The next year, Mr. Wilmot, the Governour of Nova Scotia, sent the chief land surveyor to make a survey of that bay, when, upon full inquiry, it was found there were three rivers called St. Croix, emptying into that bay; that the river, called by the savages Copscook, was anciently called by the French St. Croix; and on examining into the original grants of Nova Scotia, it appeared that the grants made by King Charles the second, to his brother the Duke of York, in 1663 (called the Duke of York's Territory) was bounded by the river St. Croix to the eastward, and by the river Kennebeck to the westward; and on the 12th of August the same year, Sir William Alexander obtained a grant of Nova Scotia, bounded westerly as far as "the river St. Croix, and to the farthest source or spring which first comes from the west to mingle its waters with those of the river St. Croix, and from thence running towards the north," &c. All the islands in Passamaquoddy bay are included in this grant, and have ever since been deemed to belong to Nova Scotia. By the definitive treaty of peace, signed at Paris, 3d September, 1783, the eastern limits or boundaries of the United States are thus described: "East by a line to be drawn along the middle of the river St. Croix, from its mouth in the bay of Fundy, to its source, and from its source, north to the high lands, comprehending all islands within twenty leagues of any part of the shores of the United States, and lying between lines to be drawn due east from the points where the aforesaid boundaries, between Nova Scotia on the one part, and East Florida on the other part, shall respectively touch the bay of Fundy and the Atlantick ocean, excepting such islands as now are, or heretofore have been deemed within the limits of Nova Scotia.' This makes it clearly evident, that Grand Manan Island, Passamaquoddy Great Island, now called Campo Bello, Deer Island, Moose Island, and all the islands lying in that bay, whether on the southern or northerd side this line drawn due east from St. Croix, should as formerly belong to Nova Scotia. Whether Scoodick or Copscook is the river the treaty fixes upon, remains with those who framed it to determine but from the manner in which those boundaries are expressed, I should imagine that river to be the river St. Croix intended, whose source should be found farthest into the country westward and northward towards the high lands, mentioned in the treaty, being conformable to the old grants; and if my conjecture is well founded, the St. Croix mentioned in the treaty cannot be properly ascertained, until accurate surveys are made, and proper commissioners appointed to determine thereupon.

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The Province of Nova Scotia, by the Governour's commission, has been (till the late division of the government took place) described as follows: "On the west, by a line drawn from Cape Sables, across the entrance of the bay of Fundy, to the mouth of the river St. Croix; by the said river to its source; and by a line drawn from thence to the southern boundary of our colony of Quebec : To the northward, by the said boundary as far as the western extremity of the bay Des Chaleurs :

To the eastward, by the said bay, and the gulf of St. Laurence, to the cape or promontory called Cape Breton, in the island of that name, including that island, the island St. John's, and all other islands within six leagues of the shores."

In the year 1784, Nova Scotia was divided into four separate governments, to wit, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, St. John's, and Sydney. The division line between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick is as follows: Bounded by the several windings of the Misquash river, from its confluence with Beau Basin (at the head of Chignecto channel) to its rise or main source; and from thence by a due east line to the bay of Vert, in the straits of Northumberland. Nova Scotia includes all islands within its limits that lie within six leagues of its coasts, except the island of Cape Breton.

Halifax, the capital of this province, was settled by British subjects in 1749. It is situated in latitude 44° 40′, on a spacious and commodious harbour, of bold and easy entrance, where a thousand of the largest ships might ride with great convenience and safety. The town is built on the west side of the harbour, on the declivity of a commanding hill, whose summit is two hundred and fifty-six feet perpendicular from the level of the sea. The town is laid out into oblong squares, the streets parallel, and at right angles. The town and suburbs are about two miles in length; and the general width, one quarter of a mile. It contains four thousand inhabitants, and seven hundred houses. At the northern extremity of the town, is the King's naval yard, completely built and supplied with stores of every kind for the royal navy. The harbour of Halifax is justly esteemed (by many) as the most eligible situation in British America for the seat of government, being open and accessible at all seasons of the year, when almost all the other harbours are locked up with ice; and also from its central situation, proximity to the bay of Fundy, and principal interiour settlements of the province. The other towns are Shelburne and Digby, settled in 1783, Lunenburg, Annapolis, New Dublin, Liverpool, Manchester, Windsor, Cornwallis, Horton, Yarmouth, Barrington, and Argyle.

The lands in general on the sea coast of Nova Scotia (except the county of Lunenburg) and a few hills of good land, are rocky and interspersed with swamps and barrens. The growth is general, an intermixture of spruce, hemlock, pine, fir, beech, and birch, and some rock-maple : But its shores are accommodated with harbours, rivers, coves, and bays, conveniently adapted for the fisheries; and the above timber affords an inexhaustible supply of materials for buildings, flakes, and stages, vessels, &c. The most remarkable land on the south shore of Nova Scotia is the high land of Aspotagoen, which lies on the promontory that separates Mahone from Margaret's bay. This land may be seen at a great distance from the offing, and is the land generally made by ships bound from Europe and the West Indies to Halifax. The summit of this land is about five hundred feet perpendicular from the level of the

sea.

The Ardois mountain lies between Windsor and Halifax, about thirty miles north-west from the latter. It is deemed the highest land in the province, and affords an extensive prospect of all the high and low lands, about Windsor, Falmouth, and the distant country bordering on the Basin of Minas; and must in future time, with the rising improvements and diversified scenery, form a pleasing and variegated landscape Cape Blowmedown, which is the southern side of the entrance from the bay of Fundy into the Basin of Minas, is the eastern termination of a range of mountains, extending for about eighty or ninety miles to the gut of Annapolis; bounded on the north by the shores of the bay of Fundy, on the south by Annapolis river. This tract of land is considered equal in richness and fertility to any in the American colonies, producing wheat, rye, barley, oats, and every species of vegetable in perfection and abundance. The principal rivers are Annapolis and Shubenaccadie. The latter takes its rise within a short mile of the town of Dartmouth, on the east side of Halifax harbour, and empties itself into Cobequid bay, taking in its course the Slewiack and Gay's river. Other rivers of less note are the rivers which empty into Pictou har bour in the straits of Northumberland; St. Mary's river, Antigonish, Liverpool, Turket, Musquidoboit, and Sissibou rivers. The principal lakes are lake Porter, which empties itself into the ocean about five leagues to the eastward of Halifax, which lake is fifteen miles in length, and an half a mile in width, with islands in it; Potawock, so called by the savages, which lies between the head of St. Margaret's bay and the main road from Halifax to Windsor; the great lake of Shubenaccadie, lying on the east side of said road, about seven miles from it, and twenty-one miles from Halifax. There is another lake of considerable magnitude, called by the original French inhabitants Rossignol, which lies between Liverpool and Annapolis, and from Indian accounts is said to be the main source of Liverpool and Petit Riviere (so called) rivers. It has been a place of resort for the Indians, from the favourable hunting grounds about it. There are many other lakes, streams, and brooks, which water and diversify all parts of this province. principal bays are the bay of Fundy, which washes the shores of New Brunswick on the north, and Nova-Scotia on the east and south. This bay is twelve leagues across, from the gut of Annapolis to St. John's, the capital of New Brunswick. The tides are rapid in this bay, and rise at Annapolis Basin about thirty feet. At the head of Chignecto channel, an arm of this bay, the spring tides rise sixty feet. At the Ba sin of Minas, which may be termed the north east arm or branch of this bay, the tides rise forty feet. Des Barres, the late nautical surveyor of this province, has in general been corrrect and particular in noting the latitude and longitude of all the different towns, harbours, capes, and head lands in this province; and his charts are so publick, they can be resorted to by all who require further information on the subject.

VOL. III.

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For natural productions, Charlevoix in his Historie Generale de Nouvelle France, will give full information. Mr. Pernette, who has been curious in observing the natural productions of this province for upwards of thirty years, speaks highly of the accuracy of Charlevoix on the subject.

The province of Nova Scotia contains eight millions, seven hundred and eighty-nine thousand acres; of which three millions have been granted, and two millions settled and under improvement. This province is accommodated with many spacious harbours, bays, and coves of shelter, equal to any in the universe. Its coasts abound with fish of all kinds, such as cod, salmon, mackarel, herring, alewives, trout, and from its contiguity to the banks of Newfoundland, Quero, Sable, banks, fisheries, under proper management and regulations, might be carried on with a certainty of success. The southern shores of Nova Scotia, to the eye of a stranger, exhibit an unfavourable appearance, being in general broken and stony; but the innumerable islands along its coasts, coves, and harbours, though generally composed of rocky substances, appear by nature designed for the drying of fish, and are clothed with materials for flakes and stages, and there is land sufficient for pastures and gar. dens to serve the purposes of fishermen.

As you advance into the back country, the face of it wears a far more favourable and pleasing aspect; and at Corpwallis, Windsor, Horton, Annapolis, Cumberland, Cobequid, Pictou, and along the north shores of the province, are extensive well improved farms: and the gradual improvements in husbandry, which has been encouraged by the laudable efforts and successful experiments of the Agricultural Society here, afford a well grounded expectation of its becoming a flourishing colony; especially if a disposition for frugality, economy, and industry should prevail among us; the want of which important qualities has been hitherto the source of all our embarrassments. Nova Scotia may be compared to the rude diamond in the quarry it only wants the olish of well directed industry, to give it beauty and increase its value

There are mines of coals at Cumberland, and on the east river which falls into Pictou harbour. There are also lime stone, and plaster of Paris at Windsor, and in the gut of Canso; and there is plenty of bog and mountain ore in Annapolis township, on the borders of the Nictau riv er and a bloomery erected there; and from some late successful experiments, there is a flattering prospect of its becoming of great publick benefit. Some small pieces of copper have been found at Cape D'Or. on the north side of the Basin of Minas; but not sufficient to establish a well grounded expectation of any mine rich enough to pay for the working of it.

There are no cascades in this province that merit distinction.. The "only two that have been noticed, are, one of them on a stream that falls into the head of Milford Haven, which is about forty feet high, and

one which falls into the harbour St. John, on the north-east shore of the province, about the same height.

THE ISLAND OF CAPE BRETON.] The present seat of government is at Spanish river, on the north side of the island. The coal mines are situated near the entrance of the harbour; the working of which and the fishery are the chief employment of the inhabitants This island is intersected with lakes and rivers. The great Bras D'Or is a very extensive sheet of water, which forms into arms and branches, and opens an easy communication with all parts of the island. There is a great proportion of arable land on this island; and it abounds in timber and hard wood, such as pine, beech, birch, maple, spruces, and fir. Isle Madame, which is an appendage to this government, is settled for the most part by French Acadians, whose chief employment is the fishery at Amshot, the principal harbour in said island. There are about fifty families settled; and on this island there are computed to be one thousand souls. They take about thirty thousand quintals of fish annually, which are shipped for Spain and the Straits, principally by merchants from Jersey, who resort here annually and keep stores of supplies for the fishermen.

PROVINCE OF NEW BRUNSWICK.] Bounded on the south, by the north shores of the bay of Fundy and by the river Missiquash to its source, and from thence by a due cast line to the bay of Vert; on the west, by a line to run due north from the head or main source of St. Croix river, in the bay of Passamaquoddy, to the high lands which die vide the streams which fall into the river St. Lawrence and the bay of Fundy; and from thence by the southern boundary of the colony of Quebec, until it touches the sea shore at the western extremity of the bay of Chaleur; then following the several courses of the sea shore to the bay of Vert (in the straits of Northumberland) until it meets the termination of the eastern line produced from the source of the Missiquash above mentioned, including all islands within the said limits.

The city of St. John's, the capital, is situated at the mouth or entrance of the river St. John, on high and rocky ground. The streets are regular and spacious; and there are many decent, well built houses. It contains about one thousand inhabitants. The town of St. Anne's, the present seat of that government, lies about eighty miles up the river, About one mile above the town is the only entrance into the river St. John, which is about eighty or a hundred yards wide, and about four hundred yards in length; and this passage is called the Falls of the river, This passage being so strait, and a ridge of rocks running across, whereon there are not above seventeen feet of water, renders it insufficient to discharge the fresh waters of the river above. The common tides flowing here about twenty feet, at low water, the waters of the river are about twelve feet higher than the waters of the sea, and at high water, the waters of the sea are about five feet higher than the waters of the river so that in every tide there are two falls, one outwards and one inwards; and the only time of passing this place, is at the time when the waters of the river are level with the waters of the sea, which

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