A Yale-trained architect and an autodidact historian, Chiasson has made Kelly’s Mountain famous in some circles, notorious in others. At the top of the hill, which commands an unsurpassed view of St. Ann’s Bay, he believes he has found not just graves but an entire fifteenth-century Chinese settlement.
As we enter the forest, Chiasson tells me that the road we’re walking on is “an enduring emblem of an advanced civilization,” and that Chinese fleets putting in at St. Ann’s Bay some six hundred years ago built it. The path, which he stumbled across while hiking in 2002, was his first clue that he had found something unique. Since that day, he has been up this hill dozens of times.
I was in the third group to visit the site with Chiasson. The first included Gavin Menzies, a former British submarine commander whose book 1421 garnered attention for its premise that Chinese fleets circumnavigated the globe, exploring not just the New World but Antarctica and Australia during the fifteenth century. The book has drawn criticism for its extravagant, highly specu-lative claims. The Island of Seven Cities is modest in comparison, an exercise in revisionist history on a local scale.
As we get closer to the summit, the road gains definition. “You can see the gravel,” says Chiasson. “This is man-made.” We reach a steep portion of road with boulders and earth mounded up on either side. “We’re passing through the gates now,” he explains. “There are the remains of a wall.” He points to either side of the road; I can make out what seems to be a ridge of earth extending in both directions.
Once at the summit, we find ourselves in the middle of what Chiasson believes was the Chinese citadel. He points out piles of rocks on the hillside — platforms that once supported Ming Dynasty structures, he says. As he speaks, I try to imagine two-storey Chinese buildings, circular stone doorways, and massive junks in the bay below. His brothers chime in occasionally, pointing out other features of the site. If they are skeptical of Chiasson’s theory, they don’t let on.
We take a side trip down the hill to find the burial sites Chiasson promised. “There could be gold or jade in the graves,” he says. The possibility of looting worries him, which is one reason he has tried to keep publicity to a minimum. After some searching, he can’t locate any of the five graves he says he has found. We walk back to the road, where for the next two hours we survey what Chiasson has identified as the remains of walls, farmland, stones with mason marks, man-made ponds, and thin slate slabs that look like tiles. He talks about his theory that the local Mi’kmaq people incorporated some Chinese traditions and about his research into early explorers’ accounts and maps, which he says reveal that a settlement once stood on the site.
Chiasson is aware that an outsider might be dubious, but he remains steadfast. “I’m the Darwin here,” he says, laughing. He’s convinced that while it might take years, others will eventually accept that his beloved mountain will rewrite history. “I love this piece of land,” he says.
Lynn Baechler, a Cape Breton hydrogeologist, is enchanted by Kelly’s Mountain too. She’s been returning regularly to the site ever since working here in 1989. “I drove a Suburban up that mountain every day for three months,” she tells me over the phone. According to Baechler (and a good deal of official documentation), the road that Chiasson contends the Chinese fashioned to get to their hilltop settlement was constructed in the summer of 1989 to facilitate exploration and testing by Kelly Rock Limited, a company based in nearby Sydney.
Comments (5 comments)
bailey: Very intriguing.
The 1952 road would certainly follow a previously cut road as this is the only place one can reach the pond and fire. Also the 1989 road would have reached the higher heights and followed along to the city site via the easiest route. Chinese would have brought their supplies up the hill next to their sight from below pathway along St Anns Bay; using previous road across peninsula only at beginning. November 25, 2006 08:41 EST
bailey: Very intriguing.
The 1952 road would certainly follow a previously cut road as this is the only place one can reach the pond and fire. Also the 1989 road would have reached the higher heights and followed along to the city site via the easiest route. Chinese would have brought their supplies up the hill next to their sight from below pathway along St Anns Bay; using previous road across peninsula only at beginning. November 25, 2006 08:43 EST
Mikmaq: Ahhhh...A Chinese settlement in Cape Breton? This would be intriguing and possibly a threat to Canada's history... I can understand why the government would feel this historical possibility can change the face of North American History...If this is so, than the Chinese and Mi'kmaq MUST of been ALLIES with the largest tribe in the world. It is possible that our government may want to cover up these facts for whatever reason... As a Mi'kmaq, I have never heard of such stories in our oral history BUT that does not go to say it has never happened. The fact is our culture "Pre-Columbian" has always thought us that we always knew that the world was circular and not flat, that the world consisted of four major tribes, The Black, red, white and yellow tribes. We of course are the red tribe and the Chinese are the yellow tribe. We knew this fact even before contact! It was also prophecized we would encounter these four tribes and that harsh times would follow for several generations. That it did. So harsh, we consider it GENOCIDE. The fact is , in the last 500 years we have not only lost over 90% of our tribe - in culture, blood, language, land, in numbers, we even lost a GREAT DEAL of history and ancient ways of life with every death that has fallen upon our peoples.
When I was a child I can recall a legend which is still a part of our oral traditions, story telling. In this story, Kelly's Mountain was a part of this story and on this mountain was an indian village...yes thats right, an indian village by glooscaps cave. At this time, our tribal villages were great in numbers and we had to be on high ground due to the circumstances of the day.
Just the tip of the iceburg here people. Anyone ever consider the first people of the land may have settled here and that it is possible we were not just "savages" but always have been an innovative and adaptable tribe that society still not fully understand. April 17, 2007 20:06 EST
Lisa: Mikmaq...I invite you to read Basket Stories by John Bear MacNeil so you will know there are many from the white tribe who love and respect you :)
http://www.thelibraryofhope.com/basketstories2.htm
December 07, 2007 11:54 EST
M Thompson: Mr Chiasson has long been looking for allies in anyone willing to truly stretch the imagination. Unfortunately, he chose to write and stand behind a book based more on internet research than actual facts. PLEASE check out the website www.1421exposed.com for factual information based on scientific evidence and conclusions drawn by intelligent and educated people who specialize in this area. It is unbelievable to me that Mr Chiasson could spend 2 years researching a book and not find out the following facts which he completely missed.
1 The 'chinese road' was built to reach a fire burning on the mountain in the 1950's
2 There was a quarry on the exact site he claims is part of a 'city'
3 The soil on the top of the mountain is very poor quality and would never have been adequate for farming
4 The 'sites' he claims are foundations are on the north side of the mountain which was completely exposed and would have made for horrible living conditions while there are many other areas much more protected and much more suitable than the mountain top
Mr Chiasson has worked hard to sell books and controversy is great for that so congrats on the sales, Paul but it's time to quietly slip into oblivion and let this go. December 26, 2007 20:26 EST