Dalhousie college was established here in 1820; but has not answered the expectations of its founders.-Dartmouth was founded in 1750. It occupies the opposite side of Halifax harbour, and has a population of about 960 souls.

Eastern Division.] The Eastern division contains the districts of Colchester, and Pictou, and the counties of Sydney and Cumberland.—The town of Pictou was founded in 1790; in 1827 it contained a population of 1,439 souls. It has lately been declared a free port to facilitate its export of coal. There is an academy or college here for the use of all denominations. The town of Guysborough in Sydney is finely situated in a fertile tract of country, and is likewise an excellent fishing station.-Sherbrook, on the St Mary river, is accessible by vessels of 50 or 60 tons burden, and possesses many important natural advantages.

Middle Division.] This division contains the three counties of Hants, Lunenburg, and Queen's.-Windsor in Hants on the Avon river, which is here about 1,050 feet broad, is pleasantly situated in a beautiful and fertile country. Its chief trade consists in the exportation of gypsum, which exists in great abundance here, forming one continuous ridge through the centre of the extensive peninsula, enclosed by the St Croix and Kenetcook rivers. The King's college here was founded by royal charter in 1802.— Lunenburg, next to Halifax, is the oldest settlement formed by the British government in Nova Scotia. It carries on an extensive trade with the West Indies, Newfoundland, and Quebec.-The town of Liverpool is built on a harbour of the same name, formerly known by the French appellation of Rosignol. It was first settled in the year 1760 by emigrants from Massachusetts. It contains about 150 houses. Its principal article of export is lumber.

Western Division.] This division contains the two counties of Annapolis and Shelburne.-The town of Annapolis Royal, from the earliest settlement of the colony, until the establishment of Halifax, was the capital of the province, and much of the history of Nova Scotia is connected with it. Its trade has declined, but it is still a bustling place. The inhabitants of Digby prosecute the fishing of mackarel with much success.-Yarmouth is a thriving town. In 1827 its population amounted to 4,350 souls.— Pubnico, a French settlement in the township of Argyle, has an excellent harbour, in which vessels entering the bay of Fundy in distress may find shelter and supplies.-Cape Sable, in this division, forms the most southern point of Nova Scotia, being in 43° 27′ N. lat. and 65° 33′ W. long.—Shelburne harbour is one of the best in America. The town was founded in 1764, but is in a dilapidated state.

CAPE BRETON.] The island of Cape Breton, formerly denominated by its French masters L'Isle Royale, constitutes the most eastern, and at the same time the most northern county of Nova Scotia. In superficial extent it is about equal to one-fifth of the province; and it contains a population of about 25,000 souls. The situation of this island with respect to Canada renders it the key of that province. Any naval power in possession of it will be arbiter of the commerce of Canada, Prince Edward's island, and all the coasts bounding the gulf of St Lawrence. Its greatest length is about 100 miles from N.E. to S.W.; and its extreme width, from S.E. to N.W., is about 80. It is naturally divided into two parts: the southern or lower, much intersected with water,-and the northern or mountainous district. The whole circuit of the coast measures 275 miles, and is broken into bays and harbours in the southern division, but is nearly

continuous, and affords little shelter for shipping, in the northern part. The Great Bras d'Or's entrance, on the eastern side of the island facing the shores of Newfoundland, appears to be the point of separation between the two natural divisions, and is the only channel by which the shipping engaged in the timber-trade can be admitted. Its average width is about one mile; and its southern shore is chiefly settled by Scottish emigrants. The rivers flowing into this channel are streams from 60 to 100 feet wide. -The Little Bras d'Or is separated from the Great by the island of Boularderie; a sunken bar at its mouth forbids the entrance of vessels. It runs in a similar direction to that of the larger channel, and its shores are chiefly inhabited by descendants of the old French colonists.-Sydney is a capacious and secure harbour.-Menadon is a busy fishing-village.Round the southern point of Miré bay lies the island of Scatari, which is usually the first land made by vessels from Europe to any of the colonies eastward of the bay of Fundy.-Cape Breton is the most eastern and lowest part of the coast.-From Miré bay to Louisburg the shore is rocky and precipitous. The ancient French settlement of Louisburg has been swept completely from its site by the hand of man, although it is not easy to give a reason for its continued desolation. The strait of Canseau-so called, it is said, from the Spanish ganso, a goose,' immense flocks of wild geese having been seen here-is the thoroughfare of all the trade to and from the gulf of St Lawrence, and all the western shores of the Atlantic southward of Cape Breton. It is a noble channel, one mile wide and 20 fathoms deep, taking its course north-westerly from the Atlantic, at Bear island point. The Nova Scotia is the more elevated, but the Cape Breton shore possesses the advantage of an excellent harbour situated about half way from either extremity of the strait. The tide usually runs through this channel at the rate of from 4 to 5 miles an hour. The whole coast is agricultural, and settled 4 miles back into the country by Scottish emigrants.-Marguerite lake is a triangular sheet of water 12 miles long, which sends out a river of the same name; the adjacent lands are chiefly possessed by descendants of the French colonists.-Cape North, the watchtower of the gulf of St Lawrence, is a promontory extending into the ocean in a N.E. direction above 4 miles, and forming the most northern point of the island and province.

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Climate.] In general character, the climate of this island greatly resembles that of the neighbouring peninsula. From the beginning of November to the end of April nearly all the business of agriculture is necessarily suspended. The mercury has been known to fall during winter to the 32d degree below zero; and few winters pass without a depression to the 20th degree. Nevertheless a partial thaw takes place in the sun's rays almost every day, and often through the course of a winter the face of the country is deluged for several days with thaws. The heat during summer has been observed to reach 96° in the shade; but the weather is called very warm when the thermometer indicates 80°. The blossoms of the indigenous shrubs mostly appear in June; hay is made in July and August; oats ripen in August; and wheat in September. Apples and plums hang on the trees until the approach of frost in the latter end of October.

Commerce.] Fish is the principal article of export from Cape Breton; coals form the next largest article; the timber-trade is yet in its infancy. The agricultural exports—which find a market in Newfoundland-consist principally of live stock, potatoes, oats, butter, cheese, and salted beef and pork. The exports of 1828 were valued at £79,000 prime cost, of which

£55,000 went to the British American provinces. The resources of this island may assuredly be considered as yet very partially developed. The fisheries especially are capable of vast augmentation; it is also difficult to limit the extent to which coal might be wrought here. In the greater part of the grants of land 200 acres are here allowed to each settler; and there yet remains about 500,000 acres of land, fit for cultivation, and unoccupied.

Isle of Sable.] The isle of Sable, the scene of numerous shipwrecks, is above 85 miles distant from Cape Canseau, the nearest part of Nova Scotia. It extends 30 miles in length; but its average breadth is only 11 mile. It is apprehended that this island is decreasing in size. The reverberated thunder of the sea, when it strikes this attenuated line of sand, on a front of 30 miles, is truly appalling. An establishment has been formed on the island for the purpose of assisting and affording shelter to the crews of such vessels as may be wrecked upon it.

NEW BRUNSWICK.] New Brunswick extends, in one direction, towards the gulf of St Lawrence, and, in the other, to the bay of Fundi. It is bounded by the United States on the W.; and terminates on the S. at the isthmus which leads to Nova Scotia. The prosperity, population, and agriculture of this country, have increased of late years. The river St John is navigable by vessels of 50 tons burden, for nearly 50 miles; and merchandise can be easily transported in boats three times that distance. The effects of the tide are perceptible for a very considerable way up the river. It abounds with salmon, sea-wolves, and sturgeons. Its banks are verdant, rich, and fertilized by annual inundations; they are covered in several places with lofty trees. An easy communication is afforded to the inhabitants of New Brunswick with Quebec, by means of this river. The exports, that consist of timber, fish, and furs, occupied in 1810 not less than 410 ships, of 87,690 tons. The caribou, the moose-deer, the tigercat, the bear, and other Canadian animals, have been observed here, although many of them are unknown in Nova Scotia. There are at present

more than 150,000 colonists in the territory of New Brunswick; and the indigenous tribe of the Marechites is reduced to little more than 100 men. Fredericktown, which is situated on the river St John, is the capital of the province. The city of St Ann is nearly opposite to it. There are some other towns of less consequence, not far from the bay of Fundi.

CHAP. IV.-NEWFOUNDLAND AND THE BERMUDA ISLANDS. NEWFOUNDLAND is situated between 45° 50′ and 51° 30' N. lat. and 53° 30′ and 58° 20′ W. long. It is 381 miles in length, and from 40 to 287 in breadth, of a triangular form, and 900 miles in circumference. The strait of Belleisle separates it on the N. from the shores of Labrador; on the W. it has the gulf of St. Lawrence; and on the E. and S. the Atlantic ocean. The coasts are high; and the shores bold and indented. Concerning the inland country little is known. The inland mountains are generally of a pyramidal appearance; and seem not to lie in the form of ridges. The country, where it has been examined, presents numerous morasses and ponds, with a considerable number of what, in America, are called dry barrens. Several streams descend from the mountains, but they are not navigable. It does not appear that cultivation has been carefully attempted; but the soil and climate are unfriendly to the growth of useful plants. Yet, though the soil of Newfoundland appears to have received

from nature but few advantages, the sea round its shores contains a treasure that is inexhaustible. The cod-fishery here carried on is the richest in the world, and gives employment to many thousands, and food to many millions.

Cod-fishery.] The fishery is on the banks, at different distances from the island. The chief is that called the Great bank, which, according to some accounts, lies between 41° and 49° N. lat., and it is in length 300 miles, and in breadth 75 miles, but others assign to it a length of more than 400 miles, and a breadth of about 140. It has from 22 to 50 fathoms water. False bank lies to the E. of the Great bank. Vert, or Green bank, is not much inferior to the Great bank in dimensions, being 240 miles long and 120 wide; and Banquero is not much less. Besides these, there are many other shoals, abounding with fish, of which the chief are the bank of St Peter's, Whale bank, and the shoals of Sand island. Cod-fish abound in every part of the ocean round Newfoundland, but upon the banks and shoals they are, at certain seasons, particularly plentiful. The fishery near the shore commences more early, and continues longer, than that upon the banks, but is not nearly so productive. The shorefishery begins about the 20th of April; the fishery upon the bank on the 10th of May. The former continues till the 10th of October; while the latter concludes about the end of September. Different baits are used at different periods of the season. The first is a piece of pork or a bird. The cod, when caught, furnishes bait to continue the fishing, the shell-fish called clams, which are found in the belly of the cod, being excellent for that purpose. To the clam succeeds the lobster; and to the lobster, the herring and launce,-which, in June, are succeeded by the capelan, a fish which then makes its appearance upon the coast. The capelan is, in August, displaced by the squid; which, in the last place again makes way for the herring. The cod is not taken with a net but with hooks, and only during daylight. An expert fisher will take from 150 to upwards of 300 in a day. A single fisher has in one season caught 12,000 fish; but the average number is reckoned to be 7000. Pennant informs us, that the largest fish known to be taken, was in length 4 feet 3 inches, and weighed 46 pounds. A splitter who has acquired dexterity, will, in an hour, split 300 quintals of fish; but the common quantity is 200 quintals. When the fish has been dried, and laid in heaps, a heap 20 feet in length by 10 in breadth, is supposed to contain 300 quintals; and if it be permitted to lie two days, it decreases in bulk about one-twelfth. The fish caught are not all of an equally good quality; those caught at the beginning of the season are reckoned the best. The best method of curing is by drying them, and this way is most generally practised; but, in some cases, they are salted in bulk in the hold, and are thus carried to market. Some ships, instead of stopping to fish, proceed directly to the island, where they purchase a cargo from the inhabitants; but by far the greater number catch and cure a cargo for themselves. The former are called sack-ships, the latter fishing-ships. The fish are sold in every part of the world, but the principal markets are the West Indies, Spain, Portugal, and Italy. The shipping belonging to this colony, employed in the fishery, amounted in 1812, to 495 vessels, admeasuring 61,543 tons, navigated by 4,950 seamen; besides 2000 fish-shallops, measuring about 20,000 tons, manned by 6000 men. The estimated value of its exports, in the same year, amounted to £705,594.

Population, &c.] The population of Newfoundland has rapidly in

creased during the late war. The number of permanent inhabitants in 1816, according to official statement, was 70,000, principally Irish. The inhabitants of Newfoundland are divided into a great variety of religious sects. Religious instruction is conveyed to them by clergymen of the church of England, numerous missionaries from the Methodist society, a Roman catholic bishop and clergy, and by ministers of the presbyterian religion. Besides the above, several thousand persons winter here, for the purpose of building and repairing small vessels, and erecting scaffolds for drying fish. The stationary inhabitants are under the management of two lieutenant-governors, of whom one resides at St John's, the other at Placentia. A governor-who is generally a sea-officer of high rank-sails and returns with the annual fleets. This officer commands the squadron of ships of war which is yearly sent out to protect the fishery. The town of St John's is situated on the S.E., Placentia in the S., and Bonavista on the E. part of the coast.

History.] The voyage in which Cabot discovered Newfoundland has been already mentioned. The land was considered as being of very little value, but the fishery upon the neighbouring banks soon convinced the British that the possession of it was a matter of some consequence. The French, too, knew the value of the fishery as well as the British, and many disputes arose concerning the property of Newfoundland. At the peace of Utrecht, the possession of the island was confirmed to the English, but the French were allowed to dry their nets upon the northern shores. In 1763, their privilege of fishing was extended to the gulf of St Lawrence, provided they should never approach within less than three leagues of the shores of British America. At the same time they obtained possession of St Pierre and Miquelon, two small islands to the N. of Newfoundland; but were prohibited from erecting fortifications, and from keeping upon them more than 50 soldiers. These privileges were continued to them by the treaty of 1814.

PRINCE EDWARD'S ISLAND.] St John's Isle, now called Prince Edward's island, is about 70 miles in length, by 28 in breadth, and contains 1,363,400 acres. It abounds in timber, and was called by the French the storehouse of Canada, because it formerly supplied that country with grain and cattle. Its capital is Charlotte's town, where a lieutenant-governor resides. The total population is about 6000 souls.

ANTICOSTI.] The island of Anticosti, called Assumption by Cartier, who discovered it in 1534, is situated in the mouth of the St Lawrence river. It is 90 miles long and 20 broad, but offers no convenient harbour, nor any remarkable object.

THE BERMUDA ISLANDS.] We cannot give more properly an account of the Bermuda Islands than in this place. This group, situated half-way between Nova Scotia and the Antilles, belongs to the former government, and serves as a summer-station for some of the ships that winter at Hali fax. The archipelago is abcut 35 miles in length, and 22 broad, but there is a long and dangerous ridge of rocks near it. The size of the islands varies considerably; the least is not more than 200 or 300 paces long, the largest is about 12 miles. From a distance they have the appearance of sterile hills, at the bases of which the ocean is dashed into white foam. The water in these islands is brackish, with the exception of that which falls from the clouds; it is kept in large cisterns, in order to supply the inhabitants, and not unfrequently some ships of war. The air is considered pure and wholesome. The cedar-trees that grow in these islands consti