The British dominions in North America, or, A topographical and statistical description of the provinces of Lower and Upper Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, the Islands of Newfoundland, Prince Edward, and Cape Breton : including considerations on land-granting and emigration : to which are annexed, statistical tables and tables of distances, &c. [2, 1 ed.] 1011821546

Citation preview

THE

BRITISH DOMINIONS IN

NORTH AMERICA; OR A

TOPOGRAPHICAL AND STATISTICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVINCES OF

LOWER AND UPPER CANADA, NEW BRUNSWICK, NOVA

SCOTIA,

THE ISLANDS OF NEWFOUNDLAND, PRINCE EDWARD, AND CAPE BRETON. INCLUDING

v

CONSIDERATIONS ON LAND-GRANTING AND EMIGRATION. TO WHICH ARE ANNEXED,

STATISTICAL TABLES

AND TABLES OF DISTANCES,

BY JOSEPH BOUCHETTE,

&c.

ESQ.,

SURVEYOR GENERAL OF LOWER CANADA, LIEUT. COLONEL C. M., VICE PRESIDENT OF THE LITERARY AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF QUEBEC, AND CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE SOCIETY OF ARTS, LONDON.

©mhrlltsfietJ

toitf)

Uirtos,

$Ians

of

flEotoits,

I^artours,

fcr.

IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL.

II.

LONDON: PUBLISHED BY

LONGMAN, REES, ORME, BROWN, GREEN, AND LONGMAN, PATERNOSTER-ROW.

1832.

Digitized by the Internet Archive in

2016

https://archive.org/details/britishdominions02bouc

CONTENTS OF

VOL.

II.

CHAPTER Nova Scotia — Geographical Country

Position

I.

....

— Sketch

of the History of the Province

— Hills —Lakes— Rivers — Forests CHAPTER

— Face Page

of the 1

to

9

II.

— County of Halifax— Description— Shubenacadie — The Town of Halifax—Its Manufactures, Trade, Exports and Imports — Township of Halifax — Township of Dartmouth — Lawrence Town — Preston Colchester District — Township of Truro — Township of Onslow— Londonderry — Pictou Dis—Its Harbours— Harbour of Pictou— Town of Pictou— Table of Population, Produce, &c. of the County of Halifax — ounty of Sydney — ownship of Dorchester — Of Arisaig — St. Andrew’s — Tracadie — Manchester — Guysborough — Milford Haven — Chedabucto Bay Mary’s — River Mary — SherCanseau — Harbour— Town ofWilmot — Township of the County of Sydney — umberland County — Lawrence — Townbrooke — Table ship of Amherst — Proposed Canal — Settlements on the Maccan, Nappan, and Hibbert Rivers —Tatmagouche Bay—Township of Wallace —Wallace Bay— Pugwash Settlement — Philip River — West Chester— Roads —Table — ants County — ownship of Windsor — Town of Windsor — Townships of Falmouth — Newport — Rawdon — Kempt — Douglas — Table King’s County — ownship of Horton — Village of Kentville — Townships of Cornwallis — Aylesford— Pansborough — Minas Basin — Table — ounty of Lunenburgh — ownship of Chester — Mahone Bay — Chester Town — Township of Lunenburgh — Harbour and Town of Lunenburgh — Township of New Dublin — River and Harbour of La Have — Table — ueen’s County — own of Liverpool— Port and Trade — Port Medway — Set-

Divisions and Subdivisions of the Province

Canal— The Harbour

of Halifax

trict

St.

St.

ort

for

Statistical

tlements on the River Granville and

mouth

Medway

— Table — Annapolis

Wilmot Townships

— Annapolis

—Township of Clare— Bay of Fundy—

lliver

—

County

—

own

Clement’s Township

Statistical

Table

—

of Annapolis

— Digby— Wey-

ounty of Shelburne

— Town of Shelburne — Harbour — Light-house — Barrington Township — Argyle Township — Tusket River and Islands — Harbour of Pubinco— Yarmouth Township — Harbour of Cape Fourche— Chebogue River — Village of Yarmouth — Statistical Table 10 to 42 the County of Shelburne — For the Province Shelburne Township

for

.

VOL.

II.

.

.

.

b

CONTENTS.

VI

CHAPTER

III.

Bay — Mahone Bay — Liverpool — Shelburne — — Pictou Harbour — Wallace Bay — Pugwash Bay— Annapolis— Digby —Minas — Chignecto — Cumberland Bay — Roads — Shubenacadie —Natural Productions—Minerals — Salt Springs Canal — Proposed Canal — Climate — 52 Page 43 Animals — Birds — Fishes

Harbours of Nova Scotia

—Halifax — Margaret’s

Country Harbour, Canseau, and Chedabuco

...... Soil

CHAPTER

to

IV.

—

First Process of Cultivation Lands granted, appropriated, and ungranted Produce— Manures Harvests Lands cultivated Climate of the Province

— Agricultural

—

— Fruits —Live — — Stock — Price of Labour Manufactures— Ship-building — Trade — Fisheries — Table of ExReturn of the Province, — Eleports and Imports — Population — General ments of the Population — Religion — Ecclesiastical Establishments — Education — Public Statistical

Seminaries

.

•

.

•

•

CHAPTER

(official)

•

•

•

.

53

to

67

V.

Nova Scotia— The Lieutenant-Governor and the Executive — The Legislative — The House of Assembly — Courts of Justice—Law of Inheritance— Provincial RePosition — An Establishment maintained there the Relief of venue — Sable Island —

Legislature of

Council

for

Its

shipwrecked Persons

.

.

.

.

CHAPTER

.

.

.

68

to

72

VI.

— Geographical Position— General Description — Lakes— Harbours — Bras d’Or, — Harbours in these Lakes— Isthmus of Peter’s— Soil of the Island Division into Districts and Townships — Town of Sydney — Settlements — Lands Extent of on the Shore — Miray Bay and River — Island of Scutari — Louisburgh— Settlements between Madame — Settlements on the Shore of the Bras d’Or Grand River and Canseau — Northern Division — Ship Harbour— Port Hood— Settlements between Port Hood and the

Cape Breton

St.

Greater and Less

Isle

— Settlements on the Dennis Basin and River— St. Anne’s Bay — Other Settle— Important Situations of the Island 73 to 82

Gulf Shore ments

.

.

CHAPTER

.

•

.

VII.

—Natural Productions—Minerals — Coals— Gypsum— Salt-Springs — Fisheries— Population — Inhabitants— Religion — Education — Government — Revenue — Agriculture — Shipping— Trade — Table of Exports and Imports— Island of St. Paul’s

Climate of Cape Breton Iron

Report thereon

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

82

to 91

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER New

Brunswick

—

ts

Geographical Position

Situation— Description

Vll

VIII.

— Absence

— Boundary Line— Country

of Highland Ridges

in the Vicinity of the

— Mars Hill—

Its

Boundary Line

—

Maduxnekeag River Settlement of Houlton Town — American Townships adjacent to the Boundary Settlements therein Meteoric Table on the Western Boundary General Face

—

—

—

— History — Tabular Statement of Divisions and John’s— Positions and Course — MaSubdivisions into Counties and Parishes — River Boundaries — History of the Madawaska Settledawaska Settlement — County of York — ment — Quality of the Land — The Course of the River further traced — Grand River— Great Falls of John’s — Description of the Falls — Further Course of the River — Salmon River —Tobique River— Ristook River— River des Chats — Parish of Kent— Parish of Wakefield— J ohn’s — Back Settlements — NorthampWoodstock — Maduxnekeag River — Scenery of the River — Parish of Queensbury — Pockuock George ton — Prince William Parish — Lake Mary’s and Douglas Parishes — Madamkeswich King’s Clear— Islands the John’s — and Nashwak Rivers — Settlements on their Banks — Cardigan — Frederickton— Situation Public Institutions — Vicinity — Tabular Statement Description of the Town and Harbour — 1824 — Superficial Content — unbury County of the Population of the County of York — arishes of Mageeville and Sheffield — Lincoln and Barton— Oromocto River — ueen’s County — agetown — Hampstead — Waterborough, Wickham, and Brunswick — Produce of the County — Washedamoak and Grand Lakes — Magnapit and French Lakes — Salmon River of Kingston — Sussex, Norton, and Hampton — More particular — King’s County— Account of Sussex — Sussex Vale — River Kennebecasis — ounty of St. John — John — Public Institutions and Municipal Falls of John — Description of the City of Government — The Harbour, Trade, and Fortifications of John’s — Other Settlements the County — Roads — Table of Distances from John’s, on the Line of the River Quebec — Roads of the Province generally Page 92 122 of the Country throughout the Province

St.

Its

Its

St.

St.

St.

in

St.

St.

Its

in

arish

ittle

St.

St.

Its

St.

..... St.

•

CHAPTER Charlotte County

—

own

of St.

in

to

to

IX.

Andrew’s— Roads and Settlements

in its Vicinity

— Pa-

— Pennfield — George — River Magaguadavick — Campo Bello — Grand Manan and Deer Islands — Harbours of the County County of Westmoreland — and Produce — Trade — Petcondiac River — Quality of Land the District called the Bend of the Petcondiac— Colonel Cockburn’s Report quoted— Rivers of the County — Harbours— Tides — Fort Cumberland — Roads of the County — Statement of Distances — County of Northumberland, comprising Kent and Gloucester — Parishes — Miramichi River and Harbour — Other Rivers of the County — Timber Settlements of the County — Lumber Trade — Account of the Proceedings of a Lumbering Party —Account of the tremendous Conflagration Miramichi in 1825 — Lands on the Border of the Bay of Chaleurs — Caraquette River — Proposed New Roads — Table of the rishes of St.

David and

St. Patrick

— St.

Stephens

St.

escription, Soil,

in

at

Population of the Province

.

.

.

.

.

.

123

to

138

CONTENTS.

VIII

CHAPTER General Remarks on the Province of Water-carriage

New

X.

—Description

Brunswick

of

American Forests

— Agriculture — Climate and Seasons — Roads— Produce— Soil— Fruits—Ani-

— Fish —Minerals — Further Account the and Agriculture — Population—Various Inhabitants — Indians — Acadians — Old Inhabitants — Emigrants — State of Religion and EcInstitutions — State of Learning — Public Seminaries — Trade — Ship-building Trade considered — Fisheries—Manufactures — Exports Lumbering— Mode of conducting and Imports — Revenue — Militia — Constitution and Government of the Province — Courts of Law— Concluding Remarks on the Province Page 139 157 mals

of

Soil

clesiastic

this

....

CHAPTER Prince Edward Island

—

ts

to

XI.

Geographical Position

— Sketch

Divisions and Subdivisions into Counties, Parishes,

and

of the History of the Island

Townships, tubularly stated

— Coasts and Harbours — Harbour of Charlotte Town — Of — Richmond Bay — Others Bays and Harbours — The Harbours round the Coast traced — Rivers — Hillsborough River — York River — River — Cardigan, Brudenelle, General Description of the Island

George

Town

Elliott

—

—

— Foxley

River— Boughton River Murray River— Prince’s County Prince Town Lot — Settlements on Richmond Bay Queen’s County Charlotte Town

and Montague Rivers

—

—

— King’s County — George Town — Other Set— Progress of the Seasons — Mr. Stewart’s Report on the Salubrity of the Climate quoted— Soil — Produce — Timber — Other Vegetable Productions — Agriculture — Progress of a New Settler on a Woodland Farm detailed — De-

described

— Other

Settlements in the County

tlements of the County

scription of a

ments

Log Hut

— Climate

— Trade

of the Island

Edward Island— Society, Manners, and Amuse-

of Prince

— State of Religion — Revenue— Government — Courts of Law CHAPTER

.

158

to

179

XII.

— Geographical Position — Extent — General Appearance — Historical — Discovery by Cabot — First Attempt Settlement under Henry VIII. — Progress of Settlements — Captain Whitburn — Lord Baltimore — Lord Falkland — Conflicting Opinions the Administration of the Colony 1667 and 1674 — Their injurious Effects

Newfoundland

Its

Sketch

at

relative to

in

From 1702 to 1713 ( erroneously stated 1708, Captain Henry Osborn appointed Governor

—

claim Cape

America

as being

relative to the

Milbanke, a

Ray

1

789

Cape Riche Fisheries

— Acts passed

for the

Commission

— Custom-house

— Settled

— 1729, 1738 — French

p. 182), Colony annoyed by the French to

Captain Drake,

1764 — Disputes with — Commission Admiral

established in

by Treaty of

1

783

to

Government of Newfoundland— The Colony long deemed

mere Fishing Settlement— Improvement

in its Colonization

—Situation

of the Principal

— St. John’s — Seat of Government — Chief Harbour—Lieutenant Chappell’s Account of — Latitude and Longitude of the Town-— Description of — Population — SettleGeorge’s Bay — Climate of Newfoundland — Population of the Island — Roads ment Government — Prospect of an independent Legislature — Incorporation of the Town of Settlements it

it

at St.

St.

CONTENTS. John’s recommended

Fisheries

— Divided

IX

Interests therein of Great Britain, France, Por-

— Shipping engaged therein 1517, 1578, and 1615 — Extent of the Right of France and the United States — Third Art of the Treaty of 1783 — Convention of 1818 — Rights of the United States confirmed — 22 Geo. Ill chap. — 3 Geo. IV. chap. 44 — Extensive Advantages enjoyed by the American Government on the Newfoundland Coasts and the United States

tugal,

in

1

Page 180

CHAPTER Land Granting. — Three

—For

Classes of

Lands

the Settlement of the Country

ditions thereof

the System

for Military Services

in

Upper Canada

New Land

Civil

Lower Canada

in

— Efficiency of — May

of Township Agents in 1829

Granting Regulations

in Lower Canada from 1820 to 1828

of Regulations

—Number

Services — For —Locations— Con-

and Associates

to Leaders

Government Township Agents appointed

—Land Boards

be continued under the

Summary

XIII.

— Grants

— Grants

— Rapid Rise

of the Settlements

— Creation of the Commission of Crown Lands, 1827

—Land Companies — Reservations

for the

Crown and

the Clergy

196

CHAPTER Emigration

— Importance of the Subject — Objects

Capabilities of the British

195

to

to

204

XIV. to

which

North American Provinces

Consideration

its

to provide for

is

restricted

Emigration from

— Attractions held out by them — Commencement of Emigration 1815 — 1815 from Grenock systematic Emigration 1817 and 1818 — in

Home

Its large Increase

in for Canada — ConFirst — Perth Settlement — Emigration from Perthshire in 1818 — Emigration from Glasgow and Lanark in 1820 — Conditions thereof— Subsequent Emigration in 1821 — Success of several Emigrations — The Rev. Mr. Bell — Description of Perth— Emigration of 1823 — Its in

ditions

those*

— Emigration of 1825 — Suc— General Summary of — Extent of unassisted Emigration— The Subject brought before Parliament 1826 by the Right Hon. R. Horton — Select Committee of the House of Commons — elaborate Reports — Views on the Subject — Third and Report 1827 — Summary of the various Encouragements by Government — Question of an organized or unaided Emigration — Advantages of the former — The Colonies benefited by the Accession of Labourers — Lord Howick’s Bill voluntary Emigration — Plan of providing Emigrants with Employment the Colonies considered — Provisions of the — Effects

Expense

—

Its Success

— Statistics of the

cess

Settlement in 1826

Its

Statistics

in

J.

Its

in

final

offered

to facilitate

in

in the Colonies

— Plan

laying out the

Lands

of

Employment

— Progress

tendents in each Province

Bill

modified to suit the

Climate — Plan

of an individual Case of Emigration

— Desultory Emigration—

Its

Consequences

Legislatures

suggested of

— General

superin-

— Emigration from

........

United Kingdom to the Colonies from 1825 to 1829 inclusive

Its

the

— Co-operation of the Colonial 205

to

227

CHAPTER XV. General Considerations on the British North American Colonies their

Value

Grecian,

to

the Mother Country

— General

Roman, and Carthaginian Colonies

—Various

Remarks on Colonies

— Colonies

in

Opinions touching

— Their

Antiquity

North America considered under

X

CONTENTS. Influence Appendages —Territory —Trade — Shipping — the Empire — Geographical Position — Advantages— Prospective present Population — Emigration — Mr. Burke’s Opinions — Tabular Population —Density North America— 2dly, Trade the Colonies — Value View of the British Possessions — Comparison between tbe Colonial Trade the East and the West — Trade with the United States — Nature of the Trade with the Colonies — Timber— Hemp, Ashes, Fish, &c. — Coal Mines — Gypsum— Marbles— Increase of the Trade — Table of Imports and Exports, 1806 and 1825 — 3dly, Shipping of the Colonies — Table of the Number and Tonnage of Vessels, 1806 and 1825 — Increase of Shipping — Shipping Business of the Port of Quebec

four

—

Heads

1st,

Political

as

Magnitude of the Dominions

to

Its

of

in

of

to

to

alone

— Capital put afloat by Emigration— Corresponding Increase in the Trade of the other — Demonstrative of the rising Importance of those Provinces — Colonial transatlantic

Ports

Trade, and the Fisheries, Nurseries for British Seamen gation to form sturdy Mariners

Advantages

— Influence

— Competency of the Atlantic Navi-

— 4thly, The Colonies considered in a political light

of the Colonial over the Baltic Trade

Relative

— Hemp — Commanding Posi-

— Hypothetical Assumption — The — Their mutual Independence in process of Colonies not to sink in the American Confederacy Years, and subsequent Alliance with Great Britain — Remote Date of such an Event from the United States

tion of the Provinces with regard to the

liberal

System of Colonial Policy

— Glance

at

Commerce

Civil

— Solid

Interests of the Colonies to cling to the Parent

and Religious Rights

— Laws— Taxation — Defence

.....

— Municipal — Metropolitan — Conclusion Offices

enjoyed by the latter

Tree

of the Country

and Colonial Subject compared

— Advantages

Page 228

to

247

APPENDIX. Page

Chronological Account of Public Events in

Nova

249

.............

Extracts from the Journals of the Assembly of for

Scotia

Roads

Prices Current

(Nova

Imports and Exports

Scotia) at

Nova

Scotia

— Appropriation of Monies 253

Halifax in 1828

254

Value, in Sterling Money, of the Goods imported and exported at the Port of John’s,

New

252

1829

St.

Brunswick, 1830

264

An

Account of Vessels entered Inwards and cleared Outwards, with the estimated Value of the Imports and Exports at Halifax, Nova Scotia, in the Year ended 5th January, 1828, as compared with the Year ended 5th January, 1829

Revenue

of

New

Brunswick, 1830

268

Shubenacadie Canal Comjiany of Halifax, Nova Scotia (Prospectus) Table showing the Variation and Dip of the Magnetic Needle in various Parts of North .

America Regulations for

.....

Land Granting

270 272

in the British

Instructions to Agents of Townships in

268

North American Provinces

Lower Canada

.

.

274

276

CONTENTS.

xi Page

Form

of a Location Ticket from a District

Land-Board

Fees on Land Granting in the Canadas

...

General Statement of Grants of Land made in

Nova

in

......

Upper Canada

Scotia from

1749

Circular Letter from the Commissioners of Emigration, 8th July, 1831

to

.

.

278

1826, &c.

.

279

.

.

.

ib.

.

280

Abstract of a Bill to facilitate voluntary Emigration to His Majesty’s Possessions abroad,

1831

281

........... ............. ....... .............. ........... — ........... ..... .........

Extracts from the Third Report of the Select Committee on Emigration from the United

Kingdom, 1827

.

Average Estimate of the Expenses of Settling a Family, consisting of one Man, one

and three Children,

.

North American Provinces, distinguishing the Items

in the British

of Expenditure

Prospectus of the

New

283

Woman,

Brunswick Land Company

286 287

Duties on Goods imported into Great Britain from the Baltic, Holland, &c. by 3 Geo. IV. chap.

44

Ditto from British America

Port of St. John’s,

New

Brunswick,- Table of Value of Imports and Exports, 1827

Surplus Produce of Prince

Edward

290

Ships

Inwards and Outwards, &c.

List of Prices of Land, Produce, &c. in Prince

289

Edward Island

Island

291 291

292

Report of Prince Edward Island, as directed by the Right Honourable the principal Secretary of State, showing the Lands Granted and Ungranted

Emigration

—

....

.............

292

Communication from the “ Quebec Star” on the subject of the Employment

of Emigrants

CORRIGENDA. VOL. Page 299,

line 20, for

VOL. Page 182,

line 16,

I.

400 yards, read 400 II.

for 1708, read 1713.

feet.

294

LIST OF PLATES.

View

of Halifax

....... ......... To

Shubenacadie Canal ( Plan Island of St. Paul

Government-House., Frederickton ( Vide

Grand

Falls,

River St. John

.

Barracks and Market, Frederickton

View on the Kennebeckasis Project of the Survey of

.

.

.

p.

110)

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Four Townships

.

for

Emigrants

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

face the Title.

.45 .105 .110 .116

.... .

.

.

88

.92

222

THE

BRITISH DOMINIONS IN

NORTH AMERICA TOPOGRAPHICALLY DESCRIBED.

CHAPTER — General

Sketch of the History of the Province.

I.

Face of the Country.— Lakes and

Rivers.

Nova Scotia was

name formerly given to all that immense tract of country bounded on the north by Lower Canada, on the east by the Bay of Chaleurs and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, including the the

Island of St. John, Cape Breton, and

and on the west by the then

what has of

New

all

the other islands on the coast,

New England

provinces, and contained

since been divided into the separate provinces or colonies

Brunswick, Prince Edward’s Island, Cape Breton, and Nova

Scotia.

The province

of

Nova

Scotia

is

an extensive peninsula, connected

with the continent of North America by a narrow isthmus of only eight miles in width, between

Cumberland Basin,

land, and

Verte, in the Straits of Northumber-

It

66° 30'

is

situate

between 43° 25 and

46° north latitude,

longitude west, from Greenwich. It

by the Bay of Fundy, and by the boundary berland Basin in Chignecto Bay, to the

from the county of Westmoreland in the

Gut

VOL.

II.

Its

line

and

extending from

;

Cum-

separates

Brunswick; on the

Lawrence

of 61°

bounded on the north

is

Bay Verte, which

New

of Canseau and the Gulf of St.

west by the Atlantic ocean.

Bay

at the eastern extremity of the '

Fundy. and

Bay

east

it

by

and on the south and

extreme length, from Cape Canseau B

NOVA

2

Cape

SCOTIA.

Mary’s on the west,

about 383 English miles

on the

east to

and

breadth varies from about 50 miles, at which

its

St.

is

from Chester to Black Rock Pier, to 104, which

Bay or

head of Bay Verte.

to the

upwards of nine millions of

Nova

Scotia

is

He

ment.

la

width from Bristol

about 16,000 square miles,

acres.

Henry

Roche, were the

The French, under

the Seventh.

first

who attempted

form any

to

the

settle-

number of convicts in 1598, and landed them where the greater number perished, and the remainder

arrived with a

on Sable Island,

were taken

is its

estimated

supposed to have been discovered in 1497 by Cabot,

then in the service of our

Marquis de

It contains

may be

it

off the island

ment was attempted

No

and carried back to France.

until 1604,

when

Messrs.

De

farther settle-

Monts, Champlain,

and Petrincourt, and a number of volunteer adventurers, founded Port

now

Royal,

a commission

acted as governor-general under

from the King of France, and he named the country

(which included

Nova

of Maine) Acadia.

New

De Monts

Annapolis.

Scotia,

This

little

New

Brunswick, and part of the

state

colony was destroyed in 1614 by the

Englanders, under Sir Samuel Argal,

who

transported the inhabit-

ants to Canada,

and cancelled and destroyed the patents granted by the

French king.

These transactions in Nova Scotia are memorable

as

the

instance of hostilities between Great Britain and France on the

first

continent of North America, and which scarcely ever entirely ceased until, at the cost of infinite all

blood and treasure, France was stripped of

her possessions in North America by the peace of 1763.

King James

the First, in 1621, granted Sir William Alexander, of

Menstry, a patent to plant colonies in this country, named in the patent “

Nova

Scotia .”

Sir

William despatched a party of

possession of the colony,

settlers to

take

who, on arriving, found that the country had

been occupied by the survivors of the early French emigrants, and several others,

who had

settled since the destruction of Port

whereupon they returned

to

England without

Royal by Argal,

effecting

any settlement.

Charles the First confirmed his father’s grant to Sir William

dated July 12th, 1625, and reappointed him governor-general *. *

On

tliis

occasion Charles th^First founded the order of lmiglits haronets of

by patent Sir

Nova

WilScotia,

the primary object of which was, that each knight should contribute to the settlement of this

HISTORICAL SKETCH. liam, subsequently, sent out an

armament, under

Sir David Kirk, or Kirtck,

who in 1628 retook Port lloyal but the French ;

3

settlement of Cape Sable

held out, nor did the English obtain complete possession of the

still

country.

Sir

William Alexander, thus

in a great

measure disappointed

and having involved himself

in the result of this expedition,

in con-

siderable expenses in pushing forward his projects of colonization, con-

veyed, in 1629, a large section of his territories of Nova Scotia to Claude

de

Tour

la

*,

under the

title

of Sir Claude St. Etienne knight Seigneur ,

,

de la Tour and Vuarses f creating him at the same time a baronet of Nova Scotia. Subsequently, by another patent in 1630|, Sir William, ,

in confirming the dignity of baronet to Sieur St. Etienne, the son of la

Tour, erected two baronies, one to be called the Barony of

the other the Barony of

De

this phtent it appears that

were made to form a Scotch settlement

by the

First,

to

Etienne,

Tour, to be held as dependencies of the

la

crown of Scotland; and under

St.

De

at

Annapolis

:

some attempts

but Charles the

treaty of St. Germains, in 1632, surrendered all his right

Lewis the Thirteenth of France; whereupon the French immediately

took possession of Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, and Canada, which had

been previously conquered by Sir David Kirk.

At

the close of the civil war in 1654, Cromwell sent a force under

Major Sedgwick, who reduced the whole country, and compelled the French to surrender

at discretion

the treaty of 1 655.

The English

;

and

it

was confirmed to England by

did not immediately form any settle-

ment, and retained only Port lloyal in their possession, so that the French

were by no means prevented from extending their settlements in the coun-

De

try.

la

Tour afterwards preferred a claim

under the transfer from

made

William Alexander; and having satisfactorily

out, the Protector,

it

colony, in

Sir

which he was

exceed 150

:

by

letters patent

to receive a large portion of land.

they were to have pre-eminence before

with ample privileges.

Those patents were

ants,

all

all

ratified in

themselves to the original purposes of their creation

with

to a section of the country

;

dated August 9th, 1656,

The number

of baronets was not to

knights bachelors, and to be endowed

parliament

;

but the knights never applied

notwithstanding which the original

titles,

the ordinary privileges of baronets, continued to the original knights and their descend-

many

of

whom

are

now

in being.

* Chalmers’s Political Annals, + Massachusetts Records.

4to. edit. p. 92.

X Ibid.

E 2

NOVA

4

SCOTIA.

granted him, by the style of Sir Charles

La Tour, and

to Sir

Thomas

Temple and William Crowne, the principal part of what now composes Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. In this grant by Cromwell, no mention is made of the rights of Sir William Alexander himself, although his charter, which was ratified in 1633 by the parliament of Scotland*, is

made

the groundwork of

claimed by him under

it.

De la Tour’s claim

to that part of the country

Temple purchased La Tour’s

share, re-esta-

blished the different settlements, and kept possession of the country

was again ceded to France by the treaty of Breda, 1667. Nova Scotia was in fact during all this period inhabited by the French and

until

it

;

although they made but

little

progress in settling the country, yet their

population, principally occupied in carrying on the fur-trade with the Indians, was scattered on the several rivers

the

Bay of F undy The French court paid but

little

emptying themselves into

attention to this colony, which,

during the twenty years succeeding the peace of Breda, enjoyed repose,

and received some addition by immigration. TheFrenchsettlers invariably entered into close alliance with the Indians, and instructed them in some

measure in the

art of

war;

so that

on the breaking out of war in 1689,

they became very troublesome neighbours to the English colonies.

An

expedition from Massachusetts, under Sir William Phipps, in 1690, took

Port Royal and some other

places.

The terms

of capitulation were, that

the inhabitants should be protected in the possession of their property and the free exercise of their religion.

and burning one or two other

Phipps, after dismantling Port Royal,

places, quitted the colony,

without leaving

The French of course resumed the governFrom this period until 1710, several predatory

any garrison behind him.

ment of the

colony.

expeditions were fitted out from the

New

England

colonies against the

French settlements of Acadia, some of which were disgraced by horrible atrocities.

At length, in the year

out by the

New

son,

Englanders, and the

who proceeded

siege.

1710, a considerable

to

armament was

command given

to

fitted

General Nichol-

Port Royal, which surrendered to him after a short

In compliance with the terms of the capitulation, the

Acts of parliament of Scotland

— Laws of Scotland.

F rench troops

HISTORICAL SKETCH. and governor were removed from the colony the

name of which was changed

;

5

and thereupon Port Loyal,

Annapolis in honour of Queen Anne,

to

was garrisoned by the English troops, and Colonel Vetch appointed governor.

The French

whom

towards the English, impossible for

Nova

them

inhabitants were not

to find

by any means well disposed

they continually harassed, so that

any safety outside their

Scotia was under that

name ceded

to

it

was

fortified places.

England by the treaty of

Utrecht, 1713; from which period to 1745, from the disaffection and

and the consequent indifference and

hostility of the neutral French,

occasional severity of the English,

The

condition of the colony took place.

England was again confirmed by the and the peace having

left a

great

or no

little

improvement

cession of

Nova

in

the

Scotia to

treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748;

number

of military out of employment,

the idea was formed of settling the disbanded troops in this part of

America.

Land was

also offered to civil settlers according to their

means, with the advantage of being conveyed with their families to the colony, maintained there one year after their arrival, supplied with

arms and ammunition for their defence, and with materials and utensils proper for clearing their land, erecting houses, and prosecuting the fishery,

all

at

the expense of the British government.

Nearly 4000

adventurers arrived in the colony in June, 1749, under the of Governor Cornwallis.

They landed

at

command

Chebucto Harbour, and

laid

the foundation of a town, which was called Halifax, in honour of the

Marquis of Halifax, then secretary of in the

founding of the colony.

Cornwallis founded the

Nova

Scotia*.

first

state,

who had

the greatest share

Here, on July 14th, 1749, Governor

regular British government established in

Halifax continued rapidly to improve and increase in

population, notwithstanding the open enmity of the Indians, and the secret hostility of the

French inhabitants.

In consequence of an ambiguity in the wording of the treaties of Cession, the French

government pretended that Nova Scotia formed only

a part of what was called Acadia

;

the English, on the contrary, con-

tended that both names included the whole of the same country. led to continual disputes and conflicts between the governors * The members of the

first

council appointed by

Edward Howe, John Goreham, Benjamin Green, John

This

and subjects

Lord Cornwallis were Paul Mascarene, Salisbury, and

Hugh

Davidson.

N OVA SCOTIA.

6

The

of the respective powers, even in time of peace.

perpetual recur-

rence of these conflicts at length induced the British government to

adopt a very decisive measure for the extinction of disputes in this quarter the provincial authorities caused the Acadian settlers to come :

together in their respective settlements, under the pretence of

making

some communications relative to their welfare, and then, without previous notice, forced them on board several vessels provided for the purand thus transported and dispersed them through New England, York, and Virginia. The principal motive for this measure was

pose,

New

the well-founded apprehension that the Acadians would assist the French in the event of an invasion,

by them, of the colony

Many

ever, did not occur.

—an event which, how-

of these expelled and deported settlers,

however, after the peace of 1763, returned to this province, and settled in

and about the townships of Clare, Yarmouth, and Argyle, where

their descendants

The

now compose

principal events

the principal part of the population.

between the settlement of Halifax in 1749 and

the peace of 1763 were, the establishment of the

by

a colony of

Germans

;

the calling of the

Lawrence

in the

first

St.

John,

now

Prince Edward’s Island,

provincial house of assembly

same year; the settlement of several

;

the alteration in the

mode

of the house of assembly effected in 1761

—

(in

of this province, in

common with

which year

also the

New

which then included Island,

Englanders*.

:

in 1763, the cession

to

England

exports 16,303/.

3s.

the value of

;

;

in this year

of the province,

Cape Breton, and Prince Edward’s its

imports was 4312/.

9-?.

10r/.

and

4 cl.

face of the country

This rapid

The population

New Brunswick,

was 13,000 souls

The *

also a formal

township of Londonderry was settled by Irish emigrants, and that

Horton by

much

members

the possessions of the French in

all

North America, was again confirmed by France

its

the conquest

;

of electing the

and were taken under the protection of the king)

of

England

was entered into with the Indians, whereby they submitted to

treaty

of

by Governor

New

emigrants on the former lands of the unfortunate Acadians of Canada in 1759

and capture

in 1753; the siege of Louisburg,

of Cape Breton and the Island of in 1758

Lunenburg settlement

detail, together

is

agreeably diversified with

hill

and

dale,

with the chronological sketch in the Appendix, comprises as

of the history of the province as needs to be here separately stated.

FACE OF THE COUNTRY— LAKES— RIVERS. nowhere mountainous, the highest

7

not exceeding 600

but

is

The

highlands generally run north and south, branching off in

tions,

hills

terminating in some instances in bold

remarkable of which

is

cliffs

Ardoise

is

about 500 feet high.

Windsor,

is

the highest land in the province.

run nearly north and south

often seen above the clouds lie

most

Hill,

between Halifax and

The Horton mountains

and the north mountains, which are washed

;

basin, terminate in

highlands which

coast, the

Aspotagoen, between Mahone and Margaret’s

Bay, and

by the Minas

on the

feet.

all direc-

Cape Blomidon, whose head may be

by which

it is

The

sometimes encircled.

in the interior of the counties of Annapolis, Shel-

burn and Queen’s, are

called the

Blue Mountains, and are

said to retain

traces of volcanic eruption.

This province contains numerous lakes, which are scattered over in every direction,

many

several places almost a continued chain of water

The

sea to sea.

largest

Lake Rosignol,

is

said to be thirty miles in length.

river

—the Mersey

;

communication from

situate partly in each of the

three counties of Queen, Shelburn, and Annapolis.

and

it

of them of considerable extent, and forming in

It

is

It is the source

but

little

known,

of the Liverpool

and in the same section of country there are several

other lakes approaching within a short distance of the Mersey, and com-

municating with the head of Allan’s River, running into Annapolis Bay.

The

Indians pursue this route in passing between Annapolis and Liver-

pool

;

and it is supposed that there are but two short portages in the whole

distance.

Lake George, another

considerable lake, and seventy or eighty

A chain of lakes

small ones, are situate in the township of Yarmouth.

extends from the head of the river Shubenacadie nearly to the harbour of Halifax, and by the completion of the Shubenacadie canal affords an extensive inland navigation quite across this part of the province. are similar chains of lakes

between Windsor and

St.

There

Margaret’s Bay,

between the head of the river Avon and Chester, and between the river Gaspereaux, in King’s county,

and Gold River, in the county of

Lunenburg.

The too

rivers that intersect, beautify,

numerous even

to be

named.

and enrich the country are

Perhaps there

is

far

no country in the

world better watered, nor any of equal extent containing so

many

rivers

NOVA

8

The

capable of navigation. parallel

with the Bay of

SCOTIA.

principal are,

Fundy from

the township of Cornwallis, in

itself into

King’s county, and discharging

small craft and boats the greater part of

Grand Lake,

runnino- from the

in the

running

the Annapolis,

Annapolis Bay, navigable for its

course

the Shubenacadie,

;

county of Halifax, dividing that

county from Hants county, and falling into Cobequid Bay, receiving the tides, and navigable for upwards of thirty miles the Avon, which ;

receives the waters of the rivers St. Croix, others, discharges itself into the

considerable distance

;

Bay

of Minas, and

La Have, having

the

Kermescook, and several is

navigable for a

source in a chain of

its

lakes that also feeds the Gaspereaux river, in the county of Hants, tra-

Lunenburg, and,

verses the whole county of

miles, discharges itself into the harbour of

after a course of about sixty

La Have

;

the Mersey, winding

from Lake Rosignol through the Queen’s county, and discharging in Liverpool Harbour; the

Medway, commencing

in a chain of extensive

lakes in the northern part of the Queen’s county, into the noble harbour of Port

Medway

;

Hubert

in the

county (contiguous to the

county of Annapolis), and extending to

within fifteen miles of the town of Shelburne, where

bour of that name

;

Nova

is

Scotia; the Tusket, with

which expand into

it

forms the noble har-

the Clyde which rises upwards of forty miles in the in-

terior in an extensive chain of lakes, and

rivers in

deemed one of the most beautiful its

numerous branches, many of

lakes, the principal rising in the

Blue Mountains,

navigable for shipping about ten miles, and for boats above thirty St.

Mary, the

principal branch of

which

very short distance of the Antigonish

it

becomes navigable

;

is

and the

rises in College Lake, within a

river, and, crossing nearly the

county of Sydney, from north to south, forms the harbour of

where

itself

the Shelburne, discharged from

a chain of lakes in the northern part of that

sources of the river

and discharging

St.

whole

Mary,

for the largest vessels for about ten miles.

Besides these rivers, there are several others of nearly equal magnitude

and importance in

all

into Pictou Harbour,

parts of the province, particularly those that run

Cumberland

the county of Cumberland. the scenery, enrich the

communication.

soil,

Basin,

and the north-eastern coast of

These several lakes and

and afford singular

rivers beautify

facilities for

internal

FACE OF THE COUNTRY. Anteriorly to 1748 so

little

9

had been done towards the

local

provement of the colony, that the whole province exhibited late date

but a dense forest

unreclaimed from tricts in

its

which the

wilds

is

;

at

imthat

and although the proportion of land

still

indeed very considerable, yet there are

dis-

arts of agriculture,

guided by industry, have effected

extensive ameliorations in the condition of the country.

Some

tracts of

the province consist of extensive barrens, interspersed here and there

among

the forests, which forests are generally composed of large and

lofty timber.

VOL.

II.

c

CHAPTER

II.

Division of the Province into Counties, Districts, and Townships.

Nova Scotia

is

divided into ten counties, including Cape Breton

and the counties are subdivided into Counties.

districts

and townships,

as follows

Townships.

Districts.

Halifax. I'

Dartmouth.

J

Halifax

Preston. J

Lawrence Town.

C Truro.

Halifax •

A

Colchester

< Onslow.

t Londonderry. C Pictou.

Pictou

.

J Egerton. / Maxwelton.

f

Lunenburg

Chester.

< Lunenburg.

( Dublin.

Queen’s County

Liverpool.

'Shelburne.

Yarmouth.

Shelburne

Barrington.

Argyle.

Pubnico.

Digby. Clements. Clare.

Annapolis

Annapolis, 'I

Granville. j

Wilmot. s Aylesworth. 1

King’s County

T

Cornwallis.

Horton.

C Sherbrooke.

COUNTY OF HALIFAX. Counties.

11 Townships.

Districts.

C W allace. A Amherst,

Cumberland

f Pamhorough. '

Falmouth.

Windsor.

Rawdon.

Hants

Kempt. Douglas.

Newport. St. Mary’s.

Guysborough.

Lower

Sydney

.

Manchester. .

t

Upper

Wilmot. Dorchester, or Antigonish.

.

C North Western.

Cape Breton

North Eastern,

.

f Southern.

The townships

are not all equal in extent.

for the purpose of voting

money

The

inhabitants meet

for the support of their poor, like

an

English parish, and the principal townships send representatives to the

House of Assembly. The county of Halifax quite across

it,

is

the largest in the province, and stretches

from the Atlantic Ocean to Cumberland

east of it lies the

the

county of Sydney, on the west the counties of Hants

and Lunenburg, and on the north the county of Cumberland shore on the south

On

Straits.

is

;

the whole

washed by the Atlantic Ocean, and a part of the

north by Northumberland Straits.

and contains ten townships.

The

It is

divided into three districts,

districts are

Halifax District, contain-

ing the townships of Halifax, Dartmouth, Preston, and Lawrence

Town

;

the district of Colchester, containing the townships of Truro, Onslow,

and Londonderry, besides several settlements not yet incorporated into townships, as

and the

Economy, Shubenacadie, Stewiack, Tatmagouche, &c.

district of Pictou,

and Maxwelton.

The

containing the townships of Pictou, Egerton,

division of this county into districts seems to

have pretty closely followed the natural division of the the country.

soil

All the southern part of the county, which

and face of

lies

upon the c 2

NOVA

12 Atlantic,

and there with

high, broken, rocky land, interspersed here

is

some good

SCOTIA.

strips,

same remark

hut in general barren and unfit for cultivation.

The

applies also to all that extensive tract of country surround-

ing the Great Lake, and extending several miles both east and west.

But the country extending from the Great Lake northward to the head of the Minas Basin, and on both its shores, is altogether of a different The land is low and fertile, adapted to agricultural purposes, quality. with limestone and gypsum, and affording indications of extensive

filled

This character applies to the country

beds of coal and other minerals.

extending along and for several miles to the east and west of the Shu-

Again, that part of the county bordering on North-

benacadie River.

umberland diversified

Straits,

with

form several and

tivation,

province.

hill

and the whole and

dale, intersected

The

rivers.

soil is

this district is

About

district of Fictou, is

by streams and brooks, which

generally rich and capable of high cul-

in

fact

one of the best cultivated in the

way between Halifax and

half

the Minas Basin occurs

an extensive chain of lakes, the principal of which

Lake. rise in

;

is

and

a mile in width at is

its

it

discharges

mouth, receives the tide Its

and overhung with beautiful

receives several tributary rivers of

The

the Great

its

Lake

is

at

about 55 miles.

for about ten miles,

banks are generally

trees.

In

its

course

it

no inconsiderable magnitude, the prin-

cipal of which, in tins county, are the Stewiack, St. rivers.

province, takes

itself, is

securely navigable for about thirty more.

precipitous, fringed

called the Great

and thence to Cobequid, or Cumberland Bay,

the head of the Minas Basin, where It

is

The Shubenacadie, the largest river in the The point where it flows from those lakes.

21 miles from Halifax

every where

Andrew’s, and Gray’s

navigation of this noble river has been completed, and,

means of the Shubenacadie Canal, continued quite

to Halifax,

by

whereby

sea-going ships, drawing eight feet water, can be navigated from the

Minas Basin (head of the Bay of Fundy) quite

across the province to

Halifax Harbour on the Atlantic Ocean.

The harbour of Halifax is one of vessels may ride in it in safety. It is and easy of approach. gitude

63° 37' 48"

It

is

the finest in America.

A thousand

accessible at all seasons of the year,

situate in latitude 44° 39' 26" north

west from Greenwich.

It lies nearly

and lon-

north and south,

HARBOUR AND TOWN OF HALIFAX.

13

about sixteen miles in length, and terminates in a beautiful sheet of water

Bedford Basin, within which are ten square miles of safe anchorage.

called

The

entrance

marked by Sambro Head, on which a lighthouse was

is

erected soon after the settlement was established.

Halifax, near the

mouth

of the harbour,

lies

Three miles from

M'Nabb’s

Island, on the

western side of which stands Sherbrooke Tower, a circular stone battery,

on the top of which the harbour

—the

eastern passage, which

and the western, which

is

used by

Immediately opposite the town fortified,

all

is

of Halifax

is,

ships

manent settlement of the English It is situated

wallis in 1749.

bound

George

It

and from Halifax.

to

Island,

which

regularly

and population, the third

was founded, upon the

in this province,

first

per-

by Governor Corn-

on the western side of the harbour, on the

declivity of a hill 240 feet above the level of the sea. streets

is

place.

in point of extent

North America.

in British

only used by small vessels,

is

and forms the chief defence of the

The town town

This island forms two entrances to

a lantern.

is

running through the town, intersected by

There are eight

fifteen others, laid out

with regularity, some of them paved, and the others macadamized. The

town and suburbs a mile in width.

are

upwards of two miles

It has

much improved

There are meat, vegetable, and

years.

The

supplied.

fish,

two

baptist,

fish

markets,

in point of quality, variety,

one

and about half

within the all

last five

extremely well

and cheapness, may vie

There are two episcopal churches, two presby-

with any in the world. terian,

been very

in length,

Roman

catholic,

one methodist, and one Sanda-

The catholic chapel is an elegant spacious structure, Amongst the public buildings is the Governmentfreestone.

minian, chapels. built of

house, built of freestone, situate at the south end of the town, and occupied

by the lieutenant-governor of the province for the time being. The province building It

is

is

the best-built and handsomest edifice in North America.

built of freestone,

forty-two in height.

and

is

140 feet in length, seventy in width, and

It contains all the provincial offices

—

secretary’s,

surveyor-general’s, treasurer’s, prothonotary’s, collector’s of customs, &c. also the council-chamber,

It

is

House of Assembly room, and

situate in the centre of the town, within a square,

by an

iron railing.

The Court-House

is

superior courts.

which

is

enclosed

a plain brick building, in

which

NOVA

14 the courts of

which there

common

is

pleas

SCOTIA.

and sessions of the peace are held, and in

an exchange-room for the merchants.

There

is

also a

Bridewell or House of Correction, and a poor-house. Dalhousie College, established in 1820, is a spacious and handsome structure, situate at the

end of the old military parade. Halifax has been always the principal naval station of British North

and here

a king’s

America

;

town by

a high stone wall,

is

and

shops, warehouses,

dock -yard, which

and contains within

stores,

is

enclosed towards the

it all

the requisite work-

commodious

besides

residences for the

and servants belonging to the yard it is on a more extensive footing than any in America. In the rear of the dock-yard, on a height officers

;

that overlooks the works and harbour,

stone building, occupied

by the

the admiral’s house, a plain

is

senior naval officer on the station.

are also a residence for the military

There

commandant, two barracks, and a

military hospital.

Halifax contained, in 1790, 700 houses and 4000 inhabitants; in 1828, 1580 houses and 14,439 inhabitants.

the principal

the seat of government,

is

of the trade of the province, and returns

to the

three large schools on the national and Lancasterian plan,

common lished,

schools.

and

it

There are no fewer than

refinery ;

distilleries

;

and

still

in an imperfect state

of rum, gin, and whiskey

The manufactures

;

1826, and

its

trade

is

of the coasting-trade,

car-

they consist of a sugar-

:

breweries of porter and

factories of soap, candles, leather, flour,

other minor articles.

and several

weekly newspapers pub-

six

has several charitable institutions.

ried on in Halifax are

ale

two

House of Assembly. Besides Dalhousie College, there grammar-school, with an endowment of 200/. from the province,

members are a

emporium

It

and cordage, and a few

Halifax was declared a free warehousing-port in very considerable.

amounted

In 1828, the exports, exclusive

to 246,852/. in 553 vessels, containing

61,511 tons, and navigated by 3323

men; and

in 544 vessels, containing 62,829 tons,

the imports 733,392/.

and navigated by 3340 men.

Nearly the whole of the import and better than one-half of the export trade of the province are carried on at Halifax.

There were owned

at

Halifax in 1828 seventy-three square-rigged vessels and seventy-seven schooners; of which seventy were employed in the

West

India trade,

TOWNSHIP OF HALIFAX— DARTMOUTH.

15

four between Halifax and Great Britain, six in the trade with foreign

Europe and

Brazil,

and the remainder

able private banking-establishment at Halifax,

regularly arrives with the mails once a month. is

The noble harbour

very beautiful.

and the north-west arm

in the rear,

There

in the fishery.

is

a respect-

and the Falmouth packet

The

situation of Halifax

Bedford Basin beyond,

in front,

with the extensive forests in the back-

ground, unite in exciting the admiration of every beholder.

The township between

of Halifax extends westward to the boundary line

county and Lunenburg county.

this

The

land

is

description in the province, being both naked and barren is

about a league north-west of the lighthouse,

is

is

Sambro

sheltered.

1780, and

contains a small fishing population.

;

easy of access, deep,

There was a small settlement founded on

and perfectly it

but the coast

The first

almost one uninterrupted succession of harbours.

it lies

;

of the worst

it

in

Between Sambro

and Margaret’s Bay are Pennant, Upper and Lower Prospect, Molineux, Dover, and Indian harbours, upon each of which are settled a few

men.

St.

Margaret’s

Bay

safe

is

length and two in width, but at contains within

it

many

was

It

French families

settled

in 1783.

with salmon and other

The township bour. The land is ship.

of

is

four leagues in

entrance only two miles wide.

It

The soil about the bay is fertile and well by the descendants of some German and

Several streams

fall

into the bay, abounding

fish.

Dartmouth

lies

on the eastern side of Halifax Har-

of a far better description than that of Halifax town-

There are some very

the original

its

It

smaller harbours and coves, affording shelter for

ships of the greatest burden. cultivated.

and capacious.

fisher-

German

farms belonging to the descendants of

fine

A

settlers.

chain of lakes in this township, con-

nected with the source of the Shubenacadie River, suggested the idea of the Shubenacadie Canal, which

now

completes a water communication

between Halifax Harbour and the Basin of Minas.

mouth is

lies

The town

of Dart-

opposite to Halifax, on the eastern side of the harbour, which

here about a mile wide

and wealth during the

A steam-boat

;

it

considerably increased in

late war,

population,

but has not since been so flourishing.

constantly plies between

accommodation of passengers.

size,

Dartmouth and Halifax

for the

NOVA

16

of

SCOTIA.

The township of Lawrence Town is situate on the coast to the east Dartmouth township. It was laid out in 1754, and contains 20,000 It is well

acres.

watered

and interval land,

;

but the

inferior,

is

soil,

with the exception of some marsh

The

being mostly rocky and barren.

bours are Cole Harbour, Lawrence, and Three

har-

Fathom Harbour, which

are suitable only for small vessels.

The township

of Preston

is

situated on the east of the township of

Dartmouth, and on the north and

in the rear of

Avas laid

out and granted in 1784 to 388 proprietors

soldiers,

and free negroes. The negro

settlers

Lawrence Town.

—

loyalists,

It

disbanded

were industrious and

thrifty,

but some agents of the African Company induced them to remove to Sierra Leone.

The

land in this township

proximity to Halifax gives

The

tract of

it

a value

it

is

would not otherwise

country coastwise from Lawrence

the boundary line of

Sydney county

is

There

therefore but thinly settled.

and stony, but

inferior

Town

possess.

township to

in general of inferior soil,

are,

the inhabitants being mostly engaged in the fishery.

distance

the

beyond Lawrence, the This

sea.

is

river

Musquedoboit discharges

Jeddore forms a long shallow bay, intricate and unsafe. is

it.

short

itself into

its

banks.

Ship or Knowles

deep, bold, and distinguished by a white cliff resembling at

a distance a ship under part of

A

nume-

a fine river, rising near the Stewiack country, producing

very good timber, and having some thriving settlements on

Harbour

and

however, several small but

thriving settlements on the harbours and rivers, which are very rous,

its

sail.

The anchorage

is

good and

safe in every

Charles River, which runs into this harbour, proceeds from

a chain of lakes at a small distance, of about twelve miles in extent, the

lands on both sides of which are clothed with very superior timber.

Beyond

this lie several harbours,

on which there are some small

set-

tlements.

There are few

finer agricultural tracts

than the country to the

eastward of the river Shubenacadie, which composes the district of Colchester.

It

well watered. rise to

abounds with gypsum, lime, and

About twenty

miles

up the

coal,

and

is

exceedingly

river Stewiack, veins of coal

the surface, and freestone, lime, and roofing slate are found in

the same neighbourhood; salt springs also, of considerable strength,

COLCHESTER—TRURO— ONSLOW. There

occur.

exist

no obstacles to

boats of ten tons’ burden to the canal.

River, which

falls

On

made

being

this river

navigable for

the northern branch of Gay’s

into the Shubenacadie, a valuable vein of coal has been

exposed to view by the action of the water, and iron

found in the same neighbourhood.

slate are

17

ore, limestone,

and

Pine, spruce, and other

valuable timber abound in this quarter, and the land

is

of very superior

Truro.

This township

quality.

The

township

first

was originally 17 55.

settled

in this fine country

by the French, who were forcibly expelled in

was subsequently granted,

It

whom came

several of

is

in 1765, to

to this province,

some

Irish emigrants,

who

under a Colonel M'Nutt,

found the remains of the French improvements, a quantity of diked marsh

The township gypsum and limestone. The

land, orchards, &c. in a state of tolerable preservation.

contains 50,000 acres, and abounds with

upland

good, well cultivated, and fruitful; and there

is

a consider-

able quantity of marsh and interval land of extreme fertility.

The town

soil is

of Truro

situated on the south side of

is

Cobequid Bay, near

its

head,

and contains about 100 houses. There are an episcopal and a presbyterian church, a court-house, a

jail,

custom-house, post-office, and masonic-hall.

There are good roads to Halifax, Pictou, over the Salmon River.

&c.,

and a handsome bridge

Truro township returns one member to the

House of Assembly. The township of Onslow

adjoins that of Truro, and

the north side of Cobequid Bay, by which

it is

The

run through

it

;

the North River, river has

like that rivers

the land on the banks of each of which, particularly on is

of very superior quality.

Some

interval land

on

this

been known to produce fourteen crops of wheat in succession

without manure. a

soil,

south,

The Salmon, North, and Chiganois

in general good.

is

situated on

bounded on the

and on the west by the township of Londonderry. of Truro,

is

Salt springs

have been discovered, and coal abounds,

seam of which has been worked

for

some

years.

The

original

French

inhabitants had settlements in this township, and after their expulsion

was

settled

by

Irish emigrants

under Colonel JVPNutt

in 1761,

it

who found

the remains of the French roads, buildings, and orchards, which they

of course immediately occupied.

VOL.

II.

The whole

front of the township

D

is

NOVA

18 cleared upland; there

Halifax

is

no town

is

:

SCOTIA. there are several saw and grist mills.

the principal market for the produce of this and Truro town-

Onslow returns one member to the House of Assembly. The township of Londonderry is situate on the north side of Cobequid Bay, and to the west of Onslow. It was also originally settled by ships.

the French, and afterwards

by Colonel M‘Nutt,

1763.

The land

is

in

general very good, whether marsh, upland, or interval, of the latter of

which there

There are seven small

a considerable proportion.

is

which are

in this township, in

and two oat mills

;

and

it

member

sends one

to the provincial par-

Truro, Onslow, and Londonderry, with the several

liament.

ments Economy, Stewiack, Tatmagouche, Salmon River, a tract of country which, for richness of

convenience, and beauty of scenery, vince.

is

soil,

quite equal to any in this pro-

southern by vessels of 150 tons, abounds with

harbours and

it

West

is,

&c., comprise

all situate, is

easily navi-

northern shore by vessels of any magnitude, and on

its

exported to

settle-

mineral productions, local

Cobequid Bay, around which they are

gable on

the

villages

two carding

six grist-mills, five saw-mills,

inlets.

The produce

St. John’s,

Indies,

New

is

and has

districts

in

Nova

and

cargoes are also assorted for

;

quantities, exported to

in short, one of the best-circumstanced, most

and best-cultivated

its

several small

carried to Halifax market,

Brunswick

and lumber, in some

fish,

Scotia.

fruitful,

Europe

populous,

There are considerable

quantities of land as yet ungranted in this district, estimated at about

50,000 acres, scattered up and down, about one-half of which

may

be

fit

for cultivation.

That part of the county of Halifax

called the district of

contains the three townships of Pictou, Egerton, is

a diversified county of hill

and is as

rivers.

The

soil is

and

dale, well

very good, and

productive as any in the province.

copper, freestone, and lime. extensive,

and the coal

is

The

it

Fictou

and Maxwelton.

It

watered by numerous streams

has been as well cultivated and It

abounds with

coal, iron ore,

great coal field of this district

of the very best quality, and

is

is

very

now being

Royal Highness the Duke of York, Messrs. Rundell and Bridge, of London. It has several good harbours, the principal of which are Pictou, Merigomish, Carriboo, and Tatmaworked by the

lessees of

His

late

PICTOU— HARBOUR AND TOWN. gouche, in

all

of which the Shore and Labrador fisheries are carried on

The timber

to a great extent.

particularly the birch,

which

though one of the

district,

province

in fertility of

;

19

of this district

also of a superior kind,

considered the best in America.

is

last settled, is

and

This

the most important part of the

abundance and value of

soil,

ductions, proximity to the fishery,

facilities for

has the advantage of every other part of

made very few dominion. The

is

Nova

its

mineral pro-

carrying

it

on,

The French

Scotia.

settlements here while the province was under their first

British settlers

were from Philadelphia, in 1765,

and some Scotch from the highlands

to these

;

were added further

emigrants from Scotland, and in 1784 a considerable number of

banded

The

soldiers.

population

is

principally of Scottish descent,

certainly as enterprising, industrious, thriving,

any other portion of

The on which

Pictou Harbour.

is

twenty-two feet

at

low water

capacious and beautiful basin, with five,

on

a

muddy

and wealthy

dis-

and

as that of

this country.

principal port is

it

bottom.

It

is

mouth,

It has a bar at its

inside the bar

:

six,

it

becomes a

and nine fathom anchorage

admirably well situated on the Straits of

Northumberland, opposite to Prince Edward Island, on the route from Halifax to Quebec, between which places there

is

not a safer or better

harbour.

The

principal

town of

this district is

Pictou

;

it is

situated on the

Although

harbour of that name, about three miles from the entrance.

not very regularly laid out, the houses are generally better than in any of the other provincial towns

four places of worship

;

—an

There are

byterian chapels.

many

episcopal, a also the

court-house, and public library.

1500 less

souls,

and

it

of them are built of stone. catholic,

has since very rapidly increased

warehousing port, and

its

trade

Coasters from

all

is

and two

pres-

Pictou Academy, a grammar-school,

The population

than between 2500 and 3000.

the fishery.

Homan

It contains

1828 was nearly

in ;

it

cannot

now

be

Pictou has been declared a free

very considerable in lumber,

parts of the

Gulf of

St.

coal,

Lawrence

and

resort

exports have amounted to 100,000/. in a single year.

to Pictou, and

its

One hundred

vessels

have been loaded here with timber for Great

d 2

NOVA

20 Britain,

and

exports to the

its

SCOTIA.

West

Indies were not less extensive

and important. There are

land in the interior,

be about 70,000

some considerable portions of ungranted on the borders of Sydney county; the aggregate may

in this district

still

acres,

upon the whole

not immediately adjacent to the

from

fifteen miles

it,

and

in

all

tolerably

sea,

good land

;

and although

yet in no place above twelve or

by

instances intersected

rivers

which run

and Antigonish harbours.

into the sea at Pictou, Merigomish,

The population of the county 30,196 souls. The population, live and produce, in 1827, as appears by a

of Halifax in the year 1817 was stock, quantity of land cultivated,

census then taken, were as follows.

Live Stock.

Agricultural Produce. Land

Souls.

of

of

of

Population.

cultivated.

TOWNSHir, &c.

Horned

Horses.’

of of

Grain.

of Wheat.

Cattle.

Potatoes.

Acres

Swine.

Sheep.

Bushels

Bushels

Bushels

No.

Hay.

Tons

other

Halifax Town Halifax Township

Dartmouth

•

ditto

Preston ditto

Lawrence Town ditto Sundry Settlements Truro Township Onslow ditto Londonderry ditto Sundry Settlements .

Picton Town Picton Township

Egerton

ditto

Maxwelton

14,439 5,686 1,070 1,043 1,391 1,267 1,380 1,239 1,398 3,686 1,439 4,777 5,622 2,111

399 837 155 13 75 2 285 245

249 661 73

487 819 230

Total county of Halifax 46,548 4,530

458

39

493

4,304

5,406

2,164

292 289

345 138

1,446

1,887

799

878

180 221 789 429

1,451 1,768

2,295

868

2,045 4,913

2,431 6,724

192

244

1,2(53

4,411 7,572 5,593 10,798 1,505 2,514

128

1,020 9,678

4,223

652 906

163 56 774 90

1,598

806 4,551 5,729

2,787 3,035 4,195 8,627

766

474

1,314 1,330 4,924 3,400 13,931

23

8,515 17,996 12,896 3,374 24,270 22,121 1,022 6,149 2,607

4,105 23,601 23,201 101,318 1,215 10,380 921 11,320 2,883 33,739 997 22,294 12,053 53,545 13,631 54,935 12,114 55,000 26,220 128,755 2,433 9,815 29,793 193,955 51,152 133,444 14,184 44,445

1,021

7,319

422 507 1,684

920 2,654 2,832 3,581 7,689

380 4,176 5,577 1,635

29,464 43,534 24,122 92,976 62,246 194,902 876,546 40 397

COUNTY OF SYDNEY. The county is

of Sydney

is

the most easterly part of the province

bounded on the west by the county of Halifax

Atlantic Ocean

;

on the

and

St.

It is

divided into two

east

;

:

it

on the south by the

by Chedabucto Bay, the Gut of Canseau,

George’s Bay; and on the north by Northumberland Straits. districts, called

the

Upper and

the

Lower

District,

COUNTY OF SYDNEY. and contains seven townships,

Dorchester, Arisaig, Tracadie,

viz.

Andrew’s, Manchester, Guysborough, and northern and eastern part of this county is

The

equal to any in the province.

siderable,

21

—

St.

The

Mary’s.

interval, alluvial,

of the

and upland

agricultural produce

very con-

is

The lumber

and large quantities are exported.

soil

St.

trade

ex-

is

tensively carried on, and the fisheries are the best in the province.

It

is

exceedingly well watered, abounding with lakes and rivers, and no part of the province affords so greatest quantity of It has

many

This county contains the

fine harbours.

crown or ungranted land of any

in the province.

been estimated at 120,000 acres of available land, situate between

Guysborough and Coventry Harbour

in one direction,

between Milford

Haven and St. George’s Bay in another, and to the westward of the river St. Mary in a third. The township of Dorchester, or Antigonish, is situate on and about the bay of that name. The first settlement made by the English was in 1784, and

was materially increased

it

chester, or Antigonish,

is

in

1795 by emigrants from Scotland. Dor-

the shire town of the

about a mile above the navigation on Antigonish River. principal street,

and contains a court-house, a

byterian, and a baptist church.

It

is

principal trading place in the district. in length; but the entrance

high water, and

is

situated

It has

but one

Roman

catholic, a pres-

a very pretty village, and

The harbour

is

is

the

about six miles

narrow, over a bar with only nine feet at

difficult of access.

The townships of Arisaig, fertile,

is

It

district.

St.

Andrew’s, and Tracadie are extremely

The

well peopled, and highly cultivated.

tensively engaged in the

lumber trade and

fisheries,

inhabitants are ex-

and are an industrious

thriving population.

The township

of Manchester contains

all

that part of the county

lying between Milford Haven and the Gut of Canseau.

The

soil is

of

an excellent quality; lime abounds; coal has been discovered in several places at the head of Milford

The population

large tract of country.

The township

of

made

to

is

is

supposed to extend over a

scattered

and not numerous.

Guysborough reaches from Crow Harbour

northern bounds of the acres,

Haven, and

Lower

some American

District.

The

original grant

loyalists in 1784.

The land

to the

was 100,000 of this town-

NOVA

22 ship

is

SCOTIA.

extremely good, but the fisheries afford such lucrative employment

that very

supply

;

more land

little

cultivated than

is

but great quantities of horses, black

is

sufficient for internal

cattle,

and sheep are reared,

and several cargoes are annually exported to Newfoundland, together with considerable quantities of butter. Milford Haven is situate at the head of Chedabucto Eay.

narrow and low water,

difficult at it

Though

the entrance, having a bar with eighteen feet at

opens into a spacious and beautiful basin, about half a mile

wide and three miles long, completely sheltered and affording good anchorage after a narrow passage of two miles, it opens into another :

spacious harbour for four or five miles more, navigable the whole for ships of

500

The town

tons’ burden.

of Guysborougli

view of Chedabucto Eay and

its

situate at

is

commands

the western side, near the entrance of the lower basin, and full

way a

southern shore as far as Canseau,

and few places possess more beautiful natural scenery. It contains a court-house, an episcopal, a Roman catholic, and a methodist church,

The land on

besides several chapels scattered through the township.

both sides the harbour of timber,

The

now

very good, and has been long since cleared

is

affording extensive natural

extensive bay of Chedabucto

is

meadows and

pastures.

formed by Cape Canseau on

the west, and Cape Hogan, in the island of Cape Breton, on the east,

and free

is

twenty-five miles in length and fifteen in breadth.

from rocks and obstructions, and

is

It

is

altogether

navigable throughout for the

Haven and Guysborougli Harbour lie at its head, and Fox Island, Philip Harbour, Crow Harbour, and Canseau on its southern shore. The fisheries of this great bay are as productive as any The inhabitants are all engaged in them, and the in the known world. largest ships.

Milford

quantities of cod, herring,

Canseau

is

and mackerel taken are immense.

situate at the southern extremity of the county.

greater part of this district

good

land.

The

is

a barren

town-plot, called Wilmot,

western side of Canseau Harbour.

The harbour of the year.

of Canseau

The

naked rock, with a few

is

strait

is

It has lately

been

called Little Canseau,

the largest ships, affording safe and

hills

of

situate on the south-

much improved.

a very excellent one, accessible at is

The

and

is

commodious anchorage.

all

seasons

navigable for

During the

CANSEAU— ST. MARY. prevalence of westerly gales,

Lawrence anchor

here,

23

the vessels to and from the Gulf of St.

all

and wait for a favourable wind

and

;

it is

a great

resort for the fishing-craft in the season.

Mary was formed into a township in 1818, and contains 280,000 The lands along the shores are stony and barren, but improve acres. very much in the interior. Timber of a superior description abounds, St.

are extensive tracts of ungranted

and there

The

first

settlement in this township was

American

who

refugees, in 1784,

crown lands of good

made

Coventry Harbour, by

at

town

built a small

quality.

called Stormont,

beautifully situate on the east side of the harbour,

where

a mile wide, and navigable for ships of the line.

Coventry Harbour

it is

about half

a noble port, navigable for the largest ships for ten miles above entrance,

The

and forms the most extensive river St.

east of Halifax,

which there

is

Mary

and

fifty

west of Canseau.

Ocean about ninety miles

It has a bar entrance,

eleven feet water at lowest ebb tide, and

The

about nine miles.

vessels of the first class for

is

down lumber.

extreme head of the navigation of the of 50 to 100 tons. carried

on from

A very its

and

is

navigable for

and is

remark-

is

situate at the

accessible to vessels

considerable lumber trade has been and

is

Several good roads have been opened through

this place.

the township, and

Sherbrooke

river,

upon

river divides into

several branches, flows through a well-wooded country,

ably convenient for floating

its

from Halifax to Canseau.

inlet

into the Atlantic

falls

is

natural advantages are such as to require only

population and capital to

make

it

equal to any settlement in the county

of Sydney.

COUNTY

Live Stock.

OF SYDNEY.

|

Agriculture. 1

cultivated.

:

of

Population.

of

of

Acres.

Souls.

of Horned

Wheat. Cattle.

Horses.

Sheep.

other

Bushels

Swine.

Potatoes.

Grain. Bushels

Bushels

Tons

Hay.

Land

Dorchester Township St.

Andrew’s

ditto

Arisaig ditto Tracadie ditto

2,432 1,632 1,568 1,471

5,657 Total county of Sydney

12,760

173 115 132 143 285

3,416 2,648 2,257 2,172 5,213

5,090 3,825 3,913 4,130 7,391

1,456 1,211 1.004 1,382 2,652

8,425 7,456 7,961 6,569 8,054

4,711 4,287 4,975 3,405 4,541

9,085 75,060 5,931 58,297 6,156 50,260 7,241 49,610 9,760 130,061

3,387 2,275 1,793 2,557 5,782

848 15,706 24,349 7,705 39,465 21,919 38,173 363,288 15,794

NOVA

24

SCOTIA.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY. bounded on the north-west by the Chignecto Channel, Cumberland Basin, the Missiguash River, and the boundary line between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, which runs from the source of that This county

is

Bay Verte; on the east by the Straits of Northumberland; on the south-east by the county of Halifax and on the south-west by It contains the township of Tansborough and part of the Bay of Fundy. two townships, Amherst and Wallace, besides the several settlements river to

;

West

of Fort Lawrence, Maccan, Nappan, Minudie, soil

of this county

On

various.

is

and Cumberland Basin there

The upland

land.

large tract, quite

the shore of the Chignecto Channel

are considerable tracts of valuable

marsh

in general of very superior quality, of which a

is

through the county from Minudie to Tatmagouche,

remains ungranted, and at the disposal of the crown.

and gypsum are found almost every where. several places,

The

Chester, &c.

and copper ore

springs at Philip River.

at

Toney’s River

This county

traversed by several rivers, and

it

is

Iron ore ;

Coal, lime,

indicated in

is

and there

are

good

salt

remarkably well watered, being

has several fine harbours on both

its

shores.

The

settlement of Fort Lawrence adjoins the boundary

between the

rivers Missiguash

of dike land, and

is

and La

Blanche.

line,

one of the most productive in Nova Scotia.

quantities of hay are raised, and herds of cattle fed,

lying

It consists principally

upon these

Vast

lands,

and

the farmers are generally wealthy and independent.

The township siderable quantity

wood.

of is

Meadow and

Amherst

contains 26,750 acres, of which a con-

dike land, and the remainder interval, upland, and

grazing are the principal agricultural pursuits, and

beef and butter are raised and exported to a large amount.

town

or rather village of

situate near the

Amherst

is

The

in a flourishing condition.

little

It

is

narrow isthmus which here separates the Bay of Fundy

from Northumberland

Straits

;

it

is

therefore

connected with

the

navigation of both, and can with the same facility avail itself of the

CUMBERLAND COUNTY. The

markets of St. John and Miramichi.

Bay

flows into

of the river

La

Fundy and

river Tidnish in this township

Verte, between the head of which river and the source

which

Planclie,

falls

into the

Bay

The near approach

portage of only one mile. of

25

of the Straits of

Northumberland

of Fundy, there

is

a

Bay

of the waters of the

to each other at this point

naturally suggests the idea of connecting the navigation of both

by

a canal.

The ground has been examined and surveyed, and the practicability of such a work ascertained. The expense of making a canal for sea-going vessels of eight feet

draught has been estimated at 67,728/.

doubt a work of such importance, not only to

14?.;

this province

and no

and

New

Brunswick, but to the whole intercolonial trade of British North America, time be effected, either by public or private funds.

will in a short

The

settlements on the Maccan, the Nappan, and the Hibbert

River, and at Minudie, consist principally of the same quality of dike

land as Amherst, and are cultivated in the same manner,

The

and grazing.

descendants of those

They

in 1755. distinct

settlement at Minudie consists of Acadians, the

who

escaped the general expulsion of that people

are a temperate, industrious people, forming a little

community, and pursuing

their

religion with remarkable pertinacity. at

Minudie, in weirs in the

quarry of grindstones

is

St.

is

found

John and

here, all

and

if

into

The

it.

and the settlement

is

Great quantities of shad are taken

in large quantities to the

at

low water.

United

States.

properly worked might supply the

A

Bay

Coal

demand of

of Fundy.

situate at the north-eastern border of the county,

on the gulf shore adjoining the

name runs

customs, language, and

to a great extent in the neighbourhood,

the places on the

Tatmagouche Bay is

own

which are exposed

flats,

worked

and the stones exported also

meadow

district of Pictou.

The

river of that

lands on both are fertile and well cultivated,

in a thriving condition.

The township of Wallace contains several populous and growing The town of Wallace is situate at the mouth of the noble settlements. bay of that name. It was settled by loyalists from New York, who engaged largely in the lumber of the country. six miles,

VOL.

and II.

trade,

Wallace Bay

for smaller ones

is

which

is still

carried on in this part

navigable for the largest ships for above

above twelve.

The

river

Remsheg, E

after

NOVA

26

SCOTIA.

and

a course of twenty-five miles, discharges itself into the bay,

The

stocked with salmon and trout.

bay

Fox Harbour.

is

Pugwash

affluent.

settlement

The

harbour in the county.

may

lie

with safety, at

channel, which

all

is

is

who is

by highlanders from

now

both comfortable and

are

Pugwash Bay,

the best

so bold, that vessels of

500 tons

twenty yards of

times, within

beautiful basin, into which the river

Pugwash, which

lakes about seven miles distant, discharges

harbour and river

The

river Philip,

is

is

it

the

becomes a

rises in a

chain of

The land on

itself.

the

of superior quality, although not very populous.

which

is

a union of several others rising in the interior

of the county, also discharges itself into the sea near

This river

Above

it.

not more than a quarter of a mile wide,

is

the opposite

settled

situated on

shore

On

well settled.

was

It

Scotland about twenty years ago,

well

lands on the bay and river are of

a very superior quality, and the country side of the

is

remarkable for the quality and

and gaspereux and shad are springs in this district: the

Pugwash Harbour.

size of its

There are several

also abundant.

most remarkable

salmon and trout,

is

salt

one on the Black River,

a branch of the Philip, which gives five gills of salt to every

two

by common

settlements

on

boiling,

this river

and the brine

is

The

have not flourished.

inhabitants are principally en-

gaged in the lumber trade, and do not pay

as

ture as in other settlements in the county.

barred harbour between tracts of

Pugwash and

Chester

is

situated on the

in the centre of the county.

The

much

soil is

It

was

There are some good

Tidnish.

is

is

as yet in its infancy.

summit of the Cobequid highlands, settled

by

loyalists

naturally good, but the local situation

the settlement

attention to agricul-

Goose River forms a small

dike and interval land, but the settlement

West

The

highly medicinal.

gallons

is

from

much

New York.

against

it,

and

on the decline.

The county of Cumberland is well intersected by tions. The great road from Halifax to Quebec runs Although containing some of the

richest,

roads in

all direc-

quite through

it.

and the greatest quantity of

dike and other valuable land, of any county in the province, agriculture,

with the exception of

followed as

it

might

be.

meadow and

Little grain

the export of beef and butter

is

is

grazing,

is

not as extensively

exported from this county, but

considerable.

The grazing farmers

in

CUMBERLAND COUNTY— HANTS.

STATISTICS OF

Bay

the districts bordering on the

dependent

as

any in Nova Scotia

Fundy

are as wealthy and in-

but the same remark will not apply

on the Gulf shore, where the inhabitants are prin-

to the settlements

engaged in the lumber

cipally

;

of

27

trade, to the neglect of their rich

and

valuable lands.

The county the township of

returns

two members

Amherst

was, in 1817, 2965 souls.

The population

one.

The

of the whole county

stock.

Produce.

Live Stock. land

Souls.

of

Population.

d CD

r

of

c o

CD

M S-4

o

No.

.

.

.

.

Total county Cumberland

^

d

QJ

vuo(pu((

PS LI

V/OJ-

y.tPippu

OZ^yPop .rjpi/jfP/i p.yi>'r

66jZ‘V:>0

T\

.oKV 0T

S

^T.P

S jJvSj

Psnusjpoj$‘h^_ Tp;iuoTcrp:K(X s^ptj untrppj'fc

»P%

s

SHUBENACADIE CANAL.

45

Tlie Shubenacadie Canal,

Minas, or

which unites the waters of the Basin of Mines, with Halifax Harbour, is a work of infinite importance

and value

to the province.

It traverses the best-cultivated districts of

the country, and affords an easy and cheap communication to Halifax

market

produce of

for the

in the event of a

all

the townships on the Minas Basin

war with the United

and

;

States,

puts the internal trade of

the province beyond the reach of an enemy.

It is fifty-four miles in

extent,

and

It has

been completed for boat navigation, and will be fully finished,

as

is

constructed for sea-going vessels drawing eight feet water.

The expense

expected, in the course of another year.

is

struction

pany,

was estimated

who have

It has

at

con-

its

about 40,000/. raised by a joint-stock com-

obtained a charter of incorporation.

been proposed to make a canal across the narrow isthmus

(which connects this province with land Basin, at the head of the

umberland

of

The

Straits.

Bay

New

of

Brunswick) between Cumber-

Fundy, and Bay Verte

distance across

is

in North-

no more than eleven

miles,

and an eminent engineer who surveyed the ground has demonstrated the practicability of the work, and estimated the cost of its construction, so as to

admit sea-going vessels drawing eight feet water,

Upon

67,728 /.

14-s.

10 d.

consulting the map, the advantages of such a canal are most ap-

parent,

and would be equally important

province.

The long and dangerous

to

New

rence, Island,

to this

Fundy and

the St.

Law-

and the communication between the Canadas, Prince Edward’s and the country on the liestigouche and Mirimichi, and between

province and

safer, that there

New

Brunswick, would become so

much

shorter

;

and

in the event of hos-

placed beyond the reach or interruption of an enemy.

benefit arising

and

can be no doubt that the intercolonial trade would be

increased to a degree not easily to be calculated tilities,

Brunswick and

Cape Breton would be

circuit of

avoided in the navigation between the Bay of

this

at

from

this navigation to the trade of the

be, that Halifax, St. John’s,

and

New

Another

Canadas would

Brunswick, would become depots

for the bread stuff intended for exportation to the

West

India Islands.

NOVA

46

SCOTIA.

CLIMATE. The climate of Nova Scotia is cold, the winter continuing from December to May. The earth is completely frozen from Christmas to April, during is

scarcely

which period there are very heavy

any spring; for

so soon as

vegetation revives with such vigour

of snow.

falls

snow

the frost and

as,

in

few days,

a

There

disappear,

to alter the

whole face of the country.

About the 1st of June the fields afford food for cattle. The heat of summer is both moderate and regular, being greatest in the month of August, and the nights are, generally, temperate. The autumn is the finest portion of the year the sufficient

;

mornings and evenings are

cool, the

temperature of mid-day not unlike

that of June, and the sky generally clear, and cloudless.

The month

of

April and the autumnal months are the most rainy, and fogs prevail on

mouth of the Bay of Fundy, in summer, The climate is remarkably healthy, and con-

the southern shore, and at the

but do not extend inland.

A

ducive to longevity.

great proportion of the inhabitants live to a

very advanced age, not uncommonly to ninety and one hundred years.

among

The air is pure and wholesome, and there is nothing like that noxious miasma which in the United States is the fruitful cause of intermittent fever. The This great longevity was also observable

intermittent, bilious, in the province, nor

in

England.

To

the Indians.

and yellow fever of America have never appeared

do any diseases prevail that are not usual and familiar

say that the climate

but an inadequate idea of

It

it.

genial to the prolongation of

is

is

not unhealthy would convey

decidedly most salubrious and con-

human

life,

and proved by experience to

be entirely beneficial to Europeans.

SOIL.

The

soil

of this province

is

of the greatest variety

general observations will apply to the whole, classes

;

viz. the superior quality of soil, the

barren, or that which

is

it

may be

;

and although no divided into four

good, the inferior, and the

incapable of cultivation.

The quantity

of land

47

SOIL.

of the

first class is

supposed to be equal to one-fourth of the whole pro-

vince, about 2,500,000 acres

;

and of the second about 3,500,000 acres

inferior land about 2,000,000 acres;

vince.

Fundy, the Minas and Cumberland cases, particularly

latter of

the

Basins,

on the southern shore.

inferior land

both

and nearly an equal proportion of

The same diversity of soil prevails in every county The best land is generally found on the shores of

barren.

in the pro-

There are extensive exceptions

The

by the timber

it

in

on the

;

quality of

Black and

produces.

yellow birch, elm, ash, maple, or hemlock, indicate a rich

of

and the

;

on the margins of the lakes and rivers

generally indicated

Bay

the

and the gulf shore

which, especially, good land mostly prevails.

soil is

:

White

soil.

birch and spruce, or timber of a stunted growth and size, denote inferior

and pine

land,

is

generally found on dry sandy

land consists of upland, interval, and marsh. to

soils.

Interval

The

of

term peculiar

a

is

first class

America, and denotes land composed of the alluvial deposit of rivers

it is

found in every county in the province

kinds

and such

;

is its

fertility, that it

;

it

produces grain of

known

has been

also

is

when

composed of

alluvial sediment, deposited

all

to produce four-

Marsh

teen successive crops of wheat without the assistance of manure.

land

.

by the

enclosed by dikes, and well drained, exceedingly

tide,

and

yielding

fertile,

for several years

abundant crops of wheat, and subsequently alternate

rotations of grass

and wheat, without the

aid of

The quantity

manure.

of interval and marsh land in the province has not been accurately ascertained, nor

is

it

easy to form a conjecture respecting

it

;

particularly the interval, being yet in a state of nature.

much The

of

it,

arable

lands bear as yet but a small proportion to the uncultivated, and are chiefly confined to the coasts, harbours,

several small settlements, invited

tered in the interior. vie with any part of

by

and banks of the

rivers

local circumstances, are

;

though

found

scat-

The appearance of some of the old townships will America. The extensive and well-cultivated valley

of the river Annapolis, the diversified and picturesque country of Horton, Cornwallis, and Windsor, the country along the Shubenacadie, and the

townships of Newport and Yarmouth, cannot

with surprise, notice,

as existing in a

to strike the stranger

country which has hitherto almost escaped

and has been represented

America.

fail

as the

most uninteresting part of

NOVA

48

SCOTIA.

NATURAL PRODUCTIONS. The

natural productions of this country, like

nature, consist of

all

others in a state of

The woods and

timber, minerals, and wild animals.

its

timber are the same as are found in the other northern parts of North

America

:

—the pine in

the best in America

;

all its varieties

oak, suitable for ship-building

beech, ash, maple, and elm

all

;

fit

an innumerable variety of other

The quantity

value.

the birch, which

;

;

for boards, staves,

spruce, hemlock,

and lumber, and

sorts of great beauty,

of valuable timber

is

considered as

is

but of minor

very great, and far from

being exhausted, and enables the colonists to carry on a very extensive trade in timber and lumber, to the mother country and the as well as in the building as suitable as the is

and

timber of any other section of North America.

and

a great variety of indigenous plants

Indies,

which purposes

sale of ships, for

it

is

There

some of them very

flowers,

beautiful, as well as of wild fruits, consisting of the sorts in

West

most

common

Europe.

MINERALS. The

minerals of this province are but

have been hitherto taken to procure a country.

With

scientific geological

steps

survey of the

the exception of the coal-fields at Pictou, no excavation

of any depth has been

made

into the earth,

with forests that the greater part of

The

of investigation.

known, and no

little

it

and

its

surface

has never been

reservation to the

crown

(in

is

made

so covered

the subject

the grants of land

made

in this colony) of the valuable minerals has rendered the

of the

soil indifferent

owners

about the discovery of what they could not enjoy.

All the reserved minerals in the province were granted by the crown to

His Royal Highness the

late

Duke

of York, and by

him

leased

(it

is

understood for a term of sixty years) to Messrs. Rundell, Bridge, and Co., of

London, who have

opened

in the district of Pictou, called the

cipal minerals

manganese,

as

yet confined their operations to a colliery

Albion Colliery.

hitherto observed are coal, iron,

salt,

lime, slate, freestone,

and

gypsum,

granite.

The

prin-

lead, copper,

MINERALS— COAL— IRON.

49

Coal of the finest quality and in the greatest abundance

The

to exist in certain parts of the province.

is

known

great coal-field of Pictou,

based on limestone, has been traced from Carriboo Harbour to Merigomish, enclosing an area of more than 100 square miles, the veins varying in thickness

coal-mine

is

from

fifty feet to

upwards of

freely,

making

powerful heat.

The

foot.

vein opened at the Albion

This

fifty feet in thickness.

several distinct layers, the

The

six feet in thickness.

one

field consists

upper or main base being generally thirtycoal

is

of a highly bituminous quality, burns

a cheerful lively fire in a grate, and casting a strong It

is

adapted for smiths’ use

as well

any coal

as

Albion works upon some iron

at the

a metal of the very best

and

for steam-engine boilers, as

finest quality. it

ore, it

and

in the

world, and has a peculiarly valuable property in preparing iron.

experiment made

of

In an

produced

It is also peculiarly

adapted

produces steam quicker than any

known

bituminous coal; and being free from impurities, has not so great a tendency to burn the

boilers.

The coal-field

in the

the county of Cumberland, between the river the Chignecto channel,

is

north-western part of

Macan and the

shores of

There

are eight

also of considerable extent.

veins of coal, one over the other, varying from one to four feet in thick-

The

ness.

coal is not considered so

good

as that of the

have any works been yet established upon

it.

Pictou

There are

field,

nor

also indications

of coal in the township of Londonderry, and at Onslow; on the north shore of the Minas Basin; at the head of district of the

Pomket Harbour,

in the

upper

county of Sydney; and on the south shore of Wallace

From

Harbour, in the county of Cumberland.

the great abundance,

superior quality, and facility of raising and shipping the coal of this province, there

is

no doubt but

it will,

extensive and valuable article of

its

at

no distant period, become an

trade,

and an abundant source of

wealth to the proprietors and the colonists. Iron ore abounds in several parts of the province.

most valuable

is

found

in

great quantities,

coal veins, in the Pictou coal-field.

This ore

Some

interstratified is

of the

with the

found to be of the

very best quality, producing from thirty to sixty per cent, of pure metal.

There are no iron works

as yet established in these districts.

Iron ore exists in the western parts of the county of Annapolis in great

abundance, particularly in the township of Clements. VOL.

II.

The

“ Annapolis

H

NOVA

50

Company” was

Iron Mining

SCOTIA.

established

and incorporated

1825; they have erected extensive iron works on the falls into

Moose River, which

the Annapolis Basin, where they manufacture hollow ware and

bar iron of very superior quality. part of the province, charcoal

is

As

there

is

no

have been found

coal discovered in this

used in those works, of which the neigh-

bouring forests afford an inexhaustible supply.

Indications of copper

and Toney’s River, French River, and East

at Cariboo

River, near Pictou; at Tatmagouche and

county of Cumberland

in the

in the year

:

Waugh’s River, and at Minudie,

in fact, indications of copper are

found

from Cariboo, near Pictou, quite through the whole extent of the county of Cumberland to Minudie

and although no stratum or continuous vein

;

has been discovered, with the exception of a small one at Minudie about

an inch in width, there

is

every reason to believe that this section of

country contains some valuable veins of this mineral. Very few lead ores

have been discovered.

Some

fine

specimens of sulphuret of lead have

been found near Guysborough, in the county of Sydney

and manganese

;

occurs in considerable quantities near Amherst, in

Thus

it

should seem that in

surface of the

soil, this

Cumberland county. those sources of riches which lie below the

province excels every other part of the British

dominions in North America.

Gypsum,

or plaster of Paris, abounds in the middle

of the province, and

is

and eastern parts

generally of the best quality.

It exists in the

county of Hants, and in Windsor and Newport townships in the greatest profusion, forming the principal article of export.

It also

abounds in

the Shubenacadie River. Considerable quantities are raised in the township of Dorchester, in

and

it

is

Sydney county, and exported from Antigonish

very abundant in the county of Cumberland, especially at the

Rivers Macan and Napan, in the township of Amherst, and on the River Philip.

and solid is

There are various kinds of gypsum, generally divided into hard

soft,

the latter of which

body, and

is

is

esteemed the best

;

it

is

by no means a

seldom found in unbroken strata of pure gypsum.

It

quarried by the aid of gunpowder, and broken into a suitable size for

exportation

by the

pick-axe.

Its value, as a

manure,

is

well

known, and

highly appreciated in the United States, to which upwards of 100,000 tons have been annually exported from

Nova

Scotia.

SALT SPRINGS— ANIMALS— BIRDS.

51

SALT SPRINGS. Salt springs

have been discovered in several

places.

River, a branch of the Philip, a considerable quantity

producing twelve per cent, of pure

is

At Black

manufactured,

West and Middle

salt; at

near Pictou, producing about eight per cent.

;

at the

Rivers,

west river of An-

tigonish of similar quality; at the Rivers Chegenois and Salmon, in the

township of Onslow; and at the River Stewiack, in the township of

There never has been any extensive manufacture of

Truro.

this article,

the price of labour being as yet too high to enable the colonists to enter into competition with that will arrive

when

which

is

imported

the supply of native

interesting object of manufacture,

;

salt for

but no doubt the period the fisheries will be an

and source of considerable wealth.

Granite, limestone, slate, and freestone are found in several parts of

the province, and the two latter in some places worked to some extent, principally for domestic use

;

and extensive and valuable quarries of

grindstones are worked at South Laggin, near Minudie, in the county of

Cumberland. States, to

These grindstones are particularly esteemed

which upwards of

10,000/.

in the

United

worth are annually exported.

ANIMALS. Nova

Scotia

abounded with a great variety of animals. These were

soon considerably reduced by the chase, principally for the purpose of obtaining fur and peltry; extinct,

means

many

species

have consequently become

and the catalogue and number of those that remain are by no

considerable.

Among

these the principal are the moose, cariboo,

bear, fox, racoon, lynx, cat, weasel, martin, otter,

quash, hare, woodchuck,

rat,

mouse, mole,

minx, beaver, mus-

bat, &c.

BIRDS.

The

birds of

Nova

Scotia are in general the same as are found in

the northern provinces of America.

Most of them

all

are birds of passage,

h

2

NOVA

52

SCOTIA.

but some, such as the jay, crow, partridge, woodpecker, and a few others, are to be

made

found during the winter.

No

perfect catalogue has been as yet

of them.

FISHES.

The waters with

fish in

lakes

and

bream,

it,

abound

the greatest variety and of the most valuable species.

rivers

eels,

of this province, and the seas surrounding

teem with the usual fresh water

and many

fish

—

The harbours swarm with

others.

The

trout, perch,

cod, mackerel,

herrings, shad, alewives, salmon, halibut, sturgeon, sole, plaice, smelt,

haddock, others

;

lobsters, oysters, muscles, cockles,

and in the surrounding

seas are

found

and an all

infinite variety of

those fish of the whale

species valuable for their oils, as the whale, grampus, porpoise, &c.

deed the taking and curing of cipal, if

fish

may be

In-

considered as one of the prin-

not the chief staple of the trade and source of the wealth of

Nova

Scotia; a

come

to treat of the trade of the province.

more

particular account of

which

will be given

when we

CHAPTER Extent

— Grants — Agriculture —

Nova Scotia

IV.

Statistics

Cape Breton, about 9,000,000 Very few grants of land were

contains, exclusive of

of acres, not including lakes and rivers.

made

prior to 1750, except

town and

— Clergy — Education, &c.

It appears that

fishing lots.

from

1760 to 1812, there were passed 1816 grants of land, conveying 5,991,961

and subsequently 127,978 acres

acres,

;

on the whole 6,119,939 acres

The

of those 2,152,662 acres escheated to the crown. propriated land therefore

but

quantity of ap-

3,979,277 acres, and the quantity at the dis-

is

posal of the crown about 5,000,000.

were reserved

:

to the crown,

In

those grants trifling quit-rents

all

and in most instances

crown lands are now disposed of by

all

minerals

sale at public auction

;

;

but the

and

as the

mines and minerals of the whole province have been granted away, they cannot go with the land. land, both as to quality

The

first settlers

and situation

the ungranted, or crown lands,

;

therefore, lie in the rear of the townships

of almost

good

There are extensive

tracts of

Cumberland, extending from one end of

which

is

of very excellent quality.

county of Shelburne

and the

soil in

tracts of

many

still

is

land are to be found

About

10/.

and consist

in the

county of

to the other, a great part of

The whole ;

of the interior of the

some of

it is

There are

well wooded,

also considerable

interior of the counties of Annapolis,

In short, considerable tracts of superior and good

among

the crown lands in

* The value of land necessarily depends on the improvement.

it

good quality.

good crown lands in the

improved land.

interior,

crown lands

undisposed of

places of

Queen’s, and Sydney.

state of

and in the

the inferior tracts, with a very considerable quantity of

all

land.

naturally selected the best

It is impossible therefore to

all

fertility of

parts of the province

the

soil,

local situation,

*.

and

form any general estimate of the value of

Wilderness, or unimproved land, varies from 51 to 40Z. per hundred acres.

per hundred acres

.

is

the full average value of improvable wilderness land.

NOVA

54

The

SCOTIA.

process of bringing the wild land into a state of cultivation,

and the operations of agriculture, are much the same

The first thing to be done is to down at about three feet from the

in all other newly-settled countries.

The

wood.

clear off the

in this province as

trees are cut

ground, lopped and sawn into convenient lengths, and then burnt this is

not performed by the settler himself, the cost of the whole

4 L 10s. per acre, exceeding the rate at

procured in the Canadas by about

may

and

;

about

The land

is,

per-

then pre-

is

and wheat,

for the seed,

grass seeds are always

and generally

be,

formed in one season, from March to September. sown, or potatoes planted

is

The wood, although

per acre.

1/. 10.?.

by manual labour with the hoe,

where

which the same service may be

green, burns freely, and the whole clearing

pared,

;

rye,

maize

sown with the grain crops,

after they are taken off, the land remains in grass,

producing hay for

the food of the cattle in winter, until the stumps of the trees decay, and the plough can be used. as

The

settler is

enabled to keep a stock of cattle

soon as he can raise hay off his land, which

The

year, either until his is

generally the third year.

on the same process on a portion of new land every

settler carries

stumps, he

is

whole farm

cleared, or until,

is

by the decay of the

enabled to cultivate again the already-cleared land with the

plough, which can generally be done in five or six years. yields the

most abundant

cleared land

is

crops,

considered more profitable than one entirely cleared.

some

difficulty in

Nova

Scotia

and sown early on good land, properly seasons is

;

it

probable

requires great care in it

from sixteen it

has been

will not succeed.

in the province is

its

is

if

;

tilled, it will

culture,

;

Farms

Wheat

is

the seed be well selected,

and

The average

to twenty-five bushels

known

land

and a farm consisting of both new and

of the former description are called “ half-improved farms.” raised with

New

if

ripen in

all

ordinary

that be neglected,

crop on good upland

it is

on interval and marsh much more

to yield forty bushels per acre.

not nearly sufficient for

The quantity grown

own consumption, and flour extent. The climate is very

its

consequently imported to a considerable

congenial to rye, oats, and barley; they are raised without difficulty, and yield abundantly.

and

The average

rye, 16 bushels per acre.

America

;

it is

crop on good land

is oats,

Maize, or Indian corn,

is

25; barley, 20;

indigenous in

extensively cultivated in the western districts of this pro-

^

f 03

AGRICULTURE. vince,

and

leaves

and

is

most valuable vegetable.

a

good food

stalk afford

that horses and swine can eat

in

all

for cattle

common

use in the

and the meal the best

;

New

easily cultivated

is

the grain

;

Indian corn bread, though very

wheat-flour. is

It

little

the very best

is

for bread,

next to

used in this province,

England provinces and

through the United States; the average crop

the

:

New

York, indeed

about twenty-five to

is

thirty bushels per acre.

Nova

Potatoes thrive better in

and are very much cultivated

;

Scotia than in any part of America,

the produce

is

about 200 bushels per

acre.

Turnips, beans, and buckwheat are also cultivated very generally, and

with success. of crops

is

Few

places are regularly divided into fields, but a rotation

On

generally adopted.

the virgin land, wheat, rye, potatoes,

maize, and sometimes turnips, compose the

few

;

then grass for a

up of the grass land, generally oats, then then wheat, succeeded by potatoes and wheat, and laid down

years.

potatoes,

On

crop

first

the breaking

with clover or timothy

Hay

grass.

indispensable for the subsistence

is

of cattle in the winter in this province, and the culture of grasses

Nova

fore a primary object with the

land laid

down

in grass

is

terval,

manure

scarcely ever

broken up until the

in the first instance,

Dung

;

is

and change.

and some

soils,

all

common manure

are exported to the

used for that purpose in

the tide and rivers

and used

the most

New

land

marsh and

in-

used, particularly on

lime has come but partially and lately into use.

which such quantities not at

failure of the

have been under crop for several successive years without the aid

of manure.

upland

there-

Scotia farmer, insomuch that the

grass crop indicates the necessity of renewal

requires no

is

is,

where

it

this

Gypsum,

United States for manure,

province

;

of is

the alluvial deposit of

can be had, considered the best manure,

as such.

One of the greatest embarrassments of the farmer arises from the rapid progress of vegetation. The spring is very short, the time for planting extremely limited, and the period of harvesting succeeds with rapidity

hence the labours of the husbandman are of half the year.

and potatoes,

commences

in

all

crowded within the space

Wheat and rye are sown in April Indian corn, barley, May; buckwheat in June and turnips in July. Mowing

in July; reaping begins in

;

;

August, and

is

finished in Sep-

NOVA

56

SCOTIA.

This crowding of the business of the farm

tember.

is

often attended

with expense, and sometimes, owing to the scarcity of labourers, with the loss of some part of the crop, from inability to harvest

quantity of cultivated land, and

The

it.

produce, was ascertained, by a census

its

taken by order of the government in 1827, which gave the following results

Land

cultivated,

292,009

acres;

wheat,

152,836 bushels;

other

grain, 449,626 bushels; potatoes, 3,398,220 bushels; hay, 168,212 tons.

From which

would appear, estimating the number of

it

acres

under

each crop by the average produce per acre, that there were about 10,000

under wheat, 22,500 acres under other grain, 22,500 acres under

acres

potatoes,

and about 164,000

acres

under hay

about 220,000 acres

in all

;

under crop.

The

climate of this province

duction of

The French

fruit.

some of which

remain

still

;

is

by no means uncongenial

in all their settlements

the settlers from

New

to the pro-

planted orchards,

England often did

the same, and the practice has been generally and successfully followed.

There are extensive orchards and the

cider,

which forms

none in America. tities,

and

is

cherries are

in Hants, King’s,

a considerable article of export, is inferior to

The winter

fruit particularly

of the most excellent quality.

found

and Annapolis counties raised in great quan-

is

Plums,

pears, quinces,

in all the orchards perfectly naturalized,

and

and bear

abundantly; and peaches and grapes ripen in ordinary seasons without

any

artificial aid.

The province is The horses swine. English stock is

;

well stocked with horses, horned cattle, sheep, and

mixed

are a

race of the American, Canadian, and

they are not very good, but considerable improvement

being made in the breed by the introduction of English blood horses.

The horned

cattle are

very superior; the oxen are large, well-shaped,

strong, tractable in yoke, to,

are

good

and

for the dairy.

easily fatted.

they cannot be classed

Avitli

cows,

when attended

Beef and butter are both abundant and

cheap, and not only supply the siderable article of export.

The

home consumption, but

The sheep have been any particular breed

:

afford a con-

so intermixed that

they are good-sized,

and hardy; weigh from ten to tAventy pounds a quarter, and

as

mutton.

LABOUR — MANUFACTURES — SHIP-BUILDING. are very

good

the fleece

;

The

the settler for domestic use.

doubled within the

twenty

last

and always manufactured by

tolerably fine,

is

57

more than

live stock of the province has

The

years.

lowing results: horses, 12,951; horned

census of 1827 gave the

fol-

110,818; sheep, 173,731;

cattle,

swine, 71,482.

Labour, although

The expense

scarce,

of clearing wilderness land, that

the timber, varies from 3 /. to

house for a

cannot be considered high in this province.

4/. 10,9.

per acre

;

and carrying

felling

yearly wages of good

labourers are from 20/. to 25/. besides board and lodging

from

2 s. to

3.9.

per day, with board and lodging

labour must suit itself to the supply, but greater, the

demand would

off

that of erecting a tolerable

The

settlement, about 15/. to 25/.

first

is,

day labour

;

The demand

also.

for

the supply were considerably

if

increase, at least in

an equal,

not a

if

still

greater ratio.

There are few manufactures, properly so

called, carried

on in Nova

Scotia; but the preparation of lumber, and ship-building, are sometimes

There are saw-mills

so denominated.

and even the

so far

number

back

as

1785 there were ninety of them in the country

has been vastly increased since that period.

of lumber prepared and exported

good here

in every district of the province,

as in

momentous, and

is

any other part of America.

it is

Ship-building

to a great extent in every part of the province

:

The quantity considered as is

carried

on

in the ship-yards of the

peninsula alone, there were built in the year 1826, 131 vessels, containing 15,535 tons

;

and

in 1828, 94 vessels, containing 6,560 tons.

quantity of ship-building

is

not

and

cipally sloops, schooners,

less

The average

than 10,000 tons per annum, prin-

The number and

vessels for the fishery.

tonnage of the shipping belonging to the province, exclusive of Cape Breton, was, in 1826, 1,031 vessels

and boys employed, 3,407.

now be

estimated at not

less

;

tonnage, 52,779

The number

is

at

number of men

on the increase, and

sloops, schooners, &c.

Moose River; the quantity manufactured

considerable, but the quality

may

than 1,500 vessels, and 70,000 tons, about

150 of which are square-rigged, and the remainder

There are iron works

;

is

very good.

There are

also coal

is

works

in-

at

Pictou, which supply not only the provincial demand, but also a considerable export to the

VOL.

II.

United

States.

A

few manufactories are i

esta-

NOVA

58 Halifax

blislied at

:

sugar refining;

breweries of ale and porter latter,

SCOTIA.

with some few other

;

of rum, gin, and whiskey;

distilleries

soap, candle,

articles of

and leather

factories

the

:

domestic consumption, are indeed

manufactured by almost every farmer.

The

foreign trade of this province

the other British

possessions

in

is,

common with

that of

America, regulated by the statute

in

6 Geo. IV. cap. 114, of the British Parliament,

which took

effect in 1826.

Halifax and Pictou were declared free-warehousing ports, under this act, for

the entry, warehousing, transporting, and exportation of

few

scription of merchandize, with a

The

trifling exceptions.

de-

all

exports

of provincial produce consist of timber to Great Britain and foreign

Europe lumber,

;

of gypsum, coal, and grindstones to the United States fish,

New

and sheep to the West Indies, Brazil.

and

W

horned

beef, pork, butter, grain, potatoes, horses,

and cured

at Halifax,

which

is

fish.

The

fish, flour,

greatest part of this trade

is

carried on

the general port of entry and clearance for the greater

part of the province.

The value of

the exports, and quantity of ship-

ping employed therein in 1828 was, of exported

articles, 473,861/.; ship-

ping employed, 1,651; tonnage, 132,767; navigated by 7,304 boys.

Among

and 40,526

cattle,

The imports consist of British fruit, &c. West India produce,

produce are re-exported.

manufactures of every kind, wines, dried salt, flour,

of

Brunswick, Newfoundland, and

Besides provincial produce, considerable quantities of est India

;

men and

the articles exported were, 175,128 quintals of dry

fish,

barrels of pickled fish, the latter consisting principally of her-

rings, mackarel, salmon, aleAvives,

and

shad.

The imports

the same year

Avere of the value of 847,530/. in 1,694 vessels, of 132,174 tons, navigated

by 7,342 men and boys. resources of

which

Such a

trade, carried

are scarcely knoAvn,

much

on by a province the

less fully

developed, and

having only a scanty and widely-scattered population of 124,000 is

souls,

powerfully demonstrative of the industry and enterprise of the inhabit-

ants,

and of the value and importance of the colony.

staple of the trade of this province.

The

fishery

is

Fish

;

on the southern at

Lunenburg, Liverpool, and Shelburne; on the western and Barrington

;

and

at

the chief

carried on principally

on the eastern shore, in and about Chedabucto Bay

Clare, Argyle,

is

at

Yarmouth,

Annapolis, in the Bay of Fundy.

THE FISHERIES. The

taken are cod, herrings, mackarel, shad, alewives,

fish principally

The

and salmon. ductive

so are herrings to be

fisheries

indeed cod

;

;

59

is

Bay

are remarkably pro-

taken in the bay, and even in the harbours, and

and the

found from June

of Chedabucto

to

immense.

shoals of mackarel are

This

fish is

October on the shore and in the harbours, in

such quantities that 1000 barrels have been taken in a sieve at one

At

draught.

the

commencement of

the season the fisherman obtains

permission from the proprietor of the beach to erect his hut, and occupy a certain space for his boat

and

nets, for

which he pays

at the

end of

the season a barrel or more of cured mackarel, and one-twentieth of the

aggregate quantity of fresh shares; the

The

fish besides.

fishery

usually held

by

owner of the boat and nets taking one half of the produce,

and the fishermen he employs, the other, which selves.

is

One

proprietor has been

known

is

divided amongst them-

to receive nearly

2000 barrels

of mackarel in the year for his fishing grounds, each barrel worth 17 s.

6cl.

The quantity of herrings that throngs Annapolis Basin is almost incredible they are caught in weirs.

Herring fishing commences

tinues generally to September, sometimes until

the

fish

weirs.

remained so long that they were frozen

May and

con-

November at one time in immense masses in the ;

After being properly selected and cleaned, they are smoked, and

packed in boxes of half-bushel for the

in

West

the coast

is

India market.

carried

size,

The

200

fish in

each box, and are shipped

herring fishery on the other parts of

on in the usual way. Besides

this “ shore” fishery, the

Nova Scotians carry on a considerable cod fishery on the Labrador shore. The fish is taken there, and generally brought to the ports of this province to be cured.

NOVA

60

SCOTIA.

Value of Exports from and Imports the several Countries , the

Tonnage.

Ships.

Nova

to

Scotia in 1828, distinguishing

number of Ships employed, and Tonnage British

Great

West

Britain.

Indies.

£

£

132,767

37,860

233,877

166,514

Imports.

1,694

132,174

311,100

153,298

139,644

Dry

Fish.

4^970

473,861

875 24,680

847,530

£

5^790 24,850

217,933

Salt exported

Quintals of

Total Value.

£

1,651

and

Foreign Europe.

Brazil.

States.

£

Exports.

Quantities of Fish , Flour,

United

North America.

and imported 1828. ,

Fish.

Barrels of Flour.

Barrels of

Pickled

.

Exported

175,128

40,526

26,721

Imported

81,248

3,439

76,696

Hogsheads of Salt.

51,090

POPULATION. The

progress of the population of this province before the complete

establishment of the British dominion was very slow and uncertain.

Although the colony had been and forty-four

settled for a period of

years, the Acadian, or

1749 to no more than 18,000

souls.

about one hundred

French population, amounted

After the expulsion of

in

this unfor-

tunate people in 1755, the British population was numbered at 5,000.

By

an estimate made in 1764, the number of souls was 13,000, of whom 2,600

were Acadians, who had escaped the general expulsion, or returned to the province at the peace.

whom

It

was estimated in 1772

2,100 were Acadians, and 865 Indians.

American Revolution

American computed

loyalists

it

at 19,100 souls, of

In consequence of the

was reduced to 12,000 in 1781, but 20,000

having arrived in 1784, the number in that year was

to be 32,000, including

which were until then included

New

Brunswick and Cape Breton,

in the province of

Nova

Scotia,

but were

POPULATION. about that time separated from

Nova

Scotia, as

it

now

stands,

it

;

61

the population within the limits of

was estimated to be 20,400

population had increased in 1790 to 30,000 souls steadily, and, in

in 1817,

many

instances, rapidly advanced.

was found to be 86,668

it

;

souls,

This

souls.

from which time

By

it

a census taken

and another census, taken with

great care and accuracy in 1827, gave the results exhibited in the general statistical

return of the province,

made by

the civil secretary 31st

De-

cember, 1827-

The population this census

we

shall

;

and

if

of Cape Breton, about 20,000,

that

amount be added

is

not included in

to the returns of

have a population of 164,191 souls in 1827.

Nova

Scotia,

NOVA

62

SCOTIA.

A- statistical

Return of the Province of Nova Scotia

RELIGION.

POPULATION.

COUNTY.

—

'O

P £

rt

£

N umber of Number of Number of Males in Females in the county, exclusive oflabourers or servants.

'

1

Peninsula of Halifax District of ditto

£

o

clusive of

Servants.

Of Number

the

Church of

Total

of

Number

Labourers,

Female

or Male Servants.

Servants

of Souls in the

in ditto.

County.

O o

12 j—«

'S

England Scotland

Rome.

A o S

s

c

G

GW

o

6,466

1,321

1,106

14,439

6,021

2,900

3,627 1,164

680

••

••

4,898

4,614

689

345

10,437

3,709

3,732

2,158

150

688

••

• •

3,006

3,597

315

185

7,703

334

6,283

136

50

868

6,704

6,291

408

296

13,949

257 12,429

1,013

3,901 4,756 7,152 6,133 1,936 4,531 2,568 6,255

3,692 4,654 6,917 5,885 1,915 4,288 2,415 5,775

619 537 339 273 251 315 285

415 261 253 288 123 271

431

222

8,627 10,208 14,601 12,018 4,225 9,405 5,410 * 12,760

57,986

56,509

5,783

3,913

123,848

.

District of Pictou

••

••

i a>

P«

5,546

.

.

District of Colchester

ditto, ex-

day of

31.9^

,

15

5 ••

• •

••

Cj

Han ts County Kin g’s ditto Annapolis ditto Shelburne ditto Queen’s ditto

Lunenburg ditto Cumberland ditto Sydney ditto

. .

....

Total

March

148

1,956 1,507 4,900 2,116

2,722 2,432

865 2,119 703

217 1,916

4,107

1,473

400 2,075

646

599 1,590 721 2,004 1,326 183 437 417 7,180

1,080 1,770 1,501 1,253

844 ••

1,753

. ,

. . 4,454 4,872 26 13 4,872 411 45 1,231 1,192 2,897 , . 3,173 .

21

25 9

405

••

28,659 37,225 (20,401 9,408 19,790 |2,908 4,417

405 55

31st, 1828.

* This seems an error, as the addition of the numbers of males and females, including servants, gives the number found in our statement.

It

is

not easy to ascertain the increase of population derived from

emigration as distinguished from the natural increase of the inhabitants. It

certain that natural increase has been very great in this province,

is

and such

as

is

only

known

in newly-settled countries,

of providing for a family are easily acquired. there has been a considerable addition

made

It

is

where the means

equally certain that

to the population

by immi-

gration even before the last census, 1827, although this province partook less

of the tide of emigration than the other North American colonies.

The mass

of the present inhabitants consist of natives, the descend-

ants of the original emigrants

New

from Great Britain, Ireland, Germany,

England, and the Acadians.

The majority

eastern parts of the province, district of Pictou,

are of Scotch descent,

of the people in the

and county of Sydney,

and are a most industrious and enterprising por-

63

POPULATION-STATISTICS.

December 1827, not including ,

Births.

||

\ js

or no

3 Unitarians.

Quakers.

S -a o

Sandiminians.

c

7)

Jews.

14 75

Doubtful

3

••

••

21

384

same

pe-

riod, in-

Number

of Acres of

Land

520

in

cultivation in each

cluding Labourers.

87

Produce.

Number of of Bushels of Bushels of other Wheat. Grain.

Number

Stock.

Number of Number

of

Bushels of

Tons of

Potatoes.

Hay.

Number Number of Horses.

of

Number

Number

of Sheep.

of Swine.

Horned Cattle.

County.

1020

128

4,105

23,001

2,101

399

458

39

493

1,081

7,130

8,720

3,673

370

105

157

13,440

5,298

28,212

199,041

334

38

77

29,135

18,644

64,073

292,235

16,756

1,440

10,177

12,713

6,912

250

501

79

115

49,181

38,198

98,561

302,659

11,750

1,609

11,701

21,128

12,945

7

330 339 435 635

95

362

71

18,520 25,668 5,410 445

45,328 65,100 26,309 9,062 3,476 33,146 34,076 33,173

227,948 538,903 385,478 308,250 52,817 334,163 269,897 363,228

19,977 25,386 21,549 12,293 3,517 10,577 13,790 15,794

848

9,475 12,580 13,872 10,039 2,436 8,978 8,266 15,706

14,863 18,574 27,042 20,752 2,737 11,238 11,576 24,349

5,927 8,232 6,804 5,986

153 331 243 508

37,531 34,150 22,174 17,499 5,630 13,476 29,308 39,465

2,486 1,789

65 129 26 78 46 126

115 100 124 77 123 49 89

4,563

945

1,908

292,009

152,861

449,626 3,298,220 168,212

12,951

110,818

173,731

71,482

10

3 3 9

cultivated.

32

4 9

Land

10,852

••

7

23 158

same period.

. .

••

during the the County year ending during the

|| • •

Deaths.

No. of in No. of No. of in Females the County the County married in during the 30th Sept.

60 2

Antinomians

professing

3

23

AGRICULTURE.

Marriages.

I

b£

of Cape Breton.

the County

4 320

1,362 3,117 14,152 21,919

1,351

319 163 202 1,264

RUPERT

The Germans were

tion of the population.

D.

GEORGE.

settled at Halifax,

burg, and at Clement’s, in the county of Annapolis

;

1,941

5,331 5,533 7,705

Lunen-

their descendants

are numerous, but do not preserve any distinct character, as they have

always mixed with the general mass of the inhabitants.

England napolis

The

early

occupied the lands of the expelled Acadians about

settlers

and the shores of the Alpinas Basin, and the American

were located

over the province

all

lumber trade and the of people.

fisheries,

The descendants

tion so

mixed up

so the

Acadians

;

;

religion, language,

testant neighbours.

settle

they very generally engaged in the

and were

a

most active and industrious class

of those different people

now form

together as

much

a popula-

Not

as possible, preserve their

and customs, and never intermarry with

As

An-

loyalists

together, that all distinctive characteristics are lost.

they

New

their pro-

a people, they are moral, simple in their habits.

NOVA

64 cheerful in

tlieir disposition,

SCOTIA.

and although neither

so intelligent perhaps or

enterprising as the other inhabitants, are contented and happy; they are principally settled in the township of Clare, county of Annapolis, and

Minudie, county of Cumberland.

There are

principally

employed

no

There are a few Indians

slaves.

much among

are

souls,

still

in the province

and they have been

in 1772 their

:

since then

on the

the white inhabitants, they preserve but few of their

Indian characteristics

;

they are an indolent race, addicted to drunken-

and are seldom found

steadily to adhere to industrious habits or

In a few years not a trace of this once numerous people,

pursuits.

the original proprietors of the

soil,

will

be found in

the whole, the predominant character of the people

They

who

Isolated from their red brethren of the continent, and living

decrease.

ness,

free blacks,

domestic and agricultural servants, but there are

as

number did not exceed 865 very

few

a

are generally tall

;

the

men

this

is

province

;

on

Anglo-American.

stout, muscular, active, hardy, enter-

women, well made, and possessing much feminine softness of manner. As the people live chiefly on their own farms, and rely on their own exertions for support, they have much manand ingenious

prising,

liness of character,

and

;

the

a singular aptness in acquiring a tolerable degree

more useful and common mechanical

A

Nova Scotia farmer will not only cultivate his own farm, but build his own house, make his implements of husbandry, and even shoe his own horses. He is in a great many instances a sailor, and can build and navigate the vessel The people are that conveys the produce of his own farm to market. of skill in the

hospitable and civil in their manners.

It

may

arts.

be remarked, that inn-

keeping alone will not afford a subsistence in any part of the country out of Halifax.

There are several

whom

enjoy the most complete toleration, and are subject to no dis-

abilities

whatever on account of

mination was found, 28,659 ists,

religious denominations in this province, all of

;

of Scotland, 37,225

is

The number

at the census of 1827, to

and other protestant

country

religion.

;

of

Home,

20,401

sects, 17,771.

;

of each deno-

be church of England,

baptists, 19,790

The church

;

method-

of England in this

supported by the Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign

CLERGY OF THE VARIOUS PERSUASIONS. The clergy

Parts and by the British government. of a bishop, styled Bishop of

New

Nova

Scotia,

Brunswick and the Bermudas,

whom

men, each of

of this church consists

whose jurisdiction extends over

—and about thirty missionary clergy-

receives a salary of 200/., one half

and one half from the

65

society, which,

from the crown,

with the proceeds of small glebes,

The

parochial fees, &c. affords a tolerably comfortable maintenance.

churches have been built by subscription, aided also by funds from the

crown and the

The bishop

society.

possesses

Nova

Scotia

was erected into

no lay jurisdiction of any kind

fined to the superintendence of the church of

;

a bishopric in 1787-

his authority

is

con-

England clergy within

his

The presbyterians have an independent provincial church government of their own, upon the model of the church of Scotland. The synod generally meets at Pictou, and contains about thirty members, who are dispersed over this province, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, and are supported by their respective congregations. The Roman cathothere lics are under the control of a bishop, who resides at Antigonisli are about twelve subordinate clergy, who are altogether supported by their respective congregations. The baptist clergy have an annual meetdiocese.

;

ing, called an Association,

of their church distinct

;

wherein they arrange the general concerns

but each baptist congregation

The number

sufficient to

supply

all

of the clergy of this denomination

the congregations.

about one-half of the remaining

sects

;

is

in all respects

are supported

by the people of

Methodist Missionary Society. cipally Lutherans,

and what

in

it

is

Edward

scarcely

Island.

Its ministers

closely connected.

by the English

other denominations,

England

are

known

as

This

as the methodist

their persuasion, assisted

The

own

they have about twenty mission-

governed in the same manner

church in England, with which

is

its

The methodists compose

connected with this province and Prince

church

considered by them a

independent church, and as such chooses and supports

clergyman.

aries

is

who

are prin-

Independents, are

tolerably well supplied with ministers, each congregation supporting

own. this

Such

the good feeling that prevails, that

it is

not

uncommon

in

country to find the minister of one denomination officiating occa-

sionally for all

is

its

and in the churches of another.

the different sects are numerous, and in

VOL.

II.

The chapels belonging to many instances both comK

NOVA

66

SCOTIA.

modious and handsome, bearing ample testimony

in favour of the religious

feeling of the country.

The education

of the people

There

British-American colonies. lege, at

Windsor

is

provided for as well as in any of the is

an university, called King’s Col-

Dalhousie College at Halifax

;

;

academies at Pictou,

Annapolis, and Kentville; grammar-schools at Halifax, Windsor, Pictou,

and Kentville. The Society for Propagating the Gospel supports between forty and fifty schoolmasters ; and schools have been established in

all

the

townships, aided by a very liberal pecuniary grant from the provincial

The

legislature.

charter in 1802

;

by

university of King’s College was established it

is

bishop of Canterbury

The Arch-

enabled to confer the usual degrees. patron

is

;

royal

and the board of governors

composed

is

of the lieutenant-governor of the province, the bishop, chief-justice,

speaker of the

House of Assembly, the attorney and the

and the president or principal of the university, There are four professors

all

for the time being.

one of Hebrew and divinity, one of moral

:

and metaphysics, one of mathematics, astronomy, and natural

science

The

philosophy, and one of grammar, rhetoric, and logic. eligible for matriculation at the age of fourteen,

from four to seven

dowed by the per

annum

There

years.

library,

The

tion

is

also

some scholarships on the foun-

college possesses a large well-selected

Subordinate to the

a valuable philosophical apparatus.

and under

its

control,

preparatory to that of the college, for which

may

each 30/. per annum, and they

Dalhousie College

(at

of education was framed

it is

by the

intended.

society,

who

There allow

be held for seven years.

Halifax) was incorporated in 1820

;

the system

upon the model of the university of Edinburgh.

are three professorships

for mathematics, natural

col-

the collegiate school; the system of educa-

is

are twelve divinity scholarships, supported also

There

and the course occupies

are twelve divinity scholarships, en-

There are

for seven years.

and

students are

Society for Propagating the Gospel, each enjoying 30/.

dation of less emolument.

lege,

solicitor-general,

:

one for the Greek and Latin

classics,

one

and experimental philosophy, and one for theo-

logy and moral philosophy.

The academy

1804, and incorporated by charter in 1816

by subscriptions among the presbyterians,

;

at

it

for

Pictou was projected in

was erected and supported

whose

benefit

it

was prin-

EDUCATION— SCHOOLS. cipally projected.

The House

of Assembly

several years in aid of this institution.

lias

The

67

voted 400/. annually for

course of education here

includes the usual branches of academical instruction, and occupies four years.

There are

at present three professors.

valuable library, and has the best Scotia.

The academy

museum

It possesses a small

of natural history in

Nova

of Annapolis was established in 1827, partly by

voluntary subscription, and partly by provincial distinct but connected schools classical education,

but

— one

aid.

There are two

devoted to the higher branches of

the other confined to the elementary and higher

branches usually taught in English schools.

CHAPTER The

Legislature

V.

— Courts of Law— Public Revenue— Sable Island.

The legislature of the province is composed a council, is

of a lieutenant-governor,

and an House of Assembly. The whole of British North America

generally comprised under one

and commander-in-chief, who

command, the

resides at

captain-general, governor,

Quebec. The governors of the

spective provinces are styled lieutenant-governors,

in their civil capa-

The governor

quite independent of the governor-general.

cities are

Nova

and

Scotia has the local rank of lieutenant-general,

re-

and

is

of

styled lieu-

tenant-governor, commander-in-chief, chancellor, and vice-admiral of the

province of

Nova

The whole executive

Scotia.

authority

is

vested in the

governor

:

he summons, prorogues, and dissolves the council and general

assembly

;

he appoints to

pardon

all

all offices

not disposed of by the crown

offenders but those guilty of treason

mands the army and

militia,

and presides

in the

and murder

;

;

he can

he com-

Courts of Chancery and

Besides various fees and emoluments, he receives a handsome

Error.

annual allowance or salary.

In the event of the governor’s death, the

next senior member of council, not being the

chief-justice, exercises all

the functions of governor.

The legislative mandamus from the

council consists of twelve members, appointed

king.

deliberate as a distinct

In their legislative capacity they meet and

chamber or upper house, and conduct

ceedings as closely in imitation of the

They

allow.

voice

is

;

as

circumstances

obliged to obtain and act upon in a great variety of

They form, with

siastical

House of Lords

their pro-

are also a council of state, or privy council to the governor,

whose advice he cases.

by

the governor, the Court of Error and the Eccle-

Court, in whose deliberations the governor has only a single

they are styled honourable, hold their

king’s pleasure,

office

merely during the

and the governor can suspend them until the king’s

pleasure be signified.

The House

of Assembly resembles the British

THE LEGISLATURE—COURTS OF LAW. House of Commons

in its formation, powers,

as closely as the circumstances of the

elected exactly as in England,

69

and mode of procedure

The members

country permit.

by freeholders possessing

houses or lands of the annual value of

40,?.

seven years, and must meet at least once a

are

real estates in

The assembly continues for year, but may be dissolved or

prorogued by the governor.

The number

of

members

House of Assembly town of Halifax two

elected to the

one four for the county, and two for the :

forty-

is

for each

;

of the other nine counties of Annapolis, Cumberland, Cape Breton, Hants,

King’s County, Lunenburg, Queen’s County, Shelburne, and Sydney

and one for each of the following towns ton, Cornwallis,

— Annapolis, Amherst, Barring-

Digby, Falmouth, Granville, Horton, Liverpool, Lon-

donderry, Lunenburg, Newport, Onslow, Shelburne, Truro, Windsor,

The

and Yarmouth. tinues in session

from

legislature meets generally in winter, six to twelve weeks,

conducted with ability and

and the debates are often

Every law

spirit.

and con-

must

in this province

have received the concurrent assent of the House of Assembly, of the

and of the governor, before

council,

dissent

any

from any law or

bill

it

manent law

it

must be submitted it.

and each may

Upon

its

but to make

;

a per-

it

king in council, who may con-

being disallowed by the king, or

from the time of

its

enactment,

it

be-

void.

The

courts of law are, the Court of Chancery, of which the governor

sole judge,

by virtue of

his office,

always a professional man,

powers of

this court are,

Court of Chancery

is

to the

In the event of

not confirmed within three years

appeal

;

proposed or approved of by the others.

bill

immediately operates in the province

firm or disallow

is

can be enforced

passing the house and council, and receiving the assent of the

governor,

comes

it

lies

from

in

sits

as

judge

and from

its

The Court

council.

this to the

An

appeal

king

in the latter 500/.

lies

of Error

from

in council.

ject-matter of the appeal, in the former instance,

and

An

proceedings similar in form.

king in council.

this court to the

composed of the governor and

in value,

The

in lieu of the governor.

within the colony, the same as those of the

England, and

inferior courts to this,

but where the Master of the Rolls,

all

The

must exceed

The Supreme Court

is

the sub-

300/.

invested with

NOVA

70

the powers of the King’s Bench,

SCOTIA.

Common

Pleas,

and Exchequer.

It

is

composed of a chief and three puisne judges, and a

circuit associate.

The jurisdiction

and extends over

of the court

is

both criminal and

the whole province, including Cape Breton

The whole province

year at Halifax.

it

;

civil,

holds four terms in the

divided into four

is

circuits,

Cape

Breton being one, into which the judges go and hold courts of assize, &c.

The ney.

practitioners in this court unite the business of barrister

The

common

inferior courts are courts of

having jurisdiction in

all civil

attor-

pleas in each county,

matters under the value of

three distinct commissioners, or judges, each of

and

whom

5l.

There are

holds a distinct

court in every county within his circuit, the province being divided into

The

three circuits for that purpose. similar to those of the

of the province

is

process and course of practice are

Supreme Court. The

process issued

by the courts

of the same nature and operation as the process of the

courts at Westminster; besides which there

is

a peculiar process affecting

absent or absconding debtors, by which their property in the colony attached,

and unless security be given,

creditor.

There are

is

also courts of general

is

sold for the benefit of the

and quarter

sessions, similar

in all respects to such courts in England, held in each county;

and in

every township small debts are recoverable before courts consisting of

one or more justices of the peace. province by virtue of his ties,

by whose probates

The

office,

The

governor, being ordinary of the

appoints surrogates in the several coun-

letters of administration, kc. are granted.

statute of distribution in

Nova

Scotia

is

statute in England, in so far that the real estate

different

from the same

divided into shares,

is

number of children, and the eldest son takes only two The reason for this alteration of the law of the mother in a new country the improvement of the landed estate

according to the of such shares.

country is

is,

that

likely to absorb the

if it

went

children

;

whole personal property of the proprietor, and that

to the eldest son, there

on

this

ground

it

would be no provision

was that

this law,

for the other

which prevailed

in all the

English- American colonies, was approved of by the king in council.

There

is

also a Vice- Admiralty

the usual admiralty jurisdiction,

and

Court

civil jurisdiction.

in time of

war

at Halifax.

This court has

It has also a peculiar

a prize jurisdiction

:

revenue

the duties of judge

PROVINCIAL REVENUE. by the

are at present performed

There are

sheriffs

From

officers are in

this sketch it will

of this province are in

all

Supreme Court.

chief-justice of the

and justices of the peace in

pointed exactly as such

71

the counties, both ap-

all

England.

appear that the government and institutions

respects as similar to those of

nature and circumstances of a

new country

will allow

;

England

as the

the unrivalled

mother country being the grand model by which

constitution of the

the institutions of this minor, but not unimportant portion of her de-

pendencies have been framed and established.

The it

provincial revenue

very considerable.

It consists principally

of custom and excise duties,

amount, and by no means onerous to the

trifling in is

not very large, nor are the demands upon

is

making of

applied to provincial purposes, the greater part in the

bridges, &c.,

and a considerable sum

in

The whole

colonists.

promoting education.

roads,

There

is

a custom-house establishment at Halifax, which, considering the nature

of

its

The

duties,

and the amount of revenue

amount of the customs

gross

which a sum of tom-house

8, 8907

officers.

collected,

in the year

was deducted

is

remarkably elegant.

1827 was, 25,4167, out of

for the fees

and

salaries of the cus-

The collector at Halifax has, in salary and

and the comptroller 1,0007 a

year.

The

receipt

fees,

2,0007

and expenditure of the

provincial revenue for the year 1828 were as follows Paid.

Received.

£.

s.

2,762 16 ii

0

Legislature

.

3,026

0

0

6

J udicature

.

5,150 18

6

4

Revenue

.

1,511 19

Militia

•

2,156 18

7 9

Navigation

.

3,179 15

2

35,099 17 10|

Customs

.

18,000

0

.

1,313

9

762 16

Sundries

Road

55,176

The

difference

prior year *

3

.

29,762

6

3

Education

.

3,347

3

24

Miscellanies

.

8,853 13

04

59,751 10

7

service

84

was paid from a balance remaining

in

hand from the

*.

For a great part of the valuable

are indebted to the lucid, accurate, are most

d.

.

.

ditto

s.

Government department

Excise duties

Light ditto

£.

d.

happy

details conveyed in this and the preceding chapter we and comprehensive labours of Mr. Halliburton, which we

here, as elsewhere, to acknowledge.

NOVA

72

SCOTIA.

ISLE OF SABLE.

Sable Island, or Isle aux Sables, although distant eighty-five miles

from Nova end

Scotia,

is

of the island lies in latitude 43° 56' 42" north,

west, and

The west

considered as belonging to that province.

the east end in latitude 43° 59' 5"

and

longitude 60° 17' 15"

and longitude 59° 42"

about thirty miles in length and fifteen in breadth.

;

it is

It consists entirely

of an accumulation of loose white sand, utterly barren, producing neither It lies in the direct track of vessels

tree nor shrub.

Europe, and upon

An

lost.

it

who

assistants,

:

it

lives

consists of a superintendant

constantly reside on the island, and have

in charge a competent supply of such articles as cases of shipwreck.

The

would be useful

in

establishment was maintained by the province

Scotia from 1804 to 1827 at an annual expense of about 500/.;

but in the ther

and from

establishment was formed in 1804 upon this island for the

and about ten

Nova

to

many have been wrecked, and numerous

very

purpose of assisting persons wrecked

of

bound

latter year the British

sum equal

to that voted

has been enlarged, and

government undertook

add a fur-

by the province, whereby the establishment

usefulness very

its

to

much

increased.

The

intendant and his assistants continually perambulate the island. are several signal-posts

and

flag-staffs to direct vessels,

and huts to

super-

There shelter

The island is regularly visited to convey supplies, and bring away those who may have been thrown upon its shores. The supply the sufferers.

of stores and provisions

upon the saries.

island

always abundant, so that 300 persons at once

is

have been

liberally subsisted

There never were any inhabitants on the

nected with the establishment. are

and supplied with

The only

all

neces-

island but those con-

native animals to be

met with

some wild horses, whose flesh has been occasionally found a providential

substitute for better food coast

is

;

a

few

seals are

caught upon the shore.

The

exceedingly dangerous, and almost every where surrounded with

breakers.

CHAPTER Cape Breton — Situation

The Nova

island of

Cape Breton

Scotia Proper, and it

returns only two

the whole county.

they held

— Extent — Divisions — Harbours —

extent

Its

Scotia.

5'

its

Nova

population bears nearly the same proportion, yet

its

members

to the provincial

House

Assembly

of

for

This island, formerly called by the French when

is

Newfoundland the entrance of

situated between the latitudes 45° 27'

Madame,

north, including the islands of

and minor

St. Paul’s,

— Settlements.

equal to about one-fourth of that of

is

the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and

and 47°

Soil

constitutes a county of the province of

L’lsle Royale, forms with

it

VI.

islands,

and longitude

Scatari, Boulardrie,

59° 38'

and 61°

and south-west being about 100

greatest length north-east

50'

west

miles,

and

the greatest width from south-east to north-west about eighty miles, comprising an area of about 2,000,000 acres, exclusive of the great masses of

water contained within

It

it.

is

distant

from the south-western extremity

of Newfoundland about sixteen leagues, and

by

St.

George’s

Bay and

Gut

the

and varying from one mile

divided from

one and a half in width.

to

bays,

by water

diversified with

;

;

Its

shape

is

nearly

;

the one to the north

the other to the south, low, and intersected

moderate elevations, and gradually rising from

the interior shore of the Bras d’Or, until the ocean.

Scotia

and nearly separated by the

waters of the Bras d’Or into two natural divisions

being high, bold, and steep

Nova

of Canseau, twenty-one miles in length,

many deep

triangular, indented with

is

presents abrupt

it

There are not any mountains, properly

cliffs

towards

so called, in the

island; the highest ridges in the southern division do not perhaps ex-

ceed an altitude of 600 are

more

feet.

elevated, bolder,

highest point,

Smoky

The highlands

and continuous

;

in the northern division

but even there the supposed

Cape, does not probably exceed five hundred yards.

There are several fresh water lakes, some of which are of no inconsiderable magnitude. VOL.

II.

The

largest are

Lake Marguerite,

in the northern division,

L

74

CAPE BRETON.

about forty miles in circumference, and the Grand River and Mire Lakes in the southern division

shape,

and scattered

all

besides several others differing in size and

;

and brooks, are numerous, but of the southern division

depth and magnitude

;

The

over the island.

is

small,

rivers, or rather rivulets

and not navigable. The whole coast

broken into harbours,

many

of

them of

great

but the northern coast does not afford nearly so

many.

The

with

innumerable minor harbours, Sydney, Louisburg, Arichat, Basin

its

principal harbours for vessels of burden are the Bras d’Or,

of Inhabitants, Ship Harbour in Canseau Strait, Port Hood, and

Anne’s

St.

besides several others of less importance.

The Bras d’Or

is

tion of the area of

every part of is

it,

a vast internal sea, occupying a considerable por-

Cape Breton,

and dividing

intersecting with

The entrance

almost into two islands.

it

on the eastern side of the island, facing Newfoundland, and

divided into two passages by Boulardrie Island. is

numerous arms

its

called Little Bras d’Or

;

bar at the

mouth of

;

and

Bras d’Or, or the Great Lake.

itself,

the Little Bras d’Or renders

gable for vessels of heavy burden, and

is

passage

the northern passage, Great Bras d’Or

the large sheet of inland waters

A sunken

The southern

it

it is

unnavi-

it

therefore never used.

It is

about twenty-three miles in length, and from a quarter of a mile to

The Great Bras d’Or

three miles wide.

gation

;

it

has above sixty fathom water,

and about twenty-five miles in length Island

it is

is

its

navi-

from two to three miles wide,

when

at the

head of Boulardrie

joined by the Little Bras d’Or, and a few miles further on

enters the Great d’Or, before

:

has no impediment to

its

Lake through

the Straits of Barra.

The Great Bras

junction with the Little one, or with the lake, communi-

cates with, or rather sends its waters into the interior,

forming several

The first is Whycocomagli

excellent harbours to the north-west of the Great Lake.

Bedeque Bay, and Basin, ships

farther on a fine sheet of water called

upwards of forty miles from the main

from England usually

load.

is

and where the timber

After passing the Straits of Barra the

Great Lake sends off a number of branches. first

sea,

On

the northern side the

Brooklesby Bay, which runs to within half a mile of Whycoco-

magh Bay broad, with

;

next

is

the River

Denys

numerous smaller branches,

Basin, six miles long, and in

which

also the

timber

two

Ar essels

THE BRAS D’OR— ST. PETER— SOIL. load

;

next follows

opening,

is filled

St.

George’s Channel, which

with creeks and

Canseau side of the

inlets,

proceeds south-westerly through a of

St.

Peter

;

wide

six miles

at its

and runs up, towards the Gut of

On

island, fifteen miles.

is

75

number

thence again north-easterly,

the southern shore the centre

of small islands to the isthmus

it

makes a course of thirty-one

miles to the head of East Eay, or St. Andrew’s Channel, terminating in

Lagune

the Barrasoi, or length)

of Tweednooge, (this bay

from the north-eastern point of which

;

is

eighteen miles in

Benakady,

at

it is

fixe

miles to the Straits of Barra, on which terminates the circuit of the Bras d’Or.

From

Lake at

the entrance of the Great Bras d’Or to the head of the Great

St. Peter’s is

above

fifty

miles in a straight course, and

its

greatest

width about twenty miles. The depth varies from twelve to sixty fathoms,

and

it is

every where secure and navigable.

ternal waters fishery,

which

is

This extensive sheet of

of peculiar advantage to the island,

is

for,

exclusive of the

on there to a considerable extent,

carried

in-

it

spreads out

into such an extensive and ramified navigation, as to afford every part

of the island the benefit of water communication, and enables every dis-

almost every farm, to ship

trict,

own produce without

its

the inter-

vention of land carriage.

The Isthmus

of

Peter,

St.

from the Atlantic Ocean be

easily

made between

which divides the waters of the Bras d’Or

at St. Peter’s

Bay,

is

so

narrow that a canal could

the two waters for ship navigation.

has been examined and surveyed by an eminent engineer,

The ground who has re-

ported upon the complete practicability of such a work, and has estimated the expense at no

more than

17,150/.

required would not exceed 3,000

feet.

The whole length of the canal The principal part of the ex-

pense would be the necessary works at the points of communication with

both

seas.

The

soil

Scotia, or

such as lity,

is

of Cape Breton

is

considered quite equal to that of

any of the neighbouring countries. found

in

Nova

and very productive

Scotia, ;

but the upland

There is

It is

no dike land,

of an excellent qua-

the increase of wheat on

general ten or twelve fold.

is

Nova

new

land being in

found capable of producing wheat,

barley, oats, maize, potatoes, turnips, buckwheat, peas, beans, &c.

It

has been before remarked, that the area of the island comprises about

l 2

76

CAPE BRETON.

2,000,000 acres, exclusive of the great salt waters.

were granted away

by the crown up

to settlers

Of

this,

685,640 acres

to the year 1821

;

of the

remainder, about 800,000 acres are supposed to be contained in the small lakes, hills, barrens,

and swamps, leaving about 500,000

acres of land

fit

for cultivation undisposed of and distributed in several parts of the island.

The

greater part of the disposable land

the interior of the northern

lies in

between the gulf shore and the Eras d’Or waters.

division of the island,

Whycocomagh,

In the section of country between Port Hood, St.

the Rivers

Denis and Inhabitants, the Eras d’Or and the Gulf Shore,

mated

ment

that there are about 120,000 acres of

and

;

the one

good upland,

peninsula, from St. Anne’s

in the north-eastern

and Lake Marguerite on the other to Cape

side

there are supposed to be about 150,000 acres more. division through

on the

its

it is esti-

for settle-

fit

whole length, from

St. Peter’s

St.

Eay on

Lawrence,

In the southern

on the west to Sydney

the interior, including the lands on the Grand-River

east, in

and Mire Lake, there are supposed to be no

less

good land undisposed of; besides which there

Lake

than 200,000 acres of

are several other smaller

portions scattered through the island.

The

Island of Cape Breton, as has been before observed,

divided by the Eras d’Or southern.

As

a county,

Lake it

north-eastern, north-western,

The

natural divisions.

into

two

parts, the northern

and southern, without any respect

three, has not

country,

we

Sydney It is

been

shall is

as

to

its

;

and the north-

townships of Canseau, Port Hood, Ainslie, and

the southern district, being by

;

— the

north-eastern district has been subdivided into

district into the

Marguerite

and the

has been divided into three districts

the townships of Sydney, St. Andrew’s, and St. Patrick

western

naturally

is

much

the smallest of the

yet subdivided into townships.

In describing the

adhere to the natural divisions.

the shire

town and

capital of the island,

and a

free port.

situated on the harbour of that name, on the eastern coast of the

southern division of the island. are kept here,

and here

The

courts of justice and public offices

also the principal officers of the island reside.

It

contains about sixty houses, besides a government-house, governmentstores

and barracks, a court-house; likewise episcopal,

dissenting churches.

The streets are regularly laid out,

Roman catholic, and the houses tolerably

SYDNEY— OTHER SETTLEMENTS.

77

good, and the grounds in the vicinity cultivated with some taste, so that

on the whole 500

it

presents a pleasing appearance.

The harbour

souls.

provinces

it

;

is

is

about

above which

at its entrance, four miles

diverges into two extensive arms,

miles from the sea, the

population

one of the most capacious and secure in the

two miles wide

it is

The

upon one of which, about seven

town of Sydney

is

built,

on a peninsula affording

abundant suitable situations for wharfs, dock-yards, &c. The surrounding country

is

one of the

finest agricultural tracts in the island

The

tages for carrying on the fishery are excellent. are carried on in the neighbourhood,

the advan-

:

principal coal-works

where useful timber abounds.

The

works must eventually render Sydney a place of con-

vicinity of these

siderable importance.

All the settlements in Cape Breton have been made on the shores of

None have

the Atlantic, of the Gulf, and of the Bras d'Or.

made

any considerable distance

to

in the interior

fit

Bras d’Or to

Cow Bay may be called

faced with

The

and

all

the points on

from the

line of coast

the coal coast, the whole range being

streaked with veins of that mineral.

cliffs

principal settlement

settlements along the shore,

Cow Bay, all

Bay, and

The

for settlement are occupied.

those shores

;

yet been

as

is

There are several other small

Sydney.

upon Lingen Bay, Windham River

or Glace

of which have bars at their entrance, and are shoal

harbours; but the adjacent lands are very

fertile,

and abound with

fine

The settlers, consisting principally of the descendants of American loyalists, Scotch, and Irish, are industrious and comfortable. Miray Bay timber.

is

a large

arm of the

which

sea into

falls

rather succession of narrow lakes, has interior,

but

not afford

its

all

the River Miray.

its

river, or

source about forty miles in the

entrance being obstructed by a bar,

its

navigation does

those advantages that otherwise belong to

upon

it

of

consisting of about 100,000 acres, although granted

it,

This

and around the bay are good, but the

to 100 individuals, has never been settled

soil light

:

it

:

the lands

the best portion

some years ago

on or improved.

There are

several settlements on the bay, wherein agricultural operations are not

considered as secondary to the small harbour of active fishermen,

Menadon,

who

fisheries.

Beyond Miray Bay

or Main-a-dieu, on

are also

which

is

lies

the

a settlement of

engaged in the coal and coasting trade from

CAPE BRETON.

78 Sydney

to Halifax: this

is

one of the busiest and most thriving settlements Opposite

in this part of the coast.

this place is the island of Scatari, the

easternmost dependance of Cape Breton; and Port

Novy Land,

Cape

or

Breton, from which the island has been named, the most easterly point of

Breton Island deserted

upon

it

The once-famed harbour

itself.

of Louisburg

utterly

is

although capacious and secure, no settlement has been made

;

since the destruction of the

largest, certainly the

town

;

and what was once,

if

not the

most splendid town of La Nouvelle France,

is

now

without an inhabitant. Beyond Louisburg the deep bay of Gabarus opens

and from thence to

The

tract of

Esprit there are three or four small fishing

St.

country from Miray to

and

stitute of timber, barren,

hilly;

Esprit

St.

is

of inferior quality, de-

and with the exception of a

At

here and there, unfit for settlement, and uninhabited.

country again improves

;

and

now being

is

the

it issues,

of an excellent qua-

soil is

Madame, is of the same number of small coves and

of Canseau, the whole shore, including

the Isle

general character;

great

inlets,

employed

of the coast

in the fisheries.

indented by a

it is

and occupied by Acadians, who

The land on

the whole of this part

of superior quality, and the settlements are populous and

is

These are principally situated

thriving.

Esprit the

settled b\r Scottish emigrants.

From Grand River to the Gut

are chiefly

St.

fine tract

and upon the banks of the Grand River, and

the chain of lakes out of which lity,

inlets.

at Ardoise,

River

Tillard,

River

Bourgeois, False Bay, Grand Anse, the inlets on the northern shore of

Lenox Passage from the main series of

(itself a

harbour of great extent, separating

this

A number of Scotchmen have

upper end of Grand Anse Bay, and are chiefly engaged in

agriculture, the land being very just

Madame

and Caribacou Cove, where

land), Inhabitants River,

Acadian settlements terminates.

settled at the

Isle

good

;

but the Acadians

whom we

mentioned devote themselves almost exclusively to the

the coasting trade.

Both

sides of Inhabitants River,

have

fisheries

which runs

and

parallel

with the Gut of Canseau for nearly fifteen miles, are settled nearly down to its

mouth, and

also across to the shore of the Bras

the direction of the River

The

Denis.

Madame, separated from the main land of Cape Breton by Bay and Lennox Passage, is about sixteen miles in length

Isle

St. Peter’s

St.

d’Or Lake, and in

SETTLEMENTS OF SOUTHERN DIVISION— NORTHERN and

five in breadth,

a tolerably

good

79

DIV.

indented witli numerous harbours, and possessing It

soil.

Gut The

situated near to the Atlantic side of the

is

of Canseau, and peculiarly calculated for prosecuting the fishery. principal port

is

Arichat*, now, and for

many

years past, the seat and

centre of the fishing establishments of the Jersey merchants,

who

export

their

produce hence to the West Indies, the Mediterranean, and the Bra-

zils.

It

is

the harbour, and

and

is

is

situate on

and population,

fast increasing in size, appearance,

the most important commercial port of Cape Breton.

is

The Bras d’Or more

The town

a fine harbour, accessible at all times.

shore of the southern division of the island

or less along

Grand Lake Peter’s

whole length, commencing

its

called

settled

at that part of the

and bending round to

George’s Channel,

St.

is

St.

there are settlements every where, principally composed of Scot-

;

tish highlanders,

formed

Peter’s, the coast, to the

at various periods since

head of

St.

1800

Andrew’s Bay

thence again on the north side of that bay

down

to

at

;

and from

St.

Tweednooge, and

Benakady, the same

settlements are continued along the shore, but do not in general pene-

To

trate far inland.

give a general idea of the settlements on this

southern division of the island, Bras d’Or to Miray

Bay on

it

may be

observed, that from the Little

the eastern shore, and thence to the

Grand

River on the southern shore, the settlements are scattered along the coast at every available part, the population

Scotch,

and American

loyalists,

gaged in agricultural pursuits

being composed of English,

mixed

together,

as in the fishery; that

the whole western coast to Caribacou on the

ments are coasting,

all

Gut

are equally en-

from Grand River

of Canseau, the settle-

composed of Acadians, engaged principally

and boat-building

;

and that the Bras d’Or coast

Scotch settlements, whose population partially

who

engaged

is

Irish,

in the fishery, is

occupied by

certainly agricultural, though

in the fisheries.

The northern natural division of the island commences at Ship Harbour, on the Gut of Canseau, from which to Port Hood there is no con*

Some

years back I sailed from Quebec to Arichat, and tlience to Halifax, in a small

schooner which belonged to the former port, and was somewhat peculiarly circumstanced

was

called the Mother,

was commanded by the father, and navigated by

:

she

his three sons ; on her

next voyage she was wrecked, and the whole family unfortunately perished.

CAPE BRETON.

80

The land on

siderable harbour, although there are several inlets.

whole of

this coast

who have extended are

employed

good, and thickly settled by Scottish emigrants,

is

themselves four or five miles inland

Port

in agriculture.

and

for the largest vessels,

The

division.

the

Hood

is

all

the way, and

a spacious, safe harbour,

fit

the most important place in the northern

is

courts, &c. are held here,

and

on a considerable

carries

it

From Port Hood

trade in agricultural produce to Newfoundland.

to

Marguerite, on the Gulf Shore, the same line of Scottish agricultural settlements continues upwards of thirty miles along shore, and extends

some distance back towards the

continued settlements in the island. are

These form the largest

interior.

The

coast

lies

of

high and bold; there

is

no harbours except that of Mabou, which admits only small

Lake Marguerite

series

vessels.

between the Gulf Shore and the Bras d’Or, from

which Salmon Liver runs into Port Marguerite.

The land on both

sides

of this river for several miles, and along the coast northward for sixteen miles more, as far as Chetecan, the most northern settlement on this shore, is

entirely settled

cultural,

still

by Acadians.

devote

much

These people, although necessarily There

attention to the fishery.

is

agri-

a consider-

able village at Marguerite, and the Jersey markets have an establishment

both of which places a considerable trade

at Chetican, in

Returning

carried on.

to the Bras d’Or coast of this northern division of the

next considerable places of settlement after

island, the

is

St.

George’s

and Liver Denis and Brooldesby Inlet; the former

are the Basin

Bay is

noble harbour, where the timber-ships load, and where a ship-yard established, wherein

whole coast

settled

is

for agriculture shores, there districts.

good

and

;

is

ships have been built for British owners.

by Scotch emigrants. as the settlements

The land

do not extend

is

is

The

every where

far

a

fit

back from the

yet a considerable quantity of disposable land in these

The same

observations apply, in short, to the whole coast

on the Straits of Barra, from

Whycocomagh

Basin,

Bernakady Bay, and

the numerous creeks, inlets, and rivers branching out from and falling into them, the land

is

every where of good quality, agricultural

ments are very frequent, and bers and wealth.

French

called

their population

Without the Bras

Port Dauphin.

This

is

d’Or,

is

is fast

St.

increasing in

settle-

num-

Anne’s Bay, by the

a fine harbour, about eight miles

SETTLEMENTS— POSITION OF THE ISLAND. in length

and three

and afterwards branching out into two The whole country around the bay is settled by Scot-

extensive arms.

The

are a

agriculture, as Avell as the

the most flourishing in the island, and the popula-

The only settlements on this farther north are the Niganish Bay and at Aspey Bay, where there few families engaged in the fishery. With the exception of these

marked

coast

is

settlements on this bay, though founded scarcely ten years

now amongst

ago, are tion

in width,

whose chief employment

tish emigrants, fishery.

81

for its industrious habits.

settlements, the northern division of the island,

from

St.

Anne’s Har-

bour on one side and Cheticamp on the other, to Cape North, unoccupied, and

little

siderable quantity of this, its

Cape

known, but

it is

St.

Laurent

to

sented as possessing an excellent island of

of St. Lawrence,

is

for settlement.

At

only eight miles in width from

The shore between these capes forms down to the shores of the bay is repre-

Cape North.

a crescent, and the land sloping

The

wholly

represented as containing a con-

good land perfectly adapted

northern extremity, the island

is

soil.

Cape Breton, forming the eastern

commands

barrier of the gulf

the usual, and indeed (with the exception of

the circuitous route of the Straits of Belleisle) the only access from the Atlantic by the this island

Gut

of Canseau on the south, and the passage between

and Newfoundland on the north.

situation, the

1

key of the Gulf of

excellent harbours, the naval

St.

power

VOL.

II.

is,

in fact,

from

its

relative

Lawrence and being provided with ;

in possession of

of the commerce of the Canadas, Prince

bounding that

It

Edward

it

will be the arbiters

Island,

and

all

the coast

gulf.

M

CHAPTER Climate

The and

is

VII.

— Mines — Resources — Population — Agriculture — Fisheries — Trade.

climate of Cape Breton

is

very similar to that of

Nova

Scotia,

considered by the inhabitants to be quite as conducive to health

and favourable to agricultural pursuits

as that of

any of the British-

The winter lasts from the beginning of November to the end of April. The cold is sometimes intense, and has been known at thirty-two degrees below zero; is not uncommon, but the fluctuations American provinces.

are

more frequent than on the continent

a partial

;

thaw generally takes

place every day, and the mercury, often, below zero in the morning, rises to sixty or seventy at noon.

Frequent thaws of a

fortnight’s continuance

by renewed frost and snow, vicisseason perhaps more disagreeable here than on

are experienced in the winter, followed situdes

which render that

the continental provinces.

warm on

The summer months

the eastern coast, but rather moist on the western

and northern parts of the

prevail in the eastern

island,

(in is

summer

is

about 80° in the shade, but

the shade) and 120° in the sun. short

—the

summer

The

intensely hot

it

and October.

out in June all

must be

—

spring, as in

—vegetation

but along the heat

all

cold countries,

—and autumnal

included between

May —flowers

are

July— reaping engrosses August and September

safe in October.

somewhat colder

all

rapid

Planting and sowing take place in

fruits in

fogs do not

often increases to ninety-six

maturity quickly succeeds; thus are three seasons

May

;

The mean

western and southern coasts they are more common. in

and

are usually dry

in winter

On

the whole the climate of Cape Breton

and hotter

in

summer, more

irregular,

is

and

therefore less pleasant than that of the neighbouring peninsula and provinces, although perhaps quite as favourable generally to health

cultural productions.

and

agri-

COAL MINES— SALT SPRINGS. The those of

and

natural productions of this island are in

Nova

but

differs

Scotia

and

;

The timber on

Scotia. little

it is

in

varieties

its

the island

83 respects similar to

all

of a sturdy growth,

is

and character from that of Nova

every where very plentiful, and within reach of places

of shipment.

The

coal

found in Cape Ereton

is

of the best quality; a specimen

has been carefully analysed, and found to contain only three-quarters of

Coal

an unit per cent, of extraneous substance.

is

traced in the western

part of the island, on Inhabitants River, at Port Hood, and at

This

has never been

field

The

decided and numerous. tensive all

it

:

commences

worked

at

Mabou.

or examined, but the indications are

Sydney

eastern, or

coal field,

is

very ex-

Miray Bay, and follows the course of the shore

round to the Great Bras d’Or, being in length about forty

averaging five miles in width.

ducting harbours, bays, and

all

From

a

minute

calculation, after de-

other interpositions,

it

appears that there

are 120 square miles of land containing available veins of coal.

supposed the veins in

places

There are fourteen

the shore.

from three to eleven

now

carried

late

Duke

almost

many

all

on

at

is

found

at Bedique, at

at Plaister

is

;

one over another, varying

and there at

are extensive

Lingan by the

of York, Messrs. Rundell and Bridge.

at Barra Straits, at St.

and

distinct veins,

Sydney Harbour and

a cliff several miles in length,

It

run out into the sea ten miles from

feet in thickness

parts of the island.

and

miles,

lessees of the

Gypsum

is

In the Island of Boularderie

where large

Whycocomagh on

vessels

may

works

take

found In it

forms

it in.

It

the River Denn, or Denis,

Anne’s Harbour, at Aspey Bay, at Cape North,

Cove on the Gut of Canseau, where great

been annually exported.

It is

quantities have

every where of the very best description,

and may be conveyed immediately from the quarries on shipboard. Several salt springs have been discovered

;

the principal at Bedeque,

Wagamatcook, at Whycocomagh, and other places on the Bras d’Or Lake. They vary in strength, producing from six to twelve per cent, of

at

salt.

where

Situated in the heart of the best fisheries of North America, and coal

hereafter a

is

so abundant, the

manufacture of

most valuable source of wealth

salt

promises to become

to the colony.

CAPE BRETON.

84

Iron ore abounds every where in the coal &c.,

and

have yielded sixty per

cent, of

pure metal.

There

is

no place along the

so well adapted for taking

is

Newfoundland

swarm on the whole

and in

In

it.

The

fish,

consisting

— cod, herrings, mackarel, &c.

the harbours, exterior and interior.

every farmer and settler in Cape Breton may, and in general does,

fact,

become

all

abundant and so good, or

so

and curing

of those varieties taken in coast,

its

coasts of America, with the ex-

ception of Newfoundland, where the fish is

latter place

natural riches of this island seem to consist preeminently in

fisheries.

which

about Lingan, Sydney,

Cape North and Aspey Bay: specimens from the

at

The

field

as

much

a fisherman as an agriculturist, uniting the

two

profitable

occupations, drawing wealth alike from the land and the ocean.

The

population of Cape Breton

deal mixed, being

like that of

is,

Nova

composed of Acadians, and people of

Scotia, a

good

Scottish, Irish,

The most numerous are the Scotch, who Highlands. The Irish do not permanently

English, and Arminian origin. spring principally from the settle in

any considerable numbers, and the inhabitants of English de-

scent are few. class;

Next

to the Scottish, the

Acadians are the most numerous

they are industrious and active, principally employed in the

preserving, but not in so

marked

language, customs, and religion. tish descent are equally

a

manner

The

as in

settlers

Nova

fisheries,

Scotia, their

own

from Scotland and of Scot-

noted for industry, uniting more than the Aca-

dians do the occupations of farming and lumbering with the fishery.

All the Acadians and the greater number of the Scottish are catholics.

Presbyterians are few in number, nor are the

church of England at

all

to support the clergy of

vides for

its

own

pastors.

There

numerous.

is

members of the

no public provision made

any denomination, and therefore every

From the absence hitherto

there being merely one or

two

at

Sydney and

Homan

sect pro-

of competent schools,

at Aricliat, the native part

of the population have been almost wholly without the means of becoming

educated, and the population on the whole as

may be

considered therefore

very badly provided with the means of acquiring even the

ments of education.

The number

first

rudi-

of the inhabitants has been lately

estimated as high as 30,000: in 1814

it

was,

upon

a census taken that

POPULATION— REPRESENTATION— AGRICULTURE. year, rated at 8,000

it

:

therefore appears to have

Cape Breton, which are scattered on

five small tracts of land reserved for

employment

is

they wander along the shores,

and they

traits

:

they

them, upon which

some of them possess cattle, but their hunting and fishing. They are generally sta;

tionary during the winter, remaining at their settlements

All the distinctive

itself

remaining in

still

are included in the above-stated population

they grow maize and potatoes principal

more than trebled

There are about 300 Indians

in about sixteen years.

85

and

in the

;

summer

skirt the inland waters of the island.

down

of Indian character are softened

or lost,

are a quiet, temperate race.

This island having been annexed to Nova Scotia in 1820, the govern-

ment, laws, &c. are of course the same as in that colony.

and ordinances of Nova Scotia were, by an express legislature,

now

extended to Cape Breton.

sends two

members

not commensurate with portance, in

to the

of the whole colony, while is

act of the provincial

It

was erected into a county, and

of

Assembly

;

a

number

certainly

relative extent, population, wealth,

its

which respects

all

House

Indeed the laws

its

this island

and im-

probably equal to one-fifth

is

share of representation in the legislature

scarcely in the proportion of one-twentieth.

There existed a small revenue, arising from

a

duty of one

shilling

per gallon on imported spirituous liquors, collected before the island was

annexed

to

ments, &c.

amounts is

Nova

which had been expended

Scotia,

That revenue, which continues

to about four or five thousand

in local

improve-

to be exacted since the union,

pounds per annum, which sum

applied generally to the domestic purposes of the colony.

Agriculture

is

here quite in

whose pursuits are confined labour on their

own

its

infancy, and there are

to that object,

lands find

it

answer

Nova

and none but the at

all.

The

soil,

few persons settlers

productions,

and the system of farming-

and seasons are similar

to those of

less perfect, bears still

a close analogy to that of the peninsula.

pense of clearing

new

land

buildings of any kind.

is

Scotia,

about three pounds per

The wages of

acre,

The

ex-

not including

labour from twenty to thirty

pounds per annum, besides board and lodging. Wheat rally

who

is

not very gene-

grown, but oats and potatoes are raised to a considerable extent, so

CAPE BRETON.

86

indeed to afford a surplus of both for exportation.

as

as well as in the

Live stock thrives

neighbouring colonies, and also affords a moderate sur-

plus for export.

The

own

colonists build all their

vessels in

Cape Breton, and a few

ships are annually built there for British owners.

The number

of regis-

tered vessels belonging to the island in 1828 was 340, varying from 30

200 tons

to

;

the average about fifty tons each.

About

square-

fifty

rigged vessels are built every year, besides schooners, shallops, and boats; the whole

The

number

The

Ardoise, Sydney,

generally

is

is

quite in

estimated at about 1,500.

its

infancy: fish

is

the staple article

principal establishments are at Arichat, Ship Harbour,

Menadon, is

for the

and take the

necessaries,

St.

merchant to supply the fisherman with

all

The

ex-

fish in

Coal forms, next to

fish.

mines were

for a long time

since their occupation

payment.

quantity of

fish,

fish

by Messrs. Hundell and Bridge, the quantity

;

but

raised

still

more

from 15 to 20,000 chaldrons are annually exported, principally to

Halifax and the United States. has been

the

;

facilities for

The timber

shipping

it

trade

is

not so active as

are decidedly greater than in

of the continental provinces, and the quality of the timber itself inferior to

any yet there are not more than twenty ;

nually exported.

any want or

The export

of

gypsum

There

is

any not

to thirty cargoes an-

difficulty in the supply, for, as before observed,

greatest facility.

is

it

has also declined, but not from

in vast quantities, of the choicest quality,

it is

found

and can be shipped with the

a partial export of agricultural produce, live

stock, potatoes, oats, butter, cheese, to

The

the largest article of export.

worked on the part of the government

and exported has been very considerably increased, and will be so:

The

Anne’s, Marguerite, and Cheticamp.

1828 amounted to 41,000 quintals of dried, and 18,000 barrels of

ported in pickled

descriptions

all

trade of the island

of export.

mode

of

and some beef and pork, principally

Newfoundland.

The

principal imports consist of flour, rum, molasses,

manufactures.

This trade, both export and import,

is

carried

the British North American colonies. Great Britain, and the

The amount and value

in

1828 were

as follows

and British on with

West Indies.

EXPORTS AND IMPORTS— ST. PAUL’S ISLAND.

87

Exports.

£ Dry Fish

.

.

Pickled ditto

.

Coals

.

.

Potatoes

.

Oats

.

Train Oil

.

41,000 quintals.

Value of Exports British

West

12,000 bushels.

United States

Indies

Other places

5,000

ditto.

.

2,200

barrels.

Total value of Exports

Live Stock

Timber

7,500

.

America

18,000 barrels. 10,000 chaldrons.

.

.... ..... .... ..... to Great Britain

55,000 5,500

1,000 10,000

79,000

700 head. .

.

10,000 load.

Imports.

£ Flour

Rum

40,000 .

Molasses British manufactures

barrels.

Value of Imports from Great Britain

40.000 gallons.

British

30.000

West

ditto.

.... .....

America

Total value of Imports

Showing a balance of trade Sydney was declared a no doubt be of

infinite

3,500

500 76,000

in favour of the island. free port in 1828, a circumstance

which

will

advantage to the development of the resources,

and increasing the trade and wealth of the

About ten miles

50,000

.....

Indies

Sundries

.

22,000

north-east from

island.

Cape North

lies

Paul, a barren precipitous rock,

upon which numerous

wrecked, and thousands of lives

lost.

attaches to this island for navigators,

From

it is

the Island of

St.

ships have been

the high importance that

expedient to insert the following

important reports, made and grounded on the information of gentlemen of science and experience. “ H. M. Sloop Columbine. “ Halifax, 20th October, 1829.

“ Sir, “ I have the honour to represent to you, that having landed on the

Island of St. Paul’s on the 16th instant, in order to determine phical position, assisted

by Mr. Jauncey, admiralty mate, with

its

geogra-

a reflecting

horizon of quicksilver, and chronometer, No. 102, being compared with our standard on board, that it lies in lat. 47° 12' 38" circle,

sextant

artificial

north, and long. 60° 11' 24" west of Greenwich.

It

being the most ad-

CAPE BRETON— ST. PAUL’S ISLAND.

88

vantageous place

my

ill

opinion of

others in or about this great

all

thoroughfare of shipping to erect a light-house,

examining

in

its local situation,

I was very particular whether a landing could be conveniently

effected so as to supply a light-house with stores, &c. to its north-west

and north-east

In standing close

where we had been led was an anchorage, we had no bottom, with seventeen a distance of two cables’ length from shore but it has two sides in the ship,

to believe there

fathoms, at

:

coves, one on the north-east is

no

but

and the other on the north-west

side

;

there

possibility of landing at the former, the rocks being perpendicular,

at the north-west cove,

and about three

which

is

an indent of about two

length broad, there

cables’

is

cables’ leno-th.

a shelter for small vessels,

with the wind from south-west southerly to north-east, in ten fathoms,

two

from shore (then Cape Breton will appear over the west side of the cove), the depth gradually lessening to five fathoms close

at

cables’ length

At the

to the rocks.

large

enough

north-east side of this cove there

is

a small creek,

for a line-of-battle ship’s launch (a vessel about ten tons),

to lie well sheltered,

where

stores could

be landed whenever a vessel

The surface of the hills is covered with stinted firs, and between them are patches of fioron grass, which would feed cattle. The great mass of the island is composed could show herself off this side of the island.

of floetz stone (the stratum vertical), which seems to crumble away, and

not very good for building

;

but there are here and there veins of red

gneise or granite, from six to ten feet broad, running across the island

from north

to south.

it

is

a fine run

In approaching the island from south-east and north-

of fresh water. west,

At the head of the north-west cove

appears in three

hills,

the highest being in the middle.

At the

head of the north-west cove, and about half a mile north-east from the middle

hill,

and near the brook of fresh water,

our astronomical observations.

recommend

to

On

have a light-house

the level of the sea

the top of this

fair

we took

the site I

humbly

hill is

by our measurement therefore ;

run boldly for

way without

the spot where

built, its elevation

high could be seen over the other ships could

is

seeing

answer to distinguish

it

it, it.

hills

being 229 feet above

a light-house 100 feet

and from every

direction,

and never could pass on either

A

light-house in this island

and

side in the

would

also

from the neighbouring land during snow storms

Fir

'G

VK ATTHMEi

TPIL

o£ tlie

m Ifntr taken,

of tlm

m Sept rJ 7

west from the meridian of Greenwich. the

Bay

of Chaleurs, in the Gulf of

gouche, which in

St.

It

30" and 67° 53' of longitude is

bounded on the north by

Lawrence, and by the river Risti-

whole course from

its

parallels of latitude 45° 5"

its

source to

its

estuary in that

bay, divides the province on the north from the county of Bonaventure, in

Lower Canada

:

on the south by the bay of

which indenting from the Atlantic, separate

it

F undy

and Chignecto,

from Nova

Scotia,

Cum-

berland Basin, a deep inlet from the latter bay, and by the boundary line

drawn from Fort Cumberland which separates the county of of

Amherst in Nova

Bay Verte, in Northumberland Straits, Westmoreland in this province from that to

Its eastern

Scotia.

boundary being Northumberland

Strait,

which Rows between

of

St.

Lawrence

is

the river Scodie or St. Croix, the river Chiputnetikooh flowing into

:

its

it

and Prince Edward’s Island, and the Gulf

eastern limit,

commencing

at

Passamaquoddy Bay,

the former, and a chain of lakes, the principal of which

is

termed Grand

Lake, extending north-westerly to the source of the Chiputnetikooh, thence by the boundary line separating vince of Maino, and from British

Lower Canada.

and American commissioners

decision of the

King of

it

from the United

The

difference

States’ pro-

between the

as to the position of this line, the

the Netherlands, the umpire agreed

to,

and the

considerations enforcing the view of the British commissioners, have

been amply treated of in an

no further mention islands in the

earlier part of this

in this place.

Bay of Fundy

To

this

work, and therefore require province also pertain the

as far south as the 44° 36' of latitude north,

Frgd.exici.ton,

N.B

'

NEW BRUNSWICK— MARS

HILL.

93

Campo

Bello,

and Grand Monan.

the principal of which are Deer Island,

The

superficial content of the

comprising 17,730,560

whole province exceeds 27,704 square

miles,

acres.

In surveying this extensive and important portion of the British

we

dominions,

are not

guided by any of those continuous ridges of

by which nature itself separates one district from another, and which have divided and regulated some of our former descriptions. elevated land,

It

is

not

less

remarkable for

those grand features which stamp and

all

characterize the operations of nature in this quarter of the globe,

them comprising many towering heights and

amongst

precipitous elevations, but

these being isolated and detached, rather claim our attention as they

occur in following another species of division, than of themselves direct

As Mars

us in our general view of the province.

Hill,

however,

in-

is

vested with a peculiar degree of interest, from the circumstance of

its

being the point fixed on by the British commissioners as the commence-

ment of the range of States,

we

of

It

it.

highlands, forming the boundary of the United

will step a little out of our is

way

to take a rather close survey

about five and a half miles to the west of the river

The mountain

about 100 miles above Fredericton. in length, its lower base four

and a quarter;

by

a

its

sea

is

The

hollow near the centre

about 2000

feet,

;

very narrow and divided

highest elevation above the level of the

is

St.

Croix.

easy to the height of about half a mile,

becomes much more abrupt, and near the summit

it

almost perpendicular.

and commanding,

about three miles

and about 1200 above the source of the

early part of the ascent

beyond which

it is

is

John,

St.

The

prospect viewed from

its

crest

as it is the highest point in its vicinity.

is

extensive

Immediately

beneath stretches the vast forest of which the adjacent country

is

com-

posed, whose undulatory swells, clothed with a brilliant green, resemble

stupendous waves, the more elevated spots rising from the bosom of the others like towers above the ocean.

This conspicuous mountain ridian

or

exploring

line,

run

lies

west of and close to the me-

from

the

putnetikook, called the source of the

by commissioners

in

boundary was erected

St.

source

1817 (vide

vol.

i.

river

Chi-

Croix, and so determined

1798, and at which place a in

of the

p. 14),

new monument

or

and from whence the

NEW BRUNSWICK.

.94

exploring line due north was run that year through the country, and passing east of Mars Hill at the distance of forty-one miles, and traversing

the

John

St.

seventy-seven miles five chains, two and a half miles

at

above and west of the great

falls,

and

finally

ending

at the waters of the

The year

Uistigouche or Wagansis, at ninety-nine miles four chains.

subsequent the same exploring line was prolonged forty-four miles beyond this

point to the head waters of Mitis.

Having thus alluded

to this extensive line traversing 143 miles

four chains of vast forests and wilderness, and intersecting in

numerous

rivers

its

and

course

and streams, a few observations relating to the face of

the country along

whole course may not be deemed unacceptable,

its

also a table of barometrical

and thermometrical observations, taken by

us whilst running the line in 1817.

From

the

HoultonTown,

monument

at the source of the St. Croix to Park’s at

a distance of thirteen miles, the country

generally low,

is

with the exception of a few gentle swells of land, becoming more conspicuous, however, in approaching Park’s farm at

From

this fine elevated position the

Houlton town-road.

country can be viewed with great

advantage, and especially the principal range of highlands, extending from

Mars

Hill west to the Catahden mountain, remarkable for

diversity of scenery, the land descending

is

low and marshy, but

banks are high and

in

steep,

Park’s to Iliver

slopes to-

Maduxnekeag

approaching the river the land

where the

height and

by gradual ridges and

The country from

wards Houlton town.

its

rises,

and

its

line traverses the river at seven miles

north of Houlton town-road, which extends westward to a large bend of the river about five miles west of Park’s farm, up to which place the

author explored the river from

its

estuary in the St. John’s.

This river has numerous windings, and spreads into several large and inferior branches. line, at

The

which place there are

portage of sixty rods.

numerous ments that

is

It

is

fall is

falls

about three miles east of the exploring

of fourteen feet nine inches high, and a

rapid and shallow in

many

places,

and contains

Four and a half miles above the line are the settleconnect with the Houlton town-road from thence to Presq’

islands.

Isle river the

ascent

chief

;

land ascends gradually, until approaching the river where the

conspicuous.

From

the

summit of the high banks of

this river

COUNTRY ALONG THE EXPLORED BOUNDARY. Mars

Hill

seen, bearing north 24>° west,

is

and a range of high lands

stretching to the south-west, with other higher but

From hence

in the rear.

Mars Hill

it

Goosequiek immediately north of Mars Hill

between the

ascent presents itself

more

distant objects

the land rises considerably, but on approaching

descends into a valley, until

it

95

again ascends at the river

— then a most

conspicuous

and that of river des Chutes,

river

At

which seems to connect with Mars Hill highlands.

this point high-

lands are seen at the distance of eight or nine miles in the direction of

from hence the land ascends by Aristook, and where the line traverses

north-north-west and south-south-east

gradual slopes towards the river

;

the river there are two beautiful small islands, called Commissioners Islands line,

;

between

the land

is

and the

this river

St.

John’s, in the direction of the

extremely high, and more conspicuously so between

the sixty-ninth and seventy -fourth miles, and like the other ridges of

high land directs

The is

its

course towards the south-south-west.

generality of land throughout this large extent of country

of a good quality,

fit

for cultivation,

and the timber

is

by no means

inferior.

From

John northward

the river St.

miles, the ascents

for a distance of about fourteen

and descents are not materially conspicuous, nor

land of so good a quality as that south of the ever large tracts of pine ridges, also large

beyond the

ninety-first mile

lies

the

John, presenting how-

swamps

;

the land again rises

on proceeding north, and

vicinity of the llistigouche or Wagansis,

head of the Grande lliver

St.

is

is

high in the

between which river and the

the llistigouche portage, about seven

miles in length, passing over fine elevated land, and strikes the headwaters

of the Grande lliver, which

falls

into the St.

John below the Madawaska

settlement.

This extensive line forms the base of a double row of American townships, laid out by the government

of the province of Maine,

seemingly granted for the support of agricultural colleges, &c.

;

these townships are

Plantation, Williams,

Framingham,

the agricultural society. a fine tract of country,

societies, academies,

named Westford, Groton, Houlton, Eelfast, Limerick, besides

These eight townships are well

one for

situated, cover

most abundantly watered by numerous branches

NEW BRUNSWICK.

96

Maduxnekeag and

of the river

several small lakes

:

farther north along

the exploring line are situated the townships of Portland, Bridgewater,

Mars

Hill, Durfield,

and Westfield, composed of good land, and although

uneven and mountainous,

is

fit

and well watered by

for cultivation,

several branches of the river Presq’ Isle.

There are the

besides

at present

some settlements

in several of these townships,

chief one already mentioned, Houlton-town Plantation,

and a road of communication

is

now opened from

the Penobscot near

Sunkaze stream, traversing diagonally a range of townships the

St.

Croix, and thence to Houlton-town, and

is

commanding position,

itself

of

its

it is

head of

either continued or will

be carried on to Mars Hill, opened as a military road a

to the

;

and

as

Mars Hill

is

probable the American government will avail

advantages and position, and will occupy

it

accordingly.

Table of barometrical and Thermometrical Observations, taken by the Author whilst running the Exploring Line northward from the Source of the St. Croix in 1817. Barometer.

Time. Date.

W

Place of Observation.

H.

July 10. Long Island, 32 miles above St. John 12. Fredericton 19.

20.

23.

At Eel River At Richard Smith’s Near Houlton Town Meduxnekeig Creek

12 12

30

10 10 9

15

.

.

7-

8.

11. 12.

13

....

Ditto at the Camp Ditto Ditto Ditto At Park’s House Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto

.

1

6 12 9 12 5 8 5 12

20

Inch. Thou.

N.N.E

calm s.w. clear

25 30

30

calm

45 40

s.w.

calm 15

cloudy clear

40 15 10

.

.

rain .

.

Thermom.

Wind.

s.

rain

11

Three miles on the Line 4 24. Five and a quarter from the Monument 10 Three from ditto 7 12 27. At Monument Camp Ditto 2 Highland before Camp Ridge Aug. 3. At Monument Camp 12 6. One mile and a half from the Monument 6 T

M.

eather.

N.W. calm S.E.

calm

30 170 29 970 83 29 55 29 29 33 50 29 13 29 29 54 29 67 29 67 29 65 29 660 29 40 29 67 29 47 29 65 29 66 29 45 29 50 29 56 29 48 29 43 29 45

D.

M.

71

30

84 86 86 68 66 67

30 30

70 51 87 78 77

83 49 74 60 78

30

71

74 71

60 64 65

30

METEORIC NOTES ON THE WESTERN BOUNDARY. Barometer

Time.

A Ug.

Weather.

Place of Observation.

Date.

14 At Park’s House

.

.

15.

16. .

.

1718.

At

19. ,

.

20.

Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto five mile Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto

Swamp 21.

At

22.

Swamp

.

Top

Rise of 23.

hill

At Park’s Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto the rise

24. 25.

On 26. Swamp 27- On the rise

Camp

.... .... .... .... .... .... Camp

At Maduxnikeag

29.

Twenty miles from the Monument Top of the ridge On the Island of Madox

30.

.

Thirty-two miles from the

Bottom

Top 31.

Sept.

1. ,

.

2.

3.

,

,

of the hill

.

.

.

Monument

.

of the hill

Three miles from north branch Ridge, 28 miles from the Monument Rise, 28^ miles from the Monument Thirty miles from the Monunmet Rise, 31 miles from the Monument Rise, 32 miles from the Monument Top of hill, 33m. 52 chs. .

Bottom of Bottom of

Top

ditto hill,

of ditto

VOL.

II

25 10

4

28.

Ditto

6 8

Inch. Thcu.

fair

34 miles

9 12 4 6 6 8 12 6 8 8 12 8 12 9 12 2 12 2 2

9

1

6 12

7 7 l

6 12 7 6

30 3 10 39

12

,

w.

rain

s.w.

.

cloudy clear fair

15

55 30

8 10 10 10 11

N. E.

cloudy

36 20 10 30

cloudy

s w. calm

E.

calm rain ,

.

.

.

cloudy

•

•

clear

15

35 30 30

.

,

.

,

cloudy

w.

rain

N.N.E. N.E.

.

22 30

.

fair

calm

15

30 45 47 5 15

cloudy

west

fair

N.E. S.W.

.

,

,

.

,

,

calm N.W. calm

cloudy

15 18

. #

,

N.W.

30 40

8 12

w. N.W.

clear

12

8 12 8 12 2 2 8 7

.

s.w.

1

9

south

cloudy

20 24 45

45

fair

cloudy

40 45 50

W. calm N.E.

calm fair

Thermom.

Wind.

s.

11

hill

of hill

M.

12

the seven mile

Bottom of .

H.

97

29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29

29 30 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 30 30 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29

42 50 50 62 38 9 40

32 30 36 36 36 30 37 32 92 92 70 43 29 25

27 6 22

35 32 20 20 30 41 41

87 81

88 4 98 79 81

95 95 91 89

D.

66 95 90 86 81 69 77 76 58 54 70 72 64 71

74 81 65 74 63

59 66 62 66 66 76

2

o

25

30 40 30 20 30 10 10 10 25 10 10

61

40 30 25

59 53

35

50 46 57 64 47 67 55 47 70 56 66 60 64 66 67 51

90 85 72 57 50 55 55 46

M.

43 66 59 74 60 68 70 69 74

10 10

10 10 5

50 40 5

20 35

25 30 30 10 5 45

30

40

NEW BRUNSWICK.

98

Time.

Barometer.

W

Date.

Sept. 3.

Top

of the hill

Bottom of ditto North side of the

river,

36 miles

....

36m. 52chs. 501ks. descent 4. .

.

5.

Camp

Kise, 37m. 37chs. 601ks. Camp, 38m. 30chs.

6. 7-

.

.

Camp

Top

.... ....

a small creek

On

a rise

Ditto

Top

of a hill Bottom of ditto

Top Top

of a hill of the mount Bottom of ditto Bottom of a hill

.

Top

10. ,

,

.... .... ....

45m. 20chs. from the monument

Top

of a ridge

hill

Top

of a hill

Top

Ditto of the rise

Bottom of

Top

6 6 7 7 7

8 8 8 8 9 9

of a hill

Top

hill

of ditto

Bottom of

45 5 45

N.

30 45 m

17

Top Bottom

Top Bottom

Top

9 11 12

2

N.W.

11

39

30 43

Bottom

N.

N.E.

25

Top

S.

S.E.

9 49 3

11

3 7 8 8 8

.

19

11

of hill

fair

52

of a hill

Top

cloudy

38

Descent Top of an ascent

12 Bottom

,

.

N.

16

27 16

Swamp

cloudy

N.E.

46

12 3

rain

18 30 40

8

.... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... ....

clear

40 50

7

11 11 11

,

15

11

Top

cloudy

20

19

monument

calm

.

fair

1

if. Forty-nine miles from the Bottom of a hill

fair

15 15

1

ditto

Inch. Thou.

S.

,

8 9 10 10

12 12 12

ditto, a creek

Bottom of a

.

11

11

Ditto

.

7

Creek

ditto

19

41

50 48

E.

cloudy

S.

rain

s.w. 9 #

fair

#

N.

,

,

,

,

.

.

.

,

#

sultry

, .

s.

SE.

22 45 17 47 6

Thermom.

Wind.

5

10 10

Bottom of a

.

30 50

of ditto Bottom of a hill

Ditto

#

12 12 12

11

of a ridge 8. Camp north of the river Top of a ridge

At

M.

9 7 9

.

Forty-one miles

H.

eather.

,

t

,

,

#

m

.

,

t

#

29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29

30 61 70

38 45 58 50 60 79 92 94 96 93 92 75 72 71 66

57 55 57 54 50 96 87 69

D.

M.

74 74 76 72

40 50 30 30 30 30 30 30 30

71 61

72 65 57 59 59 60 41

40 50 50 51

52 54 54 56 57 66 64 67 61

61

61

31 42

63

37 35 32 32 42 37 37 37 43 62 62 50 44 48 57

30 30 30

25 20

30 10 10 40 50 30

20 35

65 65 65

40

66 66

10

65 65 65 65 67 55 60 64 61

30 30 10

40 30 30 10

30

51

64 63 64

40

61

30

31

65

42 40 48 53 65 65

60 60 63 67 67 74

15 25 40

30 30

METEORIC NOTES ON THE WESTERN BOUNDARY.

Top

Sept. 12.

Ditto

Weather.

Bottom

3amp

13.

Rise

Top

of hill

.... .... .... .... .... .... ....

Bottom of ditto

Top

Ditto 14. Ristook Camp 15. On the line 16. .

On

•

17-

.

.

.

,

•

At the camp Top of the mountain Bottom of ditto

.

.

.

On

mountain Top of mountain Bottom of a mountain

On 19.

of a

the line

Camp Line Ditto

20. Ditto

Ditto .

.

Top

of hill •

.

•

o

,

.

•

•

.

,

21 70 miles 32 chains, at Nearly rise of the hill .

•

foot great rise

.

.

, . , , .

.

.

.

#

%

.

.

Top

of the hill Still rising Higher land east

Supposed top of •

.

•

•

hill •

Gradual descent Ditto

7 10

clear

calm s.w.

cloudy

S.E.

calm

15 15 5 10

clear

10

cloudy

S.S.E.

calm

13

S.S.E.

30 37

m

calm N.W.

#

. •

clear

11

calm.

10 10 7 7 7 8 8 8 9 9 10

,

15

18 27

.

•

•

.

.

,

.

s.w.

A.M.

cloudy

.

,

,

,

.

,

,

,

.

.

,

#

.

.

.

.

15

.

,

,

,

,

.

,

.

27

5

.

•

.

23 36

5

12

.

10

3 3 3

11

•

#

37 43

3 45 25 35 45

.

•

....

s.w.

45 7 10 45

s.w.

•

P.

M

ditto

of rise

Bottom

strong

calm

.

Top

.

.

11

• •

1

.

.

25 30

„

23 Bottom

N.W.

8 3 3

•

.

N.E.

50

•

.

fair

7 12 3 5

•

.

S.

20

18

•

.

S.E.

cloudy

23

.

,

[nch.

18 35 56

1

,

.

Wind.

S.

12

1

. .

Top of hill, near brook At brook 22 Top of hill before brook Oct.

*

11 11

.... .... .... .... .... .

Camp

sultry.

3 3 9

the line

Bottom

12

47

1

At camp .

2 3 4

12 2 4 9 10 5 10 10

Ditto Ditto

18.

M.

1

the line

.

H.

7 7 7

9 10

56 15

Thermom.

Barometer.

Time. Place of Observation.

Date.

99

clear

N.W.

29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 30 30 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29

Thou.

D.

58 48 44 77 67 53

71

70 69 47 44 43 43 49 54 55 62 62 62 63 70 71 70 70 67 67 60

71

76 82 20 20 85 80 75 57 35 47 45 50 57 40 35 50 37 45 28 65 70 70 55 53 44 48 55 53 43 39 38 36 34 36 38 37 48 52 49 45 46 57 39 44 23 34

M.

30 30 5 40 30 45 25 30 30

50 50

50 50

61 61

62 62 58 62 60 60 64 63 59 64 63 49 46 45 45 46 44 46 46 46 47 50

30

30 30 33

51

50 48 48 45 50 38 38 |

o 2

29 30

100

NEW BRUNSWICK. Barometer.

Time. Date.

Place of Observation.

Oct.

1.

Camp

2.

Ditto

Top Bottom 3.

Camp Ditto Ditto

4.

Top 5.

of

hill

Camp Top

of hill

Bottom Descending

Camp 6.

Wagansis

On

.

.

Bottom Ditto

Top Ascending Ditto

Top

Camp Top Descending

.

.

•

.

•

•

.... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... ....

...

the line At the Grand River Top of hill

7-

8.

Weather.

Top Ascending Ditto

.

.... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... ....

.

• .

•

.

.

.

•

9.

.

Wagansis

.... ,

*

.

.

.

.

The

foregoing table

is

H.

M.

4

40 45 30 40

7 11

12 8 2 8 11

7

12

2 3

7 10

5

10 9 9

3 4 7

8 9

N.W. calm N.

'

.

5

7 7 15

8

S.

clear

cloudy

calm N.W. calm N.W. calm

clear

cloudy

15 55 10 45 40 10

9 9 9 10 12 12

30 40 45 30 40 57

1

17 15

3 3 3 3

30 40 55

4

5

4 4 4 4 8 9

7 12 29

29 10

#

t

S.E.

rain .

.

t

#

clear

.

,

.

,

N.W.

. t

.

.

#

. .

snow cloudy

Thermom

Wind.

calm N.W.

Inch.

Thou

D.

29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 29 29 29 29 29

24 28

52 29 54 55

16 15 17 17 17

20 10 15 17 13 16 21 17

30 11

81 78

80 82 87 80 76 83 85 83 82 87 80 76 85 91 5 15 18 21

51 51

32 51

50 57 60 58 57 56 44 45 56 55 57 53 54 53 53 48 44 49 52 52 45 46 45 43 43 43 44 45 46 32 43

extracted from the field hook of our operations as surveyor-general

of the boundary under the treaty of Ghent, and

it is

inserted here with a view merely of showing

the general state of the barometer and thermometer at the season of observation on that frontier of the province of

New

Brunswick, and not as a systematic

series of remarks to ascertain heights,

although taken with Inglefield’s mountain barometer, which was used by us for that purpose

upon that

service.

M.

15

GENERAL FACE OF THE COUNTRY. On

the opposite side of the St. John, at the distance of nine miles,

Moose mountain, nearly of lies

101

the same height as Mars Hill

is

on the right

;

the American plantation of Houlton, on the left the Restook range of

mountains, and behind

lie

the lofty Katahdin and

Mars Hill

stretching in the direction of the Penobscot.

cuous height from In

all

subsidiary heights,

its

is

a very conspi-

the eminences in this vicinity.

common with

every portion of those regions, the province en-

joys that grand advantage and distinguishing feature, abundant

gation and water communication

not a section of

;

it

but

is

traversed

and intersected by almost innumerable streams, whilst the greater form

accessible channels of intercourse

and into the

ties,

from

heart to

its

interior of the adjacent provinces

on two-thirds of

its

;

circumference by the ocean,

merce of the world. Vast

irri-

its

rivers

extremi-

and bounded almost it

invites the

com-

covered by immense forests

plains, principally

of timber trees, forming in the early stages of colonization an important article of

commerce, and indicating the richness and

fertility

of the

soil,

occupy the intervals between the scattered settlements; whilst the prosperous and flourishing appearance of the latter seem prodigal induce-

ments to

colonists to

occupy the

tracts of valuable land courting their

acceptance.

The

general face of the country

may be

described as composed of

bold undulations, sometimes swelling into the height of mountains, and again subsiding to vale and lowlands, principally covered by noble forests,

not so dense as to be inaccessible, diversified by occasional swamps, and tracts of level, settled,

rivers for the

in

some

most part

and cultivated country.

The banks

of the larger

disclose a country of the latter description,

places they are enclosed

by

lofty

and precipitous rocks

;

though whilst

the abundance of inferior streams produces frequent slips or spaces of

what

is

termed

interval, which, overflowed

by

these during the wet

season, become, at stated intervals, distinguished

The borders

of the rivers and the

islets

by extreme

fertility.

with which they abound furnishing

extensive tracts of pasture, and flourishing crops of Indian and European corn, attest

on multitudinous chosen spots the diligence of the husband-

man, the general adaptation of the agriculture.

soil to

the most profitable uses of

NEW BRUNSWICK.

102

As

this province

recent period, date.

to Sir

it is

formed part of Nova Scotia up to a comparatively

useless in this place to trace its history

formed part of the

It

territory granted

William Alexander, and shared

session,

New Brunswick,

Carleton was the

was very thinly

first

settled

till

describing

its

when

1784,

its limits,

At

governor appointed. ;

I.

it

was de-

In 1785, a separate constitutional charter

clared a separate province. to

earlier

in all the vicissitudes of that pos-

which have been noticed elsewhere,

was granted

from an

by the charter of James

and Major-General time the country

this

population being composed of merely a few

French Acadians, who had clung to the

soil

through every

difficulty

and

the timber and fish trade had attracted from the

whom the profits of New England States.

Governor Carleton was invested with authority to

locate the disbanded

change of government, and some straggling

soldiers of the

American war, and

also the loyalists

their fealty their former possessions

most advanced settlements.

sent

settlers,

;

who had

sacrificed to

these laid the foundation of the pre-

The

made by

strenuous efforts

the

first

succeeding governors to improve the province, and the advantages held

out by the timber trade, have, from time to time, drawn emigrants from

Europe and America, which, together with the natural swelled the population to

present

its

amount

the extent of cultivated territory and

when we

consider

how few

its

increase,

have

—

large, indeed, as respects

capabilities,

but astonishing

years back the entire province was but a

vast unpeopled forest.

The province

following table will show the divisions and subdivisions of the :

Counties.

Parishes. '

Parishes.

Counties.

Kent.

f

Wakefield.

Woodstock.

Lincoln.

Burton.

SuNBURY

J

.

S

-11

iVlagerviUe.

j

Northampton.

York

J

Sheffield.

Prince William.

C Gage Town.

Queensbury.

Hampstead. |

King’s Clear.

Queen’s County

Sv\

-

'

-

-

-

'v}

. •

. '

.-A •

'*

\

w

\

EMIGRATION.

223 number

2,112 families, or 10,560 souls, allowing five in

At

to each family.

the contiguous angles of the four townships, as a general central

position,

is

common,

projected a village, one mile square, with a

mile in width, about

it.

half a

This village should be laid out to suit the ground

a river or brook capable of turning a mill ought either to flow through or be

found in the

the frontier,

vicinity, and, in the event of the village

situation

its

might

being near

be selected with some regard to

also

;

it

its

military defence.

The roads, being disposed of in

the

manner shown by the

become, severally, the front of a line of settlements,

lots

plan,

would

being surveyed

along them of 28 chains 75 links in breadth by 66 chains and 52\ links in depth, giving a

regular township

The

compact farm of 105

lot.

The

employed

labourers

acres, or the exact half of a

roads should not be less than 66 feet wide.

in

opening a new road, or cutting a canal

through townships, thus laid out and subdivided, might as

they proceed, in making betterments, that

is,

be occupied

also

preparatory clearings, and

erecting rude log huts, of which betterments they themselves

might become

the proprietors, by purchase from the crown upon the indulgent terms i.

might

when

and

be,

e.

practicable, built

sufficiently large for

two of the

The

withholding any exaction for two years.

proposed,

settlers

two

upon the

families,

division line

between the

by which means the

would generally come

log-houses

in conjunction,

lots,

clearings of

and they would

thus derive the advantage of their mutual improvements, from their ex-

posing a larger surface to the action of the sun, it is

considered, that the lofty forests of

—no mean advantage when

America

are such as to

throw a

small clearing into perpetual shade, to the great prej udice of all kinds of crops.

Saw-mills are important in the formation of their construction

Such saw-mills

required could be erected for less than 150/. each, a

be refunded out of the

effect

would be

settlements,

might advantageously be thrown into the general

of employment to be given to emigrants.

It

new

sale of

difficult, if

sum

as

that

and

scale

would be

might soon

boards to the emigrants themselves.

not impossible, to carry the object fully into

without the previous adoption of preparatory measures for the

ception of the emigrants.

The

re-

spots destined for their labour should

be chosen in each of the provinces

;

the lands should be surveyed

;

a

224

EMIGRATION.

government store-house, under the management of the commissariat department of the colony, should be established in some central position of the tract which

to be

is

made

the scene of action.

provided with provisions, blankets,

With

tents,

This store should be

and implements of husbandry.

these preparatives nothing can prevent the emigrant’s

with his family at once to the theatre of

would

arrive there at a mild season,

ficient

temporary

his labours,

where he could

removing

inasmuch

as

he

easily provide suf-

work through the more solid habitation

shelter, until, in the progress of his

season, he would, if industrious, be able to erect a

become the occupant of one of the betterments previously mentioned. This, in fact, is the mode in which the Perth and Peterborough settlements in Upper Canada were effected, for his reception in winter, or probably

and the plan of opening is

roads,

and

settling emigrants simultaneously,

instanced in the Talbot settlement of the same province, where the

labour of the settlers was judiciously divided in the opening and amelioration of roads,

and the clearing of

We have already hinted at

their

own

lands.

the advantage of removing the mass of

the emigration bodily from the towns as soon as possible

would become

still

greater

if

—

this

advantage

they were not allowed to enter them at

all,

but were immediately, upon their landing, conveyed to the place of their destination.

An

individual case of emigration

emigrant’s family

Lord

Ho wick’s

Canada.

The

is

bill,

would then stand thus

:

—An

taken up by government under the provisions of

and shipped on board a transport, say

vessel arrives at

for

Lower

Quebec, and the resident government

agent for emigrants takes charge of them.

They land

at

Point Levi,

opposite the city, and are immediately forwarded, by means previously

prepared, to the

Kempt

lload, the Ottawa, or any

where

else

where

lands have been surveyed for them, and the other preparations formerly

mentioned await their

May

arrival.

Arrived there (we suppose

or the beginning of June) the overseer of the

done, or perhaps a township agent, points out

at the

end of

works intended

how

to be

they are to house

themselves immediately; the father, and such of his sons as can labour, are forthwith set to work,

can purchase their food.

and they have on the spot a

A hundred acre lot,

store

where they

or perhaps only fifty acres,

225

EMIGRATION. are assigned to the

head of each family,

under the

at a fair valuation,

conditions either of a quit-rent or payments

by instalments, with

a

forbearance of the exaction, for two years, of any monies or produce

He

whatever.

morning

till

is

employed

the public works from eight in the

in

six in the evening,

and has therefore two hours before he

begins his day’s labour, and nearly as

(from the length of

summer

days,)

much

after he has finished

which he may,

to the erection of a log-house for himself,

and

if

industrious, devote

first

The

in clearing his lands.

following year he would, probably, be able, with very

support his family out of his

it,

little assistance, to

crops.

Emigration, carried on to any extent in this way, could not be directed to one spot only, in any one of the colonies, but sarily

be divided, and placed in various

parts of each province vertheless,

known

;

would neces-

eligible situations in different

but the settlements in each colony could, ne-

be ranged under one general superintendence, as

that the complete efficiency of any extensive system

well

it is

much

de-

pends upon uniformity of principle and action, which establishes order

and economy

in the arrangements,

and infuses additional vigour in the

prosecution of any great undertaking.

In laying open our view of this momentous subject,

we

are aware

that there are a variety of topics, involved in the consideration of the

question, which deserve to be investigated, but

We have before given our reasons

hinted, or passed entirely, sub silentio. for doing so.

Of

the topics alluded

which we have merely

to,

perhaps none

is

more

susceptible

of discussion than that which relates to the policy or the necessity of

encouraging emigration at

we

confess, that

all,

or the

wisdom of leaving

with the following statement before

disposed to espouse the latter opinion, especially as a relief to the

mother country.

under that aspect, but

also as

it

is

us,

to itself

we

;

and

should be

when viewing emigration

But looking

at the subject, not only

affects the condition of the

themselves, and operates upon the colonies,

system

it

we do

emigrants

think that an organized

attended with the more extensive advantages, both national

and individual, since the reduction of pauperism in any part of the empire

must tend

to

improve the wealth, strength, and independence of

the nation as a whole.

VOL.

II.

The

scenes of

human misery

that are exhibited

G G

EMIGRATION.

226

by the swarms of emigrants that arrive of the United Kingdom, are too appalling

the wharfs in the colonies,

oil

from Ireland and other parts

to allow us to argue in favour of an unprotected

and unregulated emi-

His majesty’s government has ever been too paternal to con-

gration.

sign those of the king’s subjects,

whose circumstances give them no

native between emigration and famine, to such wretchedness in that spirit

alter-

and

;

it is

which has ever distinguished the British government, that

up

the subject was taken

as

one of a national nature, and measures pro-

posed and adopted to alleviate the miseries of emigration, and ensure to those,

whose destiny removed them from

asylum, under the protecting

asgis

their birthplace, a comfortable

of the same constitution, in a remote

part of his majesty’s dominions.

f

Emigration rom the United Kingdom North American

Years.

West Indies.

Colonies.

1082 1913 1156 1211 13,907t 1251

1825 1826 1827 1828 1829

8,741 12,818 12,648 12,084

Cape of

Good Hope.

114 116 114 135 197

to the

New South Wales, Swan River, &c. 485 903 715

would be

Total.

10,422 15,750 14,633 14,486 17,371

1,056 2,016

That the views of the imperial government,

Colonies *.

as regard emigration,

promoted by the interference of the

essentially

local legislatures

of the different colonies, and their adoption of measures calculated to facilitate

the carrying into effect the objects contemplated, cannot be

doubted, and indeed their co-operation was, by the emigration committee,

esteemed material to the success of a general system of emigration. The language of the committee

is

so distinct

upon

this point, that

although

applied to a different system which was then contemplated,

it is

it is

by

no means inapposite to the more recent plan of employment, inasmuch as the

funds out of which the labour of emigrants

greatly aided

ment of *

by

colonial votes, to

is

to be paid

be applied towards the

local

might be improve-

their respective provinces.

Year Book, 1831.

t By

official

to be 15,945.

returns in Quebec papers of 3rd August, 1831, this year’s emigration appears

In 1830,

it

was 28,075, and on the 23rd August, 1831, 40,300,

at

Quebec

alone.

22 7

EMIGRATION.

“Your committee beg most rest their case entirely

distinctly to be understood, that they

upon the presumed co-operation and

the colonial legislatures.

Unless this can be obtained, they feel that

repayment would be impracticable fident hopes that

may be

it

assistance of

;

if it

be obtained, they entertain con-

reduced to a regular and effective system

and though they could not go

so far as to require a guarantee

them

part of the colonial legislatures, they should expect

to

upon the

make

such

provisions as should tend to enforce and secure the validity of the en-

Nor upon

gagements made.

a very

mature examination of the subject

can your committee be induced to conceive that the local legislatures can

have any disinclination to enter into such arrangements. inhabitants of those colonies cannot fail to be aware,

emigrants repay the loan which

is

The intelligent that when those

proposed to be lent to each head of

a family, they will only repay a very small part of the wealth which they possess,

aware

and which has been created by

their emigration.

They

will be

also that the projected emigration will consist exclusively of able-

bodied, healthy persons, selected

upon system

in the

introduced upon system into the colony, and that desultory,

mother country, and

it is

not to be a casual,

Under such circumstances

and unprovided-for emigration.

your committee cannot doubt the disposition of the

local legislatures of

the colonies to encourage the measure and to facilitate the process of

repayment, an opinion which witnesses

As

is

expressed unanimously by the colonial

examined before your committee

far as

our

own

conviction goes, founded

berality of the colonial legislatures of the British vinces, towards the amelioration of internal

prosecution of public works, those legislatures

we have no

will co-operate

home, in any measure calculated

upon the approved

North American pro-

communications and the

hesitation in believing, that

most cordially with government at the

li-

same time

at

to forward the set-

tlements, to improve thereby the wealth of the colonies, and to provide for a

numerous

country,

class

who throw

of fellow-subjects from the bosom of the mother

themselves upon the agricultural resources of those

parts of the empire for support. Third Report.

G G 2

CHAPTER XV. General Considerations on the British North American Colonies arising from Territory, Trade,

and Shipping, and

— Their Importance, as

their political

Weight

as

Appen-

dages to the Empire.

The

geography and

vinces have

reader

;

now been

statistics

of the British North American pro-

fully laid, in topographical detail, before

to our observation, in the course of a

some

facts

of

abundance has

more yet,

or

we

less

believe,

work of so comprehensive

moment may

a nature,

possibly have escaped us,

been shown to demonstrate the

worth of those vast and flourishing regions of the British empire. if

the

and, although in the multitude of objects presenting themselves

intrinsic

Indeed,

the absolute value of those colonies, as demonstrated from their ter-

ritorial extent, their situation, fertility,

and populousness, were the only

question involved in the consideration of their importance, that question

might be answered by a reference integral parts of a great empire,

to the

work

itself

;

but,

viewed

as

though physically separated from the

metropolitan country by intervening oceans, they become a topic of

still

deeper interest, and unfold, under that aspect, a variety of points of inquiry, as bearing

upon national policy, that have

one

putting those colonies

set of opinions

state,

whilst another,

by

far the

down

as

led to

some discussion

;

burthens to the parent

most numerous and weighty, maintain

with sound argument, their incalculable value and importance to the national resources and maritime

we

power of Great

do, without qualification, the latter opinion,

state distinctly

and

briefly

colony, in

we

shall

Espousing

as

endeavour to

our grounds for so doing, prefacing our reasons

by a few general remarks on

The term

Britain.

its

colonies.

restricted sense,

is

defined to be “ a

company

of people transplanted into some remote province (or region) in order to

ANTIQUITY OF COLONIES. and inhabit

cultivate

it

*

in its

more general

229

acceptation,

it

applies not

only to plantations, but to distant dependencies, acquired as well by

occupancy.

we

look at the antiquity of colonies,

conquest as

first

shall find

coeval with the earliest ages of history; so

that

it

many of the numerous

If

migrations mentioned in

much

so,

Holy Writ

we

indeed,

are in the

nature of colonial plantations, and originated, in some respects, from similar causes to those that led to the formation, in later times, of

new

settlements in distant countries, viz. redundancy of population, the desire

The modern

of escaping from religious or civil persecution, and conquest.

class of colonies, coming under the denomination of colonies of commerce

are

more

back

,

recent in their origin, but they are probably to be traced as far

the former

Canaan f

Of

time of the Phoenicians, the Grecians, and the Romans.

as the

may

be mentioned the emigration of Esau from the land of

to dwell in

Mount

Seir,

and the possession of the land of Canaan

by Moses.

The overwhelming populousness

of the north

is

ascribed as the cause

which urged the flood of emigration that eventually subdued the south

made

of Europe, and

the

Roman

a prey to gothic hordes, collision

their

with the

more

who,

Huns from

empire, in the height of

its

greatness,

in their devastating progress,

came

in

central Asia,

and thus hastened the ruin of

But

these barbarian^; emigrations,

civilized contemporaries.

* Encyclopedia Britannica. t

The reason

and the land

in

assigned

is,

“ For

their riches

were more than that they might dwell together

which they were strangers could not bear them, because of their

cattle.” Genesis,

chap, xxxvi.

t This term

is

applied,

by

all

Roman

writers, as a genuine demonstration of all the tribes

of the north of Europe and the centre of Asia.

by the author of “ Teutonic Antiquities,” (C. to sustain

The Goth and

the

Chatfield, Esquire)

:

Roman

—

are thus contrasted

Far from finding grounds

that weight of prejudice, which affixes an opprobrium to the term of

stinguished from the

Roman

of this era, the

two races were,

reverse of the character usually affixed to their

names;

in fact, singularly

for the

Roman

Goth

as di-

marked by the

citizen

had sunk into

the corrupting snares of sloth and slavery, while the barbarian breathed that tone of independency

and of equality, which constructed the ground-work of the feudal constitutions of Europe, and which elevation of principle, modified by circumstance and climate, led to every advantage which is

enjoyed by her respective states at the present day.

Had Europe

sustained the yoke of

Rome

in its state of debasement, the world

had remained

but the unconquerable

northern warriors elevated them to an equality with the

spirit of the

proudest of their rulers, and this inequality

in the

among the

same moral degradation and slavery

;

nobles established the fixed rights of

230

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS.

though they

new

laid the foundation of

new provinces, The Greeks, the

settlements and

bear no striking analogy to modern colonization.

Romans, the Carthaginians appear

to have been, in ancient times, those

who is

best understood the systematic establishment of colonies. considered by Aristotle # to have derived her long stability

Carthage

and greatness

from that

cause,

Rome

and

is

probably no

indebted to the extent of

less

her colonial possessions for the herculean power she attained over the

We have, therefore, the experience of ages past,

destinies of the world.

and of nations the most puissant on the face of the colonies are an accession of strength,

parent state

;

and

Carthage before

if,

indeed,

us, the

show

earth, to

and not a diminution of power,

we had

not the examples of

Rome

that to a

and

advantages of colonies, properly regulated and

governed, are of too ostensible and extensive a nature to need such foreign corroborative testimony.

Narrowing down our view of the subject colonies of Great Britain in

be a task of

much

North America,

to the consideration of the it

difficulty to establish their

will not,

we

apprehend,

importance to the mother

country, the advantage of the mother country to them, and consequently the mutual benefits conferred, upon both parts of the empire, by their union, under a liberal and enlightened system of colonial policy.

After ject,

all

that has been said and written on this branch of the sub-

few arguments of any weight

be novel

;

but we

shall

can, probably,

now be urged that

will

endeavour to place our canvass in such a light

as

may, we hope, serve to bring out more forcibly those points upon which the merits of our view principally

four points

:

The territorial extent

viz. 1st,

North America, and

American

colonies

;

To

rest.

its

consequences;

3d, Their shipping

end we

shall consider

of the British dominions in

2d, ;

this

The

trade

the North

of

4th, Their political

weight

as

appendages to the British crown.

their feudatory system.

It is

thus that history invariably records them as bearing forth from

central Asia a restless unconquered spirit, a religion simple stitutions containing

germs of liberty destined,

and martial

as themselves,

and

in-

in a future day, to ripen into principles decisive

of the pre-eminence and happiness of Europe, thereby

the calamities attendant on the overthrow of the * Politics, C. xii. lib. ii.

making a

Roman Empire.”

large

amends

to

mankind

for

MAGNITUDE OF BRITISH DOMINIONS IN The magnitude

1st.

Britain

of the North American dominions of Great

two Russias

nearly equal to the whole extent of the

is

231

N. A.

;

it is

almost double that of the totality of the European continent, and

more than twofold the

Roman

is

greater than the Persian empire under Darius, or

empire, in the plenitude of

power.

its

As

will be seen

by

the following table, the dominion of the crown of England extends over

an aggregate surface of about 4,000,000 of geographical square miles, or

upwards of 4,700,000 square

statute miles, of

more than 3,400,000 square miles

are land,

which

superficies a little

and about 1,300,000 water,

including, in the calculation, the arctic waters intervening between the

remotest discoveries of Parry and the coasts of the continent, which waters,

though they must eventually come under the denomination of

an open sea (mare liberum), after the full establishment of the existence of a north-west passage,

may

probably be at present considered closed

(mare clausum), Great Britain being, in as discoveries its

have gone.

Be

this as it

surface, in the gross estimate,

fact,

possessed of

its

shores as far

may, however, we have comprised

upon the grounds

that

we have

just

stated

If the

mere magnitude of these immense

to arrest attention, their geographical position

open our eyes to their importance.

On

possessions is

no

is

of a nature

less calculated to

the east they confine the broad

basin of the Atlantic Ocean, on the west their coasts are lashed

by the

surges of the Pacific, on the north they stretch to the utmost bounds of

the

known

polar regions, and on the south they are

bounded by an

almost immeasurable frontier, extending across the whole continent, and separating

them from the

Touching

at

some

territories of

points, the very temperate latitudes of 42°

immense habitable

north, an

one vast and ambitious republic.

section enjoys a climate, in every respect

suitable to the cultivation of the earth, the maturity fruits

*

and Such

flowers,

and highly salubrious

a proposition, if

and 41°

even of delicate

to the health of

deemed too comprehensive,

is

not, however,

man.

A soil

more extravagant than

the claim, propounded by Russia, to the exclusive navigation of part of the Pacific Ocean lying

between the north-west coast of America and the north-east and opposite coast of Asia.

Vide

Correspondence between the Chevalier de Politica, Russian Ambassador to the United States,

and John Quincey Adams, Secretary of State.

1822.

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS.

232

equally adapted to the pursuits of agriculture, and possessing exhaustless

The most

and timber.

stores of minerals

splendid river on the globe

throws open to them an internal navigation of 2,000 miles, whilst the numberless large tributaries to lateral

this chieftain

stream open a thousand col-

avenues to the heart of the country, north and south, and offer to

the trader and the agriculturist a convenient means of carrying their goods

and

their

produce to the shipping, which

is

to

convey them to British and

foreign markets.

Of

the great aggregate superficies, as mentioned above, not more

than 126,500 square miles appear to have been as yet surveyed, actually, or merely explored, and of this extent, about six millions and a half of acres

(

numero rotunda about one-twelfth), are now under cultivation, in ,

the whole of the colonies.

This mere twelfth of the lands, hitherto ex-

plored, sustains a population of about 1,400,000 souls,

and assuming that

the lands thus explored (which are but a comparative fraction to the wdiole) should, alone, be settled in the

capable of supporting

same

ratio,

the population they are

How soon this large po-

would exceed 16,000,000.

pulation will be computed in the western possessions of Britain, fairly

may

be collected from the extraordinary increase which has taken

place within the last six years.

In 1825 the North American colonies,

and other parts of the continental dominions 900,000 inhabitants

;

in

America, contained about

they are now, from correct data, estimated at about

1,400,000, and thus appear to have increased in the ratio of 44 per cent,

during the short term of six years proportion, the population

We may,

;

continuing to augment in the same

would about double

itself

every 13 years.

then, compute, without subjecting ourselves to the charge of

being visionary,

that, in less

than half a century, the number of

habitants spread over the British possessions in

America

in-

will not fall

short of 16,000,000.

In considering the density of population with reference objects,

—one

as regards the lands in cultivation,

bitable territory,

— another

to three

as relates to ha-

— and a third as refers to the gross surface of the British

possessions in question,

—we

shall find that, as to the first point, the density

stands in the proportion of 5^ acres per person, or about 116 persons to the

square mile; as to the second, that there are about two souls to the square

COLONIES—THEATRE OF IMMIGRATION. mile

;

and

By

habitable territory,

we mean

to the south of latitude 48° north,

lie

and a half

as to the third, that there are at least three miles

to each person.

try as

233

such parts of the coun-

and within the probable pale

of eventual settlement in the lapse of half a century or thereabouts.

Vast

as

is

the field

we have just

large population, possessed as sirable as a region for the

become

colonies

them

is

it

described, for the support of a very

of every requisite to render

as the theatre of British emigration ?

in that light, they present to the

That there

interest.

how important do

abode of man,

in

exists,

mind

it

de-

not these

Contemplating

various points of deep

the mother country, a redundancy of

labouring population, seems to be universally admitted, and hence

becomes desirable pauperism is

;

to

throw

yet this labour

off the superfluity, to prevent the evils of itself,

which exceeds the demand

commodity, and should

a valuable

if possible,

still,

wards augmenting the national wealth, Instead of land, to enrich a rival state,

The

an enemy.

it

its

at

home,

be directed to-

passing to a foreign

and probably add strength to the sinews of

British colonies offer the

means

of,

happily and advan-

tageously, retaining this valuable commodity, within the precincts of the

realm.

The

subjects of the metropolitan country, transplanted to the

British soil in America, continue as closely as ever linked to the parent state, equally, if

wealth, and

not far more useful to

it

become an additional rampart

ritory, co-operating, as

in enhancing the national

any invasion of

to repel

ter-

they would do, with the stanch and loyal native

inhabitants of those provinces, in the defence of their adopted country a country that

dom,

if it

must be endeared

to emigrants

were but for the analogy of

its

from the United King-

free institutions.

The value

of colonies, and the benefits arising to the mother country from the

emigration of the unproductive or restless class of

sketched in a work attributed to Mr. Burke

:

—“

It

its

inhabitants, are

may

be reckoned one

very great benefit of our possessions in that part of the world (meaning America), that besides the vast quantities of our fabrics which they con-

sume, or seamen that they employ, and our revenues that they support, they are a vent to carry

off’

such

VOL.

II.

a variety, that

whom

Our dominions

greatly to the public benefit. afford such

spirits,

all

they keep occupied,

are so circumstanced,

dispositions to business, of

and

what kind II

H

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS.

234 soever,

may have

exercise without pressing

upon one another. men,

besides, a great happiness, that unfortunate

whom

It

accidents, the frowns of fortune, or the cruelty of creditors,

rendered miserable to themselves and useless to the public,

would have

may

find a

sort of asylum, where, at least, they often succeed so well as to

reason to bless those accidents which drove poor, deserted,

Such

and despised, to return to

are the opinions

subject,

and

their

it

them from in opulence

is,

unavoidable

have

their country,

and credit*.”

and sentiments of a great statesman, upon

this

wisdom and justness are corroborated every day by

the circumstances of the British North American colonies.

have benefited from emigration

may be

seen

by the rapid

population shown in the following table. Account of the European settlements in America.

How

these

increase of

.£ 43

O)

one

OJ

z

covered

•s

5

©to

g 'sC | is rA H.SH

"S

ij

CO

one-eighth.

making

Territories.

Of- C

"C

G

o

-u

3

thereof

and

2

.h

cj

r-


1

©O ©

r

Hussar,

1828

iU!

©

W

Cl **

!2

nomo CO CO

i

-

I

ooo

to ri

Tp

CO

oo -> CM CM

© ^

>©«©»-© © © CM

U) (O C •# CM fa

o®oo

i» to

:

H

CO

I

f

l

I

woo

n note f

MCM^iOOO^a-lfl M r- o n Of O m O

North

If)

years

fOO«t'»t'«OQCCt>COtOO

Ship

lOHNOOO-ftOnO — Tf « f

,CM

If)

'

ictoonn

c3

r-

«'c 3

w-S

jB ° *2

of the

M. Coasts

C/)

$

in

H. spot,

of ,

the

o

J-

the

Mate

©


5

made Jauncey,

the

:

4_>

*

.2

*2 0)

^

C

-*3

as

.£og-os

*~

oZcQ & o 2

.

*

;

2h

H

Horatio Observations

cd

l \

2 £2c

o

j

i)

l-a §

5;

g

^

« | tj 2 hS

WCQ^c/D

O

to (9 1

'JC rrj

c 3 -laS 3 'o-|fc

6X3

SsaSI'-s

«?gg.l

>>

V

3 . 0) Oi'Cntfi

b » 2 c 33 •gfc 2 2 SS oa.CiZ5SOOC «5 •

©.

g-so-s ?•§

2 .£2

«s s> 2

«

"

?S

-'

CQ

0)

f

2 ^:

>< 5 w 52 "S 3 a H 2 ® •S S -e ® 2 ^ c o c § S.St 3 B 5 'SbP'l£i^ * £-Sf 0) C 5 C 'C ^3 t> ct T3 ^Lg | S U0-843 ^,§a|SS © >3 >,h o S rn «s o r 2 *3 :

list’s ^r§

£ §• S

2

.s

?3

-© •©

rcj«5kPa>a>’ec2 moi£^ 5)-S O stssrf i-tc.s-asia.3 O. p.,c ^ 3 D.O..S.S c pcS©: > at « « C© £ UMOM -C-O 0hO J 5 s 3 ^ 3 w j IflUtfiH 3 £ 55 oc 2 4

ImI-| li ll X^:n:n

c

-a

Sen

^CQ

•

*.§§§

©

a>

g’g-c.S 3

„4 •sa cati® ^

1830.

S-g O o

bfl

2 tf

^

"Pi

..s? a

)

'

Hussar,

J&CJFnlherSa

® TABLE

OF

CONTINUATION

f/>t

CJroU'rrSm

*7t%?

APPENDIX. i.

1764.

Chronological Account of Public Events in

Nova

Scotia.

1765.

—

The townships of Granville, Windsor and Shelburne were formed; and the Aca1767. dians were permitted to hold lands in the province upon taking the oath of allegiance.

— Nova Scotia submitted

1768.

into a county,

and entitled

— The

to

to the celebrated

township of Yarmouth laid out.

court of appeal, and a

new

Stamp Act, and Cape Breton was

erected

send two members to the House of Assembly.

The governor and

council constituted a

provincial seal received from England.

— The township of Clare was laid out. 1770- — The rate of interest on money was 1772. 1771.

The General Assembly convened

fixed,

this year continued for

by a provincial law,

at six per cent.

14 years, until 1784, and held seven-

teen sessions.

1774.

— The

1775.

township of Argyle was laid out.

A

lottery established to raise

— The imports

this year

were valued at £63,000 and the exports

population estimated at 18,320 souls besides 865 Indians.

£25

at Halifax 1777-

£1000

to

Horse-racing at Halifax forbidden by Governor Lord Campbell.

repair roads.

;

£80

the registry of probates

—The crown

;

The

at

£53,375.

The

fees for the registry of deeds

and the provost marshals £10.

or ungranted lands ordered to he sold to persons desirous of settling in

the colony, with the exception of Roman Catholics. 1778Court of Exchequer established. The circulating

—A

less

than £1,200.

loyalist refugees

from the other

posed1779. to be 1780.

—The

allegiance, the

medium of the province supfrom England to make free grants of land to

Orders received colonies.

inhabitants of the township of Truro having refused to take the oath of

House

of

Assembly resolved that they had thereby

forfeited their right

to

1781. representation, and refused to admit their

— The Act

member

to the

Assembly.

of the British Parliament, renouncing the right of taxing the colonies,

passed this year.

— The Indians of the war on the English.

—A first

sum

river St.

This was the of

£1500

John assembled

last threat of

in great force

and threatened

to

make

an Indian war.

granted for the erection of a school-house at Halifax.

Sheriffs

appointed for the several counties of the province.

— The townships of Windsor, Newport, Falmouth, & Hants County. the colony.

VOL.

The

The number remaining estimated II.

c.

erected into a county called

population supposed to have been considerably reduced by persons leaving at

no more than 12,000.

KK

250

APPENDIX.

1783.

— The number of

loyalist refugees

from the other colonies who had arrived in Nova

New

The county

of Shelburne erected. 1784. the county of Annapolis, settled by a party of refugees.

Scotia this year estimated at 20,000.

— New Brunswick

The town-

and Cape Breton formed into distinct governments.

The province

ships of Clements, Preston, and Aylesford laid out and settled.

The members

eight counties.

Edinburgh, in

divided into

of assembly were thirty-six, receiving ten shillings per day

1785. the

members

New

tion of 1786.

The population

of council fifteen shillings per day.

Brunswick and Cape Breton,

— The

;

and

estimated, after the separa-

at 20,400 souls.

boundaries of the several counties defined, described, and published by order

of the governor in council.

Line of packets established between Halifax and Falmouth.

— Halifax Marine Association formed. 1787--— Nova Scotia erected into a bishop’s see and Doctor Inglis appointed

first

bishop.

Prince William Henry, his present majesty, accepted an invitation to a ball and entertainment, given in honour of him, at the public expense, and was pleased to express his approbation of the

manner 1788.

in

which

was conducted

it

— First vote

*.

House of Assembly

of the

House of Assembly address the governor

in aid of King’s College,

against the judges of the

Windsor, £400.

Supreme Court, which the

council vote to be altogether groundless. 1796.

1790. 1797. the

— The House

of Assembly preferred articles of impeachment against the judges of

Supreme Court.

—

1794. Nisi Prius Courts established in the counties of Sydney, Lunenburg, Shelburne, 1798. and Queen’s. 1799.

— Maroons arrive from Jamaica. — The La Tribune wrecked frigate

perished.

at the entrance of Halifax

Harbour, 236 souls

Contributions, in support of the war with France, from this province amounted to

1800.

£6,894

14s. lid.

1802.

—-A dreadful

storm at Halifax, by which shipping and other property amounting to

£100,000 1803. was destroyed.

— The Island

of St.

John named “ Prince Edward’s

Prices of provisions

Island.”

Halifax beef, by the quarter, 5 d. per lb. ; mutton 8 d. per lb. ; pork 6d. per 1804. per lb.; fowls 4s. each ; butter Is. Gd. per lb. ; oats 3s. per bushel.

at

:

— The foundation-stone Duke

lb.

;

veal

9 d.

of Mason’s Hall at Halifax laid by His Royal Highness the

of Kent.

—A royal charter granted King’s — The establishment formed on the to

riners,

College, Windsor. Isle of

Sable for the relief of shipwrecked ma-

and £400 per annum granted by the Assembly

for its

support.

The

University of

King’s College, at Windsor, opened.

— No Appropriation Bill passed the

House

of

1806.— Revenue

*

of the province this year

His present majesty

colonies.

this year, in

consequence of a disagreement between

Assembly and Council.

affords the only instance of

£20,577

5s. 5d.

any of our kings happening

to visit

any of the British

251

APPENDIX. 1810.

1807

-

three townships, Pictou, Egerton and Maxwelton. of Pictou divided — — The mail from Prince Edward’s Island brought Pictou on the with the exinto

District

to

ice,

ception of half a mile.

1811, 1812.

—The House of Assembly address

suspension of the quit rents

;

to

provision for the clergy of the

which

church of England

1813.

amount of quit crown. 1814.

rents, if collected,

the Governor to solicit from his Majesty a

Majesty consents,

his

:

the Assembly declines doing

— New national school opened — Parliament

1815.

The

Canada.

make

a suitable

The annual

so.

was £3,500, and there was an arrear of £40,000 due

A

at Halifax.

Halifax on the 7th November: upwards of 70 vessels

Assembly vote £1,500

the assembly will

if

dreadful gale of

£2,500 granted

it.

wind experienced

at

and damaged.

lost

granted £3,000 for erecting the

to complete

to the

admiral’s house at Halifax

the

;

war

to aid the sufferers in the late

in

expedition under Sir John Sherbrooke against the Uuited States sailed from

Halifax. 1816. The body of Major-General Ross,

who

fell

Baltimore, interred at St. Paul’s

at

church-yard Halifax.

— Police court first

established at Halifax.

— Stage

coach

set

first

Halifax, loss estimated at £40,000. 1818.

1817. 22nd May.

prevails at Halifax.

— Three

up between Halifax and Windsor.

Brunswick, and

at Boston,

1819. housie College at Halifax.

— Halifax 1820. Brunswick.

shocks of an earthquake ;

Coals are

United States.

May, and

The township

of St. Mary,

in aid of Dalhousie College, Halifax.

Avon

at

at

Annapolis, Wilmot,

N.

Windsor.

A new general

N.

the same time St. John’s,

at

of the population of the province 78,345 souls

— £2,000 voted

fire

£9,750 granted towards the establishment of Dal-

declared a free port 27th

to erect a bridge over the

new

felt at Granville,

Halifax harbour closed by the ice from the 11th to 24th February.

The census 1821.

Destructive

incorporated.

a shock was at the same time felt at Fredericton,

Agricultural Society established at Halifax. out.

Academy

Trustees of Pictou

Dighy and Lunenburg, no damage done

a

The smallpox

exported from the mines at Pictou.

;

The Central

Sydney County,

laid

Halifax contained 11,156.

A

lottery for raising

£9,000

commission of the peace issued, and

provincial great seal received from England.

1823.

— The Poor Man’s Friend Society established

proclaimed April 7th. 1824.

two members

to the

Cape Breton reannexed

to

at Halifax.

Nova

King George the Fourth

Scotia, constituted a county, returns

General Assembly, and the laws and ordinances of Nova Scotia are extended

thereto.

— Halifax harbour frozen A destructive — The French L’Africane wrecked on the over.

1022.

to Halifax.

Chamber

of

Commerce

— Halifax harbour frozen Roman

Catholics

first

occurs there.

isle

of Sable, crew saved and brought

established at Halifax. over.

Public subscription library established at Halifax.

admitted members of the House of Assembly.

— Nova Scotia divided appointed to hold Courts of

Breton divided into three

into three districts, eastern, middle, western.

Common

districts,

Pleas and

Quarter Sessions in each

north-eastern, southern,

Canal Company incorporated by act of laid out.

fire

frigate

legislature.

and north-western.

Commissioners district.

Cape

Shubenacadie

Township of Kempt, Hants County,

APPENDIX.

c 25 2

1825.

— The Halifax and Liverpool Trading Company at

Moose

Amount

Annapolis.

river,

metallic currency established as the circulating

A

established at Halifax.

;

— 131 tons

;

number

The

Duke

of the province.

of York, and by

vessels built in the province this year,

of vessels of all sorts registered this year

first

Iron- works established

£49,113

The him

British

19s. 3d.

A

bank

(private)

reserved mines of the proleased to Messrs. Rundell,

the reserved profits of the mines to be applied to provincial purposes.

to the province, exclusive of

boys.

medium

turf club established at Halifax.

granted by the crown to the vince1826. Bridge, and Co.

established.

of provincial revenue this year

whose tonnage amounted

456 ;

total

number

to 15,535

of vessels belonging

Cape Breton, 1,031, tonnage 52,779, navigated by 3,407 men and £1,000 voted by the Assembly, and £4,508 8s. 9 d. sub-

regatta at Halifax.

scribed by the inhabitants, in aid of the sufferers by the great

at Mirimaclii, &c.,

fire

whose

The influenza, which prevailed throughout N. America, loss amounted to £227,713 19s. 8d. The townships of Dorchester, Arisaig, St. Andrew’s and is severely felt in this province. Tracadie, in the county of Sydney, laid out.

1827sale

—-The

British government orders that the crown lands be in future disposed of

and not by grant.

That

all arrears

province should be duly collected in future and applied to provincial purposes.

The

horses and two mares imported from England.

A

1828.

— Pictou

A

John’s,

New

The

Brunswick.

first

erected in this province.

Halifax; there were 811 deaths in that town.

at

and Sydney, Cape Breton, made

between Halifax and Annapolis.

Three blood

commenced from Halifax.

seal fishery first

steam-engine erected at the Albion coal mines, Pictou, the

Smallpox and fever prevail exceedingly

by

of quit rent be remitted, and that the quit rents of the

free ports.

Stage coaches established

steam-packet established between Annapolis and St.

highest tides ever

known

in the rivers falling into the bay of

Fundy, by which the dykes at Annapolis, Horton, Cornwallis, Falmouth, &c. are broken.

A

census of the province made, which

gives the population at 123,848 souls, showing an increase

in ten years of 41,795, exclusive of

Cape Breton.

Extracts from the Journals of the Assembly of Nova Scotia. Tuesday, February 22.

Mr. S. Humbert, Chairman, from the Committee,

to

whom was

referred the subject

that they had taken the same into conrelative to roads throughout the province, reported, he read, viz. sideration, and he was directed to present the following, which

rt

to the

That they

are of opinion, that the

improvement

great roads

sum

of seventeen thousand pounds should be applied

divided of the roads throughout the province, to be equally

between the

hundred pounds

for the great

and by-roads

;

that

is,

the

sum

of eight thousand five

253

APPENDIX. roads,

and the

recommend

like

sum

of eight thousand five hundred pounds for the by-roads,

to be appropriated as follows

:

which they

—

GREAT ROADS. John to Nova Scotia line Do. to Saint Andrew For the Nerepis Road Dorchester to Shediac Shediac to the Bend of Peticodiac Shediac to Richibucto Richibucto to Chatham Newcastle to Ristigouche

£1250

St.

1150 800 200 275 700 1100 1050 350 300 125 200 200 800

Fredericton to the Canada line Do. do. Finger Board Bellisle to Saint John

Great Marsh Do. do.

in

Westmoreland Saint John

Fredericton to Newcastle

£8500

BY-ROADS.

...

York Westmoreland King’s Queen’s

£1250 1150 950 950 475 800 775 400 950

S unbury Northumberland

....

Gloucester

Kent Charlotte Saint John

800—8500 of 17000

All which

respectfully submitted.”

is

Ordered, that the report be accepted.

PRICES CURRENT.— 1829. American and Quebec.

Novascotian.

Alewives

none

Boards, pine Codfish, merchantable Do. West India

70s. per

13s. per quintal 11s. 3d.

Fine Quebec,

Herring

15s.

American rye

32s. Qd.

1

20s.

Meal, Indian

16s. cwt.

No. 2 No. 3

17*.

Mackerel, No.

M.

feet

Corn, Indian Flour, Am. sup.

per bushel

none

fine

Agricultural.

15s.

Salmon

4s. Qd.

52s. Qd.

none

Irish pork

90s. per barrel

Quebec

85s.

do.

Potatoes Apples, good

2s.

Beef, best Irish do

West Indian.

Quebec per pound Is. Qd. per gallon

Coffee

Rum, West Do. Jamaica Sugar, good

India

.

4 d. to Qd. per pound none cargo 50s., prime 55 s.

Butter, tub

Is.

Cord wood

18s. per cord

Coals, Pictou

40s. per chaldron

4s. 3d. to 4s. Qd.

Do., Sydney

45s.

35s. to 42s. Qd.

Hay

70 s. per

Is.

Molasses

.

do.

per bushel

15s. per barrel

2s.

10 d. to

3s.

(market)

ton.

254

APPENDIX.

III.

PORT OF HALIFAX. An

Abstract of Imports and Exports at

this

Port and District

1828

in

.

INWARDS FROM GREAT BRITAIN. Vessels 105

Ale and porter

bbls.

650 135 270 47 32 174

half-bbls.

10

pipes hhds.

110 185 22 14

casks barrels

Anchors and Graplins Anvils No.

Alum

casks

Beef and pork

Brandy

No.

Barrows Brimstone Blocks

boxes casks

Bricks Barley

No. 150550 casks 15 half-bbls.

bags

Bread

2

2

bags Blacking and brushes

140

casks liamp.

casks

163 2 116 2 2 23

boxes

2573

kegs Beer bbls. Blackiead Blue and starch cases

Boat,

16

casks bags

28 86

cases

5

bundles cases

40 3

cases

10

hamps.

27

cases

6

casks

boxes

726

crates

Cordials boxes Cloves and cassia bags chests

2 2 2

hamper

1

half-bbls.

74 2

Copperas Corks

Cork wood Cologne water Cheese Candles

Cocoa

Currants

Chalk

Dry goods

.

bags

39

casks

1

cases

3

butt casks tons bales cases

casks boxes & sacks

Engravings Engines Earthenware

cases .

No. crates

boxes

270 70 100 3 76 415 250

cases

Cordage

bales

4 62 3206 76

No.

Cables Coal

Copper

.

cases half-cases barrels

bolts

54 20 55 310

sheets

149

cwts.

97

No.

11

cases

16 12

cases

Confectionery

Fruit, dried

carrotes

bdls.

Cambouers

baskets

1381

tons casks

boxes

2 2 511

4

Clocks

coils

355

cases

1

figures

Boiler, steam

drums half-drums Flour tierce Fowling-pieces boxes Furniture packs Fish boxes Fish, pickled

Gin

pipes hhds. bbls.

Ginger Glassware

.

.

case

1

13

mats

370 291 310 1634

boxes

Gunpowder Glue

bags .

.

Hardware

bales

1

casks

14 19 17 2085 499 863 6640 371 23 5 2 9 26 9 26395

barrels

1

3 7 7

jars

l

casks

2

cases

bags

Hats

cases

hampers

Hams

casks

Honey

kegs

Indigo

casks

chests seroons Iron and steel bars bdls.

boxes Indian

rubber

J ewcllery Lead

tons shoes

4 4

rolls

40 401

Leather bales manufact. casks trunks cases

.

2244 4 375|

boxes boxes sheets

Lard Marble

12 138 75 198 7

bags

pieces

bales

No.

Bronze

boxes

No.

7

Furs

pieces

cases

14 13 2

pair

casks

chldn.

cwts. casks

Feathers

casks

Bellows Butter

1

Grindstones

3 100 2110 1443

353 370 20756 3 2

1

life

1298

No.

30 Cabinet ware 656

casks

Men

Tons 27368 Carts

47 11

3 79 42

boxes kegs

20

case

1

255

APPENDIX. Marmalade Mats

boxes

No.

Medicine

cases

casks bales

Mustard

kegs boxes

cases Musical instr. Mathematical do. do. Nets, lines and twines

bales

casks cases

Oil-cloth

Oatmeal Oats Oranges Paint and

cases barrels

bags boxes casks jugs

oil

Oakum

cwts. case

Painting

Perfumery cases bis. and bags Peas kegs

No.

Ploughs

7

No.

Plough moulds

4 Pepper 89 58

Plants Pickles

Printing-press Plate

Putty

Rum 35 122 29 2 275 36 14 472 1902 57

Slate

1

cases

5

casks

4 4 1

boxes

4316

bis.

16 3 8 158 108 32 133

Seeds

casks

boxes

No.

Stoves

Shot

casks

Sugar

bags hhds.

Stationery

cases

1

bales

22 166 6 40

trunks boxes

224 116

buns

16 14 17

bis.

38

Saltpetre

Value

bags

1

1

case

Soap

tons

Sails

No.

puncheons

.

boxes

.

Salt

37

cask

Shells

Saltpetre

2

case

1

225 3 23 3

33 337

boxes boxes boxes

No.

sets

No. cases

20 7770 326 20 124 4 3

Spices

casks

bag

1

Sheathing pap.

cases

5

barrels

295 4 28

Tar Tea

chests

Tallow Vinegar

casks casks carboys

Vitriol

Tobacco Varnish Upholstery

Whiting

23 10 46 10

box

1

pipes hhds. qr. casks

45 243 58 107 3

Walnuts

Wine

1

casks

casks pipes

.

2

hhd.

packages

Whisky

4

cases

dozens

£311,100

INWARDS FROM THE WEST INDIES.

.

bbls.

boxes bbls.

Anchors Boat Brandy

No. No. pipes hhds.

Bread

pun. bags

Coffee

tierces

Bed-feathers

barrels

bags

Copperas Cables Cotton wool Cigars

Cocoa-nuts

bbls.

No. bales

M. boxes casks

No. Cocoa Candles Cedar

Dry goods

Flour Fruit

bags boxes logs

7 24 280 3

Gin Ginger

1

Hats, straw

61 10

bbls.

boxes

Gig top Horse Hides

28 59 200 504 426 3

10 4 27 4

hhds. cases

2 2

1

Men

Tons 27724

Vessels 299

Arrow-root

No. No. No. puns. trunks

.

barrels

Horns, ox

No. No.

.

Honey

Junk

1

7484 6

1

jars

7

cases

32

cwts. cwts.

61 81

3 5 12

115

trunks cask

5

box

1

barrels

43 3

drums

tierces

Mahogany Oil,

.

sperm

21

logs

boxes

.

barrels

Oil, castor

jugs bbls. lbs.

Platted straw Posts, bed Preserves

Pimento

.

.

Rum Shrub

25 12 3 4452 2 62 4 3 33 18 2000

case

1

bbls.

13 30

sets

box

1

case

1

bbls.

21

puns. hhds. pipes hhds. casks

5292 73 4 51

20

Silk goods

trunk

1

Sugar

hhds. bbls.

1117 392 1185

box

1

30

tons

tons

puns,

.

qr.

barrels

1 qr.

kegs

Molasses

1

1

4 cwt.

Lard

24 807 Onions 1387 Pencil

bale

Lead Logwood

logs

11

bbl.

Limestone

tons

vitee

1

94 Iron 2 barrels 400 casks 104 Lime juice casks 59 Leather bale 13 Lemons and oranges

1

1655

Lignum

tierces

lbs.

Syrup

256

APPENDIX.

Salt lihds. Skins, calf and sheep Scale and beam set

Sponge

bale

Snuff Steel

Skins, goat

2749 629

Tallow

9

kegs

15

tierces

cannisters

3 18 10 19

No.

1

pipes

5

1

Tobacco Tea

1

hi.

1

boxes buns.

2

kegs

.

chests

Work-table

1

72

•

bbls.

.

Wine

Value

.

Wine

bags

27 4 104 25 2 8

barrel

1

tierces qr. casks

cases cwts.

Wood-dye Wool, sheep’ s

Wax,

tierces

bees

- 1284 and Newfoundland . 3 Foreign Countries . 179

63563^3283 117818 1344 74827 3930 130342 1140 59918 3545

17898 934 312603

154

17412 1015

16922

1

29544 1250 70744 4093 179010

150 20136 985 381238

156

19591

936

1822 1298156720 928637 1857 138759 7482 491019 1700 135126 7483 985430 1824 144528 7958 549811

Total

VI.

Revenue of New Brunswick for 1830. The committee appointed December

52479

last

to

examine the treasurer’s accounts

for the year

have been furnished, and from which we gather the following summary

£ Total gross revenue at St. John for 1830 From which to be deducted for drawbacks, &c. Nett revenue at St. John Total gross revenue at St. Andrew’s Drawbacks, &c. Nett revenue Total gross revenue at West Isles

Drawbacks, &c Nett revenue Total gross revenue at Miramichi Drawbacks, &c. Nett revenue Total gross revenue at Richibucto Drawbacks, &c. Nett revenue Total revenue secured at Shediac Dalhousie Bathurst

...

Bay Verte

s.

:

d.

32377 12 4844 10

H

12410 2 2134 18

9*

£

s.

d.

1

27533

2

04

10275

4

64

3681

5

H

3

3692

5

54

11

0

0

5440 16 54 1

6* 2+

1065 18 33 12

9

5386 15 *

Fredericton • Sackville Petricodiac ...

ending 31st

have laid their report before the House of Assembly, with a copy of which we

4

0

1032 242

6 9 5 5J 470 14 04 248 2 ioy

89 7 52 18 51

0 0 18

49070

0

4 3 0 7 5-4

269

APPENDIX. The committee remark “ The above

is

the total revenue of the province for the year 1830,

agreeably to the foregoing returns.

“ Your committee, with great submission, however, beg leave unusually large quantities of 1

West India produce on hand

remark, that from the

to

in the province on the 31st Dec.,

830, the exportations have been and will be very large the present year, and that, consequently,

at least 2000/. will be

“ Total balance

drawn back.

in the hands of the province treasurer, Dec. 31, 1830, 16,237 1- 13s. 3 \d.

Of which there are in bonds 13,722/. 2s. 1 d. The committee further remark, “ These

in cash 2,515/. 11s.

24-cZ.”

accounts are clear and methodically stated, and

they give your committee very great satisfaction.”

Amount of auction duties at St. John in the year 1830, 779 18s. 7\d. The revenue for 1829 (after allowing for drawbacks, &c.) was 34,705/. Z.

1830,

14,364/. 5s.

Of

15s.

— Increase

in

5 \d.

the warrants (44,307/. 4s. 1 d.), which have been paid by the provincial treasurer in the

year 1830, the objects

may

( Parish Education.

be classed under the following heads,

£. s. d. 4801 13 4 761 13 11 400 0 0 2200 0 0

schools

J Grammar schools 4 Madras schools V.

viz.

College (2 years)

£•

s.

d.

7

3

6964 11

9

13001 14 2500 15 1562 14 25 0

0 0

8163 Bounties

Roads and bridges.

Fishing ( Grain Oat-mills Destruction of bears

Great roads

'

By-roads and > bridges

Expenses of the

9

102

0

0

0

0

5621 14

7

7380

(

1

3744 2893 225

2 0

4 5 0

£

legislature

Militia

Apprehending

deserters

3108 1348

Public buildings Light-houses

9

6

7

0

9 2

4456 15 11 280 0 0 1513 6 6 1643 2 3 438 6 8 1061 1 0 2696 9 2

Packets and couriers Law expenses, including printing laws and journals Charitable purposes Province contingencies Miscellaneous Collection and protection of the revenue Total

44307

4

1

APPENDIX.

270

VII.

The Shubenacadie Canal Company of Halifax Nova ,

Scotia.

PRESIDENT.

The Hon. Michael Wallace. VICE-PRESIDENTS.

The Hon. Thomas N.

Samuel Cunard, Esq.

Jeffrey.

DIRECTORS.

Thomas Boggs, Esq. R.

J.

William Pryor, Esq. Michael Tobin, Esq.

Uniacke, jun. Esq.

James Bain, Esq. Stephen

W.

Martin G. Black, Esq.

Deblois, Esq.

Lewis E.

Piers.

James N. Shannon, Esq.

Charles R. Fairbanks, Esq.,

Secretary and Agent.

John Bainbridge, Esq.

Agent

in

London.

BANKERS IN LONDON. Messrs.

The Company

is

incorporated, under an

Act of the Provincial Legislature, by

a charter

dated the 1st of June, 1826, granted by His Excellency Sir James Kempt, then lieutenant-

The

governor, and confirmed by a subsequent statute.

and in the strongest terms, limited

The management

is

to the

amount of

responsibility of subscribers

is,

expressly

their shares.

in the board of directors at Halifax.

By-laws, passed at a general

meeting, and approved by the lieutenant-governor and his majesty’s council, regulate the proceedings and choice of Officers.

Absent shareholders vote by proxy.

The canal-works commenced

in July, 1826,

and have been successfully prosecuted under

The

the direction of an able engineer from England. vessels

drawing eight

Harbour

feet of

to the Basin of

water

Mines

;

—an extent of from

locks, each eighty-seven feet long

navigation

is

constructed for sea-going

passing through the centre of the province from Halifax

and twenty-two

fifty-four to sixty miles.

feet six inches wide.

The

There are

fifteen

space of twenty-

four miles, including five locks, will be complete and open for vessels in October next

remainder in 1831.

— By

:

the

boats, the whole distance from the Basin of Mines to within half a

mile of the harbour will be navigable this autumn.

271

APPENDIX. To

aid the

Company

the Legislature in 1826 granted a donation of

in 1829, as an inducement to future subscribers,

priated an annuity of

an interest upon the

The

£1,500 currency,

new

720

for disposal

These will he preference shares, that

Currency 42,000 Sterling 37,800

.

.

£60,000 18,000

.

.

to say, shares entitled to five per cent, interest in

is

For these a subscription

preference to subscribers at Halifax.

The sum

currency, or 100 dollars

.

.

viz.

£25

1,680 Shares

to

lowing terms,

from the 1st of January, 1830, to guarantee

...

2,400 shares, each

capital consists of

Equal

by an act of the General Assembly, appro-

for ten years

subscriptions.

Subscribed in Halifax

There remains

£15,000; and further

is

now opened under

the fol-

:

subscribed (each share being

£22

10s. sterling)

to be paid in

London

to the

bankers of the Company, in four equal payments; one on the 1st of September next, and the others successively on the 1st of

The first

this

purpose the

Towards

London the it

England

subscriber in

Company

per cent, on every share

that

and October, 1830, and the

London

or Halifax.

The

1st of

May, 1831.

certificates to

be delivered at the

payment.

Each For

May

shares to be transferred in

;

to receive an interest of five per cent,

to be paid in

this interest

on his investment.

expressly guarantees to them, for ever, a yearly dividend of five

London.

(amounting yearly to