canadian Tour Here
