The Lost World of Cape Breton Island

J.M., J.R. Bourgeois
  • 5.0 (3)
  • History

The Lost World of Cape Breton Island is a Canadian history podcast that uncovers the forgotten stories of 18th-and 19th-century Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Explore Cape Breton’s history with the help of those who witnessed it firsthand. Listen to the mad ramblings of a Scottish exile as he describes what life was like in the Fortress of Louisbourg, follow the rising career of a French sailor destined to explore the world, and feel the despair as an aristocratic trailblazer struggles to eke out a living on Cape Breton's unforgiving shores.

  1. Jun 2

    AUDIOBOOK - Cape Breton Illustrated, by John M. Gow (1893)

    John M. Gow's Cape Breton Illustrated (Attractions of Cape Breton for Tourists) is a vivid tour of the island through Victorian eyes, a snapshot of the island as it was in 1893. As Gow guides us through Cape Breton's landscapes and communities, he shares his personal views on the island's economic potential and occasionally offers his thoughts on faith and religion. This is Victorian writing in its fullest sense - unhurried, elegant and unapologetically thorough. As we continue our work exploring the lost world of Cape Breton Island, we are delighted to share this audio version of a chapter from John M. Gow's 1893 classic, another piece of the island's rich and often overlooked history.

    AUDIOBOOK - Cape Breton Illustrated, by John M. Gow (1893)

  2. Feb 26

    BONUS EPISODE - La Boularderie's Letter, 1755

    Written at Louisbourg on September 1, 1755, this remarkable letter from Antoine de La Boularderie offers a rare first-hand account of life, war, and loss in 18th-century Île Royale (Cape Breton Island). Addressed to the French Minister during a period of escalating conflict between France and Great Britain, the correspondence details Boularderie’s military service, the destruction of his estate, and his heartfelt appeal for royal recognition, including the Cross of Saint Louis. Preserved in Les Derniers Jours de l’Acadie by Gaston du Boscq de Beaumont, this primary source document remains an invaluable window into the fall of Louisbourg and colonial Acadia, offering rich insight for anyone interested in the history of 18th-century Cape Breton. MUSICAL CREDITS:-- 11ElevenLabs "A_Solemn_Farewell"-- George Frideric Handel "Harpsichord"SOURCE:1. Les Derniers Jours de l'Acadie 1748-1758, Gaston du Boscq de Beaumont

    BONUS EPISODE - La Boularderie's Letter, 1755

  3. Jan 29

    The Boularderies of Little Bras d'Or — Part 3

    Follow Antoine de La Boularderie and his family as they navigate the most violent and uncertain years in Cape Breton’s history. As the shadow of the 1758 siege looms over the Fortress of Louisbourg, the Boularderies find themselves caught between a crumbling empire and an inevitable invasion. Experience a story of upheaval, survival, and the displacement that redefined Cape Breton forever. CHAPTERS:  00:00 - Antoine in Boston  04:30 - Atlantic Canada During the War of Austrian Succession 06:05 - The Boularderies Return to Cape Breton 13:30 - Antoine’s Attempted Assassination  16:50 - Mounting Tensions in Atlantic Canada 20:47 - The Second Siege of Louisbourg Begins 29:10 - Aftermath  31:57 - John Laboularderie de Treville 33:41 - Conclusion and Little Bras d’Or Today MUSICAL CREDITS: -- Robert Deveaux & Les Zorvenants - "Cela me réjouit" (Lost World theme) -- Violin by Dayna Bee - "The Ballad of Chevy Chase" -- Franz Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809) - "Symphony No.49 in F minor - III. Menuetto e trio" -- Les Habitants - "Tourdion" -- Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750) - "BWV 0023 Du wahrer Gott und Davids Sohn - 04 - Christi, du Lamm Gottes" -- Jorge Méndez - "Song: Cold; Album: Silhouettes" -- Louis Couperin - "Pièces de clavecin du manuscrit Bauyn - Prélude non mesuré (For Violoncello piccolo solo)" -- Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750) - "BWV 0018 Gleichwie der Regen und Schnee vom Himmel fällt - 01 - Sinfonia" -- Cédric Dind-Lavoie - "Le prince Eugène" Full song available here https://youtu.be/rUW0w7E3aXQ?si=NwUtyqCJsYjH21XQ -- Giuseppe Domenico Scarlatti - "Sonata in D minor, K9" SOURCES: 1. Les Derniers Jours de l'Acadie 1748-1758, Gaston du Boscq de Beaumont  2. Louisbourg From its Foundation to its Fall, J.S. MacLennan  3. Antoine Le Poupet de La Boularderie, Dale Miquelon (Canadian Biographical Dictionary) - https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/le_poupet_de_la_boularderie_antoine_4E.html 4. The Fall of Louisbourg 1758, by Hugh Boscawen  DISCLAIMER: The pictures, paintings and music used on the project "The Boularderies of Little Bras d'Or" are a mix of paid stock, by attribution, royalty-free, public domain, and other copyright-free sources. No copyright infringement is intended. All rights belong to their respective owners. If you are or represent the copyright owner of materials used in this video and have an issue with the use of said material, please send an email to lostworldofcapebretonisland@gmail.com and we will respond immediately.

    The Boularderies of Little Bras d'Or — Part 3

  4. 10/31/2025

    The Boularderies of Little Bras d'Or — Part 2

    In 1744 the French and English beat the drums of war, and Antoine de La Boularderie finds himself in the middle of a conflict that rages across Cape Breton Island and Acadia. In the second part of this episode, we will listen to Antoine’s eyewitness account of the days leading up to the first siege of Louisbourg. We will also visit Little Bras d’Or, a once thriving French settlement in the heart of Cape Breton and the home of the Boularderie Family.  CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro/The Raid on Canso 02:40 - Little Bras d'Or 08:35 - The 1745 Siege of Louisbourg 11:40 - The Attack at Gabarus Bay MUSICAL CREDITS: -- Robert Deveaux & Les Zorvenants - "Cela me réjouit" (Lost World theme) -- Les Habitants - "Branles: Pinagay et Sabots" -- Franz Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809) - "String Quartet In D, Op. 645, H 363, Lark - I. Allegro Moderato" -- Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750) - "Fugue in G minor, The Little Fugue, for string orchestra by Daniel Leavitt" -- Sparks of Light Music - "Reminiscence"

    The Boularderies of Little Bras d'Or — Part 2

  5. 10/15/2025

    The Boularderies of Little Bras d'Or — Part 1

    Although Antoine Le Poupet de La Boularderie and his father Louis-Simon have been designated Canadian Historic Persons – individuals who made significant contributions to the history of Canada – their story has only ever been partially told. Part of their story can be found on Cape Breton Island, another part in France, and still another part in the American State of South Carolina. We will reassemble the family’s entire story for the first time. MUSICAL CREDITS: — Robert Deveaux & Les Zorvenants – “Cela me réjouit” (Lost World theme) — Pietro Alessandro Gaspare Scarlatti (1660 – 1725) – “Concerto Grosso no. 2 in C minor” — Lazzarini Salami (1590 – 1653) – “Pavane pour le mariage du roy Louis XIII” — Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750) – “Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B Minor, BWV 1067: II. Rondeau” — Middlesex County Volunteers Fifes & Drums – “Village Dance”, from the album Military Music from the Age of Reason — Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632 – 1687) – “Le Bourgeois gentilhomme – 6. Gavotte”

    The Boularderies of Little Bras d'Or — Part 1

  6. 05/27/2025

    FULL AUDIOBOOK - The Acadians, by Caroline-Isabelle Caron (Narrated by J.R. Bourgeois)

    The audio book The Acadians was produced in collaboration with the Canadian Historical Association. CHAPTERS 00:00 - Introduction 01:18 - Who Are the Acadians? 03:56 - The Acadians Until the Deportation (1604 - 1755-63) 30:55 - The Slow Reconstruction of Acadian Communities (1763 - 1900) 54:33 - The Long Twentieth Century 1:38:10 - The Acadians Facing the Future This book is booklet #33 of the CHA’s Immigration and Ethnicity in Canada booklet series. Founded in 1922, the Canadian Historical Association / La Société historique du Canada is a bilingual not-for-profit and charitable association devoted to fostering the scholarly study and communication of history in Canada. The Association seeks to encourage the integration of historical knowledge and perspectives in both the scholarly and public spheres, to ensure the accessibility of historical resources, and to defend the rights and freedoms of professional and emerging historians in the pursuit of historical inquiry. Canadian Historical Association website: https://cha-shc.ca/ Text version of The Acadians available at the link below:https://cha-shc.ca/wp-content/uploads... Copyright by the Canadian Historical Association Ottawa, 2015 Published by the Canadian Historical Association with the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage, Government of Canada All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, (text or audio version), in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the Canadian Historical Association. Ottawa, 2015 The Acadians, Caroline Isabelle-Caron Caroline Isabelle-Caron is an associate professor in the Department of History at Queen's University with a specialty in 19th and 20th century Acadian and Québec cultural history. MUSICAL CREDITS: -- Initial opening sequence - School children from the Chéticamp region in Nova Scotia. Circa 1950s. Possibly recorded by Helen Creighton. -- Opening sequence for "The Acadians until the Deportation (1604 to 1755‐63)" Un beau vendredi sung by Joseph Athanase Larade, recorded by Ansleme Chiasson. -- Opening sequence for "The Slow Reconstruction of Acadian Communities (1763‐1900)" Au chant de l'alouette performed by Les Habitants. -- Opening sequence for "The Long Twentieth Century" Branle: Pinaguay performed by Les Habitants. -- Opening sequence for "The Acadians Facing the Future" Tourdion performed by Les Habitants. -- Last sequence for "Census Acadie 1671" Voilà la Récompense performed by Les Habitants. MAPS: -- Carte de l'Acadie et pays voisins Artist: Bellin, Jacques Nicolas (1703 - 1772)Public DomainSource: Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division -- Port Royal Artist: attributed to Jean de Labat (1638 - 1714)Public Domain Source: Archives Canada-France (number FR CAOM 3DFC60B) -- Map of the northeastern part of Canada Artist: Herman Moll (1654 - 1732) Public Domain Source: https://www.raremaps.com SUGGESTED READINGS:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vzek... DISCLAIMER: The pictures, paintings and videos used on the project "The Acadians" were chosen by the creators of The Lost World of Cape Breton Island and are a mix of royalty-free, public domain, by attribution and other copyright-free sources. No copyright infringement is intended. All rights belong to their respective owners. If you are or represent the copyright owner of materials used in this video and have an issue with the use of said material, please send an email to lostworldofcapebretonisland@gmail.com and we will respond immediately.

    FULL AUDIOBOOK - The Acadians, by Caroline-Isabelle Caron (Narrated by J.R. Bourgeois)

  7. 02/15/2025

    BONUS EPISODE - John Montresor Walks the Old French Road, March 1759

    You can read the Montresor Journals in their entirety here - https://archive.org/details/montresorjourna00montgoog/page/n16/mode/2up

    BONUS EPISODE - John Montresor Walks the Old French Road, March 1759

  8. 11/10/2024

    Christophe Chiquelier Jr: Louis XV's Music Man in Louisbourg

    As “Keeper of the King’s Instruments” for Louis XV, Christophe Chiquelier Jr’s work was endless but no doubt fulfilling. He was a master musical instrument maker, supplier of harpsichords to the Royal Family, and an instrument collector. But for a brief time during his youth, he was a soldier in Louisbourg, the capital of the French colony of Île Royale, known today as Cape Breton Island. SHOWNOTES MUSICAL CREDITS: -- Concerts royaux, Quatrième concert – Sarabanda – Armonie Symphony Orchestra, Stefano Seghedoni -- Pièces de clavecin VI. L’Aimable. Rondeau -- JS Bach Italian Concerto, BWV. 971 – 2. Andante [harp] -- Carolan’s Welcome from The Celtic Lute by Ronn McFarlane -- Reel la Rocque – Les Habitants -- Andreas Böhlen – baroque recorders, Aline Zylberajch, harpsichord French Baroque Music -- Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687) – Orchestral Suite from ‘Alceste’ SOURCES: 1. “Les derniers musiciens du roi de l’Ancien Régime. Versailles-Paris 1761-1792” – Youri Carbonnier 2. “After Midnight We Danced Until Daylight”: Music, Song and Dance in Cape Breton, 1713-1758 – Kenneth Donovan 3. “La Complainte de Louisbourg : chansons de sieges et circulation des cultures militaires entre Europe et Acadie à l’époque coloniale” – Éva Guillore

    Christophe Chiquelier Jr: Louis XV's Music Man in Louisbourg
See All (19)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The Lost World of Cape Breton Island is a Canadian history podcast that uncovers the forgotten stories of 18th-and 19th-century Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Explore Cape Breton’s history with the help of those who witnessed it firsthand. Listen to the mad ramblings of a Scottish exile as he describes what life was like in the Fortress of Louisbourg, follow the rising career of a French sailor destined to explore the world, and feel the despair as an aristocratic trailblazer struggles to eke out a living on Cape Breton's unforgiving shores.

Information