Douglas Smith Huyghue
Douglas Smith Huyghue, born in 1816 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, was a notable Canadian writer and civil servant. He is recognized for his literary contributions, particularly for his novel *Argimou: A Legend of the Micmac*, which was the first Canadian account of the 1755 expulsion of the Acadians and addressed the cultural impact on native peoples. Huyghue's involvement with the Boundary Commission allowed him to engage with various Indigenous cultures, and he actively promoted their heritage by facilitating exhibits of Indian artifacts. In 1850, he published *Nomades of the West: Or, Ellen Clayton*, which reiterated his advocacy for the rights of native peoples and included his experiences from the Boundary Commission, although it did not achieve commercial success. Huyghue moved to Australia in the 1850s, where he worked in the civil service and witnessed the Eureka Stockade uprising in 1854, a significant event in Australian history related to miners' rights. His watercolor depiction of this event is held in the Ballarat Fine Arts Gallery. Huyghue remained in Australia until his death in 1891, reflecting a life dedicated to both public service and cultural advocacy.
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Douglas Smith Huyghue
Writer
- Born: April 23, 1816
- Birthplace: Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
- Died: July 24, 1891
- Place of death: Australia
Biography
Writer Samuel Douglas Smith Huyghue, born in 1816, before the Canadian Confederacy, was named to honor Prince Edward Island’s governor. Huyghue’s father was stationed with the British Army in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Huyghue contributed stories and poetry to newspapers in Charlottetown and Halifax, eventually serializing Argimou: A Legend of the Micmac in Amaranth during 1842. Argimou: A Legend of the Micmac, the first Canadian chronicle of the 1755 expulsion of the Acadians, was later published as a novel in 1847. The novel was also unique for condemning the cultural eradication of the native people.
In his capacity with the Boundary Commission, Huyghue had numerous opportunities to witness native cultures as he traveled in the border lands of New Brunswick, Maine and Quebec. Huyghue facilitated an exhibit of Indian artifacts at a grand bazaar in Saint John, and arranged sponsorship by the Mechanics’ Institute. After completing his stint with the Boundary Commission, Huyghue made for London in the late 1840’s. Huyghue reiterated his views about the need for native peoples to be allowed to enjoy their own culture in the three-volume novel Nomades of the West: Or, Ellen Clayton, published in 1850. The book included Huyghue’s Boundary Commission accounts. Although favorably reviewed, the novel did not sell and Huyghue sailed for Australia in 1852.
After disembarking in Melbourne, Huyghue joined the civil service and in August, 1853, he received a permanent appointment in the Ballarat goldfields, where he worked as a clerk in the Office of Mines. Huyghue was present at the Eureka Stockade uprising in 1854. The uprising occurred when miners complained of mistreatment and prepared to negotiate their demands. Governor Sir Charles Hotham presided over the exaggerated response that led to the deaths of thirty-four miners and five soldiers. The numbers might have been larger if many of the miners had not left days before in the face of overwhelming force and inevitable brutality. Huyghue’s watercolor, “The Eureka Stockade,” is in the Ballarat Fine Arts Gallery.
Huyghue stayed in Australia for the remainder of his life, employed in civil-service positions in Ballarat and Graytown. Later, Huyghue worked in Melbourne at the Department of Mines. That position began in 1876, two years prior to his retirement. Huyghue died of natural causes in Australia in 1891.