At the New Glasgow Mines

John Francis Maguire
1868
CHAPTER I (20) start of chapter

Peter insisted that I should not think of leaving Pictou without visiting what he held to be one of the wonders of the world—the mines at New Glasgow, at the other side of the harbour; and having nothing better to do, I closed with his offer to accompany me in my first subterranean adventure. So up at six, breakfast at seven, on board at eight, at New Glasgow in an hour after, and then on to the mines. As we crossed the harbour, Peter's glance rested lovingly on the red-brick church, the gleaming windows, the tall spire, and the glittering cross. 'Well, surely, it does look beautiful, out and out; and only to think how few of us there were to do it! Glory be to the Lord! It seems wonderful,' said Peter.

The Irish in America, first published in 1868, provides an invaluable account of the extreme difficulties that 19th Century Irish immigrants faced in their new homeland and the progress which they had nonetheless made in the years since arriving on a foreign shore. A new edition, including additional notes and an index, has been published by Books Ulster/LibraryIreland:

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