John "Pioneer" Gillis
From History of Antigonish, Vol 1
Edited by Raymond A. MacLean

This John B. Gillis and a John McNeil, whose descendants are in Cape George came out from the Western Highlands in a lumber vessel to Miramachi. Gillis left his wife in the old country, and after a few years of hard work in the lumber woods, returned home and brought her out to this country. At parting, the one to Scotland and the other to Pictou, McNeil told Gillis to look out at home for some strong and wholesome girl who might be willing to come out and as his wife share his joys and sorrows in the new world.   On returning, Gillis brought out, among other effects, a winsome lassie with an expectant look in her eyes for the first glimpse of John McNeil. When the vessel reached Pictou, McNeil went aboard and welcomed his friends and his new bride with an effusion of joy more easily  imagined than told in simple prose.  There matrimonial union celebrated a few weeks afterwards proved to be as happy as if it was prearranged in the most orthodox fashion(7).

Gillis made but a short stay with his friends in Merigomish. With two trees tied together, he contrived to make sort of a "dug-out" , or canoe, in which he and his wife made a voyage along shore down to the place now called Malignant Cove, where he engaged some days in fishing.  On the return voyage he landed at Arisaig, explored the place, and determined to return soon and settled on a part of the land taken up by his brother Angus. While in Arisaig, he deposited a barrel of salmon, covered with a huge stone flag, in the woods a few paces from the beach. Meanwhile, he resumed his voyage to Merigomish, but as he was approaching the shore, his frail craft refused to work in the strong surf, and in an unlucky moment parted in two, thus precipitating himself, his wife and his gun in the angry waves....... to be continued.... <g>